Bean town

Kristen and I on the T

 This past week Kristen and I went to Boston for a quick vacation.

First Sam Adams beer in Boston.

On the day we bought tickets on the "T", the Boston subway.  We took the T to our hotel and checked in.  From there we took the T to Hard Rock Cafe to eat.  Drank some of Boston's freshest Samuel Adams beer.....Mmmmmmm.  Then we went to an improv comedy club.  It was our first time at an improv comedy club..., it was funny.  They even made fun of us.  Mostly Kristen and her tanning business, but a little of me too.  Haha.  It was funny.

On the trolley

The next day we started bright and early (Kristen hated me) and got on a tour bus.  Our driver was a true Bostonian and was fun.  We saw some really cool stuff.

Where everybody knows your name

Birthplace of Edgar Allen Poe

Fenway Park..., Home of the Boston Red Sox.  It's turning 100 this year.

We rode around the trolley's "circuit of the city and then decided to walk to a few of the more interesting places.

Our first snow fall of the year

Where the Deceleration of Independence was first read to the public

Paul Revere's house

Freedom trail (a red line walking path to see all the touristy places)

Some old crooked street

Site of the Boston massacre..., OK, this was not too tasteful

USS Constitution

Kristen sleeping next to a seal at the aquarium

Dippin dots..., why not?  It's 17 degrees outside

Sharks at the IMAX!

We spent this whole rest of this day walking around Boston.  We were pooped!

The next morning the snow started!!!  And it didn't stop all day!!!  Kristen really wanted to go to Salem to learn about and see where the witch trials took place.

Unfortunately, almost half of the touristy places were closed because we came during the off season (cold months).  There were a few good places open though and we had a great time.

I'm talking to a real witch!

Salem was very......., interesting.....

The next day we woke up and went straight to the Sam Adams brewery.... and that was AWESOME!

I saw a great quote there... "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." -Ben Franklin

Come hell or high water (or snow), we were going to make it to the brewery!

Dreams do come true

Candy

Free Sam Adams!

Heaven!

 After the brewery tour we walked around a little bit and went shopping..... good times.

Well..., that was our trip to Boston.  From there we flew to Baltimore, MD and then rented a car and drove to Dover, DE.  We'll be here for this week.

Boston was fun.  Snow is pretty until cars run over it and make it dirty. You need waterproof boots if you want to walk in the snow. That pretty much sums up our week.  Good times.  Till next week...., See ya!

Two months late...

OK..., it been a while!

Click on this link for a 5 minute video of my deployment..... it's pretty cool!

A lot has happened in the past almost two months with no blog.  I've came back from Afghanistan, passed a PT test, took leave, Christmas, New Years, visit family, visit friends, LSU ended season with disappointing loss, got to fly a Cessna around New Orleans, Saints end season with very close game.....  anyway...., a lot has happened.

This is the first land (US soil) I saw out of the plane window on 30 Nov 11 ..... I was so pumped up!

I'll try and make this blog as short as possible, but I'm sure that I could write a short story..., it'll be mostly pictures.

Bulletproof 

Not bulletproof

I shaved off the stache right after my last combat flight over there..., it felt so good to shave it off, it itched.

Waiting to leave Afghanistan in the passenger terminal in my "battle rattle" (body armor). We were checking if the groin protection really worked.

First alcohol in seven months...

Kristen waiting....

I missed Kristen.

First meal on U.S. soil..., Taco Bell

Dallas was happy to see me

Christmas 2011

We saw Kathy Griffin and had a backstage meet and greet

Out to eat with friends

After the Saints lost to the 49ers we took our frustrations out at Pat O's.  We were DRUNK.

Track day with Mr. Dennis

These go carts went 45mph!

Kristen and I went up together, just the two of us, for the first time. 

We took a city tour

Haha..., the plane we rented was really small!

So, Kristen and I are going to Boston for a little vacation.  Then we're going to Dover for a week and maybe buying a house.  And then we're heading to San Antonio for three months to learn to fly the mighty C-5 Galaxy!!!

I'll start back with the blog now on a regular basis (weekly).  Thanks for reading.

Oh, by the way, I changed the colors of the blog to match my new squadrons colors...

Till next time..., see ya!

Almost done playing in the sand box

Kristen sent me a GIANT fortune cookie.  It had a fortune in it,  but if I read it, it won't come true.

Dallas hates baths

So it's official (for now), I'm coming back to 'Merica in early December!!!

This is Dallas promising that she wont run down the driveway

I'll have my fini flight on 2 Dec over here..., I think.  I'll probably finish somewhere around 157 combat sorties and 780 combat hours.  Which is pretty darn good.  Actually, that's a lot!  After that I'll do my out-processing checklist.  Which is soooo funny.  Are we really this nerdy/fighting a war like this.  Do you think our enemy has in-processing and out-processing checklists?  Haha.  Sometimes I have to laugh at ourselves.  We are definitely winning the war on checklists!  Yaaayyyy!

This is Dallas' "spot"

Some sad news for me over here..., I have to move out of my tent that I've been living in for the past seven months and move into another tent, on the other side of base, close to the poo pond.  Yeah, you read that correctly..., the poo pond.  There 's a HUGE poo pond here on base.  And the reason...., it's because we have too many people!  Haha.  I say, then send me home!  Haha.  This has never happened since I have been here.  But of course it's happening to me.  Oh, well..., it's only for 6 to 9 days, plus some.  But it's going to suck!  I have a nice little nest that I've made in my current tent and I have a nice little routine that I go through to work out, sleep and eat..., I'll have to learn a new routine to get those things done at my new place.  Aghhh....

Till next week...., See ya'!!!

I'm P-5!!

I'm P-5 this week.  There's a lot of moving parts over here right now as far as people coming and going and when exactly I'm going to leave.  I don't have a firm date just yet..., but by next week I'll know for sure, I think. Haha.  Ahhhhh..... I can't wait to find out.  I'm ready to go!  It's day 195 of my 179 day deployment..., so it's about time.

Last week was Kristen and my third wedding anniversary.  I surprised her with a pearl necklace, earrings and roses.  She deserves so much more. She's the best wife I could ever ask for and puts up with a lot of shenanigans. Thanks babe.  I love you!

Kristen went to Houma this week to my cousin Kailin's art show.  She got a first place ribbon!

Kristen also went to Painting with a Twist, which is where you paint and drink alcohol.  It's popular and sounds like fun.

I weighed myself this week..., I weigh 198lbs.  I left for deployment at 238lbs. so I've lost 40lbs. so far since I've been out here. It's a pretty good diet to be on deployment and be away from Taco Bell, McDonalds and Wendy's.  Haha.

Really short blog this week and one day late...., but, till next week!  See ya'.....

3rd wedding anniversary!!!

Happiest day of my life

We did it!!! (STS)

Halloween has come and gone so what holiday is next?  Kristen and I's third wedding anniversary of course!  Our third wedding anniversary is tomorrow, 8 Nov 11.  I can't believe that it's been three years already.  I still remember our wedding like it was last weekend..., that was so much fun!  I have the most beautiful wife, inside and out.  She's so supportive of me and my crazy job.  I love her more and more everyday.  And even though I'm a million miles away I still feel like we grow closer and closer everyday.  I love my wife!

Kristen handing out candy and Dallas dressed as Super Dallas!

Speaking of weddings, Mia's (my sister) is less than six months away now... get up for it!!  Woop woop!!!

So..., this week I found out that my return date is being pushed back.....again.  A pilot had a medical problem and had to go back to the states for good.  I feel bad for the guy.., but darn it..., I'm ready to go home!!!  So if you add that to the two other dudes from last week who got RIF'd..., that makes three dudes jumping in front of me in the past two weeks.

I've been deployed for 189 days now.  They officially make three reservations for me three weeks apart because there are a bunch of factors that go into the date that I leave.  To make it simple..., I just need five more pilots to get here and then I can go.  Two pilots are having their fini flight tonight so that'll put me at P-5!!!  I'm so close.I'll be home either last day of November or first two weeks of December now.  And hopefully that won't change anymore.

The good news is that I'm in a good place right now.  I'm happy to be a pilot.  I'm happy to be in the military.  I'm happy to be serving in this war.  I'm happy to be deployed.  Seriously, there are a bunch of dudes who love their country, join the military (especially the Air Force) and never fly their aircraft in combat.  I'm doing all of this right off the bat!  And since I've been here so long now, I'm one of the most experienced copilots here.  Which is a good feeling.  I'm good at what I do and I like doing it.  You can't ask for much more than that.

I've shifted to flying all night lines lately.  It's a whole different world flying at night.  And tonight to add to the mass confusion that already happens in my cranium on a normal basis, God decided to throw IFR, darkness, clouds, wind, rain, turbulence, icing and a wet runway all at me tonight... thanks.  Haha.  Seriously..., whenever you fly and get challenged..., it feels good when you are forced to make decisions and exercise some of that pilot judgement that I was taught in training.  Aghhh...., tonight was a good night.  Even though it was stressful..., it was rewarding at the end.

Thanks Kristen, Dad, Aunt Cathy and Uncle CJ for the care packages.  This week was a big care package week.  As for all the Halloween goodies that everyone sent me I left them all over the squadron for people to eat.  And so did everyone else, haha.  Which was pretty funny.  I think that the entire squadron was running off of sugar for a few days there.  Good times.

Kristen got the new iphone 4s!!!  Yayyy!!!

Kristen, I'm sorry that I'm not there this anniversary.  We'll celebrate a month late this year.  I miss you.  I love you.