Dear Family and Friends,
What a
terrific year for the Kehs family! This
year was a whirlwind of emotions and included a great deal of back and forth about where everyone would be
(thank you Air Force), but in the end we got to spend most of the year
together, which was a huge blessing for all of us.
Mason
started off the New Year by heading to Nellis AFB in Las Vegas with the 20th
Bomb Squadron for Red Flag. There he
participated in two weeks of large force exercises (about 50 planes from around
the Air Force). He did a lot of work
learning how to lead mission planning and execute a mission from a higher point
of view (how to manage all the planes to get the job done instead of just the
B-52). In January, he also finished up
some flight instruction with some cadets in the Barksdale Civil Air Patrol
unit, getting them some cross-country and solo flights. In February, we started our week long journey
North and said our farewell to Barksdale AFB after almost four years being
stationed there. Mason is now an
Instructor Pilot in the 23rd Bomb Squadron up at Minot AFB, ND. Mason spent a few weeks in the late winter
(or Spring as other regions call it) in the alert shack working exercises. After getting familiar with the snow for a
few months, we packed our bags and all headed to Chicago, where Mason got a few
days to visit family before he headed to Maxwell AFB, AL for all of June and
July. He headed home just in the nick of
time for Woodrow’s delivery, and spent August in the new parent phase
again. September through November Mason
spent more time in the cozy alert shack for exercises and inspections and then flew
to Barksdale for a week of training. In
the meantime, he’s “home” in December but flying lots, preparing for an annual
check ride, and studying, studying, studying for Weapons School. We’re soaking up with time with him now
before he heads back to Barksdale for five months in 2014.
This year,
Ellen got to completely enjoy being a stay at home mom; and she wouldn’t trade
this experience for anything else. She enjoyed
her time teaching and tutoring, but is loving all the time at home with her
boys. The beginning of the year was
spent taking as many naps as Theo would allow for the first-trimester mama, and
busily packing up our Shreveport house, and then setting up our new Minot house
(which is our favorite house so far)!
She jumped right in to be involved with the 23rd spouses
group and helps to coordinate and plan socials for the spouses and
squadron-which she loves to do! She also
joined the Minot Officers’ Spouses’ Club and this year has been serving on the
Board as the Secretary. In June we
headed off to Evanston for a month where we got to see family and friends,
which was fun for me and Theo. In July,
Theo and I spent the month alone in Minot and spent lots of time coloring,
playing in the pool/sprinkler, and at the park.
Sweet Woodrow was born in early August and we’ve all just been having a
blast since!
Theo is
amazing! He is so verbal for a two year
old, it’s really amazing (and he just turned two on September 29th). He wasn’t a big fan of the snow when we first
moved to Minot, but he really likes playing in it this year. He’s totally into Sesame Street, trains, his
bear “Robert”, reading books, helping mommy around the house, following daddy
around the house, and playing with his little brother. We are constantly amazed at all the words,
phrases, and sentences he is starting to say (and repeat). He knows all of his
letters, lots of colors, and numbers, and is working on potty training. He’s a little shy around new people, but once
he warms up, he’ll talk your ear off (wonder which parent that comes from)?
Our little
Woodrow was born on August 5th and is adorable! He has such a good spirit and is so even
tempered. He’ll smile and smile at you
and coo all the time. He has a super strong
grip, so he loves grabbing on to toys on his playmat, or his big brother’s
finger. He’s growing well, and on his 4
month birthday started rolling from his back to his front. He really likes to roll and play and check
out all the happenings of the household.
We hope that
all our family and friends have a happy and healthy New Year! Keep up with our adventures on our blog at: http://ellenmason.blogspot.com and stay tuned for our upcoming
adventures!
Love,
Mason, Ellen, Theo, & Woodrow
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