 |
| yeah, not kidding about the getting seriously burned thing... |
 |
| Rich and I staying strong with our flip phones... |
Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts
Monday, July 21, 2014
Summer Barbecues...
Drew got a new camera just before our kayak trip. He's been having fun learning to use it to take unflattering pictures of me and all our friends...but he is taking more pictures of our everyday lifem, which is nice to document sometimes too. We had a low key memorial day BBQ with friends, similar to many we've had over the spring and summer so far, and of course we had a few kayaking BBQ's this year already as well. Here's a few shots from then...
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Spring has Sprung
It seems like spring is getting here early this year, and I can't say I'm complaining. If we're not going to get lots of snow it mine as well be warm and sunny. It was also exceptionally clear skied for like 3 straight weeks in March. We lost some snow to the warm sun, but it still made being outside totally lovely. The days are also getting longer and I'm getting to catch some beautiful sunsets on my drive to and from Anchorage. I actually called Drew one night to tell him he had to go out on the arm and see how beautiful it was with the sunset and this low hanging fog over the water. He couldn't believe I wasn't stopping to take a picture and so finally I turned around and drove back to get a few amazing pictures, even if it made me late. I don't ever get tired of this view on my commute:
We've also had an ongoing joke going on with our friends Aaron and Jennifer, who spend each of their weekends doing something fun as a couple. Whenever we get out and spend the day together we joke we should post our excursion on Facebook so we can show them up. No internet, so we didn't every put these on Facebook, but here they are from our little walk along Glacier Creek.
Our other big thing from this month is that we moved....again. The owners of the house we were watching came home and we hadn't found a house to buy as we'd hoped. So we ended up moving in to the first floor of a house of some friends. They are letting us rent month to month so we are happy about that. They do have a very steep driveway that with the melting and refreezing has been giving the Camry a hard time. I lost it off the edge of the driveway my first day at home without Drew:
Whoops...luckily a lot has melted since then and the driveway isn't near as slick as it was a few weeks ago.
I did end up going out on the flats for the first time a few weeks ago with some friends after work. It was a pretty walk out underneath the highway and up to the water's edge. It really felt like spring was there as the sun went down. We liked it so much we went out and BBQ'ed there with my brother and his girlfriend who cam to visit. (More on that to come.) We're looking forward to many a BBQ out there this summer.
Other than that Drew finally got out and did a little bit more back country skiing, even going two days in a row. I think that's a record for the boys. Here's a few shots from three of their trips:
 |
| Talking to me on the phone... |
We had a great time with Joey and Rachel when they were here...more on that later! Hope you are enjoying spring wherever you are!
Monday, December 30, 2013
A Summer with Wren
This summer we got to watch our friends' dog Wren a few times. I've never had a dog before but I loved taking Wren on walks and runs and playing fetch with him. We have such a beautiful town that loves dogs and doesn't care if you put the dog on a leash or not. So we had fun taking him around in what Drew likes to call "a dog's paradise." Portage Valley is one of our other favorite places to go. If it wasn't already owned or forest land and it wasn't so far away from work we would build a house there. It's our favorite of the four valleys. Drew came home from a kayaking trip this summer and we decided to do a hike together, but Drew was so exhausted that he didn't really feel like hiking up a mountain. So we decided to walk the Blue Ice Trail, which is about as flat of a hike as you can get along the valley floor. Wren and he had such a fun time being off leash and jumping into the water and the snow. We had another gorgeous day. He loves to splash in shallow water but he won't swim. It was absolute torture if we through a stick in the water too deep for him to reach. It was fun to watch him find ways to get the stick without having to swim. He also loved the snow by the avalanche chute that still hadn't melted. He is such a great dog and we love whenever he comes to see us. Hopefully soon we can get a dog of our own that's just as good.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Major Recap
So it's been over a year since I have posted. Sorry about that. My excuses are:
1) Laziness
2) Being busy: When it's summertime in Alaska the last thing I want to do is be inside on the computer. Then we were on the road for 4 months. Doesn't make it easy to find a moment to blog.
3) Lack of internet access: We got rid of the internet last summer to keep saving money for our trip, and because we just felt like we didn't need it. We still don't have internet at our house now, and we do OK with that. If we really need it, we can go down to the library or the coffee shop and use it. We just felt like we were spending too much time checking our email/internet shopping/"researching" etc on our laptops instead of talking to each other, spending time with people, getting outside, and doing other things. So this winter I actually painted something, sang, read several books, learned to crochet, worked out, and listened to NPR a lot more than I'm sure we would have if we could have been on the internet. Don't worry, we're not total freaks, I'm sure we'll get internet in our house again at some point. We just don't really feel like we need it now. One of the downsides of that is that blogging has fallen lower on the priority list.
4) The longer you put it off, the more of a big deal it seems to do it.
So excuses aside, I'm going to try and recap the past year and then I recommit to blogging a little more often.
*My best friend from college, Annie, and her husband, Brian, came up to see us in Alaska. We went kayaking in the rain and got to show them around Alaska a bit. We love hanging out with them and it was good to have friends visit us in Alaska.
*We moved out of our apartment in Anchorage and into an awesome summer rental house closer to kayaking for Drew. The house was the most homey we've lived in and had lots of Alaskana touches (think Caribou mounted on the wall, moose antlers mounted by the front door, whale bones by the porch, a king crab and baleen on the wall, etc.)
*We spent a weekend in Talkeetna camping. We took the flagstop train to Hurricane Gulch and Drew took a flight lesson in a tiny two seater plane.
*I got into biking a lot during the summer. We have good bike paths that are really scenic nearby.
*We watched the boretide on the biggest day of the year. Lots of people and it was warm enough to actually feel like summer. The actually boretide was pretty disappointing though.
*Lisa, my sister, came up to visit for a few days. We took a cruise in Seward, went on some hikes, and checked out Forest Fair. I think she was a little cold, a little scared of bears, a little tired of how far away everything is in Alaska, but generally thought it was beautiful. It was really nice to have her come up, but Drew totally missed her as he was on a long kayaking trip.
*Drew did several extended kayak trips this summer, as well as all his usual day trips as a guide. He really enjoyed getting to kayak to some new places and working his 3rd season as a guide.
*I went back to PA for three weeks and Drew joined us for one. We were able to catch up with my side of the family and also spend a week at the Jersey Shore, my family's annual vacation. We took everybody out kayaking one day in the bay. Very fun.
*Back in Alaska, we did a Groupon date to the Musk Ox farm in Palmer, AK. Learned a lot and got to see more cute baby Musk Ox.
*Took a day trip down to Seward and hiked Exit Glacier.
*Hiked in Whittier to see the salmon run and view Portage Glacier.
*Went on the 26 Glacier Cruise out of Whittier.
*Hiked the Kesugi Ridge Trail over 3 days with some of our new gear we bought for Hawaii. Our first day was rainy but everything cleared up and we had some beautiful totally clear days with a view of Denali. I probably love backpacking more than any other outdoor thing we do.
*Drew's parents came and visited us for 2.5 weeks in September. We got to do the Denali Road lottery with them, camp on the Kenai peninsula, Drew took them kayaking several times, we went to the state fair, and did a lot of touristy things we hadn't had the chance to do before. They also were a huge help to us as we left Alaska just 12 hours after we dropped them at the airport. So they were there while I quit my job and we packed up and put all our stuff in storage. Drew also cooked up all the food we possibly could for them every night we were there.
*We left Alaska on September 18th. We spent the next two months in Hawaii. This was the first time for both of us and the last of the 50 states I had left to visit. We went to every inhabited island but Niihau. We took only our carry on backpacks and spent almost every night camping. We hitchhiked about half the time and had a rental car for the other half. It was amazing. To summarize the whole thing quickly:
Top 5 experiences:
- Scuba Diving - we liked it so much we got certified.
- Hiking on Kauai- the Kalalau Trail, Koke'e State Park, and Waimea Canyon
- Drew learning to surf/Jennifer falling in love with snorkeling
- Church and meeting the members in Hawaii
- Poking lava with a stick on the Big Island
5 Least favorite moments:
- Camping in muddy/buggy Manoa
- Getting stuck in a puddle jumper airplane for 2 hours circling around Maui because of the threat of a tsunami on the ground. Oh, and having to pee for that whole time.
- Freaking out taking off my mask while getting scuba dive certified
- Drew's ears getting messed up after scuba diving and bothering him for a week.
- Drew hurting his foot jumping off a cliff and being totally non weight bearing for awhile.
Top 5 Beaches:
- Kalalau on Kauai
- Lapahoehoe on the Big Island
- Hamoa on Maui
- Hulopoe on Lanai
- Lanikai on Oahu
Favorite Island: Kauai
Number one quote from our trip: "It's freakin' Molokai!"
Soundtrack for the trip: Bob Marley's Redemption Song
Click on the pictures to view albums of more Hawaii pictures:
*In November we flew to Utah where we spent about a week catching up with family and friends. We then drove Drew's grandma's car that she was giving to Drew's mom across the country via I-40. We saw friends and family in New Mexico, Texas, and Alabama. We also visited San Antonio, New Orleans, and Atlanta. We made it to Drew's parents in North Carolina on Thanksgiving day. We spent a few days with them and then headed south and saw Drew's PopPop in South Carolina and visited Georgia as well. Then we drove north and saw my family for a few days in PA before heading farther north and doing a big circle road trip around New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, New Hampshire again, Vermont, New York, and back into Pennsylvania. We spent Christmas with my family there and then drove back down to North Carolina for one more week in the beginning of January before we flew back to Alaska. All in all, we were unemployed and traveling for 4 months. It was an epic trip and we are so happy we got to do it. We had so many cool experiences and got to see so many friends and family that we have missed being up in Alaska. You can click on all these pictures for more pictures as well.
*Back in Alaska we found a house to rent (we signed a year lease!) and got settled back in. I went back to my old job and Drew now has 3 part time jobs, two in psychology and one kayaking. Drew did a lot of backcountry skiing and I did a lot of cross country skiing. I went downhill skiing once this year and it was the first time I actually enjoyed myself.
*In February we flew home for my sister's wedding. It was a very short trip but we managed to do her wedding and my future sister-in-laws bridal shower, as well as spend some time with my Aunt Kathy and my Grandma Avis.
*In March we did an overnight cross country ski trip to Barber Cabin by Lower Russian Lake with our friends Jennifer and Aaron. It was a ton of fun and when we returned we did dinner out to celebrate Jennifer's birthday.
*In April we had two lost huskies at our house on two separate occasions. It really made us want to get a dog, but our lease doesn't allow it. So we're stuck for at least a year.
*Went to slush cup together this year.
*Bought packrafts, cross country skis for Jennifer and another set of downhill skis for Drew. Looking forward to getting to use the packrafts a lot this summer.
*That brings us to now, which I think I'll go ahead and do in a separate post or two. We packed our bags, left our car and house in the care of friends and are gone to the East coast for a few weeks. Drew planted his seeds before we left, but we've heard that it's snowed since we've been gone, so I don't know how they'll be doing.
Overall we've had a great year and are so grateful for all our blessings- our family, friends, and the beautiful world we live in. I love catching up on everyone else's lives through blogs, so I'll try and return the favor. More to come!
1) Laziness
2) Being busy: When it's summertime in Alaska the last thing I want to do is be inside on the computer. Then we were on the road for 4 months. Doesn't make it easy to find a moment to blog.
3) Lack of internet access: We got rid of the internet last summer to keep saving money for our trip, and because we just felt like we didn't need it. We still don't have internet at our house now, and we do OK with that. If we really need it, we can go down to the library or the coffee shop and use it. We just felt like we were spending too much time checking our email/internet shopping/"researching" etc on our laptops instead of talking to each other, spending time with people, getting outside, and doing other things. So this winter I actually painted something, sang, read several books, learned to crochet, worked out, and listened to NPR a lot more than I'm sure we would have if we could have been on the internet. Don't worry, we're not total freaks, I'm sure we'll get internet in our house again at some point. We just don't really feel like we need it now. One of the downsides of that is that blogging has fallen lower on the priority list.
4) The longer you put it off, the more of a big deal it seems to do it.
So excuses aside, I'm going to try and recap the past year and then I recommit to blogging a little more often.
*My best friend from college, Annie, and her husband, Brian, came up to see us in Alaska. We went kayaking in the rain and got to show them around Alaska a bit. We love hanging out with them and it was good to have friends visit us in Alaska.
*We moved out of our apartment in Anchorage and into an awesome summer rental house closer to kayaking for Drew. The house was the most homey we've lived in and had lots of Alaskana touches (think Caribou mounted on the wall, moose antlers mounted by the front door, whale bones by the porch, a king crab and baleen on the wall, etc.)
*We spent a weekend in Talkeetna camping. We took the flagstop train to Hurricane Gulch and Drew took a flight lesson in a tiny two seater plane.
*I got into biking a lot during the summer. We have good bike paths that are really scenic nearby.
*We watched the boretide on the biggest day of the year. Lots of people and it was warm enough to actually feel like summer. The actually boretide was pretty disappointing though.
*Lisa, my sister, came up to visit for a few days. We took a cruise in Seward, went on some hikes, and checked out Forest Fair. I think she was a little cold, a little scared of bears, a little tired of how far away everything is in Alaska, but generally thought it was beautiful. It was really nice to have her come up, but Drew totally missed her as he was on a long kayaking trip.
*Drew did several extended kayak trips this summer, as well as all his usual day trips as a guide. He really enjoyed getting to kayak to some new places and working his 3rd season as a guide.
*I went back to PA for three weeks and Drew joined us for one. We were able to catch up with my side of the family and also spend a week at the Jersey Shore, my family's annual vacation. We took everybody out kayaking one day in the bay. Very fun.
*Back in Alaska, we did a Groupon date to the Musk Ox farm in Palmer, AK. Learned a lot and got to see more cute baby Musk Ox.
*Took a day trip down to Seward and hiked Exit Glacier.
*Hiked in Whittier to see the salmon run and view Portage Glacier.
*Went on the 26 Glacier Cruise out of Whittier.
*Hiked the Kesugi Ridge Trail over 3 days with some of our new gear we bought for Hawaii. Our first day was rainy but everything cleared up and we had some beautiful totally clear days with a view of Denali. I probably love backpacking more than any other outdoor thing we do.
*Drew's parents came and visited us for 2.5 weeks in September. We got to do the Denali Road lottery with them, camp on the Kenai peninsula, Drew took them kayaking several times, we went to the state fair, and did a lot of touristy things we hadn't had the chance to do before. They also were a huge help to us as we left Alaska just 12 hours after we dropped them at the airport. So they were there while I quit my job and we packed up and put all our stuff in storage. Drew also cooked up all the food we possibly could for them every night we were there.
*We left Alaska on September 18th. We spent the next two months in Hawaii. This was the first time for both of us and the last of the 50 states I had left to visit. We went to every inhabited island but Niihau. We took only our carry on backpacks and spent almost every night camping. We hitchhiked about half the time and had a rental car for the other half. It was amazing. To summarize the whole thing quickly:
Top 5 experiences:
- Scuba Diving - we liked it so much we got certified.
- Hiking on Kauai- the Kalalau Trail, Koke'e State Park, and Waimea Canyon
- Drew learning to surf/Jennifer falling in love with snorkeling
- Church and meeting the members in Hawaii
- Poking lava with a stick on the Big Island
5 Least favorite moments:
- Camping in muddy/buggy Manoa
- Getting stuck in a puddle jumper airplane for 2 hours circling around Maui because of the threat of a tsunami on the ground. Oh, and having to pee for that whole time.
- Freaking out taking off my mask while getting scuba dive certified
- Drew's ears getting messed up after scuba diving and bothering him for a week.
- Drew hurting his foot jumping off a cliff and being totally non weight bearing for awhile.
Top 5 Beaches:
- Kalalau on Kauai
- Lapahoehoe on the Big Island
- Hamoa on Maui
- Hulopoe on Lanai
- Lanikai on Oahu
Favorite Island: Kauai
Number one quote from our trip: "It's freakin' Molokai!"
Soundtrack for the trip: Bob Marley's Redemption Song
Click on the pictures to view albums of more Hawaii pictures:
 |
| Oahu 1 |
 |
| Kauai |
 |
| The Big Island |
 |
| Maui/Lanai/Molokai |
 |
| Oahu 2 |
 |
| Utah to North Carolina |
 |
| PA |
 |
| The Northeast |
*In February we flew home for my sister's wedding. It was a very short trip but we managed to do her wedding and my future sister-in-laws bridal shower, as well as spend some time with my Aunt Kathy and my Grandma Avis.
*In March we did an overnight cross country ski trip to Barber Cabin by Lower Russian Lake with our friends Jennifer and Aaron. It was a ton of fun and when we returned we did dinner out to celebrate Jennifer's birthday.
*In April we had two lost huskies at our house on two separate occasions. It really made us want to get a dog, but our lease doesn't allow it. So we're stuck for at least a year.
*Went to slush cup together this year.
*Bought packrafts, cross country skis for Jennifer and another set of downhill skis for Drew. Looking forward to getting to use the packrafts a lot this summer.
*That brings us to now, which I think I'll go ahead and do in a separate post or two. We packed our bags, left our car and house in the care of friends and are gone to the East coast for a few weeks. Drew planted his seeds before we left, but we've heard that it's snowed since we've been gone, so I don't know how they'll be doing.
Overall we've had a great year and are so grateful for all our blessings- our family, friends, and the beautiful world we live in. I love catching up on everyone else's lives through blogs, so I'll try and return the favor. More to come!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)