Everything waits for Cort

Today Grace was actually the first one ready to go outside. I sent her out and helped Cort finish. When I looked out the window it was so sweet to see the look on her face waiting for Cort. They are so different, Cort is always first out and he is gone. Grace had to wait for her leader.

Cort was to busy running for his bike to ride in the snow. He did not have time to stop and look and me, so we have a Cort on the run. I stepped outside in a tee shirt and house pants to snap a couple of pictures, then when I went to go back in the house I discovered I was locked out. What luck, all I wanted was a few fun pictures and I didn't even get a good picture of Cort. At least it was only about 15 min. before Frank was done with work. Good thing for nice neighbors. Duch, Frank's Co-worker, was home so I stayed at his house while the kids played outside.

For the Birds

The other day Lucy was at the window chattering at something. When we went to look there were birds everywhere outside the living room window. We used to have a big bird feeder hanging outside that window. The birds never went to it, and the sunflower seeds were sprouting in in feeder. I had Frank take it down and dump the seed on the bank. The birds in Metlakatla like to eat off of the ground instead of out of a feeder. They were digging with their little feet to uncover the seeds in the snow. Sorry the pictures are not clearer, I had to take them through the living room window.

I am not sure what kind of birds these are, Frank knew what one of them was. If anyone knows feel free to let us know.

Saturday Morning Beach Combers

I have been wanting to get a family picture on the beach since we got here. It is pretty good for resting the camera on driftwood.

We were checking out new places this morning. We had to hurry while it was low tide. You really can not explore as much during high tide. We walked about a mile or mile and half to where Frank and Grace are standing in front of the trees. We walked through the trees and then the beach was on the other side of the trees too. We really had to watch the time to make it back to the truck before the tide came and trapped us somewhere we did not want to be. Grace found this piece of driftwood and she had to have her picture taken on to it.

These pictures are front and back pictures. To do the scenery justice, I snapped the first picture and then ran behind them, so that you could see what they were looking at. What an amazing place to live! I thank Frank all the time for getting this job with the weather service.

Winter White Week

Here is my Winter White Week photo. I had to get up early to find some muskeg that was frosted over.

Here is the Henry the crab update: Henry did not make it through the night. Frank would not let me leave him for Cort and Grace to find. I told the kids that he looked sick so Frank took him back to the beach after the kids went to bed. I guess that little crabs need salt water not fresh water. Well now we know, and I think that the kids will be fine with that.

Another Day Another Beach

Peg, my friend in Fairbanks, said that her mom wanted a picture with all of her kids together. That made me think, I don't have many pictures with both kids looking at the camera and smiling. Thank you Kathy for your request. When I was taking the picture Cort was saying "Say Barnacles", then they both would yell "Barnacles". This is a beach that is only about a half mile form the old housing units. It was a gold mine for periwinkle shells, I think I bought home about 10 whole shells. Which earned this beach the name of "Periwinkle Beach". It was low tide and getting dark. The group of rocks that the kids are in front of spend most of their time under water. Can you see all of the barnacles all over the rocks?

When we were collecting all of the shells, we shook the shells so that we did not bring home any new friends. Well, I found a little crab in one of the shells again. I tried not to let the kids know that it was there, but they figured it out. Then Grandma Sandy called and she convinced me that all kids need to have a critter die in a jar. She asked me how many fuzzy caterpillars, frogs or grasshoppers I put in a jar and killed when I was little. I had no defense, we now have a crab named "Henry". I had to get a picture of Henry's home. In the top picture Cort is holding Henry, The kids had so much fun with him tonight. The last picture is Henry in all his glory, what a handsome crab he is!

Daddy's Work

This is what Frank sees when he looks out his window at work!

This afternoon we had the truck so about 4:00 we loaded up the bikes in the truck and spent the last hour with Frank at work. Cort is heading to an old Coast Guard hanger that is next to Frank office. Grace is pulling up the rear. Behind her is Frank's office. The hanger was interesting, Frank said it was built for WWII. Not much inside it, lots of broken glass and gutted out offices in there. Oh yes, and lots of puddles!

The lookout tower is on the other side of the hanger. I just thought it looked neat, it is all rusty and it looks like it had a lot of use in its day. Right before we left I saw the moon in the sky and snapped another picture for the front steps of Frank's office. I love living in Metlakatla.

January in Metlakatla

Today we had fun at the school playground! The two girls that were there playing before we got there said that the yellow thing the kids are playing on is called "The Spider". It was so sunny and bright, hard to believe that it is January. The picture of Grace was inspired by JoAnna, she took one like it of Lilly.

Colorful Day

We made the inside of the house bright and colorful, because it was not outside. After living in Fairbanks where it is colder than O degrees most of the winter, I feel bad to say it was cold and yucky out side when it was 41 out. We did walk to go get the mail, once we got moving it was not that cold and it didn't even rain while we were on our walk. Of course we were about a half mile into our 2 mile walk when Grace told me she had to go potty and it could not wait till we got back home. She did make it to the swimming pool, we picked up a schedule and used the potty. That is what I get for not having everyone potty before we leave the house:) The kids wanted to show there Grandmas their pictures. I thought this was going to be the best way to do that.

New Sandy Beach

Today we went to a new beach. This was a really nice sandy beach I think it will be the best one for swimming at. Grace got a ride over the big rocks to get to the sand. Once we were on the sand she was ready to run! I found a periwinkle shell, it was not a whole shell:( But they look so big when you first find them. When we got home and I was washing it out in the sink something fell out. I took a closer look and then started to scream for Frank and Cort to get in the kitchen right away. I little baby crab was crawling around in the sink! When I calmed down it was really neat. Lucy, the cat, even checked it out. After she smelt it she did not want anything to do with it.

We even found 2 hermit crabs. Cort is holding the first one we found. He was more excited about the second one we found, maybe because it was bigger.

Grace was so cute looking for shells. She would find one that want Frank to pick it up for her. What can I say she is all girl! Then I could not pass on the picture of Frank and Cort walking by the water. I think this is one of my new favorite pictures. It make me think of all the different conversations they might be having while they are walking.

Peg, those explorer bags are the BEST! Thank you sooooo much!

Cort's Creations

This is what happens when you send your 5 year old out side to play and you stay inside. I told him we were going to move the pile of dirt this spring, so not to add any more dirt to the pile. I looked outside last night and saw he had made an army shelter. The long stick toward the bottom right is a cannon, the pile of rocks is a shelter from gun fire, then the big stick at the top of the hill is his machine gun. He must get it from Frank, I was never that creative when I was little.

A few weeks ago when he was outside playing he made this fire pit. Nice looking pit! Then he had to fill it with wood and branches, he is so cute! The car behind the fire pit is only about a foot long, so at least the fire pit does not take up the whole front yard.

Beach Day

Cort helping his sister climbing up the little hill by the beach. The tide was so high you could not walk on the other side of the bunch of trees.

Grace was trying to stay away from the tide. She gets a little worried when that water comes rushing up to her.

Cort decided that this drift wood was a ship that he was going to need to steer.

Beach Mission

I have found these shells the last few time we have gone to the beach. I keep trying to find one that is not broken. That is my goal, to find a periwinkle shell that does not have a whole in it. It is nice to find something different that clams and mussels on the beach.

Ferry Fun

Grace is such a ham, I told her we needed a picture and she got close to Cort with a big smile. Cort on the other hand thinks his sister is just funny. Then he decided his Harley needed to crash into Grace's pony barn. Grace is to quick, the barn missed the crash. As you can see Grace was very proud that she moved it first.

This little clip shows you what happens when you sing an old song to your kids. The kids had fun playing with their Happy Meal toys on the ride home last night.

Work, Work, Work

Poor Cort, he told me yesterday that that was going to be the only day off he gets for the whole month. The pictures are beside the driveway. Grace is making sure that he gets the work done right. Cort is such a great big brother he lets her help and gives her all sorts of jobs to do.