Just call him Chunk

Clayton was walking around like this tonight. It reminded me of a movie; I know Kelly and Spencer will know what I'm talking about.

TRUFFLE SHUFFLE!

Now we just need to teach Clayton the dance.

Citizen Soldier

OK, so I'm not in the National Guard any more, but I really like the rock group 3 Doors Down, who have been VERY supportive of the military. This is their latest song, dedicated to the National Guard.

Farmer Clayton

Today I dressed Clayton in his overalls and a new shirt I got at a garage sale- and my friend Kelly and I thought he looked like a lil' farmer. So I dug out a hat and took some pictures of him on Kelly's hay bales in her yard. Hmmm . . . I guess this is not exactly big news or anything, but if I wait for 'exciting' stuff to happen I would never write anything on this blog!

PLEASE fence me in . . .

My wonderful, sweet, amazing husband surprised me today- he went to Lowe's and brought back supplies to put up a fence!! I am so excited. I've been wanting a fence since we moved here, but the chain-link ones are so expensive and we are not sure exactly how much longer we'll be here. Maybe as little as 6 months, maybe 3 1/2 years. Anyway, I'm so thrilled to be able to let the boys play outside this summer without having to chase them all over the neighborhood. THANK YOU Andrew!!

Cool!

On the front of our house we have a little plant-holder attached- we've tried a couple of times to grow plants in it, but it just gets too dry. This year I was planning to just take it down or put some fake flowers in it . . . but someone else came up with a better idea!I think there must be eggs in there, because this mama bird hasn't moved (that I've seen) for at least a couple days. Does anyone know what kind of bird this is?

Last year we had a robin build a nest- and it's still there! And another bird has been using that same nest this year, and sprucing it up. I think she'll lay eggs soon. Anyway, I thought this was cool. I think birds like our house because they can sense that I'm a bird-brain . . . or maybe that I'm a cool chick . . . hmmm . . . yep, I'll go with cool chick! Happy Spring everybody!

The boys today

It is pretty difficult to take cute, nice pictures of kids- smiling, clean, cute clothes, hold still, etc. You know what is EASY? Taking a picture like the ones below!

Sigh. As you can tell, we've had a long day. But I still love my lovely boys!

Dream of Flight, Part 4 – The Mission Years

Midway through my enlistment with the Army, and before really diving into college, I served a church mission for two years in and around London. Now the focus of my mission was definitely the gospel, and flying wasn’t even on my mind as I served in my first area, but it seemed my dream couldn’t stay away from me. My first transfer in December of 1999 was to the Thetford area – which included 3 American Air Force bases: Lakenheath, Mildenhall, and Feltwell. I remember my first companion congratulating me on the “Christmas present”, as that area was known as a cushy place to serve. It was full of generous American church members who fed the missionaries every night of the week, and elders had access to all the American treats generally unavailable in England like, root beer, peanut butter, Taco Bell, and the like.

So I was pretty excited for this area. When I arrived I learned it lived up to all the hype and more; imagine my surprise to find that the country road we traveled every day ran partly along the base perimeter and directly under the path of landing F-15s.

So that was kind of motivating (and a little distracting) to be around jets all the time. We saw and heard jets constantly. It was always a discussion topic for people we met in the course of our missionary work. We even went to the big annual air show on base – reasoning that every Air Force member in our area would be there, most residents either went to the show or left town for the weekend, and every road in town would be jam packed with cars and RVs anyways (Europeans are NUTS about airplanes). Even more influential than seeing jets all the time was seeing how great work and family life in the Air Force was. I still felt that flying in the Army was my best bet, but living in Thetford left a lasting impression on my mind that would come into play later down the road.

After staying in Thetford for eight months (unusually long for a mission area) I was transferred down to London. The flying bug couldn’t leave me alone though. Shortly thereafter I had a German companion who flew gliders, and my apartment in my last area sat on a hill overlooking the London Luton Airport. Every day at lunch I’d take my food into the front room and sit on the window sill to watch the airliners land and takeoff.

And even though mission rules prohibited flying in private planes, I did ‘fly’ when I had the opportunity.

Opposites

Brian and Clayton are pretty much complete opposites. Brian is tall and skinny, Clayton is short and chubby. Brian is more intellectual and has a great memory- Clayton is more talented at the gross motor skills. Brian was an angel baby and is still a great sleeper- Clayton was NOT an angel baby and is still working on the sleeping thing. Brian is more uptight- Clayton is very laid back. Little bumps that make Brian howl would not even be noticed by Clayton. We think that Brian looks very much like the Trunnell side of the family- and Clayton is all Monks- tell me what you think!

Clayton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mommy

Brian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daddy

To infinity . . . and beyond!

Brian's current favorite movies are Toy Story 1 and 2. They are such fun movies. So last Saturday I bought a Buzz Lightyear doll for Brian at a garage sale- and I've been browsing Ebay for a Woody doll. I found one that would cost about $9 with shipping- and I was planning to bid on it on Monday- but guess what? Today I found the EXACT same doll at a garage sale for $0.25! I was so thrilled. It was like a teeny miracle. I am very glad I found it BEFORE I bid on Ebay! Anyway, Brian loves it. And I love garage sales.

Brian has been playing with Woody nonstop. I think he keeps expecting him to come to life! It is so fun to see your kids start pretending, etc.

Made my day!

Andrew surprised me yesterday by sending me these beautiful roses! It was not our anniversary or anything- it was 'just because'. What a great husband! I love flowers- it's not something we can splurge on all the time . . . but I'm so glad he did. Thanks sweetie!

Garage Sale Queen

Okay, here is my chance to share one of my favorite hobbies- I LOVE to shop garage sales, thrift stores, craigslist, etc. A few reasons why:

1. I save so much money. Not a day goes by that my boys don't wear something I bought at a garage sale- and clothes sell for about 80-95% less than retail. When you have two boys, that is good news! I don't pay retail now unless I absolutely have to.

2. It is so much fun to see what I can find! It's like a treasure hunt. I never know when I'll find a great toy for the boys that I couldn't afford otherwise, or an awesome out-of-print book for me, etc.

3. I have SO much fun with my friends, some of whom are now hooked as bad as I am!

4. It is a fun extension of people-watching. I like to look at people's stuff, and learn about them. I've actually met new friends just by striking up conversations at their garage sale!

5. I think it's made me a smarter consumer. I've bought damaged books/furniture/etc. and learned how to fix them up.

Anyway, I have fun! Here are a few of my favorite treasures I've found:

Matching 'Thomas the Train' outfits for the boys- .50 each

And here is a chair I bought and reupholstered for the boys; before and after:

Here is a wooden airplane rocker, it's perfect for Brian's airplane room!

If you ever find Little Tikes stuff at a garage sale, lucky you! That brand is practically indestructable, and they make such fun toys. My boys love this slide, car, and teeter totter (the teeter totter was $2!)

This wagon was a craigslist find. They are about $60-$70 new, and I got this one in perfect condition for $20. Not without help though- thanks again Hillarie!! Oh, and the double jogging stroller you see in the window? Another garage sale find. Anyway, this is my hobby- if you are ever up for 'garage saleing' with me, let me know! Happy shopping!

Dream of Flight, Part 3 – FLY ARMY!

About halfway through my junior year in high school I made a decision that would affect my life for several years to come. I knew from my experience in the “Trifecta” that I wanted to serve in the military; the question was how. Considering my options, it came down to two choices: the Air National Guard or the Army National Guard.

I chose the Army.

Looking back, my reasons for doing so were a little imprudent. Due to my poor academic performance (which precluded me from attending the AF Academy or even any decent University with an ROTC program) I had kind of shelved the dream of flying jets. The other reason, even more shortsighted, was my impatience. The Air National Guard required a high school diploma, while the Army had a “split-option” program, in which I could enlist at 17, attend basic training between my junior and senior years, and finish my training after high school – all while “drilling” on weekends and making a little money. So on April 3^rd, 1997 (my seventeenth birthday) I signed the paperwork for an eight-year commitment and raised my right hand to swear into the Utah Army National Guard. One decision made in the process which was NOT shortsighted was my commitment to getting the “job” that I wanted. I signed on as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew chief with an aviation unit based out of West Jordan.

During the summer of ‘97 I attended basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and a year later completed my technical training at Fort Eustis, Virginia. Basic training was “fun" in its own way, though it’s not something I’d want to go through again.

I actually enjoyed tech school. I lived in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, learned all about working on helicopters, and began to exercise a little freedom as it was my first experience far away from home. Back from training I proceeded to have a BLAST in my new job. Being part-time in a small flying unit, I worked primarily as a flying crew chief, acting as a door-gunner, flight engineer, and mechanic, all rolled into one.

During my time on the Hawk I got to do some of the coolest flying I’ve ever seen.

I’ve probably flown over every part of Utah,

Including some of the prettiest parts of Southern Utah:

In the summertime, we performed fire-fighting missions and flew to airshows:

And in 2005 we deployed to Nicaragua to support a humanitarian effort in the countryside:

My Army service spanned (and partially funded) my mission and college education and there came a point when I expressed an interest in commissioning in the Army and becoming a pilot. I distinctly remember discussing my plan with one of the pilots I was flying with one day. His response was along the lines of “Dude, are you crazy? Go fly for the Air Force!” Well, this rekindled the dream which had sat dormant for years. I still had a long journey ahead, but this led me to take the first real steps towards flying Air Force jets.

Tag, I'm it!

My first Tag! Here goes:

1) Four Jobs I've Had
Public Library (St. George and Provo)
Bakery (inside a grocery store)
Taco Bell
Teaching math

2) Four Places I've Lived
Enid, OK
Alta Loma, CA
St. George, UT
Sandy, UT

3) Four Movies I Love
Gone With the Wind
Say Anything
The Apartment
Holiday (the old one with Grant & Hepburn)

4) Four Favorite Foods
Tamales
Root Beer floats
Brownies
In N' Out

5) Four Weird Things About Me-
I have a short attention span. When I was teaching, faculty meetings were like torture- I would doodle, fidget, try to mentally force the clock to move faster. Not sure if I had adult ADD or just a really boring faculty.
I love to read the same books again and again- with a few years in between readings. It feels like visiting an old friend to me.
I went my whole childhood without a broken bone . . . only to have my son Brian break my tailbone as he was being born!
I am known to my friends in Enid as the 'Garage Sale Queen'. I'll have to write a post about that sometime.

6) Four TV Shows I Like
The Office
American Idol
Good Neighbors
Rhoda

7) Four Places I'd love To Go
To Maui
To England
To my parent's house for a visit
To sleep!

I tag anyone reading this who hasn't been tagged in the last month. I'll have to see if I can get Andrew to fill this out too.

Clayton's Greatest Hits

Well, if we have Brian's Greatest Hits, we have to have Clayton's!

Clayton's monkey face- he used to do this when he was really excited about something.

Clayton's best side?

Brian's Greatest Hits

A few pics I think are hilarious (and Lisa thought she deleted):

Crazy Boys

I think that 'Crazy Boys' could be the title of pretty much any post on this blog. They really are nuts. Take a look at Clayton eating a snack . . . note the crackers in the hair, and the smug look right before he deliberately drops his juice on the floor. Yeesh. I don't think this kid could be a messier eater if I fed him by catapult.

And here are my boys during one of their very FAVORITE pastimes- spinning in the chair! Am I a fun mom or what?

Oh, and note Clayton's haircut in the last two pictures! I took him in this morning. I worried about him throwing a fit for the barber- but I came prepared. I gave him two suckers- one for each hand- and he did awesome! Gotta love the power of bribery.

Dream of Flight, Part 2 – “Trifecta of Teenage Geekiness”

There came a point in my young life when my dream of flying transformed from a boyhood fascination to a nerdy obsession. I guess the outward manifestation of this obsession was apparent in my participation in what I now consider the “Trifecta of Teenage Geekiness” – the Boy Scouts, Civil Air Patrol, and Junior ROTC.

OK, so the Boy Scouts isn’t really a “geeky” organization per se, but the “Duo of Dorkdom” doesn’t sound as – er, cool. In fact I didn’t even earn my Aviation merit badge until I was 17. Anyway, so I got involved in the Civil Air Patrol at the age of 12. Frankly, it was a lot of fun for an adolescent kid enthralled with aviation. Technically the CAP is an auxiliary of the Air Force which provides emergency services and airborne search and rescue in the US. That aspect is mostly executed by adult members. It also has a cadet program which is essentially an Air Force-themed Boy Scouts (although girls were involved as well). I took classes on aviation, leadership, and military studies. We had yearly summer camps at Air Force bases. The summer of ’95 was the closest I’d ever get to the Air Force Academy – another effect of my daydreaming on academic performance.

One of the highlights by far though was the Orientation Flight program. The CAP operates a fleet of small airplanes and occasionally provides flights to cadets. My first flight came a few days after my 15^th birthday. We took off from the Salt Lake airport with another cadet in the pilot’s seat, the instructor in the right seat, and me in the back seat of the Cessna 182.

I have to admit I felt a little airsick at first (‘felt’, not ‘got’) but after landing in West Jordan and switching seats, I felt on top of the world. We flew over my house in Sandy, over downtown SLC, and then landed back at the airport. I was hooked.

I probably looked like the world’s biggest nerd with my wacky hair and powder blue uniform, but I didn’t care. In my adolescent mind, marching around, wearing an Air Force uniform, and FLYING PLANES were the coolest things ever!

Let me reassure myself again: “coolest things ever”.

Around that time, I transferred to a High School across town to attend the Junior ROTC program they had. It was a lot of fun; about like CAP, but with classes every day. No actual flying, but plenty of other Air Force related activities to stoke my passion of flying. Perhaps my proudest moment was at a state-wide drill competition. After various group events a mass “drill-down” is held. It’s bit like Simon-Says but with marching commands and movements. As a participant makes a mistake he is “out”. The last competitor standing wins. That was me.

“Coolest thing ever”, right?

Looking back, my involvement in the “Trifecta” both helped and hurt my dream; but I like to think it helped more than I hurt. Certainly it was a distraction from school – and it showed in my report cards. As I graduated high school, I knew that many doors were closed to me – the Air Force Academy, for instance. On the other hand, it prepared me for a lot of what would come in the future. It taught me a lot that I could have never learned spending my Thursday nights playing video games or watching TV. It laid a foundation for service in military aviation. I think it was time well spent. No matter how geeky I looked.

My seventeenth birthday ended this chapter in my young life as I stood with my arm raised in the Salt Lake Military Entrance Station, swearing into the Army National Guard. I wasn’t sure how that would lead me to a fighter jet, but I was excited for this new adventure.

Brian Names the Planets

Alright, he's no Einstein, but he's a pretty smart two year-old. This video is a few months old and not very easy to understand . . . but he really IS reciting the planets!

Nice weekend

This has been such a great weekend. Good weather, free time with the family, general conference- good times. Here are a couple little tidbits from the boys. Yesterday Brian built tower after tower on his pegboard . . . so that his favorite dinosaur could ROAR and knock it down! He was pretty into it. Funny thing though- according to Brian, the dino did not smash the towers, he kicked them down! Brian kept saying "RAAARRRR!!! Kick! Kick!" Apparently the dinosaur also likes to kick with his head?

And the big news about Clayton- he has FINALLY decided it is fun to drink from a cup! HOORAY! Mommy is very happy about this. Way to go, Clayton.

Clayton's Strut

Clayton's picked up a tendency to strut like a certain aging rock star. Judge for yourselves:

Dream of Flight, Part 1 - The Early Years

I can't really put my finger on when exactly I became fascinated with airplanes. Maybe it's just part of every boy's personality. A few experiences really stick out in mind mind specifically though.

I always enjoyed taking airline flights. On every trip up to Canada to visit family I had to sit by the window. I recall on one trip I was taken up to the cockpit and was amazed by the dials and screens and buttons. I was also amazed at what an easy job it must be to fly a plane; the pilots were sitting back and relaxing. One was chatting with me while the other was eating his lunch. What an easy life it must be, I thought. (Of course now I turn my nose up at switching on the autopilot and letting computer fly my plane). Maybe it was my lazy nature, but it sounded like such a great job.


Another early aviation memory is of building model airplanes with Dad. I guess I didn't so much build them as I did sit in that little attic in our Rohnert Park home and watch him build them. I'm certain most of my early education in aeronautics and military studies must have come from me asking Dad, "what's that thing?", "what does this do?" "is this where the bombs go?".

I don't know what ever happened to those model airplanes. I'm sure they were destroyed like most other things I owned; I'm pretty sure they were NOT kept on display like a model should be, but rather played with like any other toy airplane I owned . . . spread out on my bed like a make-shift aircraft carrier or thrown from a second-story window in an experiment in aerodynamics. In any case, that time spent with Dad was what was really valuable. Definitely something I'll have to do with my boys (and curse them too with a life of aviation obsession).


One other experience that made a lasting impression on me was our first (and only) trip as a family to an airshow. It must have been when I was 10 or 11 years old. We went to a summer airshow at Travis AFB in northern California. We did all the "airshow" things, saw some Civil Air Patrol kids (more on this in the next entry), and saw the Thunderbirds perform. The one thing that left a lasting impression burned in my mind though was when a couple of F-15 like this one thundered off the runway and climbed vertically until they were out of sight. I think it was then and there that I decided that flying fighter jets would be my dream. What I wasn't so sure of was how me, a mediocre student and unfocused daydreamer would make that a reality.

Dream of Flight, Intro - Flying Jets

If someone would have told me 20 years ago that I'd be flying airplanes for a living, let alone supersonic military jet airplanes, I'm really not sure I'd have believed them. I guess it was always a dream, but nothing more; something to daydream about when I should have been doing homework. It's definitely been a long road with a lot of hard work, but it still amazes me when I sit down and think about it. So hopefully, I can log (err, blog?) some of the things in my life that have led me to where I am now.

So to start out, here's a video from the "dash-cam" of my jet on a recent solo flight. Have your sick-sacks ready . . .

Finally . . .

. . . the Monks family has a blog. It's not quite the Flying Monkeys, it's not quite the Flying Nun- it's the Flying Monks! It's true, we are finally joining the rest of the blogging world. So you'll have to be patient with us til we figure out how all this works. As most of you know, the Monks family is keeping busy with two crazy boys and loving life on an Air Force base. Andrew is in pilot training, and we are so proud of him. Life is good for Brian and Clayton- they are surrounded by airplanes, trains, a playground and lots of great friends.
Here are some pictures of the boys in their new shirts from Mor Mor (Grandma Trunnell). They say Mr. Happy and Mr. Messy, which is QUITE appropriate as you can see. Anyway, these pictures will be good practice for me for my first post. So I guess I'm officially a blogger. Wish me luck!