Was is the weekend or heaven??

THE VIDEO UPLOADED AND PROCESSED BUT NOW IS SAYING THAT AN ERROR OCCURED AND TO TRY AGAIN LATER. I HAVE TO GO TO WORK BUT I WILL CHECK WHEN I GET HOME AND TRY TO GET THEM WORKING....THE VIDEOS ARE THE BEST PART!!!!
Taken by me with Sean's Canon Rebel.


Whew! BIG BIG weekend people! The excitement actually started last week, Wednesday to be exact, but it lasted throughout the weekend!

Last Wednesday I was getting ready for work, well, I WAS ready for work, and I got a text message at about 10:30am: "Your boyfriends are here!!" It was from my co-worker/ friend Melanie. My heart LEPT and I immediately panicked. My boyfriends!! The Blue Angels!! I NEED TO GET DOWNTOWN NOWWWWW! I knew they were in town early because my work threw them a "private reception and car show" at the air station Tuesday.
So, me, being the early bird, was ready for work at 10:30am even though I don't need to leave until 11:15am. Good thing because I got another text from another friend AND a phone call from Sean (my REAL boyfriend) telling me that they were practicing and flying over the Bay right then!! I scooped up all of my crap and ran out the door. I threw my club mix in my CD player (think Darude- Sandstorm) and hightailed it to the Bay. It takes about 15 minutes to get to the Bay and my seeing the jets every once in awhile, when on a hill, added to my excitement and lead foot.
I made it down there, parked at our reception site (the Elk's Lodge), and got to see about 10 minutes of practice.
I worked Wednesday and decided that Thursday I would get down there even earlier and enjoy the sunshine and Bay before work again. Luckily I had to watch Jesse, our 6 year old nephew, and I took him down there with me to see practice again. Didn't happen! We were down there waiting, making sand castles, waiting, but they practiced later, at 2pm, while I was at work.
It was REALLY REALLY hard to work late last week. I work 3-4 blocks from the Bay, seriously, a minute walk, and I had to hear them fly over constantly but was trapped inside. It was torture.
Thursday night, after work, I listened to my cell messages and got a WONDERFUL surprise. Our other nephew, Cameron, who is 4, has been fairly sick since he was a baby. He has LCH, which mimics Cancer but is curable. He has been going through testing, chemo, and steroids for YEARS. It was gone for about 10 months but came back last year. He has ONE more chemo appt. before we wait to see if it is gone for good. Anyway, he gets a Make A Wish, which is going to Disney in March. Part of his Make A Wish, and the Blue Angels schedule at most air shows, is to invite the Wish Kids to meet them. Obviously Cameron's mom and dad were going to take him, with Jesse, but Cam's dad (Sean's bro Mike) had to work. Turns out his boss is an A-Hole. Who makes a guy work instead of going with his sick son for part of his Make A Wish?!?! So, Sommer left me a message inviting ME to go!!! At first I was nervous and almost didn't want to, weird I know. I had to check with a friend who I had already made plans with but since she backed out I was free to go!!
Friday I woke up early like a kid on Christmas morning. What should I wear? Should I wear my hair straight or curly? Should I take my camera? Sean's "big boy" camera? The VIDEO camera?
We headed to the US Coast Guard air station, about 20 minutes away, and from there they bussed us to a "special viewing platform" situated at "center point" right on the Bay. What was cool about this spot is that the announcer (a Marine guy and pilot of #7 Blue Angel, which is the only jet with a passenger seat for media, famous people, ride-alongs) was announcing everything! There was music and we were literally sitting at the center line of the show.
We watched the practice show and I took ALOT of pictures!
Not sure what he is doing, Sean says he's signaling with a magnifying glass?

#7 pilot with the events coordinator standing behind him. You can BARELY see the jets coming in the background, just over the hill, but they are coming FAST!

The Blue Angels support team. Flight Surgeon, Events Coordinator, Maintenance person....


We had to board the bus BACK to the air station while the Blue Angels finished up practice and got back to the station, and INTO the hanger, while the jets were still parking. The jets weren't even turned off yet! Inside the hanger was the loudest noise I have EVER heard. It hurt my brain. At one point I was actually afraid my ear drums would burst. Did I cover my ears? Nope! I told Sean I wanted to experience every little thing and refused to cover my ears.
We watched them shut down and watched what I imagine is the routine of exiting the jets. Two flight staff wait in front of the jet. The pilot climbs down, salutes them I think, and then walks to the next jet where he is joined by THAT jet pilot. They walk down the line of the 6 Blue Angel jets until they are all walking together.
Exiting the jets

After that, someone announced that they wanted the "Wish Kid" and ONE adult to go meet the pilots, who moments before were flying 400-600 mph. Sommer, because she's awesome, told me to go with Cam. She knew I would appreciate it more I guess. So Cam and I walked around the corner outside and the pilots soon greeted us!! They were all so good with the kids and signed Cam's visor and brochure. I think we got 4 out of the 6. They all look the same, I was nervous, and I couldn't tell WHO signed and who didn't. I must say too that the #1 guy is my favorite and the hottest! He is the leader kind of and the Commander.
The pilots with all of the Wish Kids :)

So, that's my story of how I got to meet the Blue Angel pilots!! It REALLY was a dream come true and I am still in disbelief.
US Coast Guard.

I had to work Saturday, the first day of two "real" air shows, but I waited to take my lunch break at 2pm, which is when I KNEW they would be flying. A co-worker and I walked down to the Bay just as the Angels started their show so we got to see 20 minutes of it. They fly RIGHT over my work, low and fast, so that was cool.
I had Sunday off and had company up here from down state. We woke up early and headed down to the Bay. I'll finish the weekend blog later....