Interesting reading

Here is a link with some interesting reading on pages 44 and 45 of this electronic magazine. Of course it has my name in there a few times and that's why it's so interesting. I have to thank Jen for her support to make it possible. Love you Jen.
Also thought I would share a picture with everyone. It is a summer and winter panoramic image of the same location. Sam Shea took the winter picture and I took the summer picture. Sam then was able to sew them all together for one awesome picture. Enjoy.

http://www.thewinningedgemagazine.com/downloads/pdfs/tempwefile250510LR.pdf

Air Force Updates, Christmas Updates and general Happenings

Before the Air Force we had this

After 8 weeks of a "nice" Drill Instructor you get this

It was nice to see the change in her, from "Oh I will get to it later mom" said with much attitude and disgust, to thinking ahead and blossoming into an ADULT, such a nice change.  She is still her fun loving goofy self, she just actually thinks ahead now.  We had a great time with her in San Antonio, just hanging out with her and listening to her hopes and dreams and plans for her future.  It was such a nice trip.  Just hard to let go at times.  I still have to work on the TELLING her what to do, and work on just giving my Opinion and letting her make her own decisions, that is a HARD one.  19 years of parenting, the old ways dye hard LOL.  It was a very Proud moment for both Dave and I to see her complete this and start on to her next journey.  It was particularly a proud moment for Dave to know that one of his girls followed in his footsteps and kept the family tradition of serving.  I am happy, not only proud that my girl is serving but also as a mom I wouldn't worry as much about her future as the economic outlook is not that hot right now and at least in the Military they have medical, dental, vision, a steady paycheck and a roof over their heads.  I don't worry about them having to go into combat as the Air Force is VERY SELDOM in a hot combat zone.  Unless of course they are a pilot which I don't think either one of them would ever be.  But none the less we are just proud parents!!!

As for the rest...... Well lets see..... Ashley is with her grandparents in Washington, Krista is with her grandparents in Illinois, Dave and I have the house to just us and the dog.  Not sure I am liking the quiet.  Sometimes yes, most of the time NO.  I think we will have to either get an additional dog or adopt more kids LOL.  I think Dave will say a big N O!! to that one, all I can say is I tried LOL.  I still think we need to add about 4 boys!!! but not sure that is gonna happen LOL. But hey I tried!!! We have been having snowmachine races and so far we have a 1st and a 4th for the season.  He is hoping for another jacket like his championship one he got last year lol.  They have been racing on the lake on the ice track.  I am thinking that maybe next race I might give him a run for his money and race him on the single cylinder or enter the woman's race and see if I can win that one or at least give Krista a run for her money lol.  I suck at driving those things but the races look fun and I am rather competitive LOL.

Christmas Day we are going to get on skype and talk to both the girls and open gifts, then about 1:30pm we are going over to friends of ours and have prime rib, and sit in the hot tub.  Should be a good xmas, minus being able to spend it with family.  Hopefully next xmas we can convince everyone to come up here for xmas.  It would be nice to share it with both sides of the family and have everyone experience an Alaskan Christmas. Would just be nice to have everyone here for a week or so to go snowmachining, watch a vintage race, etc.  These are the days when I wished we all lived closer.  Other times I am happy for the distance..... JUST KIDDING!!!  Well I better run.  I have some last minute shopping to finish up.  Let me see I think on my list from Dave was Jim Beam, Mountain Dew, Beef Jerky, Jack Daniels, coke........ hmmmm sounds like a Redneck christmas, yep, pretty much!!! LOL

Miss you all!!!! Wish you were all here!!!!

We are on our way to Texas!!

Well the time has finally arrived. Dave and I are on our way to see Ashley graduate basic training. We are very excited to see her, but not excited for the plane ride. I think with all my years of travel for my job I have suffered enough lol. Kodiak and the house are in good hands as Nick is staying at the house. Krista is in excellent hands with Debbie and Spike so no worries. Of course we left strict instructions of NO BOYS while we are gone lol. Guess who is not thrilled about that one. Kodiak will be spoiled I am sure lol. Well that is it for now. I have the video camera and Dave has the other camera so we will take lots of pictures and video for everyone.

Well got to run. Love and miss you all!

Update from the freezer

Oh Welcome to this weeks segment of "Frozen Alaska, life in the freezer".  Yes on today's episode we have temps of -12 with the winds blowing at 45 mph and sometimes more. Snow in the forecast along with colder winter temperatures, daytime high of -8. (all above information slightly exaggerated for dramatic affect, but close to reality)


Heck I figure if they are giving Palin her own show I can pretend to have one too LOL, it would be just as interesting, and not full of bogus crap lol. 


So lets see, it has been colder than a well diggers butt here lately and only going to get colder. The winter wind storms have started arriving and pretty much blowing every other day, sometimes for days at a time.  We had a nice break from it yesterday and today, but alas, it will start back up again on Friday, with winds at 30-45mph gust 55-60mph.  The temps during the day are at about 12 without the wind blowing, if the wind is blowing lets just say I can unplug the freezer and save some power and have everything frozen in a matter of minutes. Yep life in Alaska is fabulous in the winter.  Now if I could winter in say oh Fiji, and come up here in the summer life would be grand, but as the "snowman", that would be David, points out how would he ever get to go snowmobiling, I know you are thinking what a tragedy right?  Well he seems to think so also LOL.  Me I like it as long as it is on a nice groomed trail that ends at a lodge that has a nice hot toddy, or glass of wine waiting for me in front of a fire lol.  We have agreed to disagree about the love of snowmobiling lol.


Well lets see, Krista is doing good, she has school going on right now, no sports other than softball practice, inside of course, a couple of times a month.  She is keeping her pitching arm in shape and getting some exercise. She has also been running on the treadmill keeping in shape.  Her and Dave have a contest of sorts going to see who can run the most miles in a month. She volunteered with a group called "Peer helpers" where they help the special needs kids at school and do activities with them like bowling, swimming and special Olympics.  It is a pretty neat program.  Other than that she is keeping busy with school work and of course the boyfriend.  He is a really nice kid and he treats her good, so of course for now he is on the approved list, for now lol.  Krista had to have some oral surgery just before thanksgiving to repair some tissue loss on the front of her bottom gums, in preparation for braces, poor kid had to eat mashed potatoes for almost 12 days.  It kind of sucked since this happened right before thanksgiving.  We made sure she got lots of ice cream and pumpkin pie, minus the crust lol.  It was pretty painful the first couple of days, they gave her pain pills but those just made her sleepy all the time, which she didn't like, so we stuck with aspirin and that seemed to work along with ice packs.  She goes in for her final check up today to see if she can start eating regular foods again.  She is really wanting a hamburger or pizza lol. Krista is getting ready for finals coming up here in another week or so, then she is off on her adventure home to see her Grandma and Mom for Xmas and her birthday.  She is leaving the 18th and won't be back until the 29th.  It will be a very weird and kid free Xmas for us.  Not sure what Dave and I will do, maybe we will turn Krista's room into the "naked room".  LOL NOT!!!!!! 


Ashley called Thanksgiving day, she and her wing man, got to spend thanksgiving with a family off base.  They came and picked them up at the reception hall and took them to their home for thanksgiving, which I thought was really nice.  They had 4 boys so Ash had fun playing with them, and of course she got to eat real mashed potatoes, turkey and all the pie and whip cream she could stuff into herself, and watch football. She was in heaven lol.  She had a good time at BEAST week and said they did really well out there.  Apparently some girls from another flight really had a hard time as they were not drinking enough water and passed out from the heat.  She said she has a new appreciation for what Brandon and Jason went through being in the Marines and carrying full packs all the time.  She said her pack was really heavy and it was only a 1/2 pack, but they where in MOP gear (the full chemical suit) as well as carrying the pack.  So imagine strapping about an 80lb weight to your back, then wrap your entire body in black hefty bags, drive to the desert, and now go run around for 12 hours a day and crawl in the dirt, carry a machine gun, and you have BEAST week lol. But apparently she had fun with this, go figure.  What can I say my kids are no pansies lol, I build them tougher than tonka trucks LOL.  She also got to call last Sunday and we got to chat with her for awhile, which was nice.  She is in week 7 of basic and Sunday starts her final week.  This week she is taking her PT eval, and her Air Force History test, then on to Biloxi Mississippi for school.  She will be in Biloxi for 47 days then gets to come back up to Alaska for 12 days, then on to her next base assignment.  She won't know where that is until she is done with school.  She is enjoying basic and has made some pretty good friends.  There are 5 girls from her flight going to the same school and 3 guys from her brother flight going to the same school as well.  Dave and I are excited to see her for graduation and hear about the whole ordeal.  I think Dave is most excited to visit a base where he knows he won't be stationed, and to see how it has changed lol.  Me I am just excited to see her.  


As for Dave and I we have been busy with getting the house decorated for Xmas.  He is working nights up until we leave so trying to get stuff organized for Xmas and going to San Antonio is a bit tricky at times, as we only get a couple of hours to discuss things that need to happen before we go. 


We went and saw Rodney Carrington the comedian, he is really funny!!!  We enjoyed out night out with friends.  Other than that, we are just getting snow machines ready for race season.  This year he has to have what they call a TECH vest, which is a rather expensive piece of hard plastic that goes over his chest to protect it from injury.  Why they have to have them for a bunch of old men, who ride around on old snow machines is beyond me, but the rules say you have to have one so we have to get one lol. Dave and I are both hitting the treadmill and lifting free weights.  Of course him being a man has been able to drop weight a lot faster than I have, evil jerk lol.  But it is a daily battle, one I hope I will eventually win.  I have been coke cola free for 12 weeks now, and that in itself is a daily battle.  Who knew that stuff was as addicting as CRACK!!  


I should be sending out Xmas gifts soon and Xmas cards so be looking for your card or gift. We had to send them out so early this year because by the time we get back from Texas mailed items from Alaska would not make it to anyone until after Xmas.   Well that is about it for now.  We love and miss you all! Hope to see everyone this summer!!

Fabulous Four Update

Hello All!! Well it is another warm and sunny day here in the tropics, zzzzzzzzzzzzz ,  oh wait that was my dream.  Okay so it is blue sky and a very warm 8 degrees here today, yes I said 8 degrees.  No new snow, but at least the winds have stopped for now.  We need about 6 more feet of snow to be able to go snowmobiling so you know who (DAVID) is getting antsy about being able to go lol. 

Krista had her mouth surgery yesterday and is in a bit of pain, thank goodness for pain medication.  Poor kid can't talk for 3 days, she is having a hard time with it and Dave and I have to keep reminding her NOT to talk lol.  She has to eat liquidity stuff for the next couple days then can move on to soft foods that don't need much chewing.  She is looking forward to eating all the mash potatoes and gravy she can handle ha ha!! She gets to go back to school Monday and then we go in for a check up on Wednesday at 4pm, hopefully all will be good and we can start to get braces in January. Krista got to talk to Ashley so it was funny to hear them chat and give each other a hard time, you know those terms of endearments like "retard", "butthead", those loving sisterly terms lol. Other than that she is doing good.

Ashley called the other day, she is doing good and enjoying basic, I know you laugh right, but seriously she told me she is having fun and this was the best decision she has ever made.  Dave and I think that they have thoroughly brain washed the poor kid.  She will be doing BEAST week the week of thanksgiving and she is really excited to go "camping and shoot stuff" as she puts it.  They will be serving Turkey in the field for them ha ha!!  She is excited to see us in December and I got an entire list of instructions that I hope I remember by then LOL.  I also got a list of items that I "have" to bring when I come, along with a list of all the FOOD she wants to eat LOL, so we know that at least that hasn't changed. She also informed us that she will be bringing her "wing man" with us when we come to get her, ha ha!  On a serious note she laughs alot when she calls so that is a good sign.  She said her ankle is holding up just fine and she is not having any problems.  She is hoping her squad is going to make warrior squad, and she is hoping to make marksman today as she is qualifying with her M16.  Dave wrote her that if she doesn't make it don't bother coming home to Alaska as we will not be claiming her LOL.  She was bummed that she didn't get more time to actually shoot, I told her she joined the wrong service if she wants to shoot crap and play in the dirt lol.  She told me that her squad was all the "jock" girls so they are way ahead of the other squads.  Not sure if that is true or just what her drill instructor has told them lol. She got chosen for recruiter duty after Tech school, so she gets to come home for 12 days and hang out at home and go with the recruiter to all the schools.  They have them talk to all the kids wanting to join up. Other than that she is fine, she asks that everyone keep writing to her.  She is sorry she doesn't write much but she is really busy and barely has enough time to call let alone write, but she loves the letters and pictures.

As for Dave and I we are just counting down the days until we get to see her.  We are really excited to watch her graduate and just get to really talk with her about all the stuff she did and ask about a million questions.  Her and Dave can compare notes and records lol.  Krista unfortunately has finals so has to stay behind.  We are really bummed as we wanted Krista to be able to come, but the school won't allow her to take any finals early or make time for her to take them when we get back.  There are times when I really dislike the administrators at that school. Dave and I are doing good and just trying to figure out how to add more garage space with out having to erect an 8 car garage to hold all the vehicles, four wheelers, and snow machines lol. If we figure that out we will let you all know. 

Well have to run!  Love you all and Miss you all a ton!!

The frigid North Nov 2010

Well to say it is cold is a bit of an understatement. I think our high for the day was 25. Beautiful sunset and of course the snow has started showing up almost everyday to Davids delight lol. I hear everyday how close it is to him being able to go snowmobiling lol. The man loves his snow machine. Me I love the fire place and trail rides that end up at Kenny creek lodge in front of a fire with a nice glass of wine lol!! It sure is pretty and I like the snow for now, but talk to me in March, April, and May when the snow is still not all the way gone and there are no flowers blooming. Then it is not so pretty lol.

We got another call from Ashley and she sounded way better. No crying this time which made David and I feel better. She has made friends thanks to me sending too many pairs of new none military underwear lol. Apparently they are only allowed six pair and I went and bought her like 36 pair lol. She shared them with a bunch of girls who where instantly her new best friends lol. She said things are getting easier and hold on to your seats. She now wakes up by herself at 4 am!!!!! Lol I was like wow Miricles do happen lol! Before to vet her out of bed before 1 pm was like asking for her to walk on water or something lol!! Dave and I are so excited to go see her in December! We bought our tickets and got our hotel so we are set. She graduates the 10th with ceramonies starting on the 9th-11th. We are flying home on the 12th. She will be going to Washington for Xmas. She has leave Dec. 22-jan2.

Well got to run miss you!

Got a phone call from Ashley!!!

Ashley got her first real phone call home today.  It was good to hear her voice.  Poor girl is really home sick.  She asks that everyone please write her letters and send her pictures.  She is not liking living with 33 witchy unfriendly girls, that have a ton of Drama, and says she really is missing home.  I told her it will get better, but she says 6 weeks and counting mom.  Everything else is  going good for her and she is hanging in there.  She said it is not that bad just lonely.  So if you have some time please write her a letter and send her a picture.  You can't send food or gifts but they can get pictures.  If you don't have her address it is:


AB Stricklan, Ashley M
326 TRS/FLT 032 Dorm B8
PSC3
1320 Truemper St Unit 361016
Lackland, AFB, TX 78236-5570


I know she would appreciate anything, cards, letters, post cards anything.  


Well have to run, have to get up early for work tomorrow and parent teacher conferences for Krista.
Miss you all!!!

Updates

Hi All,  we got an update from Ashley in the form of a card.  It contains a website that you can all visit to see what she is having to do lately.  She is on week two.  But check it out.  www.basictraining.af.mil It is pretty interesting.  Dave said there are things that have changed since he was in.  We still haven't gotten a graduation from Basic date but when I do I will send out the date so you all will know.


Here are some pictures of Krista's car.

It started snowing yesterday so not long now and we should be into our permanent white out until April or May :o)  Dave is like a kid at Christmas because it snowed lol.  I like the snow and am ready for the pretty white, and get away from the ugly brown, but not looking forward to the cold that comes with it. Here is a picture of it.  Sorry it is so dark but it is getting towards that time of year where it doesn't get light very early and gets dark by afternoon. Case in point it is 9am and still dark.  It should be light buy 9:30 or 10am this morning.  It will be dark again by 4pm so yep good bye sun light LOL.  Well better run! 

Finally found Krista another Car

Well after having to sell the Jeep we finally found her another car that we felt was a good deal.  In case you forgot, we had to sell her Jeep it was just to hard for her to drive a stick and with the short wheel base of the jeep, it was just to scary. She always looked like she had a death grip on the wheel and every time she shifted the thing she was all over the road.  My mind would scream oh oh oh, watch out!  I had vision of her trying to drive and shift in the snow and was like nope, got to get a different car.  So after selling the Jeep Wrangler we finally found her a  2003 Saturn Vue AWD 4cyl with 87K miles. It is a one owner car and way below blue book, so was a good find.  It is good on gas and goes great in the snow. She is happy with it.  It is nice and big but yet easy for her to see out of.  I will post some pictures of her with her car a bit later but below is what her car looks like.  It is the same color and style, and yes her UMPA6 personalized plate will be going on the new car tonight LOL.  So now she can fit a few more Umpaloompas in there with her, and Maybe a Leprechaun (Melinda), and of course a bunch of room for the rest of us "normal" size people LOL.  Well have to run and get back to work!  Miss you all!!

Wanted to share some pictures

I wanted to share some pics we have taken in the last month. It has been busy lately with getting Ashley off to the Air Force and me going hunting. Things are setteling down, but snowmachine season is on the doorstep. It has been getting down around 15 degrees the last few nights, some pretty heavy frost lately. Snow is slowly creeping down the mountians. Wahoo winter is coming!!! Oh wait, "darn winter is coming" (previous statement to satisy Jen). I recently told Jen when I retire we have to get a summer house, and she asked where I was thinking? I said "New Zealand of course". She asked "why there"? I told her that when it is summer in Alaska it is winter in New Zealand, my snow machine problems are solved, I never have to go more than a couple weeks before I get to ride. It sure has been tough cooking for myself and doing my own laundry ever since. lol Just kidding about the cooking and laundry.

Kristas school picture

Some caribou

Sunrise

Krista going to homecoming

getting buzzed

Getting left with no cell phone service (awesome)

Brown bear doing a little fishing

Trees I found walking around

Moose hunting

Camp

riding in 18 miles to camp.

Ashley is on her way to Texas

Well she is on her way and on the Air Force payroll. She flys out at 9:30pm tonight and flys all night. She probably won't get in to lackland until 8am tomorrow morning. Then the fun will begin! Oh yes early morning walks through the park, luxury accommodations, superb food and lazy days laying around in bed. Oh wait that was available in the civilian world ha ha ha ha! I guess she shall soon learn what life is really about ha ha poor princessa reality is about to strike. We will miss her but will get to see her in December when she graduates basic. I will add pictures and video later today of the ceremony for her swearing in at the processing center.

The Great White North, well it will be pretty soon

Hell all, well we haven't given an update in a while, been busy, busy, busy here.

Krista has been running cross country and then there was home coming, dances, school parent meet the teachers nights, driving practice, home work help, and getting her plane tickets for Christmas in Chicago.  She has been busy so therefore so have I lol.  Oh and of course her flavor of the week, man I need a whole planner just to keep up with which boy is cute this week LOL.  She got asked to home coming by a boy named Nathan, nice kid, he runs cross country with her.  They had a good time.  She is currently down in Kenai running at regions.  She is sad to see the season ending but is hoping to fill the winter with either dance team or basketball cheer leading.  I tried to talk her into cross country skiing but she said no way, that is way to cold!!  Besides that would interfere with her vintage snow mobile race season lol.  Yes she is her fathers daughter, she loves racing her vintage snow machine.  She is doing good in school so far all A's and B's and she has double the work this year as she got special approval to take two math classes, some honors classes and some college level classes.  So homework has kept her and me busy lol.

Ashley has been busy packing up her room, and sorting out what clothes stay, and which ones find a new home in Krista's closet, much to Krista's delight.  Although she won't give up any of her shoes!  She has almost two totes full of shoes!! I told her man those could go to at least 3 different countries and put shoes on all those teenagers feet LOL.  She said mom don't you dare!  So I had to sign in blood that I wouldn't give them away when she left LOL.  It is weird to see her pack up her room and know she will probably never live with me again.  I have mixed emotions, I am both extremely proud of her and very sad at the same time.  She is still working and she is getting her car ready to sell as the Air Force won't move it.  She is planning to buy a truck once she gets her first base assignment.  With her military pay, her PFD and the money from the sale of her car she should be able to pay cash for a pretty nice truck and still have quite a bit left over.  Air Force graduation is set for December 10th with a family dinner on the 9th in San Antonio, TX.  If you want an invitation to this event let me know as you will only be able to go if you have an invitation in hand.  Dave and I are so excited for her.  Dave can't keep from telling her and everyone else how proud he is of her, do you think he is a proud papa??  I am not any better LOL.  Once she graduates her school will be in Biloxi, Mississippi, she will get a break for Christmas and is not sure if she is coming up here, going to Idaho, or Washington, depending on how much time she gets she may go visit Uncle Bob's family Loraine and Fanny for Christmas.

David has been hunting for the last couple of weeks, sadly the great white hunter has come up empty handed.  I told him that I am starting to doubt that all those pictures of dead animals were actually his LOL.  I asked him if the orax and the goat were actually bought or shot by someone else and he just bought them off other people and posed next to the animal so it looked like his, so needless to say I am NOT funny LMAO!! But of course I think I am hilarious!  Might be why I have had to sleep in my car the last couple of nights, OH WELL LOL.  He is actually been pretty bummed about not getting anything.  His buddy Larry is up from New Mexico and goes home Saturday night, so they are hunting everyday trying to get something and went out on a fly out hunt down in Kodiak.  Larry got a deer but the weather turned bad and they had to get out quick so nothing for Dave.  He is praying for snow to start tomorrow LOL, he is all excited for it to come so his race season can start and so he can go riding.  He goes back to work on Sunday and then from there he will be busy.

As for me, I have been running trying to get Ashley ready and setup for Basic, Krista to races, dances, school and being the cheer leader for her.  Helping David get ready for all his hunts, booking airline tickets, cooking, cleaning, and helping with home work.  Of course it is football season and my beloved Green Bay Packers are 2-0 so far, so it is a good time of year.  I am getting us Direct TV they come on Monday and of course I got the NFL package so I can watch all the games.  I know sad huh, but I like football and it gives me something to yell at besides Dave, the kids or the dog LOL.  Now if I could just figure out how to get a giant 72 inch TV like my Dads to fit in our house I would be good LOL.  I could feel like I was actually at the game!  I have been trying to give up my soda pop addiction, my poison of choice is coke, and I swear they must still lace it with cocaine cause it is harder to kick than smoking!  I gave up smoking with no problem, but man it is hard to kick the addiction of something you have had pretty much every day of your life since you were 13.  Dave and I are both trying again to loose some weight.  Our goal is to be able to ride the roller coasters at 6 flags when we go down to Texas in December, with out having to suck it in or worry that the restraints are gonna blow wide open LOL.  That and we have to fly and I hate!!!!! flying.  Did it for so many years and really dreading it since I have gained the weight.  But I am working on it one day at a time. :o).

Well that is about it.  I am still loving my new car and having a ton of fun driving it, kind of excited to try it out in the snow.  Well better run.  I will try and add some pictures a bit later of Krista's home coming date, her dress and some pictures from Dave's hunting trip.  We miss and love you all a ton!!

Fall has arrived

For Ashleys 19th birthday she wanted to go camping and 4 wheeling. We had a great time, some smores on the fire and some awesome fall colors. I do believe Krista may have a few pictures of Ashley a little stuck in the mud. I will have to see if they turned out. Here are some pics that we took yesterday.

Jen got a new CAR!

Hi all well I am very excited, I got a new car.  Yes it is a Dodge, and according to David I have to park it around back LOL.  I told him not a chance!  My car is prettier than his car LOL.  I got a dealer demo so it is brand new even though it is a 2008 Dodge Caliber.  It is black with a sun roof, I love it!

Krista is very excited to start testing it out since we sold her jeep.  She didn't like the jeep since it had such a short wheel base and was a stick.  Just stressed her out too much and pretty much made her cry every time she drove the thing.  Dave and I said enough was enough and sold it.  So now she has a car she can practice driving on since mine is an automatic.

We are starting to look again for a vehicle for Krista, she is holding out for a monster truck and Dave and I said sorry but NO, you couldn't handle the jeep and it being squirrely and a stick so no way you are getting a big truck LOL.  We are looking for an extended cab Ranger, Toyota, or Chevy S10, something small but not too small and 4 wheel drive, and that won't kill us on gas and that won't cost and arm and a leg.  It is amazing how much people want for some of their vehicles LOL.  I want to tell them there is no such thing as a price based on "sentimental value" !!  OH WELL!!

Wish you all lived closer, so you could help us look! Ha ha ha.

Well got to get back to work.  Miss you all and love you lots!

Camping in Eureka

We went to Eureka this weekend and had a good time even though it rained most of the time. Got a chance to make some cinnamon rolls in the new coleman oven, works great. Here are a few pics from the weekend.

Road trip

Jen and I took a road trip this weekend across the Denali Highway. We drove 524 miles and took a few pictures. We saw a lot of Caribou, a few moose and some awesome views. Here are a few of the pictures.

We have been invaded!!!

So we have been invaded by 30 girls from the Kodiak Cross Country team.  There is a state meet here called the twilight run, it is an invitational to all the schools and community across Alaska for cross country.  The teams all wear the same colored shirts and run in different races.

Well this year they were not very well organized and several schools showed up with out a place to stay for the night before the race.  Since Krista is friends with Hannah (Kodiak's XC coaches daughter) Hannah called and asked if the girls could sleep here.  Of course Dave and I said yes.  The poor boys got stuck in a gym some where.

They are all a great group of girls and they were a joy to have, just always find it interesting to observe the different dynamics with in a large group of girls.

They leave today at noon and the house will be quiet again ha ha ha.

Krista has her first race tonight, hope she does good!!!

Fabulous Stricklan Four + Dog Summer 2010

Hi all here are some pictures from our latest adventures this summer.  We loved seeing you all and miss you a ton!

Todays update

Well Ashley started a new job while she awaits for the official Air Force date. She says she likes it a lot better than her old job. Krista started cross country today, and she said it was fun, so the coach didn't run them enough. lol Jen and Kodiak just worked all day and I drove around in the copper river basin doing my COOP weather stuff. We still are trying to get all the vacation pics uploaded into a movie, so hang tight. Anyway here are some we have taken from around here this last week. Take care.

Office visitor.

Here is what we get to deal with when we are out launching balloons. This is right outside my office on the way to the balloon shelter.

Made it home

After 7,118 miles, 2 oil changes, 3 major stops and 48 potty breaks we are finally back home. We had a lot of fun and wished we didn't have to leave. Here are a few pics of the trip. I have a lot more and will try and get some more out here this week.

Crossing the border on the way down.

Aunt Marlene the poker star

Here is trouble in the razor

Aunt Marlene's decorations

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Just a few of the family

Aunt Marlene's decorations

Nova on the way to it's new home

Levenworth

Girls having fun with Kelli and Bryce









5 generations of trouble all in one place

Oh the things you can talk them into doing

The family at Hell's Gate Canyon