More Valdez Pictures

Ashley had fun watching us fish, pulling Mommy's hair and napping

all while riding in the back pack.

Sea Lions. You could hear them blow when they came up for air.

Sometimes you could see the water being blown into the air.

This carving was in downtown Valdez.

It was carved from one tree trunk.

Fishing With A Bear

Yes, as we fished in Valdez Friday evening a grizzly bear came down to the water for his supper. He came off the ridge and was standing in the road a little ways away from where we were fishing. Of course I got the kids in the truck ASAP since I didn't know which way he was headed. He ended up going the other way, through the parking lot and into the shallow water where the Salmon Smorgous (sp?) Board was swimming around. Warren drove down to the parking lot and we got out to look and take pictures. We were up on the bank and the bear was out several yards into the water. The kids wanted to see the bear so we let Cameron and Clayton out for a minute and then I took Nick and Amy one at a time. We figured I could make it back to the truck quickly enough with only 1 kid. Those grizzlies may be big but they can sure move fast. Here are some of the pictures that Warren took of the bear.

Fishing Valdez

We had a good time fishing in Valdez. Each year the town of Valdez puts on a Kids Pink Salmon Derby. The kids had a lot of fun! They liked climbing on the rocks as much as the fishing. :-)

Thompson Pass

On the way to Valdez we went over Thompson Pass. We stopped at the top to look at Worthington Glacier. It's pretty impressive. This picture really doesn't do it justice however. I love how the wind is blowing Ashley's hair straight up in the second picture.

Trip to Valdez, Ak

Each year the town of Valdez has a Kids Pink Salmon Fishing Derby. Warren took the boys last year. This year we all went. It was a lot of fun! The trip down and back was good with lots of beautiful scenery. We caught only two fish between us. Warren was hoping to get more than that but the fishing was slow that day. We saw a grizzly bear while we were fishing. I saw my first "Bear Crossing" sign. I've seen deer, moose and even caribou but this was the first bear crossing I'd seen. After the Derby we packed up and drove to Chitina. We have a mission church there. Our pastors, the Durrs, have services there twice a month. This was their Sunday to be in Chitina so we went there for church. Chitina is a very unique little place. We took a lot of pictures while on our trip and I will post some soon.

Ashley Update #2

Ashley is getting so big! She is "cruising" now. She did it for the first time last night. I stood her up at the coffee table--she loves to stand up!--and she worked her way around the corner and down the other side. Whenever I get her dressed she won't stay still long enough to get her diaper changed let alone her clothes on. I usually have to stand her up just to get her dressed!

Splish! Splash!

Last Sunday we were all at Durr's house for dinner after church. They have a backyard pond which all the kids at church are very intrigued with. After dinner, we caught Amy and Nicholas cooling off. We all had a good laugh and several of us, including Durrs, went after our cameras.

Thumbs Up!--Update

Well, last Thursday we took Nick in to get his cast off. They did another x-ray and discovered that he did indeed break his thumb! Apparently, the bone absorbed the dead bone so the fracture didn't show in the first x-rays. Then 2 weeks later the fracture is visible. I'm not really sure how that happens but the doctor said so and my surgical tech husband agrees so I'll take their word for it. :-) I'm just glad that the doc decided to put the cast on the first time (to allow it to heal better and more quickly--we thought). He now has another cast for another 2 weeks.

Birthday Wishes

Yesterday was my sister Elaine's birthday. She is a very special person. Thoughtful and kind. She has been a great big sister. We love you and miss you. I wish we could have been there to help celebrate your day.

Janet & Elaine

Elaine & Cameron

Together Time

Monday evening we decided to take the kids fishing. Amy especially has been bugging her dad to take her fishing. (I tell Warren he has 3.5 boys and 1 girl!) Amy caught her first fish--2 actually! You should have seen her face! Warren asked her if she wanted to touch it. Amy just screwed up her face, pulled back and very adamantly shook her head "No!". Her second fish came off the hook mid air. Cameron caught 3 fish. After we spent some time at Kepler Lake we went for a drive. "Going for a drive" just to see what we can see is something Warren and I used to do alot but haven't for a looong time. We really enjoyed it! We even saw a moose! I know! I live in Alaska, but I never get tired of seeing the wildlife.

My little men--Cameron & Clayton

the love of my life

the "twins" with Amy's fish

Mommy and Peanut

"Mr. Moose"

Ashley Update

Ashley is changing almost every day it seems. She got her first tooth. She pulls up from sitting to standing and when laying on the floor she can sit up herself. She is such a joy!

More Deck Demolition

Helping Dad

My kids should not be big enough to be using dad's power tools!

4th of July Pictures

Here are the pictures from our 4th of July. As I said in an earlier post, we celebrated at home. Warren's parents came over and the kids played. We BBQ'd for supper and Warren and his dad started tearing down our deck. In a nutshell, the deck was rotting out and now we get the job of replacing it. I commented to Clayton that maybe he should have to say the Pledge of Alligence before he could eat. He decided that was a good idea so that's what we did. We have a flag pole for the yard now although it is up temporarily until we can cement it in the ground. All in all it was a good day.

Papa & Ma's

BBQ supper

Deck Demolition

Thumbs Up!

Last Wednesday Nick fell off a chair and hurt his thumb.  It hurt really bad especially when he tried to bend it.  At first we thought it might be broken but an x-ray showed no broken bones.  Thankfully!  However the next morning the thumb was swollen and he couldn't bend it so we took him to the doctor.  The doctor put a cast on it to stabilize it so that it can heal more quickly and better.  The injury may have affected the growth plate (in the wrist) so the cast should keep everything aligned properly.  A couple of hours after we got home, Nick holds up his arm and said, "Take this cast off!"  When I told him that I couldn't he said  "My thumb doesn't hurt anymore."  I'm glad he has to wear it for only 2 weeks.  By the way, that's a scrub hat he has on.

Heritage

Sunday morning we sang a song in church that took me back down Memory Lane.  As a kid I would listen to this song (over and over again) on a record made by my cousin, RB Kuhn.  The song?  The Battle Hymn of the Republic.  Whenever I hear that song now I hear the organ music and think of RB.  Sunday was no different but then my thoughts went a little further as I realized again how blessed I am.  If it were not for my great uncle Raymond and great aunt Helen (RB's parents) and my grandma who stood for the Truth and Righteousness I probably would not be where I am today.  My mom and her sister's families are testimonies of Uncle Raymond, Aunt Helen and Grandma's Christian influence. They, along with my parents, have given me a great heritage for which I am humbly thankful.  They have gone on to Heaven before us but someday I will see them again and meet the Grandma I never knew--but until then my desire is to live worthy of the example they left behind.  

4th of July

Happy 4th of July! I am so thankful for all of the freedoms that we have here in America! I am proud to be an American! I am not so proud of what our leaders have done to Her but I am proud to be an American. America is still the best place on earth! We still have it better than anyone else! If you don't believe that you are welcome to go live somewhere else. Thank you to all those who have fought to protect us and preserve our freedoms. I am thankful for those who have given up home and family--and some their very lives--to keep the "bad guys" out of America. May God bless you and keep you! Most of all I thank God for how He has "kept and preserved us a nation".

We had a good day here. Warren figured most of the parks and campgrounds would be full so we celebrated at home. (You should have seen the traffic headed out of town!) We set up the tent trailer in the yard and we all slept out there last night. The kids loved it! I have to admit it was kinda fun. Today Warren's parents came over and we had a picnic here at the house. We grilled steaks and hamburgers. Warren started tearing down our deck. The wood was starting to rot so he was going to replace the bad end of the deck but the more he tore down the more rotten places he found so we are back to square one--replacing the whole thing. The kids played and worked hard today. They are sound asleep! I did take pictures today but I have to download them onto the computer so you all will have to wait on those. :-) Hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July!

The Mechanic vs. The Doctor

We got this e-mail the other day.

A mechanic was removing the cylinder heads from the motor of a car when he spotted the famous heart surgeon in his shop, who was standing off to the side, waiting for the service manager to come to take a look at his car. The mechanic shouted across the garage, “Hello Doctor!! Please come over here for a minute." The famous surgeon, a bit surprised, walked over to the mechanic. The mechanic straightened up, wiped his hands on a rag and asked argumentatively, "So doctor, look at this. I also open hearts, take valves out, grind 'em, put in new parts, and when I finish this will work as a new one. So how come you get the big money, when you and me are doing basically the same work? " The doctor leaned over and whispered it to the mechanic’s ear.... .

Doctor Said: "Try to do it when the engine is running"