OK, here I am officially BLOGGING now, because Lisa has finally forced me to sit down with her and get with it! I'm actually enthused to be up-and-running, or at least up-and-walking, with this project. It's my intent to use this as a way to renew my long-procrastinated scrapbooking efforts, with which I've gotten woefully behind through the years. John and I also want to keep up with all our loved ones this way. So, thank you for getting me started, LISA!I guess I'll begin at the center of our blessed life in Alaska -- with J&T. In case you don't recognize, the Handsome Guy on the left is John and the Lucky Gal on the right is me -- on August 24, 2008, our 8th wedding anniversary. Of course I decorated the house to the hilt with yards and yards of TULLE (my fond nickname from Wasilla Young Women is Tulle Queen, long story)-- and I also enshrined our fireplace with assorted and sundry paraphenalia.
Happy Anniversary! I love you forevo Johnnie Cakes!!!
Life with rambunctious Jessica Elizabeth (12-years old currently) is extra wacky with her equally-crazy friend from down the street, Zahide (pronounced Zah-hee-dah). They're definitely doing a good job in keeping us from getting too old around here! In this particular shot from end-of-summer 2008, Jessica had accidentally poked out Zahide's eye (well not actually out, but it was pretty darn red). I convinced Z to wear a bandage so that she wouldn't blink and let it heal, and Jessica couldn't contain her hysteria (a common occurrence.)
We live on Gail Drive, which happens to be a mecca for Middle School minions (about a dozen in the immediate area) --of course a dream come true for Jessica. Actually some of the cutest boys at Teeland Middle School live right on "the street where we live" . . . to the continual delight of our daughter and cohorts.
One night in late August 2008, during a Dude Sleepover at our neighbor's, six rowdy boys came over and "FORKED" our house in the middle of the night. (Have you ever heard of it? A somewhat vicious prank involving at least a thousand plasticware stuck into the lawn). Nice job Boys. So we took a deep breath (as we so often do nowadays), laughed the initial shock away, and promptly called their Mom. Begrudgingly the boys came over and pulled said forks from lawn. Oh yeah, Jess and Z were instantly COOL . . . as if they weren't cool enough already.
In September, Lisa decided to take a break from school, and has come home for a while . . . which was an unexpected blessing for John, me and Jess! Here Lisa and I are posing for our ever-avid photographer Jessica, in the midst of our spectacular autumn backyard.Lisa is such a beautiful and charming sweetie, and we feel OVERJOYED to have her around for a coupla months!
My dear b
rother Mark came up from Tucson on his way to Fairbanks, where he'll be this entire winter. I was soooo excited to get a visit from my (little) six-foot-five bro! Mark wanted to see some Alaskan sights, so we took him up to Hatcher's Pass -- to the left is the delapidated mine that they've now made into a State Park. 
Right: We're on the way to Hatcher's, and stopped to check out the mountain sheep on the distant hillside, with Mark's super-powerful binoculars.
