The Air Show at Biggs Field

We all attended the air show at Biggs Field today.
It was SO hot outside.
We arrived just as the show began at 10:00 this morning
with the singing of the Star Spangled Banner ...

This huge flag was hoisted from a fire engine ...
These acrobatic parachutists were very cool to see ...
This is the B-17 we went to see ...
we would have climbed inside and explored,
except there was a $5 admission fee
for each of us ...
We contented ourselves with staying OUTSIDE the plane.
Mr. Jones tells me the B-17 Flying Fortress
was a heavy bomber (because it had four engines) ...
It was so terribly hot in the sun,
and we discovered that if we stood under the wing
of the B-17, it was a tiny bit cooler ...
Diana brought a sheet along with her
and we spread it out and sat down.
I had brought some markers and paper along in my backpack
so that Ems, Chris, Matthew and I could draw
pictures, make paper airplanes, etc.
The kids are kind of little to really appreciate an air show ...
Can you see how Emma has learned to print both
her first and last names?
We met a nice family under the wing of the B-17.
The dad had been deployed to Iraq with the active Army
in 2003/2004 and was gone for 7 months ...
and came home to his family safe and sound.
He told Diana that this first few weeks/months
is the toughest part of the separation.
We thanked him for serving our country ...
Look at these cool dives and loops the planes are making!
The noise was incredible!
This is the stealth! Isn't it cool?
This is the NASA shuttle transport plane ...
Mr. Jones went inside of it and got some good pictures ...
We ended up staying at the air show until almost 2:00
in the afternoon ...
thank goodness for sun screen, hot dogs, cold water
and the shade of that B-17!
I forget what this aircraft was called, but it was
QUIET and beautiful piano music was piped in while
it did its dance in the sky ...
On our way out to the car, Emma and Chris
got to get inside some rescue vehicles --
here they are in a police car ...
And this is Chris in a Homeland Security Helicopter ...
And Emma looking very happy in the pilot's seat ...
I think she takes after her daddy with the driving thing ...

We made it home and did stickers and other art work
for the afternoon.
Diana made a delicious tuna fish casserole
that we ate every bite of ...

And then Emma wanted to show us
how fast she could ride her hot wheels bike ...
She was very fast, and drove exactly like a Texan!
Here is Matthew on the scooter ...
And Christopher can pedal this trike
really really fast!

Grandpa and I were exhausted today --
perhaps we just got too much hot Texas weather ...
but our heads ached and we went back to the hotel
by about 6:30 tonight ...

This is the Lodge at Fort Bliss where we are staying.
This is the breakfast area overlooking the pool
(which is closed for the season)
W H Y ????? It's SO hot!
This is the view we have where we park the van ...
(Mr. Jones took this picture and has now
pointed out that there is a train he was taking a picture of!
He wasn't taking a picture of the mountains or the view
or anything like that -- it was the TRAIN!)

Mr. Jones took most of the pictures at the air field.
I didn't post very many -- there were just too many to choose from!
I took some pictures, but mostly I was busy entertaining
the young folk.

Well, tomorrow we go and worship
with Diana and the kiddos.
After lunch, we're going to head on over to a ranch
to see what we can see ...
I'm hoping it is similar to the Old Mac Donald's Farm ...
it sounds like it from the tour book, but you never know ...
until tomorrow!