tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52893845483699781102024-03-13T10:17:08.921-07:00Fam Och in the YukonUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger125125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-21430555689462390892013-07-21T22:55:00.001-07:002013-07-21T22:58:56.178-07:00Going Off the Grid at La Caleta: Saying Goodbye to Paradise and Exploring Homer<div style="text-align: center;">
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We had actually been scheduled to leave at 0930 to leave Marcee time to get the place ready for the next tenants who would be coming in at 1130. Unfortunately, the winds made it hell for those in the bay and Willie made the judgement call to call over a friend and their enclosed cabin water taxi (on his dime) to shuttle us back to Homer because he didn't want the girls to get scared. What a sweetheart, right?</div>
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At 1330, the M/V Beowulf roared alongside the beach to collect us. The girls LOVED Tugger the sea dog was there to accompany us.</div>
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This gave us a chance to get to know these two lovely people: Tom and Tammy, the owners of Red Mountain Marine. They provide fjord tours, water taxi service to hiking trails across the bay, and wildlife tours. (907-399-8230) They are just such great personable people with a top-notch vessel. If you ever are in need of services in Homer, they are THE people to go with.</div>
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A quick picture of the kids and our new friends Marcee and Willie. The awesome thing about the shuttle delay was that it gave us an opportunity to visit more extensively with these two. Such a great story, living the dream. Louie and I have just fallen in love with them.</div>
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We were finally in Homer, a little seasick to our stomachs. After a quick bite to eat, we headed straight to the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitors Center to get the girls their maritime biologist patch (much like the national park junior ranger program).<br />
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Then, of course, we had to stop by this charming bookstore, The Old Inlet Bookshop, right next to the Mermaid Cafe.</div>
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Old books, new books, everywhere!</div>
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We checked into the Driftwood Inn. Charming OLD place with European style layout (as in shared bathrooms down the hall). We didn't mind much since we were just staying for one night.</div>
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We walked across the street to the Old Tyme Steakhouse and ate dinner. Meh. It was ok.</div>
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And turned in for the night.</div>
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The next day, we took some last minute photo ops by the spit while it wasn't as crowded.</div>
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We even fit in some geocaching!</div>
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It was sad leaving the place. But we're pretty confident this will be an annual trip. For any of you who want to see La Caleta for yourselves...DO IT. You will not regret it. </div>
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www.sailwood.com</div>
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Reserve your dates for next year ASAP. They are booked every single day until the end of this season. </div>
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-2641175481828467122013-07-21T22:20:00.001-07:002013-07-21T22:20:09.261-07:00Going Off the Grid at La Caleta: Day Three Relaxing<div style="text-align: center;">
Day three started with a peek out the window to discover white caps. Waves and wind are not good for us beginner kayakers. Willie had stopped by in the morning to make sure we were still alive. He let us know the "williwaw" would die down around 7pm. Despite the wind, the sun was out in full force. We decided to just relax for the day and kayak later on in the evening.</div>
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Daddy and Little Liv discussing what sea creatures we've seen so far and what she hoped to see that day.</div>
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Amazing what the kids can busy themselves with given there is water and a plethora of rocks available.</div>
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Low tide came and the kids focused their attention to the sea anemones and jellyfish.</div>
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After some pleading, Louie went out on a single and nudged a true star starfish to the shore for closer examination.</div>
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It was in the process of eating a mussel!</div>
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After a bit of examining, we gently placed "Patrick" back in the water.</div>
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The encounter with the starfish reminded us that we had yet to pick some mussels for Sophia (she orders a plate of them at Olive Garden every time!). </div>
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Lucky us, the big rock that had a bunch of them sat underneath an eagle's nest.</div>
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Sophie LOVED them!</div>
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Hubby and I enjoyed the bottle of complimentary Chilean wine from our hosts.</div>
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The kids goofed around on the "Little Mermaid" rock.</div>
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Us girls completed a jigsaw puzzle while the boys played poker.</div>
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We shared cuddles.</div>
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Before we knew it, it was 7pm, and just as Willie said, the wind died down.</div>
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Rain gear (instead of spray skirts) and PFD's were thrown on FAST! I think every one of us had fallen in love with kayaking.</div>
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A bit later, we went for another go-round out into the cove.</div>
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We opted for the Mister just giving all of us a turn with him since it was still pretty rocky out, and Sophie didn't want to be stuck sitting with a squirmy Liv in her lap.</div>
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She pretended she was on a roller coaster ride.</div>
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Dylan and his dad had the last trip down as it was starting to get dark. What a view!</div>
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Finally, after a visit to the sauna, we settled in for bed. But not before some family time. The ONLY time I got the WHOLE family to sit and listen to poetry readings. I was one happy momma. :-)</div>
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-85865277585405539842013-07-21T21:39:00.001-07:002013-07-21T21:39:23.099-07:00Going Off the Grid at La Caleta: Epic Kayaking and Someone Turns 15!
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This young man turned the big F-I-F-T-E-E-N on the second day of our stay in Sadie Cove. He claimed use of the hammock for the day and he requested a kayaking sojourn into the head of the cove at high tide.</div>
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Louie and I had to learn how to read the tide table, since we needed to figure when the best times would be for novice sea kayakers to be out there. Tides, currents, and winds can make things pretty tricky on the water...not to mention that capsizing into Alaskan waters is NOT an option...we had to be very careful of our timing.</div>
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Luckily enough, this gorgeous Alaskan summer kept it up for us. High tide came and the waters were like glass.</div>
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We had spotted a couple of sea otters floating in with the tide, and we hoped to catch a more close up look at them, but we think they got a little shy.</div>
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Hubby who seems instantly adept at any sport he undertakes moved like an expert kayaker and was very comfortable with maneuvering a hefty tandem kayak with the two girls sharing the berth in the front.</div>
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Dylan and I managed to work as a pretty great team.</div>
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Like I said...the water was perfect. It was like kayaking on a lake. </div>
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The head of the cove was a mile down from us and ended in a lagoon that is only flooded during the high tides. At that point, all sorts of wildlife teem there to feed on the swarms of salmon spawning there.</div>
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Crappy picture. I don't really know how to photograph things underwater. But there were so many salmon swimming underneath our kayaks. If we had brought poles (or nets) we could have caught a few to grill over the fire.</div>
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We saw bald eagles (probably the ones that are nesting outside the cabin) swooping down to catch the fish. Unbelievable sights.</div>
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After a couple of hours on the water, we headed back to shore.</div>
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The girls insisted on sharing the hammock with the birthday boy.</div>
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S'mores for dessert before dinner.</div>
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Power naps</div>
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shell collecting</div>
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It had gotten windy the night before and during the tidal change, a buoy washed up on our shore. Dylan insisted it was a gift to him from the sea, cut off the rope, and took it home with him as a souvenir to hang up in his room.</div>
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The Mister cooked up a spaghetti dinner (noodles for long life, right, my Asian peeps?), and since we couldn't fit a proper birthday cake in the cooler, we plopped some candles onto his plate and sang him the birthday song.</div>
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After the girls had gone to bed, it was his wish that we play a board game. He was winning (until it was past midnight and not his birthday anymore, at which point, the Monopoly master (yours truly) proceeded to whoop some ass. LOL.</div>
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-71383070648298172962013-07-21T20:50:00.001-07:002013-07-21T20:50:08.539-07:00Going Off the Grid at La Caleta: Day One Now, I know the fam has been up to a gazillion things lately...and the Rigby fam visit to AK surely came before this series of posts. I apologize these entries are not necessarily in sequential order...but this really must come first. It DESERVES to be first. <br />
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Background: Every year we celebrate our oldest's birthday with a trip to somewhere new. When we first arrived in AK, we took a rail tour to Trapper Creek and stayed at the Mt. McKinley Princess Lodge. Last year, we pulled a camper trailer to Denali National Park and climbed our first mountain. This year, we aimed our compasses south and headed to the Kenai Peninsula.<br />
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I scoured the internet (as I am known to do) for the perfect place. Wilderness lodges, public-use cabins, resorts, we considered all of them. We remained undecided until I stumbled across the website for La Caleta in Sadie Cove. (<a href="http://www.sailwood.com/" target="_blank">CLICK HERE FOR WEBSITE)</a> Suddenly, our decision was made, reservations secured, and we all anxiously awaited the arrival of July.<br />
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On the 17th, we drove the five-hour journey to the "end of the road," Homer, Alaska. We met up with the owner of this private cabin, Willie Condon (more about him and his lovely wife, Marcee, later), loaded our supplies on his aluminum skiff, and headed out across Kachemak Bay<br />
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The water across the bay was rough...and a bit nerve-wracking as the open little boat bounced hard on the swells as we sat on coolers in the middle. Little Liv, however, laughed that big ole belly laugh of hers at the first bounce, and she screamed and hooted and hollered all the way across. </div>
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"Are you having fun, Sophie?" she would yell over the wind and the sound of the boat motor. </div>
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Sophie, my more timid and reserved child, would just glare at her sister as she shook her head, pursing her lips in a tight line, her hands desperately trying to secure a handhold around my thigh. </div>
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But soon enough, we approached Eldred Passage, the body of water between the islands and the mouth of Sadie Cove, and the waters calmed down.</div>
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So calm, in fact, that I was able to wrangle myself out of Sophie's death grip, pull the camera out of my pocket, and take this picture. This was our first view of the cove.</div>
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As we rounded the bend, this sight welcomed us. Right on the rocky beachfront, stood La Caleta. To the right is a boathouse that can also sleep more guests. The roof of the building on the left is the bathhouse (Yep, folks, there is running water here. Pressurized heated showers. AND a sauna. A SAUNA!). The structure above the kayaks is a boardwalk connecting to a boat shed still in the works.<br />
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The wonders of this place...how do I begin to even explain it all?</div>
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The genius of its owners. Willie Condon, a native of Chile, a warm man with the kindest demeanor, cut down every tree, hauled it across the bay from Homer to Sadie Cove, and milled it himself. Any piece he couldn't lift himself, he had his then-teenaged children help. He even configured a system that gathered hydroelectric energy from the mountain streams!</div>
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The second floor is a family-style loft with these gigantic windows, offering the most beautiful panoramic view of Sadie Peak anyone could ever wake up to.</div>
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As handy and talented Willie is with his woodworking and construction skills, his other half, Marcee, is equally talented with the finishing work. She is credited for oiling the beams, decorating the place, and making it feel magical.</div>
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This is the entryway. I especially loved the porthole "peephole."</div>
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From the inside, these painted double doors open to the short boardwalk that connects it to the bathhouse and sauna.</div>
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Dylan, taking full advantage of the fact that this was his birthday trip, jumped on the windowside bed and claimed it for himself.</div>
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Oh, and yeah, the view looking towards the head of the cove is pretty amazing as well.</div>
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Willie and Marcee showed us the ropes, to include a quick kayak how-to, jumped into their skiff and left us in our solitude.</div>
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More to come...</div>
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-15255593716567356982013-07-04T00:26:00.003-07:002013-07-04T00:26:31.149-07:00Portage Valley Camping Trip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8EjIgnHahQU3ZBtNqWlbqmBmf4V2KmwxCIsLN5XdB5jkGiEICApBdhmzoquYGcIQVtx_8PEc2xDawIrEj6oSdGsh_zLbVldIsomF8NXZ4Psm0CbWKgIiqaC8MdIO33hyJCXVlUZeUnqL/s1600/IMG_3785.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8EjIgnHahQU3ZBtNqWlbqmBmf4V2KmwxCIsLN5XdB5jkGiEICApBdhmzoquYGcIQVtx_8PEc2xDawIrEj6oSdGsh_zLbVldIsomF8NXZ4Psm0CbWKgIiqaC8MdIO33hyJCXVlUZeUnqL/s640/IMG_3785.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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There's nothing like setting up camp with an astounding view of a hanging glacier in the mountains in front of you. We were particularly excited about this camping trip, and the view just made it even more special. No joke, while hubby and I were sliding the tent poles into their sleeves, we couldn't help but stop every few seconds, look up at Middle Glacier and smile before turning back to the task at hand.</div>
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If you are on the lookout for a prime camping spot, Williwaw and Black Bear Campgrounds (right next to each other) should be on your list. The campground host could be friendlier, I suppose, but the grounds were spotless, vault toilets were clean. </div>
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Directly across from the campground, on the other side of the Portage Highway, is the Williwaw Nature Trail.</div>
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We were excited to explore this trail. It is well-known for scenic spots and several geocaches (the Fam just recently took up this hobby).</div>
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That is Middle Glacier behind us.</div>
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As we were admiring the pretty lupine and the amazing weather, the girls stumbled across a very obvious sign of bear activity...SCAT. The girls have a little book that teaches them to differentiate between the scat of different animals in the region. They were excited to say that the pile was indeed from a bear. We strolled further down the trail and found ANOTHER one. This one (pictured above) was much fresher...as in if it were a bit cooler outside, it would probably steaming. And as we eyed the trail ahead as it narrowed between dense alder shrubs, we decided to not have to test our bear spray that afternoon, and turned around back to camp.</div>
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The next day was another glorious deep blue sky, warm, sunshiny day. We loaded up on our bikes (Liv in the bike trailer) onto the Trail of Blue Ice, a world-class four-mile trail of boardwalks, arched bridges, and fantastic scenery that parallels the mountains and the glaciers on them.</div>
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The entrance to the trail from the campground. You know the view is really gorgeous when a 15-year-old teenage boy stops his bike, lets his jaw drop, and exclaim, "My GOD, it's beautiful."</div>
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Yep, I agree.</div>
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One of the arched bridges that crosses over Placer Creek. There is a nifty spot along one of the bridges that overlooks the confluence of Placer Creek and the glacier runoff from one of the hanging glaciers above in which you can see the striking difference of colors of the merging waters...mint blue-green flows into a clear stream. Liv pointed it out and called it "soapy water."</div>
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At a resting bench overlooking Explorer Glacier.</div>
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There were times the highway would be visible from the trail.</div>
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At Explorer Pond underneath the glacier. The water was this crazy turquoise blue.</div>
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Sophie eyeing the path of an avalanche from last winter.</div>
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We reached the end of the trail at the Moose Flats Day Use area. The girls, of course, dipped their hands in the water, only to exclaim how much warmer it was than the pond by the glacier.</div>
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As if the six mile bike ride wasn't enough, we parked the car at the Byron Glacier trailhead parking lot (near Portage Lake) and went off to tackle a short hike (and burn off calories from the ice cream break we had at the cafe).</div>
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Byron Glacier in the background</div>
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At the toe of the glacier is a large snowfield the kids enjoyed cooling off in.</div>
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This was one of my personal favorite camping trips. I absolutely fell in love with the biking trail, the weather was perfect, the nights weren't too cold, and I didn't gag in the bathroom (yep, that's a criteria).</div>
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I don't like to return to many campgrounds we've stayed in previously since I like to explore new places as much as I can, but this is one I'll make an exception for. In fact, we may make it a mission to stay here every year. You should, too.</div>
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-14865564511306336492013-07-02T08:29:00.003-07:002013-07-02T08:29:36.199-07:00Sightseeing Alaska<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am obsessed with photo ops, especially AK photo ops, because, honestly, you can't get any more beautiful backdrops than here in this state. Well, the time finally came for us to search out the perfect arctic lupine field along Turnagain Arm. They bloom from late spring into early summer, give or take several days since this year's weather has been all sorts of wacky. So, off we went on an unusually warm sunny AK day down the Seward Highway to the Bird Point Scenic Viewpoint.<br />
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Since we were already more than halfway there, we headed down to Girdwood and check out the Virgin Creek waterfalls. This isn't a well known "hike" since it's a ways off the other more travelled trails in the area, although it is well worth the little jaunt from the parking area. <br />
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To get there: drive down Alyeska Hwy until you cross over the Glacier Creek bridge. The first street you will come across is Timerberline Drive. Take that right and follow it to the very end. There, you will find space to park four vehicles or so. The trail is approximately two tenths of a mile. It parallels the creek and there are steep drop-offs, so hold on tight to your little chickitties. Before you know it, you'll have the splendor of the falls in front of you.<br />
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Tired little puppy.</div>
<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-4566946684864383382013-06-30T22:15:00.000-07:002013-08-01T23:17:00.734-07:00Summit Lake Camping Trip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Our final camping trip of the season (very unfortunate since this has been the best and warmest summer ever in AK), but since my sister and her fab fam were visiting in July, then the epic Sadie Cove adventure, followed by Grandma & Grandpa Ochoa (Mister's parents) coming over to spend August with us...our schedule really didn't have any more room for another one.</div>
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Tenderfoot Creek Campground sits on the shore of Upper Summit Lake, between Portage and Moose Pass on the Kenai Peninsula. </div>
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We scored a lakeshore campsite that had its own little path to the water. Those two days are about the only two days this summer that it rained. We were lucky, though, as it only sprinkled just a little bit the night we were setting up.</div>
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This was a special trip since we were accompanied by some great friends who were also eager to try a new pastime: geocaching!</div>
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Geocaching involves a network of people who hide little treasures and post the GPS coordinates on a website for others to find. The caches can range from a small container with just a little log for finders to sign their names on to ammo cans full of little trinkets. Caching etiquette calls on finders to leave one of their own treasures if they are going to keep something from the cache.</div>
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Our first treasure hunt led us only a bit down a dirt road from the campground, and up the abandoned ski resort hill.</div>
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The kids gathered around the cache to collect their treasures.</div>
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View from the cache with the collapsed ski chair pull to the left.</div>
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Wonderful thing about campfires...they bring the family together through stories, games, jokes, and SMORES!</div>
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She was so excited that daddy finally let her use a REAL knife. She whittled sticks all night she gave herself blisters!</div>
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The kids loved those foil wrapped Jiffy Pop popcorn kits.</div>
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We especially loved the dice games we played in the tent. I don't think we slept earlier than midnight those nights (you could never really tell since it didn't get dark).</div>
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This wasn't a blow-your-mind beautiful camping location. Just a simple little two-night getaway for the family. But it's still as special as all the rest of our adventures because we spent it together.</div>
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-3819496859852356842013-06-06T08:41:00.001-07:002013-06-06T08:41:04.252-07:00First Camping Trip of 2013: Eklutna Lake Memorial Day signals to Alaskans the first warm weekend of the year...a threshold into a summer long awaited. With this year's fickle winter, this couldn't be any more true. It had snowed several inches just the weekend prior. It seemed all the residents of AK communed in collective prayer for sunshine and warmth after that mid-May snowstorm. Thankfully, the power of prayer is a strong force indeed.<br />
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I've commented on FB as we departed for this trip that this was definitely THE most unorganized camping trip we've ever tried. In hindsight, it was pretty well planned. I think the touchiest part of this endeavor involved in the securing of a first-come-first-served site at the Eklutna Lake Campground, since this place is a go-to for many locals.<br />
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Wednesday night, hubby and I went out to the lake after we put the kiddos to bed, and thanking the heavens for late hours daylight, set up the tent in one of the handful of vacant sites on the grounds. We left, arriving back at the casa close to midnight, hoping nobody would notice that our site was unattended (apparently the practice of setting up camp just to reserve it is not allowed). Both Louie and I still had to work on Thursday...and we planned to make it out with the rest of our gear and the children plus dog that night.<br />
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To our relief, our site was still how we left it. It turned out driving out the night prior was a good decision. When we came back, the campground was full, to include the overflow campground!</div>
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The kids lucked out when they found a homemade bow and arrow at the site. Sophie didn't waste any time pretending to be Katniss. </div>
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The Mister takes these trips as an opportunity to teach the children basic survival skills. In previous years, Dylan was the only one old enough to build a fire himself. Now, Soph has stepped into his position, with Dylan moving up to the task of guiding her should she need help (of course, hubby is watching very closely as well). This was the very first campfire she built all by herself. Look at how proud she is.</div>
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Baby girl does NOT like smoke in her eyes. </div>
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We had plans to kayak the lake the next morning...but this revelation derailed our plans. The late season snowfall and low temps kept it iced over well into the end of May.</div>
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Instead, we decided to try to climb as high as we could on the Twin Peaks trail.</div>
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Sophie would blaze ahead, impatient with the slow pace. Liv would plop herself down in the middle of the path, as is the norm, and overturn large rocks embedded into the trail just so we could marvel at her strength. </div>
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Mister D joked about the absence of the bench I had touted as our turnaround point, promising them several times during our walk that it would be "just around the bend".</div>
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We stopped after about a mile and a half, never finding the bench we had strived to reach. The constant uphill grade was a bit much for the little one, who wasn't up to physical exertion that morning. </div>
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Back at camp, I whipped up some fried rice from some leftover rice and chicken adobo.</div>
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Then we drove two miles up the road to Rochelle's Ice Cream Shop for dessert.</div>
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Dylan always orders a banana split when we drop by here. I tried the Glacier Float (blueberry ice cream in 7Up) which was interesting and strangely delicious.</div>
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A quick run to town to purchase a new air mattress (the old one had an irreparable leak) took up the rest of our afternoon.</div>
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our goofballs</div>
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Homemade chicken and dumplings for dinner.</div>
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S'mores for dessert!</div>
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The next day was as bright and warm as the day before. We gathered our bikes and headed down the lakeside trail for a quick ride.</div>
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Roxy had a body harness tethered to the bike as well!</div>
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One of our fave families came to visit and brought over a cookie cake to celebrate my 35th year of being YOUNG. As if that wasn't enough sugar, we drove over to Rochelle's again for some ice cream!<br />
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The telescope zoned in on the herds of Dall sheep grazing along the mountaintops.</div>
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If you can spot the outcropping of land jutting into the lake on the left hand side far off in the distance under the mountain, that is where we camped in a public use cabin last year.</div>
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As always, father and son occupied their time with rock-throwing contests...</div>
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...while Sophia dug in the glacial silt and rocks.</div>
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And as anxious as I was before this trip, it turned out surprisingly well. The meals were planned just right. Aside from having to purchase another air mattress, we had all the gear we needed. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and everyone had a great time.</div>
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Not a bad way to kick off summer!</div>
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<img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0px; text-align: left;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-89151223277135771402013-04-14T10:28:00.000-07:002013-04-14T10:28:43.022-07:00All Aboard! Alaska Railroad's Easter Train
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Since the event that called for multi-colored eggs strewn haphazardly across the surface of a semi-frozen parking lot, and fighting to keep my kidlets from being bulldozed over by other eager children and their even more overzealous parents is NOT my idea of an appealing Easter themed activity, we had to think of something else. Mister and I had wanted to take them on this trip for the last two years, but we always remembered to buy our tickets too late. Not this time!</div>
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The Alaska Railroad holds special event trips like this, including the Polar Express trip during Christmastime, and even beer/wine tasting trips, throughout the year. For a fee, you embark on a trip from Anchorage to the little town of Indian (situated along the Turnagain Arm), then head right back. During the trip, themed arts and craft activities, a coloring contest, and visits from a magician and the Easter Bunny himself take place. Big plus? Mommy and Daddy get to look out and enjoy the fabulous scenery that Alaska always has to offer. </div>
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The girls watching the crew prepare the cars for boarding.</div>
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Note all cars are glass-domed.</div>
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Playing Hangman</div>
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Dall Sheep were all over the cliffs along Turnagain Arm. This little one was our favorite. We also saw a moose inside the city limits, and bald eagle during this trip.</div>
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As the kids busied themselves with coloring and assembling an Easter egg mobile, Mister and I couldn't draw our sights away from this scene. The tide was on its way out; you could see the floating icebergs retreat rapidly with it.</div>
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Love that we just had to sit comfortably in our seats and Bunny came to us. </div>
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Waving to the train passing us.</div>
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Little Miss Liv so proud of her work. Although every child received recognition over the intercom and received a small prize for their artwork, Liv got first place in our car. She received an Alaska Railroad train set as a grand prize.</div>
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-3857263088630391752013-02-19T20:50:00.002-08:002013-02-19T20:51:31.538-08:00Battling an Atypical Winter
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After earning bragging rights of living in Anchorage during its record-breaking snowiest season for the 2011-2012 winter (134.5 inches!), it was no wonder that I, along with everybody else, expected another similar winter this season. We were sorely disappointed. I suppose that's the downside of having expectations. These past few months, in regards to snowfall, have been a major disappointment. But ya'll know Fam Och; we always find a way to keep busy and have fun.</div>
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Tubing at the base ski hill</div>
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Trying out her new snowshoes</div>
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Zoo Lights! </div>
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When it's too ugly slash dangerous out to do anything, then we'll opt for indoor activities like</div>
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Aces Hockey games</div>
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Dylan's basketball games</div>
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But whenever we can, we are out there...</div>
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Sledding</div>
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Cross-Country Skiing</div>
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Ice Skating</div>
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Tubing (again), at night</div>
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This winter has been rough on all of us...it seemed like every week at least one of the crew was afflicted with one virus or another. And then there's the freezing rain, and the oddly warm temperature that melted all the snowpack away and transformed every surface into a sheet of ice. Mother Nature was not kind at all this season. But any spare time in between yucky circumstances, we have been out there. </div>
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There are no guarantees in this military. A standard extended long tour can be interrupted suddenly and send many a person reeling into a panic of I-still-haven't-done-this-or-that. Hopefully, with the approach we are taking...not waiting for the perfect time/weather/whatever...and simply going out there and doing it, this fam won't have any regrets of missed opportunities when it comes time to pack up and ship out of here. So happy winter from us to you! Get outdoors and enjoy yourselves!</div>
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-1319676912363078792013-01-28T09:27:00.003-08:002013-01-28T09:27:24.023-08:00Viruses, Children, and this Crazy Winter
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<span style="text-align: left;"> The children were/are/will be sick. First, it was Sophia. The fever came up the Sunday of a three day weekend. After four days of sitting on the couch, we took her in to confirm our suspicions...yessir, influenza. The poor girl stayed home all week. She missed the awards ceremony (she was due to receive another academic excellence award) and the spelling bee she worked so hard to study for. The following Saturday, she was (finally) okay. But then Liv had come home from school the day before and immediately laid down on the couch. 102.6 fever. *Groan* This morning, Dylan's incessant coughing woke me. *oh, no* He insisted he just had a small cough (he has basketball games every day this week). Mean momma made him stay home.</span></div>
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Kids will get sick from time to time. This winter has been pretty brutal for this fam, though. And now, they all want to be ill right before I start work. Ugh. You would think as it is cold as all h3ll (-20, high of ZERO) these viruses would just freeze.</div>
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-51256892461696713242013-01-15T16:25:00.003-08:002013-01-15T16:25:55.382-08:00Staying Ahead in the Game: Summer Planning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Ya'll have called me crazy, I know. Summer isn't for another six months, Winnie! Yep! I'll smile and say, "Yes, I know." But hey, when you're smack dab in the middle of July on a bright sunny beautiful Alaska day, and you say, "Hubby, we really should go camping in this weather!"...and then spend the rest of the day cooped up indoors trying to search for a campground with a vacancy and FAIL. I'll be the one snickering (I'm not that nice, you know.) We learned this lesson the hard way last year, and even now, some facilities we wanted to reserve again are already booked. </div>
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Last year, the fam figured out just how extensive an adventure we could pull off with the munchkins. The one that comes to mind is Dylan's birthday, in Denali National Park, and the girls dragged me up to the Mt. Healy Overlook 2.5 miles straight up and another 2.5 miles down. I'd say they're capable of plenty. So much more camping, hiking, adventuring to do!</div>
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Remember last year when I obsessed and obsessed about finding the only iris field in south-central AK? Well this year our family photo will be taken here...lupines this time. And yes, I know where it is. </div>
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One on our hiking list: Virgin Creek Falls</div>
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I'm also bound and determined to hike the Hatchers Pass area, with Gold Cord Lake Trail as the first on the to-do list. And maybe, I can convince the girls to hike the Butte in Palmer.</div>
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Our big trip this summer is here:</div>
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Homer, Alaska</div>
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Every year since we've been in AK, we go on a special trip for Dylan's birthday. We were first considering taking an RV there, but since we want to explore more of Kachemak Bay Park (that swathe of land across the bay) rather than Homer itself, it didn't make too much sense to do that. (Halibut fishing is not an option for us. (Little Livy is allergic to fish --the other one (Sophia) who loves seafood gets seasick)</div>
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We will stay here across the bay in an ocean front cabin. Sweet!</div>
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One of the days in Hideaway Cove will have us hike the Grewingk Glacier trail, and kayak in its lake. </div>
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The next day, we'll water taxi it back across, stay at a local inn and explore the town, Bishop Beach, and it's tide pools (we are timing it just right during a negative tide...yeah I looked that up, too). Needless to say, we are excited.</div>
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Camping? Yes, please. Our traditional Memorial Day camping trip to Otter Lake will once again take place on my birthday. :-) Calendar is marked the day reservations will be accepted for Eklutna Lake (group), Russian River, and Williwaw. </div>
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Biking? The Bird to Gird trail is still the biggest item on the biking bucket list. </div>
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And this doesn't count all the other stuff we're gonna take my sister's fam to (the Rigby's are coming for a visit in June).</div>
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So much to do! Now if only winter would speed up!</div>
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-80979992492890900142013-01-11T10:35:00.002-08:002013-01-11T10:35:25.644-08:00Better Late than Never?: Fam Och Holiday Newsletter As organized as I proclaim to be, sending holiday mail on time or at all is always a task I fail year in and year out. Gomenasai! We hope your holiday season was as blessed as ours. Here's to another year!<br />
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-73212141851470469212012-12-18T10:07:00.002-08:002012-12-18T10:13:18.024-08:002012 Polar Plunge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
It all started with a half-hearted invite to my friends on Facebook..."anyone want to do the Polar Plunge with me?"...I laughed when I posted it, the absurdity of plunging into a lake in the middle of an Alaskan winter far from any reality I could ever imagine. Then Missus Heck replied. She was in! And then another friend agreed. And another...and so on and so forth.</div>
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Oooops, I couldn't back out then. </div>
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Not when all these brave and CRAZY chicks called me on it.</div>
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And so the Diva Divers were formed.</div>
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The temp was 10*F that morning. Just stepping out from that tent without our outerwear on was a struggle. </div>
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The first group of jumpers from our team. </div>
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The second group. I looked down into that dark water and prayed not to die. Seriously. The depth was about 5 feet, which of course, was a non-issue for everyone else. I, on the other hand, had much more to worry about. Will the shock of the water cause an involuntary inhale while I was completely underwater? Will my mediocre floating/pretend swimming skills be enough to get me over to the ladder?</div>
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The Emcee didn't give us much time to think about all of that, though. He counted us down, and we all just jumped in.</div>
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Hmmmm, so how would I describe it? The shock of the water instantly zapped any inkling of warmth from my body. I've gotta hand it to survival instinct. The only thing on my mind at that time (while I was hyperventilating from the cold) was to get OUT! I somehow managed to stay afloat...doggy paddled? my way to the ladder...and tried to step up. I did experience a slight delay at the ladder, my fingers were so numb/painful/frozen I couldn't quite grip onto the sides.</div>
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Being out in the open air, soaking wet, was the most painful part. Thankfully, they had hot tubs inside the tents for us to warm up in. Unfortunately, they only allowed us a ten second dip before we got kicked out to make room for the next batch of jumpers in desperate need to get warm.</div>
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After we dressed, we hung around for a little bit longer to witness our men take their turn jumping into the water. </div>
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I had always said this was a bucket list item, a once in a lifetime experience, and something I would never do again. Yet, the excited chatter about different costumes and new participants has got me to rethink my position on the subject. Never say never, right? </div>
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-65736331768072884172012-11-27T10:30:00.001-08:002012-11-27T10:30:35.503-08:00Random Updates Hello! It is yours truly again popping up after yet another long absence. So what's new?<br />
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- Well, it is winter. As expected, the autumn period lasted for...hmmm....a day or two? A freak windstorm came by, knocked down trees and power lines all over the place, and then BAM! the snow is here. Note, however, I am not complaining. I love winter (in the beginning anyway...my enthusiasm flags around February or so when we are buried in hundreds of inches of snow) and the holidays.<br />
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- The kids are enjoying school. My high schooler is hauling home awesome grades and even got awarded a Best Student at Mathematics certificate. Dylan and Math? The Mister and I had to scratch our heads at that and ask if he was serious. But the boy just shrugged and said, "Yeah, I guess it's starting to click now." Yay! Sophia received an Academic Excellence award for the first quarter and her teacher wants to get her tested for the Gifted Program. Olivia got a Citizenship Award (gasp!). I was shocked....hahahaha, then guilty for not giving Miss Sassy Pants enough credit. She CAN be a good girl when she wants to be...<br />
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- Hubbyman is enrolled...college courses in pursuit of his Community College of the Air Force degree! I am crazy excited for him, as this kept getting thrown to the back burner because of other more "important" matters. I, on the other hand, am on an extended break. Business Law (gag!) did it in for me. I will NOT take another class until after the holidays, thank you very much.<br />
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- What else is going on? Louie turned almost forty! Dylan is in the midst of basketball tryouts. The girls are preparing for their holiday piano recital on the 1st. And I am sitting here frustrated with the seemingly lackadaisical way usajobs.gov is run (don't tell me my rating for a vacancy is 98 out of 100 and make me sit here and wait and wait and wait and wait). I have a budget tech position and a human resources asst. position with the VA I am waiting for interview dates. I HATE waiting.<br />
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- Not a lot of snow right now. Just an inch or two. Certainly not enough to sled, snowshoe, and try out the nordic tracks around the area. We are waiting for it to come down so we can go have fun!!!<br />
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No pictures as I apparently used up all my 1G of picture space for this account. I'm gonna have to figure it out without having to pay...<br />
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Anyway, apologies once more for being absent yet again. Until next time (whenever that may be)!<br />
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0px;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-30081232769307003682012-09-12T18:26:00.001-07:002012-09-12T18:26:33.697-07:00Last 2012 Summer Adventure: Matanuska GlacierThe frequency of Fam Och's summer adventures have steadily declined since the advent of the new school year... understandable considering the sports practices, music lessons, homework, and early bedtimes of late. But ya'll know me, right? I couldn't let summer fade away just like that. It needed to go away with a BANG! type of trip. And this was just the excursion to officially bid farewell to warmth and sunshine until June 2013 rolls around.<br />
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Matanuska Glacier, 4 miles wide and 27 miles long, sits alongside the Glenn Highway, the largest glacier accessible by car. I've always wanted to check a glacier walk off my AK bucket list, so north we drove, past Palmer and Sutton, along the windy road lined with aspen and birch trees crisp and golden and burnt orange. <br />
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The official National Park Service viewpoint sits at Mile 101 (on the right side if you're heading north). There is a parking fee if you wish to stay longer than half an hour (there are picnic tables and a one-mile hiking trail).<br />
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The view from the scenic overlook...Matanuska Glacier, the frozen river of ice</div>
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Take note of our clothing in this picture and in the rest of pics below. Even a mile away from the glacier face, it was COLD. We took this snapshot, hurried into the car to get warm and headed to the access point to get a closer look.</div>
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Now, glaciers are beautiful, majestic, and simply very very cool (ahem) to look at. But why just look when you can actually touch it...and walk on it...</div>
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Glacier Park is a privately-owned swath of land adjacent to the glacier. At Mile 102, there is a dirt road on the right that will take you on a downhill and somewhat bumpy road down.</div>
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The road is fairly smooth on the descent.</div>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFmMTaDu3l-LyjTV5Uzdb4rM0Nt7bhdeDppVuxL-M9wl7kuhkDvZQlkVmUv89NXLZ4RRN1v7jF6rbeVW0yfZwwID1X103HVqeEILc6LLS-HclAdDA9dCYcuO22sLljF-tY07yTrUK2MtH/s1600/DSC_0486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFmMTaDu3l-LyjTV5Uzdb4rM0Nt7bhdeDppVuxL-M9wl7kuhkDvZQlkVmUv89NXLZ4RRN1v7jF6rbeVW0yfZwwID1X103HVqeEILc6LLS-HclAdDA9dCYcuO22sLljF-tY07yTrUK2MtH/s640/DSC_0486.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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You need to cross a one-way-at-a-time bridge across the river. You'll have to stop at the gift shop to purchase your access pass. There is a guided tour option for $50/pp. BUT you can go unguided ($15 active military/dependents, $10/13yrs-17yrs, $5/6yrs-12yrs, free for under 6yrsold). They accept credit cards. They also have a decent bathroom (so go there unless you want a porta potty visit later on).</div>
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After a little bit more of a drive, we parked at the lot overlooking the face, got out and immediately bundled up in hoodies, fleece, down coats, hats, and gloves. We were also decked out in boots (muddy) and brought our hiking sticks (slick ice).</div>
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The first part of the 0.5 mile hike was a bit muddy. Of course, this is mud from glacial silt. The majority of the wet portions were fine, but there were some spots that were like quicksand. We were careful to warn the children to stay on the path, marked by orange traffic cones. Especially muddy areas had plywood or steel walking grates to help.</div>
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This whole time, we were excited to get to the ice...not realizing we were ALREADY on the glacier itself. We didn't quite get that until we saw this...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdm8tV5su5jcJMGG-GzwxYubnxxSnAHEzxJtUnPPTEumy_TvJFE9u6Ab_rnjaDFe-Tfgjd-maJwAeAwbHyNEI10aq7vtw5AasNfhFf39xYUgVcbZ4M62CyKrbLQDrodtL3dd9Z4N09e7ix/s1600/DSC_0493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdm8tV5su5jcJMGG-GzwxYubnxxSnAHEzxJtUnPPTEumy_TvJFE9u6Ab_rnjaDFe-Tfgjd-maJwAeAwbHyNEI10aq7vtw5AasNfhFf39xYUgVcbZ4M62CyKrbLQDrodtL3dd9Z4N09e7ix/s640/DSC_0493.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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Ooooooh</div>
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The white part of the glacier (what the kids called the "real part") was fine to walk on, although I'm sure someone would have wiped out if they had chosen to run. The ice crunched under our feet and mini streams of melting ice ran in braids all over the surface.</div>
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A stream of meltwater...</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdm8tV5su5jcJMGG-GzwxYubnxxSnAHEzxJtUnPPTEumy_TvJFE9u6Ab_rnjaDFe-Tfgjd-maJwAeAwbHyNEI10aq7vtw5AasNfhFf39xYUgVcbZ4M62CyKrbLQDrodtL3dd9Z4N09e7ix/s1600/DSC_0493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><br />
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...we followed it and it ran into this crevasse about ten feet deep, where you can hear it join another more swiftly flowing larger stream of water under the ice.</div>
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We stayed about an hour, exploring a small portion of the area. (We will do more extensive exploration next year when we have more time...and crampons.) The children had fun finding the cracks in the ice and poking their walking sticks in to see how deep they were (a couple were so deep the stick would go all the way in to the handle). We called it a day and headed home.<br />
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On the drive back, the beautiful view of King Mountain already blanketed in termination dust.</div>
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It's goodbye summer 2012, hello winter for now. (Autumn lasts for about two weeks here it seems.) This, however, does not mean the adventures of the fam are on hold 'till next year. We are determined to explore all the winter has in store for us. </div>
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Snowshoeing, cross country skiing, sledding, tubing, igloo building, and so so much more. Stay tuned!</div>
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-46199201220898805962012-09-02T13:55:00.001-07:002012-09-02T13:55:28.762-07:00A Lesson in Ska<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The plan was to dance. The Mister and I haven't gone out dancing in quite some time. (Note: although I can hold a rhythm, the dancing prowess most definitely belongs to my other half) We got the kidlets fed, bathed, changed into pj's and left them with our teenager (LOVE the fact we have a live-in babysitter!).</div>
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Projected itinerary: Eddie's Sports Bar (Country) and Club Soraya (Latin)</div>
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The country bar was situated in the basement of the sports bar, with a U-shaped bar table setup around the small dance floor, with a live band at the other end. Hubby taught me to two-step (pretty simple, but killer for some reason on my hip joints) and we glided across the dance floor in a counter clockwise parade with everyone else. </div>
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We decided to try some Latin dancing next (hubby loves to salsa), headed to Club Soraya to find it shut down. This is what I love about nights like these. When something doesn't quite work out according to plan, it usually means there's something epic waiting around the corner. And epic it was.</div>
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The couple we were with suggested another bar in midtown called Taproot, with the intention of catching the swing dancing (they are fantastic swing dancers). We made it there, but swing it wasn't...and we couldn't figure out the music at first.</div>
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The band is called Nervis Rex, six men in suits, ties/bowties, vests, hats, and sneakers playing a genre of music called SKA. Never heard of it before then, but it was FANTASTIC! It's like a mix of punk/alternative rock with brass instruments. They played contemporary music (from my heyday)...seamlessly tying in Greenday, Bob Marley, Barenaked Ladies, Marvin Gaye, Color Me Badd (didn't see that one coming), and so so so much more. The dance floor was packed with folks who simply felt the urge to jump around, hippies who like to do that swaying with arms thing, and everyone in between. The hubby and I danced, swayed, jumped, sang, and yelled until they closed. </div>
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I am now a bonafide fan (purchasing their CD makes me one now, right? Oh, and I 'liked' their FB page so I can follow their schedule) and will drag all my local friends the next time they are in town. So JBER folks, now is the time to have a babysitter on speed dial, because you are ALL coming with next time around. </div>
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-60547358001935272072012-08-29T11:25:00.004-07:002012-08-29T11:25:55.770-07:00Big Girl<div style="text-align: center;">
The day before Kindergarten classes started, I gave my little munchkin free reign of our itinerary. </div>
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Me: What should we do today?</div>
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Olivia: It's too nice to stay inside, mama! I want to go play in the playground!</div>
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And so we did. Under the bright sun and clear blue skies, I played with my little girl...</div>
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Cheering her on as she slid down with hands in the air.</div>
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See-sawed and laughed with her.</div>
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When Daddy came home for lunch, we took her to Marble Slab Creamery and let her have her ice cream in a cone for the first time ever.</div>
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Afterwards, she requested to pick fresh raspberries to pack for her lunch the next day. </div>
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And when she jumped into my arms and wrapped her legs around me as I helped her out of the car, I cried.</div>
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I cried because the next day she would officially be a big girl...</div>
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Going to big girl school</div>
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not needing her mommy as much.</div>
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She was eager to start on her "What I did last weekend" coloring project, deciding to draw and color a scene with her on a boat on the lake. She gave me a tight squeeze and turned to the work at hand as I side-stepped to the door, reluctant to let my baby girl out of my sight.</div>
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It seems like it was just yesterday that she just started to crawl.</div>
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-8453009817061623552012-08-17T15:29:00.000-07:002012-08-17T15:29:06.274-07:00Blueberry Festival
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The fam enjoyed the annual blueberry festival at the Alyeska Resort in Girdwood even more this year because we had three families accompany us. We didn't spend too much time at the festival itself since our big goal for the day was to harvest some berries!</div>
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It was pretty comical at times, the huge herd of our four families lumbering down the Winner Creek Trail, the energetic children gallivanting through the rainforest, oblivious to the vicious pricks of the devil's club thorns brushing up against their clothes. As for the berry harvest itself, we weren't very impressed. It seemed Winner Creek (on the resort side) was either picked over already or is still trying to recover from last year's moth infestation. The few that were still there were small and tart.</div>
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In any case, the mini hike was still fun for all. </div>
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Never mind the formal footbridge crossing the creek...the fallen log was much more enticing to cross to the other side...</div>
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The kids had a great time along the trail boardwalks, keen to spot a ripe berry or two waiting for them off the trail.</div>
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After heading back to soothe our grumbling tummies with some bison burgers and mac and cheese with reindeer sausage, the group slowly started to disassemble. One fam decided to stay behind to pick on the slopes of the ski mountain. Another had to leave to make a prior engagement.<br />
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The rest of us left behind drove to the other end of the trail to pull ourselves across the gorge, where the confluence of the Crow, Winner, and Glacier creeks roared below, via hand tram (mentioned in a previous post).<br />
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The view from inside the cage, suspended midway between terminals.</div>
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The girls peering down, just a bit nervous.</div>
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The berry picking on that side was more successful, with large ripe almost black Alaska blueberries and juicy salmonberries all for the taking.</div>
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On a side note, I just found a treasure trove of picking places on post! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFUEUz_CwjiNnJe6_CRV6VQUTcBYxZwVWj3XSPYTuHtHMPGIOm32CAM8AN9mkBxWub_bcfbKed-VBH7HcNvlDeQ5ZQOeNcfsWXYb7dVFmEIZT1TJWYjWi6DEbB9UmvQeqi6CgdbeYYtwq/s1600/IMG_2573.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFUEUz_CwjiNnJe6_CRV6VQUTcBYxZwVWj3XSPYTuHtHMPGIOm32CAM8AN9mkBxWub_bcfbKed-VBH7HcNvlDeQ5ZQOeNcfsWXYb7dVFmEIZT1TJWYjWi6DEbB9UmvQeqi6CgdbeYYtwq/s640/IMG_2573.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Small but sweet and juicy raspberries</div>
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We had found this bush plus a couple others during a nice drive around base one night. I had wanted to bring a friend along the next day with me to pick them, but since she was busy, I just took the kids instead.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DviX59BXb1Qr-4u5CEB_r_z6iyw5GMHyD9uNIh0-23XPO-nbb0WOe6MMOAVOgAb54-HWEluC1x87z3NoZQYzFCSreUCrhlgJFl3pd4yYfjnZ-Bh5tkPjJ495LYSrHLVgaV_0W-2jA_oT/s1600/IMG_2574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DviX59BXb1Qr-4u5CEB_r_z6iyw5GMHyD9uNIh0-23XPO-nbb0WOe6MMOAVOgAb54-HWEluC1x87z3NoZQYzFCSreUCrhlgJFl3pd4yYfjnZ-Bh5tkPjJ495LYSrHLVgaV_0W-2jA_oT/s640/IMG_2574.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The kids got a kick out of this pic since Liv's position in the foreground made her look a bit gigantic compared to the other two.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6eLjiN-FuQj4-xyha-Y_DdKDAXphPZuSWYeJGogscBejEUuiHNYby34W9IWGXEKo6mvdzRrfkCu4mj0B2wbyOFfnpHzcOMmxy_kF3n7ptz7SL3LwIl1fveTsklGhp3H8nZiwRJuFHg7s-/s1600/IMG_2576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6eLjiN-FuQj4-xyha-Y_DdKDAXphPZuSWYeJGogscBejEUuiHNYby34W9IWGXEKo6mvdzRrfkCu4mj0B2wbyOFfnpHzcOMmxy_kF3n7ptz7SL3LwIl1fveTsklGhp3H8nZiwRJuFHg7s-/s640/IMG_2576.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Now, the big surprise of this mini-picking trip with my kiddos was not the red currants, lingonberries, and raspberries we picked...but these HUMONGOUS watermelon berries! They were the biggest we've ever seen them...big as grapes!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5YLheI49BAVZI5Pt_usa7pwgk43Ede4wRm2fsChK1DsWLACPyphmdp_09L5X3ksC2TqqC51dQ1-anoWPJw4OjHK42dLDGNv-30ZEXlNtJjtYmFVn984SYi9MNSxMgaDOhZH-H8YnxD-r/s1600/IMG_2577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5YLheI49BAVZI5Pt_usa7pwgk43Ede4wRm2fsChK1DsWLACPyphmdp_09L5X3ksC2TqqC51dQ1-anoWPJw4OjHK42dLDGNv-30ZEXlNtJjtYmFVn984SYi9MNSxMgaDOhZH-H8YnxD-r/s640/IMG_2577.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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And then we found THESE. The dreaded and DEADLY baneberry. All it takes is a couple of these berries and a small child will suffer cardiac arrest within minutes.</div>
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I was quite excited to find them just so I could see a plant in person. I used that as an opportunity to teach the kids to look out for this berry/plant and to NEVER EVER pick them. (Actually, as a general rule, the kids are not allowed to pick round red berries because of this very reason. Blueberries, watermelon, and salmonberries/raspberries are all they are allowed to pick.)</div>
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They look pretty scary, don't they?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWGq7qqNPgkKrA1ufSJZWJYYax0IeKZBJVX2jdTM6ZvEQuxXScT5JCiEy1Nr2GwkEb1CTo90hA1SSI-Q34hOUHGYEp-k2Xd4IRqLlz30YUF6jkZq866fgfm-Ayh2TjTr9VoQWpr9JYBZW/s1600/IMG_2579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWGq7qqNPgkKrA1ufSJZWJYYax0IeKZBJVX2jdTM6ZvEQuxXScT5JCiEy1Nr2GwkEb1CTo90hA1SSI-Q34hOUHGYEp-k2Xd4IRqLlz30YUF6jkZq866fgfm-Ayh2TjTr9VoQWpr9JYBZW/s640/IMG_2579.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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My bowl of watermelon berries. We had stopped by hubby's workshop to drop him off some of these (they're his favorite...and he couldn't believe how big they were). Thank goodness we did as these were GONE a minute or two after this picture was taken.</div>
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-49489155839225661052012-08-16T13:37:00.001-07:002012-08-16T13:37:06.535-07:00Random UpdatesAugust is a busy busy month. Aside from the ripening berries fueling my berry picking obsession, this month has much in store for us.<br />
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<li> As you can tell, the fam is winding down in regards to the constant go-go-go excursions. The big camping trips are out of the way, now replaced by quick drives/hikes to forage for berries. Last year's berry harvest was unimpressive, yielding tart blueberry pancakes. Yuck. This year's bounty so far has been excellent.</li>
<li>With our berry inventory building in the freezer, I've been able to experiment on new recipes. I've never had any luck with berry muffins (they always sank to the bottom)...until I found <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/to-die-for-blueberry-muffins/" target="_blank">THIS RECIPE</a> online.</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuHMrSc5GhCxpPUexY0cbqBUsAOKAsBiykNbjyDdbBBJoSYgG6Pu-MoPR7lhLJ4A9oqe6HVUwP8gb_fXOLOTySRV4je7VKheFKxNtNL5of_3QriAP6n0BqZAZ9CbkQeqLmuIt5JX7qaFV/s1600/dsc_0923blueberry-muffins072912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuHMrSc5GhCxpPUexY0cbqBUsAOKAsBiykNbjyDdbBBJoSYgG6Pu-MoPR7lhLJ4A9oqe6HVUwP8gb_fXOLOTySRV4je7VKheFKxNtNL5of_3QriAP6n0BqZAZ9CbkQeqLmuIt5JX7qaFV/s640/dsc_0923blueberry-muffins072912.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The batter was so thick I worried a little, but it seems it was the key to holding the berries aloft throughout the muffin. They were delicious! I did substitute the streusel topping with a different recipe provided by the first reviewer's comments (less butter). </div>
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<li>Next recipe to try is this with the batch of red currants I collected from the base!</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6J3JeeJMhYXqdX1ExypZkqcRL2GWuH8yNmNc-E2A6FvQngeJRuKdNWTdFsOfCwE1pt9hbeEyS3TConePE7Il1s3b_AF74M4d-QOOD3Tz5Zkntc0Z-27rL0vAwxGwfXPtfbu3N28G8bZ2B/s1600/friand4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6J3JeeJMhYXqdX1ExypZkqcRL2GWuH8yNmNc-E2A6FvQngeJRuKdNWTdFsOfCwE1pt9hbeEyS3TConePE7Il1s3b_AF74M4d-QOOD3Tz5Zkntc0Z-27rL0vAwxGwfXPtfbu3N28G8bZ2B/s640/friand4.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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It's so gorgeous, I can't wait to try it. To get this recipe--<a href="http://www.latartinegourmande.com/2006/07/17/petits-gateaux-aux-groseilles-red-currant-mini-cakes/" target="_blank">>CLICK HERE!</a></div>
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<li>Back-to-school shopping is finally over. Either my Miss Sophia had finally grown or I've somehow shrunk all her clothes...she needed a complete new wardrobe. I only bought Liv a couple of new tops since Soph's clothes from last year fit her now. My high schooler was by far the easiest to shop for, with the majority of the items he chose ordered online. And by golly, once pencils and backpacks and shoes were all purchased, my checkbook was hurting.</li>
<li>Drafting a resume after ten years of military service is tough. I'm trying to translate everything I've done into civilian terms. I'm hoping this degree plus my experience will land me a job I'll be happy in. </li>
<li>A new chapter in our lives is about to start. All three of the children will be in school full time for the first time. The days of having a baby in the house are over, and I am in a state of heartbreak over it. I'm trying to stay positive and note the endless possibilities that this situation actually presents to us...although there are times I am simply mourning. </li>
<li>Classes for my MBA program have started again. The month-long break was wonderful. I'll be hitting the books hard for this course, although I am actually enjoying the subject.</li>
<li>We have one major holiday (Labor Day) coming up before the start of snowfall arrives. Plans are still undecided. Any locals have suggestions? Thinking Seward getaway (Exit Glacier hike)...but I don't know...</li>
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-74773210783261899602012-08-10T09:06:00.000-07:002012-12-11T08:56:27.475-08:00Pinterest Project--Giant Multi-Picture Frame I love gallery walls. I have always wanted to hang one. The problem is I can't quite choose which pictures to frame and hang. The Fam has SO many pictures...from SO many adventures and precious little moments...I can't pick just a handful.<br />
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Soooo, on my daily perusing of Pinterest (oh how I love you) images, I zeroed in on a larger than life frame with a grid of Instagram pictures, I knew I had my solution. No more despairing about having to leave out a great picture...I can put them all in there!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhrmFhBwvpoL0xrCBAGV-J6yINdUj7Dz06ojY22qmEY4bfwoy-kttgLwrIEhYNAxlm6Oe-s7sIrOwb_yf913K2FJHIpr6PKxb1Ek59jl4c_rWNPlkDgt78RV4EerVItCAEUuo8eaaHh5Y/s1600/IMG_2463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhrmFhBwvpoL0xrCBAGV-J6yINdUj7Dz06ojY22qmEY4bfwoy-kttgLwrIEhYNAxlm6Oe-s7sIrOwb_yf913K2FJHIpr6PKxb1Ek59jl4c_rWNPlkDgt78RV4EerVItCAEUuo8eaaHh5Y/s400/IMG_2463.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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First, I narrowed down which pics I wanted in the frame. Instead of Instagramming it and figuring out how to download onto my computer and then printing, I purchased a $5 desktop app called Instant. Same premise as Instagram, with the various filters that can be applied to the images, it just applies a Polaroid-like layout to the finished picture. I selected the 150 or so pictures (I told you I had a LOT, and picking those was difficult, too) I wanted on 4 x 6 photo paper and trimmed them to the Polaroid dimensions.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cqrh4WyHEtmjzskwhwak9jZn4dbsjWaJMnAc-Ii10AsYnZ1Lo9s3AdMmbWjE1q6MYPBdppk40Eee2GTYBk1PVeReOzIwj-JJO7OXLcg-ppY_tSLeMcfR0jrhfhGQVR0jHMbBDTpE1G3Q/s1600/IMG_2466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cqrh4WyHEtmjzskwhwak9jZn4dbsjWaJMnAc-Ii10AsYnZ1Lo9s3AdMmbWjE1q6MYPBdppk40Eee2GTYBk1PVeReOzIwj-JJO7OXLcg-ppY_tSLeMcfR0jrhfhGQVR0jHMbBDTpE1G3Q/s400/IMG_2466.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I then put together four 20 x 30 foam core presentation boards ($2.99 ea at Michael's) with Masking Tape.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-WibHbndaBPKUPnDeDQCkfJOAaQfeC3YM9M5X6aNH1GfW9dhBCgQBtCQDFQ5gSQGxoqQr3F-D14JQGRDwtGv6ZcdPgsG9ctkEhhiIu5pzCxLfb8GCcGvNp4zKeNI3dOqXqg_BFeUM8OLd/s1600/IMG_2467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-WibHbndaBPKUPnDeDQCkfJOAaQfeC3YM9M5X6aNH1GfW9dhBCgQBtCQDFQ5gSQGxoqQr3F-D14JQGRDwtGv6ZcdPgsG9ctkEhhiIu5pzCxLfb8GCcGvNp4zKeNI3dOqXqg_BFeUM8OLd/s400/IMG_2467.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Giving an allowance for the crown molding that will act as its frame, I laid out the images onto the board.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijHKKBj7GR1LWijqNjQ1Ijyn9Fuy8oc1tHHmwIR8XydvXduwChUu3RO0vwjokDnk8BhVOS2qW1O50snGW4BHY0yBnqgbYpjUyj6MOXCAtfI4rMUKDaB1jarrNFWhTT1Zgq0cOhvt5YeWIm/s1600/IMG_2470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijHKKBj7GR1LWijqNjQ1Ijyn9Fuy8oc1tHHmwIR8XydvXduwChUu3RO0vwjokDnk8BhVOS2qW1O50snGW4BHY0yBnqgbYpjUyj6MOXCAtfI4rMUKDaB1jarrNFWhTT1Zgq0cOhvt5YeWIm/s400/IMG_2470.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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I struggled with Mod Podging the images to the board as the paper kept curling and warping on me. I actually had to rip some pictures off and reprint them. I finally settled on a very very very thin layer on the undersides of the pictures, waited for it to dry, and brush an even thinner layer on top. Then I used a spray sealer to evenly coat the whole thing.</div>
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I had the hubby cut the crown molding to size and stapled the board to it from the underside.</div>
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A simple caulking job for the molding corners and voila! CHEAP as heck giant picture frame!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguNu0TakPfrMV80rs4a7FzJN3Y1nVhjxnBmiyvKERjc8SocGgKyFpsiwqj9UFsTFqPAkErONDG7fKQfJpdytZFWWOcJOxlJeaCGRL9_4OqwaqHuxQg5WfiTtUJA-drLiQCSgqMt3CqmirU/s1600/IMG_2473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguNu0TakPfrMV80rs4a7FzJN3Y1nVhjxnBmiyvKERjc8SocGgKyFpsiwqj9UFsTFqPAkErONDG7fKQfJpdytZFWWOcJOxlJeaCGRL9_4OqwaqHuxQg5WfiTtUJA-drLiQCSgqMt3CqmirU/s400/IMG_2473.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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The whole thing sits on the floor, but is mounted to the wall at the top to keep it from toppling over rambunctious kiddos who like to play tag around the dinner table. It took me two days to complete, mainly because of my Mod Podge issues (printing out the pictures and trimming them took the longest). Not bad for a total of $23. I don't think I can find a frame that big for that much.</div>
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Oh, yeah and this project was done to ignore that to-do I've been ignoring forever....those too-short curtains! LOL</div>
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-18043626053716249992012-08-07T10:11:00.003-07:002012-12-11T08:59:29.578-08:00Getting Dirty: Mud Run<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWS0AKU6PihKlonfFvaTLNoXaVTJo_1A7hoyrUyvhU-wcqSEG-n70zbVSkHs5Eu6FxBRHn3hY1xgl721BwK4H-mCniwb4TOHC79zPjJD8o47Lv8_m5v9JPL_i1ayVtqSxhjEbUUkE1frGA/s1600/ACMH-RACE-FOR-RECOVERY-LOGO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWS0AKU6PihKlonfFvaTLNoXaVTJo_1A7hoyrUyvhU-wcqSEG-n70zbVSkHs5Eu6FxBRHn3hY1xgl721BwK4H-mCniwb4TOHC79zPjJD8o47Lv8_m5v9JPL_i1ayVtqSxhjEbUUkE1frGA/s400/ACMH-RACE-FOR-RECOVERY-LOGO.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The fam participated in Anchorage's first ever mud run. The adults and kids 13 and older got to run a 5k on a muddy trail before the mud "obstacle course" at the end. Children under 13, to include my Sophia ran a 2k with the course at the end as well.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeP-gTHBF_JfQoFN3K1fHEe2POZiq9M4kQkQCSPnyxdYLUUa4iTyAjMpez0XM-OZvarMip0ckYw_j_1uw85zTIUqIymqKWamSeZxEScSIlpu7kJLwoB1Crwv7LncY0qF2qDZeN8zjD9f54/s1600/IMG_2483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeP-gTHBF_JfQoFN3K1fHEe2POZiq9M4kQkQCSPnyxdYLUUa4iTyAjMpez0XM-OZvarMip0ckYw_j_1uw85zTIUqIymqKWamSeZxEScSIlpu7kJLwoB1Crwv7LncY0qF2qDZeN8zjD9f54/s400/IMG_2483.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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There's my Dylan, jumping in...as if he wasn't filthy enough. LOL</div>
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Dylan and his friend David. </div>
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Sophie loved having a friend to run through the icky mud with her. </div>
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Note the shirts and tutu (Sophie didn't want to wear hers....booo). The mommas got together a couple days before to make the "Real Girls love Mud" shirts and colorful tutus just for this race.</div>
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My loves. So proud of all of them. Especially proud of the hubby who had just come off profile, re-injuring his back at the start of HIS race, and still managed to finish and go straight to accompany Sophie in HERS (another mile or so).</div>
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The whole 537th group who participated in the run with their finishing medals. It's so much more fun with friends!</div>
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These went straight in the wash when we came home. I have no idea how to clean their nasty shoes...I'm thinking they'll go straight into the garbage!</div>
<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-72300462598741312652012-08-07T09:51:00.001-07:002012-12-11T09:00:05.278-08:00Berry Success! From the start of summer, I am constantly berry scouting. A hike here, a bike ride there...I am always looking to the brush alongside the trails for any promising berry picking locations come August. And this *place*...well, everywhere I turned, a berry bush/plant was smiling at me. The Mister had a day off yesterday, so we headed north to this *place* for a second visit to check out berry prospects.<br />
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The two hour drive was well worth the fuel and time. We haven't even reached the trailhead yet and our 2 liter container was already a tenth full.<br />
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This was one of the bushes THIN with blues. These are what they call Early Blueberries or Blue Huckleberries. We would find a bush (away from the Devil's Club and its wicked thorns), just step off the trail, and find a bonanza of blues fat and plump for the taking. </div>
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This was a nice surprise. Watermelon Berries! I've mentioned in earlier posts that these are scattered around, and that harvesting enough to make anything out of them is almost impossible. Usually, pickers will grab these for a quick snack and go on their merry way. Not *here*!!! This is Sophia's and the Mister's absolute favorite berries!!! There came a point that I had to race the girl and pick them first before she got her hungry little hands on them...they went STRAIGHT down her gullet once she grabbed hold of them! The watermelon berry harvest yielded about three cups worth (an insane amount) not counting the loads that Sophie beat me to.<br />
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A way to identify this plant? It is called Twisted Stalk because the leaves sprout from the stem in a twisting roundabout fashion. Their veins run lengthwise, and the berries drop from underneath the leaves. I've taught the girls that these are the berries that look like dangling red earrings. (There are a couple poisonous plants they can be confused with, as their leaves are similar, but these are the only ones in which the berries dangle this way.)<br />
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Here's Dylan picking right from the trail. He's my berry picking buddy, especially when it comes to picking blues as they are his favorite. </div>
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He is also the reason why I haven't identified the exact location of this *place*. As I was taking pictures mid-pick, he angrily said,"Don't you post this on Facebook or on your blog so everyone can trample in here and take everything!" Hmmmm, sounds very ALASKAN to me. Locals here are VERY protective of their "spots" whether it be berry picking, hunting, or fishing. It seems Mister D is as well. And so I promised I wouldn't, leaving the folks we went up here with the first time around as the only ones in the possession of such valuable knowledge. *wink*</div>
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Note the pretty shiny red ones? Those are red currants! I wasn't expecting them there, but the translucent rubies were too tempting not to pick. I didn't get enough to make anything substantial with it, though.</div>
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Two liters, two hours, and probably not more than a tenth of a mile into the trail, and our containers were full! I can't imagine what the rest of that trail holds!!!</div>
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After picking out leaves/stems/bugs and squished berries, they were sorted, washed, and dried.</div>
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We had enough blueberries to set aside some for snacking and the rest to freeze for baking/cooking/making preserves!</div>
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(To freeze, just lay them out in a single layer on a large baking sheet (dry) and stick them in the freezer. An hour or so later, pour them in a heavy duty freezer bag.)</div>
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I got maybe about half a cup of these currants. They went to the freezer, awaiting more so I can make a jelly out of them.</div>
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These watermelon berries are in the fridge for snacking and a smoothie or two.</div>
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It is definitely berry season!!! </div>
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This Saturday and Sunday is the annual Alyeska Resort Blueberry Festival from 12noon-6pm. Parking is free, entrance is free, but there are plenty of vendors selling blueberry themed goodies to spend your money on. (My suggestion...buy some snacks there...but leave the meal for up the road at Turnagain Arm Pit BBQ in Indian.) They turn on Chair 7 (again, free) so you can ride up the mountain to some prime blueberry spots. There is a live band and beer garden. Also, there are children's activities like decorate your own berry baskets, etc.</div>
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For those of you friends who are coming with or meeting us there, be ready for a good time! Bring rain gear (it's called a rainforest for a reason), bug repellent, water, snacks, and berry containers (anything will do...I use a pitcher and the kids get the little $1 buckets you find at Target). Rain boots are great, as the ground is usually wet there...but also make sure they're in comfortable footwear if you want to hike.</div>
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It's a good idea to explain to the kiddos beforehand that it is NOT OKAY to pick and eat (dangers of berry poisoning) unless mom and/or dad has identified the plant/berry. An easy way around this is to restrict their snacking to just the parent's bucket stash and not their own. </div>
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Also, Fam Och will be doing the hand tram across Winner Creek Gorge again that day (just down the trail a bit), and you are all welcome to accompany us...(everyone should do this at least once).</div>
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Anyway, there is much much berry picking to do until fall comes around the corner...and it is just right there...whether you come with us or find your own secret stash, happy pickings to you all!</div>
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0px;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-16273356432652563112012-07-29T23:55:00.001-07:002012-07-30T08:33:35.629-07:00Winner Creek Gorge, Baby! Ya'll know how excited I am for berry picking to start this summer. In my excitement, I've blabbed on and on to my friends about it, enthusiastically inviting them to come with...to meet us at a local blueberry festival...and do some picking. (We did it last year! We know where the berries are! Come with!!!) And then the realization dawned on me that perhaps the locations we've earmarked for future visits may not bear the same amount of bounty we've experienced in the past. What if I lead our new friends to barren bushes???? *Gasp!* How embarrassing would that be?<br />
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Solution? Scout the area out first! Aaaand, so...without further consideration of the busy Air Show weekend, I smiled sweetly and batted my <strike>short Asian</strike> eyelashes at my ever-loving hubbylicious until he agreed to take me out there to make sure that I won't look stupid pointing at nothing but leaves, "But I swear this had so many berries last year!"<br />
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Oh, and I also wanted to see if the internet forums quietly discussing other berry spots held true. Psssst, guess what? They do! Salmonberries here! Salmonberries there! Salmonberries everywhere!!! They weren't ripe yet, though. But in two to three weeks time, it'll be a whole different story...and I'll be the heroine of that tale, lugging a five-gallon container full of them home, ready to make some preserves. Susie freakin' homemaker, folks...yep, that's me.<br />
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Miss Sophie spotted the ONLY ripe salmonberry in the area.</div>
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After leaving our super secret salmonberry location (really, it's not secret at all since it's easily accessible, so much so that I fear others will beat me to the punch and pick them all before I get a chance to return), we headed over to the other end of the Winner Creek Trail to check out the progress of the blues.</div>
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There were many many young green huckleberries. Two-three weeks, I tell ya. Just in time for that festival.</div>
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We did find this ONE bush hiding behind other foliage, sport in' some nice plump ones, falling into our palms with just a slight nudge.</div>
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We wandered further and further down the trail, examining more bushes, finding more surprises (trailing raspberries! salmonberries!), until we came upon this sign.</div>
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This, my dear friends, is the same hand tram listed on Fam Och's summer to-do list...the thought of which gives me this funny just-bit-into-frozen-solid-ice-cream feeling in my teeth because it makes me THAT nervous. </div>
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At first, we kept going towards it just to see it. One thing led to another and I found myself standing on the platform, watching my boys pull themselves across a gorge hundreds of feet deep.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHLYEzqw5D43-o9Zvr0Po-GseZ7d9NqmbCMkhF-E5fMmy2ihUN6C78PiP-LZFPA77eWpaxXIzxS8BZKoQB2jG-UPUoNjhdfSXFCx8wuUIDJ7zkbwvTEfnbdGV6nRrec3KRT1b3wjlen_zy/s1600/564103_10150966098567749_876530065_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHLYEzqw5D43-o9Zvr0Po-GseZ7d9NqmbCMkhF-E5fMmy2ihUN6C78PiP-LZFPA77eWpaxXIzxS8BZKoQB2jG-UPUoNjhdfSXFCx8wuUIDJ7zkbwvTEfnbdGV6nRrec3KRT1b3wjlen_zy/s640/564103_10150966098567749_876530065_n.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Other images and videos of this can be viewed through the FB account.</div>
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This hand tram is a metal cage with a max weight capacity of 400 lbs, that traverses the width of the gorge via a hand pulley system, Winner Creek roaring below. The swinging door has two separate locks just in case you were wondering.</div>
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Anyway, the sisters (even cautious Sophia) asked if us girls could give it a try as well. So we did. (Really, how could I say no when I'm the one who keeps foot stomping about how important it is to try new things even if it scares us a little?)</div>
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It was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. If you are in the local area, put this in your bucket list NOW.</div>
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Then on the drive back, we spotted more of these on the side of the road:</div>
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What a fabulous way to end the weekend!</div>
<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Natasha/Signature-5.png" style="border: 0;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289384548369978110.post-78475429988187630302012-07-27T10:55:00.000-07:002012-07-27T10:55:06.092-07:00Arctic Valley Hike This is a perfect afternoon/evening hike with the children, especially if you want to try a place very close to the area. The girls had their weekly Thursday golf lesson at the Moose Run Golf Course at Ft. Rich anyway (which is right on Arctic Valley Road). We figured it would be nice to try out the trail, especially on such a sunny day.<br />
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A few miles up, the road ends at the Alpenglow Ski Resort and trailhead parking lot. There is a $5 parking fee, so come prepared.<br />
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The trail can be tackled straight from the parking lot, to the left of the Fee Station kiosk, or do what we did and cut through the resort grounds and start on the trail right under the ski lifts. It'll lead you to the left of the resort, away from the view of the Anchorage bowl.<br />
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Bring mosquito repellent as it is very buggy here, especially when the trail runs along the creek.</div>
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The trail is one mile to the saddle between Rendezvous Peak to the right and Mount Gordon Lyon to the left. The trail continues to both peaks, but we decided against it.<br />
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Sophia, looking back towards the way we came.</div>
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It always helps to use a motivating factor like a waterfall, bridge, or lookout point to fire kids up to finish the hike. Liv had been lacking her usual gusto, whining a bit as we began the hike. About a half mile in, we caught sight of a small snow field just below the saddle. Suddenly, the promise of playing with snow in July renewed her spirits and we had to warn her to slow down many a time.<br />
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Unfortunately, due to the warmer weather, the snow field was more icy than expected. We stepped carefully for a brief time and headed back.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_fBNVTLc40VOuTYZ_2PoGyFs6xToFR2wCrE32lcKiXYWqklTS_IcM9UHYMJA_M9cza0g5nqon8IpK8j8D9JgcyedheG7sy8q3pky4yGOoPmP9UEy0DdZkld99TcdzQpqULm9gzQ8iX1W/s1600/IMG_2408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_fBNVTLc40VOuTYZ_2PoGyFs6xToFR2wCrE32lcKiXYWqklTS_IcM9UHYMJA_M9cza0g5nqon8IpK8j8D9JgcyedheG7sy8q3pky4yGOoPmP9UEy0DdZkld99TcdzQpqULm9gzQ8iX1W/s640/IMG_2408.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Dylan, pointing out Rendezvous Peak from the saddle.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-wmwXehWsNYTo-YCczXhV-Q2HBleK9hOYnsum65MwZK8J6vmii2txuK8-i6STMW13e7bp9nH1qFJUZ9iU1yjP-vgMbrDvv6nVyl1XLOtN0zTnXSpCGysQ5Pr5WLLLdC7Mtr2_1MWgCK81/s1600/IMG_2409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-wmwXehWsNYTo-YCczXhV-Q2HBleK9hOYnsum65MwZK8J6vmii2txuK8-i6STMW13e7bp9nH1qFJUZ9iU1yjP-vgMbrDvv6nVyl1XLOtN0zTnXSpCGysQ5Pr5WLLLdC7Mtr2_1MWgCK81/s640/IMG_2409.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The view of South Fork Eagle River Valley below. The road down there is Hiland Drive.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgt2XiHCip2Ht7PnK-8K-oh8mohhPidO0Xi1eaPqrquEcs5O4BMNnZ-e2KxmtOWUts2XyGpvdvmqKXl8apa15DDjW705xK36RjEkU5oHBM4Lt6A-O88xgq-vshaLw_mzfR45Kx2jJzR3h4/s1600/IMG_2410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgt2XiHCip2Ht7PnK-8K-oh8mohhPidO0Xi1eaPqrquEcs5O4BMNnZ-e2KxmtOWUts2XyGpvdvmqKXl8apa15DDjW705xK36RjEkU5oHBM4Lt6A-O88xgq-vshaLw_mzfR45Kx2jJzR3h4/s640/IMG_2410.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The poor hubby twisted his injury-prone ankle on the way down. Uneven terrain can be tricky. Hiking poles will help (although it didn't help him as much).</div>
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Of course, I had to do a bit of berry scouting. I spotted many blueberry bushes, but no blossoms or young unripe berries. I'm hoping this is just because it is too early to see them. Crowberries are starting to exhibit bright green berries right now (very late August they will be ripe). There were a bunch of moss berry plants around as well. </div>
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If you plan to do this hike, keep in mind the military closes the road down at 10 pm each night. Allow time enough to be beyond the gates by then.</div>
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Happy hiking!</div>
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