Usually we opt to let the magic of Christmas unfold in our own living room, and we’ve dedicated a decade of Decembers to creating our very own holiday traditions. On Christmas day it’s usually just the four of us, hanging out in Christmas pajamas while approximately 2,815 miles away our families are gathered around tables, playing cards, sharing turkeys and hams and prime ribs, exchanging … Continue reading Husker Holidaze
The Talkeetna Roadhouse offers a pie making class on weekends throughout the winter, and if you are looking for an easy Alaskan weekend getaway then definitely put this on your list. It’s a fun event for book clubs, couples, girlfriends, or (in our case) mother-daughter excursions. Our group consisted of six: three moms and three teenage girls. We unanimously voted for a weekend getaway in … Continue reading A Much-Kneaded Getaway
It all started with a leaky kitchen faucet. Little drips, little problems. Clark determined that the faucet needed to be replaced, and I got to thinking how nice it would be to replace the sink as well. I successfully argued that a single basin sink would be more practical, especially when it came to soaking pizza pans, rib racks, and sticky smoked salmon grates. Now … Continue reading Plumbing, Plungers, & Plagiarism
Our backyard chicken trial was such a success that we welcomed eight new laying hens into our flock this spring. We brought them home as baby chicks, but they are now fully grown ladies with gorgeous coloring and feather patterns. Proudly introducing: The good news is that we are already getting 6-7 eggs per day from these ladies, which we didn’t expect until October. Lots … Continue reading Coopers
Lord help us, there’s a new puppy in the house. What have we done? We already have Tess, our 5-year-old practically perfect pooch. She adores the kids and is a legit member of their backyard soccer league. She is friends with all the neighbor dogs and loves rigorous ear rubs. She was happy. We were happy. But no, we couldn’t leave good enough alone. We … Continue reading Introducing Remy {edit: Riley}
Remember Rosie, the horse Maggie started working with back in 2016? Lots has changed for that dear horse in the past two years. Back then our friend Jusdi was leasing Rosie, but since she was able to purchase her. Rosie moved from a small stall at an Anchorage barn to Jusdi’s beautiful horse property out in Chugiak. This was all great for Rosie, but not … Continue reading Our Cowgirl
Happy {gasp} 15th Birthday to Sam! Long gone are the days of planning themed parties around my children’s passions. Last weekend Sam invited a few friends via SnapChat, and I think the theme was “Come hang at my house and we’ll avoid my parents as much as possible.” In all seriousness, Sam and his friends are all great kids. They even let me torture them … Continue reading Fifteen: One Cool Ride
This summer Maggie decided to donate her exceptionally long, thick hair to charity. She chose Hair We Share, an organization that makes wigs for people impacted by medical hair loss. Twelve years ago Ms. Kim gave Maggie her very first haircut, and we were thrilled she was available for this special cut as well. Before: After – 13.5 inches gone! Gone are the days of … Continue reading Hair to Spare
There are friends, there are families, and then there are friends who feel like family. We are grateful for our Alaskan circle of friends every day, but especially on holidays. How lucky that we have children close in age who genuinely enjoy each other’s company? Our kids have relationships similar to the ones I had with my cousins when I was younger, and it’s been … Continue reading Easter Cheers
Maggie has always been a girl with a smile so big she can’t help but share it with you. I vividly remember standing in line at grocery stores with a 3-year-old girl who would ask “Wanna see my wiggle dance?” to anyone who happened to make eye contact with her. She never waited for a response. Instead, she would prop her hands on her hips … Continue reading Lucky 13
