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

Warriors at Home

We went today to an open house for a police station. Amazingly, they were giving rides in a patrol vehicle. You don't see that very often, which I think is unfortunate to the children and adults that come to an open house. What an awesome tool to introduce the kids to the officers and find out how good it is to have an officer as a friend. Too many people today aren't willing to put officers in a good light due to a few bad apples.



I must say I was very impressed with the officer that was giving the rides. Even though it was 45 minutes after the advertised time he still gave David (who had been waiting for an hour) a ride with a big smile on his face. David got to ride up front and watch the video camera, which in David's words was "Awesome!"

What a great thing to encourage children that officers are the good guys. Just imagine the impression that that makes on a young child to be able look up to a strong figure in the community that catches the bad guys!

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!

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!

Thankful for so Many Blessings

Aren't these great pictures? Ania is a natural and David just likes seeing his face on the camera. What a great way to see their love.

We have been out of Barrow for almost a year now. I keep thinking of the things I miss from up there, and then I start thinking of the things I really missed from the real world when we lived in the bush. Things like fresh vegetables, crawling in grass, the rain on the roof, and the wind in the leaves. Brent and I were talking the other day about cooking of all things. He always says how spoiled he is that I love to take the time and cook. I have been thinking about that allot lately. I love to try new recipes and taste new things all the time (you should see my recipe collection now and what it was before we left Barrow). We ate allot of pasta and spaghetti in Barrow not that we don't eat it here but we have fresher things to try and enjoy. He laughed cause I won't even bat an eye at spending two hours in the kitchen to make lunch if that is what it takes. I just enjoy the challenge and enjoyment of making people truly experience the food they eat.


So here is a list of things that I am thankful for not only because we are out of the bush but also because the Lord has provided so much.

• Fresh vegetables



• Green grass



• Wind in the leaves



• Rain on the roof



• Birds and the lovely sounds they make all night long



• Mosquitoes



• Raspberries



• Wild roses



• Rivers that are not covered in ice all year



• A place for the kids to ride their bikes



• Garage sales with good stuff


• A house to put it in and be able to decorate the way I want to decorate



• Screen doors and windows



• Mountains



• Kiska



• My wheelbarrow



• The chainsaw
• Really good coffee

Wow! I could go on and on...........
I am so thankful for the little blessings and sure hope that I don't take them for granted again.


The kids and I have been out working in the yard getting quite a few things accomplished. I got the garden planted and most of the front of the house dug out for us to treat the wood. Thankfully we will be able to get most of this done this summer. There isn't much left of it and I want to enjoy it while we can.

Ari learning to stand on her own.

These are some great pics of the kiddos in the yard.

I love these cute little faces she makes.

Ari is experiencing grass for the first time in these.

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!

Spring Fever

So I couldn't take not doing something the other day. I got to cleaning as family is coming in a couple of weeks and I needed something to do....not that I don't already but I needed a distraction. I rearranged the loft. I like it better and will hopefully be able to get through some projects that are just sitting there waiting. I am going to do some garage sailing this summer and hopefully find some organizational things instead of just the totes that we have.

The kids have been suffering too. They have been riding their bikes on the snow and slush as well as through lovely mud puddles and coming in crying because they are stuck. It has been great though to see them running around.

The curriculum fair is this next week and I cannot believe I get to go this year. I didn't think I would be able to for awhile. The great thing is I can get everything ordered early and not have to worry about it......big relief! I have stressed over this the last couple of years and will not have to this year. Although I have been changing my mind a few times about what I really want to do with the kids this yeat. Ahhh, the fickle mind!

Ugh!

Have I mentioned before that I absolutely hate being sick! The flu is in full force nationwide and since we don't ever really go anywhere, where on earth could I have got it? At least it was only a 24 hr bug. Thank God for Brent as he handled everything while I moaned in bed.

We have had at least two inches of snow in the last couple of days. It is so beautiful seeing it fall. We sat on the couch the other night after the sun went down and just watched it fall. It was neat listening to the kids talk about it.

We went sledding with friends from church on Saturday. We went on base to the ski lodge they have and enjoyed watching both the kids fly down the hill. The first time David went down we couldn't tell if he was laughing or crying. Ania kept going and tried going off the jump that had just been made. David convinced daddy to go down a couple of times to which Brent replied that his butt is too big for the sled. I went down with Ari one time in the inner tube and not only gave myself a heart attack but Brent too. Ari was quiet the whole way down. Never again! We almost went over the hill at the bottom that is there to stop you.

Mayhem and McDd's

We went into town today and spent the whole time in town. Ugh! Neither one of us likes going to town much at all so when it is grocery shopping time it is fun. I do enjoy the task of working in a budget and creating fun and healthy meals for us, but I sure don't enjoy the drunks hanging out in front of the store or having to fight your way through the aisles.

So we got that done and because it was so late and the kids hadn't been able to play all day we went to McD's. The dreaded place that is so loud and out of control. Won't be doing that again for a while. The kids are just crabby when we leave and so am I from having to listen to the screaming and banging around. They just put in games on computer type screens for the kids which I am not fond of at all. When I do take the kids there I want them to run around and play on the structures. Because it is so cold during the winter there isn't any way for them to do that outside. I will most likely take them to a different one when we go from now on. Besides I don't like eating out anyway..........

Happy~Grouch

So Brent shaved his beard for vacation. What a surprise! Doesn't he look good? Ari has been loving it. This is her happy with daddy.
This is one grumpy baby! Wow!

This is her not happy with daddy.

Fun and Cookies

So I made some German Chocolate Cookies the other day...........

Ari sure enjoyed them!
After she was done with the cookie she took one look at daddy and started crying. She looked so darned adorable sitting on the table in her diaper with daddy holding her.

HUH

Got up this morning to -10. Literally jumping for joy while feeding the boiler. It is supposed to be above zero by Wednesday. So here is a picture to warm everyone else up.

Doing Something Right

The last couple of days I feel so good about school. I have changed some things we are doing and the order in which we do them. Trying to get David through before he gets to antsy. We are doing Bible together instead of separately which is much easier.

I find that when I am antsy and in a hurry it wears on the kids. So my goal lately is to not rush and just enjoy the time with them. We are doing magnetism in Science and Ania is loving it. David isn't required to do it but he loves doing the experiments with her.

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;)

Adult Conversation

So we went to church last night for Kids Club. I have finally come to the conclusion that it is not for the kids that I go it is for me! I enjoy the adult interaction so much. I have truly enjoyed our church here more because Brent's job is not at the forefront of everyone's mind. It's tough when that is how most people see you. Thankfully with this rotational position I don't have to think about it. What a relief!

Janine looked at Ari's ear last night and said it is a little pink. She gave me some suggestions and am trying them now. I am hoping that it will drain quickly and not become a full blown ear infection. She seems happier this morning. She hasn't been waking up the cheerful little baby that I know and love since her cold. She is all talk and bright eyes this morning though.

Woke up in the middle of the night to my two older children in my bed! Talk about a surprise! Ania has been very good about getting up on her own and going to bed, but I had to carry David. Thank goodness he is still small enough for me to carry short distances. I love to cuddle with them but my bed is my bed. I like having room to move and stretch. Sure wish we had gone with the king size bed, but that is okay I like cuddling with Brent too.

I did my grocery shopping on Thursday and found the most darling little pink coat with a hood for Ari next winter. This is one of the biggest things that I missed about living in Barrow. There are no outlet stores or huge clearance sales, except for what AC is trying to clear out. Thank God for Fred Meyer and their 50%off already clearance priced items. Granted I can't do much of that right now but when an opportunity presents itself and I have the money and can work it into the grocery budget.........

Brent and I were talking and it is weird how God intertwines when people come in and out of our lives. We heard from a old friend from high school the other day. Haven't talked to her in years. It is interesting to see how their lives have changed and how God has been working in them. To see and compare the things we have all gone through and glean from each others experiences. What a treasure!

My Youngins

I love being mom so much! When I think back to how hard of a shift it was for me to go from full time college/working student to full time worker/mom to full time mom I cringe. I did not make life easy for my wonderful husband and my children. I didn't know what to do with myself and all this time. Now as a mom I don't have extra time for all the things that I thought moms had time for. What a lifestyle change! Not even touching the mind change. My kids constantly amaze me. With all the changes we have had in the last year they are still my good kids. Thank you Lord for such wonderful blessings. It is true that as the Bible says children are a blessing from the Lord. It is really to bad that in today's society they are considered an inconvenience. Where would we be without kids?

Anyway, these are some pics of my blessings.

Size Comparison

So Brent was entertaining Ari the other day and used his foot for the fun.

She would open her mouth, grab for the slipper, then attempt to eat it.

She finally got it off his foot and it sat next to her while he took these pics.

She is reaching for things all the time now and has just started reaching

for me when someone else is holding her. She still isn't to sure about that

fuzzy faced man that sometimes lives her yet!

Look at the size comparison of Brent's slipper to her! Has she gotten big or what!

Whew

We made it through the last cold spell. Thank God! We have been dealing with sub zero temps for the last four days which may not seem like that much to some but when you have to get out in it to get wood it sucks! Although, when it is that cold we are able to find and fix more air leaks in the house.

Brent has officially gotten sick! I now get to put up with a grumpy man and three sick children for who knows how long. We have to all be careful or we will catch something allot worse.

School, Patience, and Perseverance

What a day yesterday. We had a difficult school day, but the best part is we worked through it. Thank God for His grace and the wisdom of mom! Going through that just puts me in my place. I remember putting mom through so much of that and it is not fun to be on the other side of it. So mom (and dad) here is a huge I am sorry and apology for the years and years of what I put you through. Thank you for the wisdom and love of so many years of going through the same thing.

It's funny, Ania has been listening to Odyssey. She got a new one from Grandma for Christmas and the one she has been listening to constantly is about patience and perseverance. Hmmm, do ya think the Lord is trying to tell me something? I get it, I get it! Even my Bible study has been about patience and making every thought captive to Christ. What a huge thing to work on! But I am loving the results of the lesson. Life is so much sweeter when I make every effort to ask (and I know this is a cliche but) what would Jesus do?