Labor Day 2017

We had a lazy day. Our labor day cookout was Saturday.  We've worked hard all week. Jamin wanted a last chance at silvers before he goes outside (leaves AK). Josiah had the day off.  Cory flew home to spend some time with family. His well-loved grandmother passed away this week.  Travis and Cat are preparing to roll on down the Alaska Highway.  The upshot? Michael, Nolan, Alex, Stacia and Izaak left early to join Josiah and Jamin for a full day of fishing.  They were skunked. No silvers - just old, dead pinks.  We hope to figure out the runs more accurately by next year.

What did Arielle, Bre and the kids and I do? Stuff. LOL  Monday is my laundry day  - we have to juggle the use of the washer/dryer to ensure all have clean clothes at some point in the week. 🐽 I did laundry, Arielle and I decided how to arrange the rest of the photos and artwork propped against the walls, we went for a walk, I blogged, Arielle did school. There is no question what Bre did - she cared for her two treasures.

We joined here for dinner and a bit of time for the kids to play with the H kids.....I found it humorous that it warmed up to 60* today and Arielle and I ran to put on shorts. It doesn't take long to acclimate.

Archer is a doll! He is going to be missed. 

Allie, Anakin, Bella and Arielle...

My Bella Boo

As I blog, I realize this blog began 12 years ago, Labor Day 2002.  That's a long time - 7, 130 posts published. Not2Many, became Choosing Joy, which morphed at retirement to Courageous Joy.  

My joke, as I began writing, is I was capturing our memories so I could enjoy them when I was too old and befuddled to remember living them. That joke is not so funny these days, but the motive has stayed true. Capturing family memories so we all remember...the good, the bad, the beautiful and ugly....at least from Michael and I's perspective.

Capturing memories for generations to come - I so wish I had more of Gram's, Dad and Mom G's, Uncle Bill's stories saved.  It's become more a family story than it's original intent.....but it has been a good project. 

A fun by-product of the blog has been meeting some really great people after connecting first on the blog/online....of course the old Loopy gals, but Deja (who became a dear real life friend as we lived in the same town for 4 years), and most recently Cat is a friend met online......

Reindeer Farm

We've been wanting to visit the  Reindeer farm, but haven't had the right moment to break away to do so. Visiting the farm was on the H Family's bucket list. The kids, Arielle and I decided to go along.  Before the tour, we visited the chickens and rabbits. 

Arielle, Nolan, Travis, Anakin, Ally, Stacia, Alex 

 We all had food to share as we entered the Reindeer pens. They don't have upper teeth so there wasn't much danger of being bit....but they are big animals and some of them can be a bit aggressive. I chose to take photos rather than feed reindeer. Carl, a large buck, decided to slobber all over my camera lens. ugh.

Stacia

Ally and Anakin

I was glad Arielle came with us. 

Stacia got comfortable with the experience

Alex

Nolan

Travis 

 This  baby moose was abandoned in a gravel pit. They are bottle raising it. 

We also saw a herd of elk. I liked this baby the best. 

We took a new road as we left the farm and found another u pick farm we've heard about.

Unexpected Excitement

We did not expect to be back at Providence this morning. Jared was running a fever and nauseated. They had him come in and checked his blood, his chest, his incision and did a heart ultrasound. They gave him meds for nausea and Tylenol/Advil and SENT HIM HOME. I was shocked.   However, we knew he was in good care at home with Larissa. She kept in touch with the ER Doctor and the Cardiologist. His fever climbed to 103.4 and still they said not to come in....though there was concern about infection and sepsis.  Odd, odd, odd.  By Sunday morning his fever was down to 100.....and today (Monday) its still down lower than what they consider alarming. 

In other news, I picked up a grill that was on sale for Labor Day. I did this when I was sent to Lowes last night for various pieces of pipe, axe handles and such. Michael put it together and the Gherkins who were about, and the H family enjoyed a burger burn. 

The final touches of the project....

 Done 

We have to admit the seasons are changing. Fall is here....hoping it stays a bit of time. 

See the termination dust in the mountains? These are not the ones at the end of the block...but it's coming. 

Jared's Surgery - Friday

#WYFF? Ours were at the Providence Medical Center.  This is 1.5 hours from our home.  Today  is the day for Jared's heart surgery/procedure. We are all excited that he has a 95% chance of being DONE with this....I can't help remembering all the doctors who poo poohed our concerns throughout the years. We're thankful for the medical community in Anchorage. 

Comfy recliners for waiting 

 

In Jared's words: Operation was a success! I'm really looking forward to all the stuff I will be able to do with a fully healthy heart! So blessed and thankful for all the prayers and support from friends and family and the fantastic medical team at Providence!!

I also apparently had a lot to say under anesthesia lol I woke up singing America the Beautiful and when the nurse started singing with me I told her we should go on tour, she said she would like that to which i informed her I had a wife. Speaking of my loving wife, she was right there when I woke up and was holding my hand but I freaked out and told the nurses a stranger was trying to seduce me...and that Josiah wants the Iron Throne and that the doctors are fake news. And so much more lol but home and resting and no more anesthesia induced political commentary 👍🏽

It's Friday night. This means pizza at our house. I'm not sure who ate with us - but I know these kiddos did....so BreZaak and Travis and Cat must have had dinner with us.

Cat discovered Archer LIKES to sit in a laundry basket. It's great! 

Tractors and Trenching

This is a pretty exciting day around our little home...the tractor arrived in Anchorage yesterday! CoRielle and Nolan drove in to pick it up.  I had lobbied for the biggest one, we got the second to biggest. Still bigger than our original plan - but I think we need it.  We had a ton of stuff going on today, and yet, the lawn needs mowing! 

I jumped on  - I wanted it to be pink - Michael vetoed

It has snow and mower blades - I volunteer to do mowing. 

A spot for a cell phone

Are you surprised I was ruthlessly removed from my perch? 

We have our very own big "O"....and that filled the bags

He said it was my turn

He had me get off again

Time for more instruction 

Finally 

Sorta looks like these guys are shadowing me 

 Nolan and Alex finished the yard. I'm so relieved to have this done! 

Nolan 

 They went back and forth with the clippings

 Not only did we get the tractor, today was PUSH day for the RV project. They built a box and a frame, trenched some ground, inserted a macerator pump and some pvc pipe. We now have a drain for gray water and such. RVers can visit us and stay in comfort.  We so appreciate Travis and Cat staying extra days in Alaska so Travis could guide this project.

Wrapping pipe - and dreaming of epic sword fights

Jamin came out & we put him to work! 

Arielle watches from her perch....she's been busy with college classes 

We broke for dinner - today we had BreZaak, CoRielle, Travis and Jamin. A funny thing happened with dinner. It seemed like a great day for chili and cornbread. I bought what I thought was cornmeal at the store. Heated my cast iron, melted butter till it sizzled, went to pour in the dough...it was WHITE. I had purchased corn tortilla mix. Ah well - it tasted o.k. 

The work continued after dinner. Blisters happened. 

This was a major project. We needed it done before winter and we are going to make it. The guys still want to build a lid and add more insulation, but the end is in sight.

We appear to have crop circles in our yard