tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12132605142925200492011-11-15T19:48:08.839-09:00Jnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3191100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-30054816175015515072011-11-15T19:40:00.003-09:002011-11-15T19:48:08.850-09:00

From Layne while on deployment:"Below is a small portion of our halfway video, our way of saying “thanks” to our wives at the halfway point of deployment. Few people realize the sacrifice they make holding down the homefront alone so we can focus on our mission out here on the “tip of the spear”. Sorry the clip is short, but the rest of the video is for their eyes only. You’ll want to turn the

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-13274473679613215432011-04-25T23:18:00.003-08:002011-04-26T18:23:17.661-08:00

Here's a quick post of some images way back from Thanksgiving. Layne took the video through his scope with the point and shoot camera. He did a fine job. The moose were out on the flats tonight. The days are longer and we are enjoying the sunshine, well not bright sunshine, but at least it's there!

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-39121254968601220242011-04-24T10:18:00.004-08:002011-04-24T10:26:27.113-08:00

I definitely need to do some back blogging. Six months of no posts is unsat. I guess that just tells you how busy things have been. My photography business has taken off and school work keeps me swamped. Layne is busy with his XO tour and we are enjoying the convenience of Skype.We are looking forward to the warming days and are enjoying the long hours of sunlight, however bright or not bright

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-78715557000976686382010-11-07T20:00:00.005-09:002010-11-07T20:08:29.040-09:00

So this Saturday I had a little time and I thought I would work on Christmas photos of my boys for their Christmas cards and perhaps for advertising my holiday sessions. Grayson is always more than willing to model and is very excited about "kissmas". However, he wanted his stuffed tiger to be in all the photos. Landon, on the other hand, was not interested in Christmas photos but wanted to

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-59386972832284344462010-11-01T21:37:00.004-08:002010-11-01T21:45:16.056-08:00

Landon always seems to get to celebrate his birthday on multiple occasions. We had a small family party while Daddy was home for a visit and then invited his good friends over for a larger get together on his birthday. He really enjoyed all of his gifts this year...Legos, dinosaurs, robots, and sleds were all a hit. Grayson was a little disappointed but is already talking about Santa bringing

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-87922966961157699102010-11-01T20:38:00.005-08:002010-11-01T21:08:41.739-08:00

Last weekend the boys and I hit a local museum, called Origins. It is a temporary museum in the Shoprite plaza until the end of November. The museum is spilt between historic Bibles and science. The boys of course, were fascinated by the dinosaurs. Most of the displays that Mommy would have liked to have read were glanced over in favor of the boys interests. We lucked into going on a

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-75347006580552573562010-11-01T14:25:00.009-08:002010-11-01T14:46:33.664-08:00

Stopped in Los Angeles on my way down for training in San Diego. Spent the afternoon of Halloween walking down Hollywood Blvd......lots of folks in costume, at least I 'think' they were in costume - hard to tell. Driving the big Alaskan 2500HD truck down those narrow streets was challenging, but luckily most folks just got out of my way! Took the snapshot of the Hollywood sign while standing on

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-3190137445508822232010-10-13T22:10:00.004-08:002010-10-13T22:28:35.079-08:00

While Layne was home the boys got to participate in one of their favorite activities...making Smores. However, their version involves burning the marshmallows to a crisp. Layne was also able to get a short video of them dancing. They are always entertaining. Images from Landon's birthdays are coming soon.

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-62038289326016648812010-09-26T19:34:00.004-08:002010-09-26T22:17:57.614-08:00

The boys are having a good time with Daddy. Since his arrival home we've only experienced one day of foul weather. Hmmm, maybe he should be home more often. They went fishing on his first Sunday back, and had fun even though the salmon are no longer running. This weekend after the crazy wind storm they harvested our potato patch. Grayson put the potatoes in the bucket while Landon sat in the

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-18851353726697378012010-09-19T12:46:00.007-08:002010-09-19T18:54:55.230-08:00

Jolene and I spent last week together in Reno for Tailhook (will post those pics when I get back to Lemoore) but I hadn't seen the boys since I drove down to Lemoore last May - over 4 months ago. So I took a couple weeks of leave to come back home to Alaska. Beautiful time of year here in the Valley. Crisp cold air and Fall colors. It's good to be home!

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-9465523650460425222010-09-02T21:36:00.003-08:002010-09-05T22:04:26.657-08:00

Finally got the boys out to the AK State Fair. It was 2-1 admissions and "buddy rides free" so the rides were a little crowded when we first arrived. We watched the Birdman from Las Vegas show and ate yummy fried zucchini, fresh fries, chicken and assorted fair food. Landon is getting too big for the kiddy rides but doesn't quite have the courage to ride the big rides. He road the roller coaster

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-51729514823432188842010-08-23T17:48:00.008-08:002010-08-28T11:11:27.125-08:00

Spent the last few weeks traveling around to different leadership schools. From Lemoore traveled to Fallon, NV for the Senior Officer Course, then to Newport, Rhode Island for the Command Leadership School, then for a quick two day trip to Great Lakes, Illinois to visist the Navy's Recruit Training Center (where all our new recruits go through basic training). The top picture is us eating lunch

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-53974330746968197352010-08-23T17:42:00.002-08:002010-08-23T17:48:16.982-08:00

Pics from while I was in Newport, Rhode Island for Command Leadership School last week. The last one is of the Naval War College with the Newport Bridge in the background. Lots of scenic picture opportunities around the Naval Station there. Jolene will have to come with me to get professional quality pictures next time I pass through Rhode Island. Reminded me a little of Annapolis.

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-71403866214402567452010-08-23T17:27:00.011-08:002010-08-29T11:35:01.223-08:00

Landon asked me a few weeks ago what I eat when Momma and Grammie aren't there to cook? I thought it was a good question. So Landon, here's some examples of what I eat. The middle few pics are of baby tako (octopus) which I'll eat anytime I'm somewhere that sells it (along with a pic of my famous "octopus squirming to escape being eaten" trick). Didn't get a pic of the massive amount of salmon

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-42305093529357376282010-07-29T22:52:00.003-08:002010-08-07T23:05:25.122-08:00

Here we go out to sea, on our fourth wildlife cruise. We were fortunate to see a few of humpback whales this year. We also saw orcas this time as well as the standard: sea otters, stellar sea lions, puffins, and assorted other birds. Dinner at Fox Island was eh. I think we will try another cruise company next time. Before we cruised, Shiloh said, she hoped she got to see a whale. I didn't

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-65487191574399478952010-07-29T22:23:00.001-08:002010-08-07T22:37:52.028-08:00

We stopped by the Wildlife Conservation Center. On the last few trips the bears have been out where they were readily visible, but not so today. The moose on the other hand, was very interested in Landon. Landon enjoyed this trip as he gets to act like the tour guide.

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-34036818414353412732010-07-28T22:38:00.003-08:002010-08-07T22:44:06.192-08:00

...You can never throw enough rocks, or build enough dams....It was approaching dinner time when we arrived at the glacier so we enjoyed the short hike, or in Grayson's case ride, to the outwash basin of the glacier. The outwash had carved a different path than our last trip just a few weeks ago. The walk was plagued by some type of little annoying fly, it looked like a fruit fly on steroids.

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-78543026405147449252010-07-27T21:49:00.009-08:002010-08-07T22:15:39.548-08:00

Shiloh and I took the kids over to another great rock throwing spot, Eklutna Lake. We managed to get some good pictures of the kids before the sprinkles set in. They are all so funny and different with extremely unique personalities but amazingly, they all get along with each other. Landon is everybody's hero, or as you may see in the pictures, the creature that stalks everyone else. I

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-80965515923410967682010-07-24T23:17:00.002-08:002010-07-27T23:27:56.346-08:00

We took the kids up for a hike at Independence Mine today. We got tired of waiting on a pretty day and decided it was "good enough" to go. It ended up being a quick walk around the mine because of an impending rain shower. Emma's comment was "it's cold." In fact, if it were about 10 degrees colder we would've had snow showers instead! It was nice to get out and get a little exercise.

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-6532267358937372312010-07-23T10:49:00.009-08:002010-07-24T11:03:49.970-08:00

Friday market in Palmer is always a nice little journey. It is probably more fun to shop without the kiddos but, they are a good excuse to enjoy some Matanuska Creamery Ice Cream and visit the train on display at the depot. After a scrumptious lunch at McDonald's we took the kids to Wonderland Park and let them run around for awhile. Despite the theatening weather, the park was crowded as

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-90761874778562019252010-07-20T10:43:00.004-08:002010-07-24T10:48:49.288-08:00

Today we stopped by the Iditarod Headquarters, not so much to tour the museum, but more to let the kids play with the pups and go for a ride. Mr. Reddington was there with his cart and dogs, ready to pull everyone around the small track. We then swung by Lucille Lake to point out Sarah Palin's house. This was actually the first time someone had pointed the house out to me. The weather was

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-86188262655188531762010-07-19T10:35:00.003-08:002010-07-24T10:42:43.583-08:00

Today was zoo tour day. It was a good day at the zoo for most, the polar bears were out and the petting zoo was open. The ugly weather kept most of the tourist away and zoo keepers were available for questions in most of the habitats. We even got to see the bald eagles get fed and hear the wolves braying. Grayson had a rough day, we didn't fill his stomach all the way to the top before going

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-24571909069167193522010-07-17T22:04:00.004-08:002010-07-17T22:22:38.119-08:00

Incredibly gorgeous weather today! We took the kids over to the Alaska Live Steamers to take a turn on the railroad. Grayson was very excited to get to ride Thomas this time. They were very busy today between the birthday party and the good weather so we had a little wait. The scale railroad is run by an all volunteer staff. One little volunteer, about Landon's age, showed us the roundhouse today

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-30051060702981702632010-07-16T22:57:00.005-08:002010-07-17T07:54:13.013-08:00

Grayson got to celebrate his birthday today with his cousins and big brother. He was very excited about his "Thomas" cake. He had been with me when we ordered it and has asked about his Thomas all week. Landon went shopping with me today to pick out his gifts and did a great job filling in the big brother role. We indulged in the standard pizza and then cake and ice cream. Grayson dipped one

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-50594630837751132422010-07-15T22:14:00.002-08:002010-07-15T22:25:14.268-08:00

We layed low and tried to enjoy the cool damp weather today by taking a jaunt to our neighborhood park. Landon and Deacon built an elaborate nest for the pteradactyl. Emma and Grayson played on the swing set and even made it to the top with minimal assistance from Pappy. I think they wore him out and I know Grayson wore himself out because he had to take a pre-dinner nap. They've been going full

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-63189228020283913362010-07-14T00:47:00.006-08:002010-07-14T00:59:01.557-08:00

Our weather has been kind of strange. I have only heard thunder twice since moving to Alaska. Both times were this summer, and I have yet to experience an actual storm here. So the other night when I heard thunder at about 11:30 pm and looked out my window at the forming anvil clouds, I had to run out and take pictures. The potatoes are blooming and fruit is beginning to appear in our yard. We

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-59124280224801161202010-07-07T00:32:00.004-08:002010-07-14T00:40:05.433-08:00

For Honey and the girls last day we spent some time in Anchorage at the zoo and then shopping at the Alaska Wildberry Store and park. They were able to pick up the rest of their souvenirs and Landon even picked out a super cool hat. The petting zoo was actually open on this trip and Grayson fell in love with petting the goats who were friendly to all the kids! Haha..goats were friendly to their

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-59215442287787138482010-07-06T10:41:00.000-08:002010-07-07T10:41:34.002-08:00

We forgot to cook our marshmallows on July 4th so tonight we grilled salmon, fried halibut, and roasted marshmallows for a send off for Honey and the girls. When I fry, I fry a lot so we had our friends over to help us consume the bounty. The boys need some roasting lessons as there were lots of charboriled marshmallows. We also learned that Dino has not learned to accept Chey yet. He even

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-55236976437284982552010-07-06T10:08:00.000-08:002010-07-07T10:40:58.509-08:00

I wanted to give the girls a chance to play in the snow before they headed back to Texas so we took them up to Gold Chord Lake, aka "secret lake." They worked up a sweat getting to the lake but ended up with a chill as a storm attempted to pass over. We stayed just long enough for them to throw snow balls and then made the hike back down to the car. The trail is fairly short, about 1 mile with

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-83156950718851591102010-07-05T19:53:00.006-08:002010-07-05T20:55:49.026-08:00

Fort Barrancas is an old fort originally built by the Spanish to defend Pensacola Bay. The oldest portion is the white mason structure called the water battery - it housed cannons pointed at the water which would skip cannon shot off the water to hit enemy ships at the waterline as they attempted to enter P-cola Bay. P-cola Bay is large enough to port a small sailing fleet of warships and so was

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-38869531950933380142010-07-05T01:07:00.001-08:002010-07-06T01:19:31.760-08:00

Beautiful blue skies today so we had to get out somewhere, however, the wind was also out in full furry. We headed to Eklutna Lake where I finally was able to purchase a state parks pass, not that I mind giving money to that great cause, but it's much easier to not have to worry about having cash on hand when you visit the parks. The wind brought out the kite boarders to the lake which was

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-84568343135166427062010-07-04T23:00:00.007-08:002010-07-05T21:12:54.952-08:00

Luckily, I haven't seen any alligators yet, but I have ran into this one angry armadillo in the parking lot outside my room on three different nights....I think he's stalking me. The picture of him is blurry because the humidity keeps fogging up my camera lens. There are brown pelicans everywhere on base. I went to the Gulf Breeze beach yesterday and found it to look exactly as I remembered from

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-91135097934900060782010-07-04T01:50:00.000-08:002010-07-06T01:58:45.664-08:00

Since moving to Alaska we have become devoid of all contact with reptiles and amphibians. I have been told that it is the fact that the summers don't get warm enough for reptiles and that it has nothing to do with the winters being to cold. This is probably true because many midwest states see winters colder than we have here but have much warmer summers and their share of reptiles. In fact,

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-41558196107535389122010-07-04T00:38:00.002-08:002010-07-06T00:45:02.212-08:00

Just in case you are counting, this is our third trip to Independence Mine this year. The view changes everytime we go. Everything is now richly green and growing! We stopped for a few pictures on the Little Su before touring the mine again. I hope to take the girls up to "secret lake" before they leave but time is running short! We have had a great time visiting with Honey and getting to know

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-73542836136561157392010-07-04T00:21:00.000-08:002010-07-06T00:37:08.779-08:00

We maintained our July 4th tradition of going to the Wasilla Independence day parade and then up to Independence Mine in Hatcher's Pass. When we arrived at the parade, Grayson asked "Now I get candy?" He was quite disappointed when he got passed over by some of the candy givers. We will make sure he has a bag next year. Small town parades are always very interesting. There was a one year old

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-75026604997297517872010-07-02T14:38:00.000-08:002010-07-03T14:46:25.086-08:00

Two quick stops on the way out of Seward. One is to catch the mountains and the lupine. The second is for a lily pond and reflections. Unfortunately, the weather has been extremely overcast and so the mountains didn't want to come out and play;) Cheyenne had already made it back to the car when a local photography took our group shot. The first shot is of our "living room" of the house we are

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-25613951978632700242010-07-01T12:44:00.000-08:002010-07-03T14:37:57.004-08:00

Today the kids got to enjoy the SeaLife Center and Exit Glacier. No pictures from the SeaLife center. I'll be sure to get some next trip, the boys go through there way too fast for my liking. Remember, my bachelor's degree is biology with an emphasis on marine ecology;). Exit glacier is always a fun little hike. My curious fact for the day: The glacier got it's name because it was the best

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-73785924540290955062010-06-30T12:20:00.000-08:002010-07-03T12:43:05.572-08:00

Today we took Honey, Chase, and Cheyenne out on a boat tour of the Kenai Fjords National Park. Grayson had been excited for days about riding the boat. We had an exceptional boat captain you gave great narrations and even gave the kids an opportunity to sit at the helm. We spotted mountain goats, sea otters, stellar sea lions, puffins, fin whales, Dahl's porpoise, lion's mane jelly fish, and a

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-58532144523683567012010-06-29T12:13:00.000-08:002010-07-03T12:43:32.177-08:00

This is always a great stop to let everyone see wildlife upclose. Although it is a "zoo" type habitat and you are taking pictures through fences it is still a lot of fun. We even got a bit of excitement when one of the bison charged the fence at the people standing next to us. Grayson decided to have a seat on the brush used by the musk ox on our way out. The entrance area was filled with

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-37946547408016257452010-06-28T11:53:00.003-08:002010-06-28T11:58:24.195-08:00

Daddy requested that Landon make a video tour of the yard because he hasn't had a chance to see it. For those of you that are prone to motion sickness you might want to consider Dramamine before watching. He did a good job but didn't know the names of the items that Pappy has planted. Everything is "Pappy's stuff" or "flowers." I guess we need to work on our horticulture;)

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-69862092278996072572010-06-27T16:49:00.004-08:002010-06-27T17:20:18.710-08:00

Pensacola beach is closed again. Sounds like it will be closed for quite a while this time. Workers are spending each day out on the beach carrying out some cleanup efforts. But just the other day, when I took the pictures of the lighthouse posted above, I didn't see any sign of oil or effects of the spill on the beach, but something must have washed ashore since then. The heat and humidity is

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-63454612123440398872010-06-22T23:12:00.004-08:002010-06-22T23:32:09.041-08:00

After the boys swim lessons today we headed into Anchorage to visit the new 16 screen movie theater. Having only attended movies sparingly the last two years due to the quality of the local theater, I have to say I felt like a country bumpkin sitting in a palace. Things that we use to take for granted were truely appreciated. This theater has all the "standard" bells and whistle: stadium seating,

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-41682121728937601562010-06-20T13:02:00.003-08:002010-06-20T13:14:00.400-08:00

I took myself out to the National Museum of Naval Aviation for Father's Day. It's located on the base just across the street from the Navy Lodge here in Pensacola where I'm staying til mid-July. It's been 15 yrs since I visited the museum, and it has expanded quite a bit. The boys would have liked it, and I bet they would have spent all day running around the exhibits. It has a nice IMAX theater

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-67562622657473609732010-06-14T01:22:00.006-08:002010-06-14T01:34:58.146-08:00

This year we have been blessed to have Pappy cultivating our land. He is fighting dry weather, moose, and rocks to create a family garden. He created a diversionary method for the moose and created a few new rock piles. The well water is too cold to put directly on the plants so he is continuely filling up watering cans and then hauling them over the yard. Luckily the past week has brought some

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-89633280181887097342010-06-12T22:07:00.003-08:002010-06-12T22:39:24.980-08:00

I left Lemoore Friday night for a month of Aviation Commanding Officer training in Pensacola, FL, known as the "Cradle of Naval Aviation" since all Naval Aviators start training here. It's been 15 years since Jolene and I lived here while I went through flight school. I don't remember it being this hot and humid!! Today it was 97 degrees, and the humidity put the heat index over 110 degrees.

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-90724117527008237962010-06-11T22:17:00.001-08:002010-06-12T22:41:16.149-08:00

Well the dreary days of summer have began, the weather is trying to reach 60 every day but the wind and dampness have returned. We ventured out to Palmer today for Friday Fling, and the start of Colony Days. Palmer was colonized 75 years ago. There is a market fair every Friday with vendors. The boys had a blast at the petting zoo, 22 foot slides, and even got to go one poney rides. As you can

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-58116966744103352632010-06-09T21:59:00.002-08:002010-06-12T22:53:46.809-08:00

During our last trip to Hatcher's the gate stated that the road would open on June 12th, it looks like they decided to open early. The boys enjoyed a nice nap on the way up and then love exploring the mine. The buildings are all closed this year and the weather was a dreary 47 degrees when we arrived. There are still spotty patches of snow, but it looks much different than it did two weeks ago.

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-66062169342626376392010-06-06T23:24:00.007-08:002010-06-06T23:54:32.214-08:00

We had a fun weekend hanging out with our Finley friends again this weekend. We are so blessed by this family that keeps us entertained. We are sad to see them move to the otherside of the butte, but I guess that only means that we will have to gather the gumption to hike Mat. Peak.We ended another beautiful weekend by taking a drive up to Hatcher's, eating the obligatory 50 cent ice cream cone,

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-55030929681038209762010-06-06T19:01:00.008-08:002010-06-06T19:24:38.462-08:00

I decided the Lemoore heat was too much and I needed to take a trip into the Sequoia National Park for a 2 day camping trip to search for some cooler weather in the mountains. I rented a small tent from the outdoor store on base, and left Saturday morning. I stayed at the Atwell Mill Campground and hiked the Atwell - Hockett Trail on Saturday and the Paradise Ridge Trail on Sunday before driving

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-12212660808501006422010-05-29T23:16:00.000-08:002010-06-06T23:54:10.938-08:00

Another sunny day, another day outside to play. This time we went to the Alaska Steamers and then to the transportation museum. It is sad that the steamers are having to relocate some place else, because the experience of riding the scale train and then viewing all the old trains is definitely something the boys enjoy. The train rides take 20-30 minutes and are worth the $5 to little boys that

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-51290165039222618072010-05-28T23:10:00.001-08:002010-06-06T23:16:04.139-08:00

We have had a lot of sun this summer, and since visible light is nearing the 24 hour mark, we do mean a lot of sun. It has made it extremely difficult to be inside taking care of those mangerial tasks and to get caught up on all those photography projects. In Alaska warm sunny days are precious so we try to take advantage of every one. Todays goal was to aquire ice cream at Miller's Express.

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-82576691938648080932010-05-26T20:56:00.005-08:002010-05-26T21:11:12.866-08:00

The boys, Grammie, and I headed up to Hatcher's for awhile this afternoon. We have had incredibly good weather. It is very dry and in the 60s almost everyday. I knew if I stayed home, I'd do all those inside chores that I have been procrastinating on and so we decided to head to the pass. FYI: The road to the mine is still closed. It is due to open in two weeks and Archangel and the road over the

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-25121164083857754692010-05-23T22:07:00.007-08:002010-05-23T22:54:01.558-08:00

The boys and I are off for the summer and keeping busy. We started out easy with a little geocaching yesterday (last five pictures) and then followed church with a Bodenburg butte climb today. When we returned from geocaching, Grayson kept telling Pappy that he found a McDonald's car in the woods. Landon whizzed up the butte with our favorite hiking buddies - the Finley family, but the mammas

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-83202267182899169342010-05-23T19:50:00.007-08:002010-05-23T20:24:03.891-08:00

There's been alot of new construction on base here in Lemoore since we last lived here. It was too hard to explain all the new buildings to Jolene on the phone/skype, so here's some pictures of the changes. They finished a new section of base housing called Freedom Park. It looks a little different from the housing we lived in last time, but still very, very nice compared to normal Navy standards

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-54253421952133246422010-05-16T19:14:00.003-08:002010-05-16T19:25:20.933-08:00

Spent the week 'flying' simulators here in Lemoore, trying to knock the rust off after several years out of the cockpit. Jolene had a busy week in Wasilla - the seniors at her school had their graduation Friday night, which she helped with, then photographed a really nice wedding on Saturday, and then ran a triathalon on Sunday. Haven't heard how the race went yet, but I'm just glad I didn't

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-72163326305114516782010-05-09T21:34:00.008-08:002010-05-09T21:46:19.373-08:00

Our day was about moose, musk ox, and of course mothers! After church today we headed out to the musk ox farm for their annual open house. Mom's are admitted free and everyone else is asked to make a donation. This was our first visit to the farm. It has amazing views! No baby musk ox, at least that we saw, but they did have Matanuska Creamery Ice Cream for sale. Yummmy! Grayson dribbled half the

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-85679060266978699852010-05-07T21:01:00.004-08:002010-05-07T21:09:07.017-08:00

Pulled into the Bellingham, Washington ferry terminal early this morning (pic shows the stern of the ferry as we backed into the spot on the pier). Fairly long drive from Bellingham to Redding, CA, where I'll stay tonight and drive into Lemoore tomorrow morning. I've never driven I-5 through Oregon before. I was surprised at how mountainous it was. Would be a challenge to drive it during the

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-42220901374380614552010-05-05T12:39:00.013-08:002010-05-07T21:11:00.621-08:00

I'm in Ketchikan now as I write, having found the first spot where I could get internet access since I left Wasilla five days ago, so be sure to check the other 4 or so posts I've updated today. I took these pics as we pulled in to Ketchikan today. You can see the Tongass narrows between the ferry terminal and the airport in the second pic. This is the location of the proposed and infamous "

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-73249176854410896182010-05-05T12:20:00.007-08:002010-05-07T21:15:25.010-08:00

As we pulled into Sitka, I was up on the recliner lounge getting some work done and studying a book by James Michener. Since I was making progress on the work, I decided I wouldn't go ashore in Sitka, but instead stay onboard. As we moored to the pier, I read a note in Michener's book where he said, "so while I wrote the novel 'Alaska' I sequestered myself in a log cabin for three years in the

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-65222325554977089842010-05-05T12:18:00.002-08:002010-05-05T12:31:51.620-08:00

The pickup got the best view on the ferry I think, being parked on the stern wedged between a couple of U-hauls. Of course the view of the Inside Passage is always awesome, and this time is no different. The second pic is the portal out my stateroom.

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-8896429949870590222010-05-05T12:13:00.009-08:002010-05-05T13:39:51.464-08:00

Haines was a town I hadn't toured before, but it has alot to offer. The Natural History museum has the best taxidermy work of all the Alaska wildlife and sealife that I have seen . The boys would have loved it. The Sheldon Cultural museum had one of the sleds used in the White Fang movie (Filmed in Haines. Dick Mackey, Iditarod winner who I met a couple years ago, was hired to work all the

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-8726267530792480212010-05-05T12:06:00.006-08:002010-05-05T12:57:12.857-08:00

Got on the road on Saturday and drove to Tok, AK and spent the night. On Sunday I drove to Haines, AK and took these pics. The first is Sheep Mtn (Canadian version) where two years ago we got our windsheild cracked - no such event this time. The rest are scenery en route to Haines. The pic of the truck is at a rest stop where we stopped and took a pic of the SUV/trailer 2 years ago on our trip

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-60436194309118323702010-04-27T23:39:00.008-08:002010-04-28T00:02:25.054-08:00

Monday was the beginning of my last week in Alaska this tour. I'll be driving to my next duty station in Lemoore, CA, leaving the family here for at least a couple more years while I spend a large part of the next 2-3 years at sea. Just like a deployment, the lead-up to last days prior to leaving are the toughest, but it helps you realize how much you've been blessed and teaches you to

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-90150093962175039792010-04-27T23:21:00.006-08:002010-04-27T23:36:35.941-08:00

I was a volunteer escort for Landon's first grade class trip to the zoo last Wednesday. Afterwards, Landon and I stopped off at the Star Wars exhibit in downtown Anchorage before coming home. At the zoo, we were standing next to the wolf enclosure when the pack ran up and started to howl, which we both thought was cool. I caught the video above right as they were winding down their howl,

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-68247597130193611082010-04-19T21:58:00.009-08:002010-04-21T07:46:02.681-08:00

There is a scripture that I long ago committed to memory. I first remember reciting it in high school, before and during the football games I played in. It helped me calm my nerves, and taught me to worry less about the things in life that don't really matter all that much anyway. I kept the verse in mind while a Plebe at the Academy, and it helped get me through some very difficult times that

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-5555189047196513042010-04-14T22:23:00.005-08:002010-04-14T22:37:59.887-08:00

I won't be able to make any camping trips with the boys this summer, so we decided to roast some marshmellows and make smores here in the backyard. The boys had a good time, even though we chose a windy day. The temperature wasn't bad, but the wind made it feel pretty cold. The smores were good, and everybody had a chance to get in a picture or two - except Jolene. We'll have to pry the camera

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-3981830880193950112010-04-14T22:15:00.003-08:002010-04-14T22:20:39.109-08:00

It snowed all day today, but the ground was thawed out, so not very much of it stuck around for long. The pheasant and chucker made their rounds tonight in the snow, but had trouble finding the birdseed on the ground covered by snow, so they didn't stay long.

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-22758792946184191772010-04-14T22:01:00.004-08:002010-04-14T22:12:53.003-08:00

Time finally came to break out the bikes again for the spring/summer. And this year, it was time to take Landon's training wheels off. He had no problem and picked it up right away. Hopefully the video will load. More moose are making their way across the flats these days. Between now and late June, many of the moose that spent the winter on the low lying areas will slowly pass by the

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-37811530397324790042010-04-14T21:53:00.004-08:002010-04-14T22:00:42.498-08:00

Easter Day was a cold one, and the boys spent their second year in a row looking for Easter eggs hidden around the house. With all the warm days we have had this month, we thought we'd be able to let the boys hunt eggs outside, but not this year. They had a good time though, with Landon showing Grayson where all the eggs are, then playing the Wii Resort game CD that Grammie and Pappy had given

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-23633702485811982332010-04-03T22:06:00.002-08:002010-04-03T22:23:34.732-08:00

Most of our snow has melted, and the moose are moving around quite a bit looking for food, waiting for Spring to bring back the green vegetation. They say that April is the worst month for "winter kills" - the fate of some moose each year who have trouble finding enough food to last through the winter. But these four that passed below the bluff today seemed to be healthy enough.Pappy and I

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-26904592649769120542010-03-31T20:31:00.002-08:002010-03-31T20:43:17.945-08:00

I guess this time of year is for the birds! The eagles are out every day choosing sticks for their nest, but they don't choose the sticks that are on the ground - they choose tree branches, then land on them, and fly away ripping the branch from the tree and carrying it back to the nest. They should be laying eggs any day now. The next two birds seem to show up together each evening to feed,

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-82899203330911503252010-03-22T22:11:00.006-08:002010-03-22T22:33:41.891-08:00

We had an unexpected visitor to the bird feeder this week. A male pheasant decided to make his presence known. There aren't supposed to be any in Alaska, but evidently a few land owners have begun to keep them for hunting leases, and some have escaped. Earlier this last fall, Pappy had thought he saw a female pheasant with chicks, but dismissed it thinking there were none in Alaska - but this

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-44352955891610929332010-03-19T20:13:00.007-08:002010-03-19T20:30:53.904-08:00

Now that the race is in it's last days, I am finally (with a little prodding from Layne and Josh) getting a few of the pics posted. Newton Marshall, the Jamaican musher, should arrive in Nome any minute now. All my favorites: Jessie Royer, Jeff King, Martin Buser, Dallas Seavey, Mitch Seavey, and Dee Dee Jonrowe have already arrived safely. Lance Mackey won the race for the fourth year in a

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-29327777809906939592010-03-14T14:42:00.003-08:002010-03-14T14:56:31.800-08:00

Been a very busy month. My orders came in, and I'm scheduled to make the Ferry from Haines, AK to Bellingham, WA the first week in May. My refresher training starts in Lemoore on May 10th. So I've spent the last several weeks trying to get ready to check out of this command and set up my move. I'll spend only about 5 months "home" in Lemoore over the next 2+ years, so there's no use in uprooting

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-20095819409440027932010-02-14T19:20:00.002-09:002010-02-14T19:26:12.391-09:00

We've gotten behind on our posts, so there are several added today using pics taken over the last couple of weeks. Landon and Grayson gave mommy a valentine candy box this morning, then spent the next hour eating it for her. Not too much else happening around the McDowell house this past week. Jolene deep fried some more of our halibut that we caught out on the charter with Honey, Gramps and

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-27050064307610686082010-02-14T19:06:00.002-09:002010-02-14T19:19:57.836-09:00

The Moose had a busy day browsing the hayflats. We've seen more and more of them these last few weeks. It's that time of year when they are getting a little more hungry as their winter store of fat is beginning to run out. So they spend more time during the daylight out in the open eating on whatever they can find. This time of year, and the rut in September, is when you'll see them up close

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-8848127153433847822010-02-14T18:57:00.003-09:002010-02-14T19:05:40.683-09:00

The snow is coming in small amounts this year. We've had several snows of less than 6 six inches each, but only one snowfall of more than a foot (that was back in December). Last weekend Grayson helped Pappy shovel the driveway. One morning during the week, after Jolene and I had left for work, a couple of moose visited the driveway and decided to give Pappy's car a wash. They didn't do a

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-33048766927198827502010-01-28T22:21:00.008-09:002010-02-07T13:04:41.833-09:00

We are adding about 5 mintues of sunlight each day, and slowly working our way out of the "dark ages" of the Alaskan winter. Still plenty of cold weather ahead, but the added sunlight helps to end that hibernation feeling. Pappy and Grammie took a trip this week up to Chena Hot Springs near Fairbanks to see the Northern Lights and enjoy the resort there which operates using geothermal energy.

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-16592852951640751182010-01-21T21:12:00.003-09:002010-01-21T21:21:10.172-09:00

The other evening the phone rang not long after I got back from work. It was our neighbor letting us know that we had moose in our drive way. This cow-calf pair have been haunting our dog for about the past week. We went and watched them through the "man door" in our garage. The cow's back is about at my eye level. It was pretty cool. We then went inside and sat on the kitchen floor and

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-24077138956281658862010-01-17T12:10:00.004-09:002010-01-17T12:16:28.976-09:00

Present openning and eating time! Grayson was so excited that Santa brought him the two things he knew Santa would bring him "candy" and "goldfish." Grayson also enjoyed some Gummies from Aunt Shiloh and M&Ms from Honey both of those have quickly risen to the top of his favorites list. He still didn't quite understand what was going on but got lot's of cues from his brother. Landon did a

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-31270569304507327812010-01-17T12:04:00.005-09:002010-01-17T12:09:49.788-09:00

Ok, so I am a little behind on my posting. Thankful for the three day weekend to catch up. It is a gorgeous sunny day but since it is a balmy 16 degrees and I have yet another cold, I will try to catch up! The boys had a blast over the holidays and enjoyed openning one gift on Christmas Eve and more on Christmas Day. Grayson selected the box that he thought contained candy his favorite thing

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-35417481383021335212009-12-25T11:47:00.005-09:002009-12-25T12:00:15.935-09:00

Pics from Dec 21, the shortest day of the year. The sun came up at 1130 am above the Chugach Mtns for us, and set around 3 pm. Jolene had a photo shoot, and I took the opportunity after it was over to get some pictures of her and the boys on the moose cape from the moose she took this Fall. Then Landon and Grayson spent the afternoon digging out a snow cave in the front yard and playing with

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-92018029985393448992009-12-19T20:10:00.002-09:002009-12-19T20:25:27.372-09:00

Had to make another trip to Hawaii for business, so this time Jolene bought a plane ticket to join me and I used some of my leave to turn the trip into a mini-vacation. Pappy and Grammy watched the boys back in Alaska, so Jolene and I had a 5 day trip all to ourselves. I worked three of those days, so Jolene had the chance to shop and spend the days at the beach, and then we had the evenings

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-76997259702992553882009-12-07T20:15:00.005-09:002009-12-07T22:31:18.619-09:00

Although the days are getting pretty short, the sunrises and sunsets are spectacular. We're still waiting on our first big snowstorm. Looks like the ~6 or so inches of snow we have now is all we'll have til around Christmas time. Jolene photographed two families one day last week, so we used the time in between her two shoots to get some pictures of me and the boys. They liked getting their

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-8656086129058684962009-11-30T21:49:00.005-09:002009-12-07T19:41:02.342-09:00

Well, Dino's ready for Santa to fill his stocking. The boys helped momma put up the tree and decorations on Friday. Then posed with Dino in their Christmas hats in front of the tree. Grayson still doesn't completely understand it all, but he knows it comes with candy so he's satisfied. Landon on the other hand, has methodically laid out his demands, I mean requests, for the toys he wants.

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-76820394142146900122009-11-29T11:43:00.004-09:002009-11-29T11:51:58.271-09:00

We had a full table for Thanksgiving Dinner, with friends Misty and Reid and their daughter Sabrina joining us. Grammy made the Turkey and Pappy carved it. Grayson waited impatiently and was the first to sit down...no surprise. The boys and Pappy built a snowman in the backyard since the temperatures were right at freezing and the snow was easy to clump together. It also made for good snowball

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-76289997319757659932009-11-22T19:59:00.007-09:002009-11-22T20:10:42.480-09:00

Today was sledding and ski-time for Landon. Both Mommy and Daddy helped him remember his lessons from last year. He picked it back up pretty quick while practicing in the back yard, then x-country ski'd around the block. Landon made Daddy try out the sled down his favorite hill in the back yard while giving him some pointers from the expert. Daddy put the outside Christmas lights up in

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-83158356705002237832009-11-22T10:29:00.002-09:002009-11-22T10:46:03.012-09:00

We've discovered that Dino and Grayson have one thing in common.....they can eat all day long. After giving up on keeping a dog pillow outside for Dino without him tearing it up, we put some straw in his doghouse and a big bone to give him something to chew on. He worked on that bone all day before finally collapsing, exhausted, to sleep. That's the same thing Grayson will do if you keep food in

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-60871175477178127962009-11-12T21:13:00.003-09:002009-11-12T21:27:45.268-09:00

I spent the last few days on a business trip to Camp Smith, in Honolulu, HI. But made it back home in time to spend the daylight hours with Landon sledding outside before it got dark. There was about 4 inches of snow on the ground, and then we had another 2 inches that afternoon....but overall it's been a relatively low-snow year compared to last year. Four inches of snow was all Landon needed

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-36306687638590754102009-11-09T21:29:00.003-09:002009-11-09T21:34:15.008-09:00

Snow came late this year. We woke up to about 4 inches this morning. Grayson and Pappy seized the opportunity to go out and frolick with Dino. Landon missed decided to go out around 7pm but then it was too dark and too cold (13 degrees). Grayson has recovered from the stomach flu. Knock on wood, Daddy and Landon have not gotten it....

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-27210144481150122742009-11-03T23:14:00.005-09:002009-11-03T23:43:34.769-09:00

Landon went as Underdog, and Grayson as a puppy. Dino must have inspired a canine theme. We took the boys to the fairgrounds for some indoor trick or treating at an event with games and things set up for kids. The wind was howling outside, so we didn't brave the outdoor trick or treating. Grayson still got his fill of candy as you can see from the last two pics - he came back and carried the bag

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-44866025686756705092009-11-03T23:02:00.002-09:002009-11-03T23:13:36.490-09:00

Kinda late with the pictures, but here's Landon's birthday.

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-43774585446495598642009-11-03T22:49:00.005-09:002009-11-03T23:01:43.368-09:00

What's the state bird of Alaska? If you answered Moose-quito, then you get partial credit for understanding the size and verocity of Alaska's mosquito population....but the answer is the Willow Ptarmigan. Here's a picture of some closely related rock ptarmigan. They are masters of disguise. This is a picture someone else took of a group of ptarmigan before they changed to white plummage this

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-63846061140686321302009-11-03T21:56:00.005-09:002009-11-03T22:49:31.887-09:00

I spent last week in Fairbanks, at a conference hosted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks to help determine shipping requirements (routes, ship building standards, etc) for the Arctic Ocean in light of the diminished summer ice conditions. The first picture above was taken at the juncture of the Tanana Valley and Alaska Range Mtns. I like it because it looks like a painting to me, but is just

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-83392133092795413572009-10-14T21:05:00.004-08:002011-06-30T14:00:57.865-08:00

Landon and I took Dino for a walk in the rain the other day, just around the local trails from the house. We walked for about 3miles and Dino got to spend that whole time running around off the leash, jumping in the water, and continually running off in front of us and disappearing for a minute, only to quietly reappear looking down on us from some direction we didn't expect. They both seemed to

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-34664627420608561082009-10-09T06:44:00.004-08:002009-10-09T06:52:40.538-08:00

It may be 3 weeks away, but we decided to go ahead and carve the pumpkin for Halloween. This year's ghost design was a little easier than last year's spider. Landon picked it out and helped a little, while Grayson walked around with an old pirate hat on, and eventually got Pappy to wear the hat for a picture. Today is Landon's and Pappy's birthday - we'll post the pics from their birthday

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-73499542953252315262009-10-05T19:22:00.002-08:002009-10-05T19:27:31.521-08:00

Jolene's moose meat came back from the processor today. So, with our smaller freezer full of halibut and salmon, and the large freezer full of moose, we're ready for winter. Took Dino for a walk to the creek today, and he broke his leash in two....he's probably the strongest dog I've ever dealt with, even though he's not 5 months old yet. He's going to be a handful when he's grown.

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-35555642589911755182009-10-05T18:51:00.005-08:002009-10-05T19:02:54.892-08:00

We were nearly blinded by the light of the ~24 inches of snow across the tundra. Sunglasses and sunscreen were a must (even at below zero temps, I got a sunburn!!). We hunted with many layers of clothes on covered by white snow camouflage suits on the outside, and I wore Bunny Boots which kept my feet toasty. All our water froze, of course, but our little propane burner worked in the cold temps

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-91068931316968823072009-10-05T18:31:00.004-08:002009-10-05T19:06:33.519-08:00

Pappy and I made a trip up the "Haul Road", aka Dalton Highway that leads up the the Arctic Ocean on Prudhoe Bay. You can hunt caribou off the road system there by bow/arrow only due to the proximity of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Unfortunately we encountered an "Arctic" blast of cold air - with daytime highs around 9 degrees, and night-time lows well below zero, which cut our trip short. We did

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213260514292520049.post-90740556519513076532009-09-25T14:40:00.009-08:002009-09-25T15:16:56.995-08:00

Now that Jolene has filled her moose tag, I thought I'd spend a day out in the woods trying to fill mine. I can only take a bull, and the 25th is the last day of the season. Since we haven't seen any bulls around the flats, I was pretty certain I wouldn't see any I could shoot at, but I had a charge left in my muzzleloader I needed to shoot off anyway, so I spent the day walking around the

ELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160792015717651680noreply@blogger.com0