In Step at Reflections Lake

Gather Women Ministry is breaking from corporate Bible Studies this summer. I'm sure several, like me, are enjoying the time to branch out on our own. I'm working through Psalms.  Instead of meeting weekly for study, we have a few active small groups. In Step - is a walking club/group...today was our first walk.  It was SO much fun, I wish we were doing them every other week, or weekly. 😊 The weather was perfect! High 70's, blue skies.  Stacia complained it was TOO HOT! She's going to have to turn in her "Texas born" card.

Reflections Lake

Our first walk was the loop around Reflections Lake.  We had 7 adult women, and their children. Here's a photo of 6 of the ladies (Nani caught up with us), and all the children except Harper. Harper was a great sport and took the photo for us. We have another one she is in which Arielle took.

Arielle, SiaKayle, Lindsey, Me, Stacia, Jen  and tribes
Photo by Harper

I was happy Arielle and Benny joined us. Arielle is part of  a Valley Walking Moms Group - or some such name - but she and Benny are usually up for an adventure and were happy to come along. We worked to tire Benny out so Arielle could come home and get school done. A well-executed plan.

This girl will finish her bachelor degree by August. 

 Daisy is our youngest walker. 

SiaKayle and Daisy

Yes, I'm still a baby snatcher

Arielle, Benny and Stacia looped us. That's what power walking will get you. They met up with Nani and caught up with us. 

Stacia, Nani, Arielle

After we navigated the loop, we found a grassy spot with a beach for a picnic. We had the area to ourselves. The girls had been asking me about perfect skipping rocks....and here they are showing Benny how to skip rocks....he didn't quite get the hang of it...but had a blast with the girls.

Arielle, Benny, Sidney, Harper, Penelope

Lunch time! 

Lindsey, Caleb, Jen, Josiah, Nani

It was only a matter of time until they got in the water. I realized anew, when my "mommy radar" went off , how happy I am to be in an Alaskan lake  - without snakes. 

Pen and Benny

Matching salads.😏

Photo by Lindsey 

A picture of Lindsey and me. Lindsey is our sweet pastor's wife. 

Photo by Lindsey

This was a great time of fellowship...moving naturally in nature, building community, de-stressing....connecting....cultivating authentic relationships. Our next walk isn't until July 9th...but Nani and I are going to go out next week and scout the best part of the trail for the group to walk.....

We ended the night with Farkle. Arielle, the interloper, showed up at the table.😉 Benny took a few photos....this one actually has body parts it is proper to publish. 

Three games were played....that stinker, Arielle, won one, 😛 then Alex and Michael. I think Stacia and I are due! 😀 Or maybe Stacia has one and it's me that is due. 😅

Chicks - 2019

The chicks are two months old.

Lori 1 or Lori 2 

Michael has sprung them from their brooder, and they have the run of the yard. They only have to watch out for Lucille. She isn't taking kindly to them. 

Road Runner - or Houdini

Phoenix - hoping he grows well and can shape up the mean girls 

Outside Projects

I wonder how often we will have to mow this lawn....Nolan walked in just about the time Alex, Stacia and I were starting. He joined us....it took a few hours with all of us working on it...but we got it "done." Or as done as we are going to get it. 

Stacia wields a mean weed whacker

Alex is the king of the riding mower....I take the push. Nolan spelled me on it. 

Stacia and I wanted some flowers. We don't have any flower beds...and there are so many projects

ahead of THAT project that we probably won't have any beds this year. We have a couple of hooks - but the hanging baskets we like are about $50 and not in our budget. We bought some flowers and stuff and ended up making our two hanging baskets....AND filled a couple of planters for the side of the house and one for the deck for 1/2 what we would have spent on 2 baskets. Flowers, garden starts - are EXPENSIVE up here. I started seedlings for the garden, but will have to do the same for some flowers next year.

Sunday Sweets

I found something sweeter than enjoying a parade with the grands....sitting in church with my grand kids and father there as well. We weren't all on the same pew - Dad wanted to sit behind Michael and I. He said he wanted to make sure we behaved. 😉 That was a blast from the past. 

Today is BreAnne's birthday. She and Izaak brought Bella and Gideon over for us to watch so they could go on a date. They went to lunch and a movie. 

Josiah and Jamin were here when we got home. Arielle and I made Cory's famous Salmon recipe. It's yummy - but something we don't do often as it has brown sugar, butter and mayo in it. 

While we fixed salmon, Bella and Stacia made a yummy peanut butter bar for those who wanted dessert. 

Fun times around the table....

Gideon likes Uncle Jamin's hat  - Photo by Stacia

Jamin, Gideon, Josiah, Michael, Dad, Arielle - Photo by Stacia

When they won't pass the food - a guy does what he needs to do.
Photo by Stacia. 

SWEET.  Photo by Stacia.

 Benny opened the wood stove for the first time and was surprised....

He wasn't happy to have his exploration cut short. 

Play it! 

 The guys settled on a boccie game. Arielle and I tried to keep the kids safe on the trampoline. Stacia is the photographer today -thanks, Sweetie.

Photo by Stacia. 

Photo by Stacia. 

Picking flowers for Auntie yay - A. 

Photo by Stacia. 

Benny was SURE he should be with the guys. 

Bella was impressed with the greenhouse. 

The guys headed back to Eagle River. Cory and Arielle are studying. BreZaak went home. We finished the night with another game of Farkle. G Dog was trash talking - but Alex won both games!

G Dog's 2019 Summer Visit

After the parade, while the guys fished, Stacia, Nolan and I drove into Anchorage to pick up DAD!

Stacia and Dad 

Dad visited last summer for 2 weeks. There is something "right" about having him with us....and two weeks just wasn't long enough. Dad is the only grandparent our children have left and we love any time we can spend with him. He called recently and asked about coming up  this summer. Will (my brother) agreed a summer visit sounded great. The doctors were all on board for 3 months - and here he is!

We ran by Lowes on the way home. Dad experienced culture shock at the prices of hanging baskets. Stacia and I picked out some petunias and baskets to make our own. They won't be nearly as pretty - but the price fits our budget better than $40-50 a basket.

A stop for dinner ended our Anchorage adventures.  

We  wondered how Benny would react to Dad. He did great. He ran upstairs to visit. I told him this was "G G" (Great Grandpa).  He said GG...but within minutes had christened Dad with a Benny name...G Dog. ::snort:: Stacia is yay - a. Michael is Papa. I'm whatever he decides on any given day. LOL Arielle has moved from "My mama" to mama. 

After Benny was in bed and the fish were cleaned - we settled in for the first game of Farkle with G Dog.  G Dog handily beat us all. Sweet times. I always miss Mom and Lorri when we play - but this time I wasn't missing Dad! 

Dad, Nolan, Michael 

OUR FIRST REDS OF THE YEAR!

Michael and Alex joined Josiah in Seward today.  We've all been itching to get to Seward, to fish, to play. Michael being laid up threw plans off by 2 weeks.  He was feeling good enough to give it a try. 

Photo by Josiah

The men won the responsibility of hosting Mr. Gingerbread man again this year. He was starting to despair of ever getting out of our living room. Today - he went fishing in Seward!

Michael and Alex both limited. Our first REDS of the year! Yay! Fresh caught, wild Alaskan Reds for Sunday Dinner tomorrow.

Photo by Josiah

Michael's back was ready to be pampered. Alex took care of filleting the salmon. 

Ewww......

Another first - Josiah flooded his waders. ::snort:: 

Photo by Josiah

Colony Day Parade 2019

Bre invited us to meet them at the Colony Day Parade today. I couldn't sleep last night. I missed getting to sleep when the sun went down... and then the sun came up.....I thought I'd catch a bit of sleep and then clean the house well before Dad arrived. We decided not to go.  BUT....Arielle wanted us to go with her and Benny...and it's always hard to take a baby into a big crowd alone....I decided Dad wouldn't care if the house was family clean instead of company clean. We went to make memories. 

Annie's First Parade

Izaak, Bella, Arielle, Benny, Stacia
Back - Annie, Bre, Gideon 

Arielle staked out the perfect spot.  It was a great spot - at the start of the parade with "easy getaway" in mind. It was also rather away from the majority of the crowd as the parade got ready to begin. I commented, "Oh - this is the spot for the anti-social parade goer." We laughed. 

Note Benny's expression - he's impressed! 

We hadn't been on our corner long before I spotted Al, a friend from church. Elaine, his mom, is the friend I had tea with on Friday.  I rectified my deplorable failure to take photos this week with friends. I also called them to come watch the parade with us. Arielle joked that I'd build a crowd before too long....and as late comers joined us our corner did become quite full.

Al, Elaine, Me

 This was Benny's favorite

The family Arielle works for drove/rode on this float.

People kept putting candy in his stroller...Arielle kept snagging it....

The first Lynden Tractor Trailer to be driven to Alaska in 1954.  

Cousins

::snort:: He managed to unwrap and insert lollipop without Mom catching him. 

The end of our parade. 

Is there anything more sweetly innocent than a founders parade in a small town on a sunny day? Three generations enjoying it together! Great memories!  I am glad Bre and Arielle instigated this break in the schedule. LOL