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!!