The Odor of the White Bison

This is Baxter posing with The Bison. (Jer for some reason thinks that I, The Bison, am posing with Baxter). We all know this to be a lie and very, very stupid. Furthermore, I too would look this good if I had his hat and his very tight flight suit. (I can't wear a tight flightsuit anymore due to my multiple births. The twins stretched my hips beyond repair) Jer did say that I looked this good 20 years ago. I can't wait to see him at 46! Of course I will be 66 then and wondering how to put my socks on.

The bison makes his way into his new home. If you look closely-not that close, but kinda close, you will notice that I too have "buns". I was called on this mission in late June. I lost 17 pounds since then. Obviously, they did not get my memo about ordering me a new, tighter, stretchier, and bun enhancing flight suit. I am also wondering where I am suppposed to put my legs.

I am not Amy Tomlinson. I am the Bison. As you can see, I am calmly reviewing my flight plan. Baxter has fallen asleep. I had to take over at this point. Thankfully he woke up seconds later and I was able to review my flight plan. My flight plan consisted of two things.

1. When the G-forces begin: Clench my lower body, hold my breath and say hicks, hicks, hicks. I sounded like Darth Vader with a lisp.

2. Find out where the white barf bags are.

Again, I am not Amy Tomlinson. I am the Bison. Here I am smugly looking out the window at Jeri giving her my "Man I am the Man" look. This is also look I give her when I don't understand what she wants. It is a very versatile look. I also found where the barf bags were located, so this may have something to do with my smugness.

Here I am getting ready to taxi down the runway. I am the pilot in the back.
I still have that look on my face. That look at this point is my "Man I think I am still the Man" look. I would be gone for 30 minutes. We, I mean he, put me in at least 10 manuevers (from 4 Gs to 8 Gs). We, I mean he, got us up to .89 MACH. We, I mean me, threw up enough times to fill up two small garbage bags.

I made it! I am the Man. Or is it Man-Bison?
Please notice the fliers around my plane. The maintenance worker with his head in the cockpit has noticed a very perculiar smell. The man under the wing has noticed that smell too and is trying to ram his head into the engine intake. Even Baxter noticed the odor.
The testerone that I emitted in that plane caused all these burly men to question their own virulity. I, as the Bison, marked my territory. I am the man!!

After Baxter showered and freshened up, he came to pose with me. This is the picture that I received after the flight. I was unable to freshen up because I had to revive the fallen crew. (More importantly, I couldn't get my flightsuit off because of the "odor residue")

Here is Jeri shamelessly giving Baxter her phone number. For some reason, she put her phone number on one of my shirts.

I am not sure what this look by Baxter says. It might be..."Would you stop following me." Or...."You have 5 kids!" I think what he is thinking is...."Your husband is buff and very manly. He also emitts a very strong odor. I don't want to mess with him."

Jeri went home in tears and put on her Donny CD's.

Here I am receiving The Order of the Bison. I earned it by barfing at 600mph. I had not showered yet, so the commander is asking me "What is that musky odor?" I told him that what he is smelling is "the odor of the Bison".

The Ride of His Life

Gregg was one of three lucky people chosen to fly with the Blue Angels while they were in Reno for the air races. This is him signing away his life. They don't want me sueing the Navy if they kill him.
Gregg and Ben the #7 pilot in charge of bringing him back alive.
I know what you women are thinking, what a hottie.

The F/A-18 hornet, Gregg in his flight suit and Chad on the right that taught Gregg everything he needed to know. Don't touch anything and don't pass out.

My parents got to go with us to watch. It was a long but fun day at the air races.
Just look at us standing by that cool plane. Gregg went over 600 miles an hour in it.

After they got him strapped in they had to teach him how to move the seat down when the plane was started. Gregg was the tallest you can be to fly in this plane. That's Travis on the right and Chad again on the left.

I just wanted to get a picture of Ben getting in the plane with Gregg, I didn't realize until later it was such a good eye candy shot. You go tight buns Ben "Baxter".

Ben got strapped in much quicker than Gregg, who was now asking "where's that lever to move the seat down?". Please don't touch the wrong one.

After the flight, Ben looking fresh as a daisy. That plane goes so fast I don't have pictures of him in the air, way to hard to take. He was gone from our sight seconds after take off.

Gregg looking a little pale and sweaty. Thanks for the beautiful picture and the memories Blue Angels and Lt. Ben "Baxter" Walborn.

Gregg's friend John who made it all happen. Thank you John, it was a day we'll never forget. This is two days later, after Gregg recovered. I'm proud to say he learned his training well and did not pass out but he did throw up a bit.

Squaw Valley

This was the home of the Olympics in 1960. It looks like Reese is not happy about the bronze position.
It was windy and cold and Blakelee and I are the only ones who brought a jacket.

Reese at least grabbed this blanket out of the van. The were terrified to get any closer to the edge.

This was the favorite thing to do at the top of the mountain. Who knew?

Beautiful view out the cable car window.

Reese was a little nervous about the cable car ride.

Once we were safely back at the bottom of the mountain they were warmer and happy to pose for pictures.

Climbing on things was fun too.

We'll have to take the whole crew and go back and ice skate. I think Reese will brave that cable car again for that.

Parker

I came across these pictures of Parker today and thought I would post them and tell a funny story about the boy.
Gregg and I took separate cars to pack meeting last week and when we got home we realized neither of us had Parker.

I told him to hurry back to the church so no one would realize we both left our son.

He found Parker part the way home swinging his cub scout belt, unfazed. As they came through the door I could here Gregg explaining to Parker why he shouldn't walk home alone.

They came in the kitchen and we were discussing it when we realized that he had left before us (we must have both driven right past him) because in his words "he had an opportunity".

Gregg was telling Parker that it wasn't safe to be by himself. Parker told his dad that is why he was using his scout belt as weapon so no one would bother him.

That is also why the two police cars that passed him didn't stop.

They must have realized he could take care of himself as well.

What a kid!

He does keep it interesting around here.

Northstar and Roller Skating

We found a fun outdoor activity this summer in the form of outdoor roller skating at Northstar at Tahoe.
Here we are enjoying a pizza feast after many trips around the rink.

Scott and Bree, with the beautiful little Northstar village in the background.

Cool rental skates.

Brian trying to decide if this is a good idea. Notice Scott trying to avoid being photographed.

Blakelee like me to pull her around at high speeds.

Reese kept saying "this is so much fun, can we do it again?".

Wouldn't be an outing if Bree and Blakelee didn't take a picture of themselves.

Those gazebo type things lining the rink have fire pits in them to roast marshmellows later in the day. Totally fun place.

Gotcha Scott!

Brian did not like the skates but he managed to stay on his feet. It must have been his speed that made me cut his head off.

Reese just wanted to go at her own pace.

Scott just wanted to stay on his feet so Bree wouldn't laugh at him when he fell.

Bree said all these pictures were burry but this looks like the only bad one.

Standing is good.

OK so these two skated right by before I could capture them. It's hard to tell in thumbnails who is in the picture. Don't know the girl.

Geometry

Kids with a camera and free time on their hands.
I think this is a D.

They were quite proud of this pyramid.