2019 Gift Exchange

Life seems to have settled down enough that we thought this afternoon would be the perfect time for our "family of 5" gift exchange. Alex and Michael had men's breakfast. Nolan was working until 2.  Stacia and I planned to go shopping, but in the end, we didn't have a vehicle. 

Not to worry - I am trying to get three blankets done for the kids... It seemed like the perfect time to get them done. They are like the double-sided flannel baby blankets we love - but I made these big-kid size.

Things were going well until this happened......ugh. Michael got it working when he got home, and I finished this one. I still need to make Nolan's.  It was CHANGING stitches on us....and then the bobbin plate popped out and it jammed tight. 

Ah, well...semper gumby! I have come to like our tree. It's not real, but a real one wouldn't look this nice, this late. We noted all the presents are wrapped in BLUE.

Alex loves computer and video games

ANOTHER expansion pack! 

Nolan likes board games 

The baby of our family continues to be the most expressive gift receiver....

100 one yard wonders....

Home Sewing Projects

Stacia and a neighbor friend in Japan used to spend hours making perfume from dandelions. I couldn't resist when I saw this kit to make roll on perfume.....

That face....priceless

A local thrift store went out of business in the spring. I purchased a couple of "grandma dolls." You know - the kind grandmas splurge for for their girls' collection. Stacia is happy. 

My "Baby's" blankets....Nolan can choose his size. Stacia wanted the narrower size. 

Food theme...cupcakes for Stacia and Japanese food for the boys

Another doll. She's a bride doll; we decided she must be bridezilla. 

Look at the pout! 

Michael got an ice-fishing pole...

And lots of Lowes cards....

HE PUT THIS IN HIS WISH LIST. I bought it. Some are shocked. 

THIS will dry food much quicker than the little one Mom G gave me... and I can buy more trays for it. It also has a temp control.

We ended the night reading and playing snow board kids....

They Built a Steam Engine

I was prepping for a busy day. Michael was talking with me. Around 0700 we had a good sized aftershock. While it was still building, I looked up and said, "We ARE having this meeting today even if this becomes a 7."

He laughed.

I left home at 0900 and didn't return until 5:00 p.m. (1700).  It was a full day of ministry. Our meeting, scheduled the same day as the quake is finally done!   Nolan and Alex had gone bowling with a couple of guys.

Stacia and Michael knocked it out of the park! They edited a narrative essay she'd written.

They applied her science lessons on buoyancy, pressure and steam power, and  built a little boat. Stacia informs me she is going to paint the boat pink, or at least add some flowers and such.

Manly looking - but it works

Stacia equipped the little boat with  a steam engine....it worked! 

Filling the reservoir with water

Lighting a little candle, which heats the water,
creates steam and powers the boat

 It sputtered to life and jetted around the tub. 

This is a short clip of the first attempt....I didn't catch the second run which was even more impressive.

The boys arrived home with stories of bowling and arcades.

We ate pizza - it IS Friday night.

 Michael sequestered himself to be sure he was ready for Men's group tomorrow morning. Nolan went to bed, he works at 0500 tomorrow.

Alex sat and played games on his kindle while Stacia and I watched some episodes from Season 5 of When Calls the Heart on Netflix.

"That was Fun!"

"That was fun!"

My heart is full. We've been on a 2 week break from the Life Group which meets in our home. Rose is still traveling, but everyone else was here. The discussion was convicting and challenging - Luke 14:25-35. What does it mean to be a disciple? What does it mean to count the cost? How do we count the cost of being a disciple? What's a disciple? Is being a disciple different from being a believer?  We've been admonished, by Michael, to "leave it on the back burner," until we study a few more parables.

Not our life group - photo via google photos

It was fun to listen to the conversations after the discussion time, and to consume Brenda's YUMMY blueberry scones. Stacia asked if we can get the recipe - great minds think alike.

Not Brenda's scone - but her's looked even better
Photo via google photos

Life Group - sixteen folks ranging from 13 - 80's.....and the youngest commented, "That was fun." This is church community at it's best. Relationships forming across generational lines. Newcomers to church, building relationships with "old-timers." College-age men connecting and making plans to get together. It didn't happen over night, it's been a year. For the first five - six months it was just us and one other couple.  It's a joy to see how God is forming us....and it's a reminder to enjoy it fully present. Life Groups will ebb and flow...splitting will happen (the week with 21 was full for our house - we couldn't sustain much more than that long term)...people will move (though not so frequently as they did in a military chapel)...but for this season, God has called us to do life together...and it IS fun.

Our Pet Moose

Alaska has to be one of the few places left where one can be sitting at the table, discussing ministry plans, and BAMMO! A moose comes to visit.   We've had moose since we moved in in Aug 2017.   Mama moose and her baby entertained us all summer/fall.....this is not Mama moose. 

THIS one, however, IS special. She's our PET MOOSE! Note her collar. She is being tracked by the Fish and Wildlife Dept. She has made our yard her home base for well over a year. She even poses nicely for photos after all this time. 

Yes, we realize she is a wild animal and we don't go near her, put out food for her, or let Yuuki go near her......she looks so much like a pet with her collar that we joke about her.

There are usually one or two more in the yard when she shows up. This was from the 7th.....she and another. Today, there were two younger ones on the other side of our house.

We do love Alaska. 

Random Bits & Pieces - That's a LONG flight to VA

When taking compost out in -15* temps, anything liquid will freeze before you reach the compost pile.  My girls (16 hens) are not appreciating this cold. at.all. They continue to bravely lay 12 - 15 eggs a day, and I check every few hours to avoid another dozen frozen eggs. 

Shortly into the day, this arrived.  Krista landed in Seattle and was settling in for her 5 hour layover. 

Bre reports that Bella needs tea in the morning with her breakfast. It makes me smile to see her enjoy the tea cup. 

We are sliding into our normal routine this week. For me, this meant getting out calendars and prepping handouts for our Jonah study, which we began this evening. There was also laundry and a bit of baking.

Alex and Stacia hit the books - hard!

At 4:25 p.m. EST, Krista finally landed in Raleigh NC.  After the drive to Lynchburg, she was reunited with her room-mates. Boxes....because Maria (2nd from left) has purchased a home and they will be moving.

When we had the truck checked by the mechanic, he noted a few things that needed to be done. We were able to get the amount for repairs and a bit more reduced on the price of the truck. Michael took the truck to Anchorage for repairs. It ended up taking much longer than he expected and he was in town all day. Josiah brought him back out to the valley as he was looking at a trailer out here tonight. If anyone is counting - this is the 3rd day in a row with a trip to Anchorage....and we'll be going to pick up the truck tomorrow. :snort:: 

I headed to Bible study. It's going to be good to share thoughts together from the book of Jonah. Stacia made pot pie for her and the boys.

It's been a full day - everyone is heading to bed. I blogged - therefore, I lived. ::snort::

G'nite all.

Gherkins are on the Move

This happened last night. Jared is sharing with Roscoe he will be the man of the house while he is in Juneau. In an amazing turn of events, Jared has left his job as a community director and is working in our Governor's office. He's in Juneau to work in the upcoming session. 

Sweet Photo via Jared's Facebook page

Krista will leave Alaska today. We cleared our schedules completely so we could enjoy the long day together. Nolan headed to work at 0500, but the rest of us enjoyed Dutch Babies for breakfast. 

Krista and Michael enjoyed a leisurely visit while the rest of us got the "routine" things taken care of. Krista packed. We all sat down for a few rounds of Farkle - right in the middle of the day! Alex rolled a 6,700 roll. It was his first roll - a very quick game. LOL 

Benny was happy to help with score

Nolan and Arielle came home from work and we talked a bit more. "We" decided we to re-pack the salmon Krista was taking back to VA.

Michael is a master packer

Benny seized the opportunity to jump into Krista's duffel. 

Then it was time to pack into the truck and head to Anchorage. We stopped by BreZaak's on our way out of town so Krista could say goodbye to Bre. 

 6 Gherkins, a military duffel bag, back pack, and 7 doz eggs. It was a tight fit.

Our first stop was Ash and Karen's to deliver the 7 dozen eggs. They buy lots of eggs from us. We let them  know when we will be in town, and bring in the eggs we have to sell. They live quite a ways from our home in the Valley. 

We decided on TGIF - Fridays for dinner. Everyone seemed to like their meals. Mine was a veggie burger which looked so real I could hardly eat it. The waitress said that's a common reaction. They soak it in beet juice and it looks like a very rare burger. 

Finally, we dropped Krista at the airport. I watched her heft the giant duffel onto her back, grab her backpack and head off.... we will spend a lot of time saying hello and goodbye to this one. 

She made it to her gate

Jared is on the ground and running in Juneau. Krista will fly through the night and arrive in VA late Tuesday afternoon.  The Valley feels bigger today, a little more empty. My mind goes back to Alicia saying, "Everywhere is a plane ride," as we waited for our daughters to land a few weeks ago, and discussed her senior's plans.  It seems once one accepts they live in Alaska and to go anywhere will require flying.... the world seems smaller....

I must be putting down roots in Alaska and morphing into an Alaskan. I get it. It doesn't matter much if the flight is to Juneau or Virginia.  It's all a simple plane ride. Not so very far at all. We are excited and content to watch from our place in Alaska as the kids pursue their God-given dreams.

Epiphany - Goodbyes, Brunches, Scavenger Hunts & Frozen Eggs

Today is Epiphany and would be a great traditional tie-in to gift giving. ::snort:: We didn't. Not quite yet.  I fell down on my blogging job.

{Insert untaken photo of fun foursome  at airport}

It was a quick visit. It has me determined ONE of these kids will get a job with Alaskan Airlines so we, their parents, can fly standby.  The time with Don and Beth was soul refreshment.

We (Michael, Krista and I)  texted the Eagle River contingent as we left the airport. We met up at Bear Mountain Grill for a brunch buffet with Josiah, Jamin and JaRissa.

{Insert untaken photo of mounds of food in Alaskan cafe}

One of the Christmas Scavenger Hunt Gifts was Incredibles 2. Michael thought we should wait until Nolan was home from work and we could watch it together. Nolan was happy we waited for him.

Another round of Dominion. Alex won this time - or so I was told. 

Michael, Nolan, Stacia, Alex, Krista

 We found ourselves with two gifts left AFTER the 12 Days of Christmas so we finished them up tonight.  Here is the first clue....

Stacia is not overly impressed....

She and Alex ran out to the garage, barefoot in -10* weather to look around the water heater....

Of course, we aren't sure why one would wear shorts in -10* weather

 The gift was hidden by my electric hot water pot - in the cozy nook. It was a Dairy Queen gift card.  Arielle and Benny had come up to help in the search.

Benny, Arielle,Nolan, Krista, Stacia, Alex 

The second clue proved to be much harder to solve. Michael gave a second clue - Triangles 1, 2, 5.  Then he sent Alex out with the recycling and still.....

Finally - the 3 parts were in the recycling bins for 1, 2, and 5 items.

Jack-Jack was bemused by all the activity

The gift was a variety of photo prompts - because one must ALWAYS take a photo of the kids in front of the Christmas tree.

But, first, Alex and I checked on the girls. Oh bother! I am going to have to check out there much more frequently with it being this cold. Frozen eggs.

Lovely....

And then a strange one or two.... 

The creepy Tim Hawkins move... LOL 

It really is about time for Christmas to end, or at least for the Christmas decor to go away. ::wink:: We talked about it and decided to leave it all up until we do gifts. I think the first opportunity will be this Saturday.

I've also been asked to get the Gingerbread poll up soon. LOL