Alcan Day1

So our day started out at 7am getting everybody up and loading up the suburban.  I had hoped to leave at 8am, but we didn't get on the road until 9am which is still ok.  The kids and I said goodbye to Chad and off we drove.  I had my friend Leesha and my cousin Shelisa to help me on this drive, and I am extremely thankful for that because it made it possible to drive 24 hours a day that way with someone else taking care of the kids needs instead of just me!  Well we made it about 60 miles when I realized I had not packed a single diaper or wipe for Mason.....ummm, ya that was not great :)!!!  Luckily Anchorage was still in front of us and we stopped there to pick some up, and for our second potty break, ya we had a few of those along the way. I also remembered that I had not packed my purse, luckily it had just been washed so nothing important was in it, and the wii system for the kids to play at grandma's house!  Not too bad I guess when you are packing for 7+ months, but still missed them all the same.  After Anchorage we made it to a little town about an hour before Glen Allen and everyone had to go potty again.  Then at about 9pm we made it to the border crossing.   I handed the lady all our passports and she asked where my letter from the father was stating that he would allow the children to come with me across the border.  Um, ya, I don't have one of those....."well don't you know you need one because there have been so many trying to steal kids?"  No, I had no idea!!!!  "Well do you have your husband's phone # so we can reach him and hopefully get you on your way?"  Yep, but I just talked to him about an hour ago and he was in a spot where the cell phone was not working....so I guess just give the #'s a try and I will hope that you reach him!!!!  20 minutes later she came out to the car with our passports and said that she had talked to Chad and all was well.  We were on our way again.  By this time I had been driving for 12 hours and I kept driving until 10 miles from Haines Jct. and about 12am.  Leesha took over.  and drove for 2 more hours to Whitehorse, and then Shelisa drove for 30 minutes, before I took over again.  We made it to Watson Lake at 6am!!  Some of it was slow driving, and really hard because in new construction sites where the road had been repaved they had not added the lines yet and when you passed someone coming the opposite direction the road just disappeared!!!  Lots of people would not turn off their brights which also made for really difficult driving.  And that is the end of day 1!

Mason saying goodbye

Leesha getting ready to sit for a while!

The girls all settled in their seats for the long ride

at turnagain pass

Right before Matenuska glacier

Photo's courtesy of Leesha Keener....mine are still on the camera and my kiddo have it in Wyoming right now!

Homer

On Saturday I took my cousin to see Homer because she has never been to AK before and I thought it fitting that she get to see a little before we left on our "big trip"!!  We had planned on heading down there Thursday, but plans had to be changed and it was pouring rain all day anyway.  On Saturday it was cloudy, but no rain and by the end of the time it was very warm and sunny down there.  I took her to a place called Maura's for lunch, which is an organic restraunt that has great gormet sandwiches and salads and soups!  Then we went to the Better Sweater Store, and strolled along the spit.  We played in the ocean, and then we went to Wild Berry Products, before starting for home. 

Things over the last 10 days

Emma and Madison washing dishes together :)

Heidi and her bug bite which was this puffy for 2 1/2 days!  Poor thing :(

Our trip to Homer with our friends from OR, on 8/7/10, and we had a great time, but it rained on us all day....surpise surprise! :)  I only got a few pictures but I thought they were cute.

These next few were of our drive to Anchorage to pick up my cousin.  She is spending the week with us and then is helping me drive with the kids down to MT on the 18th.  I just love our little Alaskan pine trees. Aren't they adorable? Haha

The next day, we actually had a big tea party for my friends, last one from my house for the year, and then we headed to a friends house for hot dogs....in the rain :)  We had a great time though as you can see in the pics!!

This was of my last swim of the year in our lake at camp it was a tad bit cold, but I find that I am adjusting to that pretty well.  On the way back up to the house, I took these pictures of all the little greenery that we grow around here.  I thought it turned out pretty well and makes you wonder what little creatures might be lurking about!  God's creation is so amazing!!!

Russian River Falls Trail-Mountain Bike Ride 7/25/10

On Sunday, some of my triathlon training friends and I went up to Russian River Falls Trail to do a 27 mile loop on our mountain bikes.  However the wind and the rain that were pounding the car on the way up deterred us from doing the whole bike, so we did part of it.  We went to Russian river falls, and then up the trail a few more miles before we turned around due to the tall grass, almost zero trail visibility, and the while the rain was not falling it had been there and made the grass all wet which in turn made us all wet because we were brushing up against it!  What a great experience though!!!  I would never have tried mountain biking on a trail like that if it were not for the group I was with, and that is why I like it so much.  They push me to do things that I might not ever do otherwise.  (first 5 photos courtesy of Tony Oliver, because I stupidly left my camera in the car!)

Janette and Gretchen

Regina, Me, Lizzie, Alice, and Cassie

Angie, Gretchen, Scott, Regina, Me, and Lizzie...and part of Janette on the left :)

Headed back down

A bear has left his mark on this tree!

Cassie, Angie (our fearless leader), and Tony

                                       Russian River overflow parking lot looking up at the mountian :)