Halloween Fun & Super Yum

Last night we finally carved our jack-o-lantern.

It ended up being a very cute father/son activity.

Opening the pumpkin:

He comes to life!


Freezing outside:


Yesterday, Russel and I also made this deliciousness:

I spent three days a while ago making peach jam with a friend. As we set all the bottles on the freezer to cool, the sunlight poured through the windows, setting the amber jam all aglow.

I've been waiting since that day to get the right lighting again so I could get a picture!

Isn't it beautiful?

And ohhhh how delicious...

I love my peach jam!

First Snow

9:31 am:
Mom shows Russ and Tuck the first snow of the season.

Everyone said we'd have snow by Halloween. I think they meant it's usually covering the ground by then. I don't think that'll be the case this year, but it is snowing.

I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about snow this early. Actually, I thought I would resent it. I come from Rhode Island where it doesn't snow until December. But I was forgetting how magical snow is. Especially when it falls in those big, fluffy balls. And when I saw those magical balls drifting to the ground, it brought our whole family joy.

Joy for the change in the air. It is always hard to change, but it always brings growth. As I think of the many changes we've had in our lives as of late and of the challenges this Alaskan winter could bring I am grateful for it all.

We have moved 6 times in 5 years. And we have grown and learned so quickly because of it. Winter in Seward, Alaska brings lots of snow and rain. It means avalanches will close the highway from time to time. In the past, it has meant bridges washing out and needing to be rebuilt. So now as we go into winter and face another learning experience that our most challenging move has to offer, I embrace the changes it will bring for our family.

I am hoping we will learn to plan ahead better, to be more thoughtful of others' struggles and needs, to grow closer to those around us and those we love, and to find contentment and joy in what we have (we can't just run to the craft store, etc for instant fun ya know).

Geesh.. all that from a few snowflakes!

Tiger Caught in the Headlights

(Russel in his tiger costume)

Saturday night our town had their annual Pumpkin Prowl.

They "hide" little easter egg style pumpkins, filled with candy and made in China Halloween doo-dads, all over this park and let the kids run wild to collect them.

Tucker held his Daddy's finger in a vice-grip the whole time until we made him carry his pumpkin for the picture. They gave the little kids about a 30 second head-start, and then there were kids of all ages threatening to trample the little-ones, so I can't blame him. He totally made this sweet face just for the picture.

The kids had a great time and have been playing with their goodies non-stop since. Every night when it gets dark, Russel says, "Is it getting so so so so late because... because, um Halloween is coming?" We just can't wait. So, in advance...

Happy Halloween!

Sunrise Sunset

As we head into winter and our days are becoming shorter here up north, I thought it would be fun to let you all in on our sunrise and sunset times every so often. So here it goes:

Sunrise: 8:58 am
Sunset: 6:27 pm
Hours of sunlight: 9.5

So, the days still feel pretty normal, it just takes longer than we're used to for the sleepy sun to wake up. But you know what? I kinda like it. My kids are sleeping a little bit longer most days, which is good for everyone!

But poor Russel is a little confused. It will be 8 in the morning and he says, "Is it still really really late?" I try to explain that the sun does funny things at our new home in Alaska and that the clock decides when we go to bed etc., not the sun. I thought that was a pretty good one, but only when Russel understands some concept of time and the clock telling us what time it is... which he doesn't yet. Oh well!

The Last Few Days...

The last few days have been interesting around here. Let's start with last weekend.

Our landlord's decided to drop by short notice to check on the house and our painting. So Ben and I stayed up late tearing the house apart to paint, then putting it all back together to look presentable by the next morning. That was interesting...

After they left I decided to make some potato salad for a branch pot-luck that night. It took me 5 hours to finish that task. That was very interesting...

Like I said, we're ditching the bink. Combine that with a toddler approaching the terrible two's more swiftly each day and you get a guy full to the brim with general rascalliness. Oh, and did I mention he's really taken to hitting lately too? He's interesting...

And Russ... he must be sensing the confusion in Tucker's little two year old mind because I think he's come down with a case of sympathy terrible two-itis. Interesting...

We all tried to sit down and watch a movie the other night and it turned into two hours of climbing on Mom, touching Mom, throwing balls at Mom's face and banging on Mom's head with heavy, hard plastic toys. Have you ever seen the movie Date Night where she talks about her fantasy of being alone in a hotel room, where it's quiet and no one is touching her and she can just sit there and drink her diet Sprite? I think I almost cried. Very interesting...

So you can all probaby tell that this led to me, two days ago, crying out "I am sick of EVERYTHING!", and stomping off to my bedroom to have a good cry and feel thoroughly bad for myself. I'm sure Ben thought that was interesting...

Sigh

But it turns out that's just what I needed, because the next day I was strong and ready to go! I caught up on all the chores I was too sick of before, made a schedule to hopefully help our struggling little family and have stuck to it for two whole days. I even took the boys on an outing to the SeaLife Center today. So things are a little more interesting now in the good way. YAY

Now for some interesting pictures:

This is a typical Russel face these days. He crosses his eyes ALL the time (no really, it's becoming a problem). I try to tell him his face will get stuck that way, but he probably just thinks that would be awesome.

This picture is just classic.

That is a wooden block garland around Russ' head-obviously envyable. He's making a funny face and the little brother is stealing the sweet block halo whilst Russ is distracted...with his tongue sticking out. Brothers through and through!

B.I.N.K.

Two nights ago we lost the last bink.

Translation:

Two days of wailing, moaning, and gnashing of teeth.

Pray that we all make it through alive!

Winter in the Air

A couple of weeks ago, snow suddenly took over the tops of our mountains. So I wanted to show you all some more of the local scenery.

This is a lake at Moose Pass, 30 minutes to the north

And here is Ben's school. This is the elementary school, where he spends most of his time working

The next two are the views from a waterfront park, 4 "small-town blocks" from our house

With the chill in the air (and sales online), we went through the annual winter gear inventory for the kids, pretty cute.

Light

Photo of the first morning light coming over the mountains.

(Which is not until around 8:30 or 9am these days)

Ben, the kids and I returned Sunday night from a QUICK trip to California for the sister's wedding. It was beautiful. As we were driving home at one in the morning, we realized we were looking at the northern lights in the sky. It wasn't quite the bright, pronounced curtains of light we all see in pictures, but it was beautiful and a treat to realize I was experiencing that miracle for the first time.

It got me thinking about light.

We were recently able to view the General Conference for our church. The messages shared were full of light and truth. The Spirit was strong and I was inspired to follow the prophet's counsel, study the scriptures, be more consistent in teaching my children the gospel and to be a more mindful, watchful and deliberate parent.

While in California, most of our family on Ben's side were able to participate in sacred ordinances sealing family members together for all eternity. As we sat together in the temple, surrounded by pure white, the light of the warm California sun flooded through the windows and set everything aglow. When we finished our work, we all stood together in front of the mirrors, filled with love, the Spirit and the light of Christ as we admired our eternal family.

Tuesday, Ben had to drive two hours to the other side of the peninsula to get something for work, and invited the rest of us along. Having gotten about 4 hours of sleep the night before after spending 7 hours on airplanes, my initial reaction was no way. But something made me really want to spend the time with Ben. Our tired boys were able to sleep in the car and Ben and I had a wonderful conversation about the light we have received about being parents and raising our children.

Yesterday, I was asked to do a rather large favor. I was asked to tend a young child for a member of the branch that I've barely met, for an undetermined amount of time, while she tended to her ailling mother in the hospital in Anchorage. Seeing that we had just returned from our trip, sleep deprived and chaotic, I was hesitant. But I prayed and talked with Ben and we agreed. This afternoon in the glorious afternoon light, I saw this...

(Shane, the boy we are watching)

and I saw the light.

To me, right now, the light that Heavenly Father has turned on in my mind and my heart is all about family and service. I have truly realized what the Savior wants us to understand about "when ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God" and about losing your life to find it. Today has been one of the most glorious days because we allowed the Lord to push our family out of our comfort zone and fill us with light.

I am so grateful for the knowledge and understanding that the gospel and the Spirit have brought to my life. I am thankful to be here in Alaska, and for all the opportunities for service that provides. I am thankful for families, especially the opportunity to create my own and to learn for myself why families are central to the Lord's plan of happiness.

And right now, I'm thankful for my beautiful, beautiful boys

in the glorious afternoon light.