Lunch :)

After we hit up the local farmer's markets we had to have lunch utilizing some of our bounty.

YUM, YUM, YUM, that's all there is to ay about that!

LUNCH

Have a great day! We are off to a patriotic concert and a promotion party! It's a great Saturday in the BLUE!

Thursday Thoughts

HOT, hot, HOT that's what we got here in LA! Plenty of hotness, triple digits this entire week, I am not a fan of heat as with heat comes humidity and with humidity comes bad hair days for Mrs Blue! Heat is NOT my friend!

However, with summer brings the farmer's market and while I have not made it to the big one downtown I did score some great melons at the supermarket. Price was awesome at .98c a piece! I took some in my lunch today :)

 My melons, I cut two, one was way better then the other, but both edible!

It's ALS graduation tonight, I have a BIG to do list so I need to motor, have a stellar day. Say a prayer for USAFA and surrounding area as the wild fires are still a HUGE concern. We still have many, many good friends there!

ALL ranks day

I know I have mentioned Airman's Attic before, I usually talk more about it F2F rather then the blog. If you have forgotten it is the place that our younger Airmen can come and choose things for FREE. Yes, that's right FREE. Like 5 food items from our food pantry, FREE. Yes, we do have a food pantry and sadly it is very needed. We also stock baby food and cleaning supplies. Our Attic is hard to describe but if you have ever had the opportunity to visit a thrift shop you can make a similar comparison to the Attic. Only we also have uniforms including blues, ABUs and PT gear. Did I mention it's all FREE. Yep!

So once a month we have ALL ranks days. It is the last full week of the month. We are swamped and it's crazy but it's a good crazy and super great for all those who come. We have LTs, Chiefs, Cols, and everything in between, and of course we can't forget to mention our retirees. We get ALL ranks during this week, hence the name. There are rules; some things no matter that it's ALL ranks are still reserved specifically for our younger Airmen. Some bases do not do the ALL ranks, it is definitely a perk and we see it as win-win. It's good that so many utilize this benefit. It is also a little sad, for some are not there just to help stretch the dollar, they are there out of a real need. And speaking of needs, it definitely meets needs, it is very humbling to be involved with the Attic, the blessing stories are unparalleled!

The Attic just so you know receives no funding from the USAF, it is an ALL volunteer organization. Donations and dedicated volunteers are what keep the doors open. Fortunately here one of the private orgs have taken on the oversight of the Attic or it would go by the wayside. The AFI no longer mandates that this program exist which until I came here I did not know. I thought Attics and Loan Lockers were part of the AFRC programming. It's been a learning experience to find out that they are not and again the private org oversight definitely brings a unique spin to the dynamics od keeping the doors open. But again, lots of folks are pulling together and making it happen and the result is one of THE BEST facilities I have ever seen. HUGE kudos go to our local AFSA chapter as we would not have the awesome food pantry nor some of the other necessary operating items if it were not for their helping support of the Attic

Back to ALL ranks day...I got a little sidetracked there, sorry. We were busy today, which is always the case on all ranks days, goodness, really we are pretty much busy every day we are open! But yesterday MiB stopped by as he tries to do as his schedule allows. Because as I tell him and he had some to find out it is amazing what you can find out about the morale and lives of your Airman when you meet them in such a setting as the Attic.

Anyway, he found some shoes...yes, MiB got shoes at the Attic today, now if Ms Shirl would have had her way he would have had more then one pair. But here's the kicker, we were getting ready to go to an event Saturday night and I said you really need to take the time so we can go find you some new black shoes. He said he knew and this wasn't the first time I had mentioned the need for new black shoes. So it was priceless that he stopped in, it was all ranks and he found new black shoes! I love the Attic :) He was impressed and surprised to makes such a great find as I don't think he has ever truly looked at our merchandise.

 

 MiB trying on black shoes; Ms Shirl trying to get him a back up pair!

 Seriously, we get good stuff. Our donations include MANY name brands like Aeropostle, Hollister, Izod, Coach, Kuerig, Tommy, MissMe, Levi's, Yankee Candle, Ann Taylor, Coldwater Creek, , Dooney and Burke, Nike, Abercrombie, American Eagle, Pampered Chef, White House Black Market, Columbia and I could go on and on. The donations we receive for the most part on any given day are gently used with lots of life left in them. It's amazing!

Sad Thursday Thoughts

It is yet again that I write Thursday Thoughts with a heavy heart as we have had another loss in our base community. As hard as losses are it is even harder when it is the life on one so young. There are no words that can be spoken in a time such as this. these parents are devastated, a true tragedy.

My thoughts are silent and still, please pray for the family of one so very young that is no longer with us as they seek to find peace in the midst of this terrible loss.

Weekend Wrap Up and Happy Father's Day :)

Took in a couple movies this weekend...which was nice! Been a little on the busy side so to be able to go sit in a movie theater and only have the phone ring once in each movie was awesome. I think MiB enjoyed yesterday's movie more but I thought today's was good!

In amongst the movie were a few other enjoyable events and then of course I would be remiss if I did not make mention of FATHER'S DAY! I have a wonderful, good father and I am married to an awesome, great father, I have the best of all worlds. It's an amazing adventure to parent, I am glad we have had this adventure, we have a terrific daughter :)

I am hoping for an early bedtime this evening. I have already prepared the requested meals of the day, we are now having some much needed downtime and I will make the requested sweet treat in just a bit. But right now I am relishing the chillaxin as we await the start of the BIG GAME! It's been a good day. As we are get ready to watch the THUNDER, and no we are not having bad weather, we are cheering for the OKC Thunder in the NBA finals. We have such a connection to OKC from LilBlue being born there to friends that are more like family living there and of course Uncle G still being there. We love our OKIE friends and we always enjoy every minute we get to spend in the Sooner state!

Go THUUUUUNDER.

One of THOSE busy kinda days!

Let's recap the evening we had last night before we move on to today!

So last night we were honored to be able to celebrate the wedding of a dear friend...and sadly it was also a farewell; we will certainly miss her as she moves to FL to start a new adventure with Mr Bill! I know she has many, many happy days ahead! Congrats to both Miss H and Mr Bill :)

 

 

 Cutting the humongous cake! It had strawberry filling in some layers!

 They really did eat some cake!

Watching the staff taking apart that cake was quite a show; it leaned, they pried and lifted and it was a lot of work getting it apart but they did!

Now on to today, the very busy will it ever end day! Really it was just floating from one event to the other and it did end! It was a lot of fun, but also a lot of running and a few wardrobe changes!

 New OG

 New 96th and the triplets! OH MY :)

Neighbors retirement :(

 Diamond B at the LRS CoC

Unfortunately by the time we were at the last event this evening I had forgotten to snap a picture...it was the going away of GI moCjaM. Farewells are the most bittersweet, and this was no exception, but they are not going far so it was not so hard!

Night all it's been a busy, busy day!

FLY 'EM PROUD Thoughts!

It's FLAG DAY!

Should you like more info go here!

Thursday Thoughts are all red, white and blue!