Wow. What an utterly ridiculous month March was. Where do I even begin? Last time I wrote, we had just found out that Chris' date to report to San Antonio was right around the corner and that we had but a matter of weeks to move out (technically, we could have had longer, but that would have meant me doing it by myself...um...no, thank you!) We got out in the nick of time, and boy, let me tell you, it was NOT fun. We were literally throwing things in garbage bags and onto the back of a trailer at 11PM the night before we had to be out. Meanwhile, March contained Chris' graduation from UPT, a shower and bachelorette party for Hannah, a trip to San Antonio, and lots more stuff. So, I guess I better get started! Blogging was on my weekend to-do list...it's 10:35 Sunday night already, but I'm determined to crank this thing out! I'm not even going to proof-read it! So here goes nothing!

Last "nice" dinner in our first home! It was very bittersweet to move out. After this meal (which we set up with our card table and an old blanket on top, plastic utensils...oh yeah, it was the works), the house was too chaotic for me to cook. 

Filet, brussel sprouts and stuffed peppers. 

I tried to make it pretty with some things that hadn't been boxed up yet!

Lauren and I at the couple's shower we hosted for Hannah and Chase

All Hannah's bridesmaids!

Mason being cute at Chris' dad's house with Martin's old gargoyle statue

March 15 was a HUGE day for us, since Chris graduated from UPT (undergraduate pilot training). I have never been prouder of my husband...it is such a huge accomplishment.  I'm still having a hard time believing that pilot training is really over and we have entered the next phase of our Air Force life! The entire graduation production was really well put on.  Everyone enjoyed it, everything was really nice and, honestly, way more fun than we thought it would be! Chris and I both thought it might be kind of a boring day full of ceremonies and serious stuff, but actually it was a lot of fun for everyone.

That Thursday night we had a family dinner at one of our favorite places, Anthony's, in West Point.  I'm having a hard time tracking down any pictures from that night, but I know we took some, so if anyone has some, I'd love it if you could send them my way!

Here are pictures from the rest of the weekend:

Graduation breakfast

Graduating!

Waiting to get their wings

Breaking the wings! Air Force tradition has it that the first set of wings is broken.  One half stays with the pilot, the other half goes to someone else (Chris gave them to his brother).  The aren't ever supposed to be brought back together until the pilot dies.  Not exactly something that I want to think about, but I do love a good tradition, and this is an interesting one. 

Yay! He got them to break!

With the proud in-laws (my parents)

With our Columbus BFFs, Jon and Autumn, who are headed to Southern California! 

Proud wife pinning the wings on my husband (tradition).

With Warren and Liz

Chris with Tammy and Greg

The Beck Boys

With Alicia and Ralph

The three amigos/three sisters, Chris, Jon, and Ralph...BFF forever! Haha

Next is the "red carpet" part of the day, when we all get to go get a first-hand glimpse of what Chris and his classmates had been doing for the past 13 months.  This was interesting to me because I hear him talk about stuff like the simulators ("sims"), but never get to see them. I also got to meet some of Chris' future co-workers, the other IPs in the T-1 group. 

Chris teaching me how to fly the T-1 in a sim.  It's crazy how realistic these things are!

Warren flying the sim

Chris and I with the T-1

Chris giving us a tour of the T-1

Next, we had a little time to rest and freshen up (except for the wives, who had to decorate for the reception).  The dinner/party/reception at the club was a chance to dress up, which of course I was very excited about! 

Right before the reception, Chris gave warren the other half of his wings from earlier that day.

The only picture we got together, unfortunately!

Our group during cocktail hour

Making a toast!

Chris' class doing something...geez, I forgot what it is now, haha. Apparently , something to do with drinking. 

Celebrating!!

Chris Sr. stayed with us for the long haul...we closed out the club! 

Autumn and I threw a brunch the next morning for family and friends. The weather was wonderful and everything was great.  Thank goodness we planned for it to be at her house because our house was a wreck at this point!

Buffet...there's some of our homemade wine.  It wasn't quite ready but we had it anyway! Too tempting not to!

Centerpieces (you can tell it's windy!)

After graduation, we barely had time to breathe before we had to finish packing and get out of the house.  Man, it was quick! I had Hannah's bachelorette party in New Orleans the following weekend, which just so happened to be on the way between Columbus and San Antonio.  Chris and I decided to spend some time there together pre-bachelorette party, then Chris continued on to San Antonio and I stayed in NOLA with the girlfriends. 

In Jackson square

At Jackson Brewery

Dinner at Cafe Amelie,  which, by the way...may have been the best meal I've EVER had at a restaurant

Can't go to NOLA without getting a hand grenade!

Chris posing with some Jazz statues...or maybe Blues...I don't really know, haha

Again, I have a bit of a photo gap for the Bachelorette party! If any of the participants have any good pictures to share on the blog, I'd love for you to send them over!

After I left New Orleans, I flew to San Antonio for a few days to spend the rest of my spring break there with Chris.  I can't say enough good things about San Antonio and the base there! The base is SUPER nice. Waaaay different than Columbus, which actually is a nice base, but is very small. 

This and the following pictures will mean a lot more to our Air Force friends and those who have visited us at Columbus.  This is their commissary...I mean, there is NO comparison to the one in Columbus! This thing was at LEAST as nice as Publix! 

If our BX in Columbus is a Dollar General, then this is a Target. And this isn't even the whole thing.  The annex sells furniture and outdoor stuff. 

This is just the building you see when you drive on base.  I'm not sure what's inside, but it makes quite the statement.

This is the church on base where we attended church on Easter

Chris and I at Easter Brunch at the Officer's Club after church

Umm, yeah...this is a little fancier than our club at Columbus! And the buffet was incredible! Carving stations, fresh sea food, fondue, and about a million different salads...I was in heaven. 

To be honest, my trip out there could have been a bit better.  It was good, but between Chris and I, we were REALLY sick for a total of about 3 days. We had plans to go to Sea World and couldn't make it. Also, the forecast said the weather would be a lot warmer when I packed, but something happened and I didn't have ANY appropriate clothes for the weather. But, as you can see from the pictures, I still got to do some exploring when I wasn't sick.  I can't wait to go out there for 5 weeks this summer.  Obviously, I can't wait to be reunited with hubby, who I miss  ton already! In addition, the shopping out there is incredible, there's so many restaurants and festivals and places to go and things to do...I didn't realize San Antonio was the 8th largest city in the U.S.  The traffic there is crazy! I am excited about going back. 

Chris is in the academic stage of his IP training right now, but will be flying by the time I get out there again, on May 13.  He just moved into an apartment yesterday where he will stay for the rest of the time.  Mason is flying out there with me as carry-on (you can do that with small dogs!).  It's definitely going to be an adventure to spend more time out there.  And hopefully we won't get sick again!

A few more pictures to share before I sign out and get to bed. 

On my flight back from San Antonio, my flight was delayed for over an hour..bummer! But, then, I got a tour of the cockpit...awesome!

This past weekend, I went to a fundraiser at Avondale Brewery with Meredith.  We got matching outfits for the dogs because...well, because obviously our dogs love to wear matching clothes! Mason's had a bow tie on the back!

I decided I needed a kangaroo pack for Mason.  Apparently , I have no shame anymore! Anyway, it was on sale and Mason loved it, so I would say it was a good investment. 

Eating his bone. 

Meredith took care of Mason while I was in New Orleans and San Antonio and sent me this picture of him with her dog, Noodle, on Easter. You can tell Mason LOVES wearing that egg!

Mason's got his wings, too!!

Alright, that's it for now! As you can tell,  March was incredibly busy, so no wonder I didn't get a chance to post again! I'm officially on the countdown for the end of school.  I'm headed back to Auburn this weekend for my sister's engagement party, then I will just be living and working here in Tuscaloosa until school ends in a few more weeks! It could not get here fast enough, since I'm ready to get back out to San Antonio! Warren and Jessica graduate at the first of May, then there's Mother's Day and Lauren's shower..then I'm jet-set again.  Whew! I love all the chaos, I don't know why.  Thanks for reading!

Amanda