A Full Friday

FRIDAY....no appointments, no school and lots of projects.

Every day begins and ends with a visit to the Chicken Fortress, or Tajmachicken, as Michael calls it.

Motivated by the bread success at homestead club and by the fact I've not gone grocery shopping since our return, I baked a couple of loaves of bread  before breakfast.

The next project Michael has queued is a "moose fence" for the front yard, in order to plant the fruit trees currently on the deck. The fence is laid out. The supplies are in hand.  Unfortunately, a big Birch tree in the front will have to come down to build the fence. The electric company has an easement and has already shown, as well as communicated, they will cut down trees at any time. The trees were planted with the easement in mind by the first owners - but the foliage has encroached on the easement. They topped the evergreens this year and said they'll be back in 3 - 5 years to take them out. They are eyeing a couple of Birch, which aren't on the easement but they volunteered to remove as they could be dangerous.  I LOVE the green curtain that shields us from the road....and the birds that visit the tree. I like to sit in the nook and watch them. The birch is split,  MEA has their eye on it.....if we leave it - it will be coming down into our fruit orchard. Today, it comes out.

The big part is already out in this photo

Stacia and I visited the wooded area of our yard. We've not been out there since it was green. It's a new world. I took videos but not photos....though here is one. We set on a fallen tree and talked about putting some benches, maybe a table out here.  It's good to be home in Alaska.

We ended the afternoon making homemade pizza... It was nice having the pizza sauce, burger and chicken already cooked and canned. We also harvested a cup of basil from my window garden and made vegan/no oil pesto.  We had a heavy meat lovers, a Hawaiin, and I made a small pesto/veggie pizza.

Michael fell asleep.

The kids and I began watching Father Brown.

I woke up on the couch the next morning.

Homestead Club - Bread & Butter

The day begins and ends with chickens around here. 

Talia and I met before we left on our trip. Today is the final IDEA Homestead Club  meeting. We are going to teach how to make bread and butter.  It went well. Poor Talia had most of the stress of the event. She did great. Our Lauren and Hardy show illustrated different personalities in the kitchen and in the end everyone went home with a new apron, spoon or dough hook, a loaf of bread to bake and a 1/2 pint of yummy butter.

Each station had a mat, 2 bread pans, bowl, pre-measured ingredient cups, flour, aprons, wooden spoon and a dough scraper. 

Talia (right) checks things out

 Fuzzy - oh well 

Marvilie, Avilee and Stacia

 All finished! 

We had fish, yummy bread, garlic butter and veggies for dinner.  I really need to go shopping, but haven't made it since the trip. There's always fish in the freezer!

Day 9 Home in Alaska

We made it.

Michael picked us up curbside at 8:37 a.m.

We were home in the valley by 10:00 a.m. on the 23rd.....21 hours (but take away the time zones) maybe 19 hours? Michael was right, It IS GREEN! I am happy.

Michael had an LSVT Therapy appointment. He told me to skip it and take a nap. I did. Stacia slept all day. Before sleeping we visited the chickens. There is much more to be seen on video. I'll get to that next.

Novia is my special chick  - she isn't very frightened of me

 Michael installed a chicken door. The boys and I made a temporary run for them this afternoon. Golda gamely tries the new ramp...and we discover the boards are slippery. Michael added bits of roofing tiles to the ramps. At this point only 2 or 3 will come out. The other 16 huddle inside in a mass and complain about what they are sure must be killing the ones outside. 

Golda 

 This little one was outside before - she seemed to remember and came on out. 

Lucille Ball 

Home - one word to say a lot. This is truly feeling like home, the place we belong. As Michael and I begin work, we keep reminding each other, "We can STAY here. This is ours. We don't have to leave in 2 years." It's a fantastic feeling.

Day 8 Birthdays & Planes

Some have noted Stacia and I take many more cool trips than I took with previous children. The difference - older siblings who keep giving her tickets. I am obligated to go along, as we are protective about our kids doing over-nighters without us  - long story we've learned the hard way over our 33 years of parenting. ::snort::

Stacia loves it here. She HAS had a hard time making friends. We aren't in base housing. We don't have a lot of girls her age at chapel or PWOC. We've attended several extended homeschool clubs and there either weren't girls there or they didn't "gel."  The one friendship which has begun is a bit tricky as Maddy lives an hour from us. This trip came at the perfect time. I could see her little extroverted love tank filling with each day she spent with Krista and Maria.

Krista is being as intentional as she can to maintain relationships as she lives quite a ways from Alaska. Stacia was a month old when she moved out of the home. I think this was a great trip for them to get to know each other better.  Stacia will turn 13 in August. Krista and Maria paid for her to come visit and planned all these fun things that they knew she'd enjoy....

One thing remained. The girls managed to get it done this a.m. before we began the drive to the airport in Raleigh. Stacia's birthday lunch and celebration @ Chick Fil A.

Krista and Stacia

It's not a pig hat - but it works the same! LOL 

Birthday lunch at Chick Fil A.  Tablecloth, crown, candles....they even gave her an extra cone on the house. 

Our girls can begin to wear make up at 13. They gave Stacia make up and brushes....

Group Hug

 We could no longer avoid the goodbyes when we reached curbside at RDU International. 

We had a great time and are seriously planning a trip next spring for Krista's graduation.  We left Lynchburg at 1:00 p.m. EST on the 22nd. We arrived home at about 9:45 a.m. AKST on the 23rd. I have no idea how long that is - but it is quite a trip. We nearly extended it by 12 hours by volunteering to get off our flight for $600 EACH in future tickets. At the very, very last minute they decided to put us on the plane. I tried to apologize to all for the wait - we were NOT late....it's not OUR fault you've been sitting here all this time. 

Stacia HATES security checkpoints. She is still 12. I was able to get her out of most of them. Though she DID have to pull out her military id to prove her age on a couple of occasions.  Our jolly clerk at Chocolate World thought I was joking when I told him she was 12 and should get the child pricing. He laughed. Then he was embarrassed when the id was produced. ::snort::

On the plane! 

What wonderful memories we made.....Mom and daughter, sisters....good times.

Day 7 - Sunny Day in Lynchburg

Maria began summer school today. She spent some time on the computer. Krista spent some time making sure she has everything together for her summer tour with the Air Force. Stacia and I read and did our laundry.  The girls went to work out. Stacia wanted to make cookies and then we met them at the pool.

Krista is always good at making up new games. This one involved answering questions. If you got the wrong answer, you got thrown.   This encourages getting the wrong answer.

Yes, six days later Stacia and I are still hurting, itching and peeling. 

Krista ran back to the apartment and came back with ice cream and the cookies Stacia had made. We called this lunch. Yes, their faces ARE hilarious - sometimes you need a candid shot or two.

It was wonderful to have a sunny day. The perfect way to begin bringing Stacia's birthday trip to an end.

Day 6 - Hershey, PA - Lynchburg, VA

 We rock. Up, packed, in the car and heading back to Chocolate World by 0845.  This is a great time to show up. We had tickets for our first event at 0915. We were in with the first group, it wasn't crowded. We picked up some souvenirs,  tasted chocolate, made a candy bar and went on a Trolley tour of the town.  We were on the road back to VA shortly after noon.

Evidently, all letters will be backwards in selfie mode. LOL 

Stacia, Maria, Me, Krista

Krista is great at fixing sisters hair

Stacia, Me

Available for $9

 Tasting Chocolate

I was surprised how many brands are owned by the Hershey Corp....Lancaster Caramels, Dagoba, Brookside....

Let the tasting begin - cleanse the palette; taste, don't bite...

Our next adventure was to make our own candy bars.  

Suited up and ready to go! 

Mine is the white on the left - haven't opened it to eat yet so no finished photo

 Debbie and Lor both recommended the Trolley tour of Hershey. We learned a bit of history and a lot of interesting info about Milton Hershey. I am very impressed. 

On the Trolley 

 We didn't go into Hershey Park at all - too rainy and too many other things to see. 

Hershey Park with the Chocolate World's smokestacks in the background

Sweetest street lights in America

Our drive back to VA passed quickly, with lively conversation. Traveling throws off your groove...we pulled into Chick Fil A, only to remember - "They're closed on Sunday."

We are home safe and sound in Lynchburg.  We have a couple days left of our trip.

Day 5 - Chocolate World - Hershey, PA

We planned to spend this morning touring memorials in D.C. However, we were all TIRED of walking in rain and opted to head up to Hershey, PA earlier than planned. 

This worked well as we were able to go to Chocolate World, buy tickets, see the free things and come back for the rest on Sunday. Lorelei, my room mate from high school in the Philippine Islands, lives outside of  Hershey and drove up to see me. What a treat. It's been 36 years since we graduated, 35 years since we've been together.  It was great to share and catch up. We will certainly look her up again if we make the trip next year.  It turns out EVERYONE had decided Chocolate World was a great inside, rainy day, activity. ::snort::  We toured, went out to dinner and then the three girls showed their introverted sides and opted to go to the motel. Lor and I continued to sit and talk.  Here are some photos. 

We made it. 

Familiar characters. LOL 

We got in line for a chocolate tour. I thought the line was the tour. I thought it was self-guided and so I snapped photos. Ah well, a good way to share some fun chocolate facts.  Look at this line - this is 1/2 of the line we could see.

Fun facts...The Reese family developed these in their basement until they sold the recipe to Hershey's. 

...And the town he built is amazing. He did things well. I had no idea at all the things he accomplished - after failing five times. 

Milton Hershey had no heirs, all his money goes to  the Hershey foundation which supports a local school for orphans - that is now a school which takes care of ALL needs for a student body of 2300 under-privileged kids. Couples are paid to be parents of  12 students in a house. When you buy Hershey's the money goes to the foundation which continues to support the amazing school.

Think of it - that's a whole lotta licorice. 

Now you know. 

At this point, we reached the end of the line and I realized we were crossing a moving floor/river of chocolate to enter a car for the real tour. We learned how chocolate was made.

Singing cows, vats of chocolate.....if it had oompa loompas it would be just like stepping into Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.

Via Maria

Amazing amounts of chocolate

We didn't buy any. 

Lor and I - together again.