March Random Glimpses

 The one with random glimpses from March! All the things I thought I'd blog but haven't....

It's March 1st and the moose are back...three of them today. They look rough. 

 Soccer is the name of the game this month for Benny! 

Arielle's collage...

We have started playing a game at Family Gathering which involves picking random prizes hidden under cups. You may get a roll of breath mints,a hot wheel car, or a $100. Totally random. And, yet, Bre and her kids keep winning the big bucks. ::snort::  This month Jojo (Josiah) won $50. Bre sent a photo of his shopping spree. 

The girls (Stacia and Allie) went with Jared, Larissa and Noah to the start of the Iditarod. It was WARM, but there wasn't much snow. 

Note Stacia's husky ears. LOL 

They made the media...Jared,Noah, Lariss and Stacia 

What could this be?

Krista won the award above. She was named the 715st Air Mobility Operations Group Company Grade Officer of the Year.  This is quite an honor for a chaplain to receive. She's enjoyed being  part of the East Pac Beast Pac. 

These girls are so fun to watch as they grow and develop their unique personalities. Josi is 13 1/2 months old and Ellie turned one year this month. Josi is in the top percentile and Ellie is in the bottom percentile...both progressing just fine with milestones and personality...today they sported matching overalls. 

📷via Arielle

Michael is diligent to check temps, chemicals etc. This month he changed out the water. We are enjoying the hot tub. 

Nate and Heather sent this puzzle to all of us.  Dad has a habit of rearranging pieces. There were some times in the process where Nate and Heather had odd body parts where they should not have been. It was a good day when this one was complete! 

I dug out the yen we had kept when we left Japan. We planned on being back as missionaries shortly...but Stacia will be able to use it on her trip. In the process of digging out the yen, we found money from Korea, the Philippines and Iraq...it was a fun discovery. 

I will find words to share how much the painting below means to Michael and I... such a great remembrance from a loved mentor and friend. 

Charles' fort was shrinking but he still thought he could hide behind it. LOL 

Krista, Bre, Nolan and all the kids met up with Larissa and Noah for a fun day at JBER. I KNOW I had more pictures but this is the one I can find now. Thanks, Larissa! 

Trudy and Noah on the flight line. 

Watching the kids on Cory's birthday. 

Benny, Charles, Danny

Magnificent Monday

Mondays used to simply be the start of a workweek/school week, with all the stereotypes which go with Monday, Monday. 

Since Oct 23,2023 Mondays are more....a reminder, a marker...flannel Mondays are still a part of the journey Michael, and I are on...not by any set or planned way...just happens.  BUT Monday's have also become Cy's Girls day.... I get a brief glimpse of Livie before she heads for school, spend the day playing with Josi, have lots of quiet time to read, think, pray during nap times, and then Liv comes home from school.  It's a great way to spend a Monday. 

Josi was happier to greet me this Monday than she was last time. 

In all the talk of who Josi looks like I've noted no one has mentioned OUR LIKENESS. We truly favor one another - something about the nose and ears I think. Genetics are strong.  

Josi is an enthusiastic and wild driver....such fun! 

I am loving the SPRING days. It seems EARLY (and it is for us), but this may mean an early fall so I'm determined to enjoy the sun to the fullest! Josi and I went out for a walk. 

Liv came home and we discovered a big box on the doorstep! A new pack for all to enjoy this spring, summer, fall. I see many hikes in Josi's future. 

An advantage to the longer days is the light as I drive home to the valley. I stopped at the cemetery. There are times my heart is full and I simply need to stop here and spend some focused time remembering, processing, praying....I have yet to run into anyone but family here. 

I have also discovered this is a good place to walk and pray...I can easily get in a mile or two while I process. This was scenic but the cows kept turning their back on me when I snapped the shot....ah well.

I got home to discover Stacia is home from her housesitting adventure. Her next gig will be the trip to Japan. I find it funny that meta is filling my feed with shots of Japan since she announced her upcoming trip. I don't mind, I see some upcoming trips to Japan in our future. 

GG was happy to have Stacia home for many reasons. She is one of his most consistent puzzlers. He called me to snap a picture of this finished puzzle. 

We Love Sundays

We love Sundays. It begins with the mad rush to get everyone up and out the door on time to drive to Eagle River. We meet up with our muni of Anchorage kids...participate in a fantastic meeting and head out for lunch afterwards. Allie took a car this morning too as she and Stacia wanted to come home directly after lunch. For the first time ever the front handicap spot we usually take was FILLED. This was an adventure for GG as we found some spots in the back, but he doesn't do stairs well....so we enjoyed an impromptu spring walk around the campus to the front. I told him it was good for him. He was a good sport. What we thought we felt was borne out by numbers...ACF is growing! ::snort::  We broke 2,000 for the first time ever on a NORMAL week. Brian has encouraged some of us 10 and 11:30 people need to move to 8:30, Wed night or the NE Anchorage campus.  Most exciting to me was hearing the number of new believers in Jesus (64) and the number of those taking the Crash Course which is the next step in discipleship. Good stuff. 

We went to Garcia's for the first time ever  after service and it was yummy. The girls and GG left to come directly home. Michael and I visited Lowes. We picked up things for a project for Michael, a deck box, and seeds...we picked up more seeds. 

Back at home we continued to relax...and Nolan dropped by for games.

GG sporting a new birthday shirt. 

Michael, Stacia, Nolan, Allie

As the day wore on, I opted to head for the hot tub. I had some interesting new hot tub partners.

Spring Saturday

We are having such an EARLY spring! Part of me wishes winter would hang on just a bit longer as the frantic, manic work season is about to begin. ::snort:: 

I got GG up and ready for the day and then I went to CoRielle's. Benny had a soccer game in Wasilla today. Danny came with us this time. It was a fun outing. 

Danny was happy to be out with Mom and Bachan. 

Benny is number 7 in the white jersey this week. 

Benny made two points this week. You have to blow it up to see.... but this is Benny after kicking the ball...the ball is behind the goalie. 

I collected all the snowmen from my home and packed them away. I put spring pillow covers out. I think I have a few more spring decorations in the garage. I'll get them out next week. LOL 

I spent an hour and a half outside cleaning up poop...dog poop, chicken poop and moose poop. I was happy to be outside - not so happy with the specific job. ::snort:: Michael scouted locations for putting cameras up outside and tried to track down a hot tub leak. 

I got into the greenhouse and moved out the yard chairs. I brought four to them to the decks. It was 100* in the greenhouse. I am starting seeds this week...and maybe I'll get an early start on tomatoes. I don't know I'm leery of getting too much going outside...because everyone says NOT to until at LEAST Memorial Day weekend. We have a plan to increase my seed-starting space. 

I HAD to check out the garden. There's still snow out here. I need to wait for the ground to warm up a bit. However, there is much less snow than we usually have in March. Usually, the snow is still COVERING the raised beds. 

I forced myself to come inside and get some dinner on the table. Stacia visited for dinner and she and Allie are playing Slap Jack. Michael is checking out his screen world, GG is reading, and I plan to head out to the hot tub. My back aches after all the moving of poop. 

           Ah, everyone joined me...

I hope your Saturday has been wonderful too. 

Introducing Stella

 This is Stella. She's had a bit of a hard life. She actually was a bully in the chicken yard. One day this winter she somehow got her foot stuck somewhere in the coop and tore off a claw/toenail.  We isolate hens for a variety of reasons in the garage during the winter. When they are all better, we have always been able to integrate them back with the flock. 

Stella got better and Michael moved her back to the flock. He was in Portland, OR for his neurology appointment, I was out running errands when Allie got home from work and heard ungodly squawking. They were all attacking Stella. Several were ON her picking feathers, she was bleeding...and so we separated Stella again. 

Michael got home and put her back with the flock. He went out to put chickens away in the evening and found her on top of what used to be a bunny hutch and is now the isolation wing during the summer. She was NOT coming down.  He moved her back to the garage.

We usually let the chickens have the run of the property when the weather is nice.  They continue to chase down Stella. Stella now has free range of the acres. Sometimes she stays out in the woods overnight, sometimes she is waiting at the garage or front door. During the day she roams around, we leave out feed and water for her. The others are stuck in the chicken yard because they are mean to Stella. 

Stella no longer lays eggs, but she deserves to live out her life without being terrorized by the flock. She's become quite tame.  She usually lays her head down on my arm and snuggles in when I pick her up.  She and Millie are learning to co-exist. 

The One Where....

...we collect air filters of all kinds, Michael finishes his victim impact statement and Allie elevates her ankle...

For more details keep reading....

Many are in a flurry preparing for the predicted eruption of Mt. Spurr. We are far enough away we don't expect a lot of trouble...but ash could happen. I guess we got 1/4 inch of ash from the last eruption of Mt Spurr in 1992. Some are predicting 1/2 an inch - soon. We know folks building ash shelters. We've taken a moderate approach. We'll stay home when the ash arrives, as I'm told roads are slippery with ash.  We ordered all the filters we need for our home (above) and cars (below). 

The top box is N95 masks if we need them for a couple of days. Our supply chain is subject to interruption up here so we always store plenty of food should trucks or planes be delayed. We have eggs, a freezer of salmon and beef. I think we're ready. 

In other news Michael finished his victim impact statement, and I mailed it off.  His was professional - and tightly written - only 3 typewritten pages. 

Allie's job involves a lot of time on her feet, running and wrestling with dogs. She was told not to go back to work until Friday...and even then, not to run. Today, she worked on school - and yes, she kept her ankle elevated.  She still has a bit of a limp but she's much, much better than she was and reports the pain and swelling are subsiding. 

Things are Happening

 Big things are happening with our youngest two girls.  These years are amazing....the senior year hits with fuzzy plans....and before you know things are falling into place and they are flying high! 

Allie is about to wing across the continent participate in the film program she's been accepted into. OK - not until fall - but it feels imminent.  Stacia has decided to finish her Bachelor of Artgs degree and then pursue a Masters in Teaching English as a Second Language. 

Of course, our thoughts and conversations visit the upcoming separations....the girls have solved the problem of missing each other. 

It just may work! They'll have to try some practice runs. Treat any large boxes coming your way from Alaska with great care. 

If this works, my friends, I may begin shipping myself all over the world. Prepare to receive shipment.