Random

Sunrise at	10:41 AM
Sunset at	2:46 PM

Duration of day: 4 hours, 4 minutes (3 minutes, 46 seconds shorter than yesterday)

This is CRAZY!!!  I can't wait until we start gaining daylight again.  So here are some pictures I have found while being stuck inside since it is -33 today.  Hope you like them.

Buddy is the best little dog I know!

Moose in the pond beside our house.

Random bleachers in the woods.

He had to ride home in the Subaru this dirty!

Sandhill cranes.  They are noisy!

Cold!!

So it is OFFICALLY the Christmas season.  Of course we have had our decorations up since before Thanksgiving.  Too bad it's been too cold for us to go to any of the tree lighting ceremonies.  Poor Grayson just can't get out in weather below zero.  That's right.  It's been BELOW zero for over a week, with only one day above zero.  This Saturday we get to go eat breakfast with Santa.  We are so EXCITED!!  We tried to go see Santa this past Sunday but there was so many people there we couldn't wait in line that long.  The wait was over an hour. 

We had an ugly Christmas Sweater party we went to last Friday night,  The sweaters people found were hilarious!  We all voted on the King and Queen of the ugly sweaters and wouldn't you know Gabe Won!!  He looked so funny!  His prize was spam and a king size Reese's Peanut Butter Cup!  He ate the spam that night and the peanut butter cup when we got home.  He tried to share the spam but not too many people wanted any!

Since its been so cold I have been looking through our pictures we have taken up here and I have decided Alaska is a Beautiful place.  so for the next few days i am going to post pictures of the landscape.  Hope you all enjoy.

Look at that sky!

Thanksgiving!

So the bad roads lasted until Thursday and Gabe had off ALL week.  It was an unexpected WONDERFUL family WEEK!!  We had so much fun just hanging out at the house and watching it RAIN.  It rained in November.  It rained over an inch.  Too bad the warm weather didn't last.  The temperature has now dropped to -30.  Last night the low was -40!  Winter is back with a vengeance.  Grayson and I aren't going outside much these days. 

Speaking of going out my little Buddy hates to go outside.  I had to go outside and get him every time he went outside yesterday.  His poor little feet just can't handle the cold.  Buddy just sits down in the snow and ice because he can't walk anymore.  Poor Buddy.  Buster is doing just fine.  I think he was made to live in cold weather.  Gabe and Buster have started skijoring.  This is where you hook a harness to your dog and let him pull you while you cross country ski.  I am going to try it once Buster learns to do it.  I'm gonna let Gabe do all the hard work!!  He loves it.  They both do.

Thanksgiving was great.  We went over to the McCurdy's house and had Thanksgiving with 5 other couples.  I forgot to take a picture of the food but we had lots of it.  Mashed potatoes, corn casserole, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, turkey, rolls, salad and Cornbread Dressing!!  Two of the couple were not from the South and had never had cornbread dressing.  I was thinking we wouldn't have it but the McCurdy's are from Georgia so we did.  Yay!! 

This weekend was interesting.  Friday night we had a water accident down stairs.  Saturday afternoon Gabe lost his set of keys while he was skijoring.  When I went to give him the key to the Subaru we discovered it had a FLAT!  Sunday we spent two hours waiting for our tire to be fixed at Wal-Mart because they were the only place open.  Too bad they didn't look at the tire when we dropped it off first because after two hours when they looked at it they told us they couldn't fix it.  Talk about frustrating!!  Gabe took it to another place on Monday and guess what?  They FIXED it.  That just reinforced why we try not to go to Wal-Mart.  Gabe found his keys Sunday when he went back on the trail.  He bought a metal detector  that didn't work.  He found the keys by himself because the detector was going off on everything but his keys.  We were extremely lucky to find them.  Crazy weekend.

Here are some pictures of the past week!  Hope y'alls week is good!

Ice Day??

Today was a great day.  About 9:15 this morning Gabe walks in and says "Aren't you going to ask me why I'm here?"

Me, "Why are you here?"

Gabe,  "Post is closed.  The roads have black ice on them and I am off work."

Me,  "Yeah!!!!" 

Fun family day!!  We tried to clean but hanging out together was more fun.  We worked on our Christmas card and did a little business on the computer and that was about it.  Gabe tried to walk Buster but it was too slick out there for either one of them to get any traction.  Post is closed tomorrow until 10 and then be reevaluated.  I hope it stays shut all day so I can have Gabe at home another day!!

Yesterday we dropped Grayson and Buddy off at our friend Aubree's house and took Buster and her dog for a hike.  I got a very good calf workout trying to walk in almost knee deep snow.  It was absolutely gorgeous there.  (I will post some of the pictures later.) 

I've noticed the snow right now is very white! It looks so clean and fresh.  Sometimes it blows me away that this is where I live.  The temperature today was 33.  Tomorrow its going to be 37!  Yes 37.  That's why we have black ice.  Don't worry; by next Monday the temp will be back below 0 and we will get more snow!!  Yeah!! (Sarcastic!) 

It's after 9 and I need to put a little boy to bed and then put myself there.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and weekend!!

I have discovered I love taking pictures of my dogs and Alaska.  I have never seen so much snow so I have to take pictures.  It is so white and beautiful.  These are from a hike this past weekend and my run yesterday with Buster at 1 degrees.  1 degree!!  I have figured out I love my dog.

hiking

On Saturday I did something I never thought I would do.  Buster and I went on a hike ALONE!!  I was nervous but knew Buster needed a walk.  It started as a family hike but Gabe, Grayson and Buddy had to go back to the Subaru.  Actually that's not right.  Buddy never started the hike.  He decided it was too cold right away and lasted long enough to go to the bathroom and then get back in the Subaru.  He is a Weenie!!  Haha! 

Grayson and his face mask!!

MOOSE!

Don't know what kind of tracks these are.

I'm obsessed with taking pictures of Buster.

Even in the middle of the wilderness there is TRASH!

After 10 or so minutes, Gabe and Grayson went back because we figured Grayson was too cold and Buster and I kept going.  I got scared every time Buster would run off and when I saw moose tracks.  I think I am more scared of running into a moose than a bear.  There's not supposed to be bears where we are so I feel safe.  Here are some pictures of Grayson and how he has to go outside! 

More later.  Hope y'all are having a good week!

Angel Rock

These pictures were taken in the middle of September.  We took a hike at Angel Rock towards a place called Chena Hot Springs.  It was warm, i.e. 50 degrees!!  Gabe's Mom was in town and we all went.  It was hard for me because I was, still am, out of shape.  We hiked for HOURS!!  I really enjoyed it and decided I need to get in better shape.  Although it is hard to go outside and run right now because it is so slick.  I have to wear things on my shoes to keep me from falling.  Plus Grayson can't really go outside for hours when it is in the 20s or below. 

Hope you all enjoy these pictures and are having a good week.

It's 3 pm.  SNOWING!!  20 degrees!!  The sun is starting to SET!!  I already miss the warm weather.  BUT, which surprised me, I am glad to be back.  It is so pretty here when it snows.  I can wear sweaters and my fabulous snow boots!!  Drink hot tea and hot chocolate!!  I really want to decorate for Christmas.  I think I might seeing as how I live in North Pole.  I think this weekend will be the perfect time to start decorating.  I have out a Jimmy Buffett Christmas CD and am really thinking about playing it.  Two months til Christmas.  I can't wait to go to tall the craft shows and bazaars here.

I will go for a walk today or tomorrow and post pictures of this little Winter Wonderland.  Hope it's a good week for all!!

Warm Weather!!

Still in Mississippi and it is going to be 83 degrees here today.  Yes, I said 83 degrees!!!  I am loving it but I also miss Alaska.  When Grayson and I get back we are going to go sledding and skiing for the first time!!  I am super excited! 

I am going swimming, yes SWIMMING next week when we go to Texas!  We have decided to see all our family and it is warm enough in Texas to go swimming.  After a year of no sun I am going to get a tan! Jealous???

We will be back soon!!  Enjoy your weekend.  We will be flying!!

Back in MS

I am missing the first snow of the year and I am kind of sad about it.  There will be snow on the ground when I get back to North Pole.  Don't really know if I am ready for winter to be here yet.  I know now that there will be no more warm weather in Alaska.  Soon below 0 degree temperatures are on their way!!!  I will say that it is beautiful there when everything is white.  I want to go ahead and start decorating for Christmas!!  I can't wait to go to Santa Clause's House and get Grayson's picture taken with him.

Anyway, I am back in Mississippi for a few weeks and am really loving this HOT weather!!  It's only in the upper 80s but in feels like its in the 100s to me.  I can tell it's been awhile since I have experienced this kind of weather and I LOVE IT!!!  Bring on the humidity!!  No more dry skin!  It's so cold in Alaska that Gabe had to go ahead and put plastic around the windows.  Apparently this is a common practice in places where it gets cold.  I had never heard of this until we moved to Alaska.  I've never lived anywhere that cold.  This means we are getting COLD and that means we are losing DAYLIGHT!!  When I left the sun didn't come up until almost 8 am and set around 7 pm.  This makes me very, very SAD :(  Oh well.  At least we will be in Mississippi during the days that only have 3-4 hours of daylight!!  That is a good thing. 

Grayson and I flew to Mississippi for a funeral and are enjoying the time with family.  Sad about why we are here but so excited my family got to meet Grayson while he is little.  We are going to TN this weekend to see Gabe's family and maybe Texas the week after that.  YEA!!!

I have things I have to do so I will write more later.  By the way, my green tomato salsa works even better when fresh jalapenos and cilantro are added to it.  It's also good on fish.  Hope you try it and like it.

Have a good week!!

Snow?? Tomorrow??

Chance of SNOW tomorrow!!   I am not ready for this at all.  This means Grayson and I can't go outside all that often. I don't want him to get that cold.

Since we can't go outside as often I will have to start being crafty.  My first indide thing to do was to use all my green tomatoes and make a salsa.  It turned out ok.  Gabe and I would like it better if it was spicier!!  We love SPICE!  I didn't use enough jalapenos. I will give you the recipe.

Green Tomato Salsa

3 Large Poblanos
4 Meduim Onions
4 Yellow chilies
51/2 cups green tomatoes
2 cups heaping tomatilloes
3 jalapenos
7 garlic cloves
3 TBSP tomato paste
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup line juice
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp dride oregano
1 tsp cracked pepper
1 TBSP sugar
1 cup chopped cilantro

I chopped the first 7 ingredients into small pieces using my food processor.  I combined all the ingredients except the cilantro in a medium stockpot.  Using medium heat, bring to a boil.  Cook for 20 minutes.  Stir in chopped cilantro.  Ladle into sterile jars and process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.  You should here the lids pop.  This means they are sealed and ready to go into the pantry.  This recipe gave me 8 pints.  The leftover I put in a jar in the fridge. 

 Gabe built me a raised bed.  He is very anal about it being level!

I wish you could see how small this corn really was.

Our biggest zucchinis!!!

My poor corn never got much bigger!!

The last day we got pick any veggies because the FROST came a few days later!