Everything Autumn

I was going to say that fall (the time that school starts) is always a busy time for us... and I could list all of our normal fall activities for work and recreation... but I have come to realize that just about EVERY time of year is a BUSY time... even the summers seem to fill up oober-fast with all the things we must accomplish or want to enjoy that have been put aside during our full-throttle/survival-mode time. It's a good thing we live in Alaska, where it is common and expected to stop (or at least slow down a bit from time to time) and enjoy where we live.

Here are some picts from autumn:

Jake's 30th Birthday Party (Oct. 1)

The carrot cake I made for him (no pineapple because we want to keep him around for a while)

Jonah opening his birthday presents (Oct. 2), with some help from Dad. Bodie and Molly were hanging out too, and when we told them, "Tell Jonah Happy Birthday" they both walked up to him and put their noses on his chest or cheek for a second... very cute.
Jonah got sensory/tactile balls from Nana Pat and Papa Gary for his 1st Birthday...
they were a big hit.
Jonah's turtle costume for Halloween

Daniel as "THE HULK" --the mask glowed and the gloves have sound effects.
Both boys loved the gloves, but the mask scared Jonah.DJ helping mom make some apple pies for Thanksgiving.
He loves to help in the kitchen, including wearing the apron and all that...
maybe he'll bake like his mom and be a chef like his dad...Jonah wanted to help with the flour bucket too... we stopped him before it got REALLY messy.
Man after my own (child's) heart... I don't like them much anymore, but when I was 4...
Bring back memories, mom and dad? :)
We had our quietest Thanksgiving ever this year...
didn't go anywhere OR have anyone over.
It felt WAY different, but it was actually a lot of fun and completely stress-free.
Turkducken, the wine we made at the Denali winery, and all the fixins... it was nice.
Thanksgiving art Deej made at ECE (Early Childhood Education; preschool)
Brothers hangin' out. They have their moments of trying to bug each other (often) of course, but MOST of the time, they want to be by each other so they can laugh together... too much fun.
Me, happy to be back to normal after battling my first eye stye... must have been stress... ugh. It's amazing how much you forget about little things like the health of your skin until you DON'T have it, and how much you appreciate it when you have it again. (Same applies to colds, I suppose, but they're not near as intrusive on your face... I'd rather have a red nose any day.)

Another of Daniel's first art projects from school: FINGERPAINTING
(I was so jealous... he got to marble paint later on too... I need to go back to preschool.)

More pictures to come... I still need to cover Christmas, Easter, our MOVE, and everything in between. We are in the middle of a move though, and soon to be w/o internet until we're fully moved in. I'll get to the winter and spring posts before August, I promise... way too many cool recent picts to pass up posting. :)

I owe this blog some posting...

I know, I know... I fell off the blog wagon.

I promise to put up a new post before next August rolls by and a whole year has lapsed.

We are all well, but my have we had some changes, and we're still in transition.

More later.

Love to you all,

Janelle

Start of School

chillin'

hikin'

cruzin'

School is back in session. Janelle is busy as usual and already planning fundraisers. Jake just changed over to a purchasing agent position in the business office, and is continuing to take classes for his accounting degree. Daniel starts preschool next Monday, and is typing his own name on the computer every chance he gets. Jonah is keeping all of us on our toes, trying out new words and taking steps with just one-handed help.

Jake heads to Anchorage in a few weeks for a couple of days to renew his driver's license (which we both forgot to do while we were in town this summer)! We're doing well. Hope all of you are the same. Love you and miss you.

Summer in Unalakleet (Early June, Mid-Late July)

Although we were busy moving for a lot of June, we still got out for several short hikes and trips to the playground. Once we got back from our trip, we've been doing the normal UNK summer things: boating, BBQing, fishing, berry picking, jelly & jam making, canning other stuff, hiking with the dogs, and just spending time together as a family. The outdoor fun never gets old... the views are stunning, the land plentiful, and we love seeing the wildlife even when Jake's not hunting. =) We saw a cow and calf moose and several rabbits last time we took the dogs for a run up the hill. Jake always packs a gun with him when we go out, but knock on wood, we have yet to see any bear very close on our hikes. They're out and about though. While we were gone on vacation, one of our friends who lives outside of town here came downstairs at hearing some racket and found herself face-to-face with a grizzly inside her front door. Yikes!!!
Out for Hikes on Army Hill
Summer is so beautiful here; we're enjoying our time and praying that this next winter will not be as bad as the last one. We've told many of our friends here that, had our first winter been as ugly as this last one--or if we would not have moved in in early July to experience the gorgeous Unalakleet summer--we would not have signed on for a second year. We've acclimated and we love it here, but last winter's storms were ridiculous. God showed us the good stuff and made us fall in love with AK before he brought out the Mother Nature's big guns. =) Daniel with his black eye (from turning into our kitchen counter too fast)
Rainbow
Bodie and Molly, enjoying the hikes and the tundraMolly and Bodie are best buds now, and have a great time playing together, especially when we all go out for hikes. We take them far enough out of town that we just let them off their leashes, and they run crazy until they wear themselves out. They're still getting used to the new house, and we've had some trouble keeping them quiet at night with all the dog, foot, and ATV traffic that goes past their dog houses. As soon as our friend Shelley gets back to town and her dog Aurora isn't staying with us anymore, our two pups will sleep inside with us again. Bodie also went out in the boat with us last time, and had a great time... definitely a water dog!
Takin' care of business on the trail (Daniel has been accident-free since July 8!)

Out for walks (Deej is behind, pushing)

Janelle and Jonah

Jonah is always happy for bath time

Jonah is stil not crawling, but has no trouble getting where he wants to go, and is pulling up on everything and starting to cruise... perhaps he'll skip crawling all together. He's so BUSY and LOUD! -Notices everything. Opinionated, but also full of laughs, smiles, and giggles. He'll be 10 mo on the 2nd of August, and he's keeping us on our toes. =)

Jonah playing with his bald eagle

Happy Brothers --they have such fun together (most of the time)
Daniel took this picture of Sarah Palin with his babysitter, Darlene (after he played with the settings on his camera--can you tell?) She came to Unalakleet July 17 to sign an energy bill, and there was a potluck (including lots of king crab!) in the community center. When Daniel approached Sarah, she asked him if he wanted to get his picture taken with her. He replied, "No, I wan to take yours piture." =) If he hadn't set his camera to flash on the "fork and knife" (plating/food) setting it might have been a decent picture.

Jake bringing in his first fish of the year (a female humpy)

Hangin' out on the water

Jonah's first (non-Ferry) boat ride

Jake is still taking classes and working full-time, but spends all of his free time doing stuff with and for the family including great cooking; maintaining our truck, 4-wheeler, and boat; building a smokehouse and a garden storage shed... and of course being the most awesome husband and father ever like he usually is. =) Life is good.

Daniel wearing an ice cream mustache @ the community pick-up bbq

Deej on the twirly slide @ the playground

My good friends Nathan and Angie (Jonah's godparents) JUST had their first baby--a boy named Johnathan. Congratulations!!! We are so happy for you!

Hope all of you--whether we've been able to see you or not--have had a wonderful and memorable summer so far. You're in our thoughts, prayers, and hearts.

Trip To WA, Part II (July)

Jake, Daniel, Janelle, and Jonah after Great Aunt Coral took us out to Sizzler in Lacey

We left Port Townsend and headed across the state towards Clarkston. On the way we stopped in Tri-cities to see our college friends Jeff & Eileen, Sarah and Mons (again), and Nate and Anne... had a bbq @ Nate & Anne's new house. It was so fun to see everyone!!! Except for our kids, Sarah's slightly round belly, and occasional "potty" talk on Daniel's behalf, it was as if no time had passed. Good friends with truly kindred spirits don't happen every day... we are so thankful for our friends, no matter how long it is between visits. We forgot to take any pictures! :-( Next time (when there will be more babies in the pix)!

We celebrated the 4th (Happy Anniversary Angie & Nathan too) with Jake's family, including Jake's parents Bill & Loretta, Jake's brother Jared, Tracy (Jared's girlfriend), Jake's Aunt Darla and Uncle Dean, their kids Brady & Ian, and Jake's Grandma Betty. No surprise, Daniel took a nosedive on the concrete, and scuffed up his nose pretty bad. We met up with Kyra (Jacobsen) M. and met her husband Shawn and their son for the first time the next day. DJ always seems to run into something and injure himself right before we visit people or get pictures. ;-)Deej enjoying the sparklers on the 4th @ Papa Bill & Grandma Retta's house

Jonah loungin' in the swing @ "The Castle Park" in Lewiston when we saw Kyra

While we were in Clarkston, we (our family, Jake's parents, and Jake's brother Jared) took a day trip to Spokane so that Daniel could go to Chuck E. Cheese with his Papa Bill and Grandma Retta, and to visit friends. First we stopped off to see our friend Walter @ his work in Airway Heights. We're missing attending his wedding, :-( but were very happy to get a chance to see him. Congrats, Walter & Amber!!!

After seeing Walter G3, we met @ Holmberg park and got to see Jeff and Monica (and Jamie), Teah (and her little sis), Angela S., and Andi (who brought 2 mo old Chloe w/ her--what a sweetheart!) After that, Sarah (Hall) P. met us @ the cheesy mouse restaurant with her husband and 2 girls. It was great seeing everyone and meeting new family members of my friends. All-in-all, a great day.

Jamie (Jeff & Monica's son) who Daniel has played with every summer since they were born

Teah, Janelle, Angela

Andi with Chloe (2 mo), Janelle with Jonah (9 mo)

It was over 100 degrees F for 5 of the days we were in the valley, I think... too hot for us Alaskans, anyway. We bought a blow-up pool for the kids and Bill and Loretta filled it in their garage so we'd be a little cooler. It was the best $30 purchase I've made in a while. The kids had a great time, and we used it almost every day we were there.

Daniel, Jonah and Janelle

We visited Jake's HS friend Phil N. @ work like we always do, and got to talk to him for a bit. We enjoyed Loretta's cooking, going out to eat, and spending time with everyone. Daniel got to experience his first ice cream truck. Daniel was also allowed to pick (and eat) his Great-Grandma Betty's strawberries. Ian (and my b-i-l Jeff too) had his birthday while we were down, and we ALL (even Jake's Uncle Dwight and a few friends of Brady and Ian's) went out for a pizza party @ Fizzari's. Happy Birthday Ian and Jeff!

Janelle and Daniel @ Ian's party

All of us with Grandma (and Great Grandma) Betty

At the end of the trip, Jake's parents and brother drove with us back across the state, and Jake's Great Aunt Coral treated us all to dinner out. The last time we'd seen her was with Great Uncle Wally (who has since passed) @ Great Uncle Art's Funeral. It was fun visiting with her, and to thank her in person for crocheting some adorable duds for Jonah some months back.
We spent that night @ my sisters house again, and the next day Teya and I had a sister day (Jamba Juice and fresh sushi from Central Market... mmmmm!) while Jake's family, Jake and the boys, and Teya's family all went to "Ride The Ducks" in downtown Seattle. Then everyone helped to get all four of us and ALL of our stuff to the airport. Jonah's two bottom teeth were finally all the way in at this point, so teething worries for the trip home. (Did I mention in the Part 1 post that Jonah cut his 1st tooth ON the flight down from ANC to SEA, and that when my parents watched the boys, Jonah was teething with fevers and all that? Ugh.)

Loretta, Brenna, Jared, Daniel, Jacob, Jonah, Bill, Jeff

We did our normal shopping in Anchorage, and arrived home ready to do some fishing!

More on our summer here in Unalakleet coming up...