September Update

What a month this has been!  September has flown by! The weather has been crazy - I can't count the number of times friends have told us how unusual it has been.  It started out pleasant enough - the fall colors have been incredible and the cooler temps have been so nice!  But then the rain came - and stayed for weeks; and the wind blew - like a hurricane; and the beautiful fall leaves were knocked to the ground.  Then we started noticing the termination dust (snow to southerners!) collecting on the tops of surrounding mountains.  And this morning we woke up to snow down here! By lunch time it was gone - BUT it snowed.  On September 29th.  I still can't decide if that makes me excited or worried!

Our family continues to adjust to our new life in Alaska. Jackson, Turner and Caroline are enjoying their new school and are getting to know everyone better.  The boys are starting basketball practice this coming week - they will both be playing for our school, the Birchwood Christian School Warriors.  Greg and I joined a couples small group that meets on Wednesday nights.  We are loving this group and the study we are doing.  Also Greg is doing a bible study with the men on staff, and I'm doing a ladies bible study too.  

We now have our cars ready for winter - we both have engine block heaters and remote starters, and we were given a set of studded tires for the van. I think our family is closer to being ready for winter too - snow boots, snow pants, and huge winter coats have been purchased.  Thick sock are starting to collect in the dresser drawers. Long johns are waiting for us. Our GA sled is ready for some serious snow. Now it's just a matter of waiting until winter really gets here!

These pictures show how we went from fall...

to winter - all in one month!

The Alaska State Fair

On September 3 our family went to the Alaska State Fair in Palmer.  We'd heard stories about all the giant produce, hoped for a funnel cake, but we were NOT prepared for how cold it was!!  We've now learned that Palmer is typically more windy than it is in Chugiak - I'm just thankful we made the kids put on sweatshirts before we left!  Here are some pictures...

The clouds looked threatening all day, but the rain held off until just as we were leaving.

We watched these two backhoes competing to see who could pick up the most balls...it was actually quite impressive!

We walked through a few exhibit halls - mainly to thaw out - and ended up seeing some incredible things.  These ladies were making different kinds of lace.

We watched this lady take a block of wood and turn it into a top.  Then she gave it to us to keep.  This was one of our favorites!

Some of the giant produce - the pictures really don't do it justice.  Crazy big stuff!

The world-record-setting cabbage

We found a small shop that was selling coffee, hot chocolate and yummy cinnamon rolls. We went inside for a treat, warmed up a little, and by the time we came back out the rain was starting up and we figured it was time to head home.  We will definitely wear an extra layer of clothes next year!  But what a fun day!!

Eight weeks in Alaska!

Our family has had the opportunity to see some of the beauty of our new home state over the past few weeks.  Here are a few pictures of the fun.


We spent part of a Saturday hiking with another family in Girdwood.  The drive alone would have been enough of a reason to go...

Turnagain Arm on the Seward Highway

We think we saw a couple of beluga whales swimming in the water (but didn't get them in the pictures)!

We hiked two different trails.  One was in an actual rainforest.  Who knew Alaska had rain forests??

Wild blueberries we found on the trail

The trail ended at a beautiful waterfall

Morgan (Caroline's friend and hiking guide), Caroline, Turner and Jackson

The moss was covering everything!

Then we went to hike part of another trail near the Crow Creek Gold Mine.

This trail had a hand tram that would take you.....

over this gorge.

After watching a few people - and a dog - try the hand tram...

Turner, Caroline and Greg went back and forth across the river together.

Then they realized how much fun it was to help other people get across too.

We saw mushrooms like this all over the place.

The drive home was just as beautiful!

Those are snow covered mountains way in the distance.

Sleeping Lady

Our family also celebrated a birthday last month...our first since moving to Alaska.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GREG!!!

His favorite birthday meal. (I think I've cooked this for him almost every birthday since we were married!)

We are continuing to love playing at the park after supper as much as possible!  Such a beautiful place!

Greg was able to go fishing in Seward with two guys from our church.  It was an experience of a lifetime!  Lots of huge fish in a beautiful location

They left VERY early in the morning

Bear Glacier

Can't remember if this is a seal or an otter, but neat to see anyway!

One of the halibut they caught - this is a really small one!

Halibut are bottom-feeders, and this one was caught in about 500 feet of water.  Greg said that bait-check was brutal!

Lingcod - but Greg couldn't keep it because it was 33 inches and must be 35 inches to keep.

A successful fishing trip - tons of rockfish

Our kids started school on August 22.  They are attending Birchwood Christian School, which is a part of our church.  We are thankful for this great school!  And the kids have had a great start to the school year!

Our family also did part of a hike up Baldy, which is in Eagle River.  We were unprepared for just how hard a climb it is, and as people started to wear out we decided to finish it another time.  But what a view!

Our family eating at Moose's Tooth celebrating the end of summer.