Snow

Well since we don't have any snow here in Alaska...

Rub a dub, dub

Yesterday was full of activity.

Between making dozens...and I do mean dozens...upon dozens of several types of cookies we had a soap making class.

We used glycerin, goats milk, and oatmeal as our base for the different soaps.  Ender had been expressing interest all week in going so I took him along.  It was fun for him to pick out a scent...thankfully we only had 3 to choose from....and a color to make his soap. 

He surprisingly went for the gold color and cedar wood.  I went the route of blood orange in the oatmeal and then Pepper (our friendly town "grandma") let me have one of hers that was a red and gold mix in the glycerin.  It turned out quite pretty.

We had a really good time.  The hardest part, at least for the little guy, was waiting for the soap to cool.  But he managed well by going into the library and reading....it is nice to see him expressing interest in that outside of the time forced upon him by both mom and school.

Braid Runner

I went back and made another to see how long it would take me now that I am "fairly" familiar with the process.  It took about 5 hours to do this one...I am just not a quick sewer when it comes to hand stitching the binding....otherwise it took 3 hours to do the banner...that is with just having to cut two new border pieces and re-pin the binding since I did it backwards the first time...

I have enjoyed this...and the time away from home....

Christmas Activity

We are having a few get together's this week that remind me of R.S. nights.  Today and yesterday we worked on table runners.  They ended up being quite fun once you knew what  you were doing, and getting to that point was an enjoyable adventure...I was quite happy to have only unpicked things twice and even happier to finish off the binding...

Christmas Time

Its amazing how busy this time of the year can get.  We don't even have the hustle that most of  you have, but I still catch myself wondering were the time went.

We have had a school program, a church program, a visit from Santa, a pot luck with the town, and tonight we had a ladies sewing time.....so not too busy huh?

I will have to post tomorrow a picture of the table runner I made at the sewing time....Hopefully I will finish it tomorrow...

But today for our Christmas Advent calendar that we have been doing the kids had to create a Christmas Haiku.  They did a very good job so I thought I would post it here...

Once there was a snowman...

Once there was a snowman, oh so small.

Judge came along and slew him, obliterating all.

Happy Halloween!

We hope you had a fun and DRY Halloween.  We were out walking in the rain that turned to sleet and then to hail, so THAT was a fun one....

Spoiler Alert***

If you read my few and far between posts you have heard the story.  But the kids with their dad's help or should I say Kale with his son's help created a story about their adventure for a Halloween writing contest...

****

Alaska Adventure

A True Story

 

It was a dark and stormy night. It wasn’t actually all that dark, yet, but that would change. The storm was raging though, like it did so many nights in the isolated Alaska town. The town had waited in great anticipation, wondering this time if it would even happen at all…wondering if the people would survive if the signal never came.

            It was not uncommon for the signal to come at night, sometimes it never came at all, but IT had always come during the light of day. The people knew, we knew, that if the signal came this night, so would IT.

            The uncertainty of that thought, of what would happen if IT came in the dark, was almost enough for all of us to wish for IT not to come, at least until morning. We struggled within our own minds about what it would mean. We most certainly needed IT if we were to survive. We quickly wiped the thought from our minds. For me IT meant the survival of my family, not only myself.

            “If IT came in the dark, so be it!” I thought to myself, but didn’t dare say out loud.

The phone rang. The signal!

“I’ll get it!” shouted my third son and ran toward the phone. Our baby girl tried to reach for it as well. Fortunately my wife got to it before any of the children.

She took a breath, then with steely determination I could barely pick out, she pushed the button and said, “Hello.” It was excruciating watching her listen to the person on the other end of the line. I tried to make out the situation by reading the expression on her face, but I couldn’t follow the changes; startlement, confusion, relief…too chaotic for me to make out. After what seemed like an eternity, she said, “okay,” with all the brightness she could muster and hung up the phone. Slowly, she turned to us and announced, “IT will be here…tonight!”

After a second of shock, I sprang into action. I quickly started to order the kids to prepare for what we would now have to do. They had done it before, but like I said, never in the dark. We should have practiced for this, we should have been better prepared, but it was too late now. We gathered what we would need, at least all that we could predict:  outdoor clothing, raincoats, boots, flashlights. Fortunately my daughter had not run out the battery on her lantern; that might come in handy.

Just when it started to feel that we might have this under control a blinding light came streaming in through our front window. The children cringed because of the brightness. My wife and I rushed to the window to discover both our hope for the future, and the dread of what we would have to do that night. IT was here!

We all froze. Then, we began to see and hear a bustling about town. Others, unprepared as they were, were springing to action too. Lights flickered as doors opened and closed, boat motors started, and people were moving on the dock. It gave us courage and we continued our preparations.

We were ready, as ready as we could be, so we opened the door to venture out. At least the rain had stopped, but there was still a strong wind and darkness gripped the land as though it was afraid to let go. Not too far, but what may as well have been a world away, we could see the light of the place we would have to go. That was where IT would be going to.

“Do I have to do this?” questioned my second son.

“I don’t want to go out there,” said my fourth son, stepping back from the doorway.

My oldest son stood stoically waiting, his firmness not quite masking just as much uncertainty as there was in the rest of us. He knew he would be asked to do more than any of the other children this night. He didn’t know if he would break down before it was done, neither did I.

“Let’s go,” I made the solemn pronouncement and we moved out.

We saw others moving toward the place where IT was going; we could see IT moving along the bay as well. I looked around and noticed that not all was right. Some who were supposed to be there were not. In the dark, with the few lights we had between us, it was hard to tell who had come, but it was clear that some had not, that they would be needing help. My heart sank; I knew what I needed to do.

“Bring the cart up,” I told my two oldest boys, “and keep an eye on your sister. Stay with her no matter what.” With that I moved on ahead of the rest and out into the dark, leaving my young family behind to begin tackling IT on their own while I went to the aid of those who had not arrived.

My heart sank even further when I was halfway to my destination. I could hear a faint voice, crying. I turned to see what I had feared the most: my baby daughter, following me through the dark. Neither of us had a light and it was only by the sound of her sobs that I found her. My oldest, I discovered, had followed also. Thankfully he had brought a light. But, he had let her wander, and left the younger children alone with IT, to get her back. I quickly scolded him, but didn’t have time to explain to him the mistake he had made. We rushed back to where the younger kids were; my wife was nowhere to be seen.

Again I was faced with a heart rending decision. Do I leave my family to cope on their own again, or stay with them and leave those who were not here without the benefits that IT would provide? Finally a break; my wife came from the dark carrying a light of her own! I passed the baby on to her and rush back into the dark again, less concerned this time.

I found the family that had been missing. They had not even been told that IT had arrived. They scrambled to get their things together to come and help the rest of the town at the place where IT had now made landfall and had begun systematically filling the building where the light was.

We arrived just in time to help. The wind was still blowing and it took several trips between our house and the building before we had done our part in handling IT. For my oldest, the endeavor lingered. He would be forced into the fray again and again, even more times than I was. Handling not only our family’s duties, but helping others with theirs. He trekked through the dark, alone on the slippery path, not knowing what would happen to him on the way. I breathed a great sigh when I saw him reemerge from that sticky darkness for the final time.

In the end all went well. The town had never been more efficient in handling IT. Within half an hour, to the relief of everyone, it was over. Maybe it was because so many of us had arrived at the same time, or maybe it was because of the darkness – we all wanted this thing to be over as soon as possible – but all had faced IT in a way they had not experienced before. How could something so easy and even enjoyable during the day hold such mystery, danger, and confusion during the night? It is a question I still haven’t answered.

And that is the story of when we had to go get our mail at night because the delivery boat came in late. The End.

Picture this...

We had quite the adventure last night.

We normally get mail on Saturday morning.  We were called first thing in the morning and told that it wouldn't be in till Sunday...

So picture our surprise when we get a call at six at night that the boat has made it in and delivery will be in an hour...

SO MUCH FUN!!!

It starts getting dark at six, and by seven it is pitch black...due to lack of street lights...I mean pitch black!!!

So here we are trooping out at seven, jackets on and flashlights blazing as we trek the 100 yards to the post office. 

The kids were so excited...especially Nia.  Here she was in her bright pink winter parka with her lantern in hand just loving every stinking moment of wandering from bright light to bright light to get to the post office and back...

An hour later when everyone's mail was delivered she was still flying high on life, in fact she wanted to go for a scooter ride!  She might have managed it if she could have figured out how to ride and hold her flashlight!

It was a blast!

It's ALL done!

I am quite proud (even if pride is bad) of the quilt I managed to put together.  Considering I have to buy everything online, and can't go to a store to get what I want I think I pulled it off quite nicely.

OM GOODNESS!

Just a note...as parents Kale and I really, really hate that phrase (OMG).  Kids don't know what they are saying when they use it!

But I had an Oh My Goodness moment last night.  And of course when the ICK factor is off the charts you have to share, right?

I went in the back pantry room to put a dirty diaper in the garbage (surprisingly that isn't the supplier of the ICK factor).  Of course considering that a grown-up usually keeps the back room organized and clean...meaning no Legos or other foreign objects that might impale an unsuspecting parents foot and thereby cause momentary paralysis and blinding pain...I unsuspectingly went my merry way.

Now the ICK factor shows it's face...

On my way back through the door into the house I took a step and felt a wet squishy pop.  Immediately I think...SLUG!...and move my foot but there isn't anything there and I feel the relief of not stepping on one of those things...

I enter the house and close the door when my sock starts to get a cold wet spot.  And of course I think, "What is going on?"  So I pull of my socks and on one of them I see the dreaded slimy wet spot. 

Now since I didn't see a slug on the floor why would I have checked my socks?  Well live and learn.  There isn't any slug on my sock, just the dreaded slime, so I put my foot back down, and that is when I feel the dreadful cold wet body of a slug on my leg!   UUUGHGHGH!

That has got to be the easiest way in the world to make a grown women scream.....I didn't scream, but I did yell for Kale to come help me....

Silly I know, but since the slug wasn't on the outside of my pant leg, I wasn't going to move to investigate the inside of my pant leg for fear of were the slug would end up...

So thinking something is wrong he comes in and asks what is wrong...I tell him my story and he...heroically of course...investigates. 

And of course, there tucked inside the bottom of my yoga pant leg is a hitchhiker, a dead slug....

Nothing makes me feel dirty, slimy and icky quicker than touching a slug ....well it is worse when that slug is DEAD!

Is that a good enough ICK factor for you?

Giant Muscle Lumps

I am a bit ashamed to see how long it has been since I wrote....

Well even when you don't have all the worldly distractions everyone else has...apparently you can get busy with five kids....

The kids are really enjoying the school year.  It has been lots of fun for them to have so many kids around.  We are currently sitting at 14 students as opposed to last years 7.

The boys love that the kids who moved in have some of the same interests.  Kayaking, archery and of course X-BOX....

Jenner is learning his site words like a cat likes milk.  I am amazed at how he just seems to absorb everything.

Ender...well he is Ender.  He is really into physical things...He loves his scooter and he loves working out.  He is the one who said "Mom, look at my huge muscle lumps!" as he showed off his arms.

Judge and Raiden think they need to conquer all things X-Box...and in particular Halo.  So they don't quite enjoy being told they have spent to much time on it...

Nia is recently in heaven.  She finally got her very own scooter.  She picked it out and everything.  She was over the moon when her bright pink and black scooter got here.  She was riding around on it as quick as we could put it together...so color her happy!

Kale started going back to college this month.  Not his favorite thing in the world...but a requirement to retain a teaching license....

I thankfully am not the lunch lady this year.  We are still in the process of patching together a lunch program that will hopefully carry us through the year....I have the pleasure of being the VP of the local parent and teacher group as well as the school janitor.  It isn't a bad job considering I am only cleaning up after 14 kids....and as a plus I can listen to my music and not worry about a little one while I do it...

So now we are caught up...hopefully I wont fall so far behind in the future....

Well I never...

have managed to get a picture of the big jelly fish before.  So I was super excited when I finally had my camera and saw one of these guys in the water!

If everyone one else...would you?

...my kids responded with a resounding YES! to this age old question..

I don't think it hurt that I have two tween children who just can't be shown up by their

ol' ma!

 

I think I have accidently on purpose created our first official tradition for here in Alaska.  A year ago, almost to the day I jumped into the wonderfully cold ocean in front of our house on a nice sunny day....

Well it was a nice day, we were all outside enjoying the sunshine after kayaking....and wouldn't you know...

 

Mom made it into the ocean once again...

 

And then they were like lemmings....

 

 

Her look does say it all...

I am so not going in there!  Are these people crazy?

And Jenner, bless his heart, wouldn't come in till we captured a picture

of him performing a miracle of his own...

One, being in cold, cold water..

Two, the hopefully obvious standing on water...

SUUUUUMMMMMERRR

I know as kids summer never seemed long enough.  One day you were getting out of school and the next thing you know you were getting new clothes to go back to school.

I know there was a few sleepovers and swim parties thrown in there for good measure (on the good ones we went to Lake Powell) but man did it go fast...

Now it seems to go on and on and on like a really bad movie.....except this one you can't pause or eject from the dvd player....

But here are to the nice hot days for you in Utah...muhhahaha!  And the rainy days for us here in Alaska...dripdripdrop! 

Flowers for Grandma

 

We saw these pretty cool flowers in one of our walks recently.  They come in white, pink and purple...

 

The kids like how tall they grow (they get bigger than all of us) and that they come in several colors...

 

So here are flowers...all the way from Alaska....for our Grandmas..

 

Gma R for sending us the many fun packages...

 

Gma P for the anticipation of seeing her soon...

 

Love you guys!

Welcome August

Today was a beautiful sunny day here in P.A.  We spent it exploring tide pools, picking berries (don't even get me started on the ensuing berry fight) and going kayaking.

About Time

 

Your looking at our first king salmon since returning...say yum?

 

I figured I had done enough lazing about...without doing any lazing or abouting...that I should get back on and let the world...or at least our family know...that we are still kicking!

 

And insanely glad that although we awoke to fog it wasn't raining and that made the days prospects so much brighter!

 

So enjoy your 90's and 100 degree weather.  We will keep our rain and chilly morning...

 

Plus we get to go out and pick salmon berries and huckle berries today!

Home @ last!

Well as many of you have noticed as of late that my blog ended very abruptly in June. I figured since I was traveling down for a summer vacation I was going to already have my hands full, and hey.... It wouldn't be us vs Alaska right?

So we are now home....just arriving today in fact....and just got our internet up and running...like minutes ago...so I promise to be a good blogger and fill you in...but not today...

What can I say?  After 4 plane rides and a stay overnight at a hotel I think I can call this a win for me....no work...just relax....

Family Time

We had a good family time tonight going out and kayaking.

And wouldn't you know, this one time I don't take the camera the Jellyfish our out in plenty.  I don't know what type these jellyfish are.  There was both a white (I think moon jellyfish) and then a peach or orange colored one. 

I was mostly startle at first simply cause I wasn't expecting them.  But after that they are pretty cool to watch swimming...

Kayak Girl

Amidst the whole end of year school cleaning, and trying to get our house in order before our impending trip, Nia, that awesome Princess Diva who apparently rules our house, has decided she is a Kayak Queen.

She gets sooo mad when anyone goes without her.  She has discovered how to get her hands in the water and she loves it.  She doesn't stay dry too long when we go out anymore.  She also thinks that although she doesn't do any of the paddling that she is the official compass and should decide where we go.  That can be an interesting conversation in the middle of the bay...

Not much of a conversation though when one is a somewhat average intelligence adult trying to reason with an uncommunicative one year old who should apparently be two and a half...

But it is a lot of fun having her enjoy the kayak and want to go out.  It is a fun and easy way to see the sights and enjoy the water and nature!

Art Show

The Port Alexander community had their annual art show today (sorry this was last Sunday...I didn't realize this post only saved and didn't publish). 

It turned out really well too.  I think we counted thirteen different categories in all.  The kids put in a lot of work, as well as the people in the community, and it was amazing to see what they came up with. 

Jenner and Ender were thrilled that their Q-Ba-Maze Fish that they built took 1st Place!

Mail Time

It is nice to be back to getting mail twice a week.  Makes the wait not seem so long! 

Mail day is by far the kids favorite days around here.  They always seem to think that besides our groceries we will be getting a package of goodies of some kind meant for them....

Some weeks that is true...usually replacement clothes, shoes or other paraphernalia...but as we start the count down until we go for a little break we just aren't getting that many packages...

But here is an example of a regular grocery box....this package was full of our 5 gallons of milk...

So to the price tag on the label add $5 per gallon on there and that is what our milk is costing us...

Almost There

Well our last party while we are in Alaska was an overall success.

 

It will be fun though to have Nia's 2nd birthday with family around...

 

Now we have the community art show to look forward too, which I can't wait to get pictures of some of the kids creations, and three days of school!!!

 



Happy Birthday

Well we are down to 2 hrs before his 7th birthday party.  I hope he enjoys the presents we have for him, but I really hope he enjoys this cake.  Not that I am an expert or anything, but some love....for lack of talent, and work went into his soccer ball cake that he requested....

So here is hoping his seventh birthday is a great one!!!

Rental

While in Nevada I used to complain every now and then about how strange the office hours of some of the rental companies were.

After the last week or two though I think we would prefer strange office hours.

You talk to one person, get a name, then talk to another to get a phone number, only to find out that the name wasn't the right one, or to find out they only answer their phone on Wednesday and it is Thursday so try again....or stuff like that...

It is amazing how complicated looking at the insides of a building can be...

Wonderful Weekend

We had a wonderful weekend.  Just right for Mother's Day.

Friday and Saturday were gloriously warm and sunny.  We managed to go kayaking and hiking up to the lake.  We also made a jaunt out to the big beach.  A little creepy with all the seaweed stretching out below the surface...ugh!  I am a girly girl when it comes to creepy, slimy, tentacle like things in the water...

And the weather for Mother's Day was cooler but still awesome.  Watching the fog roll in is incredible to watch.  First it appears to be overcast and then next thing you know it is inching its way into the bay....makes the boats look cool!

But it was a great day, with Éclair Pie included, and I am very happy to be the proud mama of five wonderful kids.... 

So here's my styling Nia wishing everyone a great Mother's Day!