Wool Socks! (And Other Things I Love About Alaska!)

It's been awhile since I spouted off about how much I love Alaska, and well, that's because it's been Summer. Not that I feel differently about Alaska, I just hate Summer. Weird, I know, but still true. Last week we were still having clear 70* days, but this week there is no trace of that Summer weather. It seems like one night I went to bed with the sun still shining and I woke up to changing leaves, rain, and seeing darkness before my bedtime. I am thrilled!
On the drive from Colorado to Alaska last year John said to me, "I've heard that soldiers usually want to stay in Alaska, but their wives hate it". I remember that I purposely didn't respond. We had been trying to come to Alaska for several years and everything that I knew about myself made me think that I would love it, but I didn't want to find that I actually hated it and have him to be able to say "I told you so". I shouldn't have worried. I love Alaska. If it's possible, I think that I'm even more in love with Alaska this year than I was last year. So, in true Chris fashion, here's a short list of things I love about Alaska (I know you didn't think this post was going to close without a list!):

1. Wool Socks! This one must have been pretty obvious from the title, but wool socks are actually what inspired me to write about my Alaska-love. I pulled on my favorite pair this morning (it was about 40* and we have hardwood floors) and realized that there was a hole in the bottom. I love living somewhere that I get to wear comfy wool socks often enough to wear holes in them!
2. The Aurora Borealis. This is a no-brainer. Come see them for yourself!
3. Our life here. This may be one of the big reasons that I love Alaska more this year than last -- I love our house, my friends, our activities, and the comfortable routine that we have settled into. With that being said, I realize that we still move at the will of the Army and could be saying goodbye to that comfy routine sooner than I would like, but for now I'm just going to count it on my daily thankful list.
4. Pro-homeschoolers. This probably overlaps #3, but it's a big deal. Alaska is a pro-homeschool state. Even more, Alaska is a homeschool funding state. Thankful.
5. Un-busy-ness. I despise busy-ness, but it happens. Living in the Interior of Alaska makes it happen a lot less. There are not traffic jams that last for hours and miles (unless there's a moose in the road in the Winter or on the side of the road in the Summer and all of the tourists are stopped taking pictures, but hey, that's manageable), there is not a dress code for anything (not an exaggeration), there are no malls bigger than a hallway. There's cold and snow, there's hot coffee all day long, there's a warm house with my family in it, and a list of things to get done to grow that family. It's simple, and it's perfect for us.

Like most of my lists, this one could go on and on and on, but now that I'm pretty sure that I have you all intrigued by the idea of seeing a mall the size of a hallway (and maybe the Northern Lights), I'll stop so that you can stop reading this and book your tickets to come visit us!!

Our Week in Highlights

Ok, so I know that I've been talking a lot lately about the crazy things that my girl wears and I promise, after this post, that I will try to lay off the topic for awhile, but this one cannot be ignored. It was definitely one of the highlights of my week.

 Yesterday I put my normally dressed children in the car and drove three minutes to the commissary. When we got there this is what I took out of the car...

Okay, no big deal, we can deal with the random flower and swim goggles, but then I get her brother out of the car and I find him looking like this...

 

 

Why yes, that is his fishing vest. No, we had not been fishing nor were we going fishing. Believe it or not, there is no fishing pond in the commissary. Weird, I know.

My deepest apologies to everyone who encouraged us to homeschool, and to homeschool families everywhere, because Fire Team McBean is doing NOTHING to debunk the homeschool stereotype.

 

Moving on...the big kids could not decide what the highlight of their week was. They said it was a tie between the first Autumn story time at the library and doing this project for school...

 

It's paint in a bag. Just some washable fingerpaint in a ziploc bag secured to the kitchen table with some blue painting tape (Have I mentioned that I l.o.v.e Pinterest? I really, really do, but that's another post). They loved it. It kept them occupied for a long time and it was a fun new way (for Patton especially) to practice letter formation. Even Baby R got in on the action...

 

 

(Yes, she is pulling up the tape, and please don't mind the mess that I had not yet taken time to clean up or my 14th cup of coffee on the table next to. I promise it was cold by the time I put it on the table next to him.)

 

Other highlights this week include gorgeous weather with just a bit of Fall in the air, the return of school buses (I don't know why my kids love this, but they do), G completing all of his Summer review math work, and getting new postcards everytime we went to the mailbox (thanks Ms. Teri, Ms. Danielle, and Aunt Yvonne!). The kids love this project and I'm so thankful that so many of our friends have been willing to help us out!

John's highlight of the week was marking something off of his bucket list -- a four day trip to Minto Flats to moose hunt. Even though the hunting part of the trip was a bust it gave him plenty of time to plan our Labor Day weekend camping/caribou hunting trip to Atigun Pass, so he at least made good use of his time.

In addition to all of this, one of the biggest highlights of my week was being able to be with my sweet friend Destiny (and my equally awesome friends Meg and Lindsay!) at Labor and Delivery and getting to meet sweet little Lawson Rage Impson in the first minutes of his life. Nothing provides more profound proof of the existence our Creator than holding new life in your arms and I was so blessed to have been there!

So there you have it, some of the highest highlights from our week.

Oh, and I think that I have failed to mention for the last several weeks that Baby R can WALK, but she refuses to because she still thinks that she can get anywhere she needs to be like this...

 

 

 

As Promised

It did not take long for Princess P to figure out that she was no longer getting objections from me when it comes to her fashion choices, so as promised, here is her outfit for a trip to the commissary, complete with Mossy Oak Real Tree Bogs! Love her.



Oh, I Love Her!

I am in love with this girl! Everyday -- but this week especially I have been enthralled by her crooked lips, odd sense of humor, unique style, and genuine innocence. Where did she come from? She is nothing like me! Or John! Or anyone I know! I think that makes me love her even more! Her unique style often consists of mismatched shoes, winter hats in July, dresses over jeans, and tutus with EVERYTHING (think Frankenstein in 'Big Daddy')! For the last year or so I have tried to tone down her unconventional choices, but I was really convicted this week to give her a little more freedom and let her enjoy this carefree aspect of being a kid! So, I have resolved to let this sweet little girl wear whatever she'd like (within reason, obviously the child doesn't own immodest clothing!) to wherever she'd like (church and formal occasions excluded, most of the time). I know it may sound crazy and it may mean that I tote around a preschooler wearing more costume jewelry than Joan Rivers, or people may drive by me and wonder why my kid is wearing her alligator Halloween costume in August, but oh well.
With that being said, be prepared to be bombarded by cute pictures of her ensembles, like this winner from yesterday. She wore the tiara, tutu and John Deere boots to the library, but said that the boots weren't working so she traded them in for her ladybug rain boots,Tonka truck helmet, and skateboard. Today she wore two different shoes to dinner.

Isn't she just the sweetest?