Wonders of this Winter-Land! (Part 2)

Guess what, I take it back.  Global warming is a hoax!

Its freaking cold out there!  This is the alaska winter I remember.

Of course, with the cold, I now have a cold and my asthma hates me.  Dr Foote wouldn't let me get my allergy shot today because I have cold symptoms.  I guess, asthma does not like to be hit by a cold and allergic reaction at the same time.  So, try again next week.  Pray for me, and that my car will get fixed!

Wonders of this Winter-Land!

So, I really think MAYBE, just maybe I should have taken my english class last year a bit more seriously.  I took English 213, Writting for the Social and Natural Sciences, but my hippie Teacher turned it into "Envirowriters" or a writting for the environment class.  And we had to reasearch and write about things like Global warming and the vegetarian movement as a means to save the planet.  I thought she was crazy, still do, but on the topic of Global warming-Maybe I should look into it more.  I was convinced it was a hoax, I had my Chemistry teacher on my side, but then, winters like this kinda make me wonder.  Usually, we spend the week leading up to Thanksgiving with negative temps, like, 30 below and colder-I remember!  Every year the week before thanksgiving in the middle of november we would have a whole week of seminary cancelled.  Church cold weather policy cancels the extra meetings and seminary at -30.  Anyways, so when I walked outside for the first time since Sunday today, and was walking through puddles of standing water 2 inches deep-I was slightly alarmed.

Anyways, here's to my first school cancelling because of weather.  The only time this ever happened to me before was on a Sunday in highschool, it rained, so they cancelled Church.  That was weird.  Anywho-hope everyone out there is staying warm and safe!

Patch Adams

What an Inspiring Guy.  I wasn't sure what to expect when I went to his -lecture? today, but it was amazing.  I was in tears in a few spots.  Just overwhelmed with a sense of caring for his cause and the people he meets.  You could tell he was genuine-and his ideas are so idealistic.  He really beleives in his cause and labors for it, its a labor of love.  I think Robin Williams did an excellent portrayal of his essence-his sense of curiosity and love and compassion for other humans.  He's not immune to reality-he just sees the world through a broader lens that allows him to care for the individual.  I wrote so much of what he said down-I wish I had a recording of the evening.  I hope that whenever I start my career-and that whomever I come into contact with, I can share a sense of love and concern for them.

Patch said he never said "Laughter is the best medicine"  But that "Friendship is the best medicine-and laughter, humor is a means to make that friendship."  It was wonderful.  And I will forever cherish his wisdom in my heart, and strive to be a little more positive, a little more happy, a little more concerned and a little more caring with everyone I meet.  Thank you Mr Adams!

Other Than that, today was also fun, because we had our first real snow (didn't stick around much, but it was definately there.)  On my lunch break from Classes I went home to find lysie in her snowcoat, boots, snowpants, mittens, the whole regalia.  So I joined her and we tossed some small, puny snowballs around, but had oh so much fun!  

As of late

here's an Update:

Went to Anchorage last weekend for a wonderful temple trip :)  Enjoyed every min of it, and the weather was perfect from Fairbanks to abt Trapper Creek (just before the road construction) on both days of driving!  Also, the unperfect weather in the southern part of our great state still wasn't that bad.  :)  In Denali Nat'l Park, we saw the Great One-our beautiful mountain Denali/Mt Mckinley-Heres some pictures from the trip:

My September 11, 2010

Today was beautiful.  I woke up, got dressed (which I really didn't feel like getting out of my jammies, so it was a big deal, thus it gets to be listed in the days activities), got a haircut, then spent a glorious fall afternoon in Nature with my darling Travis.  I've been saying every weekend, "We need to go outside while the weather is still good" And so finally, the weather was PERFECT and the leaves are a beautiful golden.  So we went to Chena Lakes-but past where you turn off to go to the lakes but farther down the main road to where theres a beautiful river campsite and a few walking trails.  Oh, I just can't say enough, but it was beautiful.  There, we threw rocks in the water like little kids-Travis can throw then reallly high and really far (hit the sign on the other side of the river, or threw them really high so they would make cool sounds when the fell into the water, like "THWOOPM") and he's really good at skipping rocks-I've said it once and I'll say it again, I'm easy to please!  I loved it!

Other than that, he made me some dinner, and we watched a movie.  It was a great day.

Kinda Ironic given the anniversary of today, 9/11.......but I think its a perfect example of how God gives us tender mercies.  Beautiful weather and sunshine to light up the shadows and open our eyes to all the beauties and blessings still extended and offered to us.

3 Day Weekends

Remember how I said I couldn't wait for Tuesday-well, now I can wait, except Tuesday is here.  I worked hard to try and get my homework done, and its not done.  :P  LAME.  But, on the plus side, I have more done than I would have had I been in the state of mind I was a year ago-being that I wasn't driven and motivated, and so even though I didn't complete it, my confidence and my ambition to get it done are not shot.  Usually at this point I figure I'm too behind and I'm not going to ever get caught up, this time, I beleive I will get caught up, and I will be successful, and I want to put forth that effort because this is my future.   I love this program-and I've only had two days of classes so far!  I have to go ti bed now, but tomorrow, I will catch up, and be on top of the days tasks because its all so worth it right now, never have I felt more like theres a purpose to it all!  Goals are wonderful things.

Also, in recap of the wonderful labor day weekend:
Steak and twice baked potatoes.  Yum.   And beautiful sunshine and golden leaves, red bushes, fading greens-its soooo beautiful out there!

Not ready for cold and dark, but lovin the moment.

Also, I saw eat pray love with Momma and Kimmie, LOVED it.  I wanna go to Italy and Bali now.  India wasn't as apealing, but still, good movie!

My Mercury is not whack!

Attention:

Today in Fairbanks Alaska, it got up to 90 degrees.  And right now, at 10:22 pm it is around 80.

I'm very hot, tired, uncomfortable and grouchy.  I have to have a fan on to sleep
And I stayed in my dress all day because it was cooler than trying to wear pants

All this is eveidence that my personal thermometer is back on track.

California's goosbumps at 70 degrees was just a temporary glitch in the system.

Please go about your day as normal, but if tomorrow's forcast is hot-plan your wardrobe accordingly.

Thanks you-
This public service announcement was brought to you by
Melanie Blog industries.

Alaska Fun

So, I've lived in Alaska my whole life.  Born on Ft Wainwright, and when I was one, we moved into my current address-but this winter was the first time I caught on camera the simple wonders of winter weather-thanks to Travis's help.  I was going through pics the other day, and these just had to go on the blog.  All you out of towners enjoy!

We went For a walk with Travis' dog, we were probably out in the elements a good hour or more.  It was a lovely walk!

My Eyelashes kept sticking together! And my facial muscles are kinda numb so my mouth looks funny!

Trying to talk , note the frost on the eyebrows, upper lip, cheeks

Frost queen!

Home again Home again

I've been home for a grand total of 4 days, so I figured its time to write

Coming home always has this odd feeling about it, because it always changes....yet somehow maintains this sense of home.

Somethings never change-like the clutter, or the never ceasing jokes from Rulon, or mom's exhaustion, or my desire to get stuff done and my total lack of motivation to get stuff done upon arrival back home...

And other things change, like gaining a roommate(at home I haven't had to share a room since we moved into the remodeled house when I was in 5th grade!) and that roommate being tall enough to climb out of the crib

Its always amazing to me to discover things such as Elyse's nonstop chatter flourishing into big kid conversations-or how pathetic the cats look when we have to shave their fur off due to Liam's and my allergies...

And hard to adjust to things such as Robin stealing my bathroom shelf and space in the medicine cabinet-or being roommates with a 1 yr old who can climb out of the crib....  (Have you caught on to how blown away I am that he can do that!  That little guy is so strong!)

But then there is always still that sense of home, and that special way that we come closer after returning and reuniting.  Today Robin, Elyse, Liam, and I went out side and danced in the rain.  This morning I woke up and took Elyse walking around the block so she could splash in every puddle she could find.  I was soaking wet, and muddy, but its those simple things that bring us close.  I don't know if Elyse will remember that 10 years from now, but I will.  Last time I came home from a trip, Elyse was splashing in puddles (to my dismay) and she feel and ripped a hole in her pants.  I picked her up and told her she'd be okay, and forgot about it, till 2 months later Elyse reminded me "Melanie do you remember I fell and you picked me up?"  Now I'll remember that always.  Those little things are what make our lives with our families special.  That we know we can count on them and that they can come to us is what its about.  And that trust and love is built in the little moments that bring us a ray of sunshine each day, no matter how wet or how heavy the downpour.

I just want to echo the words of John Bowring who said "A happy family is but an earlier heaven."  And add that I know its the truth.  I love my family and I love being home.  I wish Amanda and Jordan were here with us more often, but look forward to their big adventures-including the family expansion this October!  


With that, I'm off-to mingle with mother!  :)

My mercury is whack!

I have always prided myself on my ability to withstand the cold.

When I was 12, one time my family gathered at this lodge in the hills near Manti Utah for my uncles wedding.  This Lodge had a big wrap around porch-one side entertaining us with a hot tub.  Me and my cousins decided it would be fun to run from one side of the lodge (the hot tub side) to the other in our barefeet-and back.  It was april, but it snowed for us during out hot tub party which is why the run from one side of the lodge to the other was a fun idea.  After soaking in the hot tub, the snow was so cold it burned!  As we ran around, my feet went numb, but I was so "Alaskan tough" that I put on a face and sucked it up for sake of my state pride/ego.  A few of the younger cousins couldn't handle it, so then I carried them part of the way piggy back style-which was also cold, but I was just proving how "tough" I was...and what wussie's they were in the snow. 

When I went to school in Idaho-I refused to pull out my big winter down coat.  It was windy so I figured it was more logical to just wrap up in several layers of polar fleece anyways.  There were two days, only two that winter, that I will admit, to it actually being Cold.  I still say the rest of the winter was only chilly.  However, from the windy city of Rexdburg I did decide that Leg warmers aren't weird, but actually quite practical, and therefore, worth buying and cordinating with an outfit.  

I share these stories, to give you a picture of where my personal thermometor stood before.  I used to prefer cold to heat, I thought, "Theres only so much you can pull off when its hot out, but when its cold you can always pile more on."  My personal thermometer read 70 degrees as HOT.  And About 68 was ideal comfort level.  at 80 degrees, I thought I would fry.

That thermometer worked great for living in alaska.  However, I have a problem.  I'm in California this summer.  When I got here, they were having my ideal weather.  It felt great, but everyone else was complaining about the cool weather.  Then, it started warming up, gradually over the last 6 and a half weeks.  On monday, this pattern Climaxed at 100 degrees, at 3 pm.  And I enjoyed it.  I was outside in the sun, and I remembered my sunscreen, and to reapply it, so I didn't burn.  It was awesome!  Then, Tuesday night, at Sids softball game, it was 70 degrees outside, and I was chilly!  AAAAAH!   Help me!

California screwed up my thermometer! 

I'm gonna die this winter....

Temple Square

So, I went today with my good friend Jared Wight to temple square-which I thought I had seen it all, but it gave us something to do while we caught up since we havn't seen eachother in years!  And well, we're walking along avoiding missionaries as best we could be cause they're EVERYWHERE and its always kinda akward because they should be talking to the tourists and nonmembers right?  Well, some got us when we stepped inside the tabernacle.  We chatted for a minute or two, and then asked them if there was anything we should see specifically-I expected them to say the Christus Statue, but was surprised to hear about this presentation on the family (only half surprised)  that most people don't know about because its in a room back behind the Christus-anyways, so we say sure. And oy-it was so good.  Of course, cheezey acting was part of it, but the message was about eternal families-and they were right, there were parts in it for everybody.  It started as just something to do, but ended up being a kinda poinant personal experience for me.  Good suggestion Jared/Sister Missionaries!  Thank you!