Saturday, July 30, 2011

Busy busy busy...

We have been busy just living life. Luke has been working, and I have been on the job hunt myself. I was offered a job at the Arc of Anchorage. I was offered a job working in the student living center. I would work with the kids who go to school at the state school for the deaf. The hours would be the same as Luke's. This was a HUGE problem...finding child care that could watch the kids from 2 -11 pm. So I had to call the Arc and turn down the position. I have never turned down a job before. Well a few hours later I got a call back from the Arc and they offered me a new position working the a deaf young man, basically just helping him get through his day. This position will be during the day, so I can be home in the evenings with the kids while Luke is at work...much better hours. Woot woot! I also got an email from the principal of the school where we are going to be living saying that she may have a teaching position opening and would love to interview me if she does have an opening.

Also we found out that Jackson will be staying with us until at least Christmas! It will be wonderful to have him around.

We will be moving into the house on Monday! I cannot wait to get into it. It will be nice to get the house set up. Yesterday we went and bought beds and couches/chair for the house. We took the beds over to the house on Friday and we pick up the couches and chair on Monday. I will post pics of the house and everything once we get settled. The house is a three bedroom, 1.5 bath, living room and a den. So the kids will both have their own rooms. Which will be new for Qyanna. She has always shared a room with Luke and I.

Speaking of Qyanna...she is walking independently. One afternoon I look up and she is walking around the apartment not holding on to anything. Now she doesn't want to hold my hand outside, she wants to go on her own. So cute! Now its the running to keep up with her stage.

Now for the pictures....For the Relief Society activity this month we went on a hike at the Eagle River Nature Center. It was about 3/4 a mile and took us about an hour. It was nice. Then we went to the Anchorage Natural History Museum. Jackson enjoyed it. Then on Wednesday we went to Music in the Park. The kids had fun rocking out to the band. It was a group from the air force. They played a mix of music. It was a lot of fun! Plus we drove to the temple, because after living here for three year I had never seen it....go figure.
Look at that view...and I get to live here...

The Chugak Mountains....so beautiful.

I think the two of them just add to the beautiful view!

Beautiful huh?

The view from the observation deck.

Jackson at the Natural History Museum

Just getting ready for winter

That is what a musk ox  looks like?????

Qyanna enjoying the music

Both of enjoying the muic

The band...they were good!

The Anchorage, AK temple

Luke and Qyanna walking down the street together....sooo cute!!!!


Sunday, July 17, 2011

Another fun filled week...

We have had another good week. Luke had Mondays and Tuesdays off work. So Monday we drove over to the Alaska Wild Berry Park. They have a 20 ft chocolate fountain, a rock man, and reindeer that you can pet. Tuesday we went and saw a movie at the $1 movie special. Wednesday I got a call from Arc of Anchorage to come in and interview for a job position on Thursday. I took the kids to the museum. Jackson loves going to the museum. The interview went well on Thursday...I think that I will get the job, but still no grantee. After the interview I took the kids to park. While at the park I got a call for an interview for a teaching position. The interview is on Monday.   Friday we hiked around Earthquake Park. There is a beautiful view of the inlet! The kids had fun. Today we did some of the activities downtown Anchorage. We took the trolley to the Ulu Factory. We tried to look for some salmon in the river behind the factory. Then we took some fun pictures around 4th Street.

Jackson on a hill on the trail 

Jackson and Qyanna looking at the inlet.

Jackson and Qyanna at the Ulu Factory...they had a dog sled out front.

Jackson in front of the trolley

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bear hug

Riding a moose...

The kids in front of the Balto statue.

Jackson looking scared on a dog sled.

The rock man

Jackson feeding the reindeer.

Qyanna was curious, but didn't want to touch them. 

Bear attacking the boys....

...then the girls.

I do believe that the bear is bigger than Jackson.

Chocolate waterfall...

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Sunday, July 10, 2011

Teddy Bear Picnic and new job and new lap top

So Tuesday Luke got a call to interview for a job driving shuttle for a hotel here in town. Wednesday he interviewed, they called him back a few hours later and told him that he got the job. Woot Woot. His first day was Thursday. Happy anniversary to us! So far he has enjoyed it. He has gotten to know the airport and the downtown area really well. I am so proud of him for getting a job. The Lord has really blessed us.

On Friday I got a new laptop. My old one was three and a half years old. It was slow and driving me crazy! So with some of my money from working summer school I got a new one. I love it! Luke has been having fun being my nerd herder (gotta love Chuck!) and getting my laptop up and going for me. I think all I have left at this point to move over is my music, and I have A LOT of music to move over.

This weekend Eagle River had its Bear Paw Festival. There was tons of activities. I went through the days activities and found a day that I thought the kids would like best. That day was Friday. They had a teddy bear picnic, chalk a paloza, carnival, and all kinds of kid friendly activities. So Friday morning I loaded up Qyanna and Pooh (who is her stuffed animal of choice when going somewhere), Jackson and Friend (I am not sure what Friend is, but Jackson loves him) and we drove up to the Teddy Bear Picnic. We register the bears, play with play-do, take the bears to the bear first aid to get band-aids, get faces painted. Then we ate hot dogs. Then Jackson made a veggie derby car for their lunch box derby. There was all kinds of fruit and veggies there to make cars out of. His car went 4 ft 3 in and ran straight down the track. The winner of the day's car went 12 ft, so we have room for improvement. Then we went and saw the fire truck, and the army training vehicle. Then I gave in and bought tickets for the carnival. Jackson had a blast going on the rides. Qyanna no so much....well she isn't old enough to ride anything. Then we came home....boy were the kids tired! But it was a fun day (and all of the activities linked with the picnic were free, how cool is that!)

Jackson just loved playing with the play-dough, Qyanna was more interested in her shoe...oh well...

She was mad because I made her hold her head still....oh well she looks cute.

Jackson got a cat

Jackson's veggie car



ready....set...go.....


My Agent P.....yes yes I forgot the legs...but I can't draw I think I did good.

Jackson drew a rainbow.

On the army truck

Boxing....

be afraid....be very afraid....

he loved this ride

ROLLER COASTER!!!!!!!!

Friday, July 8, 2011

2nd Anniversary

Well today is our second anniversary. I cannot believe how fast two years have just flew by. Jackson and I were talking today about how upset he was that I was marrying HIS daddy. Now he loves that we are married...how funny kids are.


Here is the story on how Luke and I met. When I was in Kotzebue I spent a lot of time in ldschat.com. In Aug/Sept I met him in chat. We chatted online a few times then we just stopped talking. In January we starting chatting online again. Then one night he asked if he could just call me. I said yes and from that night on we talked every night on the phone. He would call to wake me up in the morning. I would go to work. He would call me as soon as school was out. We would talk while I set up my classroom for the next day. Then I would walk home, Luke had it timed how long it would take me to get home. He would call me just as I walked into the house. Then we would talk until midnight or so, and start it all again the next day. When school got out for the summer I flew out to MO to meet him. A week and a half after I got there we got engaged. A few weeks later we drove from MO to AZ for my dad's wedding. Then I flew to Europe for three weeks with my mom. Luke, Jackson and I were staying at the cabin enjoying the nice weather. In the beginning of July we drove down to Phoenix to see a D-Back game. On July 7 Luke and I woke up and decided that it was a good day to get married. So I called Amanda and asked her and Ben to meet us at the courthouse, and Luke and I got married. It was nice, no fuss, no mess, we just got married.
waiting to go into the courtroom


Amanda and Ben did this to our truck..cute huh?
getting hitched


its official...we are married

and now you may kiss your bride...

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Fourth of July

Well overall it was a good fourth of July. We got up and went to watch the parade that Anchorage has. It was a good parade. Then we went home and had lunch and rested up. Fireworks in our neck of the woods happen at midnight. So both kids went down for naps/rest time. Then we had pizza for dinner and went to Barnes and Noble to check on a book for Luke. The kids had a blast playing and looking at books in the kid section. You can tell we go to the library every week. Then we drove up to Eagle River. I thought that they did fireworks at midnight...well, they did the fireworks at 12:01 am July 4....so basically the day before...we missed it by a full day. So we drove back to Anchorage and asked around was was told that fireworks are normally done over the water at midnight, so we heading to one of the parks and walked down to this lovely place and set up to watch fireworks. Jackson and I played some card games, Luke read. Then Qyanna took her first steps independent of someone holding her hands. As midnight hit...no fireworks...then we hear the big firework booms about a mile way at one of the parks in town. I guess they changed the location of the fireworks this year. So we didn't get to see fireworks. *very sad face* At least we had a nice night together as a family. Here are pictures of our fun day.

The kids in front of a Statue of Liberty balloon

Luke and Jackson waiting for "fireworks"

Qyanna waiting for "fireworks"

"I'm king of the rock!!!"

Luke and I



This was about 12 midnight

Can you believe how bright it is at midnight?

These are Qyanna's first steps....soo dang cute.