Growing Up

Emma has entered the happy place where she chooses ice cream based on flavors she likes rather than color.
This means that the dollar scoop of ice cream actually gets eaten.

The new - unfinished - fire pit

Emma's appropriately dressed, no?

At this age they either don't get the marshmallow warm or it's a flaming black ball of sugar.  

This really makes our yard look big. 

The only time it looks bigger is when I'm standing behind our cute little push mower.

Pied Piper

I took like 15 pictures trying to get his naked buns AND the recorder.  I failed.

Monday night was the first day of Mike's fifth trial in six weeks.  We were exhausted.  We plopped ourselves in the TV room downstairs and tried to ignore whatever was happening with our precious children upstairs.

After playing in the sink, Jack came downstairs all wet and mad about it.  I stripped him down and told him to find some clothes and his sister or I would help him get dressed.

He happily trotted back up the stairs and came down with a whistle.  Any of you who have been in my downstairs know that nine feet ceilings plus hardwood floors equals a room that is incredibly fun to make noise in.

I told Jack that if he wanted to play the thing, he needed to go outside.  He happily replied, "Okay mommy!"  And I heard the front door open.

I looked over at Mike, "Is he wearing anything?"
Mike laughed.  I grabbed my camera.
I wonder what the neighbors think.
Fortunately, we only have one.

The Things Us Alaskans Do For Good Fish

This whole adventure is for Copper River Red Salmon.  They're such a big deal that I've seen it sold for as much as 27.99 a pound at natural food stores in the lower 48.
With the cost of snacks and gas, these cost us a little less than 10 bucks a fish.  It'll be more than 12 meals for our family and it's sooooo delicious!

Now that I'm looking at this picture, there's one that shows a little better how harrowing this trail is.  The Ranger is super awesome but much wider than a traditional four wheeler, this trail was NOT made for Rangers.  Going down that cliff into the river is not really a good option.  For the driver or the Ranger.

Mike said the cover on that thing hit the signs coming and going, again, not made for an off road vehicle this size.

River bank.  (That's Mike at the top)

The operation.  One guy sits up a little higher than the other guy.  The guy near the water is dipnetting, when he gets fish, the guy who's a little higher pulls out the fish, bonks them (yes, that's a technical term) and sets them aside.  Repeat.  Repeat.  Repeat.  These are REALLY yummy fish.

When you finally get them home, there's more to do be done.  Both kids happily held all the slimey fish and watched daddy clean them out and bag them up to go in the freezer.  Except the one we ate yesterday... and today.

Jack insisted on filling up his water bottle while there were fish in the sink.  Mike washed his hands over the top of Jack's water bottle more than once, forcing Jack to choose another water bottle that didn't smell like fish.

Happy Times.

Conversations with Jack

In the car the other day:

Mike is recounting some story from work while in the passenger's seat.

Jack, "dad, Dad, DAD, DAAD!"
"WHAT?"  Mike says from the front seat.
"Do you know what I saw last night in my room?"  Jack says quietly.
I see Mike smile out of the corner of my eye.  "What did you see last night in your room?"
"Noffing..."  Jack says quietly.  "My eyes were cwosed because it was too sooky."  Long pause while Mike and I stifle laughs from the front seat.  "And dark..."

Wow.  Kids crack me up.

Us Crazy Mormons

We don't baptize our kids until they're at least eight.  I know, crazy to wait until your child has some idea of what they're in for, right?
Here's some pics from a friend's kid's baptism.

I really love to take pictures but I really hate taking them in the church buildings.  I play with the color FOREVER to try to get it right.  Stupid fluorescent lighting.