First Day of First Grade

So today is Kara's first day of first grade.  It's hard to believe she's starting her second year of school.  It seems like last week that she started kindergarten.  No tears for either one of us today.. Kara was anxious to get the day underway.  She knows a lot of the boys in her class from last year but not many girls.  We saw a little girl in line who was very tearful so I was encouraging Kara to be a good friend to her... I'm hopeful that this year will be smoother sailing on the playground front.  Kara is a loyal and good friend.. she also wants everyone to like her which sets her up as insta-target for the meanies.  Considering girls are mean throughout all stages of life, I guess it's good to thicken her skin early on.. maybe it will make junior high a little less painful :)

Clay-Clay starts preschool in a few weeks. He'll go 3 mornings a week for like 2 hours.  I don't know what I'll do with myself those hours (I can almost hear Clayton telling me "Go to the gym").  We're still on the fence about him starting kindergarten next year.. definitely leaning more towards keeping him home an extra year so he's not so young in K.   The point being, if preschool doesn't work out for either him or me, we can make alternate arrangements since he'll be doing something again next year.

Blogging Slacker

I don't know what my problem is with keeping up the blog lately!! I don't really have a good excuse.. so I'll just go with good, old-fashioned laziness. We've had a ton going on since we got home from AZ.... First and foremost, Clayton came home safe and sound on Sunday. After almost 2 months in Guam, he's back in AK. He has a few days off from work so we're cramming in all kinds of fun stuff (pics to follow). Clayton is having some issues with acclimatization here in AK. He's always crying about how cold it is. I'm trying to cut him some slack.. (but really, these 60 degree days are going to seem downright HOT in a few weeks)

Tonight we met Kara's First Grade teacher.. It's almost impossible for me to believe that my little girl is going into first grade! I have vivid memories of my first grade year and teacher so I pray that this year is as good for her as it was for me (100 years ago). The good news is that her teacher seems really kind. The better news is that neither of the "mean girls" are in her class this year. As Clayton pointed out (WHY!?!), there will always be people who aren't kind in your class. But for me, and for Kara, too, we're glad to have a small break in the drama.. perhaps there will be no mean girls in her class, right?! She starts school next Tuesday:) 

We have been biking and hiking like crazy... it's crazy to see how much the kids' endurance has improved over the summer. Kara and Clay hiked almost to the top of Flat Top Mountain yesterday. It used to seem like a really hard hike but the kids did AWESOME! THEN, today, Clay-Clay and Kara biked about 10 miles at Eklutna Lake. I'm also sticking some pictures of a hike we did with some friends last week to Hatcher's Pass. There's an abandoned mine there as well as a "secret" lake. We'll definitely put Hatcher's Pass on our list of things to do when visitors come to AK. It is BEAUTIFUL!! Our summer is basically over up here and leaves are already starting to turn. I'm thinking our first snow was in early October last year... YIKES! However, I am ready for the snow, Clayton bought me new skis on Sunday!! We'll definitely go skiing if you come visit during snowy season (more shameless plugs for visitors).

Kara, Clay, Ainsley and Chase in the old mine car thing.  It was COLD!

The "secret" lake at Hatcher's Pass. It's on the top of a mountain.. random but pretty,

Almost every night Clayton was gone, the kids and I would either walk or bike to Kara's school.  Kara's big goal was to do the monkey bars down and back on her own.  She has mastered it!

Biking today at Eklutna Lake.  This is Clayton. He's very skinny from Guam.  He decided to go on Atkin's.  He ALWAYS comes back from deployments skinny.  Why?

Clayton teaching the kids to skip rocks.  I think Kara got one to skip twice.  Mission accomplished.

College Roomate

Here are some shots of a day we spent w/my college roommate Tawnya, her girls and her parents.  We swam the day away at her mom and dad's new house.  All 4 of our kids got along famously and it was another memory for the "Tawnya Naylor Book of Memories" for me.  I am so thankful for Tawnya and our friendship over the last 18 (!!!) years.  Now get your butt to Alaska, already :)

Tooth drama.. Kara knocked her loose tooth and Tawnya tried to pull it..didn't go so well but they were both brave.  The tooth came out later that night at my mom's before bed.  AZ tooth fairies are FAR MORE GENEROUS than AK tooth fairies.

Feeding the horses with Big Ray.

Clay and Simone (his cage-fighting little friend).  

Kara and Sydney: stereotypical firstborn girls.  Not that Tawnya and I would know anything about that!

Arizona Craziness Part Deux

I was so ahead of myself posting a blog post while we were in AZ... I THOUGHT I'd keep the blog updated while we were there but I overestimated myself :) So, here we are, home for 2 days and I'm just getting around to the big update (for both readers of this blog).

Our 2 weeks-and-change vacay went by at light speed, not surprisingly. This was one of the all-time best trips to AZ, for sure. Kara and Clay ATE UP their time with their grandparents, cousins and aunts/uncles. They have always been excited for AZ but this trip has changed what they look forward to, I think. Every morning, either Kara or Clay wanted to know when they would see their cousins. It didn't matter if we were playing at a restaurant, swimming, playing at someone's house or picking up dog doo (not really), my kids just wanted to be with their cousins (and sometimes their cousins' friends!!). There was minimal drama amongst the kiddos, they just truly enjoyed being together. I cant' thank Troy & Melissa, Mark & Michelle, and Jake & Jenn enough for carving out 2 weeks to be available to us for hanging out, etc.. Thanks, also, to everyone in AZ for loving on Kara & Clay and making them feel special. We had a wonderful time and I am thankful for how our AZ family and friends go to great lengths to keep our family in front of their own families.. we only get out there a couple times each year and the kids never miss a beat. We miss you all, already!!!!!

**and as a side note to my friends who I failed miserably to see (yet again), please forgive me.. our visits are always so packed and they get away from me.

Clay and Grandma playing Mario Kart (while Kara was sleeping over at Eli's!)..

Summer #3 of swimming lessons w/Miss Janice.  Kara is now officially a swimmer.  She did so great and was diving off Eli's hot tub by day 2.

Clay-Clay also on summer #3 of swim lessons.. he did really well but will need additional refreshers as he prefers having a personal swimming buddy to doing it by himself.

Clay-Clay, Davis, Kara and Parker (Mark & Michelle's older boys)

An UBER FUN night at the fire station w/Uncle Troy (more pictures on my facebook account).  Clay had the time of his life... pictured here: Parker, Kara, Eli, Davis, Clay, TJ and Logan.  Missing from the shot are Hugh, Grayson and Evie.. yes, 10 cousins when we're all together!

Kara and Eli... charter members of the "Cousin Admiration Society".  

Backyard fun at Grammie's (my parents' house)

**and ONE LAST side note, this is but a mere taste of our time in AZ. I forgot my camera in AK so I hijacked my Dad's camera for part of the time.. for more pictures including our trip to Duncan, check out Michelle's blog (link to the left of this blog).