New Friends and Adventureres

Brent met a couple of guys in Prudhoe the last time he was there. They landed with a lot of gear and bikes. Being from South Korea all the airport people and him were curious as to why they were there. They said that they were going to bike from Prudhoe Bay Alaska to the bottom of Argentina! Go figure! So Brent chatted with them and gave them directions to our house as they would be biking right on buy. He had expected them to show up last time he was home but last night was the night. Of course he wasn't here, but it was okay just the same. They camped in the yard last night and ate breakfast with us this morning. I asked them why they decided to do this and Winter said, "For the adventure!" They will be the first South Koreans to have done this. They are biking 50 miles a day and their only worry is where their next food and fresh water will come from. The kids enjoyed meeting some new friends and they seemed to enjoy just relaxing for awhile. I hope all goes well with them and blessings upon them. If you are interested in seeing pics they are blogging about their adventures; alas they are in Korean but there are still good pics. cyworld.com/bincard and blog.naver.com/chosun3

Multiple Activities

Brent decided one day since the truck had been choking to change the spark plugs. Ania of course was more than willing to be outside at -20 with daddy so she could learn how to change the plugs as well. The pride in her face when she came in from completing the project with dad was amazing! Brent was very proud of his little Grease Monkey!

On one of the last cold days of winter we decided to build a fire. As this would be the first that Ari was participating in we thought it would be a great time! We weren't wrong! Ania taught Ari how to blow on the fire to keep it going. Ari learned how to roast marshmallows for the first time. We had to hide the package of marshmallows cause she got to the point where she wouldn't eat them she just wanted to roast them!

We drove to Tok one day for a day off. The contrast was perfect with the snow on the mountains and we saw many different kinds of wildlife that without that contrast we wouldn't have seen. On the way home we nearly ran into the heard of caribou that we had seen previously in the day. Brent pulled over into the turnout and we got quite a few pictures. Meanwhile, during the picture taking David was nearly in tears because he wanted to hit one so we could take it home since daddy didn't have his gutting gear. "Please daddy can we hit one with car so we can take it home?"

On another day we decided to try to go fishing. We had been told that it would be the perfect week as the ice should be out at the end of the dock on one of the area lakes. After getting everything ready and getting there we still found ice to thick to fish in, but we got to watch others ice fish and we played on the ice as well as walking around and seeing all kinds of nature. Yes the kids are on the ice that is the lake.

At the boat dock the ice had started to go out a little. It was just enough for the kids and Brent to have an ice crystal fight, and for Ari to take a dip and get her feet wet. Mommy's heart didn't take that to well and Ari was mad that mommy pulled her away from her fun in the ice.

We had a week of 70s in April that brought break up quickly and after winter it was a nice break. Ari and mom are out picking up sawdust to spread on the driveway to absorb the mud, as well as getting the ice under the sawdust to melt and dry out in preparation for our wood shed. Ari loved standing there and feeling important at the wheel barrow.

With breakup having come so quickly we ended up with huge ponds in our front yard for a few days. On one of the hot days the kids and Brent had a snow/water fight and got all soaked. Thank goodness for being pregnant cause mommy got out of it! After everyone was done and good and wet they needed showers. Since our bathroom was still out of commission mommy bathed Ari in the kitchen sink. Amazingly enough she seemed to enjoy it!

The kids had a taekwon do tournament recently where they both did extremely well. Here is a group photo of the school. They both had a blast and enjoyed earning medals in patterns and the high kick!

Air Show 2008

David in the co pilots seat of a C130.

Ania in the co pilots seat of a C130.

The sight of freedom!

2008 Air Force Thunderbirds

Truly a sight to see! I have to say it was way better than the Blue Angels! You were right there.

My next truck! I am in love!

The kids were playing peekaboo around the corner of the hallway.
Ania loves reading to Ari. Sometimes she even gets to the end of the book before Ari gets bored.
I finally got Ari to keep this headband on for more than a few seconds!
Ania in a blackhawk helicopter!
David in a blackhawk!

Thanks Alot Cheryl;)

I have been tagged! Never thought that would happen:)
So here goes:

Five Things to do on my List today

1. Clean the bathroom
2. Pick up garbage that Kiska got into
3. Go through Value Village stuff
4. Do a load of laundry
5. Bake some kind of desert

Snacks I Enjoy

1. Cinnamon rolls
2. Peanut M&Ms
3. Watermelon
4. Blueberry cobbler
5. Raspberry rhubarb pie
6. Seattle's Best Coffee Naughty Toddy

Things I would do if I were a Millionaire

1. Pay off the house
2. Start a non profit mission to bring long term missionaries to bush Alaska
3. Buy a diesel F250 quad cab
4. Buy a ski boat so I could ski and fish
5. Travel the world especially Spain, Italy, Ireland, and Scotland

Places I have lived

1. Southern California
2. Edgewood, Milton, North Bend, Washington
3. Barrow and Interior Alaska

Bad habits I have

1. Starting a craft project and letting it sit for years
2. Going to the craft store and buying more even when I have a gazillion projects already to finish
3. Not sticking to a schedule
4. Pushing myself so hard that I don't stop until I collapse
5. Not asking for help

Jobs I have held

1. Fast food service
2. Lifeguard/Swim Instructor
3. UPS Supervisor
4. Newspaper delivery
5. Head Lifeguard
6. Daycare provider

I now tag; Sierra, Sara, and April

Summer Life

While Brent was available I said that I have to get this done. Of course it took me longer than I thought it would as I lost a safety pin inside somewheres. Ari loves it! It is taking me some getting used to and I wish I would have done it sooner. I can carry her on my front or back and she is close and happy. Best yet it only cost me a couple of bucks instead of the $45 that I have seen them for!

Brent and I decided that it was time for Ania to

start helping even more with food prep. She did great with

this chef's knife!

David loves playing with Kiska. Poor dog! She has been doing great with all three of the kids. She just kind of ignores baby still, but she is getting better!

Ania loves to scratch Kiska's tummy! The feeling is mutual. I thought this was great. She enjoyed it so much that she completely relaxed.

Brent thought this was the cutest thing! She crawled around the house with this in her mouth and a big smile around it!

Ari is still enjoying the feel and texture of whatever she puts in her mouth!

Daddy is trying to teach her how to walk?!? Go figure! After he complains about her being able to get up and move.

She sure loves her daddy!

We went to another open house for the fire department. This time the kids were able to go for a fire engine ride around the block, which was even better than the last time!

Spring and Time

Well, it is almost the end of May already. Where does time go? Ari is crawling now and has decided to start trying to pull herself up! We have recently got quite a few things done inside the house. We found a new chandelier for the dining room that was a third of the price it had originally been marked at. Replaced the dishwasher with a newer model that we got for free! Brent replaced some of the old fluorescent lights inside the house with newer updated fixtures that use less electric and look nicer. Got a lot cleaned out of the yard.

Wow! Was it a pigsty when we moved in. We found things and are still finding things hidden in weeds and dirt. We are putting in a fire pit, which I am really looking forward too. I want to do some hot dog roasts and marshmallows. I have been busy getting the garden ready to plant and am going to rearrange raspberries. Next year I want to put in a raised garden bed which will help with soil temperature up here. I am hoping that the greenhouse will help this year and next year the garden will be bigger and yield more.

Gas prices have gone above $4 a gallon as of the middle of this month. Since our gas budget is not that big it means we will not be going places very much this summer. That's okay, who says I wanted to drive anywhere anyway!?!&#@*

Brent's parents came up and left a week ago this last Tuesday. We had a great time. I really enjoyed having someone to play cards with. With Brent's rotation and still networking friends haven't had much opportunity. I sure hope they come back, even though when they left the mosquitoes had a powwow and planned for next time!;0

I am really glad that they got to see some of what we do. Although I slept for two days after they left!

Chores and Fun

While we were out being responsible, as Brent likes to call it. Working hard is more like it! We got a few good pictures of being and working together as a family. The kids are getting to the point where they now want to help get wood. It has started to warm up so they are more apt to get out of the car and help.

Ari loved riding in the truck and helping me pull out logs from the piles. Talk about a fun time. There is nothing like pulling out trees with a 4 wheel drive truck that is older than your husband! Although I have to admit I would take the truck over him any day!:) Even though it has a hole in the floor, doesn't have a working radio, and goes through gas like no tomorrow! It sure didn't look like much when we got it, but I am so glad the Lord was in control on this one. I wouldn't touch the thing when we first got it because of all the buttons, but life and circumstances have caused me to change my mind. We have tried and tried to get it stuck, that thing even pulls Todd's grain truck out when it is stuck with a full load of wood in the back. Good 'ol American made!

This is our beautiful Keeska. She enjoyed the farm so much. I think she enjoyed the truck so much more. There is nothing like driving down the open road with your truck and your dog. She has truly become a part of the family.

Baby Goats

The new friends and farm that we visited was an experience. We got to see newborn baby goats. The kids got to touch and feed them. What an adventure! Every time we now drive by they ask if we can stop.

Ari just kind of looked at it and reached out. The goat then started nibbling on her fingers!

Ice Park 2008

So we went to the Ice Park while our guests were here. As you walk into the park there is a enter at your own risk sign which I find ironic. It says you are entering an Ice Park and that it is slippery and you need to be careful. Go figure! I am truly glad that we went early this year even though we didn't get to see the multi block sculptures. The weather warmed up so significantly (40s) that they were having to extend the contest and go to ultimate measures to save the sculptures from thawing.


This walrus greeted us as we walked into the park. He had already lost one of his tusks, but he was still beautiful!







We had to stop at the hardware store and get sleds for the slides before we went into the park. While the kids were in the octopus tunnel we put Ari in the sled and dragged her around. She loved it for awhile, then she started to realize that she wasn't being held. I am so proud of my little Alaskan, she didn't complain about being in the cold and handled it very well.




This was the biggest slide that was sculpted. You are sure taking your life in your hands as you climb these ice covered stairs! We had a blast going down it. The slide end is pretty long compared to the others so it feels like you go on forever.




Brent got such a kick out of this phone booth!

Ari and I watched and played as the kids (Ben and Brent too) went down the slides in the kids park.

On the drive home Ben spotted a fox on the Tanana River. At first we thought it was a wolf, but upon closer inspection and seeing him catch a mouse we came to the conclusion that it was a fox. Good eyes Ben!

Vacation

So we have been busy. We had some friends from Barrow (who have since moved elsewhere)come stay for a few days. We had a blast and some very memorable moments. We got to go to the ice park, tried LARS (they were closed), enjoyed coffee, Alaska Bowl Co (which I want a huge Caesar salad bowl someday), North Pole, good laughs, and great times. I have been trying to post pictures but the server is not wanting to let me so they will have to wait.

We got a dog while they were here who is beautiful. Her name is Keeska and she is German short hair/pointer mix. She got out two days after we got her and then surprise two days later she showed up on our doorstep. She is doing very well as she is a sled dog rescue (she didn't run fast enough for the musher at 18mph). We took her with us to get wood this last week. She loved the truck.

Ari has her first tooth! Thank God! Brent found it while she was chewing on him.

We went to dinner at a friend of a friends house last week and the kids got to feed two baby goats. We are seriously talking about buying a milking goat, some laying hens, a cow, and rabbits for meat (since they taste like chicken), and having a big garden (which will happen anyway). With the cost of groceries going up drastically we are both feeling like living off the land as they say is going to be the best way to go for us. Along with all the meat recalls and other things that have been going on with our food supply. So for those of you who want to visit or will be visiting just a warning that you will never know what will be around when you are here...............

Life Happens

Ya know, I know that life happens and all but come on! We went out for a drive today and the car broke down about 10 miles from home. ERRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!! After about an hour friends showed up to help because the wreckers don't tow or won't answer the phone on Sunday.

We did get to see some really pretty things though. We went to Delta Junction and got some really cool pics. Which I will post later after they have been downloaded.

T-R-O-U-B-L-E

So while I was pinning my quilt for our peak window today, my two older children decided to find something destructive(I meant constructive) to do. Somewhere along the line one of them decided to make a pizza for baby with rice........
I know that it is great for tactile learning and things but we had a huge mess! I leave a pie plate of it out for David to play in and it has slowly dwindled. Ari sure enjoyed it by the size of this smile!
TROUBLE! I am in so much! Put the three of them together and I can sure wait until she is walking cause I have a feeling that there is going to be many more of these fun times;)

Frozen Faces

So yesterday Brent and I had to get wood to get through the night. Thankfully he was feeling okay and I put a face mask on. This is what happened after only 20 minutes in -30. Give Brent a few more minutes and he could look like Santa Clause.