Meet...the Bear!

This little guy came sauntering across the highway while we were heading towards the bus stop at the glacier. He took off into the woods and Kathleen suggested we head back to the parking lot to see if he came out. He came down the boardwalk right past some elderly couples (scared them to death) and then headed into the woods, climbed a tree, wandered under the bridge, went to the stream for a drink, and making our day! Too bad he kept on the move - so all my pictures were either of his head or his bum....

Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, Alaska

This was my favorite day! We got off the ship at around 7 am and hopped a bus for Mendenhall Glacier. We got to see a bit of the town and learn more about it from a comedian bus driver. He showed us the river that will be packed with salmon in a week or two (so many fish that the inlet is literally red instead of blue water.) This was different from the Hubbard Glacier because we were able to get up much closer, we could have even walked to it if we had the time. The aqua's and purples in the ice were so coo to see. In the visitor's center, there was a super-dooper telescope that we could use to view the glacier up close and personal - WOW!!!

Hubbard Glacier Field

Day 4, Hubbard Glacier Field. This was one of the days where we never got off the boat, but had a lesson about glaciers while we were on the boat. As we neared the glacier field, big chunks of ice started floating by the boat til it got to the point where it was just a constant flow of ice, some huge and some not so much. We even got to see some seals while we were there. We weren't able to get as close to the glacier as normal due to the size of the ice field. There was a smaller boat there intact with helicopter, boats, kayaks, etc. to see if there was a clear path closer to the glacier. Well, today was not our lucky day, but it was overcast and made the colors on the ice so much more vivid. What a fun thing to go see! Notice the color of the water just outside the ice field - it looked more like the Carribean instead of Alaska. The landscape changed so quickly from green water and lush mountains to the deep ice field.

Sitka, Alaska

Sitka was our first stop on the cruise. What a great little town! This is the town where Russia and the US exchanged the land that is now Alaska. We walked out of town to the Totem Pole State Park, where I'm pretty sure I took pictures of every totem pole in the park. While I was standing by the visitors center, two bald eagles came flying right over my head - I felt like I could reach right up and touch them.

One of the pictures shows the houses on their own little islands and only boats to get them on and off. I think that would be pretty cool, except how do you go anywhere in the winter?

In Sitka, I had my first exposure to those great little Russian shops that sell the nesting dolls - I could have taken one of every kind home, they were so fabulous. I can't imagine the talent and imagination to paint all the variety there was. My favorite was the nutcracker scenes (imagine that!) on the doll's belly.

Independence Day

While we were in Alaska, I realized just how much my country means to me. It was nice to visit Canada, but I was so glad to be back home where I knew that there were so many defending my rights to live here.

I feel so lucky to have friends and family close by - Chase, Brooke, Drew, Amber and Ella were all here last night to visit after I got home from the airport. Brooke and I made a mad dash to the store in her new car (so very cute and is TOTALLY HER!) for hamburger and hot dog buns so we could whip together an instant BBQ for the group. They all stayed and visited for a while before it was time to see the fireworks at the park. This was the first year that I haven't gone up to the park to watch them, but there's something to be said for standing on the front porch in your jammies, getting eaten alive by mosquitos and watching from home.

Brynn called this morning to tell me she had started her own blog. Now everyone can find out what's happening in her life. Very cool!

The 'List' Gets a Little Smaller

This week a couple of our goals were accomplished. We took Doc up to Hyrum so he can be close to Brynn. He went up to Carson's family's farm and will have some new friends to play with. Brynn had 'neglected' to tell Carson's dad, Mont, that Doc was a paint. He has this cute little paint donkey named Pepe, so he told Brynn he would make a team out of them. Doc spent the first night in the arena, but then Mont turned him out the next morning. Brynn has spent quite a bit of time with him this week getting him used to his new digs.

Wouldn't you know it, the very next day, our new barn was installed. We've been planning on getting one for a long time and once we were finally ready to get one, off Doc goes.

The young men that installed sure worked fast. I was shocked at how fast it went it up! I was going to stay home so there would be someone here, but since we have somehow magically moved to Seattle (at least the weather thinks that's where we live now), Ken was able to stay home instead. First thing we did...move the hay in. For the very first time in all the years we have had horses, our hay is finally covered!!!!!

Saturday we cleaned up the area on the west side of the barn so that we could park the horse trailer on the side. Next job, moving all the wood that has been getting piled up, plus the parts for the pole barn all need to be moved. Who knows, maybe the pole barn will be up by the end of the year? Ken and Doug will be getting ready for cement next. That will be such a nice project to have completed and checked off 'the list'. Ken was hoping to get the alfalfa sprayed for weeds on Saturday, but, surprise! Rain once again. Maybe this week it'll be dry enough and he can be home long enough to get it taken care of.

Lately we have been making lists of small and big projects that we hope to accomplish in the near future - it's a great feeling to be able to go back and check off the things we have accomplished. It seems like we have been able to accomplish quite a few things this year - 2 ditches filled in, the front yard looks pretty good, the trees are starting to grow, Brooke's room, upstairs bathroom cleaned up, the scrapbook room reorganized, many of the closets cleaned out, quite a few trips to DI, the downstairs bedroom framed and electrical work started, another fence line added, new alfalfa field in, much of the old wood scrap pile burned, and the shed moved back to the farm storage yard (and cleaned out too!). I am so tickled with what we have been able to do, especially with the major events that have been happening in our lives in the last 2 months.

I Feel So Blessed

Today as most of the family was here for dinner, I felt so blessed to have all of our kids pretty close by. And even more important, they all get along so well. Sometimes we are a little irreverent and we are always a little loud, but I absolutely LOVE having them all around.

One of my favorite country songs is the song by Lonestar:

My blessings are in front of me,
it's not about the land...
Yeah, the view I love the most
is my front porch lookin' in.

I keep thinking I need to have that cut out in vinyl letters to put over my front door, because it totally describes how I feel about our little family.

Little Miss Ella has Drew and grandpa completely in love with her. There's something pretty cute about big men and little bitty babies! She is starting to smile and make those cute cooing noises - and she's working on the fake cry. Very important skill!

We had our weekly update from Brooke on the newlywed chronicles. Ah, all those fun things about getting to know each other, learning to live in the same space, budgeting habits, cleaning issues......so much fun! I told her she needed her own reality show - only because it would be pretty interesting to watch all those adjustments happening.