What we've been up to...

So, my significant other and I were talking the other day about how it seems like we've been in Alaska FOREVER already and not just the mere 3 months that it's actually been. So, he asked me if I'd put up any of the pictures of things that we've done here and that gave me an idea of several things I could blog about.

Not in any particular order...

Missy's 3rd Birthday...

We've since started on the road to potty training her and let's just say that  she has her good days and her bad. :)

 Buddy's first day of kindergarten! He was very excited even though I was on the verge of tears. He rides the big bus with all the other elementary school kids - which scares me, but the 5th graders at his bus stop keep an eye out for him.

 We went to the Alaska State Fair, which was lots of fun and a new experience for the kids - they loved the little petting zoo and riding on a couple rides.

Buddy and his Great-Grandma on the Ferris Wheel, which she was terrified of, so of course his Daddy got him to rock their seat which just made him laugh and her even more terrified.

Bud's 5th Birthday!

 Carly watching her Great-Grandma cross stitch - which she did often while Grandma was here visiting, little Miss would sit for 20-30 minutes and just watch - it was very sweet to capture.

 One of Bud's birthday presents - a Transformer's backpack!

Oh, you can see the excitement on his face for his dinosaur birthday presents!

Gone Fishing in Hope, AK

It was a cold, wet, rainy day but everyone had fun!

 Skipping rocks our last day in Fairbanks, when we went to see North Pole

 North Pole, AK- Santa was very nice and reminded us all to be good!!!

 On our way up to Fairbanks we stopped to eat lunch and this gazebo was built out of what are called "knotty trees" that have these HUGE knots in them, as you can see by what little Miss is sitting on. There was even a cool little shop called "The Knotty Shop" that was full of Alaska decor and animal statues made out of branches like these.

 This is the great Alaskan Pipeline!

 Captured this up at the pipeline, but couldn't resist, the light just seemed too perfect to pass up.

 More pictures from fishing in Hope. We were afraid of the kids throwing the fishing poles in the river so they mostly manned the fishing net. The nice thing about it being so rainy and wet was that it was incredibly muddy so once the kids stopped walking they were stuck and their little rubber boots were just suctioned into the mud. So, we didn't worry about them wandering off, just about them slipping into the river!

 Bud and his Grandpa

 Me and Bud

I caught a fish!

But had to throw it back because I barely missed hooking it in the mouth, but the rule is that if you hook it anywhere other than in the mouth you have to throw it back. Because they run so heavy you can just cast in and if you jerk hard enough you could catch lots, so hooking in the mouth is a lot more difficult.