Thanksgiving in Seattle

We had Thanksgiving in Seattle at Kristina & Ryan's new home. It was a wonderful visit. We miss them already! Leo had a great time with all his Aunties and Uncles. and was mostly good with Digby. It didn't rain once while we were there. Kristina blogged about the trip already so here's the link!

http://kristina-ryan.blogspot.com/2013/12/wang-family-visit.html

Visiting Brook in CA

I went to northern CA to visit Brook for 3 days last month. It was my first 'fun' trip without the boys since Leo was born. I had been away from Leo for 2 work trips. It was hard to leave but also so nice to spend some baby-free time with a great friend. We had a great time, fit in so much. Grape smashing (Brook lives on a grape farm), farmer's market, pedicure, walk in the red woods. Then we went to Mendocino and kayaked in Big River and watched the sunset over the ocean. Also hit the Mendocino Botanical Gardens. Dave and Leo had a fun weekend in Delta Junction with the Masons (pictures to come) while I was gone.

I learned several things on this trip: Dave and Leo are fine without me, it's OK to take some baby-free time to spend with friends, and I miss that time with friends. But I also missed my boys terribly! It was a good amount of time to be away.

Brook! Fairbanks misses you so much! It was great to see you thriving in the sun and warmth. I'm starting to think that I could live in northern CA...

Albino red wood

Crazy beach bums on the beach in Mendocino

Nap on the beach

Dahlia garden at the botanical gardens

Fall colors were amazing

Kayaking and birding in Big River

We saw 3 river otters, they saw two wigged kayakers

Smashing grapes

Mendocino coast

Redwoods

These trees are huge. Something magical about these forests.

The BEST roasted brussels sprouts EVER

XOXO

Progress

Having only 4 hours a day to make progress on my PhD has made me more productive in some ways. I don't find myself getting distracted frequently by checking email, Facebook etc. That time is dedicated to work and when I leave campus I put on my Mama hat. My funding also ran out at the end of August, which is also great motivation to get 'er done quickly. I submitted the first chapter of my dissertation to a journal at the end of August and was notified today that it has been accepted with minor revisions! Maybe I will finish after all.

Lots of changes this month. Leo is tentatively scheduled to start daycare as soon as Dave starts working again ($!%$# furlough!). We started weaning him while my mom was out here and pretty shortly we'll be done with breast feeding. I'm actually incredibly sad about it. When he was nursing every 2 hours and we were having issues with reflux and oversupply, I couldn't wait to stop nursing. Then it just fell into place and it became very comforting for both of us, and a wonderful, peaceful way for Leo to fall asleep. I'm also sad and anxious about him entering day care, but I really want to get this dissertation done ASAP which means I need more time to spend on it. I keep telling myself it's only part time and if he doesn't like it we can always pull him out. We're pretty lucky in that we know almost all the families that have their kids in Dana's care and they all love her.

September flew by and all of a sudden it's almost mid-October! Ann and Mandy came up for a visit. And Brook came out for a surprise visit! My mom also came out for 2 weeks in September. We managed to fit in lots fun things: a few playdates with friends, lots of walks with Emma, a trip to Chena Hot Springs, and some cranberry picking. Leo loves his Ama. He even preferred her over me and Dave! Always wanted her to pick him up, give him his water, etc. Made it really hard to see her leave. Some day we will live closer to family. But for now we'll have to cherish these visits and time together and be thankful for it.

Leo's got mad driving skills

Helping himself to the adult beverages while the adults were butchering chickens

Ohmygawd it's a busy digger!

Loves to drive

Emma J taking a break from blueberry snaffling

Granite Tors Trail

Romping in the garden

More blueberry pancakes please

Happy happy

Watching the busy digger at the botanical gardens

Peter in Blueberry Land (one of his favorite books lately)

Several things going on here. All in our front yard.

Cranberries are bountiful this year

Peak colors

Kisses for Ama

Horsing around with Ama

Very helpful at the grocery store

Catching up on summer

Heads up - this is a long post!

We spent 1/2 of June in Colorado visiting my family while Dave was in Barrow. We had a great visit. Kristina was able to come out for a week, too! Leo like to going to the Butterfly Pavillion, and we went to the zoo twice. Lots of walks and swimming at the Lafayette pool. Wedding dress shopping for Kristina.

Dave went back to Barrow for a week and I survived my first real shift as a single parent. Leo and I had a lot of fun - play dates, trips to the playground and botanical gardens. Being a stay at home parent is the hardest job I've ever had. It is exhausting. Good thing it is so rewarding.

We've also been biking and running. I'm lucky that Leo is still content to sit in his chariot for 45 - 60 min. I've been able to get some exercise while taking him along with me. He loves to watch all the big 'dump dumps' and 'bu bu' (bus) and 'vroom vrooms' (vehicles in general) go by.

In July, we went down to Seward for Pam and Jared's wedding. The weather was amazing and it was great to see friends. I wish we could've stayed down there a little longer.

Bonnie and Trent were just up for a visit. We made the long road trip to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. We broke up the drive on the way down, staying in Tangle Lakes the first night. We ended up staying in Kennicott for 2 nights. What an amazing place. I can't believe we've lived in Alaska for 14 years and never once made it out there! Definitely at the top of our list of places to revisit. We stopped in Chitina on the way home and Dave got our limit of 30 fish in 3 hours. The fishing was hot.

Now it's mid-August and the weather is starting to turn already. Dave raised meat chickens this year and has quite the garden going. We have lettuce and zucchini coming out of our ears. Our to do list for the next couple weeks includes getting the rest of the chicken in the freezer and canned.

Leo continues to make leaps and bounds in his development. He is starting to say more words and tell us stories in his toddler babble. He has learned more signs.

Here are a bunch of photos from this summer:

Ice cream birthday cake is messy! Thanks for the photo Dan.

Walk on the Boulder Creek Path with Agong and Ama

Butterfly pavilion

Driving with a leg hanging out. I'll have to try that sometime.

Loves to vacuum with Agong

Uncle Sam the toddler whisperer

Fun on Pearl St. with Ama

Getting pushed around by Auntie Erica

Making stink face with Auntie Kristina and Ama

Leo and Dave have the same expressions

Checking out the sea lions at the sea life center

Future boat captain?

I made the educational display at the sea life center

Must've been a really boring conversation

Picnic in Seward with Tuula

I love this beer

If I SQUEEEEZE this beer maybe it'll open

Hanging out with buddies at the Ester 4th of July celebration

Gator 6x4!!!

Zucchini for dinner

Family photo in Seward

Feeding a baby goat

Fireweed

Picking raspberries in the garden

Like father like son

Mowing the lawn

Pam and Jared's wedding ceremony

Leo loves Uncle Ron

Supervising the garden

LOVES to water the plants

Papa chariot brigade at the Ester July 4th parade

The old copper mill in Kennicott

Fish in the net!

Watching Dada fish

Copper River

Trent supervising

Wants to eat with utensils now

Fred the buff laced polish frizzle. Mystery bird that came with our order of meat chickens. Ellie is going to adopt him. thanks Ellie!

Eating fruit with Nana

iPad apps with Trent

4lb 17" zucchini makes a good lovey for nap time

Hiking out to Root Glacier

Like father like son2

I am not a piece of luggage!!

With Nana and Trent on the Riverboat Discovery

On Root Glacier

Trent and Nana in Kennicott

Trent with a Red Ranger

Dave put Trent to work! Picking veggies in the garden, feeding the chickens, and de-sliming fish

View of the lodge in Kennicott

Washing dishes with the help of a learning tower

Well, I think that catches us up for now!