Missing Alaska :(

This is the week that we usually head to Alaska. However, due to the outrageous cost of airline flights and an ailing heating/air conditioning system that needs to be replaced, we are not able to make our beloved trip this year. Here are some of the things I will miss about our AK trip:

1. Seeing the MacDaddy (TD) in action with his own little family.

2. Having my dad ask, "Hu are you going to be seeing today?" After 20 years it is still funny (but a little annoying).

3. Rafting down the Kenai with Dave & Christy without losing Darren on the Naptown Rapids.

4. Halibut fishing with Uncle Jack.

5. Shrimping with Mom and Dad.

6. Going to town with Jeannie to do "whatever".

7. Seeing my Nana.

8. Going to the cabin and stopping for ice cream at the little store in Ninilchik.

9. Watching Mom and Dad treat Harley and Duffy much better than they ever treated David, Jeannie, and I!

10. Watching my girls spend quality time at the bar with their grandparents!

I love all of you and hope to be able to make a trip next summer!

Water Fight

We had Darren's family over last night to party one last time before his brother Doug & his family returned to Minnesota. We grilled burgers, the kids ran the lawnmower course in the backyard (Darren can explain this to you), and then a huge water fight broke out. I think Darren is the one who started things with his "water weenie"! Notice Donnie in the background-He looks naked, but really does have pants on! He got a little too wet!

Family Pictures

I think the last "official" family pictures taken on my side of the family were done when my brother got married. Everybody looked pretty good (especially the bride and groom), but my dad looked particulary handsome-like somebody who had just stepped out of "Gunsmoke". The only other family pictures I remember (other than those at Dave & Christy's wedding) were done by a family friend, Donna Truesdell, who had a love for photography and a cool little darkroom in the basement of her house!

This week we had family pictures taken with Darren's ENTIRE family since all the siblings were in town. There were lots of discussions about what to wear, who would take the picture, where it would be taken, etc. I was very pleased with the decision to go with "casual" dress-white shirts and jeans! We ended up having a friend of the family take the pictures at North Canyon Park. It wasn't as bad as I had anticipated, although it was somewhat tricky to get all the little kids paying attention to the photographer (and not the butterflies that seemed much more interesting).

Grandma & Grandpa with all of the grandkids!

Smith-Morehouse Reservoir

This past week we spent two nights at the Smith-Morehouse Reservoir with Darren's family. Although I have fond memories of the many camping trips my family made in Alaska (Deep Creek being my favorite), camping is not on my list of "fun" things to do as an adult. I think it has something to do with sleeping on the ground with a back that has arthritis issues, using an outhouse (the smell never improves), not to mention all of the clean-up upon arriving home (especially the pine sap that somehow made its way onto the butt of my dog). Despite my lack of love and joy for the great outdoors, the kids had fun. Well, at least one kid. As you can see from the pictures below Addy had a great time. Delaney spent most of her time reading and wishing she had cell phone service to text her friends. She did manage to have some fun when her cousin, Nicole, taught her how to roast StarBursts.

We rented a kayak, which everybody loved.

Addy and her cousin Josh both caught Rainbow Trout.

The Best Dad Ever

Addy's poster (click to read) pretty much sums up how we feel about the dad at our house.
I am grateful for the type of dad Darren is-kind, funny, and loving.

I love this picture of Addy & Darren.

This would have been a great picture if Darren's eyes were open!

Summer Begins

Summer is finally here! Today was our first day of 90+ temps, and the girls were ready with their "water weenies". I am thankful they have a dad who can teach them about such cultured things!

Addy had way too much water in her "weenie" and ended up with a "weenie whiplash"!

The "weenie warrior"!