Air Force vs. BYU

What is fall without a little football? With the change of the seasons in the air, James and I were both feeling a little antsy for some football. We had heard great things about Air Force games (great price, atmosphere, and extras). We decided to head to Colorado Springs for a football game. The one that worked best in our schedule was the Air Force vs. BYU game. As USU alumni we don't bleed THAT blue. So we weren't sure who we'd cheer for, but we went.

We decided to make a little vacation out of it by heading to the Springs on Friday night. The vacation part was a little hit and miss with Joanna throwing up in the car, me feeling like throwing up all Friday evening and Saturday morning, Michael throwing up on the way home, and Matthew locking himself in the hotel bathroom. But we were able to enjoy Garden of the Gods, breakfast a McDonald's (a new favorite for the kids), time away as a family, and mostly the game.

Everyone felt good for the game and we had a wonderful time. The crowd was excellent. Since we were there on September 11th we were able to be part of a wonderful tribute to those who lost their lives -- or whose lives were forever altered that day. There was a fly-by, the live team mascot falcon flew around for us, and cadets did push-ups every time they scored. Michael loved that part! The feeling of patriotism I felt there is hard for me to feel anywhere else -- and I love it.

When we toured the Air Force Academy when I was a teenager I loved the feel of the Academy and was sorely tempted to attend school there. James had also considered the Air Force Academy quite seriously when he was looking at colleges -- but his rebuilt knee made that next to impossible. As we were leaving, I told James that there were times I'd still love to attend the Academy -- and he agreed. Despite the challenges of the weekend (and maybe because of them) I think we'll remember that weekend for a long time.

A Tribute

The Fly-By

The Falcon

The Push-ups

Patriotism at its finest

The Fam

Football's Newest Fan


Garden of the Gods



The Kissing Camels