Our bambino
Ocoee
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Thursday, May 24, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Rocky top you'll always be home sweet home to me
We are back in Tennessee. After a long over night flight we arrived in Nashville yesterday. Immediately my mind noticed all the differences between Alaska and the south. So different but each has a spot in my story and heart.
Ocoee had a decent flight up. It ease the longest and latest flight she has done. She had one cry spell but otherwise did well. She was a little crabby after we landed because she didn't get her usual 12 hours of sleep.
She loved her uncle Dale almost instantly. She laughed as he did all sorts of tricks to get her to giggle.
Once we got to dales house he took care of her while I napped since I had not slept since the previous day. We had planned a BBQ but I was do exhausted we just did a small family dinner. I was thrilled when an afternoon summer storm rolled in. The sky light up with lightening, crackling across the fields by my brothers house. Thunder rumbled over head. It was a perfect welcome home storm. In Alaska we don't get rain that is heavy, I have never seen lightening or heard thunder there. Ocoee smiled and laughed delighted as well. Dale took her out to stand in the rain and she laughed and smiled. She was a very happy baby.
She also learned something new-she can wave. Not sure where she learned this, but now she waves all the time. If she gets real excited she waves with both hands. At the airport she sat and played waving at everyone. It was pretty dang adorable.
My best friend and roommate from college came over for dinner with her son Owen who is 4. It seems just yesterday she was pregnant. He is such a Boy! We had fun hanging out and Owen showed Ocoee her first dolly poley bug. She also saw her first kitty. She loves animals and the kitty was so soft for her little hands.
After a bath we laid a blanket in the grass and air dried. She had happily plucked grass and enjoyed the warmth.
It is good to be home.
Cheers
J
Ocoee had a decent flight up. It ease the longest and latest flight she has done. She had one cry spell but otherwise did well. She was a little crabby after we landed because she didn't get her usual 12 hours of sleep.
She loved her uncle Dale almost instantly. She laughed as he did all sorts of tricks to get her to giggle.
Once we got to dales house he took care of her while I napped since I had not slept since the previous day. We had planned a BBQ but I was do exhausted we just did a small family dinner. I was thrilled when an afternoon summer storm rolled in. The sky light up with lightening, crackling across the fields by my brothers house. Thunder rumbled over head. It was a perfect welcome home storm. In Alaska we don't get rain that is heavy, I have never seen lightening or heard thunder there. Ocoee smiled and laughed delighted as well. Dale took her out to stand in the rain and she laughed and smiled. She was a very happy baby.
She also learned something new-she can wave. Not sure where she learned this, but now she waves all the time. If she gets real excited she waves with both hands. At the airport she sat and played waving at everyone. It was pretty dang adorable.
My best friend and roommate from college came over for dinner with her son Owen who is 4. It seems just yesterday she was pregnant. He is such a Boy! We had fun hanging out and Owen showed Ocoee her first dolly poley bug. She also saw her first kitty. She loves animals and the kitty was so soft for her little hands.
After a bath we laid a blanket in the grass and air dried. She had happily plucked grass and enjoyed the warmth.
It is good to be home.
Cheers
J
Monday, May 14, 2012
What a weekend
The weekend started off with 3 bouquets of flowers from Hubby. One for my bday, one for mother's day and one for our anniversary. He worked very hard to make all three events special.
We grabbed some poboys from the Gumbo House, downtown Anchorage. Man are they tasty. Being from New Orleans I can be picky about my poboys, but these are impeccable! We grabbed the last minute items, loaded Ocoee and were on the road to Trapper's Creek.
Hubby rented a cabin for the weekend. It was one of the best stocked VRBO's we have stayed in. The lake was still frozen so hubby couldn't fish....he actually looked and the frozen lake and sighed, saying..."I didn't really care that much about fishing, I just wanted to spend the time with you." I almost peed myself laughing so hard....yea right!
After the 3 hour drive baby went right to sleep in her peapod in her own room and we made a nice fire over looking the lake. We drank a bottle or two of wine and talked. You know the kind of talk you have when your drinking vino, a fire hisses and crackles at your feet, filling your nostrils with the sweet smell of birch wood and your nearest neighbors are miles away. We had nothing to do, nowhere to be...it was bliss.
Saturday I woke up to two birthday cards, one from hubby and one from baby. I will have to put Ocoee's in her baby book because she grabbed it and ate the corner....she is loving paper these day. I fished the paper out of her mouth, much to her dismay. We had lunch at Mountain High Pizza Pie. Ocoee had her first bite of pizza (she loved it) and we are learning she does really well in resturaunts. She likes to look at people and feels part of the fun in her high chair. Car rides on the other hand bore her to tears (literally). Just a few months ago she snoozed so easily in the car...now she fusses and chatters away non-stop.
After lunch we walked around Talkeetna and hit a trail where we saw our first fox in Alaska. Now I just need a polar bear and a wolverine and I will be set! Back at the cabin there was more food, wine and chilling. It was so relaxing and I was happy to spend my birthday with my two favorite people. On Sunday I woke to more cards for mother's day and another fire while baby napped. We had a late lunch at the Denali Brewing Company and Twisted Sister cafe. Best veggie burger I have ever eaten.
Then came the big event....my first flight lesson. We arrived at the airport and were happy the skies were clear. As pilot Lance went over the instruments with me, Hubby snapped some pictures. I will post these soon. He was so awesome and supportive, taking baby and tons of pictures too. We climbed into the tiny plane with me on the pilots controls up front and the pilot in the back, directly behind me, where he had controls as well. After take off Lance, handed the controls over to me. He taught me to do left and right turns and explained some basic aviation things to me. He then asked me if I liked roller-coasters, which I replied a tentative, "sure"....right before he started doing tricks such as the up and down of a roller coaster. We experienced 2G+ free falling sensations....wow!
He also cut the engine to show me that the plane would still glide and that we would have time to do a landing...he had 4 emergency landings due to losing engine power, 3 in the same plane and one in the plane we were in...crazy!
I loved being the in the plane. I was nervous and excited to be in control of the plane...even with Lance right there I was still amazed to be able to fly a plane. We were up for a little less than an hour..it seemed like mere minutes. Lance controlled for the landing and it was in heavy cross winds. He nailed it and breathed a big sigh of relief before telling me that the winds were very strong and about as much as the plane could handle....I would have never know, he did an excellent job. Back on the ground I received my flight log book. Only need 39 more hours to get my private license! I hope to take a few classes over the summer. It can be spendy, but it really is something I enjoy.
I went to be last night thinking I have it all. Thanks to my wonderful hubby for making the weekend so special for me. Best Birthday and Mothers' Day weekend ever!
Also check out this super cool website. I love taking pictures and hope someone does this with some of them in the future.
Cheers
J
We grabbed some poboys from the Gumbo House, downtown Anchorage. Man are they tasty. Being from New Orleans I can be picky about my poboys, but these are impeccable! We grabbed the last minute items, loaded Ocoee and were on the road to Trapper's Creek.
Hubby rented a cabin for the weekend. It was one of the best stocked VRBO's we have stayed in. The lake was still frozen so hubby couldn't fish....he actually looked and the frozen lake and sighed, saying..."I didn't really care that much about fishing, I just wanted to spend the time with you." I almost peed myself laughing so hard....yea right!
After the 3 hour drive baby went right to sleep in her peapod in her own room and we made a nice fire over looking the lake. We drank a bottle or two of wine and talked. You know the kind of talk you have when your drinking vino, a fire hisses and crackles at your feet, filling your nostrils with the sweet smell of birch wood and your nearest neighbors are miles away. We had nothing to do, nowhere to be...it was bliss.
Saturday I woke up to two birthday cards, one from hubby and one from baby. I will have to put Ocoee's in her baby book because she grabbed it and ate the corner....she is loving paper these day. I fished the paper out of her mouth, much to her dismay. We had lunch at Mountain High Pizza Pie. Ocoee had her first bite of pizza (she loved it) and we are learning she does really well in resturaunts. She likes to look at people and feels part of the fun in her high chair. Car rides on the other hand bore her to tears (literally). Just a few months ago she snoozed so easily in the car...now she fusses and chatters away non-stop.
After lunch we walked around Talkeetna and hit a trail where we saw our first fox in Alaska. Now I just need a polar bear and a wolverine and I will be set! Back at the cabin there was more food, wine and chilling. It was so relaxing and I was happy to spend my birthday with my two favorite people. On Sunday I woke to more cards for mother's day and another fire while baby napped. We had a late lunch at the Denali Brewing Company and Twisted Sister cafe. Best veggie burger I have ever eaten.
Then came the big event....my first flight lesson. We arrived at the airport and were happy the skies were clear. As pilot Lance went over the instruments with me, Hubby snapped some pictures. I will post these soon. He was so awesome and supportive, taking baby and tons of pictures too. We climbed into the tiny plane with me on the pilots controls up front and the pilot in the back, directly behind me, where he had controls as well. After take off Lance, handed the controls over to me. He taught me to do left and right turns and explained some basic aviation things to me. He then asked me if I liked roller-coasters, which I replied a tentative, "sure"....right before he started doing tricks such as the up and down of a roller coaster. We experienced 2G+ free falling sensations....wow!
He also cut the engine to show me that the plane would still glide and that we would have time to do a landing...he had 4 emergency landings due to losing engine power, 3 in the same plane and one in the plane we were in...crazy!
I loved being the in the plane. I was nervous and excited to be in control of the plane...even with Lance right there I was still amazed to be able to fly a plane. We were up for a little less than an hour..it seemed like mere minutes. Lance controlled for the landing and it was in heavy cross winds. He nailed it and breathed a big sigh of relief before telling me that the winds were very strong and about as much as the plane could handle....I would have never know, he did an excellent job. Back on the ground I received my flight log book. Only need 39 more hours to get my private license! I hope to take a few classes over the summer. It can be spendy, but it really is something I enjoy.
Ocoee wearing her new onesie, that we dashed to the gift shop to buy due to a little "accident" right before lunch. She really is the catch of the day!
The fox we saw while on a little hike in Talkeetna.
Hubby and Ocoee at Lunch.
Relaxing, drinking wine by the fire...yep still snow on the ground! Trappers Creek received over 200 inches this winter.
Mother's Day lunch at the Denali Brewing Company and Twisted Sisters Cafe.
Birthday lunch at Mountain High Pizza Pie....lots of climbers on hand getting ready to tackle Denali.
My view during my flight lesson.
Also check out this super cool website. I love taking pictures and hope someone does this with some of them in the future.
Cheers
J
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Spring Cleaning
We finally got some Spring Cleaning done around the house! The backyard as of May 4th is officially free of snow....the last little pile in the shade finally melted. We are happy as can be to see grass...even if it is brown. Our dogs on the other hand miss the snow.....see Guiness's expression below.
We also were able to mulch and groom the back yard. It is still too early to plant anything, but it will now be all ready for when I return from Tennessee....where they have been in summer mode for months now.
This year our raspberries will be back, though we trimmed some to make room for the chicken coop. We get tons of raspberries and can around 40 jars of jam for the year and eat lots of fresh ones.
We also have strawberries, rhubarb and lettuce we grow. For decorative flowers I hope my Peonies thrive this year.....people have said it takes about 3 years to get them established and this is our 3rd year. They are popping up already so fingers crossed! The other flower I am in love with is Nasturtiums. It grows like crazy, can be neglected, is big and showy and is edible....cute little flowers for the salads! I am filling all my flower planters with this gem and calling it good!
I am hoping the beautiful tulips that are popping up in my yard will not become moose food again this year. Sigh. Those moose better be glad I am a vegetarian(ish). At least they leave my iris' alone.
The weather is continuing along a ridiculously lovely streak so it feels good to be spring cleaned and ready for the bounty that is summer in Alaska! Ocoee had a great time yesterday sitting outside with her cool sunglasses on watching the trees sway in the breeze. She is well on her way to being a tree-lover :)
Cheers
J
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
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