Igloo in the Yard

The kids used to have great times in Misawa during the winter! They longed to move where there would be a winter. They've gotten the desire of their heart. They have fond memories of building sledding hills and igloos in the snow. Today, they built an igloo, or ice cave. I'm happy they could do it. 

Nolan surveys the land

Work in progress!

Big enough for three young adults! 

 Bella - our sweetie

Alex's Birthday Part 2

Alex turned 16 on 11 Feb. It happened to fall on the date of our big Family Birthday/Anniversary Dinner. Birthday celebrants get to pick dinner and their cake. They also wear the pig hat and get gifts. Alex wore the big hat and had his cookie dough ice cream cake on the 11th. Today, the 22nd, we  opened his gifts after baking and before Life Groups. On the 25th, he will have his birthday dinner. Usually the "at home family" will have their birthday dinner ON their birthday, but his happened to fall on the extended dinner...and we were hoping his choice - a burger burn - would land on warmer weather on the 25th. 

We gave Alex a toboggan, a few fishing things and a vest. The others gave him fun shirts. As Nolan said, "This is what happens when you put one thing on your birthday list."  

We are no strangers to 'rolling birthdays'. One year we all put off our birthday until Michael got home from the Middle East. LOL

Winter and Baking

 Just when I thought winter may be losing it's grip we woke to 8 inches of new snow and lots of baking orders. The ruler was slipping - the back shows 8 in, the front had caved.....

 Thursday - nowhere to go; host Life Group in the evening. I love our down day Thursdays. Some worked outside.....

Cory, Alex, Nolan, Michael 

World's Best Snow Removal Crew

 Some played outside....

Auntie Arielle and Bella 

Bella (10 1/2 months) knows she is not supposed to have her pacifier unless she is sleeping. She has taken to putting it down her shirt. She seems to think we won't notice it's there. LOL 

We see you Bella 

...while they worked and played outside, Stacia and I had orders to make a cheesecake and 11 dozen cookies. We planned the cheesecake for Saturday and went to work on the cookies.  Stacia was excited to see how the orders collected collected overnight. She commented, "God really does know the times of our days. There is no other day this week we could have spent the day baking." She woke up early and was done with school by 0900. It was an "at home" day....we baked and packaged until a couple of hours before Life Group. 

Chocolate Chip 

Macadamia Nut/White Chocolate

Making memories with Stacia 

 These 7 dozen went into a box and shipped to Afghanistan....others went to VA and one dozen found a local home. 

Shew....all done with time to clean up before Life Groupers arrive. 

All this baking is part of our seed project. Michael and Nolan are making some pretty pine coasters. Well, Michael is making them....Nolan, true to his business bent,  invested in the project.

Coming Home

I'm not always excited to leave home early in the  morning - but I do enjoy this view coming home!  We have about seven more sessions left of swallow therapy.  Michael will have reached the maximum sessions approved by the VA and have a swallow test to show where he is at. Michael loves barium swallow tests - NOT. ::wink::

The rest of life consists of schooling and researching. I've read a zillion books on mini-farming, chicken raising and canning. I've decided we can't do EVERYTHING this year. We'll have to do what we can. It's a process. We'll learn about the soil and plan a few beds this year....experiment with plastic and soil.....we'll get a few chicks and pray we keep them alive and get eggs.  We'll establish a composting system. We'll plant some trees. We'll take out more dead fall and dead trees. That's enough for this year.  Well - I'd like to get some sort of paving down out the basement door and a hot tub too. LOL  Anyway - I've been trying to learn via books, and FB groups, before we branch out and start buying things.

Grands from Nearby and Gifts from Afar

Bre had some business she needed to take care of today. Michael drove her and Gideon and I kept Bella. I would have kept Gideon, but we had no idea how long the day would be.  We had great fun with Bella. 

At one point she grabbed my smoothie out of my hand and dropped the cup. Smoothie EVERYWHERE....all over her hands, clothes, hair, floor, me, cupboards. The poor thing was upset. She doesn't like to be messy. I thought the whole thing funny, but she certainly got a dose of reality discipline. She hasn't grabbed my cup again (it's now 27 Feb).  I got her cleaned up and into a new outfit....and we took a nap together....uh...watched veggie tales. ::snort:: 

She hopped out of bed and  immediately snatched my slippers. It was hilarious to watch her plod around in them. Note - I did take the pacifier after she had a bit of time to transition to awake from sleep. 

A great day was made even better when Michael got home with a package - for me. Check it out!!!! Sweet card, teas, tea bags (which I've not tried yet) and a strainer....such fine mesh. It's changed my life - or at least my tea drinking.....

Those words of affirmation and encouragement were a big hug and they certainly were appreciated.

Yuuki's the dog - and other blessings

It was a day of blessings, mixed with the routine.

The moose came around to say good morning. 

How many do you spot? 

Cory had our car and drive shoveled when we stepped out to leave in the  morning. I remembered I could take HOT TEA with me for the drive (more fitting than a smoothie).  We enjoyed our visit with Michael's therapist - at some point we will discontinue our visits and we'll  miss her.

After therapy we visited a couple from church. We are in a season when we are both missing our parents - it was good to visit with an older couple. Barney reminds us much of Dad G, he even volunteers at prisons. Michael and Barney worked in the wood shop. Michael took his $10 seed and is making some  pretty butcher block coasters.  Judy and I had a good visit before she set me in a recliner with some good books and ran to volunteer at a local pregnancy center.

We made it through grocery shopping in RECORD TIME and were home by 4:30 to watch Bella and Gideon while BreZaak went out to celebrate their 4th anniversary (Feb 14th). We left Barney at a bit after 3 p.m. and they live "way out" on the other side of the next town.

I love a man who reads. LOL 

 Stacia and I sold another dozen BIG cookies for our Seed project. 

Bella got very excited when she saw the chocolate chips

The most alarming, which is now FUNNY to look back on, thing to happen during the day involves Yuuki. Moose don't like dogs. Moose will kill dogs with a swift kick, if the dogs harass them. Yuuki hasn't taken any notice of moose all these months. CoRielle saw 4 moose up the road as they came home. He told us they were coming. I got the camera. One is a bull who has lost his antlers...didn't know that happened.  They were calm and enjoying the yard, I set up for video.  There was new snow on the deck. I was barefoot. I was perching on the doorjamb, spread legged so Bella wouldn't run out....and Yuuki noticed the moose. She howled. I turned off the camera.

Yuuki charged out the door and down the steps. I yelled for her to come back, the moose startled and began running. Yuuki continued howling, ran between my legs,  and chased them.

"She's going to get herself killed this time!"

Family gathered. Alex ran out the door - coatless and shoeless - and tracked down Yuuki. It was funny to watch our lethargic old lady find the energy for a hunt. Snow flew...then she hit a dip and was buried and stuck up to her nose - still howling.

Thank God the moose didn't turn around and charge either of them. Michael said if she does this again she's on our own....but for tonight Yuuki is safe. She seems to be strutting.

"I'm the dog! Did you SEE ME run off that 1500 lb bull?"

Alex  warmed his feet at the fire. All is well.

I will not film in the doorway again. I'll commit to be outside, with the door shut, or film through the glass.

And in that vein....Can you spot the moose below? We're learning to keep our eyes open for shadows in the woods - within minutes they are usually out in the open.

Arielle posted this photo - you can clearly see one was a bull....he's lost his antlers. I'd love to find some antlers....they would be great on the little guest house I'm dreaming of.....

Gingerbread Man is an ALASKAN now!

I am Mr. Gingerbread Man. I live with either the Gherkin Guy or the Gherkin Girls a year at a time - decided by who wins the Annual Gherkin Gingerbread Competition. The men won this year. They haven't seemed as interested in taking me place. I'm not one to complain, but last year I was in a zillion states, climbed mountains, camped on the beach, went to Mexico, moved to Alaska in a U-haul and then helped settle everyone in in the Valley.  I've pretty much hung out at the house this year.

But today - things changed. I'll explain how I found myself to be lying in the snow as the post moves along.

First, Jamin came by bright and early to help Michael  (Dad G) build bookshelves and learn how to do it.

By mid-afternoon Josiah showed up. He was followed by some strangers in a truck. They unloaded the strangest looking cars? motorcycles? I've ever seen. 

There were two big black ones and a little yellow on. It turns out Josiah had purchased snow machines for a good price and they were being delivered. The yellow one was thrown in free - it's for kids and needed a bit of work. By the end of the day it was up and running. 

As soon as Bella was put down she ran for Mom G and the little yellow snow machine. No, she hasn't ridden on one. 

I, however, was thrilled to ride around the property with Josiah. I think I'm going to like living with the men this year..... 

Mom G made a video....

Everyone took a turn. 

We aren't wearing helmets - but we will when we are going fast and out of the yard. I hadn't even thought about it until it was pointed out by a video viewer. There are no laws here about wearing helmets for bikes, motorcycles or snow machines.  

Bella decided to move over to the big machine. 

Bella and Auntie Arielle and Auntie Stacia

The rest of the day Bella and Izaak slid out back. 

Kids played games inside. 

Mom G cooked dinner. It was a great day. Family working, playing, eating and having fun together.  I think I'm going to like living with the men this year, after all. I hear rumors of great fun when the summer hits.