It was a very practical Christmas for us. Gifts we gave the boys included some quality outdoor gear: coats, balaclavas, gloves, smart wool socks, and a .30-06 rifle (just in case they draw any of the hunts I put them in for this year). So we took a walk down on the flats to try out the new gear.
Still not as much snow as normal, but cold enough for the wetlands on the flats to be frozen and easy to walk around on.
Standing on the National Historic Iditarod Trail. A good running trail this time of year. Will be a good skiing trail if we can get some more snow to fall.
I'm not sure what makes it so satisfying to view your home from a different angle than you are used to. Like seeing it from above in an aerial shot, or in this case, looking up from down on the Hay Flats. Something about seeing your everyday life from a different perspective, I guess.
Playing chase with Dino around the frozen flats, where he has nearly 44 square miles to roam.
Not much chance of catching him in all that space.
Eventually Landon and Grayson gave up trying to catch him.
He won, and he knew it. This is what it looks like when a dog gloats.
The snow and the frost, and the frozen land beneath our feet make these Winter walks just as enjoyable as my daily walks along the bluff trail during the warmer times of the year.
This is about as high as the sun gets above the horizon these days. Past the Solstice, we are now gaining daylight each day. Today we added almost a minute to our ~5 hours of daylight, so it is kinda hard to notice the change, but the fact that it is increasing makes all the difference (mentally).
Looking back on where we walked, from the top of the bluff in the back yard.
Frozen locks, a good sign that the temperature is starting to return to normal. Still a little warmer than most years, but at least it is staying below freezing.
Tire chains on the Post Office delivery trucks. Roads are fine, but I guess the chains could be helpful with some of the side roads in the foothills.
Christmas morning.
Nine O'clock, not quite dawn yet.
Decided on the Savage Axis XP chambered in .30-06 for the boys' first big-game hunting rifle - good caribou rifle, and with good shot placement it will work just fine for moose as well. Jolene used a .30-06 to take her moose.
Even Dino got to come inside with us for a little bit, but only for a short while before he got too hot. His coat is deceptively thick. He loves this time of year outside.
Landon had an MRI last week on his hamstring. He tore it playing football earlier this year, not sure if they will recommend surgery or not. He's got cross-country skiing with junior Nordics starting soon, so we're praying for either no surgery, or a quick recovery - - and that the loss of part of his hamstring won't affect knee or hip stability as he ages.
More Christmas decorations around the hospital, while Landon was getting an MRI (MRI lasted 75 minutes!!)
With Landon's baptism yesterday, we've had our best Christmas yet. Grateful to be all together, not on a deployment this year, celebrating the birth of our Savior, and enjoying all our traditions together, and finding a few new ones. Merry Christmas everyone!
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