Picturesque Rest Stop

Mt. llmiamna
One of Alaska's 80 or so Volcanoes.

Alaska is home to 8% of the worlds Volcanoes.

Mt. Redoubt, that we passed just moments before, erupted just last year and sent Alaskan's clearing the shelves of breathing masks, goggles, air purifiers, duct tape, and window film. The eruption was well announced and though potentially very dangerous, only left Eagle River with the tiniest of Ash Dustings

The boys are smiling because they are out of the car. I am smiling because I get a moment without Scripture Scouts

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Mudge stretching his legs. This picture documents some of his first steps in his new shoes.

South Rolly Lake

August 30-31st
Camping at South Rolly Lake
with the Speaks Family

Coming of Age

Dressed an hour early. Asking a million questions. Examining every detail of his uniform.

Sweaty from running around. Counting all of his friends. Asking when he can go back. Our little Wolf is in Heaven.

Hy's Happy Day

Hy officially started Kindergarten on Tuesday. He was beyond excited and had been counting down since last week, "Monday Corbin (his best friend was coming over), Tuesday Kindergarten" and then he'd squeal with delight. He has Mrs. Jordan, the reading specialist, which makes ME really excited since he is such a reader.

I had plans his first day of school, and arrived home at the same time as the boys. I found Christian half way up the cul-de-sac and immediately knew what happened. Sam crying on the couch, confirmed it. Hyrum had been "forgotten." A short second later the school secretary called. I answered, "Yup, we've realized our mistake. Christian is on his way up." In all of the confusion and crowds of the afternoon, Sam couldn't find Hy and headed home without him. I don't think he'll ever forget him again.

This of course doesn't rival my brother Greg's 1st day of kindergarten story. . . as a suave and fairly debonair five-year-old, he decided on his 1st day of school to walk a girl, a just met classmate, home from kindergarten. It as a sweet gesture, that unfortunately took him the opposite direction of our home, and nearly gave my mother heart failure.

Hy

Hands down, Hyrum has the longest hair in the family. Every morning when we are putting in the gel, we give him a mohawk. He loves it for about thrity seconds and then insists and making it "handsome."
Rock on little buddy.

Summer Fun

The past several days have been Alaska Perfect. Sunshine. Blue Skies. Perfect weather all day long to play, and play, and play some more. Evenings here are often my favorite time of day. We do our after dinner chores and then spend the rest of the evening playing outside in the circle. Tonight we played around the world. Hyrum, Christian, and Sam were having races down the street and all three giggling. Mudge just waddles around the circle, so happy he can walk.

I'll Tell You What I Want, What I Really Want

I didn't take this picture. Sam or Hyrum did. It was among several of the pantry, the deck, and some toys. I can't decide if this is Tal's give-me-face or his stop-touching-me-Warner-face.

Bruce & Denise

Earlier this week my sister Denise and her husband Bruce were out crusing around Alaska. Lucky for us, their cruise brought them to Anchorage. We were able to work a drop off at Girdwood where we picked them up and drove to Aleyska for the infamous Winner Creek Gorge hike. This was the kids third trip here this summer, and my first (I haven't actively entertained our company this summer, until this adventure). I was a little worried about the boys, and with the exception of Hryum telling us his feet hurt within the first 100 steps, they did great. When we had almost completed the 5 mile hike Hyrum stopped me and said, "Mom, I know what is wrong with my feet. They are tired."

I had a BLAST being with Denise and Bruce. I was grateful that they enjoyed the hike and kept oohing and aahing over the scenery. Since I doubt we'll ever be the cruising type, I was thrilled to hear Denise say that this was one of the most beautiful parts of her week.

Talmage's first time to Winner Creek Gorge. He loved it. Can you tell how sopping wet Eric is? It poured the entire time, but was too hot for our rain jackets. I was so grateful that Eric decided to take off half a day of work to be with us. We didn't get home until really late and had just enough time to drop the boys off, show the Gwilliams our house, and then fight the crowds for dinner at 10 o'clock at night.

Me and my boys going across the hand tram.

Mobile Mudge

This is Mudge's desired mode of transportation.

Saturday Snapshot

A typical Saturday, or Summer day, afternoon.

Our friends the Thurstons gave us a basketball standard that we put on the of our driveway facing the cul-de-sac. The boys have LOVED shooting hoops. At least a couple times a week we play speed as a family. Makayla next door and Michael up the street usually join us. It is so much fun to play this together.

Hyrum, with his socks pulled as high as they can go, loves to whirl around the circle on his scooter.

Warner is all about the push toys. He loves to cruise all around the driveway.

Mudge

This one has a sparkly soul.

Reindeer Hot Dogs

Posting this for my sister-in-law Jess. See they really do have reindeer Hot Dogs.

Merry with the Marylanders

We were thrilled to have Eric's brother Bryan and his son Isaac come and visit us in the Last Frontier. What a joy it was to reconnect with them. We loved sitting around the dinner table and intently listening to a well crafted and always hilarious Uncle Bryan story (he's got Grandpa Bacon's talent at weaving a very entertaining, and almost always exaggerated, tale). I was super sick that whole week and happily let Eric and our biggest three go off adventuring without me.

Everyone on the Winner Creek Gorge Trail

Aleyska Hotel

Traditional post-hike Slurpees (orange creme is by far the best flavor!)

Matanuska Glacier. . . they didn't need ice picks, they had Isaac's "girly" fingernails.

Camp Carlquist

Hands down this is my boys favorite week of the summer. They love the BB guns, the archery, the dodgeball, the hikes, the kickball, the capture the flag, the canoeing, the bird house making, the whittling, the sugar shack, and all the silly cheers and skits. Christian and Tanner were sad that this was their last year while Sam was super excited that he has at least two more summers to be a cub scout day camper. Here in Alaska day camp is FOUR days from 9 to 5. Seeing some of the haggard over-night parents/chaperones, I am grateful for church policy that discourages the boys from campouts. This was the first year that I was a daytime Chaperone. I loved being with my boys and seeing first hand all the fun that they were having.

Warner Wobbles

I'm not sure that this kids equilibrium is fully developed--and the evidence of that ALWAYS seems to be all over his face. While exploring Hatcher's Pass we walked over dirt trails, and rocks, and bridges, and logs. . .but it wasn't until we were on the perfectly smooth paved trail that he tripped and fell flat on his face.

Sam's Big Day

Sam was baptized on Saturday, July 31st. He was so excited and just grinned from ear to ear.

Sam's really grown up in the last year. He's always had the "cuz-of-you" syndrome, but has really seemed to matured and taken ownership over his behavior. It is really nice to see him making thoughtful choices. These changes have really made parenting him so much easier.