Thing 1 is a junior this year and we decided to try something a little different for her Language Arts. Instead of some boring composition program she wanted to try blogging. This way she gets to do a lot of composing and writing practice.
Plus she shares her creativity in art and her budding culinary skills. Go over and check in on her at Sketchbooks & Dandelion Jam.
#alaskalife
#homeschooling
Last few days of moose season. Tried out my moose calling skills, not so sure about this!
But the scenery sure is lovely with these fall colors.
#aklife
Since I never made that follow up post about their visit, I thought I’d share a few highlights.
I love moose.
They are so goofy looking.
Such majestic large creatures.
They taste great too!
In trying to perfect my moose calling skills for hunting season, I’ve been watching YouTube how to videos. Then I stumbled across this, The Best Moose Documentary Ever!
It really is!
It’s about a Russian moose farm and is quite thorough in moose life cycles, habits, behavior and full of tons of cute little baby moosies.
Watch it some evening!
#alaskalife
#lovealaska
#moose
Last October we began the process of buying the house we’ve been living in since 2014. It was an exhausting task to be sure. We had some things to do to satisfy the lender but we finally closed in late January 2020.
After signing our life away, we began the process of renovating to suit our large family and our lifestyle.
In no particular order…
We had our driveway regraded as it was super steep and on icy winter days our vehicles would slide right down to the bottom of our property.
We took out the large front window to create a main entry.
Girl’s room, they picked the color and scheme.
The main bath was a blank slate.
Framing the front entry hall/master bedroom wall.
Jake grading the driveway.
Dean moving the improperly installed gasline in the kitchen ceiling. There was a lot of this sort of thing. Major frustrations.
More wall framing.
We took out the side entry door and put in a window.
Added a front window, and my new bedroom will be bright and cheerful!
Flooring going down in the girl’s new room.
My new front door.
Painting prep in the girl’s room.
The inside view of my new bedroom windows.
Girl’s room, painted and ready for final trim.
The beach themed bathroom coming together. I built a linen storage, installed beadboard wainscoting and picked some cheerful colors!
Thing 2 doing some painting.
Getting ready to make the first cut.
Pocket door in the bathroom.
Drywall going up in the kitchen.
My new vessel sink for my beach bathroom.
Tile backer board around the tub. A whole lot of prep work.
We’re no where near done, but we’ve got a good start. After winter sets in and our outside work schedule slows down we’ll start working on the master bedroom and front entry again.
Outside the Salty Dawg Saloon, Homer AK, after our kayaking trip.
Playing our grown up dreidle challenge game at Hanukkah.
He said he could eat the whole 5# block of cheese!
My little flower.
Visiting my Rickerd in the hospital after his aneurism surgery in August.
Pesach.
My holiday wreath at the office, Central Peninsula Advocacy Center.
Mark enjoying his 2nd, or 3rd? Childhood. What a sport he is! 
Lil Bit and the star of Willy Wonka.
Lil Bit & Lil Mister playing at Little Puffins.
Me & Lil Bit. She sure is growing up.
Our kayaking trip out of Homer.
Lil Bit and her violin instructor at Odies Deli, for a recital.
Thing 1 and her boyfriend at Pesach.
Her first formal recital.
Shirley Mae came to visit me! What a special treat!
Yom Kippur with Mark & Laquita.
Pirate’s 23rd Psalm driftwood art. Gifted to me by my fellow piratty dreadie at heart. 
Pesach flowers.
All spiffy!
Me and my girl at Salmonfest. 
Our violins.
Pretty lil butterfly at Mom’s house.
He wanted to be in the picture too.
Fishcamp sunset.
These two…
Lil Mister’s new Play-Doh set, he said look Mom, it’s you, she has dreadlocks!
Glorious cheese and fruit trays made by Mo.
Sukkot campfire.
Thing 1’s first multimedia art project.
Just us gals at our holiday party.
Hanging with my chicks at their birthday party.
Working on my copper salmon for the Kenai River Festival recycled art show.
Thing 1 helping my on a tile job.
Thing 1 with her new bunny “Francis” Franny, or bad bunny as I call her.
Solstice Sister’s dinner at Princess Lodge above Cooper Landing.
A glorious fire at Mo’s.
Miss Jane trying to infect Lil Mister with the bug.
Fun at Salmonfest.
Solstice Sisters dinner at Shawna’s before Niki leaves.
Wine & paint for Elaina’s birthday.
Fierce ninja warrior. He cracked his head open roughhousing with his brother. This child goes not do well with blood.
She wanted to try curly hair, so her sister put her up in rollers. Cute, but too much work.
Passing the time before our plane arrives. Our family trip to Kansas & Georgia to see family.
Epic ice unicorn. We had some killer icicles this winter.
Practice makes perfect.
Rock climbers out at Gray Cliffs.
Truth!
Dean’s siblings & Lil Mister in Georgia.
Solstice Sisters Fourth of July cookout. Photo bomber Thing 2.
Thing 2 learning to tape & mud. Working on the girl’s new room.Whew, what a upload of photos! In our new fire pit.
We drove out for an overnight, weiner roast with s’mores in our new fire pit.
It was so nice to easily get to the cabin for an overnighter.
The next day we cut some more firewood to stock our woodsheds.
Panda was a trooper. She did really well with the drive out and being in a strange new place. She’ll make a good Gray Cliffs dog.
Yesterday we were preparing for our Rosh Hashanah service, and having all these fresh local apples, we decided to make some apple prints!
It was chaotic, messy fun. In other words, normal arts and crafts time around here.
Each kiddo, and me too of course, printed two cards. We had fun being creative. And it’s always fun to see how each of the kids has a different interpretation on the assignment.
For my student taking botany (Lil Bit) this is her instruction on how to do specimen prints (with ink instead). I’m sure she’ll have an entire notebook filled with leaf prints by the end of the school year.
We went on to create some delicious salads to share at our service. I made this one because I love quinoa salads and this salad with kale instead of spinach (because that’s what I had!). Both were delicious and will be added to our regular menu.
Our service was lovely, adorned with beautiful sunflower bouquets! And delicious food of course. And we begin another year! L’Shana Tova!
We picked apples today! What a great fall activity! The Park’s orchard on Robinson Loop, not far from our house.
Lil Mister was in charge of Panda Bear. She has a sweater because she gets cold.
A tree dweller.
Eating the fruits of her labor.
We have a new family member, Panda Bear. She’s 8 1/2 weeks old. She’s so adorable!
#alaskalife
#gottahaveadog
Alaska on my mind... 