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...

new at the playground

Here are a few photos of the boys enjoying some of the new features at the playground before they are covered in snow. Some local log home builders just built/donated this cute little cabin and the bridge/tunnel have also been finished and are now open for play. We do stop by and play some in the winter too. It's fun, trails are stomped in to all the different areas of the playground and the large center parts creates a cool snow-free cave underneath. I will get some winter photos of it pretty soon now. The cold is starting to find us up here, looks like our lovely fall is over and snow is on the way... Stay warm everyone! Luv from AK.

A little of my handy-work

I just did our backsplash above the stove and around the kitchen, it turned out pretty good. The middle tile is of Denali and the others I found at a friends yard sale. Love it! Every little home improvement project helps...