Ben's thank you...

Make a Smilebox postcard

Sunny & 65 degrees means it's sprinkler time in Alaska!

It was another gorgeous day today! The kids enjoyed playing on the trampoline & swing set out back. And, then they decided it would be fun to run thru. the sprinklers!! Brrr rabbit I say...it is glacier water after all...too cold for me! They all stayed out there for 5 hours & then it was time to leave for Ben's party. The past few days have been much warmer than any day last summer!! So the kids are really enjoying the outdoor play!!! We all think it is very hot...we are NOT looking forward to the heat in the south in a few days...looking forward to seeing friends & family...just not the humidity & heat!!

Ben wanted nothing to do with getting soaking wet...he did run thru. a couple times & got just a little wet...nothing like his crazy sister & the others!!

Ben's 5th Birthday Celebration...

Since we are heading out this Tuesday for our trip to the Lower 48 we needed to celebrate Ben's 5th birthday a little early so he could celebrate with his friends. He wanted to go to the House of Bounce, a fun indoor playground with giant inflatables! Everyone had a great time! Ben had a little meltdown at the end because he was sooooo tired from playing outside for the 5 hours before his party. He fell asleep in the car while we were loading up to leave! Ben's birthday is actually next month on the 7th & he (and Jakob & Rachel!) can not wait to celebrate again with Mickey Mouse at Disney world!!Ben hanging out with his favorite sister :-)!!

Fun, fun...

When we got home, Sam was having a blast playing with the balloons!!

See the rest in the family album...

Ben's 5th Birthday celebration at the House of Bounce

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Fun Afghanistan clothes & a Wolf Encounter for Rachel...

Paul sent the kids some more fun stuff to wear from Afghanistan...Thank you sweetie...they are having fun playing dress-up :-)!!

He just makes me smile so big when he makes these funny faces!!!

Pretty Princess...it is hard to tell with the detail from the dress but, she is also wearing a bunch of flashy jewelry... click to enlarge to get a better view :-).

Paul said these are "Man Jammies" Hee.

Rachel went to the Alaska Zoo for her friend Hailey's birthday party yesterday & what a wild treat...they had a Wolf Encounter as Hailey's surprise!! Rachel & Hailey LOVE, LOVE to play "wolf pack" and Husky Pup games together so this was so much fun for them! I think I would have been too scared to pet one...even if it is "trained" by the zoo keepers. Glad she had fun though!! So, here are some shots that Hailey's Mom, Jennifer shared with me.

AHHHHH...

Guess what Jakob found???

We were loading up to leave and I noticed that I was missing Jakob?? I come inside to see him with a plastic bag against the window...ummm??? "What are you doing?" he responds, "Trying to catch the bird!" Of course, a bird, why didn't I think of that?! We did have the door open to the garage for about 5 minutes...I guess that all he/she needed!! I am so thankful that JAkob came back inside for whatever reason! I would NOT have enjoyed cleaning up the enormous amount of bird poop that would have been around upon our return a few hours later! That is if it survived Biscuit!! NEVER a dull moment!

We are enjoying the early spring!!!

OK, sorry I have taken so long to post...I am going to start with the current 7 move my way back...
We are so excited that we have been reaching the 50*mark the past few days...Spring is here...hopefully to stay!! The kids have really been enjoying riding their scooters & bikes! I am waiting to wash all their snow gear...just in case we get a late snow like last year's 17 inches on the 25th of April!! With the daylight & warmer temp.s we are staying out a lot later than usual...hard to stick to the routine when bikes are calling their names. But, with Paul gone...I NEED them to stick to the routine as much as possible....so, I need to get dinner done earlier so then they can go play...instead of waiting for them to want to come in...they do NOT want to come in!! Rachel & Ben with their friends Morgan & Hailey giving their Build-A-Bear pals a much needed ride in the wagon...

Rachel enjoyed having Gillian over for a sleepover & then on Sunday we returned her back to her home in Palmer & spent the day having fun with Kari & the girls :-).

My beautiful Rachel...

Rachel with Gillian...

Samuel sharing a special moment with Jordyn...right before they hit each other in the face :-).

The boys, hanging out...

The cow says, "moo"...

And what would a cow be without butterfly wings?!

Then on Monday, Spring officially kicked off with the sounds of the Ice Cream truck music!!!They could hear the music for about 30 minutes before it FINALLY made it to our street! They were all pacing the street,SCREAMING & jumping up and down for the truck to come to them the whole time!! Oh, to be a kid again...such pure joy & excitement!!!

FINALLY...but, then they had to wait for it to turn around & they started doing the happy dance!!

They had to really think about their choices...they were using their own allowance money! I was not paying...I know, mean mommy...but I have a couple boxes of Popsicles & ice cream treats in the freezer that are already paid for. I told them they could pay ME for my stash, that I would gladly let them pay me for their ice cream treats. They were NOT at all thrilled with that idea. I guess I need to play happy, annoying ice cream truck music to get them to buy treats from

me:-)

"I'll take THAT one."

"Behold, I have the tallest Ice Cream!"

Yea for Ice (s)cream!!!

Our kids with the Jacob & Isabelle...

Ben with his buddy Colin...

Jakob hanging out with Ethan...

Rachel with Karissa...

Rachel with Adria...

I put the rest of the pictures in the family album link...

Daddy coming home for R&R, part 1...

We told the kids that Daddy would be coming home...sometime in March & that HOPEFULLY, he would be here in time for Spring Break...
It was so fun surprising them!! I told them to get their coats we were going for a drive...it was after 9p.m. & they looked at me like I had 3 heads...but, agreed to get into the car. I told them a friend told me about a really cool spot to go see the Northern lights. So, I pulled over at a gas station just before the turn off to the airport & told them the truth...that I had said a little white lie...here is their reaction, (poor Sam was abruptly awoken!!), followed by anticipation (pawing at the window at the airport!)& lastly hugs all around(they ran up to Daddy & knocked him down)!!! We had a WONDERFUL two weeks filled with lots of family time. We enjoyed a few days at a ski resort & the ceremonial start of the Iditarod, hockey tournament, and hanging out at home. I will work on the rest of the pictures & get back to you!

My first baby boy is all grown up...

Cub Scout Pack 293 held their annual Blue and Gold banquet this past weekend and our little boy...OK, not so little, Jakob crossed over from being a Cub Scout to a member of Boy Scout Troop 219! We are so incredibly proud of ALL the HARD work, dedication, and determination that Jakob has given over the past 5 years in order to make this accomplishment happen!! I have no doubt that he will one day become an Eagle Scout!! So here are some highlights over the past 5 years & I am going to put together one of my smile box creations of some more favorites...maybe tomorrow...I need to get to bed now :-)!
Here is Jakob & Paul with their winning boat in the Rain gutter Regatta...as a TIGER...he also won the Pinewood Derby that year...beating a Web.2!! Look how cute he was!!
Here is Jakob his second year...Oct. '05.

Pinewood Derby, '06...he won second place in his group & 7th over-all...out of 80!! Not bad, esp. considering I had to help make the car since Paul was on temp. duty somewhere...

Here is Jakob at the Blue and Gold '06...look at little Ben & poor Rachel with a broken arm!

Blue and Gold '07...

Blue and Gold '08...

Blue & Gold '08

Summer Picnic '08...

Blue & Gold '09...Jakob waiting to cross over...

Troop 219 boys helping Jakob cross over...and if you can enlarge this...you can see how hard I am fighting back the tears...

Changing out his neckerchief...

Jakob with his new uniform & holding his hard earned Arrow Of Light Award!!

Each one of those colored bans is a symbol of all his accomplishments!! (OK, that is tiny string wrapped around & around & around & around, glued on, it took me several HOURS!! to make this!!!)

In boy scouts every Pack has the same neckerchiefs for each level. However, in Boy Scouts...each troop has their own design...this is the back of his new one...way cool!!

So, as you can see from this group shot...the boys who have been together the past 3 years (Jakob's first 2 were in Delta Junction) are now all grown up and are now going to 3 different troops...I am sure they will still see each other around town and at scouting events. Go back now & look at how much the boys have grown over the years...so cool!!
And, now here are a few shots of my little monkey, Sam, hamming it up for the camera...the kids think the camera is permanently attached to my face & Sam has learned early to make goofy faces...crazy!! And he already wants to see himself on the screen after you take the shot!

I was talking to a friend, turned to Sam, picked up the camera & this is the face he gave me...too funny!!
So now we are anxiously awaiting Paul to come home for his mid-tour 2 weeks of R & R!! We have reservations at a wonderful ski resort, Aleyska & everyone can't wait to hit the slopes for a few days & then relax at home...in btw. hockey games & the kids wanting to wrestle Daddy!!!

Paul left his base camp, went to Kandahar where he sat for a few days, and now is making his way to Kuwait, Germany, Atlanta, Dallas, Seattle, and then FINALLY will be home in a few short days...HOPEFULLY!!!