My Governor Sarah Palin just became McCain's running mate

Yep, most of you, if you have a TV, know that John McCain just picked Alaska's governor to be his running mate.  Here's my take on Sarah.

She lives in Wasilla, where I live.  We snowmachine together.  Well, "together" isn't maybe the right word but we do both have cabins in Petersville, Alaska and frequent the same lodge.  She lives on the lake where I take my kids to feed the ducks.

I didn't vote for her to be governor but it's not because I didn't like her, it's just that I liked the other guy a little bit better.

She really has always put the best interests of Alaskans in the forefront and has really been conservative with spending even though Alaska is running the largest surplus we've ever had. Maybe it's that whole "save for a rainy day" thing which seems to be a lost idea.

I think she'll be great.  I think McCain chose well, I still don't know who I'll vote for and this isn't the place for me to say.  I can say that since she has been governor she has not been bullied, she really has done what she believes to be the best for Alaska and I'm sure that she'll do what she feels best as the VP, if they make it to the White House.   Although I think the VP is mostly for decoration.  Maybe that's why they chose her...

She's known for her hotness.  She did a photo shoot for Vogue.  In her interview she said what woman wouldn't want to be photographed by Vogue (maybe that was my thought) and that if it would bring some attention to our beautiful state then great.

Anyways, with McCain two sprints up the White House steps away from a heart attack, it'll be interesting to see if the rest of the country likes her enough to possibly make her the first female Vice President and possibly President...

The Lake

Gramma and Jack left on foot to go to the public access.  Emma and I left in the boat.  

You may wonder why we didn't ALL go in the boat.  Well, the boat's label says that it fits 5 people and 700 pounds but Emma and I fill it up just fine.

When we got to the public access, Jack got to go for a ride.

Emma stood on land and gave us directions, "MOM!!  When you come towards land you have to say 'Land HO'"

Sorry, I mean, "Aye, Aye, captain."

She actually did make me say that.

Jack also had to have a go at the oars.  I LOVE this age at this concentration level.  SO cute.

Wanna know what a brave momma looks like?

More lake adventure later.  

Yes, we went all the way across, just the three of us.

Blowing Bubbles

I was trying to help Jack learn how to blow bubbles since they're one of his most favorite things.  He's great at dipping the little stick, then he puts the soapy end that make bubbles into his mouth and proceeds to blow.  Yum.

Soon I will bore you with a list of the words he speaks, and animal sounds he makes, just so I won't forget and because I've completely abandoned my written journals.

First Day of Kindergarten!

This is Emma on Monday morning, running around the driveway instead of getting into the car. I was a little worried about how she'd feel going back to school but it's the same school she's been to for the past two years so when I dropped her off, she just ran into the classroom and I had to call her back to give me a hug.  I think that's a good thing.

Since Emma is in Kindergarten I thought I would share some of the funny things I've heard come out of her mouth over the past few days.

1 - While playing "campout" in my bedroom with her friend Charlee I came in and turned on the light.

Emma, "MOM!!!  Stop turning off my dark!!!"

2 - Emma, while dressing her dolls, most of which are boys, "Mom, (very seriously) girls are pretty and boys are cool."

Well, thanks for helping me get that straight.

3- Emma, "Mom?  Can I wear these panties all night?"

     Me, "Yes." (trying to figure out what she means)

     Emma, "Well, mom, tomorrow I'll be 5.  I'll be a big girl."

How true.

Happy 5th!!!

This is Emma's cake.  She picked it herself.  I'm SO proud of her.  In the midst of pink, purple, sparkly, fake castle, barbie stuck intop cakes, she chose this beautiful yellow rose cake which I think is perfect.

We did have to add some fairies for extra beauty.

Here's Emma, decorating her cake.

While Emma and her daddy picked up Emma's friend Charlee, Jack helped us put together some of her gifts.  The thing in this stroller I'm afraid to even say that I know what it is.  It's Mike's.  And that's all I'm going to say about that.

Jack especially liked Emma's new doll bed.  

He very gently tucked her in and then gave us a "shhhhh" so the baby could sleep.  To make his daddy feel better about all this pink doll loving nonsense, he pushed the baby in the bed off the porch the next day.

Update on the House

Here are some pics I took yesterday.

CLICK ME!!!

On one of our few sunny days

On one of our few sunny days this summer (we're near the record of fewest days above 65) Emma and I went out and flew her kite.  It was a present from Aunt Julie and Uncle Steve for her last birthday but she wasn't really into it.  This year it's been great fun.

Many thanks to Granddad's lawn.

P.S.  I still can't believe how big she is.  I have some pretty good memories from her age.  It means that long into her years she will remember some of the things I do and say.  It's enough to prompt me into my best behavior.  That and her uncanny ability to remember most things I say and repeat them in mixed company...

I woke up this morning

I woke up this morning, looked out my window and WOW!!

KIDDING!

We went to the zoo.  This is THE only animal picture I took.  They were all pretty lively and fun today but my kids are SO much cuter than those beasts that I came home with lots of pics of them.

In honor of Grammy K's Birthday

We had two snack bins at our old house.  One was for Mommy and Daddy and one was for the kids.  Somehow during out move, the "grown-up" snack bin ended up in Gramma's car.  We took Gramma's car to the zoo.  Any guesses as to the snack Jack chose??

Yep, daddy's fav.

Sorry daddy, he downed most of the bag and I don't think you'd want to eat the ones that are left.

They LOVED the musk ox.  The baby kept making this aaahhh noise and the mother would answer back with something that sounded like one of those beasts on the early star wars movie.

Very entertaining.  We were here for quite a while.

I have decided that taking pics of animals at the zoo is silly.  I come home with bunches of photos of really amazing animals behind bars.  We still occasionally find a bear who is photo worthy but we see those on any long drive anyways.

Mischievous little thing.  You can see it in his eyes...

You'll have to forgive my lack of pics of Emma.  I have LOTS of pics of Emma at the zoo.

So, in honor of Grammy K's birthday, we went to the zoo.

On Our Way Out...

The petting zoo was FINALLY open.  It's NEVER open when we're at the zoo.

And Emma, after telling me that there was NO WAY her legs could carry her to the car, happily bounced over to the petting zoo and chased the poor animals for another 20 minutes.

Again, you'll have to forgive my many pics of Jack, it's his first petting zoo where he could walk.

SO exciting.

This was a goat who was smart enough to hide.

I had to pull Jack out of this mini-barn about 3 times.

I must warn the sweet, sweet animals at the Alaska State Fair that Jack has discovered tails...

A Random Birthday

No, it's not Jack's birthday.

We got to go out to Matanuska River Park for a friend's kid's 1st birthday.

I have no pics of the birthday boy but we had a blast.

Jack ran in front of me while I was swinging and I caught him between my legs and continued to swing with him dangling there.  He loved it.

I really just put this pic in because except for my bum (still needs a little weight loss work) I'm finally seeing results of the starvation (occasional) and continuous workouts.  

Still fighting for every pound lost and also fighting for each pound kept off.  Ahh, me and my lucky genes.

What we love about living (temporarily) in the Grandparents' house

This is the view out of the front of the house.  The swan is real.  It's there every morning.  We're sitting in the breakfast nook eating cereal.  Everyone should be able to wake up to a view like this.  Amazing.

This is Chester.  The kids LOVE Chester.  Chester does NOT love the kids.  Or the dog.  He'll be 5 lbs lighter by the time we leave-from both nervous shedding and the exercise obtained from running up and down the stairs.

This is my parent's street.  It's quiet.  It's lovely and it's a perfect mile walk to the mailbox and back.

It's just over a mile roundtrip to the lake's public access.  We love it.

I think this picture really speaks for itself.

Our first house is sold, gone and occupied by a really, really, cool family.  Our new house is still wood sticks inside.  So, ya know, we do have a plan and this is temporary.

What we have done to the grandparents' house

Well, we brought this.  He sheds.  A LOT.

This is what happened to the inside of their dishwasher which now works twice a day instead of once every other day.

The normally immaculate entryway now has a box of kid shoes, a costume, Mike's dry-cleaning, a suit and tie draped over the chair and my recent catalog purchase.  Not to mention a few random odds and ends that I have no idea what to do with.

Here is Emma, enjoying granddad's spot in the den.  As you can see, we've lived in this room as well.

My poor mother is out of town and I've just posted pics of her house messier than I've ever seen it.  So, that's something else we've done to the grandparents' house.