Technical note: still no pictures until we get the computer thing figured out, will have sooooo much to share of our summer time adventures soon!
Today was our first day back to homeschool. We're starting out slow for now, just math, some writing prompts for Freckles and Stud, and reading for all three of them. After Labor Day we'll bring in all aspects of the curriculum and really get going.
The day went well, Sassy and I did her first real math page in her workbook. Stud and Freckles took an assessment test for Math also to make sure we have the right grade level book for them (we do). The boys had fun with a writing prompt about what they thought the best invention ever is and why, then we all settled down to some reading. This was a little bit of a struggle for Sassy, but I believe she'll get back in the groove easy enough.
Little Man was a whole other story. I've spent the evening looking for ideas to keep him busy and occupied while I'm working with the others one-on-one. He's a handful and wants to be the center of attention at all times. We clearly need to change his routine and let him know how this homeschooling thing works. Got any ideas?
Freckles starts band tomorrow, learning more with his trumpet this year. Sassy has requested dance class for almost two years now and this is the year it finally happens. I signed her up with a studio not far from our house and she'll be going once a week for 45 minutes starting in September. Stud is still trying to figure out what his 'special' is going to be.
After Labor Day we'll bring in History and Language Arts along with all the accessories,that entails. We have decided to go with Winter Promise curriculum this year and selected their All-American package. Together we'll be learning about the United States from its founding through the World Wars. Next year we'll continue through 9-11 and we would like to finish off the two year study by heading back East to explore all the landmarks we will be learning about. That's the plan anyway.
For now, it's easing back into routines and enjoy school in pajamas every now and again. Looking forward to a fun year with these kiddos!
Monday, August 20, 2012
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Technical Difficulties
We're back from our amazing adventure and have some spectacular pictures to share with you all! Unfortunately the computer we use to retrieve pictures from the camera has what seems to be a fatal error right now. Hoping we can take it in somewhere and get at least the files off of it before it is declared officially dead.
More coming as soon as we can!
More coming as soon as we can!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Aurora Borealis
The Captain's family dog passed away this last week. Our hearts are sad she is no longer with us, and at the same time we are at peace knowing she is in an amazing place where he can run and jump and play with no hurts or illnesses. This is a tribute written by The Captain's mother about their beloved pet.
IN MEMORY OF AURORA BOREALIS
JANUARY 31, 2001-JULY14, 2012
RESERVED, OPINIONATED & ALWAYS A "LADY"
FROM A SHY LITTLE PUPPY TO A SHOWGIRL.
FROM A SHOWGIRL TO A CHAMPION!
FROM CHASING WITH A BEAR CUB AND AN ENCOUNTER WITH A PORCUPINE IN ILLIAMNA - AKA "AURORA'S ADVENTURES"
TO DINNING ON BOUILLABAISSE IN HOMER,( PRESENTED BY THE CHEF!) AND GARY? WELL, HE'S MUNCHING ON A NOT TOO GREAT EXPENSIVE SANDWICH.
TO A ROAD TRIP ALONG THE GOLD COAST - QUITE THE SHOPPER YOU WERE, HITTING ALL THE STORES EXCEPT ONE. (AND TREATED ROYALLY BY EVERYONE, I MIGHT ADD.)
TO BECOMING A "MOMMY".
FROM BEING A VERY, VERY SICK GIRL
TO A HEALTHY GIRL. (YOU KNEW IT WAS THE COFFEE NIPS THAT WERE MAKING YOU WELL.)
TO A CAR-TRIP TO ALASKA WITH FRECKLES AND STUD. (A WELL-SEASONED TRAVELLER - WHY, OF COURSE!)
TO BEING AN "AUNTIE" TO ABIGAIL.
TO GRACEFULLY GROWING OLDER.
TO FIGHTING HARD FOR OVER FIVE MONTHS TO BEAT AND ILLNESS THAT WAS TOO MUCH FOR YOU TO OVERCOME. (JUST THE OTHER DAY YOU WENT FOR BICYCLE RUN.)
TO TRAVELING TO A PLACE WHERE POSITIVELY COFFEE NIPS ARE THE MAGICAL CURE!!
YOU WILL BE MISSED BY ALL!!!
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Adventuring with Family in Town
The Captain has family in town! We love playing tourist when friends and family come to visit. Heading around Alaska enjoying all our state has to offer thru a new set of eyes.
This days adventures took us to the Portage Glacier and Whittier area. The kids had a blast!
On the way down we stopped at "Sno-Blo", a large snow clearing train engine that has a recorded geocache. I completely forgot to take a picture, but we left this area cache-less for the umpteenth time. So frustrating! This cache has been logged before and after our family has visited it each and every time. Yet each and every time we come up empty. We even found another out-of-state cacher on the hunt as well, and felt slightly better when he couldn't log a "find" either. One of these days this cache will just jump out at my eyes... I just know it.
Driving down past Girdwood, just before the Portage/Whittier turn off is the Alaska Wild Animal Conservation Center. The kids had fun checking out animals they normally wouldn't be able to see or get quite as close to.
Checking out a porcupine:
Baby reindeer:
Obligatory group pic:
We cheated and let Cooper ride in the front seat during our less than two miles-per-hour tour of the Conservatory. He loved cuddling with his Auntie!
Found this bald eagle perched over the bear area. There is another one that has been rescued and is actually part of the Conservation Center... but this one posed nicer LOL
We found a bear!
A worker at the Conservation Center tossed in some King Crab legs for this bear to snack on... It is so amazing how strong these animals are!
Kids petting a reindeer:
Two Lynx:
After some lunch on the go we headed to the Portage Glacier Visitors Center. Auntie and the girls found some hand puppets:
Out of the corner of our eye we spotted this treasure! We can find this one which we didn't even know was here... but that silly Sno-Blo cache alludes us. Hmph.
Total Chaos in all it's glory:
King of the Worllllllddddd!!!!!!
Freckles quickly found the scientific area... always ready to learn:
Silly girls!
Ummmm who do you think you're calling?
Each of the kids went for they're own little kayak ride too! (Don't they wish! One of these days...)
I had a Thirty-One party planned for this night, so I took Little Man and the girls and headed home while The Captain took everyone else through the tunnel for some more adventuring. This was the view from my rear view mirror:
I think it's safe to say we wore them out! Time to rest up for some more adventures...
This days adventures took us to the Portage Glacier and Whittier area. The kids had a blast!
On the way down we stopped at "Sno-Blo", a large snow clearing train engine that has a recorded geocache. I completely forgot to take a picture, but we left this area cache-less for the umpteenth time. So frustrating! This cache has been logged before and after our family has visited it each and every time. Yet each and every time we come up empty. We even found another out-of-state cacher on the hunt as well, and felt slightly better when he couldn't log a "find" either. One of these days this cache will just jump out at my eyes... I just know it.
Driving down past Girdwood, just before the Portage/Whittier turn off is the Alaska Wild Animal Conservation Center. The kids had fun checking out animals they normally wouldn't be able to see or get quite as close to.
Checking out a porcupine:
Baby reindeer:
Obligatory group pic:
We cheated and let Cooper ride in the front seat during our less than two miles-per-hour tour of the Conservatory. He loved cuddling with his Auntie!
Found this bald eagle perched over the bear area. There is another one that has been rescued and is actually part of the Conservation Center... but this one posed nicer LOL
We found a bear!
A worker at the Conservation Center tossed in some King Crab legs for this bear to snack on... It is so amazing how strong these animals are!
Kids petting a reindeer:
Two Lynx:
After some lunch on the go we headed to the Portage Glacier Visitors Center. Auntie and the girls found some hand puppets:
Out of the corner of our eye we spotted this treasure! We can find this one which we didn't even know was here... but that silly Sno-Blo cache alludes us. Hmph.
Total Chaos in all it's glory:
King of the Worllllllddddd!!!!!!
Freckles quickly found the scientific area... always ready to learn:
Silly girls!
Ummmm who do you think you're calling?
Each of the kids went for they're own little kayak ride too! (Don't they wish! One of these days...)
I had a Thirty-One party planned for this night, so I took Little Man and the girls and headed home while The Captain took everyone else through the tunnel for some more adventuring. This was the view from my rear view mirror:
I think it's safe to say we wore them out! Time to rest up for some more adventures...
Monday, July 2, 2012
An Unplanned Trip to Valdez
Day 2
Last night we discovered a minor problem with one of the batteries on the boat. More of a comfort problem than a real problem to worry about. But either way you slice it, we needed a new battery. The Captain and I discussed our options; head back to Whittier to buy and install a new battery and head back out, head back to Whittier to buy and install a new battery and go home early, or head to Valdez to buy and install a new battery. Since we haven't been to Valdez in our Alaskan adventures yet, we decided to go.
Little Man woke up at 4:30am and would NOT go back to sleep. Trying every possible option for about an hour, we finally gave up and decided to pull anchor and start the trek to Valdez. First stop was to pick up our shrimp pots.
A little back story: We have not had much success with shrimping. This season is our first and last month when we headed out with Sun Dog they attempted to teach us how. We learned how to fill the bait, lock up the pots, set them on the line, attach the buoy.... aaaaannndddd apparently our line was too short because a few minutes later there was no buoy to be found. The line we had must have been to short and the weight of the pots pulled it under. Oops.
Our next trip out we set the two pots we had left and came up with starfish and mud. No luck there either.
Needless to say, I hadn't left any meal planning "open" due to doubt of actually catching anything.
Back to the morning of Day 2: We pulled up to our string of pots and waited and waited and waiting while hauling 600 feet of line back on board. Finally the first pot appears and we have SHRIMP!!!!
This string of pots brought up 77 of them!!! Whoohoooo DINNER!!!
In the middle of pot pulling I spotted this off the starboard side:
Another whale!!! Since we still had a pot in the water we couldn't chase to get closer to this one. But he had it's own special way of saying "Good Morning":
Ahhhh... that right there made it worth being up with Little Man soooo early.
Lover Boy finally woke up and had this reaction when we told him there were shrimp onboard:
Getting closer to Valdez coming past Glacier Island we were once again graced by the giant beauties of the sea. Two of them this time:
There was also a sea lion playing in our wake while we were stalking these whales, but he was so darn quick I couldn't capture him on camera. Fun to watch though!
We set our shrimp pots again, pulled into Valdez Harbor, walked to the parts store, hitched a ride back with our new (very heavy) battery, and left The Captain to install it. Someone told us if the kids went to the Harbor Master's Office with their life vests on, they would get a ticket for free ice cream! So the three of us headed out on an ice cream mission. After getting our ticket and finally finding the ice cream shop, I had three happy monkeys on my hands:
Shrimp Pasta dinner on the boat and after much debate we decided to make a late night departure from Valdez Harbor hoping to be underway while the little ones were sleeping to leave in order to have as much fun tomorrow as possible!
Last night we discovered a minor problem with one of the batteries on the boat. More of a comfort problem than a real problem to worry about. But either way you slice it, we needed a new battery. The Captain and I discussed our options; head back to Whittier to buy and install a new battery and head back out, head back to Whittier to buy and install a new battery and go home early, or head to Valdez to buy and install a new battery. Since we haven't been to Valdez in our Alaskan adventures yet, we decided to go.
Little Man woke up at 4:30am and would NOT go back to sleep. Trying every possible option for about an hour, we finally gave up and decided to pull anchor and start the trek to Valdez. First stop was to pick up our shrimp pots.
A little back story: We have not had much success with shrimping. This season is our first and last month when we headed out with Sun Dog they attempted to teach us how. We learned how to fill the bait, lock up the pots, set them on the line, attach the buoy.... aaaaannndddd apparently our line was too short because a few minutes later there was no buoy to be found. The line we had must have been to short and the weight of the pots pulled it under. Oops.
Our next trip out we set the two pots we had left and came up with starfish and mud. No luck there either.
Needless to say, I hadn't left any meal planning "open" due to doubt of actually catching anything.
Back to the morning of Day 2: We pulled up to our string of pots and waited and waited and waiting while hauling 600 feet of line back on board. Finally the first pot appears and we have SHRIMP!!!!
This string of pots brought up 77 of them!!! Whoohoooo DINNER!!!
In the middle of pot pulling I spotted this off the starboard side:
Another whale!!! Since we still had a pot in the water we couldn't chase to get closer to this one. But he had it's own special way of saying "Good Morning":
Ahhhh... that right there made it worth being up with Little Man soooo early.
Lover Boy finally woke up and had this reaction when we told him there were shrimp onboard:
Getting closer to Valdez coming past Glacier Island we were once again graced by the giant beauties of the sea. Two of them this time:
There was also a sea lion playing in our wake while we were stalking these whales, but he was so darn quick I couldn't capture him on camera. Fun to watch though!
We set our shrimp pots again, pulled into Valdez Harbor, walked to the parts store, hitched a ride back with our new (very heavy) battery, and left The Captain to install it. Someone told us if the kids went to the Harbor Master's Office with their life vests on, they would get a ticket for free ice cream! So the three of us headed out on an ice cream mission. After getting our ticket and finally finding the ice cream shop, I had three happy monkeys on my hands:
Shrimp Pasta dinner on the boat and after much debate we decided to make a late night departure from Valdez Harbor hoping to be underway while the little ones were sleeping to leave in order to have as much fun tomorrow as possible!
On the Way to Day Care Bay
I had grand intentions of fully detailing this trip, day by day, story by story. Seeing as how it has been a full week since we returned and the post hasn't happened yet, I thought you all would enjoy seeing some pictures and captions over waiting however much longer for the full details. There just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day!
Fair Warning - the next few posts will be overloaded with pictures... hope you enjoy!
Day 1 - We came down to Whittier the night before, loaded the boat, did a little maintenance and some safety briefings with Lover Boy, Handsome, and Sweetie. Slept the night away and left Whittier Harbor bright and early heading for Day Care Bay.
Made a stop along the way around a cluster of islands to try our hands at fishing. Handsome had the first catch of the day:
Lover Boy didn't take too long to bring up one of his own:
When they had their fill of fishing, we made tracks for Day Care Bay. This is how the kids occupy themselves while underway:
Just as we were rounding the corner to pull into Day Care Bay, there in the distance was a whale spout! We turned to port and scurried over to get closer. Our first whale sighting on the Sound!!!
After setting a string of shrimp pots and setting anchor we all loaded up in the dinghy and went out exploring. The Captain and Little Man made a rock tower... that Little Man knocked over each and every time with many giggles.
Lover Boy was walking along this log when it moved! He and Handsome quickly turned the log into a teeter-totter.
After our exploring fun we came back into the little bay and found these two Harbor Seals basking in the sun. We idled our engine and drifted by while they checked us out.
We had dinner and settled in for a sunny night at sea.
Fair Warning - the next few posts will be overloaded with pictures... hope you enjoy!
Day 1 - We came down to Whittier the night before, loaded the boat, did a little maintenance and some safety briefings with Lover Boy, Handsome, and Sweetie. Slept the night away and left Whittier Harbor bright and early heading for Day Care Bay.
Made a stop along the way around a cluster of islands to try our hands at fishing. Handsome had the first catch of the day:
Lover Boy didn't take too long to bring up one of his own:
When they had their fill of fishing, we made tracks for Day Care Bay. This is how the kids occupy themselves while underway:
Just as we were rounding the corner to pull into Day Care Bay, there in the distance was a whale spout! We turned to port and scurried over to get closer. Our first whale sighting on the Sound!!!
After setting a string of shrimp pots and setting anchor we all loaded up in the dinghy and went out exploring. The Captain and Little Man made a rock tower... that Little Man knocked over each and every time with many giggles.
Lover Boy was walking along this log when it moved! He and Handsome quickly turned the log into a teeter-totter.
After our exploring fun we came back into the little bay and found these two Harbor Seals basking in the sun. We idled our engine and drifted by while they checked us out.
We had dinner and settled in for a sunny night at sea.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
This Boy Keeps Me On My Toes!
He found the ONE puddle in the driveway that hasn't dried up yet. Gave up on trying to keep the shoes on too. This is why I'm exhausted at the end of the day! But he's happy, what more can I ask for?
Friday, June 15, 2012
Monday, June 11, 2012
Boating with Friends
Last weekend we headed out of Whittier with some dear friends who had never been out in Prince William Sound before. We only had Little Man with us, so the boat wasn't too crowded and it made for a great introductory trip!
After a rough start on Thursday night due to infamous Whittier winds, we awoke Friday morning at the top of Knight's Passage to calm seas and clear skies. Just perfect. The Captain took our friend's twins out on the Zodiac and over to shore for some exploring.
Later that morning, we pulled anchor and set a course for Sleepy Bay. Along the way, we found these gorgeous creatures who enjoyed speeding right along with us.
What a sight!!! That absolutely made my day and frankly the entire trip! We did some fishing en route to Montague Island and picked up some rockfish and sea bass. Dinner!
Later that night we met up with Morris Code for some drinks and conversation, and headed to bed with dreams of what the next day would hold.
Morning took us over to shore while The Captain dealt with some boat maintenance. Our friends had so much fun exploring, and Little Man quickly learned how to throw rocks in the creek that was headed to the ocean. The twins used the same creek for stick races.
Next we were off to try out attempt at catching Halibut. Unfortunately they alluded us this time around, but Morris Code pulled up beside us and shared some of their catch with us. Dinner of baked Halibut, butter and lemon pasta, and garlic bread was amazing!
We coasted up by Icy Bay and Whale Bay on a hunt for glaciers and whales. While we didn't see either of those, we did come across a large ice field. Scooped up some glacier ice for the twins to check out - and lick :-)
We met up with Morris Code again to anchor for the night in East Twin Bay. This is a great little harbor with an approximately two mile journey away from open ocean. Very protected, and solid bottom to anchor on. We dropped the dinghy and went over to shore to explore the waterfall, sandy beach (real sand!), and a cave that one of the twins had noticed. The paddle to and from shore was very much worth it, it allowed us a glimpse of this:
11:30pm in Alaska. Gorgeous!
You can see more pictures from this trip here on Facebook. To those family members not on Facebook, the link will still work. Go click it :-)
Join us for our next boating adventure... 6 nights out on Prince William Sound. The longest we've had yet. Stay tuned!
After a rough start on Thursday night due to infamous Whittier winds, we awoke Friday morning at the top of Knight's Passage to calm seas and clear skies. Just perfect. The Captain took our friend's twins out on the Zodiac and over to shore for some exploring.
Later that morning, we pulled anchor and set a course for Sleepy Bay. Along the way, we found these gorgeous creatures who enjoyed speeding right along with us.
What a sight!!! That absolutely made my day and frankly the entire trip! We did some fishing en route to Montague Island and picked up some rockfish and sea bass. Dinner!
Later that night we met up with Morris Code for some drinks and conversation, and headed to bed with dreams of what the next day would hold.
Morning took us over to shore while The Captain dealt with some boat maintenance. Our friends had so much fun exploring, and Little Man quickly learned how to throw rocks in the creek that was headed to the ocean. The twins used the same creek for stick races.
Next we were off to try out attempt at catching Halibut. Unfortunately they alluded us this time around, but Morris Code pulled up beside us and shared some of their catch with us. Dinner of baked Halibut, butter and lemon pasta, and garlic bread was amazing!
We coasted up by Icy Bay and Whale Bay on a hunt for glaciers and whales. While we didn't see either of those, we did come across a large ice field. Scooped up some glacier ice for the twins to check out - and lick :-)
We met up with Morris Code again to anchor for the night in East Twin Bay. This is a great little harbor with an approximately two mile journey away from open ocean. Very protected, and solid bottom to anchor on. We dropped the dinghy and went over to shore to explore the waterfall, sandy beach (real sand!), and a cave that one of the twins had noticed. The paddle to and from shore was very much worth it, it allowed us a glimpse of this:
11:30pm in Alaska. Gorgeous!
You can see more pictures from this trip here on Facebook. To those family members not on Facebook, the link will still work. Go click it :-)
Join us for our next boating adventure... 6 nights out on Prince William Sound. The longest we've had yet. Stay tuned!
Monday, June 4, 2012
Relaxing and Healing
Ahhhh... I feel so much better! So connected with The Captain. So relaxed. Not completely healed, but found some energy so I must be well on the healing process. What an absolutely perfect weekend.
Let me start by thanking Amazing Friend for blessing me this weekend and taking Little Man. Knowing he was in the capable hands of someone who truly loves him allowed me to really be able to take my mind off kids and not have the constant worry of what was going on back at home. Without such love and trust, I'm not sure I would have really been able to let go and enjoy myself. Thank you thank you thank you!
Next up, The Captain. Absolutely stepped it up this weekend, and then some. There was no cooking or cleaning or exploring or helping on my part, unless I chose to. He made sure I had exactly what I needed at any time. Thank you my dear love for taking care of me so well. I feel very loved <3
And now, for the fun of the weekend!
We met up with Sun Dog and their crew Friday night, got things on the boat arranged and slept in the harbor ready to start Saturday morning bright and early. Just after midnight, our "neighbors" rolled in...
I am always in awe of how big these cruise ships actually are. The fact that we share the same waters with them. That we travel in some of the same areas. We are so lucky to be able to see on our own little "cruise ship" what many people pay thousands of dollars to be able to experience for even a brief moment.
The next morning we left with Sun Dog and headed over to Ziegler Cove and await the arrival of Margaret Ann who was also to join our little Floatilla for the weekend of adventures. After tying up with Sun Dog for a bit and giving The Captain time to deal with some routine boat maintenance, we took the recommendation of Sun Dog's Captain and made a course for Cascade Bay while they waited for Margaret Ann and let their triplets play on shore.
I napped on the way to Cascade Bay and awoke to this:
That, my friends, is so much better than the view from my couch at home. The sound of the waterfall, the snow still on the mountain top, the quiet water in the Bay... so relaxing. At the challenge of Sun Dog's Captain, we dropped anchor, lowered the dinghy and went to see how close to the falls we could actually get without getting soaked. Admittedly, I would have been happy to go a bit closer than we actually got if I had some rain gear on! (This picture is after we had drifted away from the bottom of the falls quite a bit - didn't want to get the camera wet)
Heading over towards shore, we saw this little guy following our dinghy and checking us out. He was so fun to watch!
We cut our visit to Cascade Bay short to scurry over to Granite Bay to re-join Sun Dog and the newly arrived Margaret Ann. Along the way we went through a large group of otters. Idled the engines for a while and let the current take us through them. Adorable little creatures, and oh so curious about us...
We anchored with our mini-Floatilla, had some dinner (yummy shrimp appetizer courtesy of Sun Dog), and Sun Dog's Captain and guest headed out to hunt bear. We went over to Margaret Ann to chit chat with our new friends. We bonded over wine and chocolate when suddenly Margaret Ann's co-captain spotted a bear on the shore! This is officially the closest I've been to a bear... unless you count the one that ran by our car in Homer. Ryan hopped in the dinghy to take a shot at it, unfortunately it was later found out his scope was of by 4 feet high and 3 feet to the left, so this guy ran back off into the woods safe and sound. Maybe next year.
We had to head out quite early the next morning (would have been before the crack of dawn if the sun ever set here LOL) to get back to the harbor and get The Captain back to his real job. So glad I decided to go this weekend. It was great to see old friends and meet some new ones. Looking forward to heading out with them again in July!
Let me start by thanking Amazing Friend for blessing me this weekend and taking Little Man. Knowing he was in the capable hands of someone who truly loves him allowed me to really be able to take my mind off kids and not have the constant worry of what was going on back at home. Without such love and trust, I'm not sure I would have really been able to let go and enjoy myself. Thank you thank you thank you!
Next up, The Captain. Absolutely stepped it up this weekend, and then some. There was no cooking or cleaning or exploring or helping on my part, unless I chose to. He made sure I had exactly what I needed at any time. Thank you my dear love for taking care of me so well. I feel very loved <3
And now, for the fun of the weekend!
We met up with Sun Dog and their crew Friday night, got things on the boat arranged and slept in the harbor ready to start Saturday morning bright and early. Just after midnight, our "neighbors" rolled in...
I am always in awe of how big these cruise ships actually are. The fact that we share the same waters with them. That we travel in some of the same areas. We are so lucky to be able to see on our own little "cruise ship" what many people pay thousands of dollars to be able to experience for even a brief moment.
The next morning we left with Sun Dog and headed over to Ziegler Cove and await the arrival of Margaret Ann who was also to join our little Floatilla for the weekend of adventures. After tying up with Sun Dog for a bit and giving The Captain time to deal with some routine boat maintenance, we took the recommendation of Sun Dog's Captain and made a course for Cascade Bay while they waited for Margaret Ann and let their triplets play on shore.
I napped on the way to Cascade Bay and awoke to this:
That, my friends, is so much better than the view from my couch at home. The sound of the waterfall, the snow still on the mountain top, the quiet water in the Bay... so relaxing. At the challenge of Sun Dog's Captain, we dropped anchor, lowered the dinghy and went to see how close to the falls we could actually get without getting soaked. Admittedly, I would have been happy to go a bit closer than we actually got if I had some rain gear on! (This picture is after we had drifted away from the bottom of the falls quite a bit - didn't want to get the camera wet)
Heading over towards shore, we saw this little guy following our dinghy and checking us out. He was so fun to watch!
We cut our visit to Cascade Bay short to scurry over to Granite Bay to re-join Sun Dog and the newly arrived Margaret Ann. Along the way we went through a large group of otters. Idled the engines for a while and let the current take us through them. Adorable little creatures, and oh so curious about us...
We anchored with our mini-Floatilla, had some dinner (yummy shrimp appetizer courtesy of Sun Dog), and Sun Dog's Captain and guest headed out to hunt bear. We went over to Margaret Ann to chit chat with our new friends. We bonded over wine and chocolate when suddenly Margaret Ann's co-captain spotted a bear on the shore! This is officially the closest I've been to a bear... unless you count the one that ran by our car in Homer. Ryan hopped in the dinghy to take a shot at it, unfortunately it was later found out his scope was of by 4 feet high and 3 feet to the left, so this guy ran back off into the woods safe and sound. Maybe next year.
We had to head out quite early the next morning (would have been before the crack of dawn if the sun ever set here LOL) to get back to the harbor and get The Captain back to his real job. So glad I decided to go this weekend. It was great to see old friends and meet some new ones. Looking forward to heading out with them again in July!
Friday, June 1, 2012
On the Boat with No Kids? Inconceivable!
It's the first real boating trip of the season, and we are blessed enough to head out with out any of the kids on board! How on earth does that happen you ask? Brainiac, Stud, and Sassy are back east visiting their dad. Lover Boy, Handsome, and Sweetie haven't arrived for the summer yet - they're still in school until June 8th. And we have some amazing friends who volunteered to take Little Man for the weekend. So it's true, NO kids. Eeeeek!
I almost didn't make it on this trip. Since getting back from the whirlwind Mall of America weekend, some sort of bug has made its way into my body and doesn't seem to want to leave. Little Man has been running me ragged with no siblings to play with, and I simply couldn't seem to rest enough to let my body recoup.
Enter Amazing Friends. Friday morning started out with what should have been a simple enough phone call asking how I was holding up. It only took about 30 seconds for the tears to start falling. I was exhausted, Little Man seemed to not want anything that I had to offer, the house was a disaster, and The Captain was at work with plans for the three of us to leave for the boat that night. P.S. - No packing or grocery shopping had been done at this point.
Amazing Friend instantly says she'll be over in a bit to pick up Little Man. Talks to me enough to make me realize that I need rest (Me? Wanna-be Super Mom? Rest? What's that?), and that the boating trip with the three of us just isn't in the cards for this weekend. She leaves with Little Man and enough supplies to get both of them through the day, and I call The Captain to give him the news. He had planned to meet friends out on the water, so I encouraged him to go and have fun and Little Man and I would stay here.
The Captain stepped up to the plate in more ways than one. He said the decision was mine to go or not go, but he would go pick up Little Man and take him with him because he didn't want to miss out on that time. He also promised that if I did go, it could be a completely relaxing trip for me. No work, no cleaning, no cooking. Just reading on the couch if I wanted to and enjoying the sights. Same thing I would be doing at home, only with better views and no housework sitting in the background tempting me to do it. Hmmmm... tempting.
Amazing Friend came by to pick up some more gear for Little Man and told her The Captain would be by later to pick him up and shared my debate over the promise of a relaxing boat weekend. I also shared that I was really leaning towards going. This is when Amazing Friend turned really Amazing and offered to take Little Man for the entire weekend. My jaw about dropped. Maybe it actually did. Without Little Man on board I could actually wrap my head around relaxing and healing on the boat this weekend.
I packed up some more gear for Little Man, gave him kisses and cuddles, thanked Amazing Friend profusely, and plopped my bootay on the couch for a quick nap before packing my things for the weekend.
So here we are, headed to the grocery store and then down to the boat. For three kidless days. I have a book loaded on my Kindle, some cards to play with The Captain, a cuddly pillow and warm blanket, and of course, my camera. It flabbergasts me how little I actually had to pack for this trip. What a difference it makes when the whole crew isn't coming. I might not begrudge boating trips so much if I didn't have to pack for an army each time! Haha.
Will Amazing Friend survive the weekend with rowdy Little Man? Will The Captain hold up to all his promises? Will I actually be able to relax and enjoy this trip?
We're about to find out!
I almost didn't make it on this trip. Since getting back from the whirlwind Mall of America weekend, some sort of bug has made its way into my body and doesn't seem to want to leave. Little Man has been running me ragged with no siblings to play with, and I simply couldn't seem to rest enough to let my body recoup.
Enter Amazing Friends. Friday morning started out with what should have been a simple enough phone call asking how I was holding up. It only took about 30 seconds for the tears to start falling. I was exhausted, Little Man seemed to not want anything that I had to offer, the house was a disaster, and The Captain was at work with plans for the three of us to leave for the boat that night. P.S. - No packing or grocery shopping had been done at this point.
Amazing Friend instantly says she'll be over in a bit to pick up Little Man. Talks to me enough to make me realize that I need rest (Me? Wanna-be Super Mom? Rest? What's that?), and that the boating trip with the three of us just isn't in the cards for this weekend. She leaves with Little Man and enough supplies to get both of them through the day, and I call The Captain to give him the news. He had planned to meet friends out on the water, so I encouraged him to go and have fun and Little Man and I would stay here.
The Captain stepped up to the plate in more ways than one. He said the decision was mine to go or not go, but he would go pick up Little Man and take him with him because he didn't want to miss out on that time. He also promised that if I did go, it could be a completely relaxing trip for me. No work, no cleaning, no cooking. Just reading on the couch if I wanted to and enjoying the sights. Same thing I would be doing at home, only with better views and no housework sitting in the background tempting me to do it. Hmmmm... tempting.
Amazing Friend came by to pick up some more gear for Little Man and told her The Captain would be by later to pick him up and shared my debate over the promise of a relaxing boat weekend. I also shared that I was really leaning towards going. This is when Amazing Friend turned really Amazing and offered to take Little Man for the entire weekend. My jaw about dropped. Maybe it actually did. Without Little Man on board I could actually wrap my head around relaxing and healing on the boat this weekend.
I packed up some more gear for Little Man, gave him kisses and cuddles, thanked Amazing Friend profusely, and plopped my bootay on the couch for a quick nap before packing my things for the weekend.
So here we are, headed to the grocery store and then down to the boat. For three kidless days. I have a book loaded on my Kindle, some cards to play with The Captain, a cuddly pillow and warm blanket, and of course, my camera. It flabbergasts me how little I actually had to pack for this trip. What a difference it makes when the whole crew isn't coming. I might not begrudge boating trips so much if I didn't have to pack for an army each time! Haha.
Will Amazing Friend survive the weekend with rowdy Little Man? Will The Captain hold up to all his promises? Will I actually be able to relax and enjoy this trip?
We're about to find out!
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