Christmas and Family Traditions

Christmas morning.

The few weeks before Christmas can be stressful   We already have a hectic schedule with work, school, extracurricular activities, and trying to fit in family time.  Now, i have to make plans for Christmas:  finding a tree, figuring out what fun yet educational gifts to give the kids that will also keep their attention (does such a thing exist , figuring out a gift for Jeff (harder than the girls), Christmas day meals, visit Santa, the list goes on and on.  At the same time, these stresses are my favorite parts of Christmas.  These stresses are the beloved family traditions we celebrate and build upon year after year and spending time with family which involves all the craziness that leads up to Christmas and the big day itself.

The Tree.  Jeff and i have been married over 17 years.  We have had a Christmas tree every year of our marriage except one when we were out of town for the holiday.  In Fairbanks, each year we go to the Kiwanis Club Annual Christmas Tree Sale..  The girls and i will point out a tree, Jeff will drag it out, stomp the tree a few times to get the branches down, and twirl it around for us.  Finding the perfect tree can sometimes take a few minutes, other times, closer to an hour.  Afterwards, we load the tree up in our vehicle, drive it home, and toss it in some water.  The tree decorating usually happens the same day or the following day depending on our schedules.  We decorate with unbreakable ornaments like stuffed animals and wooden nutcrackers while the kids are still young.

Father and daughter playing with the new tablet.

Santa Claus.  This tradition started when Morgan was 18 months old.  We have been visiting the same Santa every year since.  At each visit, Santa recognizes both my girls and even knows their names.  We visit him at least 2-3 times during the Christmas season and a couple more times the rest of the year.  This is when the girls disclose what they want for Christmas.  Once they tell Santa what they want, they are pretty much locked in so i encourage them to really think about what they want and then try to make it happen.  This year, Morgan asked for a computer or iPad   I told her that even Santa knows when a gift is inappropriate for a child and that she will most likely not get that if she asks.  She ended up asking Santa for a pretend computer or iPad and a gold bracelet.  Riley asked for Spider-man underwear but quickly added an iPad to her wishlist to be like her big sister.  

Flashing the camera her new underpants.

Advent Calendar.  I had a nice balance of activities and little gifts for the kids each day leading up to Christmas.  The girls looked forward to finding out what was hidden in the 24 little mittens hanging by the wood stove   Sometimes it was just a piece of candy, a little toy, or tattoos.  Other days, they would find gift cards for lunch the next day, or a slip of paper for an activity like snow painting, a movie, sledding, or a visit to the ice park or other local event.  I had a lot of fun figuring out what to put in their calendar each day and planning different activities for them.  The calendar really helped Morgan keep track of her days, too.

Homemade Gifts.  The girls and i painted a beautiful frame for Jeff and i made a superhero pillowcase for each girl.  The girls had fun painting and writing (both girls signed their names, one not so legible but made my heart swell).  I tried to remember how to use my sewing machine (as i only use it a few times each year) and then tried to remember how to sew the pillow cases.  I must say they each  have a lot of character and are made with a whole lot of love.

Community.  My wish for my kids is that they are safe, they stay true to themselves, they thrive, and that they have the same expectations and encourage the same of others.  I also believe it is our duty to integrate ourselves into the community, to help others in need.  I want my girls to have that same sense of community even at such an early age.  Last year, Morgan helped Soroptimist of Fairbanks deliver presents to the residents at the Senior Center.  This year i had hope to continue the community service but it ,unfortunately, coincided with her piano recital.  Instead, the girls helped sort their toys and clothing to donate to local charities and the hospital.  It was not an easy task for them and it was hard work but i am proud of my girls.

Googly Eyed.

Christmas Eve.  We usually attend Midnight Mass (at the Catholic Church) but this year opted for the 11:00 pm Methodist services at the church down the street.  Afterwards, we came home to look for the Christmas Pickle.  Previously, i believed the tradition to be German (no we are not German) but now i am not sure where the tradition originated.  I think i found it on a shopping trip or flipping through a catalog.  Normally, the person who finds the pickle gets a special gift from St. Nick and is blessed with a year of good luck.  In our home, the kid who finds the pickle gets to open the extra gift which is a present from us and is either a gift for the whole family or one the kids can share.  We started the Christmas Pickle tradition when my nephews, Eli and Edward, came to visit one year and resurrected the holiday tradition once Morgan was born and could toddle around a tree to find it.

Gift from Grandpa Lyons.

Prior to going to bed Christmas Eve, Jeff and the girls will set out a plate of fresh baked cookies and a glass of milk for Santa and, of course, a plate of carrots for the reindeer.  The kids will dress in their Christmas pajamas and head to bed.  Once asleep, Jeff will eat the cookies, drink the milk, put the carrots back in the fridge (hmm, i wonder why he does not eat them, too), and place the Santa gifts under the tree.  The gifts from Santa are always the best wrapped gifts under the tree and they sit front and center for the girls to find Christmas morning.

Christmas.  Morgan and i were the first to wake Christmas morning.  Morgan was impatient to open Christmas presents.  To distract her, i had her help me make breakfast.  Morgan has always been a helpful child except when it comes to her cleaning up her room :).  Jeff and Riley are finally awake.  You could feel the excitement in the air as the girls headed for the tree and held the gifts from Santa.  I was excited.  The girls received so many presents from grandparents, friends, teachers and mentors, aunts and uncles, and cousins.  It was hard to keep track of all of them.  It took us a few hours to unwrap all the gifts.  We took a much needed break, halfway through, as we were losing control and did not want total chaos.  We were also very hungry.

Thankful.  I love that my girls can be so giving to family, friends, and each other yet struggle with the idea of giving away their "worldly" possessions to help others.  I love that they believe in Santa and the magic of Christmas.  I love their excitement and impatience as we try to get them to slow down and enjoy the day, everyday.  I am humbled at their capacity for love and that they love us unconditionally, even when we falter.

I enjoyed the holiday traditions and the many wonderful memories we created.  This time of year, and many times throughout  i think about what our life was like before kids and our life now.  I could not imagine my life any different, good or bad.  I am blessed.

Morgan's White Shoes

Too Funny. Morgan sang this great song for me over dinner. I loved it so much that I recorded her so I could share it with everyone.

Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.

Bunk Beds...a work in progress

I spent hours researching beds for the girls.  I almost purchased a bunk bed set from Sam's Club, painted an espresso color.  Alas, we passed on it because Morgan insisted she on a pink bunk bed.  Why, when there are a gazillion other colors out there, would my child pick the one color i am least fond of.  How could i deny that sweet child of mine.  We decided to make our own bunk beds to honor her request.

We downloaded the bunk bed plans for a simple twin bed from Ana-White's web site (a homemaker turned amateur carpenter from Delta, a town two hours west of Fairbanks).  We altered the plan slightly by making all headboards instead of two headboards and two foot-boards.  After much negotiation (with Morgan), we decided to paint the beds pink and green with an ivory crackle.  I know it sounds funky but i had painted a dresser using this method but with a blue base and it turned out beautifully.  Morgan helped pick out the colors which were based on a shirt the girls had worn when they were 18 months old.

We are months behind schedule.  We should have started this project in May but, of course, we put it off as we had the whole summer ahead of us.  Now Fall is upon us and we are in a mad dash to get the project finished and behind us.  Of course, now we have Mother Nature to contend with and i am not talking about the beautiful fall colors we have as a back drop for project.  It is more planning the days we will paint around the rain and picking the leaves and birch seeds off of the fresh paint.  Grrr!!  Will we never learn.

With that said, Morgan and Riley's bunk beds are coming along.  The first two headboards have a lot more character than the last two as we really had no idea of what were doing.  The bugs were horrible, taking advantage of us as we were hunched over the sawhorses, nailing and gluing the boards together.  Don't get me started on the sanding....as i slaved away, i recalled a comment by a couple we know who made the same bed.  They used their date night to have a quiet dinner out and then rush home to sand because "it is hard to find time to sand".  I now understand the comment.  The sanding took a few days as my hands hurt from the vibrations of the sander.

These comments are not to deter anyone from making these beds.  I encourage you to check out Ana's web site.  She has many wonderful plans that are relatively simple to do.  This just happens to be Jeff and my first project together and it is a bit of work.

I initially thought the colors were quite shocking but i have since warmed up to them.  I have a final coat of the colors and will then start the antiquing process sometime this weekend....assuming the weather holds.  I am hoping to continue painting outdoors but with the cooling temperatures, it is taking the paint too long to dry and the winds are adding an unwanted rustic touch to the paint job.

I will try to post pictures once we the project is finished but until then, enjoy the work in progress.

Arrgh!! It's a Pirate's Life, I Want.

Arrgh!!

Ahoy me hearties.  Back in May, Captain Morgan and her trusty first mate, Riley, celebrated their 5th and 2nd birthdays together.  While Riley enjoyed the festivities, the party was more for Morgan and her motley crew of scallywags. A great day, indeed, for pirate activities/games, delicious grub, and a treasure hunt.

As the kids arrived, we fitted them with pirate hats.  Morgan likes color so rather than having just black hats, we let the kids choose the color hat they wanted and adorning skull and feathers.  They also got to pick a patch and grab their newspaper swords.  Arrgh, they unleashed their inner pirates as they ran around the yard.

I had 6 stations for all the kids:

• Shark Bay - A body of water made of blue nylon with card board shark fins sticking out.  The kids used rope taped together, forming rings, and tried to toss them onto a fin.  Sounds cool but the rings were not large enough to fit well over the fins and shark hunter, Riley, plucked the fins off the sharks when people were not looking.  Luckily, we had the staple gun still handy.

• Sink the Ship - I took Styrofoam balls and painted them black to make cannon balls.  I taped pirate ships to plastic bottles and piled them high.  The kids would throw the cannon ball at the bottles to see how many they could know down.

• Walk the Plank - I placed one board on the ground (easy) and another elevated 6-8 in off the ground (hard).  The kids were forced to walk the plank, they got to choose which one.

• Plunder for Treasure - The kids would dig for large acrylic diamonds and exchange them for a ring sucker.  Unfortunately, Morgan had been playing with the night before and misplaced half of them  We still had enough for the game, though.

• Arrgh - Picture taken with a bonafide pirate's parrot.

• Scallywags - Pirate Tattoos makes the outfit complete.

Joaquin, Elias, and Ceder
trying to Sink Ships.

Captain Logan at Shark Bay

I divided the group of kids into smaller groups and with the aide of parents, the pirates were off on their adventure.  The games had their flaws but i don't think the kids paid no never mind and a lot of fun.

After the games, i handed the kids a scavenger hunt.  They looked for pictures that matched the pictures on their paper and wrote down the corresponding letter.  Solving the puzzle would lead them to the buried treasure.  They unearthed a box filled mini paper mache treasure chests for each of the kids.  The treasure chests were filled with pirate coins, jeweled rings, beads in the shape of jewels to make bracelets or whatever they wished, and, of course, chocolates.  

Morgan painting the sword hilt or guard.

The mini treasure chests.

Morgan was a lot of help in the planning of her party. She helped make a lot of the game pieces (painting the fins and gluing the pirate ships on the bottles).  She also helped paint the swords and treasure boxes, glued the gems on top, and helped make all the beautiful rings.

We ended the party with singing Happy Birthday to both girls and devouring a mix of red velvet, chocolate, and white cupcakes with either chocolate or cream cheese frosting.  Yum.

She is already excited for next years party.  The theme...Barbie.  I know, gag.  No worries, i am already putting my spin on the theme so i stomach planning it.  I am thinking, Barbie meets Mad Scientist.  I have a wonderful book on science experiments.  Hmm, i wonder if i could get my hands on some liquid nitrogen to make ice cream.

Good Times

Earlier this year, we decided to move our '89 RV from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho to Fairbanks, Alaska.  When we originally purchased the RV from Jeff's parents, we planned to use it to tour the lower 48 states (yup, that's how we Alaskans refer to the rest of the states, excluding our wintering grounds, Hawaii).  Two kids later and half the household income, we decided it would be better used up here traveling Alaska.

My mom and dad with their grand kids.

Jeff, the girls, and i were going to take a family vacation and drive the RV up.  As usual, our plans changed as i decided to get a part-time job at the end of March.  My new job meant i could no longer take extended vacations whenever i wanted.  Just as well.  Morgan starts kindergarten this year which would have also put the kibosh on long visits outside Alaska.  Thankfully, my brother, Gene, and dad were able to make the trip with Jeff.

Grandpa with Morgan and Riley.

The guys made it here in record time.  I had expected them to take approximately 7 days to drive the length of the  Alcan.  They left Idaho mid-day on a Monday, swung by Bothell, Washington to pickup my brother and were on the road to Canada the same day.  They were in Fairbanks late Thursday night.  Jeff kept a quick pace and drove most of the way.  Hmm, i wonder if it was because he was stuck with my family.  :)

Dad and Gene were not scheduled to leave for a whole week.  It was great having them both here.  Gene visited us twice since 2008 but only for a couple days at a time.  My dad had never visited before and i worry this may be his only trip so we packed as much touristy activities as we could into the week: Alyeska Pipeline, Santa Claus House, Denali National Park, Salmon Bake (good but sooo not worth the money), Chena Lake, Visitors' Center (highly recommend), shopping downtown, Pioneer Park, UAF museum, and Chena Hot Springs.

Chena Hot Springs Ice Hotel

 My favorite places to visit when we have out of town guests are the Visitors' Center, Santa Claus House, and Chena Hot Springs.  We went shopping downtown looking for souvenirs, visited the Yukon Quest Store, walked along the Chena, checked out the WWII Memorial, and ended at the Visitors' Center.  The Visitors' Center is free and they have done an excellent job of capturing life in Fairbanks.  I love going to the Santa Claus House because the Santa there has known my daughter Morgan since she was 18 months old.  Whenever we go to Santa Claus House, Santa always picks her out of a crowd and says her name.  The hots springs is a great stop anytime of the year.  When heading out to the hot springs, it is nice to stop at Angel Rocks for a quick 3.5 mile hike and then head to the springs to check out the ice hotel and go for a dip.  I personally don't care to take dip during the summer as it is too hot.  Winter visits are the best.

I am thankful my family was able to come up for a visit in so many ways.  My dad had the opportunity to see the life we have carved out for ourselves here in Alaska.  I got to have both my parents together for the first time in over 15 years.  My best memory though will be seeing the both of my parents side by side with my girls, their grandchildren.  I will cherish that moment.  Thanks mom and dad.

Oh and if you are reading this Gene....uh, i cherish you, too.  :)

Pre Chilkoot Trail Ramblings

My day started at 4am with only two to two and half hours of sleep.  I showered as it may be my last shower for the next week and packed my hotel pack for the trip. The bulk of my gear is with the other Chilkoot Chicks who left Thursday.  My mom and Morgan were going to drive me to the airport. I went to wake up Morgan who had stayed awake most of the night waiting for me to return from work.  She did not wake up on my first attempt. I thought about letting her sleep but I knew she would be very upset if she did not see me off. I have to admit, I wanted to hold my beautiful tantrum proned little girl one more time. She awoke on my second attempt but so did Riley. I pulled my two year old into my arms and she snuggled close. My heart felt like it was breaking. A few tears escape, I did not want to say good-bye to my girls.  I drive us to the airport. Morgan is wide-eyed and Riley is snuggling her blanket with her thumb in her mouth. She is fast asleep. Everyone stays in the van but me as I have my first flight to catch.  I hug Morgan close and make her promise to be good for dad and grandma. My voice cracks and another tear escapes. Morgan is near tears so i muster a smile and tell her I love her. I promise to send her a post card and Skype her before I hit the trail.  Riley wakes so I close Morgan's door and head over to Riley's to say bye.    Riley cries and I cry. I also tell her I love her and will be home soon. I tuck her blanket around her. It soothes her.  I ask my mom to take good care of my girls and with a quick last goodbye I shut the door and head into the airport. I don't dare look back.  My eyes are filled with unshed tears. 

Forgive any grammar or spelling errors. This is typed on my iPhone. It looks like I won't be able to post photos till I return home. Look for them to be added at a later date.

Chilkoot Trail - Pre Hike Post

Early last year an idea was bounced around a little moms group about a backpacking trip...possibly the Chilkoot Trail a thirty some odd hike from Skagway, Alaska to somewhere over in Canada.  At least that is what i remember when a couple of the moms asked if i was interested in going on the trip.  Having never hiked more than 5 miles (excluding Military) in one day, let alone hiking daily over the course of a week, and not having any backpacking experience or gear, i immediately said, "Yes, count me in".

Wickersham Dome with Sadie and Sarah, Sept 2011.

Scenic Wickersham Dome, Sept 2011.

Mud Boardwalk Wickersham, Sept 2011

Wickersham Dome with Bobbi
(fellow Chilkoot Chick), June 2012.

Once i made the decision, i started hiking as often as i could during the summer of 2011.  I did not have a backpack yet but it did not stop me from using my little day pack and adding approximately 20lbs of weight.  I hiked Wickersham Dome, Angel Rock to Chena Hot Springs, and my usual Thursday night fun hikes with the local hiking club.  I planned on maintaining my training throughout the winter by purchasing snow shoes (outings with the hiking club) and skis (outings with my biking club, Ladies of Leisure).  The snow shoes did not get used but i did go skiing and even took Morgan out a few times. I also played hockey and went on a very strict diet to drop my post pregnancy weight.  I figured i would rather carry the weight in my pack and not on my body.  I am very proud to say i dropped 40lbs and have kept it off for almost 4 months. Only time will tell if i can maintain it, especially once the big hike is behind me.

Angel Rock/Chena Hot Springs Hike, Sept 2011.

Scenic Angel Rock/Chena Hot Springs Hike, Sept 2011.

Once the weather warmed and the snow melted, myself, Bobbi, and Amanda, three of the four Chilkoot Chicks, started a rigurous hiking schedule.  We hiked twice a week, usually Thursday evening for a couple hours (mostly with the hiking club on their Thursday fun hikes) and Saturdays for longer excursions.  For the most part, we hiked together (with the exception of our fourth person, Blythe (Bobbi's sister), who lived in Anchorage, six hours away.  Blythe did make a trip to Fairbanks.  We did have a small hike, minus Amanda,  on the Angle Rock Loop.  A nice hike but we did get caught in a freak rain storm which freaked out the two little ones (Bobbi's boys, ages 1 and 4).  Luckily, it did not last long and we continued on our hike.

My last hike before i leave on my trip was Angel Rock and the trail to Chena Hot Springs.  I had planned to stop hiking about a week before my Chilkoot trip but the local hiking group was doing this hike and i really wanted to join it.  Why...last year, we lost the trail and it took a fellow hiker ~20min to find it again.  I really enjoyed the hike but because of this issue, i wanted to wait to hike it with someone that new the trails.  It was a great day with the hiking club.  I had no problems following the trail.  8.5 miles later, i was sitting at the hot springs enjoying a cold draft of Alaskan Amber followed by a very hot dip in the springs.  A great final hike before the big trip.

Chilkoot Chicks (Amanda, Bobbi, and Loda)
somewhere in the woods, June 2012

Today is Thursday, July 5th.  I picked Blythe up at the airport and took her to Bobbi's house to rendezvous with our hiking group.  We are doing a final check of gear, divvying up the community gear (tents, stoves, first aid, bear spray, and the like), and swapping snacks.  We each bought a box of trail bars or the like for the trip split with the group.  It makes me feel like i am in grade school again.  We load Amanda's Subaru with our four backpacks, post hike packs (which we will leave at the post hike hotel), and their miscellaneous gear they will need for the drive down.  We take a couple of fun photos and say our goodbyes to Bobbi's family and each other.  Or rather, "see you soons", as i we will  rendezvous  again in Skagway this Saturday.

Packing for the Great Adventure, July 5, 2012.

The three ladies are driving to Haines and then taking the fast ferry to Skagway.  I will be flying out early Saturday morning to Juneau and then hopping another flight to Skagway.  I should arrive a couple hours before the ladies, meeting them at the fairy to grab my gear and carry our post trip packs.  Once the hike has concluded, Blythe will head off into the sunset with her man, Dustin.  I will be joining Amanda and Bobbi on the drive back home.  I am hoping to do the drive in one day as Jeff leaves the next day for Idaho to pick up our RV.  The RV is another future post....or many future posts with my dad and brother, Gene, joining Jeff on his adventure.  Not to mention, we will still have a whole month left of summer to take the RV out for a spin.

See you in Skagway Ladies, July 5, 2012.