Sweet Shot - Hot Air Balloons

Oh how this photograph makes me want to be up there with this balloonist.



And I'm not even that fond of heights. But I am extremely thankful I was able to enjoy the beauty of these balloons.

Good Morning America Segment :: Radical Parenting & Unschooling

I was forwarded the link to this segment aired by Good Morning America. It's a family in Massachusetts that chooses to unschool their children.



I personally believe children need structure and discipline and guidance. I do believe self-led learning is important. It fosters a child's desire to learn.

While I personally do not follow their parenting style, I do agree with their right to have a choice. I just humbly pray their choice does not impact my own.

As a homeschooling community, how do you feel?

A Little Sun, A Ton of Fun

We only had three days at Sun-n-Fun this year, but they were jam packed with lots of fun activities for all of us.


Okay, I'll give you one guess in which Hangar you could find me once I saw this sign?





I don't remember seeing them as a sponsor before, but I sure am glad they were this year. Yum!





I wanted you all to see the steady line going to visit them. I'm sure you can imagine. A bunch of pilots and their families in one spot. Coffee was needed and in a very bad way.


While my husband went to seminars, Little Buddy and I had some learning to do as well.





The Youth Education Center is operated by volunteers and provides excellent hands-on science and mathematics activities.





Like learning weights and balances. This was actually pretty funny. Little Buddy kept using the heaviest weight and saying, "My Mama's luggage." Ummm... smart boy.


There is a permanent building full of activities and then during special weeks like Sun-n-Fun, they add tents for additional activities and crowd control.


Little Buddy has always enjoyed operating the airplanes they have set up to teach children about the parts of a plane and it's operation. There are three different planes, with each one setup to teach a different age range.





I think this one was Little Buddy's favorite though.





This pilot sign is so adorable! I thought you would love to see him, too.





There were about four different school groups at the Youth Center on field trips the same day we were there. As a homeschooler, Little Buddy doesn't get the opportunity to ride a big ole yellow school bus. So, I explained the situation and asked one of the friendly bus drivers if Little Buddy could look around the bus and sit on it for a minute. I think the bus driver was elated to give us a tour.





And then, it was back to rocket building. Blue and green rocket building to be precise.





Finally we met back up with Daddy and ate lunch and watched the afternoon airshow. This photograph was probably the funniest. It looks like this big ole airplane is about to eat the smaller one. Forgive me, I don't have a clue what their names are and please don't ask me to ask my husband or Little Buddy. They would talk for a solid hour about them.

We smoked our favorite veggie pizza and then off to bed.

The next morning, this is what greeted us.








If you ever get the opportunity to fly in a hot air balloon, do. My experience has been a flight that was serene and breathtaking while the landing was hilarious and entertaining. Of course tracking the "chasers" is pretty funny as well. {The "chasers" are the crew on the ground who follow along in cars, etc. while the balloon is flying to assist in the landing and bringing the balloon rig back to its home airport.} Both times I flew, we landed smack dab in a cow pasture, but that's a story for another day.

Airplanes :: Reflecting Sky

My family spent the last few days at Sun n Fun in Florida. Their tagline for the event is "Spring Break for Pilots." We've been coming since long before Little Buddy was ever born. It's a family tradition. Something we look forward to doing together every year.

I took a lot of photographs {imagine that} and have so many I want to show you. I'll be sharing them over the next little while. I hope you don't get tired of seeing them.

This is just a teaser. One I took last year at OshKosh, the big daddy of all airshows. It's one of my favorites.



Polished chrome on an old warbird reflecting a bright blue sky. You can't get much better than that.

Our Morning and A Winner

This morning I participated in a Nikon photowalk that turned out to actually be a competition. There were 25 photographers competing and were to capture and submit their cameras back in to Nikon with only three photographs in the camera. One for Planes and People, one for Planes in Flight, and another for Planes as Art. It was tough! My husband and Little Buddy were also able to participate and honestly, Little Buddy's photographs put mine to shame!

I think I know what elective I need to begin teaching him. Or maybe, he needs to begin teaching me.

We should find out the winners of the contest around 2. I just hope I can get digital copies of Little Buddy's photographs back. They were THAT good.


Also, last night officially ended the Ultimate Blog Party. You guys have blown me away with commenting on my UBP post and entering my giveaway. I wish I could give every one of you the $50 Amazon Gift Card. If I could, I would in a minute!

I have loved visiting you back and getting to see your blog homes as well. I look forward to continuing to read your blogs and hope that you will do the same. I've enjoyed this giveaway so much, I'm planning another biggee in the next week. So be sure to stay tuned for it.

And now, the winner. It's Lolli.

Congratulations. Send me an email and I'll email you with the gift card.

To everyone else, thank you so much for entering. Remember, I have another biggee coming next week!

Yoga Pants

Image by myyogaonline via Flickr

I wore them in public. Before last year, I'm not sure I even owned a pair. And then, I bought a pair of Eileen Fisher yoga pants and fell in love.

The sheer comfort.

They were soft as butter and wore like a dream. And then, I bought more.

I'm sure the other outfits in my closet were afronted at these new pants that seemed to always be front and center. The Kaspar suits were shoved to the side. In their place? Juicy Couture.

Now, I just need to learn yoga.

This post is part of Things I Love Thursday and I'm Lovin' It.

A Girlfriend's Honest Talk About A Mammogram

Early in my working career, I worked with one of the funniest, sweetest ladies with whom you could ever hope to work. She was the "work mother" to my young eagerness and people pleasing attitude. She took me under her wing on matters you really want someone to help you with when you are just starting out. There was absolutely no competitiveness or cut throat behavior displayed by this amazing woman. I wouldn't learn about those things until much later.

And then, out of no where, Betty told me she had breast cancer.

We cried and cried and cried together. She consoled me.

Betty continued on with treatment for her cancer. However, by the time it was discovered, it was stage 4 and already spreading fast to her lymph nodes. She fought the good fight.

Even knowing Betty's struggle with breast cancer, I have always been reluctant about having a mammogram myself.

Why was I reluctant? I had heard stories since I'd ever heard the word mammogram of it being a painful test. I had heard stories of the embarrassment of having the test itself done.

Finally, I've reached the age and thankfully have a gynecologist who does not take no for an answer. There is no thinking about it or "I'll schedule it later."

So I enter the Women's Breast Health center for what I think is surely to be the most tortuous test I've ever experience topped with definite humiliation of a stranger handling a very private part of my body.

Now I have to tell you, our health system has made huge strides in making women feel comfortable about having this test done. The center is nicer than many luxury spas I've visited.

As I enter the room for my mammogram, I am immediately put at ease by the personality of the nurse. She explains what will be done, when it will be the least comfortable, and what I can expect when I hear back from my doctor. She lets me know I may get a phone call from a nurse in a few days asking me to come back for more tests as 20% of first time mammograms need additional tests.

Yes, the tilt a whirl part of the test does pinch. But it lasts less than 10 seconds. I will tell you, make sure you hold you chin up high so it does not have to be repeated. {Lesson learned from me.}

The best part of having the test done?

The fear of the unknown is removed. I've had the test. I know what to expect. And it was far from the big deal I made it out to be.

And now, I think of Betty and all of the other "Bettys" of the world. I'm sure they would tell you the same, "Just get it done. It can save your life."