Mt Baldy ~ Eagle River

We were looking for an easy new hike we haven't done yet.  SO we settled on Mt. Baldy.  It was listed as easy and only 1.5 miles each way... I guess that would be if I didn't misled my family and we end up bushwacking our way up the side of the mountain.  It was very steep.  The boys were troopers though....  Jarrett, what a dad, he hauled Eli all the way up and back.  I think it is just good training for sheep season!  Next time Jarrett better read the directions.

Love and directionally challenged,

What the Hail??

Crazy ~  I think the skies are angry!  We just got 1 1/2 inches of  marble size hail in ten minutes.  I love the thunder and lightening.  We don't get a lot of storms of this nature up here.  It was a treat.

Love and hope no dents in the car,

Gold Cord LakeLuke

We hiked up to Gold Cord Lake.  It was beautiful.  The trail has been improved and the boys loved it.   Luke asked if we could hike this 1,000 more times.  We call this our secret lake.

It even snowed a little.  

Jarrett, Caleb &  Luke are all in this picture.  Can you find them?  It's like Where's Wald0?

Luke is acting like a red stag for his photo!  That kid has a great imagination.

Half Marathon ~ Am I to stubborn for my own good?

So way back in January my friend Jolene convinced me we could run a half marathon.  I took the bait, it went well with my new year's resolution and signed up.  So that was about as much preparation  as I put into this event.  I mean I trained for the Gold Nugget Tri and I ran with my buddy Autumn but I kind of forgot about the 1/2 marathon.  

Then Jolene got a better offer to go to SF and dropped the 1/2 marathon...yeah I was a little bitter :)  How could she get out of it.... she had a great excuse but still.  SO what was I to do???  Well then Autumn stepped and said she would run it with me.  So we set up a training schedule and totally ignored it!  Then we went on vacation, my mom left so no one to watch the kids while I trained..... you get the idea, I had a lot of excuses.

So we come home from vacation on Wed and Thurs Autumn calls and asks if we are still on for the 1/2 marathon.  NO  I didn't want to do it,  Jarrett wasn't home so no one to watch the kids.  Aren't kids the greatest excuse to get you out of whatever you feel like bailing on???? But I digress, so I tell Autumn if I can find a sitter I will do it.  So I call Stacey, thinking she would be busy and not able to watch the kids and guess what..... yeah, she could watch them....... so I call Autumn back and tell her we are on.  Okay we are on???  she asks.  Yeah aren't we???? I ask.  We are both trying to call the others bluff so we won't have to go through with this torture session but neither of us will give in.  WOW we are stubborn.  Mind you I have never really ran over 5 miles, once I ran 7 only because we got lost.  So I am really hoping she will bail. 

I pickup our bibs on Friday then Saturday rolls around, Stacey shows up ( I was hoping she wouldn't) so the bluff still stands and I go over to Autumn's.  She is ready, we jump in her truck and head to the race.  It was kind of raining..... no not enough of an excuse to bail.  We discuss strategies to run/walk as necessary as to not cause any permanent damage.

So the race starts the adrenaline begins to flow, we are weaving through the crowd and the next thing I know it has been 8 miles and we are high-fiving because I have never run this far.  I feel good the weather has cleared and I roll the idea around that I could actually run this whole thing.  Autumn is great support and a great running partner.  So we make it to 11 miles where it hurts and it would be so easy to stop, but we don't let each other.  Long of the short we make it, I tear up at the end proud to have completed  challenge.  There would be pictures but we didn't tell anyone we were running do to fear of failure!  

All I can say if thanks so much to my girls who helped me accomplish a goal!!  It felt great, I look forward to the next one... If I remember.

Love and sore muscles,

Sikta Part II ~ Tom Young's Cabin

Sheldon and Meggan set up a great camping trip for all of us after their wedding.  We took their new  boat out to a cabin to stay a few days.    The cabin couldn't have been more picturesque.  On an island with a white sand beach, hot springs right around the corner, tide pools, and a net & buoy playground.  

As we arrived at the cabin there was a note from the wife of the man who the cabin was built to memorialize.  It simple said that they were there on Memorial Day and their dog had run away and would not return.  The dog had been on the island for an extend time and would not come to any one.  Apparently this cabin is used almost everyday and there is no shortage of food for "Anchor" the dog.    So the challenge was to try and catch Anchor.  Caleb was playing catch with him and Heather had him eating out of her lap but he was still elusive.  Anyway he was very healthy and still sported his harness and collar.  I found the most interesting part was that his master had died  very close to that area in a storm.  

The last night we stayed Anchor proved himself very valuable as he alerted us with his barks that there was a brown bear right outside the door.  You never sleep quite as soundly after you find out there is a bear just outside!

I had great time at the hot springs, once "Meggan the Wonderful" ( wow did Sheldon really score!) fixed the water for the hot springs.    The tide pools were great with small fish, crayfish, small crabs, hermit crabs, star fish, and so much more.  Super cool!!

If you ever get a chance to go to Sitka don't pass it up,

Love and cool cabins,

SItka ~ Sheldon & Meggan's Wedding

We were fortunate enough to head down to Sitka to attend our friends wedding in Sitka.  Sitka is a very beautiful Southeast town.  Sheldon and Meggan got married on a boat out in the bay, it was a beautifully unique wedding.  We got to stay at a beautiful chalet, where most of the social happenings occurred.  I really appreciated how even though it was Sheldon and Meggan's wedding the put forth such effort to make sure all their guest had the best experience possible.  Thanks for  a great time !!!  I think the Eli wooed the photographer (Tyrone) to take more pictures of him than the bride.  What a couple of hams!!

Love and wedded bliss,

Krazy Moose Subs

Luke is in love.   He just ate a cookie from Krazy Moose Subs and I thought he was going to pass out.  He laid his head on the table so he could fully enjoy the experince.  As a fellow junk food junkie I can fully appreciate his love for these large perfectly baked cookies.  There sandwhiches are great as well, the homemade bread is super yummy!

Love and craving that are hard on the diet,

1st Coastal Ride of the Season

SO we went on our first ride on the Coastal Trail and boy was it an adventure.  Caleb is getting pretty good on his bike without training wheels. This was his first trip where he was learning to share the trail and control his bike.    All was going well until we got to the lagoon and there was a little traffic and Caleb flew over the edge and drove right into the lagoon.  He froze and couldn't put his brakes on.  I was no help at all because once I saw he was fine I couldn't move due to the fit of laughter.  Caleb came running out of that freezing water like a school of piranhas were after him.  He was in great spirits and continued ten more miles.  He was wet all the way up to his neck..  What a sport, he has a great talent to just laugh at his mistakes.  I still chuckle when I think of the water pouring out of his handlebars, seaweed stuff wrapped around his tires, his shoes squirting water like a sprinkler... yeah that's our boy!!

Love and wet kids,

Luke and Eli just watching the entrainment.

Geocaching

We were off and geocaching today.  This is always a great activity to get out and enjoy our local area.   

Love and treasure hunting,

Yea ~ I still go to prom

What can I say I still love to go to prom.  It is fun to see all the kiddos all dressed up.  I had a great date with my buddy Lindsey.

The funny thing this year was the building they had prom in was all windows and they didn't consider it was light until 11pm.  

Love and prom '09

Mommy Quiz

Saw this on a friend's site and thought you might enjoy the results of  the boys little interview.

1.  What is something mom always says to you?

C ~ Give me a hug

L ~ Want to snuggle

2.  What makes mom happy?

C ~ Snuggling you

L ~ When the kids come home from school

3.  What makes mom sad?

C ~ When I don't give her a hug

L ~ When someone leaves

4.  How does your mom make you laugh?

C ~ Making silly faces

L ~ When something is funny

5.  What was your mom like as a child?

C ~ I don't know but I bet you spent time with your mom

L ~ You were small when you were born at the hospital

6.  How old is your mom?

C ~ 33

L ~ 3

7.  How tall is your mom?

C ~ 50 foot?

L ~ So tall like when you were a kid.

8.  What is her favorite thing to do?

C ~ Get hugs from Caleb

L ~ Doing homework

9.  What does your mom do when you aren't around?

C ~ Mom goes to school and teaches about history and stuff with homework

L ~ I don't know

10.  If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

C ~ Taking care of us

L ~ Author

11.  What is your mom really not very good at?

C ~ unlocking dad's safe

L ~ cracking something

12.  What is your mom really good at?

C ~ for being such a good student for two graduations

L ~ Sportsman's

13.  What does your mom do for a job?

C ~ be a teacher

L ~ go to work at high school

14.  What is your mom's favorite food?

C ~ everything

L ~ dinner

15.  What make you proud of your mom

C ~ making money

L ~ making something and then come home

16.  If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?

C ~ teacher, school, time... that is just a little thing I made up

L ~ An adult show

17.  What do you and your mom do together?

C ~ we snuggle together

L ~ Play together

18.  How are you and your mom the same?

C ~ We both go to school

L ~ We both like toys and play together

19.  How are you and your mom different?

C ~ I like hunting you like teaching

L ~ Mom doesn't like scary things

20.  How do you know your mom loves you?

C ~ Because you love me in all sorts of ways and I was born in you

L ~ That because our whole family loves... like when dad goes to work you stay with the  

                kids

21.  What does your mom like most about your dad?

C ~ That you are married together

L ~ Because you like and love him then a long time ago you married dad

22.  Where is your mom's favorite place to go?

C ~ to school

L ~ to the store.

Winter at Hatcher's

We just got about 11 inches of snow so everyone was anxious to get out and enjoy it.  We headed to Hatcher's played and  in the snow for awhile.  Our buddy Autumn went too, the boys enjoyed playing with her, she weathers the cold a little better than mom!  It was -1 but that didn't slow the boys down.  

Love & winter fun,

Ah, Nuts... Eli!

Well, it was bound to happen... & leave it to baby Eli to be allergic to nuts.  We aren't sure which nuts he is allergic to since he was eating a variety of nuts.  

The doctor's office told Jarrett to give him benedryl and go to the hospital parking lot  and wait so if  the swelling didn't go down he could get him to the emergency room asap. 

There is never a shortage of crazy activity around this house!

Love & the nutty boy,

Jarrett has entered blog-land

I am so excited Jarrett has started his own hunting blog.  You can check out right here.

Love and blogging husbands,

I've been tagged.

I've been tagged by my fried Jill, I think that I have to post the fourth picture in my fourth folder.  Haven't done one of these before so here it goes!

hee... hee... this is photo of my wonderful husband and one of his black bears.  Pretty funny.  This black bear now presides in our living room.  You have to love taxidermy.

I tag Jen, Tanya, & Jolene.

Love and hunting husbands, 

Summer Memories

So when it is so chilly out I have to remind myself of the times when it was warmer.  Since I took a six month break I have lots to back blog, so I will begin with a summer trip to the cabin.  It was great.  Super fun!!  I was so excited that our kids would have some of the same fun lake memories I have from growing up.  We stayed a week and just hung out, ate, fished, water skied, jet skied, knee boarded, and enjoyed the sandy beach.

I also had to post this for my friend Jill who lives in Florida and asked.... Do you have to wear winter clothes all the time? Well, Jill,  not quite all the time but we pretty much wear layers all the time.   I go to her blog for my summer fix. 

Our cabin neighbors are the best they have all the toys and love to share.  Better yet, they love to teach others how to have fun.  That's how Caleb (5) learned to water ski and knee board.  Caleb and Luke(3) both loved to ride the "Stable Mable"  behind the water ski.  

I loved the day that Luke fell asleep on the beach, he was just laying there playing then next thing we knew he was asleep with sand stuck to his face.   Eli (11 months) would fall asleep, we took the pack and play, he would nap.  It was a great restful week.

Love and warm sandy beaches,

Learning something new in 2009!

So in an effort to keep my mind and body active I signed up for kayaking classes.  When you think of  kayaking in Alaska it generally isn't during the winter.  However, I  and my buddy who I drug along, are taking lessons in our local pool.  Last night was our first lesson and we learned a lot.... parts of the boat, paddling strokes, wet exits, and the T rescue.  So I look forward to learning and practicing more.

The kayaks are stored outside, so it was funny to have the instructor pulling out pieces of ice before telling me to jump in.   It was fun and I look forward to next week..... the eskimo roll!

Love & frozen kayaks,

To Freezing and beyond!

So I had to take a photo of the thermometer in our car.  It is still really chilly, I know it is much colder in other parts of the state but Yikes!!!!

It is amazing that each time Jarrett comes home from work the boys are so excited and all they want to do is wrestle.  Even Eli (1.5) I think it is all the testosterone.  

Love & Layers and Layers of clothes,

Thanks! I love my new header!

Here is to my buddy Jolene and her beautiful header she made for me.  

Love and beautiful views from you porch,

Freezing, Fun, Free, & Friends

We have been freezing our tails off here.  It's been -30F & now the wind has start in...... Oh, Alaska in the winter. 

This is the only the second time I have seen -30.   Needless to say it has been to cold to play, so we jumped at the chance to go a client appreciation event compliments of our wonderful friend and finaical advisor Rene.  It was a free movie and snacks.   How fun is that?

Then we wrapped it all up with  a visit to the boys favorite playground~ Ant's.  The house were the boys rule!

Love and great friends near and far, 

Happy New Year!!! Bring on 2009

Hello to all~

How could I let one of my favorite pastimes go by the wayside?  It's easy really, 

• time goes by fast
• computers get slower 
• USB cords get lost
• kids.... do I have to say anymore?  

So here it is 2009 and I am trying to get back on the blogging bandwagon.  I really appreciate all the encouragement to bet back on my blog.  So here we go....