We're home

We made it home--the flights were okay, albeit long.

It is snowing here--a light, wet snow that shouldn't amount to much. yet, we still have a LOT of snow on the ground.

We should get the keys to the new house tomorrow. Now I need to pack for the move as I am unpacking from the trip.

It was lovely to get to spend time with our family--I will write more later. For now, i am tired and am still adapting back to Alaska time.

St Louis, Day 1

We went to the St. Louis Science Museum today.

Phil saved and saved as a kid to get this exact model building kit now on display at the museum.
Quin likes dinosaurs, but was not quite sure how she felt about the life size exhibits. Here a large T-Rex is roaring and moving while a wounded tri-ceratops lays dying...(pic above, not below ;)
Quin and Uncle Bob check watch cars passing underneath the bridge overpass that connects the science center to the planetarium.
Quin catches her first sight (outside) of the dinosaurs we are there to see.

"Get up Baba!" Phil always wants 10 more minutes.

The family unit
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We are in St. Louis. We arrived around four yesterday. Phil's uncle Bob, who we came here to see, was at the airport to meet us. Last night was mainly spent getting settled--hotel check in, shopping for a coffee maker & car seat, dinner...

Quin was still feeling quite rough yesterday; lots of congestion and a horrible cough. Today she is doing considerably better. Phil and I are hoping to keep the cold at bay, although we both feeling it niggling a little bit.

We met Bob for breakfast this morning and then drove into town to the science center. It was VERY full of school kids, lots of class groups. We liked looking at the space exhibit and especially the animatronic dinosaurs. Afterwards we came back to the hotel and "caught up;" looking at pictures and videos, eating pizza take out and generally relaxing.

Tomorrow if it is nice we are going to go to the zoo. Quin really wants to see the elephants and giraffes. We also plan on going up the arch while we are here.

Today it was overcast in the morning, and then it cleared off and was clear and sunny, around 60 degrees. Tomorrow it is supposed to be around 70, while snow is expected for Sunday.

Arkansas, day 3

Everyone, but mama, gets to wear her new hat!

Quin isn't feeling well. She has a cough and is congested. Still, Quin is being smiley and has a good attitude.Today we met Tom and Judy for breakfast and then we all went to the Janet Huckabee (yes, that Huckabee) Arkansas River Valley Nature Center. There were a lot of interactive exhibits, including some live snakes, fish and turtles. There were also outside walking trails and we ambled around, enjoying the nice weather.

Arkansas, day 2

For her birthday Quin got a new nightgown from Grandma Judy and Grandpa Tom. She decided she wanted to wear it tonight--she is, as always, very cute.

Today we had breakfast out with Phil's dad and step mom, then we went to their house. In the afternoon we went to the Fort Smith/Trail of Tears National Park Historic site. It was a warm, sunny day and we enjoyed walking around the area, overlooking the river where the fort used to be. In the evening we all went to dinner, joined by Jennifer, Krysten and Bethany. Afterward we all went back to the house and Quin and Bethany colored together. I even got Phil to do a little yard work while we were there.

Phil and his dad look a lot alike, minus the age difference. They both love dark chocolate and coffee, have the same speech cadence, have a lot of similar behaviors, and both have a sweet, wonderful, giving woman in their life ;)

What a lovely day

Phil in the tunnels at Chucky Cheese
Quin's in a horse race

The pinball wizard!

Bethany and Quin dive right into Birthday cupcakes

Bethany and Quin enjoying the nice weather

What a lovely day we had yesterday.

Phil's dad & step mom met us at 10:30 to go to Chucky Cheese for Quin and Bethany's birthday party. Phil's dad, Tom, is married to Judy. Judy has a daughter named Jennifer. Jennifer and I have the EXACT same birthday, March 12, 1971. Jennifer has two daughters and a son. Her youngest daughter (about a 14 year age difference between the next youngest) is Bethany. Bethany and Quin share the SAME birthday, March 13! Bethany just turned three, while we all know Quin turned four.

So the whole family, along with Judy's son's family and a neighbor/family friend all went to Chucky Cheese. I haven't been to one since I was really little and all I remember are the somewhat creepy moving characters that played music, so I didn't know what to expect. Because we were there when it opened, there weren't a lot of people, which was nice. There was a little kids area and the girls had a fun time riding the moving horse, going down the slide, climbing through the tunnels and otherwise running around. I didn't know Phil is so good at pinball! I think he enjoyed playing that way more than he enjoyed crawling up and around in the kids tunnels--we both took our turn. Quin did not like the big characters--I tried to get her to stand by one, but she was not having it. I thought it was kind of funny that they freaked her out, only because they are a bit freaky and yet they are supposed to appeal to little kids.

Quin, Grandpa Tom (Phil's dad), Bethany and Phil's step-brother

After CC, we all went to Jennifer's for presents and cupcakes

Jennifer, Bethany, Quin and Brett (Phil's step-nephew)

and catching up. It was really neat to be with Phil's extended family. I was touched to watch Quin bond with everyone, especially Grandpa Tom and Grandma Judy. She is such a loving kid and it makes me happy how we all just felt like family so easily. Quin and I just met everyone, but it feels like we have been a part of the family for much longer. I love that Quin is able to see how many people love her and to get this sense of relatives and extended family.

We took a lot of photos, but Phil is sleeping and I can't find where he put the memory card with all the pictures on it, so I will have to wait to upload those later.

In the evening Phil, Quin and I went to Red Lobster for dinner. Phil and I would eat there every night. We both had lobster, which we agreed was not as good as Alaskan crab, but was none the less good. Quin had, by her choice, shrimp and steamed broccoli. There aren't any RL in Alaska, but I know they have lots for me to eat, since I don't like/eat farmed, chemically induced meat, so it was a treat for us.

Somehow I forgot to pack a jacket. I thought I was packing one for me and one for Quin, but instead I packed two for her and none for me. After dinner we went in search of one at Target (it took us a little driving around to find a store for clothes that was open at 8 on a Sunday night) and they didn't have any jackets. I don't really need one right now--it will be in the 60s today, but when we get to Ohio and especially Pennsylvania it will be cooler. I know I can find one at my sisters, I just thought I would look here. Phil has been cold in our room at night, mostly because he is always cold, but also because we had to turn off the fan that blows the heat into the bedroom because it has an awful high pitched whine that is hard to ignore when trying to sleep. We looked for an electric blanket at Target, but they didn't have those either--funny, in Alaska you can get both year round--I never thought there would be none at all here.

p.s. It looks like it is going to be a lovely day here. The sun is coming up, the sky is pretty clear and the breeze has died down. I talked to my mom in AK last night and it she said it snowed all day yesterday. I am definitely glad for a break.

Not in Kansas anymore

In fact, we never were in Kansas, but we are in Arkansas.

Once again, our trip turned out to be eventful, including 1/2 hour delay on our first flight out due to mechanic issues, a 1 hour connection time in Seattle where we had to go to the otherside of the airport, switching trains 3 times, only to find out that gate agent when we got off gave us the wrong gate and we had to go back and get on yet two more trains to get to the correct gate. Phil ran ahead to get seats (we were not yet assigned), but when I got there Phil hadn't checked in; he thought just being there was enough. The computers were down at that station, so I had to run to another counter and check us in and get boarding passes. Did I mention that I was CARRYING Quin as we sprinted back and forth across the airport.

In Texas we had another hour turnaround and after a long train ride to another terminal we go to the gate to find that we no longer had tickets!! Apparently somewhere during the journey some agent exchanged our Fort Smith tickets. They couldn't tell us who did it or when the new tickets were. At this point we had 30 minutes and the lady at the gate wouldn't help us. She sent us to another gate were they tried to help, but couldn't. So I had to exit security, find the main ticket counter, get the tickets fixed, go through security (they missed the soda in my backpack, but removed the two water bottles) and run to the gate without my shoes on as I didn't have time to put them back on AND make the plane. The lady at the gate was still very obstinate, but since we had boarding passes now she couldn't argue with us. The lady at the ticket counter said she could have issued us seats. Did I mention that when I got back to the gate Quin and Phil were not there?!? The plane was boarded and it was just me. Finally I saw Phil walking down the terminal and we made it on.
It was so nice to get here!

I like Arkansas. It reminds me of rural Ohio. We had a nice dinner with Phil's Dad and stepmom, Tom and Judy, and relaxed at the hotel last night. Our first flight out was at 1 a.m. so Phil and I hadn't slept for 36 plus hours.

Quin was a great trooper on the trip; she slept, spoke quietly, entertained herself with coloring and was generally good and not whiney. Yesterday was her actual birthday and on the last flight the attendant announced that Quin just turned 4 to the entire cabin and they all clapped. Today we are having a birthday party for Quin and her cousin Bethany (Phil's niece) with Phil's family.

It is a little windy here, overcast and in the mid forties. It was 13 when we left Anchorage, so I think the weather here is good.

More later!

Blizzard #2

Quin likes the snow, she just looks grumpy for some reason in this picture.

We had another all day blizzard warning today. We woke up to about 18 inches of new snow and the snow fell all day. In the morning the snow was dry and light, which made it easy to drive through. However, it was very windy and so it was very hard to see on the way in to work. All the buses were delayed and the Moose Pass school actually closed as there was so much snow out there (just 22 miles away). This afternoon the weather warmed up a little and now the snow is wetter and heavier. Our driveway was again plowed when I got home, but it did take me a while to dig out the front steps.You can see the little path I cleared just to get to the door. After that I went back and cleared all the steps off. I hope a lot of this snow melts by April as it will be hard to move with the snow piled up.
Above is the view out the living room windows--you can see how high the snow piled as it slid off the roof. At the new house the snow will slide off the sides (it is a chalet style house) and we (that is me, Phil doesn't shovel or mow lawns) won't have to shovel so much--I am very grateful for that.

Iditarod

The Iditarod starts today. Today is the ceremonial start which takes place in downtown Alaska, right on 5th avenue. According to the new coverage, there are 1, 136 dogs on the street today. Tomorrow is the restart, which takes place in Wasilla, and is when the race actually begins. The race is about 10 days long and the temps can get to 50 below. Mushers have food cached along the way at the check points, and from all the mushers I know, by in large they love their dogs, take very good care of them, treat them like family and are sensitive to the dogs and their needs.

The Iditarod race is 1150 miles long and is the most well known. Lesser known is the Yukon Quest, which is a little shorter (~1000 miles), but is considered more grueling. The Iditarod goes from Anchorage to Nome, while the Yukon Quest goes from Fairbanks to Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada (alternating direction every year).
One of the mushers is from Scotland and at the start today his dogs were wearing tartan plaid blankets and the musher was wearing a kilt. It is unlikely that he'll be wearing that tomorrow when the race really begins.

Still snowing!

It is still snowing. The snow came thudding off the roof all night, pulling down the gutters and piling up so high that the windows are half covered.

Here is the link to the Seward harbor webcam so you can see live what is happening here: Seward webcam

No snow day!

Wow, we got a lot of snow! The schools in Homer were called off, but we still had to go. We got several feet of snow last night--it was up to my knees when I went out to clean off the car. Luckily we got out and back alright. Miraculously the plow guy actually came already and we were able to get up the driveway; I was planning on Quin and I to gave to slog our way up. Phil was a sleep when the plow guy was here, though, so his car is pretty snowed under. I don't think he'll be able to get it out for a while. I started to shovel it out when I came home from school, but it was just too much. He'll have to drive my car for a day or two until we get it out.

It is actually raining now, on top of the already heavy, wet snow--not a good combination. The avalanche danger is very high right now. I am glad we don't have to go anywhere this weekend. Next weekend, however, is a very different story. I hope this clears up by then. Unfortunately it looks like more of the same for this weather for the next few days.

Here is a image from today from webcam over looking Seward Harbor:
This is the road traveler information map. The red shows dangerous driving conditions. As you can see, the entire peninsula is pretty treacherous.
Update: Phil was able to back up his car and plow through the piled up snow. It is really windy and really wet outside now!

Blizzard Warning

We have a blizzard warning for tomorrow all day, starting at 6 a.m. There could be wind gusts of 85+ mph. We had several inches of wet snow last night. We could get 4-8 inches tomorrow and another few inches overnight tomorrow night. Ugh. I am ready to be done with snow and I am hoping it won't snow down south when we are in the Lower 48 for Spring Break. We leave a week from today.

Time for a change

I got my haircut. The girls at school all love it. You can't change a thing without them all commenting. They notice what you wear, especially if it something new. The're obsessed with my color coordination. It is funny. I don't mind, though. I like my students and really have no major disciplinary problems.