Happy Birthday to You!

Happy Birthday to everyone celebrating on May 4th! Everyone have a wonderful day...Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you...happy birthday Scott, Tim and Maddy...happy birthday to you!!

"I'm flying to Maui on Wednesday"

That's what I heard after work one day. Tough job, eh? Do some work, see some scenery and check out some whales. I'm sure there's more "work" involved than I know about, but they've also been known to come back with krispy kremes -- Maui is the only island that has them. Things here are good. Work is keeping both of us busy. Scott has been over at the Big Island all last week and will be home Monday. He will aslso be gone for most of August and some of September -- as of now -- for NTC in California. That date has changed 3 times already, so who really knows for sure. The days are being ticked off one by one until we come home for a couple of weeks at the end of june/beginning of july. We're looking forward to a few St. L traditions; namely cardinals baseball, ted drewes and of course time with friends/family.

flying over the ocean

the view...so pretty!

and another...

I wonder where they'll land....

backwash from the rotars...impressive

Look, they made a rainbow!

coming down

Bambi Bucket...Prepare To Drop Water

So my company was given the task to support the local fire department when wild fires flare up. So whats better than taking a big bucket and dipping into a lake and then opening it to empty all 2000 gallons of water back into the lake. Well here are some pictures from it................ And no we did not pick anyone up in the bucket when we filled it, Mythbusters proved that one!!!!

The bucket flying under the chinook, did I mention that it is on a one hundred foot line.....

Bucket still flying!!!




Coming down to land.




Looking down through the hole in the center of the chinook.




The Bucket full of water (2000 gallons).




Still flying, the Bucket will not open!! So what do you do with 2000 gallons of water?




You dump it on the ground!




That's a lot of water!!!!




Ok lets try this again, the bucket is 10 feet off the water.




Dipping the bucket..




Where did the bucket go, I think we will have 2000 gallons this time..




That's one full bucket.

Yes, the bucket works!!!

That was cool!

Looking out the door, Sir you are clear down to dip!

Field Trip!

Scott had a 4 day weekend and so we went over to Kauai to explore for a few days. While the island is certainly more untouched than where we live, we lived it up by staying at the Mariott. It was a great weekend and we took a lot of pictures. I think I need to join Photographers Anonymous after taking at least 1 (usually more) of everything we saw. Luckily, I've spared you from most of our pictures, but as always it was hard to choose which ones to share! Although we weren't home for Easter, the weekend was still a success.

The view from our hotel room

Russian Fort from their (brief) occupation of Kauai
(who knew?)

Waimea Canyon
some equate it to the Grand Canyon on the mainland

One of the only pictures we took of both of us together

Clouds in the canyon

Clouds keep coming....

The drive back down

Lighthouse at Kilauea Point

Wailua Falls

Who do you see? King Kong maybe?

The Tunnel of Trees

Blowhole
The water from the ocean is shot up in the air

CoCo Palms Resort -- where Elvis filmed the wedding ceremony in Blue Hawaii
Currently closed and plans for the property are up in the air

Wailua River

The Vacation Station

Come one come all! All visits so far have been great fun and Emily's spring break was no exception. Below are just a few...

Scott wears his uniform at work and the beach!

Sunset...no green flash that day though

We celebrated Emily's birthday while she was here

(what's a birthday without cake?)

Shave ice...yum yum

At the top of Diamond Head

Always, always take a picture next to the sign!

Happy (early) Easter!!

.....Its been awhile

It was a rough day when they told me I had to fly to the Big Island for training. Well the training involved flying over the active volcano that was puring lava into the ocean. So here are a few pictures from that wonderful day.

Hot Lava going into the ocean!!

The top of the volcano.

Just a little closer!!!


Becky wearing my flight helmet!!! I think she looks like a storm trooper from Star Wars!!

Ok, well I guess I do too!!
Anyways we have more pictures from when Emily was here and I should have more soon from the volcano "training".