Sam participated in the National History Day competition in his 8th grade social studies class last spring. It’s a contest where students research topics of their choice and create projects based on an annual theme. This year’s theme was “Conflict and Compromise,” and project options included documentaries, websites, papers, performances, or displays. Sam and his friend put together a documentary entitled Geneva Conventions: The Laws … Continue reading NYC & DC
This year the kids received invitations to Hogwarts in their Easter baskets. Visiting a theme park has never topped our list of dream vacations, but our little Harry Potter maniacs made us rethink our priorities. At ages 13 and 11, the kids are the perfect mix of old enough, young enough, and tall enough. They’ve been feverishly re-reading the series all year. They pass time … Continue reading Pure Magic
Thanks to a killer airline deal, we found ourselves on a family vacation to Las Vegas this summer. You know, Sin City. Glitter Gulch. The Strip. The place people go to do things so terrible that they are lured with the slogan, “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas.” Might be a fun place to take the kids, right? Actually, yes! Swimming outdoors is a … Continue reading What Happens in Vegas
Today I am grateful for the scientific advancement of airline travel. I really am. Living in Alaska, it would be impossible to visit family (or tropical places 🙂 )without it. But when it goes wrong, it is so, so hard. And this holiday season it went so, so wrong. I dropped off Clark and the kids for their red eye flight on the Friday before Thanksgiving. … Continue reading Retrospective Gratitude
One of the best things about living in the 49th state is its proximity to the 50th state. Hop on an Alaskan Airlines jet, and a mere six hours later you find yourself in a Hawaiian paradise. It’s magical. Here’s a little photo journey of our Spring Break 2015 – definitely something to be thankful for! We’ve traveled from Anchorage to Maui four times, and for … Continue reading Gratitude 15: Hawaii Highlights
Dear United Airlines, It has taken a few weeks, but I have finally composed a letter I can in good conscience send to you. I almost mailed my first draft, but it was twelve pages long and splattered with tear drops and profanity. In this draft I have done my best to recount our saga in a more concise, civilized manner. Honestly, who would actually … Continue reading Dear United Airlines
My junior high years bordered on miserable. Every day I launched off the school bus, bolted up the driveway, and shed my back brace onto the living room floor. At that age I was allowed to remove my scoliosis contraption for 4 hours each day, and I always spent my first hour of freedom with Laura Ingalls Wilder. She was my daily dose of sanity. … Continue reading Little House, Big Memories
We have been traveling for the past month, and it’s hard to pull away to write while surrounded by family we only get to see a few times a year. Thus, I have some catching up to do! This year we passed through Juneau on our way to the Lower 48. It’s been a spectacular summer in Alaska, even in Southeast, but somehow we hit it … Continue reading Juneau in the Rain
This weekend was the much-anticipated Homer Sea Week field trip.
We weren’t sure what to expect when our children’s school group planned a 3-day field trip over Mother’s Day weekend down to Homer, Alaska, which is a 4 – 5 hour drive from Anchorage (depending on road construction and which spouse is driving).
We certainly didn’t expect the majority of the school to make the trek, but trek we all did. Over 75% of us.
It’s been a while since I’ve posted, thanks in part to a week of toxic technology. My laptop was the first thing to go, crashing and burning and refusing to let me open a single file. It’s currently over at Alaska Computer Geeks, and I have my fingers crossed that the technician over there can recover everything, especially the seven months of photos that piled … Continue reading Staycation 2013
Profoundly Ordinary 