My new job Wedding planner

So as you may have heard one of our friends Craig got married. Yep he took the plung. He married a very nice woman from the Philippines, and they have a baby, which by the way is VERY CUTE, and a really good baby, never cried the entire time, I actually "thought" about maybe having another one, thank goodness David kept a level head, he kept reminding me of no sleep and dirty diapers LOL.

Well it started out that I got an e-mail on Dec 14th saying hey Jen can you plan me a wedding? Sharon(his soon to be wife) would like your two girls and a friend of mine's 3 girls in the wedding, and we have 3 flower girls, and five grooms men. By the way they all need dresses, the guys need tuxedos, I need flowers for everyone, a cake, food, music, pictures etc you know the works, and we need this done by December 28th, but I do have the preacher and the church so just need everything else. At first I laughed and said very funny, soon to find out he was SERIOUS!

So you know me can't refuse a good challenge, so I said oh sure, why not! Mind you this was complicated by the fact that I needed to coordinate this all with 3 other women that I had NEVER met and could only communicate with him and them via e-mail. Craig was still in the Philippines and the other two ladies where here, but had no phone numbers for them. We got off to a slow start but in the end they had a cake, flowers, dresses, tuxedos, and pretty much everything they could desire. We ran into a few hiccups, like that the bride brought her dress with her from the Philippines, but had never tried it on as it is FORBIDDEN to try on the dress before you get married, it is very bad luck. So she is very tiny, hmmm lets see she is the size of a 10 year old, the dress was huge, but a few well placed safety pins later and we had the dress on her and it stayed up, thank goodness LOL. I was running around playing project manager and photographer so that was insane LOL. Ashley did her hair, the brides hair and the little girls hair for the wedding. We had to pin the vail and hair piece into place, praying it would stay on there. Krista took care of the baby until we were ready to go over to the church. I told her don't get too used it, cause I don't want grandkids anytime soon and I am NOT having anymore LOL. She agreed not to have one, but wasn't so keen on the idea of us not having anymore LOL.

Everyone looked great and it came off with no problems. I am not sure I will play wedding coordinator with such short notice again LOL, I am ready for ALOT of liquor and a nice long vacation LOL. I am happy I could help them and make their day special. Here is a picture of the bridal party, minus 1 groomsmen and 3 very cranky tired flower girls.

Picture of the girls

A friend of ours had his wedding today. The girls were bridesmaids, so we thought we post a picture of them real quick. Maybe we can get a few more up tomorrow.

Had a great Christmas

Was able to get Christmas day off, and was I glad I did. It was a great day, just went a little too fast. Almost all day I heard, "could you help me with this." Nice to know I am still needed, even if it is just to put things together or fix itunes. Jen fixed an awesome dinner which included a delicious ham and of course we had to have our favorite dinner rolls. I even stuffed in some apple cobbler and ice cream. Kodiak even got some ham for Christmas dinner.

Jen and the girls have a wedding rehearsal this afternoon and then dinner. It is Craig's wedding. Both girls are in the wedding, so we will be getting some pictures of them in dresses Monday afternoon. Other than that, everything is quiet. I always like to throw up a photo or two, so here is one Jen took a month ago or so and one of the city taken from a local web cam.

In case some of you haven't heard, Ashley has officially been sworn in in the U.S. Air Force. She should be going to basic training sometime late summer. I am very proud of her! On another note, we went out riding the sleds today. We took a couple pictures and thought we would share them. No scenery pics today, but a good one of Jen and the dog. Guess I had better get up stairs so the girls can open one gift tonight.

We want to wish you all a Merry Christmas!!

Had some fun last night

Well we had a good time last night, went out with a group of people last night and listened to some live music and went dancing. Had a really good time. We had to cut it a bit short as Dave had to work in the morning but we still had a lot of fun. We are looking forward to hanging out with that group more as they seem to be a happy and fun loving group.

We have been doing some baking with the girls and hanging out as a family and having a good time. Most of the baked goods are going to Dave's office as we certainly can't eat them all LOL.

We are really looking forward to Christmas Eve and Christmas. We are thinking about going snowmachining on Christmas Eve and then going to dinner and a movie with some friends and taking the girls. Of course the girls will get to open a gift Christmas eve and they are excited for that.

We wish we could be with everyone on Christmas and it is times like these that I wished either we lived closer to home or our families could just live up here, but we make do.

Well better run, don't want the pecan tarts to burn. :o)

A few pictures from this afternoon, Kodiak has a hard time with snow that is 3 feet deep.

This duck must have been cold, it is -3 out.

Krista and Kodiak are pretty darn good friends. lol

Last weekends snowmachine trip

This is "Dave", I have hijacked the family blog for my own personal thoughts. Now this may take awhile, so I hope you all have a chair and some time. Ok just kidding, but thought I should throw up a couple of pictures with a few buddies out sledding last weekend.

The latest snow

Well we got some snow in the last 3 days. since monday night we have gotten almost 19 inches of snow. Made for some slow driving on the way to work, but it is awesome. Thats why we live up here. almost 2 feet on the ground at the house. Here are some pictures.

Here is a random picture of last weekend.

Pictures

The truck and toy hauler ;o)

The three sleds and Dave and his new sled

Out having lunch at a lodge and me looking like the michelan man hate being cold so I "layer" up lol I think I have 30lbs of clothes on along with my lined carhart overalls lol

Girls being goofy lol

The new truck we LOVE IT!! so much more room for everyone and of course towing power

Krista at her guitar recitle

The girls and I messing around in Target

Holiday Happenings

Whew we have been busy!!!

Hmmmm where to start..... David and I got new snowmachines, well at least new to us lol. We took them out not to long ago and played in the snow, to be honest first I hated it, the thing beat me to death on the trails, but then if figured out if I road it like I was riding a horse it was MUCH better then I had fun. For a bit though I have to admit I was plotting David's death lol. The girls had fun, they have one that they share and ride on together, so they took turns driving theirs. Poor Kodiak had to stay home, no room on there for the dog. We are trying to figure out a way to bring her, David has an idea how to rig up something on my sled so she can go too.

Thanksgiving was different.... David had to work so we didn't eat until 7pm or so, so the girls and I snacked all day, watched movies and football, played some wii games and where basically just lazy. Then David got home and we stuffed ourselves on turkey, and all the triminings. The day after Thanksgiving the Christmas decorations went up. I had ashley's boyfriend andrew over to help us be our token man since David had to work yet again. He keeps saying he needs to get a Monday-Friday job so he can enjoy the holidays instead of working shift work. I just tell him, it is what it is, when it is meant to happen it will, for now the girls and I will be fine, no worries lol.

December is christmas party season, and holiday programs for school, and it is in full swing. We have been to one party so far and have a couple more to go to this weekend. They are alot of fun, I got a popcorn maker at the last one! Krista had a guitar recitle and she was awesome. I will put up pictures of that too. December is also birthday season for both Krista and my mom, and this year we have a wedding to be at also right after christmas, whew we are busy people I tell ya! Good thing we like it that way LOL.

Krista had a birthday get together where we finally broke down and bought her, her own laptop lol, the thing is her life, right up there with music LOL. She was very excited. It has a webcam and David and I thought it would be great so she could see and talk to all her friends in Kodiak along with her mom and grandma back in Illinios. So far she has been chatting with her friends in Kodiak on it and they love it. I told David, it may have been the best present we could've given her. We of course had to lay down the rules for the use of the laptop and the webcam, you know the "fun killers" that we are LOL, but she has been doing really good in school and doing what she is suppose to be doing so she earned it.

Ashley went down to MEP's for the AirForce, oh yes if you haven't heard she is going into the AirForce, David and I are VERY PROUD!!!!! She has to get one last thing checked out then she is good to go and she will get a job assigned and a deployment date, hopefully we will hear all about that before Christmas. Also Ashley has a court date on December 31st to officially change her name to Ashley Marie Stricklan so after the first of the year we have to get all the paperwork changed for SSN, License, School etc, so she will be announced at graduation as Ashley Stricklan, she is very excited.

So far David is loving his new truck it pulls the toy hualer really nice, to quote David, "I don't even know it is back there, it is sweet!!!" LOL. We were a bit afraid of trying to get it into the driveway with all the snow and ice, but so far no problems! Big relief to us. It means we don't have to pay for storage of the trailer and all the toys, yipee and David can fit his car in the garage, instead of it being full of toys. We are also very excited as David now has Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off so we are all excited to be able to spend all Christmas together. I have been baking, but to be honest not as much as I usually do, not as many people to send cookies to this year. I am making a huge batch of assorted cookies for David to take into the office which his office is excited for. If I didn't mention it before I baked cookies for a cookie contest they had in the office and I won! Well of course I won! I am an awesome cook LOL! So now they are all excited for the rest of my cookies and breads. I also have to bake a couple of loaves to take to the homeless shelter and some cookies for the shelter also, something I do every year. In Kodiak it was a bit easier since there was only one lol, this year I need to pick one and then deliver the cookies and bread.

All of my christmas shopping is done, not sure I can say the same for David LOL. I can't wait until Christmas so I can see the girls's faces when they open their gifts and David's face when he opens his. I think they will be VERY happy with what they got LOL.

Well better run, got baking to do, and house cleaning, hmmmm someday I would like to hire a maid lol, like that will EVER happen LOL, oh well I can dream!

Miss you all VERY much and can't wait to see everyone in May for graduation!!

Halloween party

Hello all, well I have some interesting pictures of David and I ha ha. We went to a halloween party last night and dressed up as bikers. David looks very different!!! Check out the pictures below.

Lets see what has been happening. Well Ashley has a new boyfriend, surprise, surprise, his name is Andrew. He seems like a nice enough kid. She has been getting out more and hanging out with her friends so now instead of always being home she is always gone ha ha. Big change. She is studying to take the asvab for the airforce and should be taking that in novemeber when the next test is available. Then she needs to make it through the medical portion and she should be good to go. Pray that she makes it, as I think it will be a good thing for her. Ashely is getting good grades and her teachers like her, this we found out at the parent teacher conferences, weird to think this is the last time I will go to these for her. We are very proud of her.

Krista is doing good. She is getting good grades as we have found out at the parent teacher conferences and all the teachers like her so that is good ha ha. She is doing very well in Math and Science which we knew she would. David and I are very pround of her. She had her girlfriend Rachel over for a few nights and they are such a kick when you get them together, funny to watch her with her friends.

Both the girls are going to a Halloween dance on Saturday at the school. Ashley is going as a drama queen ha ha, actually she is going as Bell from beauty and the beast but Dave and I said she is going as herself the drama queen ha ha. Krista is going as a fairy, she looks cute. Then I believe Krista is going trick or treating with Rachel before the dance, yes I still let them go trick or treating, I figure as long as they are respectful and people will give them candy, why not let them enjoy their childhood as long as they can. Ashley I told her you are 18 so now you have to wait to go trick or treating till you have children of your own, like when you are 35 ha ha!! NO SOONER!!!

Well that is about it for now. Miss everyone and hope everyone is doing well.

So what has been going on lately????

Sooooooo we have had quite a bit happening lately. In August we had family up for about 3 weeks straight! It was a blast! We went everywhere, saw a lot of mainland Alaska; Fairbanks, Homer, Seward, Keni, Soldatna, Glenallen, North Pole (yes and we went and saw Santa!!!), Denali, and pretty much drove all over the state. The only thing we didn't do was go up to the Artic Circle but oh well there is always next year. We saw moose, and sea otters, seals, bears, and stinky rotten Salmon, now that was gross!

In September we had Ashley's 18th birthday party and the kids were back in school full swing. Ashley is a senior and Krista is a freshman so we are BUSY!!!!! Krista did cross country and she did pretty well for her first year of running. David and I are very proud, they ran like 6 miles a day. I think I would die!! Ashley didn't make the Volleyball team so we had our first major let down. She also broke up with her boyfriend Mark, and chopped off her long hair!! She looks cute though so she is safe. David wouldn't look at her for days over it, but then decided he actually liked it on her. Then she put a perm in it, so it is short and curly. Krista went to her first high school dance with a nice boy named Zech. I will post some pictures of that on a different post.

We have gotten school pictures and sent them out so people should be getting them soon.

Happenings

Well the school year is just days away. We have registered Ashley for all her classes, and gotten her locker, still can't believe she is going to be a Senior in High School!!! and turns 18 on the 6th of September, good lord where did the time go??? Krista gets registered on Thursday and gets a locker so Dave and I are excited for her and she is really excited!! She keeps saying so many boys so little time then Dave and I just cringe lol. It will be interesting with them in the same school this year, the school is big so hopefully they will be able to have some space from each other. We go school clothes shopping on Friday so they are both excited for that, my wallet however is not!!! So far my wallet has already groaned to the tune of $450 dollars for sports fees for both girls, lockers, parking pass, year books and picture packets!! Oh well, Dave and I have started the four year count down to household freedom lol, then it will be just Me, Dave and the Dog. We know we will miss them, but man will it be nice to get out and be able to go with out worrying about if they are going to sneak boys over, or throw a party, or burn the house down lol, you know the normal parent worries.

Ashley has decided that she will be applying to University of Idaho, Montana State University, University of Wyoming, Idaho State, University of Alaska, Anchorage and University of Alaska Fairbanks. Not sure where else right now but all of the colleges in Washington are definitely out, we just can't afford them even with the Western Student exchange program that allows the kids to get great discounted rates which are close to those of in state tuition. I think Dave is more nervous about her going out of Alaska to college then I am LOL. I know she can handle it, but Daddy is worried, who will fix her car?, what if something happens to her? What if she needs us to do something? I just laugh and tell him she can handle it and we will still only be a phone call away along with any number of family members. Graduation is first part of May next year and I expect everyone to show up!!! If we have to rent trailers and park them out back, we will find a way to fit everyone in here at the house.

Krista turns 15 in December so we are going to start looking for a car for her after the first of the year. Then we will have yet another teen driver on the roads of Alaska making us for sure the deadliest state ever, especially with these two on the roads. Krista wants a truck but the insurance guy at GEICO (one of the very few insurance companies that cover Alaska) laughed so hard he fell out of his chair, so we gave Krista a reality check and we are now looking for a jeep or a small car. David told her she will be happy with whatever she gets even if that is a hand me down Jetta LOL. She is NOT happy LOL. OH WELL, I just tell her beggars can't be choosers! LOL. I told her it is a right of passage to have horror stories of your first car so if we got her exactly what she wanted she wouldn't have anything to whine about lol.

Well better run!! Miss everyone to death!!!

Latest Adventures

Homer Alaska,

We camped on the beach and it reminded us of how much we miss living next to the ocean. Palmer is inland a bit so the ocean is about a hour away. It was nice to listen to the waves, walk the beach and just hang out. It was just Dave, Krista and I as Ashley had to work. So we left her and dog at home to spend some quality time together.

Eureka Alaska,

Time for four wheeling and playing in the mud!!! We bought a new trailer that we can fit all four snow machines and all four of the four wheelers in, and sleep in when needed. Ashley was working again, poor kid has worked every weekend since she got the job and has been missing out on a bit of the fun. This time we took one of Krista's friends Rachel with us and the girls slept in the truck tent and Dave and I slept in the trailer, not the same as sleeping in our own bed but still beats a tent! We took the dog with us and had a blast! Below are some of the pictures from the trip.