More Honor Flight

Although it's blurry, Aunt Helen and Grandpa are marching into the school for the welcome home ceremony. 

An American Legion group led the way carrying the flags.

Grandpa and Grandma were happy to see each other...Grandma gave Grandpa a big hug...aaahhhh!

Grandpa had to show off all his letters he received during Mail Call.  He didn't open but a couple on the flight...I'm guessing it was just a little overwhelming for him to have such a pile of mail to read. 

Uncle Pat and Aunt Kathy were there.

Aunt Vickie, Nicole and of course Courtney (without makeup, oh dear me).  Uncle Dave was drying corn and of course Emily was at the airport.

My parents and me (looking like a drowned rat).  Kurt was home with Brody and Katy can't stay up past 8:00 these days thanks to being pregnant!  Michelle, Justin and Cohen just live to far away.  They should move home!!

Uncle Bill, Aunt Kay, Brittney and Zach - Remy the dog was in the car even.  Brittney and Zach made a fast track back to Champaign so they could work the next morning. 

Of course Aunt Helen was still there and her hubby David was still hanging out with his veteran friend for the day, Earl.

Holding hands....how about another aaahhhh!

Courtney and I were just thrilled to take part in the day.  We were absolutely worn out and are 1/3 of the 52 veteran's ages so I can only imagine how they felt by the time they found their beds that night. Grandpa was still just in awe yesterday.  I think he was most awestruck by the welcoming committe at the airport in D.C.  It was one of those moments I personally will never forget in my lifetime nor probably seen duplicated! 

I still have some random pictures to share and hope to get Aunt Helen's as well maybe tonight.

Another surprise...

Emily surprised Grandpa Yakey at the airport!

Corky and I are back at Em's and are getting ready to head to Effingham for the Welcome Home ceremony. 

Sounds like their expected arrival is 11:30 pm at Sacred Heart Church in Effingham if anyone else wants to meet us there! 

Another highlight on the flight home was Mail Call...Grandpa had a huge envelope of cards and letters, as well as a handcrafted book by Ms. Rincker's 2nd grade class.

Thanks for following us today...hopefully we will get some pix yet tonight yet too.  I'm not staying up to post though...this kid's tired!

More pictures of our afternoon...

This was our last stop with the bus... Changing of the Guard.  We watched two wreath changes in the pouring rain but it truly was cool.  The veterans who were in wheelchairs got a front row seat so Grandpa should have some really good pictures of this!

Iwo Jima Memorial-  It was cold and the bus was warm.  We hopped off the bus took a few pictures and hopped back into warmth!

Sorry, it didn't flip again!  This is the Korean War Memorial. 

This statue is part of the Vietnam Memorial. 

Sorry, didn't turn again! Lincoln Memorial.  We hit the Lincoln, Korean, and Vietnam Memorials in one stop that lasted an hour.  Jen and I were so quick that we ate lunch (a quick hotdog and sodie while standing in the rain!) and visited all 3 memorials.

It was so amazing how gracious people were.  Not only were other veterans and adults thanking the WWII vets but also young children.  I witnessed two 14ish boys thank Garett's grandpa.  It was really cool.

The Navy Memorial.  The Honor Flight was invited to attend the Veterans Day Ceremony at the Navy Memorial.  It lasted about 30 minutes.  It rained.

This picture is the President's car... NO JOKE!!!  We had to stop to allow the motorcade to pass.  It was pretty cool.  We also saw the President's helicopter with the white top several times throughout the day.  Jen and I think he was trying to spot me and her!

Jen and I are sitting in a corner of the airport right now getting ready to board the plane towards home.  Grandpa, Aunt Helen, and Uncle David have already boarded.  Home bound with wet legs...

so, it's wet and cold, but  the wwii memorial was a wonderful experience.  senator dole and mrs. elizabeth dole met us there.  the random fire truck picture below was one of the firetrucks that met us at the gate for the flights water greeting.  it was pretty amazing.  we are on the bus with everyone now and heading to the navy memorial.  stay tuned.

welcome to our guest blogger for the day, courtney ann!

This is the vehicle that brought us to the airport.  Emily woke up at 4:00 so she could take us to the airport.  Thanks Em!!

This is our first picture of day.. we all look so bright-eyed and bushy tailed!!  4:45 a.m

This one didn't turn like it was supposed to so turn your head!!  This is the look on Grandpa's face when he spotted Jen and I.  He had to go through the wand because of his buttons on his bibs!! Yes, Grandpa has his bibs on under the polo!  He looks so cute! Grandpa was suprised to see us. 

This is Garett's (my boyfriend) grandpa and aunt.  I found out on Thursday that they would be going on the trip. 

As we left the airport in St. Louis, the luggage loaders escorted us onto the runway with flags. 

We are now waiting on the tarmac in D.C. a fire truck greeting is planned.  It is raining. :-(

I SURVIVED MY FIRST FLIGHT w/o Grandpa as the pilot!!!!!!!!

We are here!!

flight leaves in 15 minutes!  more to come from d.c.

Honor Flight...

Tomorrow's the day...Grandpa is going on a Honor Flight to D.C.  From what I understand, he has everything already laid out and ready to go in the morning because he is so excited.  He has to be in Effingham at 2:30 a.m. to meet the bus and won't be back until 11:00 p.m.  Long day for him and Aunt Helen, who is going as his guardian. 

The *surprise* - Cousin Courtney and I are going as well.  We plan to blog our way through the day, so you can follow us along the way here too! 

Central Illinois Honor Flight has their own blog as well:
http://www.centralillinoishonorflight.blogspot.com/

Grammy's so proud...

Brody likes to drink from a straw, especially if he gets a little iced tea out of the straw!

We were a few days late to trick-or-treat Gabrielle, but we did make it.  She modeled some of her favorite birthday gifts for us while we were there.  Thanks for the belly button book!

The first Halloween...

Brody started his Trick-or-Treating in Louisville...Q1 and Q2 had lost most of their costumes already though.

Brody and growly bear Cohen weren't really sure what to think of each other.  When asked where Brody was, Cohen would point at him though.

The witch and the ladybug

the paleontologist and his dinosaurs...oh and their cousin the elephant!  (thanks for dressing up for us at logan's birthday party!)

and these crazy people dressed in pink...for $20 each from Grampy John, they donned these get ups and went and 'flashed' the neighbor.  Luckily for Aunt Helen and David, they had their underoos on! 

and finally, the spider web cookies I decorated...only I didn't get them iced until Sunday!  Good think I had candy as back up for the trick-or-treaters!

Escaped from the Jungle...

Our Chunky Monkey!

This is what I found between Brody's legs after dinner...mostly a pile of green beans with brown rice.  There was, of course, more food on the perimeter of the high chair and on the floor.  Anyway, any new food or something he doesn't like goes into his mouth and then he just lets it fall right back out.

He's had those teeth for quite some time, but I have never really got a decent picture of them until tonight.  He was enjoying the camera time this eve.

The final picture from tonight...Brody's favorite new pose.  He has figured out that he can blink and so we get this face often!  Pretty sweet if you ask me.

I have lots of pictures I could post, but Brody is in his Halloween costume in each and every one of them.  And, we can't be giving away his costume to those who we haven't visited yet!  

So, a little Brody *update* will just have to do.  Let's see a new accomplishment - he knows how to climb stairs.  He first did this for Aunt Helen last week while they played together.  She tried to get him to show me when I walked over to get him, but alas, he wouldn't.  So, this morning, Kurt let him go through the door to the front staircase just to let him explore a bit before they left for work.  Brody got to the bottom of the stairs and looked up and then looked through the door at the bottom of the stairs into a sunroom.  Two stairs down and he would in the sunroom...although it might have been a rough tumble down...or lots of stairs to go up.  He chose to go up and made it up five before he decided to turn around and smile at his da-da.  Hoping I can catch him in action on video someday soon!

He's eating more and more table foods...last night he tried some whole grain spaghetti noodles and loved them.  Gabrielle loved them too because she finished her bowl of pasta before anyone else at the table.  Brody had some yogurt so Gabrielle had to have some yogurt.  Sounds like she doesn't eat yogurt for her parents though.  Monkey see, monkey do?!

Pictures or at least a link to Brody's six to nine month album will be coming soon.

A real time update

Brody is busy picking corn with his Grammy and Grampy. However, when Kurt went by in the auger cart this round, Brody was sound asleep on his Grammy's lap. Such is the life of a ten month old!

Date: Sunday

Location:  Brody's crib

Brody was feeling:  Pooped! 

It took a lot of energy to talk ALL the way through church. 

{Luckily the loudest moments were camoflauged by singing!}

Date: Sunday after the nap

Location:  the sitting room/office

Brody was feeling:  Lucky

Lucky because his mom had the camera out and wasn't as quick at saying no when he went for everything that he wasn't supposed to have.  No, No, No is a very common phrase around our parts these days.

Waving bye to his Dad!

Brody loves to look out the windows, well and for that matter, lick them as well.  However, at this particular moment in time, Kurt had just walked by the window on the way to his truck and played peek with Brody and then drove by in his truck, so I think Brody was waiting for him to peek again!