Big Sky Country....

Many of you know that the boys and I headed up to my old stomping grounds this past week. I have been looking forward to this trip for quite some time - for many reasons. It has been almost 4 years since I have been back "home," and despite the fact that none of my family lives there anymore, I was going to be able to meet up with my sisters, grandma, and other extended family! My mom was able to make the 14 hour drive with me there, unfortunately she could only go one way with me so the boys and I were on our own for the way home! We made it home safe and sound this afternoon - we are a little worse for wear, a little tired, and very cranky, but the boys couldn't have travelled any better!!

It has been quite some time since I have blogged, so this first post is for you honey!!

Judith Gap, population 164, is a little north of Harlowtown Montana...about an hour and a half from Billings! It is a tiny little community, home of this little mercantile shop! If there are any missilier's reading this, you have probably frequented this little joint, famous for it's many flavors of milkshakes. Inside there are squadron patches from the guys stopping to and from their alerts. The woman told me that just last week she turned around from making a shake to see a "sea of green" flight suits behind her! She said they are so thankful for the business and support they receive from our men and women in uniform!!

I wanted the boys to sit at the table, but the sun was "too bright." So they found a little splotch of shade so I could take a picture of them!

Zach peeking in the door! Notice the windmill paintings on the window. Since we have left Montana, Judith gap had become hometo a wind farm in 2005. According to Wikepedia this is "one of the most ambitious wind power projects in the United States. The 90 mammoth wind turbines at the Judith Gap Wind Farm produce 135-150 megawatts of power, representing about 8% of the electrical power on the NorthWestern Energy grid. The total cost of the project is likely about $150 million. It was spectacular to drive through them.

Zach and Seth very impatiently awaiting their milkshakes!!

Zach ordered Strawberry, Seth chocolate; and Eli, Mom, and I shared the leftovers!

Eli thoroughly enjoyed this!! He could hardly get enough!!

A treat like this is always a MESS!! We were sticky and messy all the rest of the way to Great Falls!!

According to the lady at the mercantile shop, during the wind farm project, this windmill arm was dropped and cracked, the city of Judith Gap asked if they could keep it...here it is, all 128 feet of it!! It was AMAZING and the boys especially enjoyed running around and climbing on it!

This was such a fun stop...and brought back so many Montana memories!! Even though they boys didn't completely understand it, it was so fun to say "This is where Daddy used to..." "This is where we did..." Some people hate Montana and can't wait to get away, especially in the winter; others love it and would love to get back...I am the latter!

Hiking at Darkwood Beach and above Carlisle bay

This picture is a different view of Darkwood Beach...it is from the top of the hill above and the beach and water is as spectacular as ever!!


This is the crew who went with us...Jimmy, Patti (Jimmy's Wife), Me, Guy (up from Ascension---in several of my Ascension hiking pictures), and Steve (Down from Patrick)

This outside of the moravian church above Carlisle bay...I can't take new folks by it without showing them the view!! Will be snorkeling here today!! :)

Up on top of the roof of Admiral Hortio Nelson's residence while in Antigua. It is up above Carlisle Bay and an amazing residence...(Used to be...it is deteriorating rapidly now!)

After we were done looking around the "Admiral's" House.

Col Gruber and crew on Antigua

After the 15 hours they spent on a plane from when I saw them Monday evening until they returned on Wednesday morning I thought they could use some refreshment! I took them down to Keith my Natural Medicine Dr!! (Gardener) for some good old fashion coconut water. They were all brave enough to even eat out some of the Jelly...Thanks Keith, it was a great experience. (SMSgt Lizak -- Group First Seargent, Me, Col Gruber -- Group Commander, Capt Suzzi -- Group Executive Officer, Keith -- THE MAN!)

All of the work pictures you have seen before, so this is the beginning of the "Island Surveillance" pictures. In my 11+ months here, I have not been to the top of Sir Allan Stanford's tower...so we went to the top. It was interesting to see what developments they still have planned around our base and facilities...as you can tell, his tower is close to base as we surveyed my "domain!" :)

A picture of the crew atop the Tower...I tried to get my dishes in the background, but we missed! Oh well...maybe next time.


This is a picture of what has become one of my favorite dinner spots. Cecil and "Mama" always take good care of us and the Chicken Fettucinni is to die for!

The following day Col Gruber was able to fly out on the 0900 plane, but there was only one seat. So the Shirt and Exec "sacrificed" and hung out on the island until the 1500 plane. They slept in while I took the boss to his plane and when I was able to arouse them they wanted to see a beach...we went to "Sandals' Beach..." one of Vonnie and My Favorites!!

BBQ-Day out Pigeon Beach

Good friends Dennis and Sally are headed back to England for three weeks on Friday, which means they will not be here when John and Patricia and I all leave...so we went for a trip out to Pigeon Beach to have a little BBQ...as always, folks brought a ton of good food. Sausage, Chicken, Lamb, Pork, Veggies, Shrimp and a whole bunch of appetizers and salads! WOW!

This Grill really has gotten a wor out. We have used it on Wheatheralls, Green Island, Barbuda, Pigeon Beach and probably many other places as well.

This really is a local's beach and tends to fill up on Sundays. Today however it was pretty empty except for a couple of groups who were also BBQ-ing. These boys had set up some standards to kick their soccer ball back and forth through. Great to see...
This is all of the guys...Me, John, Dennis, Paul, and Andy...


This is a picture of all the girls and because Vonnie wasn't available I had to stand in. Bonnie, Sally, Justin, Patricia, and Margarita.


This is me in all of my fatness looking back down the beach toward Falmouth Harbor. This is where the Mount Gay party was to kick off sailing week back in May.
This was one of our favorite beaches while Vonnie and the boys were on Antigua. We spent Thanksgiving day here, as well as many other days out ot get some sun!

Another Pool Day...

Today we headed out to the pool again...this time with Grandma in tow!


"How do you put these things on??"

Zach and Seth being entertained by the divers in the "big pool."

E- and I lounging!! He LOVES the water!

Moving Day! Sort of...

Hey all,

As we are now under a month before I leave Antigua to pick up the family and embark on our next adventure, it is time to start getting the place ready for my replacement. He is bringing his family in so I decided to get out of my room so they can have a place to crash until they get into off-base housing...not sure how long that will be. I really got the clue when Mary had the Supply guys deliver a moving box outside of G-1...then Beth knocked on my door and handed me the keys to B-1...I have never been evicted before, but I think this is what it feels like...except then I wouldn't have been given one of the nicest houses on the block in return!! :)

Here I am in G-1.

Here Wilson is getting ready to go in a box...SORRY WILSON!!



Moving always gives you a reason to clean up...or at least put all of the "stuff" in a box and sort it out later!! Yeah right...




Here is the new room...Bedroom with a HUGE walk in closet...nice!


Living room with new furniture!!! It is NICE!!



Fat Justin sitting at the desk in the little office...it joins the bedroom with the living room...pretty cool!

Happy Father's Day to Me!! :)

On Father's Day this year, I was away from my little munchkins and greatly missed them and Vonnie. To make the day better, I was invited out on Tim and Jo's sail boat with Will...as you can tell from the looks on faces, everyone is having a good time so far and we just left the port!!


This is me helping get her set up in Deep Bay for our luxurious lunch at sea. Will made an excellent Artichoke Dip, Tim gilled some Wasabi Tuna, and Jo made some great broccoli and rice. All I did to help was taste test all of the food...everyone did and AMAZING job!! :)

Me relaxing while everyone else worked hard...hmmm sort of like when I am at home eh baby!! :)
After a nice day on the anchor Tim let me do some driving on the way home...we even got a couple of nice gusts of wind that helped us to push the rail right down in the water...normally Jo would make Tim slow her down a little bit, but because it was His day, she let him have some fun!! Thanks Tim and Jo..

Saturday...Sunshine and Splashes!!

It may not be the beach, but just about as fun...the Fort Carson swimming pool. We were out of the house this morning by 10a.m., I wasn't sure what to expect, but give me two wading pools, lounge chairs, another adult to talk to, and 80 degree weather and I am in heaven! Maybe not quite as relaxing as the lounge chairs on Jolly Beach (due to the constant hollering and screaming of children), but still very fun!!

Zach and Landry searching for the Spiderman dive sticks!

After about an hour in the pool Eli was good and ready for some time in his stroller with a bottle! He reclined back and didn't move for about 20 minutes!!

Seth and Landry looking for dive sticks again. Seth didn't quite understand that he needed to put his head in the water to look for the sticks!!

Zach adjusting his goggles. He had so much fun and found several little friends to play with while he was there!! He's not usually very social, but something about the water brought him out of his cocoon and turned him into a social butterfly!!

Ross didn't need his stroller to eat his bottle, he preferred lounging in his momma's legs instead!!

It's a pretty huge jump for a 2 foot deep pool!

Zach and Seth sitting on the edge. Seth acquired a toe injury during lunch so the last hour we were there he just sat on the edge with one leg in the water.

Eli was pretty tuckered out after 3 hours! He was asleep in his seat before I even pulled out of the parking lot!!

It Pays to Know People!

We had the great opportunity today to have front row seats to the arrival of a Life Flight Helicopter. A few blocks away from the house the city is sponsoring summer events each Friday night - music, food, booths, free stuff - something that would be fun for me to take the boys to, but not practical! My good friend told me she knew the flight nurse on board of the helicopter that was going to take center stage at this Friday's event; to make it even better this nurse, Colleen, said if we came early prior to the arrival of the crowds she would personally give us a quick "tour."

Zach and his friend Landry watching the helicopter land. It was really loud!!

Eli didn't really appreciate the loudness. He wasn't too happy about the whole deal - not to mention that he still isn't feeling quite up to par!

The kids: Zach, Seth, Nathan, and Landry wrestling! There was nothing better to do while the waited for our "tour."

Everyone inside the plane: My friend Amy with her baby Ross (days older than Eli), Landry, Nathan, Zach, Seth and Colleen holding Eli. On a side note, Colleen is 6+ months pregnant with her 2nd child, and her husband is currently deployed on his second tour to Iraq.

Zach and Seth getting ready for take off, literally - this is when we heard "Colleen, we've got a call!"

Colleen running back to the booth where they had put some of their equipment for display.

The kids watching it take back off again!

It pays to know people...too bad we may have been the only people to get the chance to see the helicopter, unless is was just a quick flight and they were able to get back before the event was over!!