Thomas Edison

I don't think I ever knew what Thomas Edison looked like. 

Here he is, unkempt and wrinkled, in his research lab.

new history

It has begun: a new class, that is. I have resumed my classes once again, since being on a break for moving. The last class I took ended before Christmas began, and I have missed it. This class will end the week we move into our house on May 1st, and then I will take another two week break for setting up the house, and then there will be no more breaks from then on. The class is US History from 1865-1945; I chose this class because of the early 1900s. I'm fascinated about those years. I just wish it encompassed the 10 years after, as well! 

eye glass test

Looking for new frames is one of the hardest things to shop for. Mark and I went to one store on Saturday, and found two frames we both liked on me. One was a bold, funky shaped frame that Mark said made my eyes look oh-so-good. The other pair was a small metal 'hiding frame' as I like to call them (ones that don't make you so claustrophobic). I love them both, but I didn't know quite what to do. One is fun and fresh, the other is practical and perfect for wearing at nights when I just want to read. So what did I try next? The eye-glass personality test, of course!                                    "From Salsa dancing one night to a poetry reading the next, your eclectic tastes call for a variety of frames. When you're feeling bold and sassy, look for dramatic colors and shapes. Nurture your conservative side with a more subdued pair of metal eyeglasses from timeless designers like Donna Karan or Anne Klein. For the social butterfly in you, don't forget about a pair of sexy frames to take you to evening and beyond."

You see? Didn't help me. At all. 

sign of spring

On a walk this afternoon with the pup, I found this pussy willow tree on the edge of the forest behind our building. This is my favorite spring-time plant; they're irresistible! 
Hopping around in the tree was this fuzzy little bird and its play mate. My guess was that they were making their nest out of the softest things possible for their little hatchers. 

What are your favorite signs of spring?

hockey game

Last night we went to our first Anchorage Aces' game. It was a blast! I got to enjoy my sport-nachos and I had a grand time asking Mark, "what just happened?" We sure wish we had the Pikes nearby! Dan could have explained a whole lot to us. It was a lot of fun though. These Alaskans love their hockey and the enthusiasm was contagious. 
Giving adult hockey fans their own personal cowbell is like giving kids their own bubble wrap.

moose chase try II

Ok. I got it up and running below. Every time I would see the moose start to run, because I was looking through my camera at everything, it looked like they were running towards us, so that's why at the end I said, "let's get outta here." It was crazy to see this in person. The video doesn't do their size justice. And they aren't even some of the bigger moose we've seen. 

Knock yourselves out!

Anchorage

Cook Inlet of Anchorage in the p.m. facing North

moose chase

When driving home from dinner last night, we saw these two moose being teased by kids, and when they didn't want to take any more, they chased the kid into the river! Moose: 1. Kid: 0. 

think A Christmas Story + moose + the bully with yellow eyes

Reeder's Digest

Not one of our better pictures, but it was such a cute place, I couldn't walk away without a picture of us celebrating our hatching chicks.
Mark and I set up his brother on a blind date with a girl we met here in Anchorage, and it was a great time. After the greatest pizza at Moose's Tooth, we went to Color Me Mine, painted our eggs, then went back to our apartment for a game of Golf (if you'd like to know how to play, I can email you the rules) and two games of Deal or No Deal led by Mark (there are no rules wen Mark's in charge). I lost my leftover pizza when Mark decided to put it on the top of the roof rather than pizza-ize our car, we drove away from the mall, I turn back to talk with Aimee and I see this big shiny thing (our pizza slices wrapped in aluminum foil) fall down her window as we were going through a light! Besides that, it was a very fun night for us all. I think I'm going to talk Mark into going back again.

Happy Easter

Last night we painted pottery, and celebrated Easter with Mark's brother Michael who had come into town late last night. The cute little peeper back there is the one my sweet Mark did. Mine is the big blob in front with the grey polk-a-dots. We'll pick the finished ones up in a week. Enjoy today, and remember the great miracle of new beginnings. 

*took this picture with my new camera that came in today! Still playing with it, and will be for a while...

slumber parties

As I wait for laundry to finish, I have no time to blog... yet here I am anyhow. Tonight Mark's brother Mike gets into town for a few days while on his Spring Break. He is bringing his sense of humor, and some cookies from my sweet mother in law. I am a little obsessed with her cookies so you can imagine I will probably fill you in on all their soft, crumbly, sugary goodness. oh my!  I have prepared the 3-room hotel for yet another day. There's only so much one can do in a hotel room. Buckwheat is clean and excited to 'Sensei Michael.' Let me explain:  Mark has been doing 'tricks' with Buckwheat that makes his normal routines look like something Mark has taught him. When he plays with Mark, Mark says, 'fight! fight!' as Buckwheat is on his hind legs batting his front legs (arms?) at him. It looks like they're trying to box. Then when Buckwheat starts to play, he always gets down on his front legs with his bottom in the air with his tail wagging back and forth. Mark calls this one, 'bow to your sensei.' Buckwheat looks like a genius after all his 'tricks.'  Slumber parties everywhere! I am spending the night at a girlfriend's house who had a doctor's appointment this morning and needs some 'monitoring' through the night while her husband is TDY. So as the boys have their Tonka-Trucks and 3-Stooges sleep over, I'll be monitoring Chrissy with crafts, chick-flicks, and some girl talk. 

I haven't been able to space my paragraphs like normal because every time I do, the next paragraphs get all bunched up and unable to space properly and it's starting to drive me a little nuts. If you've had this problem and now how to avoid such problems, please fill me in. Thank you thank you thank you. 

bunko

The Air Force has many deep rooted traditions for the spouses which lend support and friendship while their husbands are gone. When I married Mark, his mother gave me a book that had every sort of etiquette in order to be an Air Force Wife. It is such a fun book, I love to browse through it and extract ideas for parties and place settings. It has such things as 'how to set proper place setting' to 'invitation cards for different types of parties.'  To establish new friendships fast, or just to keep girls busy while their husbands are away, there are things such as "Coffees" where the wives get together for snacks, and a couple of games of Bunko. It is a 3-die game where you role for different numbers and rotate to different tables depending on your 'win-lose' status. I had a great time, and this silly game brought out my competitive edge. Normally only tennis or catch-phrase can do that! On the Bunko link provided above there are score sheets you can print off, and you can play without drinks or money (like we did), ad there is a way you can do without 4 people at your table. You just play with a 'ghost partner.' If you ever need an idea for a Young Women's or Relief Society Activity, this game comes highly recommended. It's a great way to have fun and get to know your table-mates... if you're not glaring at them through dice-glazed eyes. 

*the above picture is of a group of Air Force wives back in the day playing this vintage game of rolling dice. Try it! You won't be sorry. 

happy things

Hope everyone had a happy St. Patrick's Day! Today we thought we had a touch of Irish luck, but we decided we were being scammed. O happy day. Why can't there just be a lucky chair? 

*the picture above is of Kylemore Abby in Connacht, Ireland. I didn't take this picture, but I love it.  Who wants to go to Ireland with me?

in with the new

Yesterday I gave in to the camera temptation and ordered a Canon A570. 

Aubrey mentioned her Canon A-series and I thought to follow suit. After much research, I found it. Ordered it. Now I wait. 

*The home inspection was on Thursday and went very well. We love the house even more now. 

goodbye camera

Meet: our camera. 

Hear: it's history. 

Mark has had this camera (picture found on ebay, under a caption "broken parts only") since he got home from his mission. He said, in about 2003 is when it was purchased. What a noble camera it has been. It even has gone to the Orient with him when he and a few other friends went to China for the Academy. It has been getting older the last few months. Aubrey heard how old it was when we met, and she said, "That is really old... for technology." I think she added the "for technology" part because she saw Mark's saddened face. 

Girls drop everything. It's a wonder we're the ones entrusted with babies. It's no exception when it comes to cameras; even when they come with safety, drop-proof straps. Which I wear most times I use it. Poor camera. So, for as many times as I use it, compared to as many times as I have dropped it, it is pretty good odds. Now that you know about my dropping tendencies, I will continue.

I am in the market now for a 'temporary' digital camera. There is a site called "woot.com" that every night at midnight, it showcases something electronic. The amount being sold varies with what it is, but this is what I will be checking in 15 minutes when it is updated. I'm crossing my fingers that there is a nice camera for the price of dirt. This site really is pretty incredible. Click on "product stats" to see how many are selling every hour after midnight. I dare you to check it if you're ever up past midnight. 

So long camera, it has been a wonderful few years that we've known each other. You have done a tremendous job in teaching me even the smallest of cameras can be used to capture beauty. 

we bought what?

We bought a house! I blotched out the numbers, so I feel safe putting this on here. But I'm too excited not to share. After house hunting for a mere two days, we saw this house on the second day, loved it so much, and made an offer. The nice military couple accepted the offer and in May we'll be moving in. We wanted to give them time to move out and get to their new base, etc. 

It is three stories with an unfinished basement (we're very excited about this project), but all the wiring and plumbing is already done. Whew! It's next to a part of the green belt, which is where there cannot be any development, the trees and wildlife is left alone, so Buckwheat will be able to have his glorified space. Granted, if there's no dangerous eagles, wolves, or bears... or moose! 

We've seen three moose so far. All the rest must still be dead. Mark had a briefing on bear safety, and then relayed it to me. Here's what I learned: guns don't stop a bear, it only makes them mad. On hikes, carry a "bear size" pepper spray. It's as big as a can of spray paint, I guess! Then you are supposed to 'react' differently to different bears, and also different situations. If you startle the bear, stand still and let it bite you (essentially). WHAT the heck. Then it'll leave you alone. It just needs to feel like it's done it's job of not being the weak one. But if it scares you, yell and throw rocks. Oh my. Still no wolves yet. Thank goodness!

the break up

The past two days here, it has been above freezing = it has been 40 degrees, so the "break up"  has begun. For now. This weekend it should fall to freezing again. The break up is when the ice starts to melt and break apart, as does the snow. Because I meant to take a picture for you all of these extreme roads and parking lots, I had to run out tonight at dusk when I remembered (hence yet another grey set of photos) my mission. You see how thick the ice is? And in the morning when it's all frozen again it's all nice and rounded because of the melting. And that means it's even slicker. How is everything not bashed in? I'm still trying to figure that one out. 

happy things

Something is in the works...

meet at See's

This morning after breakfast, I had an overwhelming craving for chocolates. Last week (the day we boarded the ferry), I got a box of See's Chocolates, which are my all-time favorite.  They had been frozen the whole journey, so I had to wait for them to thaw. They're delish. And while I was enjoying a sweet piece filled with the softest caramel, I was reminded of what else had happened that day. I had attempted this blog-post last week, the day of, but the internet on the boat was not the best. So a week and a half ago, I wrote: 

Today I had my first blog-meet with my blog-friend Aubrey; she is a cousin of my friend Mauri's. I have now put a face to a blog. It was my first, so I have to admit I was a bit nervous, but she was such a sweet person, she made me feel like we've known each other for a very long time. Very enthusiastic and encouraging. I can tell her kids love her for it. Her sweet children came a long as well and loved to watch Buckwheat and hold his leash as he traipsed around the park. 

After we left my aunt's and uncle's Bellevue home, we went to a QFC (fantastic grocery chain if you ever get the chance to go to one - mom I got you a QFC benefit card already) and then to See's Candies where we met Aubrey. My Aunt Lynn drew us a fantastic map.

Aubrey I'm so glad we got to meet. I'm sure I'll see you again now that my parents will be nearby. Good luck with all this week's events! Enjoy those Ghana stories. 

'o8 Iditarod

Earlier this week, Mark and I ate chinese food, and along with the food came a cookie for us each, of course! Mine gave me the prediction of doing something new this weekend... wonder what it could have been?

This morning was when I did the 'something new'. We attended the start of the 2008 Iditarod dog sled races! Here's a video, courtesy of yours truly. 

*enjoy my first blog-video. It took a while to figure out, so enjoy!

I thought they would shoot a gun and they all take off at once, biting and barking for first place, but it was much more relaxed, but still very interesting! They must have an listed order for who starts to run first. I was also surprised to see that they run with two sleds and three people. I suppose there is safety in numbers. As a side note, all the dogs had booties on! I heard that they have been doing this because it saves time of stopping every so often to get the ice out of the dogs' paws. 

No ice, less stops, more running = faster time. It was awesome! We were on the lesser crowded parts of the streets. Down were all the ice sculptures were, there were crowds and crowds of people. We walked down there and I had to hold my camera to take pictures just so I could see anything. The dogs were pulling so hard. I only could tell this when they would pass us and I was looking at them from behind; they would be leaning in the farthest-forward direction from where they had been tied to the team. They are good examples of loving their job. What extraordinary animals! Buckwheat needs to meet these dogs. He'd have some role models.