Sleepless in Seattle's Got Nothing on Toothless in Alaska!

Post Thanksgiving Blessings and Merry Christmas Wishes to You All!

The Blessing of Another Alaskan Sunrise

Just when we were "hunkered down" and prepared for winter, a blast of unseasonably warm temperatures made its way here last week, bringing with it freezing rain and sheet slicks of icy roads. Several schools in the area were closed last week as a result - a somewhat unusual occurrence here. Our waning daylight is taking its toll on all of us, as we are all routinely nodding off by about 7:00 p.m.  Daylight dawns near 10 a.m. now, and it is very dark by 4:00 p.m.  We will continue to lose daylight hours until December 21 at a rate of 4-6 minutes per day.  Ahtna has become as sluggish as we, sprawling herself wherever someone will rub her belly until she is happily snoring and chasing those things that dogs chase in their dreams.  She snores more loudly than any human, and her leg twitches, deep sighs, and sleep whines make for great Alaskan evening entertainment! Can you tell we don't get out much?!  She does seem to wear herself out on our walks to the mailbox, literally "swimming" in the snow and ice banks there and back.

The past few weeks have been full of surprises, and we seem to be in a "season" of supporting our local dentists.  Whoever coined the phrase "shop local" probably never paid Alaska prices for goods and services -- particularly "difficult to obtain" goods and services.  For the first time since our move we have seriously contemplated bartering something as a trade...thinking that may be the way of our future.

Unbeknownst to yours truly, Michael had been nursing a sore tooth for nearly a month.  In retrospect, he was trying to wait until "after the kids' wedding" to take care of it, although knowing his angst against anything "dental," that excuse is still somewhat suspect.  At any rate, the pain got to a point that there was "no waiting."  Anyone who has ever experienced significant mouth pain understands. He saw our regular dentist in hopes of having it taken care of immediately.  Nothing doing...he was referred to a specialist in Anchorage...to be seen five days later following a round of antibiotics.  The specialist took one look at him and sent him packing back to our dentist for an extraction; however, the extraction was too extensive, so he was referred to another specialist..."round and round and round he goes; where he stops nobody knows!"

Remember that scene in Castaway with Tom Hanks?  You know the one...not where he loses his mind talking to Wilson the volleyball...the other one...where he knocks his own tooth out with a rock and an ice skate blade?  Let's just say we live in a state with an abundance of both skate blades and rocks...and Michael was in the front yard scoping some of our larger rocks!  Thank goodness we were able to get in fairly quickly with the surgeon.  After a round of conscious sedation and a good bit of digging, the tooth was out, and his relief was immediate.  I do have footage of the drunken stupor that ensued, but I've been sworn not to post it!   However, Ethan laughed hysterically when his Daddy looked at him with a glazed look and told him that his mom was "out of his league when we started dating."  After a long pause, he then looked at Ethan and said, "And I thought she was snobby, too!" Hhhmmm, nothing like truth drugs to make you re-evaluate your own behavior and how others may be perceiving you.  Ethan giggled the whole way home, asking terrible questions, and poking fun at his daddy's answers and the fact that he was "seeing double and triple."  I kept telling him he shouldn't make fun of his daddy.  He believed me when the sedation medication made Michael nauseous,  erupting into a catastrophic spectacle on the passenger side of the car!  Because of the falling ice and snows, we weren't in a position where we could safely pull over; but thankfully, nearly everything made it out the window! Sadly, though, it froze to the back passenger window on contact -- right at eye level for Ethan, who just happens to be a sympathy puker!  Even as I type this, I laugh so I don't cry - or maybe I'm laughing until I cry -- imagining what other drivers must have been thinking watching this grand parade make its way down the highway! Finally...safety...and a grown, drugged man with his 11-year-old son...holding each other up and making pretty pictures in the roadside snow, with their breakfast (or lack thereof) as their "art" medium of choice!  And, no, there will be no accompanying blog pics!

As if that weren't enough, poor Michael developed a terrible cold.  Apparently the infection from the tooth extended into his nasal cavity; and, per the dentist, he cannot blow his nose for a week for fear of re-opening his surgical site!  Thankfully, he's had a few days off, and he's been recuperating with the 3 Musketeers of Cold and Flu Season -- Halls, Vicks, and Nyquil.

Squirrel Hunting Before the "Temp Thaw"

"Andy Squirrel...wanna come to dinner?"

Just when I thought reprieve was in sight, Ethan called to me early in the morning following his shower. Can I just be honest?  The words a mother never wants to hear are, "M-O-M...can you come look at this?  This is NOT good!" Particularly if you are a mother of boys.  I cannot even begin to tell you the horrors that possibly await following those statements!  In this case, I walked into the bathroom to find Ethan wrapped in a bath towel smiling at me.  Again...sheer terror as a mother of boys!  I looked at him questioningly (is that even a word?), with my eyebrows raised and my head cocked to one side. He stopped smiling, turned his head so that his left cheek was fully facing me, and then smiled again -- a big, Alice-in-Wonderland Cheshire cat smile.  And there, protruding from his gum was an abscess the size of a small apple!

Since we're doing movie throwbacks in this blog, perhaps many of you will remember the hands stretched to the sky, and the screams of "Stella! Stella!"  Now, all together, using our imaginations, picture me, in our bathroom, in the same position...face toward the ceiling, arms raised high, and the words, "Really?!  Really?!"  But instead of it being followed by a crumbling of knees and further sobs, ours was followed by that nervous laughter, shaking of heads, and another emergency trip to the dentist.  And, guess what?  Another extraction!  Two in less than a week - by two different members of the family -- and two for Ethan in less than three weeks!  This one even needed a suture! Gross!  It makes us feel just grand knowing he currently has five loose teeth still hanging in there (spoken with tongue in cheek, of course...or in his case, tongue in tooth-hole).

Recovering, Post-Oral Surgery,
Death Star Style

Now before you question our family's dental hygiene, please be assured...we DO BRUSH!  With toothpaste!  We also routinely bathe and use deodorant...but I digress.  Both of their mouth issues are hereditary and just happened to rear their ugliness in succession.  So, of course, our family has had endless discussions about heredity, illnesses that arise as our bodies change and grow older, and just generally about unexpected moments...interruptions...in life...and how we respond or react to those circumstances.

During these weeks of thanks and blessing, we were reminded that even in tough times, the Lord is there.  There is a purpose and a plan; we just may not always know what it is.  As much as we like to think we "know stuff," God doesn't need our help or our advice when interruptions occur.  He needs our dependence and trust in Him. And someday, when we see Him, face to face, all our our "whys" will be answered.  Until then, keep trusting...

Lake Lucille, December 2015
It's Almost Ice Fishing Time!

All Our Love --

"Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

As the Snow Flies...Baby It's COLD Outside!

Pink Sunrise Before the Snows Fly
Pinks like these are a clue that snows are on the way...

See? Snows arrive in full force...
Michael is in the car on the left...ironically on his way to have snow tires put on the car!

We believe we are in the first swing of our winter season now, as the snows have arrived; and we do not anticipate temperatures above freezing from now until spring.  I'm not sure how you all feel about it, but we absolutely l-o-v-e the snow!  All of the yuck that comes with trees losing their leaves and grass and plants dying seems to turn joyous with that first snow that completely covers the ground. Hatcher Pass saw 17 inches of new snow, and the boarders and sledders have been out in droves...well, until the past few days.  We are into our third day of negative temperatures...yes, you read that right, negatives!  -2 or -3 isn't so bad; however, yesterday and today we awoke to -13 and -21 respectively here on this backside of Wasilla.  Amazingly, when we got to church in Palmer Sunday, the temperature there was nearly 4 above zero!  Such a drastic change in only a few miles -- but such is the life here.

For those of you that have not experienced temperatures that cold, allow me to delve more deeply into what happens to homes, vehicles, and your own person on days this cold:

1.  It is still possible to go outside without freezing solid; however, you MUST bundle up in layers and leave no skin exposed for any considerable length of time, lest frostbite begins to take hold.  We walked to the mailbox (1/2 mile away) with thermals, jeans, long sleeve shirts/sweaters, insulated bib overalls, wool socks, snow boots, coats, wool mittens, hats with face masks, and snow goggles or sunglasses.  Staying warm is not the issue when dressed like that. Breathing normally is...

2. You see, at certain temperatures (and we haven't figured out the exact temperature yet, except to say that it is below zero) something happens to your body when you inhale frozen air into your lungs.  The initial body response is a cough and a sputter, as if you are trying to breathe in poisonous gas.  Your body reacts (sometimes more violently that others) and tries to get you to "spit back out" any air that made it inside.  Once that situation is under control, most folks try to inhale by breathing through their noses.  This stops the sputtering, but creates an entirely new "symptom overload" for your unsuspecting nerves.  In case you have forgotten elementary and middle school science, allow us to remind you that inside our noses are tiny hairs -- used mostly for filtering out bad stuff (you know collecting the yucky dirt, mucous, etc. that tends to collect there throughout the day and making what we refer to as "boogies").  Couple those tiny hairs with what you know about the freezing temperatures of water.. and voila!  Nose hairs as stiff as boards that make it feel as if your nostrils are permanently frozen open, never to be closed and normal again!  A very deep inhale past all those frozen nose hairs leads to the chest filling with frozen air, and the sputtering begins again in earnest. Now the cycle of frozen breathing and sputtering is complete and will continue indefinitely until you return to the comfort of warmth inside you home or car.  Even boiling water evaporates on contact with such cold temperatures...

3.  Ah...but lest we forget...we should talk about homes and cars.  Temperatures inside hover between 63 and 67, and that is hot compared to the outdoors!  The warm air from inside the home crashes with the cold air outside the home, and creates nice ice spectacles on even the most insulated windows! Condensation forms inside, with resulting ice in all the cracks around the inside of the windows.

Hello Ice Creepers...it must be below zero outside!

Mealtimes are particularly brutal when the increased temperatures from the stove, oven, and/or crockpot add to the overall temperatures indoors!  And while our home is a newer home, even we have not been immune to the "ice creepers"...loving creatures that beg to get inside where it is warm, so they try to worm their way in through the cracks around the doors.  I'm not sure what people do who are truly homebound...as we have to open our doors at least twice per day to detach the ice creepers to ensure we can get out of our home in the event of an emergency.

4.  And once we get out...well, we are blessed with an automatic start for one of our vehicles.  We simply press a button and the car starts and the doors lock.  The truck...not so much. After battling the house ice creepers, we arm up to tackle to truck creepers.  Without an automatic start or a block heater, we manually start the truck and allow it to warm for at least 10 minutes before attempting to move it.  On really cold days (-20 or colder), the round tires actually form into squares -- SQUARES! So warming and driving slowly for the first few miles is necessary to ensure a smooth drive.

Before you feel sorry for us, keep in mind that the Interior (near Fairbanks) gets MUCH colder temperatures than we do.  These temperatures will usually only last a few days here, while they have been known to last for weeks there.  Engine block heaters and automatic starts are nearly as much of a requirement there as a tank of gas.  Here, we consider them "nice-to-haves," but not mandatory.

But that is why we carry "emergency kits" in the backs of vehicles.  Not your traditional ER kit, but extra snowsuits, gloves, hats, blankets, food, candles, etc.  In the event of a breakdown (particularly in a pocket that may not have cell service or another vehicle passing for hours), the ER kit could save you!  So for now...we wait...until Wednesday.

Wednesday, the temperatures return to "normal" and the snows return.  That will mean fresh wet powder for sledding and building snowmen; deeper, softer snow for tiring the dog on our walks; and a reprieve from "cabin fever."  Because let's face it...it must be really important to leave the warmth of snuggling in your home to brave temperatures like these.  We just pray for the folks who have to work out in it -- die hard Alaskans they be! Brrr!

The cold has driven the animals further down into our valley, and the moose are so frequent now that I think I'm the only one who still gets excited to see them.  They terrorize the dog, as she is afraid of her own shadow anyway, but they seem undaunted by our presence.  Even in the dead of night now, it is not unusual to see them in the moonlight bedded down out back or grazing on the tall dead weeds in the woods.

Things that go "thump" in the night...

Ethan and I made the mistake of trying to watch them through the downstairs bedroom window last week.  As we pulled the drapes back, the startled moose ran by the window, scaring us senseless!  If the windows had been opened, we could have put our hands out and petted him as he ran by.  But to hear his heavy 6+ foot body "thud, thud" against the house as he ran was just disconcerting enough that we ran upstairs to be higher than he!  If you google "moose inside," you'll likely stumble across an article about a moose who gained entry into the Wasilla Carrs grocery store last week by walking through the automatic doors!  They really are undaunted, and they go wherever they can.

So while the temperatures are colder, we are preparing for next hunting season and waiting until the lakes are completely frozen before we venture out ice fishing.  We thought we might try that last year, but the temperatures warmed up too quickly before we were eligible to fish.  I think this year will be better, as we've already seen some people ice skating on Wasilla Lake.  Personally...I think they may have been insane, as the temperatures have only been at freezing for a few days.  I, myself, wait until I see pick-up trucks driving out on the ice before I'll even walk on it.  Call me crazy, but call me warm and dry, too!

Latest Guidelines from The Frontiersman

We have also helped Ethan recuperate from his first dose of nitrous oxide and a tooth extraction. Nothing we could say could prepare him for his uncontrolled laughter; however, when the dentist said, "All done!" and he hadn't felt the tooth come out, he gave a huge thumbs up!

Tooth extraction - modern style!

Thank goodness his birthday was a few days later!  We got to celebrate pre-dawn, Frontier Alaska style.  Jeremiah Johnson happens to be one of his favorite movies, and a shout out goes to Mr. Corso for helping a young man's dream come true!  Now comes the binge watching of Mountain Men on Netflix and donning fur and leather goods!

Until next time, we love you all and miss you dearly!

"Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north.
By the breath of God, frost is given..."
Job 37:9-10a

Day Dawns with the Moon Still High
in the Matsu Valley
Oct 2015

WOW!  Has it really been nearly three weeks since our last posting?  While that doesn't seem possible, I know that the days are beginning to run together, and that my calendar does not tell a lie. The extra hour that occurred this past weekend has escaped us, and the darker days and nights leave us feeling tired and exhausted even earlier.  Alaska may be doing away with Daylight Savings Time in 2017, so we are trying to use all the "extra" hours we can get our hands on!  The days here have grown short, with sunrise occurring between 9:30 and 10 a.m. and darkness descending by 5 p.m.  I do so wish I had a better camera than my smart phone to capture all of the wonders we are seeing -- particularly during the twilight hours and when the Aurora are dancing.

Cotton Candy Sunrises

Moonrise Over the Chugach Range

Sentinel Spruce

We have seen the Aurora three times within the past couple of weeks, though they are very faint and the times in between their sightings are growing longer and longer.  The exception, of course, occurred this morning and we were so fortunate to see bold chartreuse, pinks, and purples ribbon themselves throughout the entire sky!  They are beautiful, but further North is really the place to view them best (and no offense to our Interior neighbors, but we don't want to move back to Fairbanks just to view the Northern Lights)!  We had three full moons last week, and one night in particular, it was massive - almost as if you could reach out and touch it.   The sentinel spruce that stands guard outside our bedroom window looked vaguely like a decorated Christmas Tree with the moon as its star on top.  I am thankful for the true darkness as our sleep is deeper. Now if we could only get Ahtna to sleep throughout the whole night!  The time change has wrecked havoc on her little system, and a trip to the vet for spaying didn't help much either.  She has just about worn out her pitiful face, though; but she has been hysterical to watch!  We have decided to lovingly dub her "dumb dog" or "miss sassy pants"...depending on her mood and ours!

Miss Sassy Pants
Don't Let Her Fool You!  She's Not That Pitiful!

She is ridiculous -- barking at falling snow flakes and at the door every time she hears the click of my camera.  We think she may associate that sound with moose, as I can't resist taking pictures of them anytime we see them.  So now...even if I'm only taking a picture of Ethan, if she hears that "click," she begins to bark uncontrollably. Oh, to have been a researcher with Pavlov!

The Moose Family That Has Taken Up Residence at Our Place

"Can Ethan & Ahtna Come Out to Play?"

Now that the snows have begun to fly, the moose are abundant.  We are visited routinely by a mother and her twin calves.  It isn't at all unusual to hear Ethan call from the basement, "Mom! I can't take Ahtna out yet...the moose are in the yard!"  As a matter of fact, the same little moose family visited us three times yesterday.  They ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner in our side and back yards.  And can I just say that I NEVER get tired of watching them.  The boys still make fun of me for wanting to ride them like horses.  However, after seeing this mother moose, I'm rethinking that!  She has a glare that I cannot explain.  Ethan doesn't mind taking the dog out, except at night.  The darkness can be so disconcerting, and the moose are so stealthy that they can be right next to you and you never hear them coming!

Stealthy Beasts!

So usually our last time out at night consists of Ethan tentatively holding Ahtna's leash while a parent stands nearby as "Guardian in the Dark."  Somehow, last night, I was the walker, and Ethan was the guardian...until he whipped the flashlight around around into a pair of yellow, reflective eyes!  Then he left me! He left me!  I felt like that girl in the first Jurassic Park movie - the one that sits in the car when the T-Rex arrives saying over and over, "He left us! He left us!" about the only "adult" in their vehicle.  I was more concerned that the eyes he saw belonged to the calf...and we couldn't see mama!  I was just waiting to be charged from the side!  But thank the Lord, Ethan returned quickly with Alex (and his gun) in tow!  With a few quick moves of the flashlight we found two sets of reflective eyeballs (ah, both calves)...but we never did find mama before Ahtna finished her business and ran inside.

The Safest Moose Around!

Given all the moose activity here and at the parks in recent weeks, we have begun discussing the option of bow hunting from a canoe.  That would be a new one for us, but may yield more options for harvest.  That idea presented itself following a recent trip to Red Shirt Lake.  After Ahtna got her surgery stitches out last week, we took her there for some much needed recreation.  For those pet owners who have had the "pleasure" of trying to keep your puppies "calm and non-excited" for 10 days, you know why recreation was necessary!  We put her on a 50-foot rope and just let her go. Since she is lab and a puppy we still can't trust her off leash yet.  So many smells and so much water...swimming (well, mudding) was a must!  Suddenly, as she sprang back onto land, I looked across the water in time to see the FIRST BULL MOOSE in the wild that we have ever seen!  He was amazing!  And again, I wished for a decent camera! Agghh!

Bull Moose at Red Shirt Lake
October 2015

But no matter...we had binoculars, so we spent the rest of our time watching him from the opposite shore.  Then Michael decided to go to the Nancy Lake overlook to get a closer peak.  We all descended the overlook just in time to watch him steal into the foggy bog near the shore.  And then he vanished!  Just like that! Unbelievable!

Best Seat in the House for Moose Watching!

Watching the Bull Moose Head Into the Foggy Bog

In addition to the amazing new landscapes we are enjoying, we have had a Missions Conference at church, visited the Anchorage Museum for science units, splashed in on a birthday party at the Wasilla Swimming Pool, seen the Colony Middle School perform a fabulous rendition of The Sound of Music, taken Ethan to his first hair salon for a "style" and massage, began putting up the Christmas tree (listening to Christmas carols and watching Christmas movies!) and completed our wedding wardrobe shopping!  Now before you throw stones at us for not "letting the Bird have his day," please keep in mind that our Christmas will be spent differently this year than any other year!  And truth be told, fresh snow causes Christmas cravings, and Christmas movies and music somehow make us nicer people!  Isn't that a sad statement?  Ethan even noticed it in himself and said, "We should have Christmas all year round!"

Ethan's First Salon Massage

Rico P. "Suavay" & his new do!
And, yes, that's an iced pumpkin latte...

"Baby It's Cold Outside"

Beyond this recent fun, Rehearsal Dinner plans have begun in earnest, and we are all trying to stay healthy for travel and everything wedding!  Please continue to pray for us.  Michael has picked up his first seasonal cold since our move last year. Ethan is having at least one tooth extracted this week, and maybe two. I am still battling anemia, and we are trying to figure out the cause.  At this point that means a little green pill three times each day for three weeks, then an iron blood check. If that doesn't work, we look to infusion; and sometime within the next two months, I get to swallow a camera -- woo hoo (spoken with tongue in cheek and as sarcastically as possible)!  We are praying that in the absence of total healing, the Lord will give wisdom to the doctors and an answer for this continuing issue.

We love and miss you all, and pray for an opportunity to see you all very soon!  Much love until next time...

"The mountains declare that He is Lord; the valleys proclaim that He is Lord.
 All nature shows His glory as it stretches out before me;
Oh, I could never doubt it!
My heart just loves to shout it -
That the Lord, He is God! He is God!"
 Lyrics from an old praise song at Christian Growth Center in Christiansburg, Virginia

The Moose is Loose in Soldotna

Best Bakery Ever!

To all of you Krispy Kreme connoisseurs and you Dunkin Donut divas...The Moose is Loose in Soldotna has you both beat -- hands down!  Now please don't get me wrong...I love a good chocolate covered glazed donut from KK when the "hot" light is on, and a blueberry or maple Dunkin donut just seems to melt in your mouth.  But when you've been deprived of both for more than a year, you really will drive 8 hours for the best donuts in the state!  And every bite will be worth it!

This past Saturday we loaded ourselves and the dog in the truck for the trek to Soldotna.  We weren't actually intending to wind up there, but it was only another 30 minutes or so from the Russian River, so we figured, "Why not?"  Michael had shared with us that grown men in his office weep and throw money at anyone who is headed in that direction -- all for a chance to purchase donuts or apple fritters from The Moose is Loose Bakery.

Dall Sheep at Beluga Point

The day started as many of our days have the past several weeks -- cold and rainy.  But we were on a mission to see bears at the Russian River, where coho salmon are still harvestable (well...if you count one per day as harvestable). At any rate, we did the three mile hike at the Russian River Trailhead last year; so we had decided to do something a bit different this time.  The Seward Highway that extends for some distance outside of Anchorage toward the Russian River was not nearly as heavily traveled as it was during the summer.  That made for a much less white-knuckled trip, and we were even able to capture some Dall sheep grazing at the Beluga Point overlook.  The weather didn't exactly clear, but is was cooperative; and it didn't dump any rain on us until we were homeward bound at the end of our adventure.

We reached the Russian River Campground without incident and decided to brave the boardwalk along the River.  We walked until the Russian River emptied into the Kenai River.  The boardwalk was built to save the natural banks of the river. Fishing is encouraged in the river, not from the banks, and there were still many anglers walking the rivers or in boats trying to land the biggest river monster.  Most of the leaves had fallen from the birch trees.  Although they didn't "crunch" under our feet, they were thick enough to create a sort of "whoosh" sound that echoed through the empty campground.

That "whoosh" sound!

Michael had his big bear gun "just in case," but the bears weren't interested in the salmon apocalypse that greeted us.  This is the place that all good salmon go to die!

Braving the Boardwalk
Russian River 2015

The Salmon Apocalypse

The Russian and Kenai Rivers Converge

Michael had been warned that the stench would reach "unbearable" levels -- yes, it's a terrible pun, but we'll keep it for kicks and giggles!  Boy,were his buddies right!  There were several times along the boardwalk that our gag reflexes were working overtime, and when we finally reached the convergence of the two rivers, we had to wade through -- yes, I said wade through -- scores of dead salmon to reach the water's edge.  I told Michael we didn't need his bear gun after all -- no bear in his right mind would come to get these nasty fish!!!  Ethan was intrigued by the decomposing flesh, the fact that seagulls picked out eyes first and left the rest to rot, and that the skins became gray and leathery when left to the elements.  Biology class at its finest!  Yuck!  Once the smell became too much for us, we decided to calm our churning bellies with DONUTS!

All the Fun, and None of the Fat!

And now we know why grown men weep and throw their money around!  The Moose is Loose Bakery is the tiniest of holes in the wall and stays nearly at capacity (or at least it did while we were there).  Before we even opened the door the aroma of fresh donuts and coffee slapped us in our faces and made our mouths water like Pavlov's dogs!  We stepped into the main lobby area, which features a "to-go" line that the regulars know about, and "another" side that tourists like us must use.  The tourist side features "the case" -- a lighted piece of heaven on earth -- featuring mini-mouth-watering-morsels to donuts the size of your own cranium!  We opted for donuts the size of our craniums! Pumpkin spiced, chocolate covered, maple covered, and an apple fritter. Then we sat in the back of the bakery and looked at all the moose memorabilia.  Not only do they showcase anything moose...they also sell anything and everything moose.  Moose pajamas that said, "Don't moose with me!" and men's boxer shorts that had moose on them and the phrase "Now this is natural gas!"  So Alaskan!  And we loved every bit of it!  I wanted to buy one of everything, but sadly, we are not independently wealthy yet...so, instead, we bought pumpkin donuts, chocolate covered donuts, and one maple bar to take home to Alex.

"The Case"
Moose is Loose Bakery 2015

We fought the sugar coma that followed by stopping at Tern Lake and hiking just a bit.  Then we off-roaded (an ill-conceived attempt at spotting a bear) on the Old Sterling Highway.  We didn't see any bears, but we did see salmon and some "funky looking duck-bird," as Ethan called it.  Another stop near Hope, AK, to walk on the old highway that has been converted into a foot bridge almost saw us bungee jumping (not really)!  But it did almost make us break into the donuts just so we could have a bit of "energy" for the remainder of the trip.

Tern Lake 2015

"Bungee Jumping" Near Hope, AK
Standing on Ye Ole Footbridge

It was the final stop at Tesoro outside of Girdwood that really nearly did us in with the donuts.  Most of you know that one of Ethan's favorite television programs is Alaska State Troopers.  And you further know that Trooper Howie Peterson is his favorite trooper.  Well...guess who was working the Seward Highway and was at the Tesoro station when we were?!  If you guessed anyone other than Trooper Peterson, you are wrong, and you should be ashamed to play guessing games ever again!  I would like to say that Ethan's dream of meeting Trooper Howie came true at the Tesoro gas station during our Loose Moose Soldotna run...but, alas...it was not to be.  Ethan threatened to throw our donuts at Trooper Peterson's car (because everyone knows policemen can be bribed with donuts). Michael and I protested loudly to that...I mean we don't have anything against Trooper Peterson, but he was not getting our donuts!  He could've had Alex's maple bar, but not the pumpkin spice or chocolate covered ones!

We headed into Girdwood to try to flag him down for a quick meet and greet -- with Ethan waffling in the backseat between throwing up and soiling himself if we were successful in our flag down attempt.  And just when we thought we had him cornered....he was saved from our super creeping family by a call about a yahoo driver on the Seward Highway.  But all was not completely lost...Ethan saw him briefly as he turned around and sped away.  So much drama!  Such was our Saturday adventure!

And now, with the donuts on our hips, and their memories fresh on our lips...we have decided that Soldotna has one of Alaska's greatest treasures...and that it has nothing to do with "real" wildlife or scenery!  We have also decided that as much as we LOVE those donuts...it's a good thing they are 8 hours away.  Any closer and our wedding weight loss program would definitely be compromised! We love you all enough that next time, we'll eat a donut for each of you!

Russian River 2015

"Whether therefore ye EAT or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."
I Corinthians 10:31

Skinny Jeans and Old Lady Dresses

Chugach Range Shadows the Flats
October 2015

Relax...there are no pics to accompany this week's blog title.  We value your eyesight too much!  But in the midst of wedding planning, and a lack of available clothing resources to meet the challenge, we are feeling a pinch here and there -- pun intended! I so appreciate the planning efforts of our eldest son and future daughter-in-law, though.  Nothing says "prepare" and "excitement" like getting a text message with the exact style and color of pants for the male attendants (are they even called that? no, they are groomsmen!), and being able to find said pants for more than half off on the designer's website! That is...until you read the fine print, and the style of pants is listed as "s-l-i-m f-i-t."  My husband, God love him, has been walking like a senior citizen marathon maller, and has lost quite a few pounds these last few months. But to hear him say, "ALEX?! When do you ever think I have ever worn slim fit pants in my LIFE?!" was absolutely priceless!  As a good wedding sport does, he dutifully ordered his pants early to verify fit, in the size he believes he is now.  Boy are we glad we did that!  He ordered the largest "slim fit size" available, and we waited.  They arrived in skinny jean fashion, and the "dunlap disease" and eternal wedgie that resulted have been great family fodder for more than a week now. You all know about dunlap disease, right?  Where you squeeze yourself so tightly into your breeches that your belly "dunlapped" over the waistband?  He fashion paraded those pants as only Michael can, and I thought we were going to wee ourselves.  I still have a stitch in my side -- for which I blame him!  So the pants are a no-go for now, and I have traipsed all over the Valley and Anchorage trying to find a "comfort fit" pair that will match the other fellas at the wedding.  Time to revisit the website! Now if only I could find a matching dress for myself and pants for Ethan, we would be golden.  No, scratch that...we wouldn't be golden, we would be charcoal, or medium gray...which will be lovely and match the wedding colors come mid-December.

History Lesson with Dad & Ahtna

I must confess, I enjoy the fact that the Lord has blessed Michael with a good job, that allows him to have such a varied schedule.  In his role, as with most other service professionals, our family has learned to value its time, and to not take holidays, special occasions, or dinners together for granted. We do take advantage of them...but we DON'T take them for granted.  It's especially wonderful when I can plan a "girl's shopping day" -- just for myself -- and know that Ethan will be enjoying a field trip day with Dad, while I look through any and every area of any store that I want to!  Such was the case earlier this week, as I tried to find Michael some not so skinny pants and myself a not so skinny but not an old lady dress.

With appropriate formal selections at a dismal minimum here the Valley (sorry, Mat-Su, just keeping it real), I knew I'd have to make a trip into Anchorage.  Being the introvert that I am, I do not mind the trip "into town," or perusing the mall by myself, or even eating lunch alone. Gasp of gasps...I have even been known to go the movie theater ALL BY MYSELF...AND ENJOY IT!  And this trip, surrounded by the Chugach Mountains, certainly causes long, thankful conversations with the Lord, and the beginnings of carpal tunnel in my index finger and thumb from snapping pictures.  If Ethan had been with me, he would've been ecstatic!  He's always hoping I'll break some sort of traffic law and get pulled over by Alaska State Troopers.  I don't know if he's wanting to see his family members actually on the show, or if he's hoping it will be that one trooper in particular that he finally gets to meet.  Regardless, I don't think it's illegal yet to hold your phone up and just snap pictures. I never know what the pics on my phone will reveal once I get home, since I never look at what I'm snapping.  I do keep my eyes on the road, and one hand on the steering wheel, particularly if it's "just scenery."  Animals, however, are a completely different story, and they get pull-off-the-road, caution-lights-on, undivided attention.  Mom would be so proud!

Chugach Range at Sunrise

I did tell Michael it was probably a great thing that I don't currently work in Anchorage.  I think I would have to invest in a dash cam...or risk road rage from others, potential crashes, and perhaps even eventual arrest!  And wouldn't you know it...weeks of rain, and I pick the only "nice" day to spend all day indoors shopping!  At least Michael and Ethan were able to get out.  They tried bear hunting...and grouse...but all they saw was one grouse.  Maybe next field trip!  They had fun, and my trip into Anchorage was amazing.

A'Hunting They Will Go...

The scenery was absolutely surreal...on the Valley side of the Knik, the sun was rising, burning the fog away, revealing the most beautiful Tarheel blue sky I have ever seen!  Who says there isn't a bit of Carolina here?  But as I drove into the flats, the clouds rolled in from the sea, the temperatures dropped, and the rains continued throughout Anchorage.  It was amazing to see such an abrupt change within less than 3-5 miles.  So the trip to Anchorage wasn't a complete bust!

Sunrise in the MatSu Valley

The Fog and Rains Rolling In

I hit up the 5th Avenue Mall, but don't let the name fool you.  It really is a mall on 5th Avenue in downtown, and they have a Nordstrom's...but that's where the similarities end.  I scoured all four stories, but only found one dress that fit the theme/style of the wedding.  I could wear it, but it's not my favorite. Ladies, you know what I mean...I'm looking for a dress that screams "Yes, I am too young to have a son getting married!" but that doesn't scream, "Hey, I'm that old lady trying to look like a teenager again!" So I keep searching...and if nothing else, Madison giggled at me (which I took as her approval) when I told her I was just going to be-dazzle a brown paper sack and wear that!

Throwback Mary Poppins Style!

The first of their wedding gifts have begun to arrive, and that means that the time is growing very short!  Alex continues to pass the time working and going to school.  I thank the Lord for his job, which provides him with flexibility for school, but has also helped him to secure some financial savings for their near future.  And...he has made some fun friends in the process. I think they are all even planning some Halloween fun as characters from the Princess Bride movie. We don't traditionally celebrate Halloween, but since they have all assumed characters and accents from that movie, Halloween gives them an excuse to actually dress the parts they have already been playing for weeks.  Alex is Inigo Montoya...you killed his father...prepare to die!  Andrew and Sydney assumed the roles of Mary Poppins and Bert last year, so we're anxious to see what this year holds for their festivities.

The only other "report" we have for you this week includes Michael's first encounter with a bear and Alex's roadside encounter with a bull moose.  A mother and her cub were spotted outside the VA clinic while Michael was on foot patrol.  He was able to get one blurred pic before the mother ran off and shooed her baby right along with her. Tuesday this week was extremely foggy, and as Alex headed to class he sent a text that said, "Just passed a 1400 pound bull moose I could have spit on!" Apparently other drivers did, too.  It made the front page of the paper!  See...there are wild animals here, and they are proficient with hunting season calendars and city limit rules!

Wild, City Life

Ligers and Ralphie Bunnies are My Favorite
Wild Animals!

So many thanks to our Skyping friends and family.  Although we love the sentiment behind hand-written notes, it is wonderful to see your smiling faces and hear about the every day goings-on in your lives.  We love and miss you all!

"Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ."

II Corinthians 1:2

Wait...Is It Really Getting Dark Again Already?

Alex tries to escape the clutches of
Ahtna, the Sleepy Dog

In earlier blogs I've alluded to the fact that the fall season seems to have "crept in" when we weren't looking...and with it, the fading of our daylight hours.  Perhaps the loss of daylight  has been masked by the weeks of continuing rains, as it is only during the past few days that we have noticed the daylight quietly making her exit.  We should have known, though, as this is poor Ahtna's first season of this; and each evening, she sneaks down the hallway earlier and earlier for bed.  Since she is still a puppy, many of our bedroom doors remain closed until we turn in for the evening.  However, she has been sleeping on Ethan's bed for several weeks now; and as soon as it gets dark, that's where she heads.  She will lie in front of his door moaning a lonesome puppy cry as if to say, "Hello...it's b-e-d-t-i-m-e!"  This started a few weeks ago around 9:30 p.m., but as of last evening, she was down the hall by 8:00.  I think that's when it really dawned on us..."Hey it's dark outside...not just dusk, but DARK, DARK!"  As if saying it twice makes it darker...

The rains have been falling for days now, and although we enjoy listening to the hard showers and they provide soothing fall comfort and window watching entertainment throughout the day, I believe they cause cabin fever more so than the snows will.  At least with snow we can get out and be active.  The rains have kept us inside for so many days this week that on Sunday afternoon we donned dusters, hats, and umbrellas and went for a "torrential rain stroll" anyway!  Ahtna was going nuts, and her energy level was enough to drive a crazy person sane.  We had to do something!

It's raining, it's pouring...Sunday Stroll Anyway!

I have given up trying to keep up with the "cleaning" in this mess.  Praise the Lord we have a mud room.  Michael jokingly said he thinks we need a mudroom for our mudroom!  He isn't too far off.  Our daily routine had become picking up wet, sticky leaves that snuck in on the bottom of some poor unsuspecting soul's soles.  I believe Albert Einstein is the one that gets the credit for saying, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result." So, collectively, we decided we would wait and sweep every other day until the snows begin to fall.  That way the sneaky leaves have a chance to dry, they are easier to sweep, we are able to spend better time together as a family, and we save our backs a little.  Don't get me wrong...seeing a fresh carpet of wet leaves on the floor still drives me insane, but I am learning new coping skills - hopefully.  And besides, mud rooms are supposed to get "muddy" occasionally.  Occasionally is the operative word here, and the boys bear with me and jump in full force when I say, "It's time to clean that mudroom!" I think deep down I'm scared to death somebody will just "drop by"- and they'll have to come in through that room - and then the judging begins.  Do you ever get that? Once they come in and come upstairs, they'll be way more comfortable -- clean living room, clean kitchen, clean bath, bearable dining room.  Schooling, board games, Uno marathons, puzzles and Star Wars battles happen in the dining room, so hopefully they'll cut me some slack!  And, if not, Mother always said, "If people are coming to visit you to see your dirt, let them see it!  If they're coming to see you, they won't notice the dirt!"

Sent inside to play, thanks to the moose in our backyard!

And Ethan's buddies haven't seemed to notice.  They have been forced indoors for playtime for more than a week now, and we have seen all types of messes at our dining room table as toys are spread hither and yon.  The days haven't all been total washouts, as we have had various sets of moose wander through the yard at some point each day.  Yesterday was a new record - four sets of different moose came and went from morning through dinnertime.  I imagine the colder temperatures and snows in the mountains are driving them down into the valley.  The only concern we have with that, is that hibernation season is not quite here yet, so the bears may be coming down, too, in search of more sustenance now that the berries and salmon are gone.

Mother Moose with Twins 

Mother Moose with Twins
Sept 2015

Ahtna's New Perch

Watchdog - High Alert!

Ahtna isn't quite sure what to make of all of this.  She has found a new "watchdog perch" and will pace throughout the day from the main front door to the living room window.  She's worse than a busybody neighbor! She is definitely a retriever, but we think there may be some sporting pointer in her bloodline as well.  Yesterday she was sleeping peacefully on the floor, when suddenly she jerked her head up, ran to the window, looked out, and let out a terrible growl!  It scared all of us...we had never seen or heard her do that.  When we got to the window, she was alerting us to moose at the end of our driveway, and she received all sorts of praises and "Good Girls."  But her bravado is fleeting...later on, she was outside "doing her business" (hope that's pc enough for blogging), saw more moose, and left Michael standing in the rain as she made a beeline for the door!  So much for dogs being protectors and "man's best friend!"

After what has seemed like an eternity, the rains did finally stop late yesterday afternoon, giving way to beautiful snowfall - our first of the season.  Last year, we didn't see "real" snow until almost November.  We anticipate this may be a truer Alaskan winter than what we had last year.  Most of you know, fall is my favorite time of year.  I love the changing of the leaves, the cooler temperatures, the smell of wood smoke in fireplaces or wood stoves, hot apple cider, and the first hint of colder days on the way.  I know it is a shortened season here, and we have cherished every bit of it.  I would be lying if I told you I wasn't ready for it to snow yet.  Maybe the weeks of rains did that to me.  But nothing compares to the first snowfall of the season.  Everything that was wet, dreary, and mucky is suddenly pristine white, beautiful, and so still...

First Snowfall of the Season
Sept 2015

I'm so thankful the Lord gave us "seasons" -- true, temporal, earthly seasons like summer, fall, winter, and spring; but I'm also thankful for the life seasons, even the hard ones, that have more meaningful, eternal lessons.  When I consider how the initial rains here were unexpected and their persistence became unwelcome, I am reminded of the "dreary" seasons that sometimes come to us in this life -- a doctor's appointment, with a biopsy, and an unknown result; an unexpected car repair that obliterates hard earned savings; having to wait for a season when we are so ready to move forward; giving a wayward child over to the Lord; taking care of an invalid parent or grandparent; or grieving the loss of a loved one.  Your "dreary" season may fit into one of these categories or you may have a category all your own.  And then comes the snow...slow, steady, and purposefully covering everything that was yucky, gross, and just plain sad looking.

I believe it's a wonderful illustration of how the Lord deals with us and with the situations we face in this life, if we let Him.  He never promised an easy, carefree life - but He did promise that if we know Him as our Savior, we can cast our cares on Him because He cares for us (I Peter 5:7).  He cared for us so much that He sent His only son, Jesus, to die for us.  When you have the realization that if you had been the only person on Earth, God would have still sent Jesus to die in your place, as a gift, so that you could be put back into a right relationship with Him...well, that realization and the acceptance of what He did for you makes even the dreariest of seasons bearable.  The Bible says if we "confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved." It goes on to say that "with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:9-10)."

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow." Isaiah 1:18

White as Snow

With love in our hearts for you all.  We pray you know His peace, in all seasons.