Thunderbird Falls

So this week I actually went to Mom and kid's hiking group. Every Tuesday there's a new hike and I really have wanted to go but it seems like something is always going on. I asked my doctor if it was okay and he said, "only flat hikes" because as of right now it looks like I have Placenta previa but it changes most of the time. Anyways, this hike was anything but flat. I was sucking air pushing a double jogging stroller with 60 lbs in it. But we didn't have to worry about bears because in all there had to be around 40 people with kids and all. We made tons of noise.

Jackson was so happy just to sit in the stroller and take in everything in. He mostly sat there with a bag of pretzel goldfish and ate.

Here's the look out when we reached the end of the trail. All those kids climbing on that railing with a huge drop off was starting to make me nervous but we didn't lose anyone. When I got home I was so tired I laid down and took a nap.

It had to happen once...

Madeline asked me this morning if she could go do her hair. After 10 minutes of being in my bathroom I thought I should go see how much hairspray she actually got into. It was worse. She got the scissors out of Aaron's clippers kit and cut her hair! This picture doesn't even show the damage! I first took a picture then disciplined her.

Just Getting Away

This past weekend Aaron did a little surprise and rented a nice room for the fam at the Marriott. It was so nice to get away and not have to worry about cooking dinner. We spent the night swimming together and it was just so much fun! I didn't get any pictures of us swimming because with my luck my phone would end up in the pool.

Here's a view from our room. I was freaking out because I thought we were at the very top (we were on the 7th floor) but then we got on the elevator and it goes to 20. Never mind.

We had nice views of watching the ships come into Anchorage. Aaron and Caleb left early in the morning and brought us breakfast and then went out to the coast line and went fishing. They didn't catch anything but had fun bonding before Aaron left.

Good morning Kali! If only she always woke up this happy.

Yes for some reason they thought that it would be fun to scare their mother and all of them start banging on the glass window. I'm sure the people around us too loved it.

All my little cheese nuggets.

Proof

This is for you Meagen who always calls me at 11 at night and asks me how light it is outside. Right now we are at 19 hours and 19 minutes of sunlight. I LOVE it!

Saturday Market

We've gone to the Saturday Market a couple times this summer and it's so much fun. It's so much fun just look around and eat junk food.

Isn't this dog HUGE? It drooled liked crazy. I was a little freaked out at first but that's only because dogs scare me but the kids thought he was awesome. But now that I look at the picture again Madeline doesn't seem so sure.

Madeline thought this man was interesting...like 20 feet away. I was finally able to get her to stand 2 feet away.

These little pups will be sled dogs in two years.

The first Saturday that I went (Aaron, Caleb and Kali were on their adventure and gone) there was this moustache and beard contest going on. People had traveled all over the U.S. to come for this contest. This man actually wraps his beard in wire. (Notice the flower at the end of it?) He also had contact in that made his eyes look like swirls. It was quite interesting.

Fun in the Sun

This weekend the kids and I pretty much spent the whole weekend in the sun. It was perfect. Every night I would walk them down to the school to run around.

Jack learned how to climb part of the play structure. He was so impressed with himself.

Madeline has learned to pump her legs on the swings. It's soooooooo nice to not have to stand there and push her. She actually figured it out this summer in the neighbor's backyard swing set. Now when we go to the school she usually just swings the whole time.

Jack loved this swing. He just sat there forever in it...almost like he was hypnotized.

Cutie pie Maddy. She's so dirty from playing in the tire rubber.

It must of been a boy thing because they loved just hitting this blue pole.

This part of Alaska I'll miss someday. It's so beautiful here. Welcome to our neighborhood.

There is 108 steps that you have to take to get from our neighborhood to school grounds. I was STUNNED when Jackson actually climbed all 108. Usually I carry him but he started wiggling out of my hands when we got to them so I put him down and he started right up.

50% Free

This morning Aaron left for Portland to drive his car to Alaska. The great part us that he took Cakeb and Kali with him!!! That means till the end of the month I only have two kids- and those are kids that take naps! The kids were so excited! They'll be spending a couple of days with Aaron's parents and they get to spend the day with my parents also. Sometime in their trip Aaron is taking them to a Mariner's game. These times it makes me miss living back in WA. We would go to Mariner's games or Seahawks games. Sometimes we would just jump in the car to go eat Sunday dinner with Aaron's parents or take a long weekend at my parents house. I can't wait for those days again!

A sympathy gift?

With the last three kids I've got a new car. With Madeline it was the Ford Freestyle, Jack the Excursion, and now with #5 a Honda Odyssey. I think it might be Aaron's way of saying, "I'm sorry you're about to push a gigantic child out of you! So here's a sympathy gift."
I'm super excited about this car and we'll most likely have it until I don't need a van but until then I'm enjoying pushing a button and doors open, a moonroof (I always wanted one of those), and warm leather seats in the winter. (Okay , my leather seats in the Excursion weren't heated so when it's -25 outside your butt will freeze before it ever warms up that seat!) But the best thing about this van is that....it only takes $49 to fill it up!!! And it will last forever! The engine turns off part of it when you're going at a consistent rate to save you gas. No more filling up for over $150! Those days are long gone!

Thank Honey!!!

Hula

A couple of weeks ago my friend's daughter, Nelli, came home to visit. She has one of the coolest jobs ever- she dances for the Polynesian Culture Center in Hawaii and the Night Show. So if you ever go to Hawaii and watch the girls dance on the boats chances are that you're watching Nelli dance.

Nelli gave a week worth of Hula dance lessons to the little girls in the ward. For four days they practiced then gave us a little show. Us moms made their Pao skirts and tops.

Nelli actually said that Kali was a natural and that I should get her into classes.

These little girls had so much fun! And it was great to watch them dance!

Easter

Yes, I am that far behind in blogging that I'm just now LOOKING at my Easter pictures and actually blogging about them. As you can see, Jack made it memorable. All you can do is smile.

Caleb in his new tie.

The girls looking pretty in their new outfits- thank you Papa and Grandma Nettie.

Madeline is into a poka-a-dot phase right now so it wasn't a surprise when she picked out this dress.

With only half of his outfit on this was the best I could do.

No wagons for you

Sorry Kali but you'd never of made it as a pioneer.

Sent from my iPhone

Yep, we're officially crazy!

2009 edition coming in late November.

Guitar Hero

One Generation Teaching the Next.

Aaron's Graduation

Aaron's parents came to town so I could go down to Corpus Christi, TX and watch Aaron receive his wings. It was soooooooo nice to get away and just be free! Talk about TONS of tender mercies that were given on the whole trip. To start off with...while our plane was still accending Mt. Redoubt blew up. Captain over plane: "Mr. Redoubt has just exploded again. If you look outside the right hand side of the plane you can see it." This was taken with my iphone so it's not the best quality but definitely documents the event. Right after it erupted they shut down Anchorage airport for the day! If I had missed my plane I wouldn't of been able to see Aaron! TENDER MERCY!

The morning of his graduation all family was invited to eat with his commander. In his whole graduating class there was only 11 people, and only a couple of them were AF. Afterwards Aaron took me on a tour to see the plane.

He was being seriuos and trying to explain everything to me and I thougth it was just so cute- him in his little flight suit! Here he is trying to explain to me how they use that tiny bathroon he's sitting by. It looks like a 5 gallon bucket.

In the cockpit. I can't believe all that he remembers. There's like a billion little buttons. I would just want to wear the headset and feel cool.

And here's me looking like a 2nd grader on a field trip. The sun was bright and the wind was blowing super strong!

I guess Corpus is known for their very windy days. I was struggling the whole time to keep my skirt down. I'm so proud of him! I have TONS of pictures from his winging that I'll post when he comes home next week with his camera.

Here's Aaron's class picture and it's so appropriate. I swear these boys spent more time on Guitar Hero than flying. Maybe they should start logging those hours too.

I come bearing..Easter!

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Aaron's mom, Grandma (Nettie), is amazing on the sewing machine. She made each one of the kids a little bag that hangs on their chairs. Each has their name on it and she must know the kids well enough because it has plastic around it.

From what the kids tell me, every morning and when they got home from school the "Leprechaun" would leave a little present in their bags. (Grandma actually brought an extra suitcase that was full of gifts for these bags!)

This was my little treat. She quilted this table runner. It's so cute! Later one that night we did some surgery to my extra sewing machine on took out the moving feet some I can now do some quilting on it. I tested it out this week and it worked out perfectly. She has inspired me to do a really quilt Easter gift for the kids.

They're Alive!

Grandma and Papa were able to make through the whole weekend- what brave souls! While they were here they had tons of fun. From what I hear they did shopping, Chuck-E-Cheese trip, and even had a volcano erupt on them!I was able to spend a total of like...one day with them. We had the best time staying up late and laughing on night- we all had tears from laughing so hard. They truly are the best in-laws ever!

It was so hard to say good-bye to them but I have a feeling that we'll see them very soon. ;)

Am I fired?

While I was gone Grandma did some wash and a sneaky blue crayon snuck in the dryer. I found this little pile when I got home...... I think we'll keep her though!