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!