Jaime’s Baby Shower

I organized a baby shower for my sister in law Jaime. It took place this past Sunday, April 15th, at our mother in law, Linda’s, house. I’m so happy for all the gifts she got! We did an ocean or fishing theme. We made cupcakes and I put together a wishing tree to serve as her guest book.

Brant thoroughly enjoyed helping his Aunt Jaime open all her gifts. He would swipe them and bring them to me to open for him. He wanted to open them to play with but he did understand that they were Jaime’s. He kept telling her Happy Birthday because he thought it was her birthday.  He has never had such an audience of ladies to watch him do circles in the middle of the floor.  He also really enjoyed all the sweets to eat!

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Brants bed

Paul built Brant a bed for his room here in Alaska. I painted it. It still has a little work to be done on it but that will get done soon enough.  I also sewed some curtain panels to go around the bottom. I’m so happy with them!  Brant loves the new bed!

The back wall is going to be a magnetic chalk board. Still working on that.

Map panel. I can show Brant Alaska, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Costa Rica

Traveling from Chicago to Alaska 2012

  We flew to Alaska this year. We rented a van and drove it from Tennessee to Chicago, got on a plane in Chicago and flew 6.5 hours to Anchorage. It was really nice having one flight! To fly from Tennessee, it takes 10 to 13+ hours with usually 2 stops. So we opted to take a single flight and spend the day in the car driving. Also, we flew Grizzly so it was much better for him to be in his crate for only 6 hours. Our trip went well and we are happy to be in our home in Homer.

6 Suitcases, 4 tires, a carseat, a stroller, 3 carryons and a dog in his crate.

Brant was excited to fly, but really held onto the his carseat during take off and landing.

And this is how you hold onto your phone and eat yogurt raisins at the same time

We’re here!

A happy little boy with a special message for his grandparents in Costa Rica (who will be in Alaska in April)

Driving from Anchorage to Homer at 7am

Outhouses in Turnagain Pass.

“Mommy! Look at allll these toys!”  Playing with the toys I left here for him.

Outside our home. My greenhouse looks so lonely to me out there in the snow

 

 

More vintage brass and some silver..handmade by me!

Key West and back

We spent December 8 – 24 in the Florida Keys! Paul purchased a fifth wheel camper trailer and we loaded it up and headed south. It was a much needed blast of warm sunshine. Paul’s brother, Alex and his wife Jaime met us down there. They also had a camper and we stayed a couple nights at one state park and then moved to the next one to try it out. Paul and I stayed in 4 different locations up and down the Keys. The first was a camper resort with our own private dock, and then we stayed at different state parks. We brought a canoe and bicycles and kept active. Brant had the most fun playing on the beach and going swimming. I could hardly hold onto him in the pool, he wanted to swim on his own. So we got him a floaty and set him loose. He had a blast.

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More jewelry!

Here is some jewelry that I’ve made lately, I love working with the vintage brass:

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From Alaska to Tennessee

Our trip from Alaska to Tennessee started on September 18th this year.  We drove our truck home, and I ended up driving the truck through Canada by myself, with Brant and Grizzly in tow.  I was worried about it at first but God took care of us and nothing went wrong. I have drove/rode on those roads many times before. I only took one picture in Canada. It was all work and no play. But we saw bears, moose, deer, caribou, buffalo, and some fox.  I met up with Paul in Wyoming and we made a stop at the Devil’s Tower National Monument.  It’s well worth the stop if you are ever up that way.

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This is a video of Brant singing with Elmo on one of our last days driving. For a two year old, coped up in the truck for a week, he did very well!

We made it to our home in Tennessee one week after leaving Alaska, on September 25th.

Alaska yard project – September 2011

Between the end of the fishing season and packing up to come back to Tennessee, the guys took on a bit of a yard project.  The septic tank needed to be properly buried, and some flattening and spreading needed to be done. I fearfully watched them drive around my ever-so-loved greenhouse with the excavator and bobcat. Tree trunks, sand and mud going everywhere.  The inevitable did happen and two large dents showed up in the side of my greenhouse. I did not take a picture of those but here are the pictures I took of some of the progress. Next spring will bring grass planting and a new garden area for my veggies.

Brant loved watching the excavator, bobcat, and the dump truck.  He learned how to say excavator quite well! I think it’s his favorite machine right now. (His daddy’s favorite machine, too)

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Lincoln Logs

A special note to Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Roth,

Thank you for the Lincoln Log set!  Brant is still too small to make houses, but it will not be long before many log cabins are built!  Aunt Heather and Granny Linda played a while with Brant, and he mostly thoroughly enjoyed knocking down what they built   I should have gotten more video of that for you!

Jaime’s Lily and Livingston Daisy

 

Livingston Daisy