Puppy Update

I've had requests for more puppy pics. so here are a few. They do alot of sleeping but now have their eyes open and as you can see are starting to escape the box too.

"I'm the winner Mommy!"

Out sledding on "ski hill" with the boys, the 2nd weekend of Dec. after seeing Santa in town. This is Hawken's first time going down this hill and he loved it (ok maybe not loved it, but we went a bunch more times and I think he had fun)... As you'll see, Jax is the winner! It's a Sat. afternoon and usually this hill is covered with kids on the weekends but as you can see we had it all to ourselves this day.

Rag Rugs

I just learned how to make RAG RUGS, here are my first two made of shredded sheets (as if I needed a new hobby)! Then again winter can be pretty long and although keeping busy isn't usually hard to do up here these rugs will come in handy around the house. I wanted to learn a few years ago but the internet instructions I printed were hard to follow so I gave up pretty fast. Then last month I heard the local Community Enrichment Program offering a class on it and I was in. The program runs activities and classes at the grade school, during the school year, most often taught by locals and they are free or really cheap (this class was only $5). They also show a free Friday night movie in the winter, it's in the gym on a big screen, alot of the time it's geared towards kids but not always and they announce it on the radio the week before so you know what is coming. Obviously we don't have a movie theater here and I have never driven all the way down to Wasilla to see one, it's 70 miles one way and no movie is worth it. We did see one movie in Anchorage years ago before we lived here, we were just visiting, our pre-Jaxon Alaska trip. I don't plan on mass-producing these or anything but it's a great skill to have and maybe I should get started on next years x-mas gifts now...

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU ALL & LUV FROM ALL OF US IN ALASKA

Puppy Update

All five pups are doing great, Luna is a really good mom. She won't leave them and when they all whine so does she ( I can understand that :0) There are 3 girls and 2 boys in the litter and it looks like several will be staying local so it will be cool to see them grow up as Talkeetna dogs. The boys have been really respectful of them and so far we have mostly left the pups alone, there will be plenty of time to play with them in the next couple months. She's right off the kitchen in the laundry room so we can keep a good eye on them and of course Luna is loving all the attention. Here are a few photos I took today, CUTE!

getting off the school bus footage

This was a request by my Aunt, some footage of Jax getting off the bus. The driver probably thought I was crazy...

Not much to say, he's tired.

Here comes the bus...

and here is my big kid!

Our New Pups

Luna had her puppies the night of December 5th (Bachelor Ball night here) about an hour after I got home from an all day craft fair until a little after midnight. There are 5 healthy little pups (one is hiding under her leg in the photos). She did great and all by herself, we observed and encouraged but didn't assist. We still haven't really handled them and she won't leave them even for a potty break yet. There is one lighter one with a mask that is really cute (far left in photos and if it's a girl the local preschool teacher wants it), the rest are darker in color and the first out was the biggest and fatest. We don't plan to keep any and a few most likely already have homes-to-be, but it should be fun for the couple months we will have them. Jax was awake for the first one and Hawken woke up just before the last one was born so they both saw a little of it, then we went to bed not sure if there were more coming or not and in the morning there were still just the 5 of them. The dad is Lupo (we are pretty sure because of timing and the markings on them), our friend's Husky/German Shepard mix. He's a nice dog and fast, loves to run. Luna is a McKenzie River Husky so they are basically Husky Shepards, great Alaska dogs. Check back to watch them grow, they already seem a little bigger today :0) never a dull moment...

Jaxon's Kindergarten Christmas concert was this week. He's in the front row with his class, 6th kid from the right wearing a long sleeved red shirt. His friend Finn is to his left and Lizzy to his right (Jaxon is buddies with everyone in his class). The video isn't the best, gym lighting, distance etc. but pretty cute anyway. Jax would practice his songs at home for us the weeks before the concert and he sang and did the moves on stage this year which was so cool (last two he just stood there, preschool gets up before the rest of the kids to sing a couple songs). Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season! It's beautiful up here, as usual, warm and snowy (only to Alaskans is 0-20 degrees warm, but it is especially after the first -20 cold snap of the year :0)

Nooks & Crannies

Aahh... Winter in Alaska. Everything is white and cold, fresh and cool, clean and crisp. I love finding new trails or areas to explore up here and winter is a great time to do it. We can now walk, ride or slide over the lakes, rivers, streams and swamps that abound in this beautiful state. I call these places I come across the Nooks & Crannies of Alaska. A new view or trail can show you things and places you have never seen or known about. Of course up here you also need to be prepared, you can't just walk off into the Alaskan Wilderness alone or unknown (well you can but it's a bad idea). Most often you don't even have to share the wide open space with anyone else. Just watch for wildlife and keep your distance if you do see anything. You never know what you'll run into and we are enjoying their backyard afterall. The lakes are really fun this time of year to play on. Some people ski and some snowshoe but the trails often go around the inside perimeter of the lake, places you can't get to on foot any other time of year. Dog sledding is also big up here and I took my little one out this week, there is just about enough snow to start using it again, stay tuned for photos or video! Happy Holidays everyone, hope you all have a chance to play in the snow this winter...