Flight Lesson

Our youngest asked to pilot an airplane once she turned 14.  So as a combined birthday/Christmas gift, we scheduled her discovery flight.

The instructor was a young and very sweet lady named Alora.  She was perfect for our daughter!  She explained everything really well during pre-flight, allowed the little one to touch all the controls and buttons, and even steer the plane down the taxiways to the runway.

Although a bit windy on the ground, the air was calm at 3000 ft.  Our little one flew the plane on her own for about 45 minutes across Greenville, Easley, Pickens, and Clemson.

Alora took our picture in the back.  Eric and I enjoyed the late afternoon flight watching our daughter soak it all in.

On our approach back to Greenville, the sun was starting to set.  Just gorgeous!

So proud of her first flight!  Now, if she could only come up with about $10,000 and a free day off from school each week, she'd be able to get her private license at 16 years old.  

COVID Holiday

Our family decided to get away for the Christmas holiday at the farm in Texas.  With extremely low air fares, we ditched the plan to drive and decided to fly instead.

While at the farm, our youngest practiced a little time behind the wheel.  Dirt roads are perfect for teaching new drivers!  We did a bit of night driving, too.  Luke was a wonderful and very patient teacher.

Ashlyn showed off a bit of fishing fashion!  She didn't catch anything, but her look was priceless.

She quickly realized the stand-up paddle board was designed for a small child.  An adult board is much longer and provides better balance.

We took a ride down to the barn and walked the fields.  The weather was gorgeous!  Since our phones were with us, we took the opportunity to capture some nice pics for social posts.

Back at the house, we piddled with a few projects, enjoyed cooking, and created a make-shift disc golf course.

We also made time to exercise.  The girls were creative in utilizing their surroundings.

The warm weather allowed us to wear short sleeves for Christmas Mass. Here's a cute selfie of the kiddos.

And before long, our 5-day retreat was over.  Our drive through the country-side was so peaceful!  One of the towns we passed through is famous for their watermelon festival, Ashlyn's favorite fruit.  

Once safely home, it was time for COVID tests before heading back to work/school.  Thankfully, everyone was healthy. 😊