Nick and jellyfish

I just HAD to blog this. Last night, Nick was outside "helping" Shawn sweep up the driveway. When I went out there a little later I saw that he had also been busy drawing on the driveway (and the porch and the house...) with his chalk. I thought they were jellyfish because we have been talking about the beach a lot lately. So I applauded him:
k- Nick, what awesome jellyfish!!
n- They are not jellyfish. They are people.
k- Oh. Well who are they?
n- Just people.




Just people!

Happy Easter

It just didn't feel like Easter this year.  It kinda snuck up on us.  Nicholas really had fun looking for his Easter basket this year.  That bunny can be so tricky!  Stella had fun, too.  She got a new ball.  Nick got a couple puzzles.  Which apparently were not as challenging as the Easter bunny had hoped!  

Here are some pictures from a pirate birthday party we went to yesterday.  The invitation suggested to wear a costume, so we did.  We were the only ones.  


Then the kids got these cool pirate hats that Nick is wearing.  

Where did we go?

We went to Fairbanks!!  We went last weekend and stayed until Tuesday.  I intended to post the pictures sooner.  I was sick this weekend.  Saturday was an Easter Egg hunt.  It was freezing cold.  But fun.  Friday I had some friends over for lunch.  Wednesday we had the carpets cleaned.  There is just so much going on here!!  Oh, and we sold our house.  Or we are in the selling process right now.  We have a home inspection tomorrow and then we just wait until the closing.  It is such a relief to have the house sold.  We have been working a lot on the house. Now we can just enjoy.  I don't have to keep the house neat as a pin waiting for an interested someone to call and ask to see our house at a moment's notice.  Those interested someones don't know our schedule and would probably call during a naptime or dinner.  Or if they called while I was at yoga or a playdate, I would have to quit whatever fun we were having with our friends and go home to tidy up the house (and ourselves) before those someones were to show up.  Whew.  Now we just can be.  And enjoy!  So, in honor of that we had a playdate here last week, friends over for dinner yesterday, Nick had a friend over this morning, and we have a lunch playdate coming up on Wednesday.  Yeah!

So what about Fairbanks?  I am so glad we live here and not there.  It is not bad.  No.  The scenery is just different.  I like the views here better.  We drove up on Saturday.  It was gorgeous!  This is somewhere before Denali.

Stayed at Pike's Lodge.  Definitely recommend it!

We ate at their waterfront restaurant the first night for dinner. The food was wonderful (and expensive). Once was enough for us. But while we were at dinner, the sun was setting. Since it was a waterfront restaurant, there were huge windows across the back wall. Well, Nicholas looked out and saw the sun setting. But he said, in that innocently loud little kid voice, "look it's the Northern Lights!" Everyone in the place got a kick out of his observation! What a smart kid. I was much older when I learned about the Northern LIghts. So as we walked back to our room, I took a picture of Nick's "Northern Lights."

I might add that I saw the Northern Lights 2 of the 3 nights.  We asked our hotel for wake up calls if they were out.   I saw the green ones.  Awesome. 

Sunday we drove out to Chena Hot Springs Resort. I was so disappointed that we couldn't get a reservation there, but after we got there, I was disappointed. But soooo glad we were just there for the day. We started with some playing with sticks in the snow,

then some pictures in front of an old machine,


then a quick lunch in a smelly restaurant. It just smelled like well water. Which is ok, but stinky during lunch.

Then we went to their famous Ice Museum. It started out a an Ice Hotel a few years ago. A grandiose idea was a grandiose flop. So now it is a museum and we bought the tickets for the brief tour. These ice artists are carving ice martini glasses. You can have an Appletini (for like $15) at the Ice museum.

Here is where you drink your Appletini. We did not partake (obviously).

Here are a few more of the Ice Museum. I will put more on our Flickr.



Then we went to the pool and hot springs. The hot springs are outside. Kids cannot go because it is not chlorinated. The water is (they claim) 165 degrees. Where I stood it was hot, but I doubt 165. But it was beautiful. No pictures unfortunately. Shawn and I had enough to juggle with one of us watching the kids in the pool and then switching so both of use could experience the springs. Then we picked the wrong time to leave. I won't go into it, but there were like a hundred ladies all trying to squeeze into the tiny micro locker room. Needless to say we were lucky that all we lost were Nick's underwear!

Monday we went to North Pole, AK. To see Santa Claus, of course. Should have done some better research. Everything I read said open "daily." Everything. Except this sign.


But Stella was asleep and we got some cute pictures anyway.





Then off to the Ice Park. Which was AWESOME! As you can see.
Nick on an ice slide. There were SO many.

I even tried it.
An ice maze.  Thank goodness Shawn is tall enough to take this picture.
Shawn on an ice sofa.
Me and Nick on an ice snow machine. Vvrroom!
Stella in the non-ice stroller.
An ice kayak.

We went back later that night to see the ice sculptures backlit with colored lights.

They liked the ice park better.

What a great trip.  So more Alaska things completed:  Faribanks: check; Northern Lights: check; Chena Hot Springs: check. Check!

Stella Ann's 1yr pictures!!!

My friend Allie took these pictures!!!!  She did them on the morning of Stella's birthday. (Just a coincidence- I am not that organized to get my kids' pictures taken right on the day of the actual birthday.  If I get them done during that month, then awesome!)  But the pictures turned out great.  Shawn picked out this cute little outfit for Stella from Gymboree (splurge!).  Allie even got a few shots with the hat on!  Ok, ok, go look at the pictures!  

OH, and one month til Hawaii.......

Stella's First Birthday!!

What a day!  Our little Stella turned one today!  She had pictures with my friend Allie this morning, opened presents after nap, and enjoyed a big birthday dinner and cake this evening.  Now she is sleeping and I am posting these pictures.  I will link you to the online proofs when they are ready!!! I can't wait!!!

She got lots of great things for her birthday. Nicholas has a lot of experience opening presents so he was a big helper. She caught on real quick, too!





"Piggy" helped, too. (Piggy is in her mouth.)


She got a couple cute outfits for her birthday.

(ok, some of those are 18 month size for next fall!)

We had her favorite foods for dinner: marinated chicken, sweet potatoes, and green beans.


She LOVES the Happy Birthday song.



The cake. I know, it looks homemade...that's because it is.


But it was goooood!


Stella is...
12 months old
weighs 17 lbs 12 oz as of last Monday
started walking on Wednesday night (so 3 days before her birthday)
sleeps all night (unless she is teething)
has 10 teeth
She loves to eat. She eats a lot, too. I made blueberry pancakes this morning- Shawn ate 4, Nick and I each ate 3, Stella ate 2!!
likes books. she'll bring one over to read, crawl up in your lap, and then want you to hurry up and get to the end!
loves balls...says "ba" when she sees one
loves baths...says "ba" when she wants one
loves to play leggos. she and Nick play leggos all the time!
claps her hands
can point to a light
dogs just make her squeal!! she loves to see them!
knows where her head/hair is and will pat her head when you say "hat"
knows where her feet are and tries to put on shoes or socks
if she hears someone say "spit" she does it (Nick loves that trick)

Happy Birthday Stella-bella!!!!