The Hills' Adventures: ROADTRIP

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

ROADTRIP

We had a four day weekend so we decided to get out of Dodge and visit Grandma Condie.

Highlights of the trip... 6 hours in the car...Bloody nose (Katie)... spilled chocolate milk (Katie)... spilled Sprite (Katie)...VOMIT!?! (Jake and Dallas, the whole trip down)... Crazy Grandma driving 90 miles an hour (not kidding, we traveled 420 miles in 5 1/2 hours, stopped once for gas, and Grandma and I are the only ones who needed a potty break.?. We got a call that my dad went to the ER with a stomach ache so Grandma was ANXIOUS (understatement) to get home. Grandpa Condie is fine. It's his gallbladder or liver or stones actually all the above.)

Once we got there we had a lot of fun. The kids had a fun time with cousins. The boys and I did some tubing. And my mom made breakfast every morning for my kids while I slept in. AHHH! I love my mom.

Grandma was going to drive back up with us and fly home again, but we left her home with the flu instead.

Natalie thinks it's funny to imitate her mom. It was a big hit as you can see.

"Alright, kids we have a 6 hour drive, I expect everyone to cooperate."

"Oh, my patience is wearing thin!"

"THAT'S IT! EVERYBODY OUT, OUT OUT!"

"WE'LL WORK FOR FOOD!"

6 comments:

Heather and Don said...: Aah! You have such a great attitude, Cassie! It is fun to get away! Love the pictures of the kids in the car! I hope your dad is ok!; January 21, 2009 at 7:57 PM
Anonymous said...: I just love you Cassie! I miss you too! What hilarious captions & fun pictures. you are a great mom, and it sounds like you learned from one of the best.
Love you!
Melody; January 22, 2009 at 8:53 AM
The Royce's said...: Cassie, that is too funny! And I'm so glad you got to get away! What a Great Mom you have! How many more weeks 'til Mike gets home? :0) love ya!; January 22, 2009 at 12:42 PM
Erik & Marcie +3 said...: LOL! Oh Cass, I love your sense of humor! Sounds like an adventure! I'm so glad you were able to go down and get some much needed R & R. And I'm glad your Dad is ok! Scary. Oh, and yes, Brooklyn is SO advanced for her age! :) Lol. I seriously don't know how you do it! You are SUPER MOM!! I think I should make you a cape. :); January 22, 2009 at 2:43 PM
Sally said...: Glad to hear your Dad's ok! Also glad to know your Mom has been able to be there help you! I hope the time is flying by until Mike returns.; January 24, 2009 at 11:25 PM
grandma C said...: Reading it on the blog doesn't quite give it enough umph as living it! LOL It was the ride of a life time!!! So glad the trip home was better for you! xoxo mom; February 9, 2009 at 8:38 AM

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FROM THE MOUTHS OF BABES

"Work is no fun." Jake 9 years

"Candy." Natalie 22 months

"Oh mom, could you change her diaper somewhere else, it's making this taste disgusting." Dallas 7 years

"I know the answers to everything!" Katie 5 years

"The prophet says if you don't spend time with your kids, you'll regret it." Jake 8 years

"Mom, I wished you lived on Jupiter."
"Dad made me change my mind."
"What do you want to do before you die?"
"Mom, I dropped my hot wheels in the toilet." Dallas 6 years

"Come on husband, you need to read our daughter a story...I'll do it myself."
"When will you be able to go? I'm exhausted with you."Katie 4 years

"Dad, Mom lets us get one choice. You just get us what we need." Katie (4) and Dallas (6)to dad at the store

"No", "Toe", "Nose", "Hi mom" "Hi Dad" "a-da-no?" Natalie 19 months

DREAMS DO COME TRUE--Mike's New Job

Mike was recently selected to fly AH-64 Apache attack helicopters for the Idaho National Guard! We'll be in Alabama for flight school for two years, then back to Idaho where he'll be a part-time Apache pilot(this video is from the Utah Guard, but you get the idea).

[Mike] I recently embarked on a great adventure. My whole life I’ve been fascinated with military aviation. As a kid I could name any jet or chopper flying. I studied them, built models of them, drew them. But I never pursued my dream of flying because I didn’t think life in the military would suit me and my future family, and I thought that passion was something I'd grow out of. So I chose a career I considered more practical. In my 20s, though, I began regretting not taking that path. That regret grew worse and worse.

Long story short, in the fall of 2008 I put it all on the line and finally went for it. I joined the Army National Guard here in my home town, with the long-shot hope of flying the AH-64 Apache helicopter (the best attack helicopter in the world). The training just to be considered was tough and required quite a commitment: nine weeks of Basic Training, 8 weeks of Officer Candidate School, academic and physical tests, a 6-year commitment regardless of the outcome, plus the preparation on my own time. All that, just to qualify to go before a "flight board" that selects future pilots. The field is very competitive, but failure was not an option—given the wars we’re fighting, I didn’t want to be in the Army, stuck on the ground. I had to succeed.

By some miracle, everything lined up perfectly and I was selected for flight school, despite my lack of experience and prior service, and despite being 3 years over the age limit (I got an age waiver).

In the spring of '10 my family and I moved to Fort Rucker, Alabama for two years of flight training, after which I’ll come back home to Idaho and be a part-time pilot. I’m so excited I can hardly stand it. Getting selected to serve my country, flying the world's best attack helicopter, based right in my home town, is incredible. It still blows me away.

I have the best wife in the world for supporting me in this adventure. She initially told me to do something about this ache in late summer of '08. She encouraged me every step of the way, even while I was gone for months on end, leaving her to manage the home, business, and take care of our babies. And Army pay is not good, especially considering my life may someday be on the line in Afghanistan, Iraq or who-knows-where-else. Thank you, thank you, Cass, for all you are to me.

We may not have it all together...But together we have it all.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

ROADTRIP

6 comments:

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DREAMS DO COME TRUE--Mike's New Job