England Remembrance Day Parade

Yesterday Owen participated in a Remembrance Day parade. The British do it every year to remember all who served in the wars. It was located in a village called Dickleburgh. They and other groups of England came to march and show their respect for the fallen soldiers. They marched down the street and then there was a short reading of the names of the soldiers. Then each group placed a wreath of poppies at the memorial site. We all then went into the church for a memorial service. It was a wonderful event and it was great to see so many people show up and support such an event. If you want to read more about the events and the meaning behind it all this site gives a description of everything. It is rather interesting.

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/Remembrance.html

http://www.100bgmus.org.uk/html/intro.html

this site is about the bloody 100th which is what Owen's squadron is called it just gives a little history for you about how they got their name

Just copy and paste to view.
Enjoy the pics sorry some are kind of dark
Talk to you later,
Sara and Owen

At the Parade

The memorial site where the wreaths were laid

English men that served in the wars

100th OG (Owen's Group)

Owen is the 3rd one back in the row closest

The Chaplain and Owen's squadron commander are the one's in uniform

In front of the church

Reading the names

Not sure what group these boys belong to just thought their outfits were neat(especially the hats)

These boys were a type of boy scouts group

not sure of these either but thought the way they marched was interesting. they really swung their arms

100 OG

A band that lead the parade

Halloween and Owen's Birthday

Hey everyone I just wanted to post a few pictures and get everyone updated on us. We are just busy with work and things so we haven't gone anywhere by the time the weekend gets here we just want to relax and stay home. I know we need to start doing more because we are running out of time quickly. As some of you know we had a little visitor for a weekend. I babysat for one of my little kids from work. We had her all weekend (Friday-Sunday). It was quit an experience for the both of us. She is 11 months old and really fun to take care of. Owen on the other hand was pretty sceptical about the whole thing. She was great, only woke a couple of times during the night but put herself back to sleep. It was a little hard for me because I didn't sleep that well knowing she was here. I heard all her noises and when I didn't I worried she was not breathing. So it was a long sleepless weekend but I enjoyed every minute of it.
We ended up staying home for Halloween this year. It was nice to relax. We made chili, carved a pumpkin, and watched a movie. We had a few trick-or-treat visitors. Then Saturday 1Nov. I threw a party for Owen's b-day. We grilled hamburger's and brauts and had cake and ice cream. It was great to get together with friends and celebrate. Below are a few pictures from the last couple of weeks. That is all for now hope everyone is doing well and getting ready for the fast approaching holidays.

Madelyn

Madelyn

Owen carving our pumpkin

Final outcome

Owen's B-day party

Bella and I eating Micky Mouse chocolate chip pancakes

Owen's b-day gift from me

Pumpkin Patch

Last weekend we decided to join some of our friends and go to the local pumpkin patch. Owen and I even bought us a nice pumpkin to carve for Halloween. Fall has approached fast and the weather has changed greatly. The leaves are turning beautiful colors and the air is quite crisp. We finally had to turn on some of our heating units because the house was getting rather cold in the evenings. As for Owen and I we have just been keeping really busy with work and not a lot of play. Owen was assigned to the mobility office and helps with all the deployments for his squadron. It keeps him rather busy anymore. He is still flying but hasn't had any TDY's lately just local day flights. I think he is itching to go somewhere. I on the other hand have been really busy with my babies. We got a new child last week and she has been a lot of work for us but is starting to enjoy being in the room. This weekend I took on a challenge and am watching one of my babies from work all weekend because mom is working. So wish me luck that I will survive and Owen will not go crazy and disappear for the weekend (lol). Other than that we are doing well. No trips planned for the near future but have lots of places we would like to go if we could just get time from work to go. We hope all is well with everyone, keep in touch. We would love to hear what you all have been up to lately.

Pumpkin Patch

Kyle and Bella at the pumpkin patch

Owen's trip to Iceland

As some of you have heard Owen got to spend a week in Iceland on TDY. The area where they were at Naval Air Station Keflavik. It is located in the southwest part of Iceland. He did fly a couple of times but as you can see they got to do a lot of sightseeing. He was really amazed at the landscape. He said it was unlike anything he had ever seen. It wasn't to warm there but warm enough that they were able to do a lot outdoors. He said there were a lot of rivers and waterfalls. He got to go whale watching and he went to the famous Blue Lagoon (geothermal spa). Over all he said it was a great trip and would love to go back and do more site seeing on other parts of Iceland. So maybe one day we will make it there and I will get to go. :)

Enjoy the pics and there are a couple of short videos.

One of many waterfalls

This is a tour vehicle but Owen said a lot of the vehicle there had those big tires.

A view of the landscape

Another view of the land

More land

A geyser (sorry it is sideways couldn't turn it)

Video of whale watching (he said that was a good as it got, a little disappointing)

One Year Gone By

I can't believe we have been here for a year. It still feels like we just arrived and are new to the area. July and August flew by that I don't remember all that we did. I got to enjoy another girls night out on the town. We had a great time just being girls, not wives or mothers for a few hours. As for Owen and I we took a weekend and went to Coventry and toured a cathedral, Kenilworth and Warwick to see a couple of castles. We went with the Houston's and the Lamer's. It was a great weekend to just get away and spend some time with friends.
Owen has been busy with work, if he is not flying he is doing work in the squadron. He has just been flying local flights and not got to go anywhere to cool. We had planned to take a vacation on his TDY's this coming week but things fell through and none of the spouses got to go. So he is enjoying a week in Iceland without me. I will have to post pictures when he gets back. He claims it is like nothing he has ever seen before. I am still working at the CDC with the babies. It keeps me very busy and exhausted at times.
We don't have anything planned yet for the next couple of months but are looking at taking vacation in November or December to Austria or Switzerland for Thanksgiving or Christmas (since we didn't get this TDY for vacation). I will definitely be ready for a break by then. So if anyone needs to get away in the next couple of months come on over. I would love to see some familiar faces. We are missing you all very much and hope everyone is doing well.
With love,
Sara and Owen

Girls Night Out

All of us piled in my car

Hotel in Coventry

Coventry Cathedral
(old part that got bombed)

window of the new part, I thought this was just interesting

Kenilworth Castle

Warwick Castle
(one of the largest ones we have seen that is still standing)
Outside view

Warwick Castle - inside view

The Trebuchet

Here is a video clip of them launching a fire ball .



Hope you enjoyed the pics and I will try and post sooner next time. Sorry I have been slacking.
talk to you all soon .

June Happenings!!!!!!!

Hey everyone,
Well June was here and went by extremely fast. As must of you know Owen made it home from his deployment on the 15 of June. It has been so wonderful to have him back home. With that we have been pretty busy. He got about 10 days off of work but I still had to work so we didn't get to go anywhere. Then Owen's friend Jeff Finley came on the 20 of June and we showed him around parts of England. He was here for a week. After that we both got pretty busy with work. We have been going to a few BBQ's and hanging out with friends. Our friends Christina and Paul welcomed a new member to their family on 2 of July, Ariana Renee. We are so happy for them. I even got to skip out on work to watch Bella for them while they were at the hospital. It was a day well needed. Her and I had a great day together.
Well that was June in a nut shell. Now that July has started we are still busy. Owen has started to fly again and has put in a few long days at work. We are hopefully going to get away in August or September for a week and go somewhere other than England :) We are thinking Germany or Italy, who knows we will just have to see. But for now we don't have any plans of going anywhere, for one I don't have much leave left and work is being pretty stingy as to how much you can take. :(
We did get to celebrate the 4th of July here. We went to RAF Feltwell, a base near by. They had rides, food and drink vendors, and they also had a pretty decent fireworks show put to music. It was an enjoyable night out with friends.

Here are are few pictures we have taken lately so enjoy.

Owen's room while deployed.

The day of his return.

Herbie the Bug ( we saw this while in London, not sure why it was there)

The Back to the Future car

The Prime Meridian in Greenwich

Standing on the Prime Meridian

Gary Sinise and the Lt Dan Band played at RAF Mildenhall.
(For those of you who don't know Gary Sinise plays on CSI New York and was Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump.)

Gary Sinise

Fireworks on the 4th of July

Sarina and I enjoying the fireworks

4th of July