Hunter & Haley seem to be really liking school. The new schedule is a little tough especially for Hunter who has football going on. He gets off the bus at 4:05 but it has been running 20 minutes late this week, has to leave our house around 5 and doesn’t get home until around 8:30.  Thankfully his teacher doesn’t believe in giving out homework.  He will only ever get homework if he doesn’t finish his work he is doing in school.  Makes total sense to me and I think that is how it should be for a 5th grader!   He is supposed to do reading at home but that is no biggie or nothing new. 

Haley seems to really love school.  She was upset yesterday with the bus since she is not allowed to sit with the older kids.  Like 4th & 5thgraders are that much older!  Ridiculous to me!!  The neighbor girl who plays with Haley is in 4th grade so it really upset her.  But today she seemed to be okay. 

For me…I am seriously missing having all my kids with me.  It seems so weird.  But I think it will be a good experience for everyone.  We’ll see.  I don’t like having our schedule around the school schedule but that is just how it is and we’ll adapt I’m sure.  Today we had a 5.0 earthquake and made be worry about Hunter & Haley not being with me and all the what ifs that pop up for an emergency….

Tanner hasn’t had his sign ups for classes at the charter school yet but we did get a chance to plan out some things for homeschooling this year.  Since he is 90% sure he is going to high school we are going to work on some things at home extra hard so he will adapt to school next year smoothly.    Today he started up with prealgebra, spelling, reading, grammar & math drills.  We decided on the K12 Earth Science Curriculum and American History for his social studies and just need to order it now.   For writing he is going to use an online program through the charter school and will also take a writing course.   It should keep us both busy.   

Garden keeps producing and I almost want a frost just to be done.   I hate to say this but I am ready for fall & winter.  Ready for cozy, dark nights in front of the fire.  Ready for things to slow down once again.   But…as long as the garden is producing I will keep harvesting, preserving and making things.  On that note I am off to make some salsa!  Promised the boys I’d make some for when they get home from football practice tonight.  I better get moving!

Not very good at keeping up with this blog…..

It’s a rainy icky day.  Woke up with a sore throat and a stuffy nose and feel awful.  Boys have football games today.  Tanner’s team played this morning but Haley & I stayed home since Tanner wouldn’t be playing at all today.  He broke his elbow last month, just got the cast off and has the okay to officially play on the 17th.  2 days!  Hunter plays at 5pm & we’ll be leaving soon for that.   His team lost last week so we’re really hoping they win tonight!!   

Jeremy is again coaching Hunter’s team and he is super busy with work & coaching.  It takes up a huge chunk of his time.  He loves it but hates that it makes him miss out on hunting & fishing…other things he loves.   Too bad it all has to be at the same time every year.  But that is just how it is!

Some big changes going on for us…on Monday Haley & Hunter are going to school.  They are super excited and I think it will be a great experience for them.    Tanner will stay homeschooled and take some classes at the charter school and possibly next year try high school.  Nothing is set in stone…we’ll just see how it all goes. 

So everyone seems to think I will have all this free time with 2 going to school.  I hope I do…but I will still have a lot of the same running I do.  Haley & Hunter will be doing music lessons after school, there will be Tanner’s things and football.  There will be less homeschooling since there will only be one…but I’ll be doing things with Tanner every day.  Hoping he learns and discovers new things this year and has fun every day.  I would love to dive into some projects at home like organizing & cleaning out closets & cupboards.  Doing some fun things to the kids’ rooms and hanging up some new pictures.    Starting some fun art projects, taking some classes, going to yoga, working out & being involved in the business are all on my agenda.   First I’ll have to adjust to this new schedule,  get the garden harvested and finished up and then see where to go from there….

June happenings…

Just a quick little update…we have had some gorgeous weather and so I have been spending as much time outside as I possibly can.  Garden is pretty much in…we have some room for a squash plant and will put the dill out soon.  Other than that everything is in and growing.  Jeremy hooked up an automatic watering system that is very cool.  Most of the garden is hooked up to it and Jeremy will finish the rest soon.

Right now the boys and Jeremy are on a 6 day canoe trip.  I got a satelite e-mail that the scouts are doing fine.  They will be in serious bear territory.  In fact the drop off spot that I took them to has quite a few brown bears. (grizzlies)  I worry but then not worry.  They are in a big group (lots of loud boys)  and most of the adults have guns with.   They hope to do some King fishing but new rules have been in place on only certain days to fish…so they can fish but it is catch and release.  Still it should be fun.  We are having perfect weather and they should be having the time fo their lives.

 

This is Hunter at the drop off spot…he had to fish right away and caught a Grayling on his first cast!

 

Haley turned 8  May 31st.  We had a small family party that day and then  a few nights ago she had a slumber party.  She was actually pretty sick on her birthday.  A few days before she had a horrible cough and high fever.  I brought her into the Dr. thinking it was bronchitis or pneumonia and turned out to be a kidney infection.  She is better now and off her antibiotics…but still can’t help not to worry…it’s her kidneys after all!

 

Kylie’s birthday was the day before and my Dad brought her & Jazzy out to do cake & icecream.  They hadn’t been together for quite sometime.  Both have grown so much!

 

 

 

We have several pictures over the years of the kids stair stepped down in age…. Took this on Kylie’s birthday.  Tanner 13, Kylie 12, Hunter 10 1/2, Jazmyne 9 and Haley 8.  In just a few years we will have 3 teenagers!  Yikes!

In other news…we are going to Minnesota in July.  Hunter helped me make the decision.  He was okay with  missing the end of baseball.  The kids and I leave on  the 10th and Jeremy will come down a week later.   Hunter could have gone a week later with Jeremy but he decided to come with us and have fun in MN.     Can’t wait to get back and see my mom, sister, Jeremy’s sister, nieces and nephews….sounds like Jeremy might have some Aunts, Uncles and cousins driving up to Laura’s.  It’s going to be hectic!  But fun!

I’m baa-ack!

Man!  Has it really been since January that I blogged?  It’s been so long I didn’t remember my password to get into my own blog.  Now that is long!

I obviously won’t go into the details of the last 4 or so months that would take a new blog in itself.  So I’ll just do a little update of the recent things going on for us!

We officially finished up with homeschooling last week but really haven’t been doing anything too structured for awhile.  The weather has been nice, things have come up and we have just been busy with life.  Kids are always doing interesting things and learning though.  Haley right now has started an archaeological dig in the yard and has been working on that everyday.  It is so cute!  She goes out to her hole  dig and chips away at the dirt with her little tools.  She collects interesting rocks   specimens in her little bag.  She uses a brush and a magnifying glass and is very scientific & professional.

The boys have been busy with Scouts.  They have gone on campouts,  hikes, community service events and most recently a fun Turkey Shoot.  In a few weeks they are going on a 6 day canoe trip.  Jeremy will be leading that trip.  So it will be just Haley and me all alone….whatever shall we do???  Whatever shall we not do??? 

Hunter started up with baseball again and unfortunately his last few weeks of baseball & playoffs are when we were planning to go back to MN for my 20th highschool reunion.  We haven’t made reservations yet but I am having a hard time with this decision of making him miss baseball.  He is having a fantastic season so far.  5 homeruns in the last 3 games.  He wants to try out for All Stars and if we go back when we do he won’t be able to.  He also wants to go to Minnesota.  Sooooooo what to do???  I am seriously thinking of missing my reunion and going a few weeks earlier.  We could go over the 4th of July when he has less games going on…get back for the last few games, playoffs and All Star tryouts.   It’d be cool to be gone over the 4th and actually be somewhere warm & dark for the fireworks!  The kids have only seen fireworks when it’s dark in the winter.  It’s really not the same to be bundled up from head to toe watching fireworks compared to sprawled out on a beach blanket…..so decisions, decisions to make.  I need to make them fast too because other people are making their plans based on us! 

This weekend we hope to get the garden in….we should hopefully not be getting anymore frosts.  The forecast is rain but so far today it is nice and sunny!  We have had a fantastic May.   More nice days this month than what we had combined for last summer.   Loving this great weather….and on that note I better catch it while I can.

One more down day

And then we are off and running for the week!  Haley has a workshop every morning this week, the kids regular sessions at the charter school, music lessons, scouts and swimming!!!

I managed to get into town on Friday with our icy back roads and all.  As soon as I hit the main road it was clear of snow and ice.  About a mile of road and our drive was pretty scary.  It wasn’t sanded and it was just solid ice.  After getting home I decided I wouldn’t leave again unless absolutely necessary.  If I slid off the road a mile from home I could walk home no problems.  Or in reality skate.  But I just didn’t think it was worth to go anywhere else yesterday.

Haley & Hunter had planned for friends to spend the night on Friday.   A brother/sister similar ages so it usually works out perfect.  I called the mom and warned her of our icy road and let her make her own decision if she wanted to drive the kids over or not.  She braved it and dropped the kids off and then on Saturday she came with her husband driving to pick the kids up.  But she did say the road was much better & sanded except of course for our short side road and our drive. 

The boys and I have done a little sanding by pulling sled loads of gravel and throwing it on the drive but it takes a lot of sled loads.  It has gotten a little better by just doing that.   In the past we have used the 4 wheeler with a trailer behind it and got it done very quickly.  However the 4 wheeler has a flat and the air compressor isn’t working.  Go figure.  I have thought Jeremy will be home to use the tractor and take care of the drive but he continues to work late every single night.  He didn’t get home until after 10 last night and left again this morning at 7:3o it will be another very long day for him.   He is hoping he can have a day off on Wednesday which would mean finally a day off after 18 days. 

Spending time at home I have done lots of baking.  I am mastering the art of baking bread I think.   I successfully made hoagie rolls on Friday and they are already gone.  I thought Jeremy might appreciate really good sandwiches on his long busy days.  I bought tons of sandwich fixins and I was going to buy these hoagie rolls and they just didn’t look that fresh or great.  Also they were kind of spendy for not looking that great and our grocery bill gets outrageos these days.    I thought I would just try to make my own hoagies and if they flopped…..well….there’s always bread.   I used the same recipe for my french bread and I divided it into 6 sections and made my rolls, let them rise, baked for 15 minutes and they turned out fantastic!

Our weather has been incredible!  Just warm and Spring like!  Yesterday we were all outside taking in the sunshine and 45 degree temps!  So nice!!!!!  Last night it was clear, the stars were out and it was WARM.  Very unusual for a clear, warm night in January.  I was  really wishing Jeremy and the boys were home so we could make a fire outside.    The boys got home just before Jeremy last night cause they went with friends to a hockey games.  A fire seemed like too much work for Haley & me.  So we watched a movie and made chocolate chip cookies instead.

Today there will be football playoffs and later a new episode of 24!  🙂  Dad might stop out if he is feeling good.  He said he had flu-ish symptoms yesterday so we’ll see for him.  Nicki and the boys might stop out too but they are all sick with colds and coughs.  We’re completely healthy here and I don’t want any of it! 

 I am going to make some homemade pizzas later.  Another thing I am mastering I think.  We started making the crust in our cast iron skillets and it makes the BEST pizza!  I pre-bake the crust a little bit and then add the toppings and bake again.  Tanner loves a thick crust so he has been very happy.  The fajita skillet pans work great for a thinner crust for me!    Making pizzas is something that takes time but is fun to do if everyone is just chillin’ and hanging out in the kitchen. 

So there is what’s been going on!  Later!  🙂

 

 

January Thaw

I can hardly believe it is almost 50 degrees this morning.  We can see patches of grass in January!  How crazy is that???

Well the roads are much better but our drive however is completely icy.    It’s a huge sheet of ice with a few patch of gravel poking through.  Jeremy didn’t get home till after 10 last night and hasn’t had time to take care of anything else than work these days.  He’s pretty wiped out.  The boys are going to throw some sand and gravel out on it so I can venture into town and stock up again.  We ran out of coffee this morning…and thought we had a back up bag of coffee beans in the pantry only to find to my horror *gasp* DECAF!  So I have no choice but to brave our icy drive and go in town.  It’ll be good for me I know.

Yesterday I actually had a very productive day. I did wear my comfy pajama pants all day but I also did not lay around and read, watch tv or nap.  I had a burst of energy and cleaned bathrooms, vacuumed,  changed sheets, made banana bread and rocked out with the kids on Rock Band.  They unlocked a bunch of very cool songs and we had to try them all out!   Classics from The Who, Steve Miller Band, Kansas, Journey, ACDC & Bon Jovi!    It’s hard for me to even put ACDC or Bon Jovi in the “classic” category but the kids date me and remind me constantly that some of my favorite songs that I love are 20…30…+  years old.  

Besides rocking out & doing things around the house we also had a pretty productive day homeschooling.  Kids did lots of things on their own but we also did a few science experiments.  We learned about Newton’s 1st law of motion.    We used the ice outside for sliding and learned the principle an object in motion stays in motion.   We also did a few experiments inside with pennies and eggs for the principle of an object at rest tends to stay at rest.  Out of the 4 of us we only broke one egg!    Not too bad when 1/2 the time I break a few eggs just bringing them home from the store!!

Day 2 Homebound

Today all activities cancelled again.  Schools in the valley closed for another day.   What a relief for me!  I absolutely hate driving on icy roads.  If activities weren’t cancelled…I would have cancelled them anyway.  

Our driveway looks like an ice rink.  The kids have loved sliding around on it and playing in the warm winds.  It’s hard to believe just a week ago it was 70 degrees colder.   

Jeremy has been having to work late almost every night and has been coming home around 9 or 10 pm.  He hasn’t had a day off since January 3rd.  

Kids and I have been playing lots of  Mancala, Scrabble and Rock Band.   Today I think we will be wild and try a new game.

I have been doing lots and lots of baking.  Last night I successfully made a loaf of french bread.  I made the dough in the bread machine and then baked it in the oven and it was to die for!  Especially since I also turned it into toasted garlic bread.   I called it my “Homemade Homemade Garlic Bread” since usually my homemade garlic bread is from french bread bought at the store.    It could have been a meal in itself but I decided to make a pan of lasagna with it.    I tried whole wheat lasagna noodles for the first time and they rock!   Yum…I know what I am having for lunch in a little bit!

I don’t feel too inspired to get much done around the house.  I have plenty of time but not the oomph to do anything.  Is it wrong to be wearing fleece pajama pants for 2 days straight?  (I HAVE showered though!)  

What I really feel  like doing is curling up with a book and reading for a few hours , then taking a nap and then watching TV.  Repeat.  I feel like being completely and utterly lazy.   Which never happens for me….I am thinking of taking advantage of this urge and going with it!

This winter is really getting to me.

Staying Home

We’ve had a huge swing in weather.  Last week the bitter cold and today temperatures near 40 and rain.    The roads are very icy and schools are closed today.  Which most wouldn’t think it would effect us since we homeschool but it does.  The boys classes at the charter school are cancelled and so is swimming.  I am relieved to have a day at home but the kids are very disappointed.    

Jeremy had no choice on working today.  Even with icy roads there is still work to be done.  He is taking care of a few homes that were flooded from frozen pipes breaking and they have to be dried out and monitored.     

As I write this at 9 am it is still dark.  I can hear the wind rustling outside and  the forecast predicts possibly 60 mph winds for the next few days.  Hopefully we won’t lose power…..but  if we do it’ll be a great day to curl up with a book and play games with the kids.

Cold Lingers On

And on…and on…

Another morning to wake up to -20 temps.  The forecast said it was to warm up today or tomorrow.  Hoping they are right.   The cold is getting very old. 

It changes everything.    We want to stay in.  We don’t want to go anywhere because that means getting out of the car to walk in somewhere.  You figure out ways to get by and just make do… and don’t do anything unless you feel like you have to.

I’m thankful we have had just temps of -20 or -30.  Other places within 10 miles of us have had temps staying in the -30’s and -40’s range.    Record low temps have hit other places of the state. -64 in Chicken and  -78 near Tok.  That is seriously cold!!!

Vehicles break down in the cold and there are more problems for people.  The repair shops and auto parts stores can’t keep up and are out of stock of many needed items.  

Homes are harder to heat and we have seen some sad stories on the news of people dying in house fires.  One story most recently was a trailer house fire with 2 boys in it that were similar ages to my boys.  The oldest is in critical condition and the youngest sadly didn’t make it.    A reminder for us which made us review with the kids what we do in a fire emergency.

Trucks shipping produce and groceries broke down in Tok and in Canada.  The produce shelves had a huge percentage empty when I went grocery shopping last weekend.   I was planning on making a big salad and there was not one tomato.  Not one head of lettuce or bag of lettuce.  Some of the shelves were completely out of things as well.  It was a reminder how dependent Alaska is on the Lower 48 for shipping groceries.  Many old timers here recall times when you had to be prepared more when living in Alaska.  It really hasn’t been that long ago since Alaska was a time of no Cost-cos, Wal-marts and Targets.  The state is only 50 years old.   When we moved to Alaska almost 15 years there wasn’t even a Wal-mart in Wasilla.  The main road we drive on to get to our house was a narrow dirt road. 

Times have changed but somethings haven’t.  The way we still get goods to Alaska is still very much the same.  If there was some major catastrophe in the Lower 48 all shipping to us would most likely cease.  It is a little bit scary but also something to think about and to prepare for.  I already have plenty of staples in my pantry but I am going to set up some emergency Rubbermaid containers full of flour, sugar, yeast, powdered milk, pasta, rice, dried beans & canned goods.    Being prepared will bring a peace of mind….just in case….

Bullwinkle in our front yard just a few days ago.

I got this picture out of our bedroom window with my camera on a tripod.