The Blues

When my dad decided to retire to Pensacola, I had never heard of it. I had no idea what it would mean to me and my (at that point) future family. I have since learned that Pensacola is one of the best kept secrets in Florida. It has pristine white sand beaches with water temperatures around 90 degrees. There is a market called Joe Patti's where we get fresh seafood and an atmosphere that can't be beat. The National Naval Aviation Museum is captivating even for those that don't live and breathe military history like many of the retired soldiers and seamen that inhabit this town. There are so many things that we look forward to when we visit Pensacola.

But nothing (besides getting to see my dad and stepmom) beats seeing the Blue Angels air show. If you have seen them - you know. If you haven't - you need to. Naval Air Station Pensacola just happens to be their home base. In the summer, they practice here twice a week. These shows are free to the public and there is nothing like seeing them on the home field. They take off and land less than 100 yards from you. Volunteers share detailed info about the maneuvers and pilots. After some of the practices, the pilots come out to sign autographs. On Wednesday we got to see a practice session and meet the pilots. Spencer and I went again today because when you can have a once in a lifetime experience twice in one week - why not?

So here are a few of the pictures from our trip on Wednesday. The photos aren't great - these moving targets make trying to get my kids to sit still look like a piece of cake. Hope you enjoy them and that one day you will get to experience the Blues too!