Moose 'n' Zucchini

We haven't seen our moose family all summer. This week we have seen a mommy and her two babies a few times. They came right up to my garden and ate my radish plant tops, they left my zucchini alone. I planted 6 zucchini plants and thank goodness there were only 3 that matured. I checked my zucchini regularly and received a few small squash but all of the sudden there were these huge green zucchini's. I made zucchini bread 2 times and have cooked a few, but lately I've been thinking about door bell ditching my neighbor's with zucchini's on the porch to greet them.

Alyvia's first day!

Alyvia is so excited to be going to school finally! We know she is ready. We asked Lyv what she was most excited for, she said, "recess". We asked what she was most nervous about and she said, "homework". I am surprised to find out that, yes, kindergartner's do have homework. She rides to school with Dad in the morning and is in charge of getting herself ready. So far she has only had to go to school once with her p.j.'s on! She came home the other day whining about wanting hot lunch. "Are you serious?" I asked her why she wanted hot lunch and she said if you have hot lunch you get pizza ever day, yeah right. We decided she could have hot lunch once a week. Why would you want hot lunch if you had a Mom like me making your cold lunch?

I am going to volunteer once a week in Lyvi's class. I also help with an after school club called the Virtue's club. I am lucky to have Adrienne close by to watch Ainsley.

I actually felt cool and confident about Lyvi going to school until Jefferson and I started reminiscing and looking at pictures of her growing up the night before school started, I couldn't stop bawling. I actually thought I was going to be sick the morning school started because I was so nervous for her. Ainsley and I miss her a lot but she's having lots of fun.

The Alaska State Fair

I love me some fair! The Alaska State Fair is great fun, we just sit on the benches and watch the people go by. We went with The Nelson's to the fair on a sunny Monday evening. It actually wasn't too crowded. I've been thinking about fair food since last year. I love the smell of fried food. The Alaska State fair has particularly great food. We started out with some coconut crab cakes, beer battered halibut, peanut fries (we think they are called that because of the shape), fried cheese curds, and a pork chop on a stick. I really wanted to try the cheesecake in a cone but I didn't have any room.
Alyvia loves to get her face painted, she calls it her fair face. She even permanently painted her dolls face in a "fair face" after last year's fair. This year she wanted a unicorn and that is what she got! Notice the man's face in the background.

Ainsley insisting on pushing the stroller through the crowd. Mom, does that remind you of anyone at the same age pushing a stroller in the mall.

Fair faces and the musical express.

Alyvia hopped up on sugar after the fair.

Emma taking it easy.

Random post, continued.

Nothing major happening here but a lot of little stuff is going on. Here's a pictorial recount and, forecast for you to enjoy.

A little family photo op at the Matsu Glacier.

The girls on the porch after church.

Alyvia, showing her true colors.

Me and the pain, enjoying the sun.

Soooo excited for a walk!

I could not get her out of this doghouse.

She thinks it's the coolest thing ever.

I think so too.


The obligatory 'back-to-school' haircuts.

And, of course, Milo the absent-minded watchdog who's always barking at nothing.
Upcoming, Alyvia's first day of Kindergarten is August 24th. She's so excited about recess. She'll be going to my school so I can keep track of her at all times. Also, Lisa and I will be celebrating our 4th wedding anniversary, our real anniversary is November 15th and we'll be 8 years together. Wow, it seems like only yesterday I was complaining about how there were no good women left, and then I met my Lisa in a smokey bar in Salt Lake. aahh memories.

Grandpa Bill visits (our 1st visitor)

It must have been something I ate, but we're about to leave the Murphy's cabin.

The ladies at the cabin after a big breakfast.

Oh my god! Elephantiasis, it's my worst nightmare.

We took the girls out on a paddle boat, they loved it of course.

A beautiful view of Crooked Lake.

Grandpa Bill and Lyvi @ the Matsu Glacier.

The Matsu Glacier, you can walk right up on it for a small fee.

Ainsley overlooking the Matanuska River Flats


Lyvi and Ainsley, Ainsey picking up Glacier ice.

Have you ever stood on a Glacier? It's kinda like if you were tiny and walked into your freezer.

We had our first out-of-state visitor last week. Grandpa Bill came to visit for 4 days. We were so happy to see Dad, and Grandpa. He was sooo cute with his Grandgirls. He played with Lyvi every waking hour. On our drives to and from our adventures Grandpa insisted on being squished in the back with the girls. We had a few Alaskan adventures, good food, and lots of it.

A note from Juneau

Juneau is beautiful! I really love it here, even with the rain (which at least for now isn't bad at all) it's absolutely fabulous. I am learning a lot of good stuff about being a leader, doing research (like all good masters students), studying theory, looking at case law and reading my ass off. I miss my girls sooo much though and can't wait to be finished so I can go home and relax before school starts up again. Here are some pics for you to enjoy.

Student housing, yippee!

This is what I get to see when I look out the window of my classroom everyday. Oh, too bad, huh.

There are some native guys commissioned to build a totem for the university, it's so cool to see this big log turn into a piece of art.

Here I am in Fritz Cove getting my fish on. No silvers or kings this time, but we caught lots of other stuff and had a great day on the water.

Auke bay, this is about a 5 minute walk from our dorm room.

Me goofing around in the visitor's center @ the Mendenhal Glacier

The magnificent Mendenhal Glacier. This beauty lost 250ft. last year alone. It lost over a mile in length and nearly 2/3 of its mass in the last 20 years.

This is my bro Jeff Ambrosier, or Rambosia as we like to call him. He's from Dillingham, and in his spare time guides bear hunts.

UAS campus.

In 1970 I would be at the base of the glacier if I was in this same spot and you wouldn't be able to see the mountains behind it because it would be nearly twice as tall.
Oh well, what do we need these glaciers for anyway? I'll need some real proof before I believe that global warming is a real problem that I have to worry about. For anyone that can't tell, I'm being extremely sarcastic. Love you all, see you soon.

Chena Lake with the Guymons

This may well be the last post for a little while. I'll be in Juneau until July 18th for school. Stay cool this summer!

Lisa is excited but Milo is annoyed with his new doggy life-vest. Incidentally, Milo can swim he's just looking to make a fashion statement.

Ainsley and I, enjoying a day on the lake. Word of caution, do not let toddlers into canoes - we stayed incident-free but you may not be as fortunate.

Show us your teeth! Ainsley's latest kid-trick.

The kids hanging out waiting to go to the lake.

These two are a riot. They kiss and hug one second then bite and hit the next.

The tooth twins at the "beach".

The traditional native Alaskan typically goes to the beach looking like they just jumped off the cover of a southern romance novel. "It's all about protection against the sun's sinister rays" commented an area local. The vicious life-sucking mosquitoes that frequent the area do seem to cause erratic, unexplainable behavior. P.S. it's 85 degrees, Bears are also afraid of large hats and leather boots so she'll be well protected against any grizzly that might attack. What's more, this lovely ensemble doubles as evening-wear to let loose at the pub with friends later on. 2 birds, 1 stone...ch-ching!

Elvis and the campsite.

Again with the pictures of Lisa with the dog.

The girls stretching out and having a snack in Denali.