Valdez STOL 2017

May 12 – May 14

Goodness, I do love where we live. I can’t say that I don’t spend time thinking about Hawaii days and traveling the world, but I love my Alaska land.

Our flight from Homer to Valdez was so so beautiful. What a perspective. And so grateful for our neighbor’s airplane and Chris’s piloting so that we arrived safe and sound. (Apollo looks so adorable here. Reminds me of my dad wearing his hat like this.)

We traveled to Valdez for the annual Short Take Off and Landing competition. Chris went last year for the first time, and I was hesitant to join this year, because I wanted to be home for Mother’s Day! Buuuut Chris’s cousin and her family from North Pole were going too, so that made me want to go. And weather depending, we were planning on flying home Sunday morning so we could be home for church and Mother’s Day and I could get my flowers and chocolate. :)

When we arrived, I saw my first aerobatic airplane! Wow! It was pretty crazy and hard to believe that this shiny green airplane was zooming upside down so low over the runway.

We got out of the airplane and friends came down to greet us! The people were so warm and friendly and so was the sun! I loved it all. It was such a nice gathering – so cozy and feel good.

Saturday was a much busier day. Chris and his friend Deon went to the Valdez airport first thing in the morning, but Apollo and I didn’t go until lunch time. He got a nice nap which was needed, and I worked on my Book of Mormon reading at our B&B. So proud of my recent scripture study! Oh! And we saw black bears… a mama bear and 2-3 cubs. PRECIOUS.
When Apollo and I got there, Chris was pretty busy and occupied, but we met up with Chris’s cousin, Melissa, and her family! It was really great to hang out with them and watch airplanes together. We got to check out this big old airplane. No idea what it is. But kewl. 

Melissa and her family didn’t stay the whole day since their great kids were ready to go play in their hotel pool. :) So then Apollo and I just kept wandering around the airport grounds. I pretty much just kept looking for what to eat haha. I found some fish tacos and these veggie kebabs which were a hit. Even my little monkey boy was eyeing them.

This monkey suit was so perfect for the weekend.

The weather turned pretty windy and rainy, so the boy and I went inside and I let him roll around on the floor. I had been wearing him in my baby carrier pretty much the whole time, so he was happy to stretch out. He was such a good boy. I love him so much and I’m so glad he’s my little buddy boy. 

We finally got to see Chris later Saturday evening. He and his aviator photographer friends were just shooting pictures and video for hours and hours while the STOL contest went on. Apollo and I watched some of it but we also just wandered around the booths and made some friends. 

Sunday morning we woke up in our little B&B and I wanted to go to Mother’s Day church! And our North Pole cousins said that the Valdez church was pretty great. So we all got ourselves ready pretty quickly and enjoyed sharing a bench together, singing songs, and hearing good words. I do love going to church. 

After church and lunch we said goodbye to our good friends Deon and Angie (but missed Ashleigh), and said cheers to our cousins and their little dog too. Valdez was BEAUT.

We then loaded up 2423Uniform and prepared for liftoff!

Apollo… what a doll!

Our flight home… BEAUT. It was pretty cloudy around Valdez and wasn’t just clear and calm like weather I had previously flown in. It made me a teensy nervous, but Chris took good care of us and knows airplanes and weather pretty well. And he’s constantly learning and often teaching. 

The views from the air, spectacular. I loved seeing it. And I loved the friends we made in Valdez and seeing Chris in his airplane and video element. I loved having people tell me how cute Apollo is. And I loved sharing it with husband and little babe. ❤️