Tender Mercies

"So do you think you will have as many adventures when you move to Kansas?" asked my friend and colleague at dinner the other night. Hmm. That's a good question! While I know we will be having our own Kansas adventures, I am pretty sure they won't be looking like this: Per our anniversary tradition on Black Friday, we began the morning at the Anchorage LDS Temple for a session and then had a lovely lunch at Sack's Cafe  (seriously a great spot for foodies and families alike!) I have a difficult time sitting all day, so I suggested that we go on an "easy-ish" hike, something we could see great views of the city and surrounding mountains. We chose to hike the popular Flattop Trail , a 3.4 mile round-trip hike with a 1300 feet elevation gain. Doesn't sound too bad for a fun afternoon with your hubby does it? Though I am so glad I completed this hike (which would have been impossible without Marshall), it was the most difficult hike I have ever don...

We are closing in on the final pages of the Alaska chapter of our life.  It has been a marvelous chapter, one that I am sad to be finishing. Yes, I am excited for the next chapter and its adventures, but this one has been so good to us. I can count the number of weeks we have left in my new favorite state on one hand. And yet, there are still enough weeks for some last-minute adventures! Hiking the Mount Healy Overlook Trail was one of them. When my dad came to visit us a couple of weeks ago, we took a drive down to Denali National Park to hike around a bit and show him the fantastic scenery of interior Alaska. We hiked the Mt. Healy Overlook Trail because it was only about 4.5 miles roundtrip but had spectacular views we could enjoy at the top.  It was pretty chilly when we started our hike at 2:30pm, Here I am, sporting my Arctic Winter Games gear! The trail was 2.3 miles uphill, with a 25% grade. It wasn't long until we ditched our overcoats on the side of the tr...

It is now safe to say that summer is officially over. The temperatures have cooled down to below freezing at night, there is now less sunlight than night, and we picked up our final share of farm-fresh veggies last week from our CSA farm. What is a CSA you ask? It stands for Community Shared Agrilculture , which is a program where you have a direct relationship with the farmer and where your veggies grow. We payed $365 at the beginning of the season and picked up our fresh veggies every Monday from June through September.  There are a handful of CSA farms in and around Fairbanks, but I am glad we picked Calypso Farm ( click for link ). I had the opportunity to go to the farm a couple of times to help out with farm, talk with the wonderful farmers, Susan, Christie, and the other farm hands, and get my hands dirty! I was able to help out with some thinning of the carrot plants in the early season, and then in August I was able to help with their compost pile. The season official...

Have you ever had a week where it seemed like the world was testing you for everything you really really wanted? That was my week last week. When Saturday came, it was time to escape and find some peace and refuge from the clamors of the world.  With limited time left in Alaska, we set off on a new hike we've been wanting to do for quite some time: Angel Rocks to Chena Hot Springs. Because we weren't up for doing 17.4 miles in one day, we drove to Chena Hot Springs, rode our bikes 7 miles down to the trail head for Angel Rocks, and then hiked the 8.7 miles back to the hot springs.  What a beautiful day it was! This was from the summit at mile 3. After we passed the summit, we were alone. I felt so much peace and calm while walking along the ridge top. I did not want to leave. It was 360 degrees of beauty and nature. No planes, no people, no roads, no buildings. Just the hills, clouds, birds, and sunshine. This was what my body needed. It was a lovely afterno...

 We are together at last! Me and my Honor Grad husband :)            I know it wasn't a deployment, but any time apart is a challenge, be it one week or a year.      When Marshall arrived home after being gone at WLC* for 5 weeks, I packed my bags and left the very next day to coach at the Arctic Winter Games for 8 days. That made for 6 weeks of being apart. You're probably asking yourself, "well weren't you apart for an entire semester back at the beginning of your marriage? So why is 6 weeks difficult?" Let me refer to back to the second line above: any time apart, be it one week or a year, is a challenge.  What is the bright side to being apart so often?  I'm trying to be optimistic here...  1). The reunions are that much sweeter. 2). It improves our communication skills, since a lot of it is done over the phone. 3). I learn to appreciate the little things we do for each other. 4). There is quiet ...

Angel Rocks. I love my new camera!! Hello everyone! I have been slacking and not sharing all the fun adventures I have been having these past couple of weeks. Oh it has been busy! Summer is over and I am enjoying * cough cough*  the rainy days and cooler temperatures.  On Saturday we hiked Angel Rocks for the second time since living here in Alaska.  It is a great hike to do on a "rest day" because it is only about 3.5 miles, yet you get a good workout from the uphill portions (my knee was bugging me again, so I decided to rest from a day of running and wait until Monday to run again).  Yay fall colors!  When we got to the top, I looked out at the never-ending view of red, yellow, and brown mountains. I told Marshall that the reason he brought me on the hike was so that I could fall in love with the view and remember it in the winter when I am freezing cold and wonder why we live in such a place. hehe. But Fairbanks is really far fro...

 I have never gone out in nature by my self, but it is something I wholeheartedly recommend! Let me explain. I was in Eagle River, Alaska this past weekend for a skating competition, and I had a couple extra days after the event to spend time with family. On Sunday after church I took advantage of the free afternoon, sunshine, and traveling alone without my husband to get in some personal time with nature.  Never having traveled alone in the mountains before, I drove up to an area called Hutcher Pass, located in the southwest portion of the Talkeetna Mountain Range.  I eventually parked the car and got out, not knowing where I would walk.  I soon found a spot, and began hiking on a trail called Gold Mint Trail . Because I am not eloquent enough with my words, I am not able to paint the picture of the beauty of the area I was in.  But the powerful glacier waters of the Little Susitna River rushed alongside the trail, and the green mountains were ...

                               Marshall and I had such a great time at the Ice Festival tonight here in Fairbanks, that I had to share with all of my friends and family the videos and pictures we took. I didn't get a ton of pictures of the ice sculptures, but I did take some.  (If you want to see more, just visit the official web page by clicking here.)  I was being really goofy in the videos because well, I was cold, and the only way to distract myself was to be loud and laugh a lot.  I hope you have as much fun watching them as we did playing in the ice maze and sliding down the ice slides!!   This hummingbird reminded us of Grandma Adams Sarah, this Tin Man is for you Giant Grasshopper This was inside an ice log cabin Giant mosquit...