miramar air show - one

we finally went!

after living only a few miles from the miramar air show for three years, and after repeatedly telling my husband how badly i wanted to go each of those years...we actually went!  my dad used to take me and my brothers when we were younger, and both my parents took us when derek and i were really little (vowing to never take small children again, by the way...can't imagine why!).

a few weeks before, and up until the day of, we hear hundreds of jets fly right over our apartment.  they fly so very low...no, even lower.  and after the tragic accident that happened in university city a little over a year ago, it now makes me nervous living in their flight zone.  nonetheless, we really enjoyed seeing and hearing them practice, and even more so...enjoyed watching it this year!!

this is from inside the huge plane that stephen and the girls are pictured standing in.

there were SO many jets and planes to look at and explore!  some of them had militarymen inside that you ask questions about the aircraft.  it was really amazing!

at many points during the day, the girls could hear the jets, but had a hard finding where it was.  their heads would contort (like so) and i would crack up watching them look.  hats were a necessity that day.  it was dreadfully hot and humid.

 i love these two of the pitot of this particular jet.  the pitot measures the jet's speed.  it's very small and very hollow.  chloe decided to grab it as i focused on the jet the second time.  i actually really liked how it looked.

 i found this jet to be particularly interesting.  not only the strange design, but the fact that it is unmanned.  yeah...no one flies it manually.  very interesting!

 there was a time out for chloe...she sure can be stubborn!  at least it was time out in the shade!

we promptly headed into more shade, in the hangar to check out a few other planes and free giveaways before heading out to the show.

i thought it funny how small the girls were in comparison with even just the propeller of the plane.  

and check me out!  i'm holding a bazooka.  i think the marine was nervous to let me hold it at all, seeing as how small i am.  but i could've handled it, geez!  =)  it was heavy though.  i asked him if i were to actually shoot a loaded one if it would propel me backwards, and if so how much.  he said not at all.  i was really surprised about that.