Day 15 - Graduation!

Mike graduated today!! Mike is Mark's younger brother, and 24 yrs. old. His graduation today at the United States Air Force Academy began with .... 

VP Joe Biden:

(He gave a very good speech!!)

The toss of the hats JUST as the Thunderbirds flew over. It's amazing how it was timed!

After the ceremony, during the Thunderbirds' show: 

helloooo Thunderbirds!

(Stacey snapped this picture:)

This was when one F-16 broke off the group and flew straight up for 2 miles. It was so pretty:

Proud Stacey with her two USAFA grads: 

I'm so glad I got to see an AF graduation, since I didn't know Mark when he graduated:

Stacey snapped this one of Marty looking at his old F-15. What great memories he must have:

Waiting for the boys (you can see my burn starting to take effect..) near the Chapel:

big belly!:

"I sure appreciate what Mark went through." 

- Mark's wife (me)

(he wanted his wife to feel this way, way back before he met his 'future wife.' How funny.)

 Well, Mark AND Michael. I am so proud!!

Day 14 - parade, Columbine, Zio's, and Commission

We have had quite the last couple of days. This morning started out with the Cadet Parade in cold, drizzly Colorado Springs. 

Me and Molly (pre-freeze! Poor Mols was freeezing): 

LOOK!! P-51s from WWII. These made me and Stacey cry a bit.. it was really incredible seeing these planes fly over us. There were 5 total, and they barely were able to be there because of the weather. "The sound of freedom."

This was Mike's LAST parade!! Last time to stomp those fields and get incredibly muddy. That's why he's so dang excited!

Post-Parade... during the freeze. We were about to go pick up Mark and Mamie!

ha! Gotta love the Reeders:

After picking up Mark and Mamie, we swung by to see Columbine H.S. and the Gentry's. We hadn't seen the Gentry's since we were first married!

Columbines, CO's state flower: 

We barely made it to our reservations at Zio's... yum!

Next was the Commissioning Ceremony where Marty read Mike the oath, then Mark and Stacey pinned on his "butter bars."

The new 2nd Lt's celebrating with their bubbly. Mike's "bubbly" was none other than Gatorade! Goooo MIKE!

The commissioning STARTED at 10:00pm! By the time this was finished, it was about 12:00...

Good day, just exhausting! 

Congratulations, Michael! We are all so proud.

day 14 - exhausted!

today was sooo full, i am toooo tired to even put the card in the slot to upload pictures! 

tomorrow there will be TWO posts. ta ra. 

day 13 - Academy and Tweedle Dee...and Dum

We made it to Colorado Springs as hoped (flying standby, you never know!). For lunch we ate at Panera, and then we helped Mike pack up his Academy room: 

This is what he will wear for graduation on Wednesday (I love it!):

Foouuuur YEARS in this place...:

Mark and Michael are pretty determined guys to have toughed this out!

They attempted a jumping picture, but the camera caught the "after jump":

About to drive away from the dorm: 

While at the Academy's Visitor Center, Stacey found Marty some huge, awesome sweat pants. I, of course, had to try them on over my pants. ... I can't believe I'm publishing this picture! (size XL.... perhaps mismarked from XXXL):

Kristen, and Jess, remind you of a certain cupcake/pillow-stuffing night? 

After seeing myself in this picture, I realized my long lost siblings were THESE guys. How awful...: 

laugh, but don't scoff! 

I do this for my mom... She loves Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum. Right, mom?

Happy Memorial Day!

day 12 - temple, houses, and doors

Today was spent churching, snoozing, driving, ogling, talking, and dice-rolling (pirate's dice!). Here is the new temple in South Jordan (go ahead and toot your horns South Jordan! Only city in the world with two temples! so exciting). The white tents are for the dedication next weekend. It will be some affair: 

This charming house is right behind the temple... If I lived here, I think I would feel an obligation to go EVERY day. Excuse the green street sign. Now you know where to find it! So cute:
This cute little Daybreak neighborhood next to the temple was incredible. So perfectly manicured, and tended. Every house was very different from the next, but they all coordinated so well! It really reminded us of a movie set: Wisteria Lane or Stepford Wives-ish. 

But my favorites were the doors. Many of them had such gorgeous wreathes: 

Looks like a Pottery Barn catalog: 

I liked this house a bunch when I saw it:

I loved these garage doors: 

Oooo! And this one:

I saw this house and I thought Mark would love it. He loves dramatic lighting and beautiful exterior stonework. He's got good taste. I'm excited to see if he really does like it like I'm expecting him too. we shall see!

Then Stacey drove Tessa and I over to see their first house in So. Jordan. What memories for Mark! Don't you love visiting your childhood homes? So fun. 

Now it's off to Colorado Springs!! Holy traveling.

day 11 - SLC and greens

Goodbye Mt. Rainier! See you soon...

I loved these colors of greens along the Salt Lake when we approached... 

like literal water-colors:

At the Reeders were fresh banana muffins... 

hello muffin top (dual meaning):

We sat outside and visited (I've craved the outdoors - maybe this baby will be a mountain climber like his mother - ha!): 

It was so peaceful outside. Wind chimes and spicket water fountain (say that 3 times.. weird word).  Peaceful, pretty stairs:

Yummy spinach from their garden 

(what I had on my burger AND salad, AND for dinner)

This little boy is getting so strong. Like Popeye:

Stacey is waiting for finches to find her mounted tea-cup with seeds: 

When Tessa came to join us, she and Molly made these.. YUM:  

While they worked, Tessa still found time to take a picture for Mark:

Then while I worked on my muffin top, they worked off the cookies:

What cute helmet heads!! I love these girls. 

day 10 - Ikea, packing, toting, and tucking

Busy day! This morning was filled with a run to Target and TJMaxx with my mom, found a great tote to use a diaper bag! I'm so excited about it. But then! I got a call from a friend's husband saying he was going to be at the IKEA soon, so we packed up mine and Tessa's old crib and set out to meet him. Hello, Ikea: 

He was in a frantic rush, so my dad and I stepped inside this glorious furniture heaven and helped him rush through his lists. It was crazy!! But we found nearly everything on his list. 
Here is the non-diaper-bag, diaper-bag. I figured my kiddo is going to be my work, so why not look super chic changing diapers with a "work tote"!? We'll see if it works as well as I am hoping. It is bigger than it looks:

See inside? that's one of my favorite color combinations. Bright green + black. I don't think it stems from high school colors, I just love the colors together! Anyway, two of the zippers actually make up a pouch that can be removed for extra room:
I'm all packed up and ready for SLC tomorrow. This little guy doesn't know that I'm leaving. Let's try not to disturb him with the bad news... 
When I came back into my room tonight after brushing my teeth, I saw my mom had tucked him in under a blanket she knotted for him. We were laughing so hard! That was about an hour ago, and he is still in the EXACT same spot. What a spoiled little pooch! Good thing he's so sweet. 

SLC here I come! 

day 9 - planes and piano

Everyone, I think, has had an 'airport moment.' This afternoon we had to send this girl back to SLC, so she can make some dinero. I couldn't just give her one hug, so I gave her two. We miss her! The house is too quiet now. 

So to make some noise tonight, I sat down at this big ole' stringed instrument and had some fun. 
I began with this song:
Written by this guy: 
Then wanted a little more of a challenge so I tried this one.. it was more familiar than I thought it would be; I guess I've heard it before! Go Chopin!
Even with an electric piano at home, and playing wall pianos at church every Sunday for primary, I miss the sound a Grand can make. Especially my mom's Yamaha. When I was once at a piano retailer with Mark, we were asking about all the different sounds of pianos, prices, comparisons, information of all sorts. When the experienced older woman explained the Yamaha's trademark sound, I got a wave of nostalgia for my mom's piano. "It sounds like sunshine. Bright and light." I love it's sound. Mark likes the softer, rich sound of his parents', while I can't get enough of my mom's playing and her piano!

PS to Aubrey - I was thinking of you while your party is going on! (currently) and hope it's a smash! Can't wait to hear about it and see the faves. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, tomorrow!