Our Alaska Adventure

Wow, how time does fly! I haven't had internet for the past month, so there is a lot to tell about. I will have to tell all about New Orleans later, when I have some pictures.
First off, a little about Alaska. We flew in the 29th of June, getting in about 1am Anchorage time (3am Utah time). The flight went fairly well. We had a super stewardess that helped up get all of our baggage checked and kids settled. That was a feat! I think we had a total of 9 travel items/bags; three carry-ons, the stroller, port-a-crib, 2 car seats, and 2 checked bags. We had a lay over in long beach. I thought it was going to be rediculous trying to get 2 kids, three bags, the stroller and a car seat transfered to our next plane, but the man sitting next to me helped us and the walk to the next plane was like 100 total yards. It's a super small airport. Plane ride number two was a little more challenging. Tolson fell asleep shortly after take off, but Azilyn was too excited. She played well for a little while, then pulled her usual, traveling at bedtime routine, which involves 10 minutes of crying and complaining before finally giving up in exhaustion and falling asleep mid-"my toe hurts, boo hoo hoo". It was a lovely display. I'm sure all the passengers agreed! They slept the entire flight, til the last 10 munutes and woke up upon descent when the whole cabin began to wake up an rustle around in their seats. Im sure the pressure change had some influence as well. Azilyn then cried the entire way to baggage claim until she saw her Daddy! Yeah!!! Tolson wasnt too sure of him at first. I think it was because his head was shaved (thanks, Hun! I really hate it when he does that.) We stayed in Anchorage that night.
The first few days all blurred together as we tried to adjust to the time change and long travel day/all-nighter. It's been a hard adjustment still. Adjusting to a new place, new house, borrowed car, few personal belongings (everything is still in Provo). Azilyn has been testing her boundries with Everything, on top of being her normal sassy, independent, "terrible" two-year-old self. We live in a little cabin 15 miles out of "town". It's a one bedroom house with an open common area for living, kitchen and dining. We have the only enclosed room with built-in closets that maybe a quarter of my wardrobe will fit. Danny's brother Sam is living with us too. There is an up stairs area big enough for a twin size bed and dresser where he stays, and he has his own bathroom. The kids are sharing a "room" for the first time. Their space is a sun room, featuring eight 6ft tall x 2ft wide windows and an exterior door. This area also has built-in cupboard space which serves as a pantry and entertainment cupboard for food and DVD storage. We do have 3 small drawers and no hanger space to put their clothes. Luckily, their room is big enough to fit a bed, crib, and a couple totes for toys. Oh, the room also has a 45" sq window like opening that opens up into the kitchen, and there's no door enclosing the room! This has served very interesting while trying to keep Azilyn in the room for naps, or out while Tolson is napping, or for mere sound and privacy during these times. It's nearly impossible to even do the dishes or vacuum while one of the kids is asleep.
Needless to say, it's been a difficult transition. I think I am doing rather well at keeping my sanity (although some days I wonder) and a positive outlook. We will be in this house for 1 year, maybe two before Danny will begin applying for jobs around the country. In the mean time, Danny will be doing some course work in Process & Instrumentation Technology, and aims to be a Plant Operator (Oil Refinery, Water Treatment, Power, etc.) someday. I will be putting in job applications this week, looking for a Physical Therapy Assistant position, or the like.
We are blessed to have some of Danny's family near (Mom & Dad, Brother, Sister, and several Uncles and cousins). We also live in a fantastic, young ward that is very strong in the church, tight-knit and active! I have met several new friends already and have been surprised at the small world in which we live. Our first week we met a family that were in our same ward when we first got to Provo. Last week, we met some close friends of Danny's cousin and many other young, pro-active and friendly families. Today, we ran into my Icelandic professor from BYU, who has always felt like family, and had dinner with our 32-year-old bishop and his family. All, wonderful people I am excited to get to know better!
Many people, even I, have questioned why we would to Alaska, of all places, and so far from my family, but I think the Lord really has our best interest in mind by sending us here. This is a great opportunity to finish up school, pay off some bills, meet new friends, contribute in His church, and grow together as a family. Though I am still hesitant about my surroundings and nervous for the up coming months, I am glad to be with my wonderful husband and together as a family in our cozy little cabin in the woods.
We have a bid yard for the kids to play in (supervised, of course) and many little forest friends that we look forward to seeing. A white bunny lives nearby and loves to eat his meals under the cool shade of our surrounding canopy. Grass, trees, and wild flowers grow spontaneously and abundantly here and our little bunny loves to eat all the dandelions and clovers in our yard. We have a black cat that visits occasionally, her keeps the rodents under control, and a family of squirrels nest in one of our sheds. We have seen 3 moose in our yard, a momma and her baby, and a small (6ft) bull, with antlers about as big as his ears (about 8 inches), stubs really. All of which scared the crap out of me as I saw them out of the corner of my eye, through the window and thought they were bears! Luckily, we have seen no bears around our house. The moose like to eat the young, tender trees and plants around the yard. The other day I saw a planted garden surrounded by an 8ft leaning fence to keep the moose out! Good luck with that. We see grazing moose off the highway daily, no big bulls yet, and there is a sign on the highway that says, "Give Moose a Brake," 252 moose killed on the hwy in the last year!
It is very beautiful here. We live less than a mile from the Cook Inlet, so it stays a little cooler. I think the high since I've been here was 76 degrees. Normal morning temp is around 45deg. My Icelandic friend told me it is colder here than in Iceland! Awesome. I think Danny stretched the truth about the weather as he was telling me about it before we came, telling me about only the best days. It rains weekly and is overcast 50% of the days, but usually just for 1/2 the day, then warms up to 60-70deg. The sun sets about 11pm now, but it stays very light & dusky til wee hours of morn. It's very strange and the kids sometimes have trouble with it (like when we're traveling after bedtime). We have descent blinds that block the light when necessary. Our bedroom can blackout.
Well, that's all I can think of about where we live. Some other interesting things that have happened since we got here include, Danny's $510 no proof of insurance ticket. Azilyn's attempt at breaking her arm (just a sprain though), and Azilyn and I having the flu.
Tolson is walking and talking more! He says Yes a lot, which is adorable! And he makes lots of other understandable words, though I know he's saying a lot which I dont catch. Today he said one of his first sentences, "she is sad," when Azilyn was crying. Then he wanted to go give her loves! We gave his his first haircut yesterday and he is so handsome! He loves his mamma best, and loves his sister and Papi!
Azilyn loves to use her loud voice, watch the bunny, and walk to the post office (1/4 away), pick flowers, and "help" mom. She missed her Provo house, grandma, and playmates, and needs to get out to play with some new friends.
I have been trying to get us settled and working on Azilyn's quilt. I was hoping to have it done for her birthday, but alas, it will not be so. It's kinda hard to make a quilt when your sewing machine is still in Provo!
Danny is working hard building a shop/apartment with his dad, brothers, and uncles. He will be back in Provo to pack our apartment the first week of August, will drive everything back the second week, then start classes the third week.
We have been able to do some sight seeing and fishing. We went on a hike to see the salmon jumping some falls. There were bear on the hike, but we never saw one, just heard it in the bushes! Ahhh! We also went Halibut fishing abt a week ago. The ocean was calm like a glass lake and we caught our limit. One 100 pounder and bunch of smaller 30-40 pound guys. Halibut are flat and have both eyes on one side of their body. Ugly! The ones I caught werent big fighters, but it's tiring reeling up a 30lb fish from 150ft, with the resistance of the water and the weight of the boat and tide pulling on your catch. This week will be the big salmon run and we'll get some good sockeyes! Yesterday we went to Seward, walked on the boat docks and saw a glacier. It was warm, 75 deg, but the glacier produces a catabolic wind of abt 20-30mph and it makes you shiver! Burrrr! It was lots of fun. Azilyn walked both 3 mile roundtrip hikes without complaint! I think she was just glad to get out of the house.
Our next adventures include clam digging and shrimping, and possible caribou hunting (well, just for viewing). I would also like to go to North Pole, Santa's workshop, and Denali NP this summer!
We love you and miss you all!