After more than two decades in the helicopter world—where days were fast-paced, decisions were critical, and the rotors rarely stopped spinning—Aaron and I have officially stepped away. We recently made the big decision to sell our share in the company we helped grow, and for the first time in what feels like forever, we’re not racing toward the next mission. We’re taking a break.
This shift has been both freeing and surprisingly emotional. The helicopter industry has been more than just our career; it’s shaped our identity, our routine, our friendships, and our sense of purpose. Letting go of that isn’t easy. There’s pride, nostalgia, a touch of fear—and a lot of questions we don’t have the answers to yet.
Right now, we’re giving ourselves permission to just pause. To breathe. To travel a bit. To rest. To reflect on everything we’ve accomplished, and to open our hearts and minds to whatever comes next. It’s a strange in-between place, but one that we’re learning to embrace with gratitude and curiosity.
For anyone else facing a big life pivot: you’re not alone. Transitions are messy and beautiful and worth honoring. So here’s to what’s next—whatever that may be, but at least we will be doing it together!
Your life doesn’t get better by chance it gets better by CHANGE. So here we are….
A few years ago Aaron and I were fortunate enough to acquire 20 acres about 25 minutes west of our home in Tonopah, Arizona. We needed a place for Aaron’s dad to call home for the winters and they don’t make any more dirt, so as far as an investment we didn’t think we could go wrong. The property was divided up into about 7 different parcels and on 2 of the 7 parcels were 2 structures that required demolition and major cleanup. Now when I say major cleanup, I mean a demolition crew that took about a week to fully get rid of all of the structures, trash, and debris. The property had 3 wells which all required re-drilling and had electrical to 1 of the larger parcels.
Aaron and I were gone for work the first year we owned it, so not much got done other than getting water and the electricity up and running for his old man. We had to get the septic cleaned up and back to code. We also fenced in about 12 acres of the property for his dogs and security. Once we finally had some time to be home and get serious about the actual aesthetics of the place, we put up a large shade structure that would accommodate his dad’s trailer, my parents 5th wheel, and our own 5th wheel. My dad and I worked tirelessly on adding extra shade on both sides which turned out exceptionally well. Way to go pa!
We bought a 40′ sea container to house all of our goodies. We then decided that we just needed to plant some trees and bushes to give the place a cozy feel and add a little color to the dry desert. Our first quote to install irrigation to the property and plant the plants was about 18K. Aaron and I about fell over. So after many quotes and not one of them sounding reasonable to either of us, we said “hey, we have watched enough DIY tv, let’s do it ourselves. How hard can it be!” Two back breaking weeks later and adding my father to the work roster, we planted 212 plants/trees, laid down 3,684 feet of pvc pipe, and added 4 watering stations to our irrigation system. We brought in about 10 loads of gravel/rock and kept my dad busy on the tractor for days.
I have a few more ideas for the ‘ranch,’ and I’ll share them with you hopefully in the fall. But for now…ranch life has been just another exciting adventure for all of us, and we love spending time outdoors.
I’ve been reminiscing about all the amazing adventures Aaron and I have had, and the wonderful memories we’ve shared with our family and friends. That’s why I’m still keeping this blog going. Most of the posts I write are about happy and exciting adventures. But I don’t usually share the tough times or when we’re feeling lost.
A few years ago, we lost our two precious Persian/Himalayan cats, Dee Dee and Fraizer. They were such beautiful cats, and they brought us so much joy and happiness. Dee Dee left us after 16 years of love and cuddles, and Fraizer stayed with us for a few years after, making us miss them even more. I know how hard it is to lose a pet. It’s a hole that never seems to be filled, but you wouldn’t trade those years for anything.
After much, MUCH, discussion and finally getting my dad’s approval, we decided to open our hearts to two more beautiful babies. We searched for years, and this time around, we wanted female cats. I wanted a calico-colored baby, while my mom wasn’t too picky (she’s less picky than me, lol). After countless months on the internet, many fake claims of having cats all over the US, and a ton of emails and text messages, we finally found a breeder in the Phoenix valley who had exactly what we were looking for.
We were a bit worried that we couldn’t love another pet like we did our last two babies. I was concerned that my dad might regret the decision since he’s also allergic. But guess what? Maggie was love at first sight! She wasn’t exactly the color we wanted (she’s a diluted calico), but her soft fur, delicate features, and stunning amber eyes instantly melted our hearts.
We had about 5 or 6 weeks with Maggie first, since Grace was from a different litter (the same male but different female than Maggie) Maggie became the spoiled single child, and she bonded with my dad right away. It was so cute!
Even though I’m technically her mom, she’s my dad’s cat all the way. I couldn’t be happier about it! We took turns baby-sitting Maggie during her first 5 weeks with us. Mom and dad would go play cards at their friends’ houses and drop off Maggie at my place so I could be with her. Let me tell you, she had us all wrapped around her finger (even Aaron!). She was the perfect kitten, and we were a bit worried about how it would be when we got Grace. As perfect as Maggie was and as calm as her personality was, I didn’t think it would be an issue! Haha, about that.
The time finally came for Grace to arrive, and we couldn’t wait to let the bonding begin. We took Maggie over in the car to meet her new sister. Dad and Aaron waited in the car with Maggie while mom and I went in to fill out the paperwork and start the “love fest” with Grace. She was also perfect, and her little face lit up a room. She just sat in your hand and let you love on her. It too was love at first sight!
Once we got into the car, we took it easy and held Grace close. We put her face near Maggie’s, and that’s when our precious little “I wouldn’t hurt a fly” Maggie girl let out a loud hiss. She hardly ever cried or made a sound, so this was a big surprise. We couldn’t believe it, and my dad kept saying, “Uh oh…did we make a mistake?”
Right away, we started searching online for “how to bond two kittens,” and everyone said it just takes time. It was tough to accept, and we had our doubts along the way. But after a few weeks of them being separated by a cardboard wall and only getting supervised visits, and a lot of hard work from us to make them bond, they finally did! They’re now inseparable.
Our hearts and souls are full again. So, let’s say hello to Magnolia Marie and Grace Ann!
The Mediterranean Sea is absolutely breathtaking, and I’ve been dreaming of visiting it for ages. Unfortunately, Aaron and I didn’t get to see everything on our list. But hey, that just means we have another trip to Italy planned for the future! Whether we’re admiring the Colosseum after a delicious pizza or getting lost in the olive groves and vineyards, Italy will leave you spellbound.
Our adventure began in Barcelona, where we caught a red-eye flight from JFK. Barcelona is a vibrant and dynamic city with its narrow streets, medieval architecture, and lively atmosphere. Although our pj’s were on before the sun went down, we got the vibe right away!
We had two wonderful days exploring the city before hopping on board the Norwegian Prima, our home for the next ten days. Our itinerary included three ports in Spain: Valencia, Ibiza, and Palma (Majorca). We also visited two ports in France: Marseille and Cannes. And guess what? We got to explore four ports in Italy: Genoa, Florence/Pisa, Naples, and Rome. Unfortunately, due to strong winds, we couldn’t stop in Valencia. But hey, that gave us more time to soak up the beauty of the ship!
Every adventure, whether it’s marveling at the vibrant streets of Barcelona or feeling the sea breeze aboard the Norwegian Prima, leaves an unforgettable mark on my soul, teaching me gratitude, patience, and wonder.
Travel isn’t just about the destinations; it’s about the growth, the memories, and the heartfelt connections that stay with me long after the journey ends…. so until our next adventure, thanks for following along…Ciao!
Aaron headed to Ontario to battle the wildfires in late May and they raged on clear into early August. They timed out twice and did about 300 hours in the S61 during that time frame. Almost daily they did 8 hours (eight and skate as they say). We never planned to be up there for that long, but whatever pays the bills and wherever they can be of assistance, then that is where we go!
After such a long and arduous season that started so early, we didn’t really think we would have much gas left in the tank to do much more that year, but were able to get a late Forest Service carding in Sacramento in mid August, so we took advantage of it with both the S61 and the Super Puma…just incase they needed help later on. After 2 days of carding we started looking at the map of where we wanted to stage the machines in hopes of getting picked up on a fire and before the ink was dry on our carding sheets the phone call came in for N448JS. As I stated earlier, we were in Sacramento, California for the carding process and when the call came in, they requested the aircraft launch to Tallahassee. Aaron scratched his head and said I’m sorry, I don’t think I have heard of Tallahassee, California. Their response was “No, Tallahassee, Florida!” The Super Puma got called a few hours later to head to Texas. So without further delay, they planned their route, we got the fuel truck and the service van headed in the right direction and off we went. It would take 3 days for both the fuel trailer and service van to arrive. The helicopter would overnight along route and make it the next day.
Once we arrived we managed to get hooked up with our Forest Service Manager and get to the proper location on the forest. We were there just long enough for the fuel trailer and service van to arrive before a hurricane was headed right for us. Oh Florida, you are silly. Without taking any chances, they said, you guys better head west, so we are sending you to Wiggins, MS to stage out of there for a while. I think we figured we would be there for about a week or less as it didn’t seem like much was happening on the fire front, but we got to Wiggins on August 23rd and didn’t leave until mid November. Yes, you read that correctly, late August until mid November taking up residence at the local Hampton Inn in Wiggins, Mississippi. We stayed so long that I had to get a better mattress pad at the hotel! The helicopter stayed on for about another month with the Forest Service getting called to Tennessee and Kentucky. Holy Cannoli. What a season to remember!
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