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!

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!

Independance Day Party!

So, for the 4th of July Weekend, I went to San Fran again.  Saturday, Travis and I went to His Work Party.  For those who might still be in the dark (I don't know how you would be, I just want to brag again), Travis' work This summer is an internship at Lucas Film.  As in the company owned ad crated by George Lucas-the man who created Star Wars, Indiana Jones-His company included Industrial Lights and Magic-which is the place that does the special effects for ummmm....Practically EVERY awesome movies you've seen in the last 32 years (it was the 32 annual picnic).

Anyways, with that as an Intro-now lets talk about the picnic.

The Company has rules about taking photos, and that we can't post photos....but I can tell you about them! I can tell you about picture we took with a bright red shiney Skywalker Ranch Firetruck-I just can't show you on the internet.  I can tell you about the picture of us in front of Ewok Lake, where we had raft races, but you'll have to ask me sometime to see it. And no, I didn't win the raft races, but our team did get first place in a relay race.  The one where you have to hurry put the clothes on run around the cone then take the goofy clothes off so the next person in your team can do the same.  We did it the fastest out of about 8 or more teams-we were pretty happy with ourselves.  We got fancy blue ribbons and everything.

After the relay races, we got to kick back by the pool, and we ate more food.  They had this field set up like you would picture a county fair-with the big tents and rows and rows of picnic tables, and a tent for getting the food, a tent for getting the drinks.  There was an Ice cream truck-with really yummy ice cream, and the weather was soo hot I was having a hard time eating the ice cream before it melted.  That was a new expirience.

Other things there were to do that we didn't get around to, they had horseback/pony rides, lots of relays we didn't make time for, they had little hiking trails, they had wagon rides around the ranch (we tried to do that, but when we were waiting the horses must have been taking a break or getting switched out-and we went to go swimming in the pool) they had a volley ball court, a field people were playing soccer in-all sorts of stuff.  It was awesome!

Here's one picture I can show-after the day at the ranch, Travis and his roommates all crashed.  I tried to take a nap, but it just didn't happen.  I don't think trying to take a nap works very well.  Anyways, poor guys just had too much fun, and came home and crashed.  Look closely, theres 3 of them!


Other than that, here's what I've been doing:

Scavenger Hunts
Pool parties
Playing on Beaches
Exploring San Fran
Movie dates with Travis
Thursday Night Salsa/Bolero series classes @ Arthur Murray
BART and your there
Softball games
Walks with Travis-one was a 6 mile round trip walk to/From Church!

Here's a few pics:

After the Beasts Lost again-we celebrated the season at a sports place that has awesome sized apetizers half off on Tuesdays

After Touring Lucas FilmOffices where Travis works daily, we explored the area, and saw this place!

Sid and Alex with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background

Me and Alex went on a Scavenger Hunt-and looked for 10 different flowers (we found like 50 different types) but this Rose was SO pretty!

Part of the scavenger Hunt was find 4 vinyards, I like the vinyards!

This Land was made for you and me!

This land is your land, this land is my land

From California to the New York Island

From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters

This land was made for you and me. I love that song, and whenever I think of Redwoods, it pops into my head!  Anyways, Here's some cool pics!  

Travis and I, in the tree.  What a goof ball is he!

So, obviously, we went to a forrest of Redwoods.  Its called Muir Woods.  Its was AWESOME!  The pictures just don't do it justice, Next I want to see the Sequoias-they aren't as tall as the redwoods, but they are massive in diameter, and just after getting a taste of the redwoods, oy.  I love it!  Theres something magical about seeing such magnificent sights, it really puts into perspective how blessed I am-of All God's creations, Man and Woman are his most magnificent.  What simple things trees are, biologically speaking, yet how maginificent and grand-they are.  It sure does gladden the heart and please the eye.  I love it. 

Anyways, Other than the trees, we also went to the beach.  By then my cameras battery had died, so I couldn't take a picture but, despite the cold wind and water and flying sand (Northern California beaches aren't good for sunbathing or water sports....) the sight was beautiful.  I love the way the ocean melts into the sky on the horizon.  Its not a clear defined horizon but the blue of the sky and ocean melt together into this hazy deeper hue of blue-and it was one of those sights that inspires, and makes me wish I was more artistically talented. One of those scenes I wish I could recreate on paper and have on my wall to enjoy for forever.  

Little Sisters are the best.

It was an interesting night.  

To start off, me and Elyse were playing just before dinner, so there was a fight to get her to the table to eat.  But then when Kimmie put noodles on her plate, and she started eating before prayer I just told her "you get to pray because you ate first"  So without a fight (which lately prayers have been a struggle...she'll go off and be loud and we just ignore her) she asked for help and said a wonderful prayer.  It was word for word what her daddy said, but hey, she prayed.  Well, then we had FHE, and she wouldn't listen to the lesson and almost went to bed.  We had a very quick distracted lesson by mommy, but made it through.  Then it was a fight to get out the door for activity (which was go look at birds).  Then at Creamers feild it was a fiht to get out of the car, then back to the car-after finally getting home we had dessert, and she calmed down till she was done.  So, I decided lets burn off energy and go on the trampoline.  She was having a ball but then wouldn't listen to come inside for prayer, so she had time out in her room while we said the closing prayer because Kimmie had to leave.  Then, I went to check on her, and she was on the toilet sobbing.  So I talked to her, and then conversation eventually went this direction:

Me: When we love mommy and daddy do we tell them?  

Elyse:  Yea

Me:  Well, Heavenly Father Loves you, Thats why we say prayers, so we can tell him!

Then after some hugs and goofyness it went this direction:

Me: Where did Daddy come from?
Elyse: I don't know
Heavenly Father
Where did Mommy come from?
I don't know
Heavenly Father
Where did Robin Come from?
I don't know
Heavenly Father
Where did Liam come from?
I don't know
HEavenly Father
Where did Melanie come from?
I don't know
Heavenly Father
Where did Lysie Come from?
I don't know
Where do you think?
Jesus!
Thats right!
Where did Daddy come from?
I don't know
Where do you think?
Jesus!
Yeas!
Where did mommy come from?
I don't know
Where do you think?
Jesus!
Where did Robin come from?
Jesus!
Where did Melanie come from?
Jesus!
Where did Lysie come from?
Jesus!
Where did Liam come from?
Jesus!
Thats right Elyse you are so smart!
You forgot Jordan and Travis!



Then still a little later, I grabbed the big fanc family version book of mormon (has lots of pictures and definitions...cool book) And Then my mom was about to send Elyse to bed but I gave her the option to sit and read with me or to go straight to bed, she chose to sit w/me.  So, starting with the testimonies of the witnesses at the beggining of the book, we read.  When we came to Joseph Smiths she was getting distracted so I asked her some questions:

Do you know who Joseph Smith is?
Yea
Who is he?
A prophet!
Thats right!
Who told you that?  was is at church or did mommy tell you?
Mommy told me

What is a testimony?

  It keeps us safe

Thats right!

Then I had her read, I would read a little and then she'd repeat.   Slow going, but good stuff!  After a little of that she got antsy and went to help mommy, then it was time to go to bed, so she came back to sit with me.  I had started reading towards the back of the book because I think we're there for institute, and I was reading about the Brother of Jared.  She read with me only a little part, but heres what was soo cool about all of it, my mom asked me to take her to bed, so we go up there (had to dare her she couldn't beat me upstairs to get her to go) and I say its time for a goodnight prayer, and she protested just once, but then said the prayer all by herself:

Heavenly Father thank you for this day, thank you for family, and thank you for light,  please keep Robin safe, thank you that Jesus Loves me, in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.


I love that little girl SO stinkin much.