Catching Some Shut Eye

Sometimes Evelyn skips her nap and then she is exhausted by 5pm. Waiting for dinner can be just too much and a perfect time for a cat nap. In a no-nap situation she'll fall asleep in the late afternoon very quickly. All of a sudden she is snoozing, usually with her mouth open.

I posted these sleeping Ev photos for her Uncle Tom who was amused when she slept in the car on the way home from Allegany. Although THAT time I think she was snoring.

First Day of School

I usually look forward to the first day of school with great anticipation but this year I am not ready. Don't know what happened but I really wanted a few more weeks with Hannah home. But, here we are, the first day of third grade. She didn't mind us walking her to her classroom door. Although once she saw some friends she completely ignored Mom, Dad, and Evelyn. First day went well with Mr. Robertson and his class. Weather cleared by afternoon so we walked home in sunshine. No homework.....yet.

Ev's preschool starts in two weeks. A concept Ev cannot understand so she was a wee bit mad that she was not yet going to school. Poor Ev. Life can be dull with no Hannah.

Like Father like Daughter?

Hannah quietly reads a Spiderman comic a gift from her to her father for his birthday. She seemed intrigued.... all I could think of was Robin's 2500 comics stored downstairs and I wonder if she will develop the same passion for the literature. We can only wait.

I'm a Goose Watcher

I was having a hard time believing that spring is really here, I keep on waiting for another dump of snow or cold temperatures. But over 15 hours of daylight and geese at Creamers is convincing this skeptic.

We are all goose watchers in this family! We'll go back several times over the next few weeks to view the geese, snow buntings, cranes, and swans.

Evidence of Spring

Walking Hannah to school is a sure sign of spring. We live just shy of a mile from school and have no bus service. During winter when it is dark and cold I drive Hannah to Woodriver. Only in the fall or spring when temperatures are mild do we walk. This morning it was 32 F with light snow so we bundled in gear and walked. By the afternoon it will be in the 40s. It takes us about 15 to 20 minutes to walk to school. I only attempt the walk on the days I am not looking after the two extra kids. I would never get there with an extra toddler and preschooler.

The best part of walking is that I don't have to deal with traffic in the school parking lot. I also use this as a check on my imaginary list of how I am personally trying to consume less and save the environment!

Puddles

Time to jump in puddles.

Step 1: Running starts.

Step 2: Leap in the air.
3: Land with a splash.

The current second grade fashion for this type of spring weather is rain boots, snow pants, light jacket, hat, and mitts. During the peak warm part of the day ditching the jacket is allowed.
Once you get soaking wet go home, discard your soaking wet, filthy gear in the garage and take a shower.

Easter Tidings

Ev woke at 6:20am so Easter came bright and early. After following the clues to find their Easter goodies we enjoyed a special breakfast that included 'real' bacon. Hannah only likes 'real' bacon; no turkey bacon for her. After Ev's nap we viewed the newly arrived geese at Creamer's field. The first two geese arrived a few days ago.

Happy Birthday Robin!!!

Robin was away this week 'working' on a snow machine trip on the North Fork of the Fortymile River. Alas, he was absent on his birthday. He arrived home a day early, late Saturday night. The girls were surprised to see him Easter morning. Today we will celebrate Easter and his birthday. Happy 41st Birthday! Any one notice the glasses???? Yep, he needs them for computer work.

Pigs or No Pigs

Who could object to a lovely pair of PJ's with pink pigs? Ev vehemently objects. Ev has hated these PJ's since the day we got them yelling "NO PIGS NO PIGS!" whenever we suggested she wear them. Even the fact that Meg gave them too her had no effect (and Meg usually always has a beneficial influence). After a few months of the pigs laying dormant in the drawer I just thought I'd give them away to a pig appreciating preschooler.

Then one evening.....

Oh how the worm turns!

Baba is still #1

Evie's little lamb named Baba gives her great comfort. Here is the classic Evie/Baba interaction; thumb sucking and stroking the inside of Baba's soft small ear.

A sleeping Ev during a recent trip to Anchorage. Baba has a protective stance on top of her head. FYI sleep also requires pink bunny and cookie monster.

It's Good When....

You know it is a good ski lesson when most of the class decided to lay down and rest. V-stepping up those hills can be exhausting. Hannah is in the forefround in the pink and white hat. She looks comfortable.

Sledding

March is Fairbanks best kept secret; lots of snow, daylight and mild temps so we can play outside. UAF's sledding hill is close enough for a quick trip to sled and tucker out the kids.

After all, if you want to sled down you have to climb up.

Hannah is sledding with a good buddy. We have known this girl for five years and it is second nature to have her around.

Evelyn is hoping for a ride up the hill. But I don make her walk part of the way.

Yukon Quest

Hannah's class followed the Yukon Quest dog race very closely. Each child adopted a musher and tracked them from the start at Whitehorse to the finish line in Fairbanks. Hannah's musher is Becca Moore, a rookie from Willow, AK. As the race progressed Hannah kept us all up to date on the 29 mushers. As more and more mushers scratched, Robin and I started to worry; Becca was in the back of the pack and a rookie. Would she complete the race?

YES!!!!! Becca completed the race today at 10:13 am in second to last place! Out of 29 mushers 11 scratched, but not Becca; she kept on going.

Looks like her lead dog is willing to keep on going after completing a 1000 mile race.

After officially checking in Becca heads off to unhook, feed and water the dogs. She departed from the last checkpoint at 12:48 am so I am sure she is looking forward to sleeping in a bed.

Robin gets the credit of taking the picture above of Iris Wood Sutton coming into the finish line (10:41). Iris gets the red lantern.

Hannah gets a thrill by taking a picture with Colleen Robertia who completed the race in 12th place on 2/26. The mushers become minor celebrities to Hannah's class so Hannah was excited to meet one, especially "a girl". We met Colleen and her family at the finish line. That's what happens when you wait for two hours at the finish line; you meet some nice people. We actually got to the finish line at 7 am found out that no one knew when Becca was going to come in and decided to have breakfast. After eating, we waited and played in the snow for two hours. The new snow made the time go by fast for the kids since we had a sled.

Ice is Nice

A wee bit too cold for junior nordics last Sunday so Hannah, a friend and I went to the Big Dipper instead. Quite a few junior nordic kids were there ice skating during the indoor recreational ice time. Hannah and I decided we need to learn how to skate backwards so we practiced, practiced, practiced.

Playing

Ev and I try to hit the library on Fridays. She loves the legos, blocks and puzzles. Of course she enjoys storytime and the books.

Ev's favorite companion is her ratty old Baba. Here he is taking a ride on Malchick, our lovely house guest. Malchick is fitting right in and we do not want to give him back to his family.

The best toys are out of the cupboard. Her very loud drum set at 6:45 am. Time for everyone to get up out of bed.

A Good Little Helper

After eight years of growing Hannah has become a good little assistant. For the first time when 'helping' her Dad with a project she actually did help! We only have to wait 6 more years for Evelyn to be of some use.

We have removed that scary blue rug downstairs and are installing laminate in the family room and bedroom. Robin was happy cause he got to use his two favorite saws.

Furry Guest

As his family is traveling to Hawaii for two weeks we are luck to have Malchick (aka Nana) visiting. Although he is used to having three kids I think two are acceptable. He's a bit tentative about walking on the laminate floor but with encouragement he'll muster up the courage. I love his noble face.

January 17th? Really? Feels like April!

This morning at a balmy 38F (above zero) Evelyn plays in the sand box on the deck.

After 16 days of the deep freeze the temperature jumped 80 degrees in three days as a Chinook blew in from the Pacific. Yesterday evening the temperature of 52 F (ABOVE ZERO NOT BELOW) broke a record here in Fairbanks. We are warmer here then many places in the lower48 (Atlanta and Buffalo)!

Hannah's on the Team

What to do with a daughter who completed all of the swim lessons at Hamme Pool and wants to keep swimming? Swim team. Yep, she tried out and is now on the Midnight Sun Swim Team (MSST). Way to go Hannah we are proud of you!

Hannah now has swim team practice for an hour twice a week instead of swim lessons. Still at the same pool so it hasn't been a huge change. After swimming for an hour she eats and goes to bed. Mom and Dad love swim team!!!

Ev tried on the official team cap. We'll only get it back if we can catch her!

Day 13

Thanks to our daily paper, the Fairbanks Daily New Miner (http://newsminer.com), I am up-to-date on the statistics of our latest cold snap. This is day 13. On 11 of the past 13 days the temperature has hit -40 or colder. The all-time record for consecutive days with a low temperature of -40 or colder is 18 set in 1964 and again in 1971. Lately, I was starting to feel a bit more positive and less worried about freezing pipes and broken down vehicles. Felt upbeat that the ice fog is gone around midday and I can see the clear blue sky. After reading the paper, that low level anxiety is creeping back into my psyche. Grrrr.....

Hannah is dropped off at school, -40 and ice fog. As it is still dark out at 9am the camera used the flash which reflects the ice fog producing more of a white fog that is actually present.

Evelyn's Top Five Favorite Things

Ev's favorite activities:

1. Stroking her lamb's ear and sucking her thumb.

2. Doing whatever Hannah is doing.

3. Playing birthday party.

4. Playing 'don't break the ice' over and over and over.

5. Painting! I make her stop finger painting when she starts smearing paint up her arms.

Into the Light

I have a rule. I only say that it is cold out if the temperature is -40F or colder. Otherwise I just tell myself that I live in the subarctic, it is January, and what did I expect? Our house, socked in with ice fog. The sun is shining somewhere, but not in the flat lands. This is day six or seven of a cold snap. At my house the temps have varied between -35 and -45. Whatever the temp is at the Fairbanks Airport is the temperature at our house.

The bank on the corner has a fairly accurate temperature. Note how thick the ice fog is! Driving is terrible. Worse in the dark. Please note that since the temp is only -39 it is not cold, just a winter day in Fairbanks.

The girls and I drove into the light today; visiting friends who live near the end of Gilmore Trail near the top of Mt Lulu. The sky is clear and that golden orb is the sun!!! Twenty-five degrees warmer then my house. Balmy at a clear -10F.

Christmas

Three days after Hannah's birthday party and it's Christmas! Here are the girls setting out cookies for Santa. We talked to Evelyn about Santa quite a bit and were never sure how much she processed in her little head. On Christmas Eve at bed time she was sitting at the fireplace and told me "No go bed, wait for Santa". I think she knows exactly what's going on. We reminded her that Santa waits until everyone is asleep before he arrives. She toddled off to bed with no problem. We took the girls swimming on Christmas Eve to ensure they would be tired and go to bed easily.

Opening presents. Hannah's favorite was an American Girl Doll and her scooter.

Eve adores her school bus and wooden birthday cake.

The glorious mess.

Hannah received Spirograph because her Mom and Dad wanted to relive their childhood.

December Review

The holiday season was busy filled with sick kids, a birthday and Christmas of course. On December 15th our darling Hannah turned eight years old. Robin and I are amazed by her. Wasn't she just a jelly-head the other day? Now she can read and write, swim like a fish, and go on sleepovers. On her birthday morning she opened the presents from the family. She finally got to see the barbie house we have been constructing for her. Oh yes, be careful what you teach your children. We try to teach and live in an environmentally conscious way the old adage: reuse -recycle. Well, Miss Hannah decided that she needed a barbie house and that Mom should make it from recyclable materials; items found around the house. Wow. This turned into a big project.

Lots of friends and family got into the act. Dosh, who participates in a woodworking club crafted some beautiful furniture including a dining room set that makes me envious! Check out that bureau, the drawers open! Our friend Peggy made a lovely Christmas tree with presents and Hannah's friend Tjarn sewed a pillow and blanket. Meg donated a tea set and many other accoutrement's. I enjoyed constructing the house and I will never look at a box again without thinking "What can I construct from this? A couch?"




Unfortunately Hannah got a cold and a stomach virus that put her out of commission for 5 days; missing three whole days of school. This happened on the day of her scheduled birthday party. Bummer. But we rescheduled the party for December 22. Luckily all 9 girls could attend the delayed party.


The activity of the party was decorate your own gingerbread house! A good idea but the execution of this idea was very time consuming. Building a barbie house wasn't enough, now we have to construct 11 gingerbread houses. Yep, 11 gingerbread houses. A day for making the dough...oh how I love my kitchenaid mixer. Two days of cutting and baking. Two days of constructing ....I also love my glue gun. The day after I rolled out the dough my triceps were sore from the rolling.

Next year we are having the party at the pool....easier.