no cell phone use while shopping

So on base we buy our groceries at what is called the Commissary which is connected to the BX and some other stores, personally extremely overpriced but that is a whole other blog story.

So I was strolling through the store with my shopping cart, when my phone starting ringing. It was my sister Kerry, who lives back in Sarasota, FL with her husband. We are extremely close and try to talk several times a week. And since living in Alaska I try to never turn a phone conversation down! So here I am talking on the phone and pushing my cart, this doesn't come without some nasty looks from other military wives who all have babies and I just have my phone. Now that I think about it I might have hit a few people with my cart while talking on the phone. Multitasking isn't one of my best qualities, so I parted my cart in the frozen food section so I could concentrate on the conversation. Then all of a sudden a man's voice from behind me starts yelling, "Evacuation!". I turn around to see that besides this man, I am the only person left in the building, all the carts have been left behind. WEll turns out there was an alarm going on, but somehow I managed to tune this sound out, and for some reason the guy couldn't grasp my talent.

So after standing outside in the cold for more than 20 minuets they allow us all back in, mind you extremely angry military wives all around me so I cut the shopping early and head to check out. Right when I get to checkout the alarm goes off again, and it must of been louder because there is NO way I could of not heard this the first time. Just thinking about it makes me a little scared. So as I am standing outside in the cold yet again I decide that shopping and talking is a dangerous thing. As for driving and talking/texting that is fine.

A bloody little day

Yesterday started off like any other normal day, waking up and taking Josh to work. ( I always bring Kingston along for the car ride). When I get back home it is usually still before 8am and I make breakfast and clean the house while Kingston runs around playing with all his toys.

I was getting ready to leave for the gym, which means Kingston gets put in his kennel. So as we were walking up stairs to do just this I noticed one of his stuffed bears was bleeding. I thought to myself, could this really be, all these years my parents insisted otherwise...could 'stuffed' animals really be alive! I picked it up and ran to the next one that lay motionless by our bedroom door...BLOOD! This one was bleeding as well...panic struck me. I felt so bad I was letting Kingston chew on these helpless animals. I felt even worse thinking back to my childhood when my mom would throw away old 'stuffed' animals...

After picking up more than seven of Kingston's toys (yes he is rather spoiled, but it is only fair since I did the same thing with Stella), I came across the last one. Fighting back the tears I tried to focus on something I saw laying next to the last dead 'stuffed' animal. It took me a second...it was a TOOTH!

I open Kingston's mouth, four bloody holes where teeth had been the day before. He had lost four baby teeth, what are the chances! And as for 'stuffed' animals being 'real', well that part of the story is up to you!

Bear Tooth

Date Night. Saturday night Josh and I headed to Bear Tooth, a favorite local spot here in Anchorage. Bear Tooth Grill and Moose's Tooth are both great restaurants owned by the same people. Lunch or dinner both of these places are packed, mostly because of the great food and fun atmosphere. Recently Bear Tooth made additions to the building, they added a movie theater. There is only one screen and they play old movies such as Wizard of Oz or Recent releases before they come out on rental. They were playing Sherlock Homes and Josh and I thought we might give it a try. It is kinda madness at first, and a lady told me that it is something you have to get the hang of. Here are several tips we will be using during our next visit.

1. Drop Off ...send the first person to get in the line that is outside the theater, this person DOES NOT go into and purchase movie tickets. They are just holding their spots in line.
2. After the other person has parked the car, run inside and purchase movie tickets ($3.00 per person)
3. Person that purchased movie tickets/parked the car goes and finds person holding spot in line.
4. (Hopefully you planned ahead and have some extra time) Now Plan what you will be eating, and send person that purchased movie tickets/parked the car up to the counter and place your order orders, person hold spot in line remains standing in line, don't change up jobs..stick to game plan. (Great food, and kind of have a Mexican theme, instead of getting popcorn and candy you get chips and salsa, tacos, or a pizza)
5. Meet back up with line holder, and once the theater opens fight like a mad person and knock over every baby and elder you see...okay maybe it wasn't that crazy. While your watching the movie they bring the food that you ordered out to your table.

Lots of fun, great food and is a new date night favorite of ours!

Sunset

into the wild

into the wild...well maybe not that 'wild' because Josh was still texting on his phone.

These photos are from two different days. The night time/ sunset photos are from one night when my friend Carrie took me to an awesome spot in south Anchorage. You were able to look back at downtown Anchorage with the mountains in the background. As Carrie would tell you, I was freaking out and couldn't be over how pretty the view was...it started out being one of the warmest days we have had, but since we have to wait for the sun to set til 8pm it got much much colder.

The next day we decided to go on a hike at the park, its called Earth Quake park, it takes your right along the coastline. The boys were less excited because it was more of a level one trail, but just to be able to walk outside the house and not freeze to death made it an awesome day. We brought Kingston along for his first hiking trip and he had so much fun.

Against all odds

Against all odds.
There once was a 1999 first addition Honda CRV with over 113,000 miles from a small town in Florida. Loved the warmth of the south and never expected more than to be a 'teenager's' first car. He even traveled off to Orlando, he had made it to be a 'college' car. The odds were against him, and the end of the road was near. Until...the economy crashed. He thought maybe I will be hanging in longer than normal. Obama had heard of the news that people were trying the be economical and had set off to destroy these junkers. Lucky for the Honda he had good gas mileage, and yet again made it past all odds...but Alaska, could he really think he could do it?

Every morning as the Honda backs out of the heated garage, as the wheels roll over a fresh new bed of snow, he makes yet another journey against all odds...

snowed in...literally

So this week Josh had to get up early, and then usually takes the car ( that way I never have to get woken up). Today Josh woke up and went down stairs and came right back up waking me up telling me to come quick. Now since we have a puppy my first instict was that Kingston had pooped everywhere and Josh didn't want to clean it up. I began to doubt that less and less as each step I took down stairs became colder than the next. Until I reached the bottem step and became speechless...we were snowed in...literally.

The door that opens to our backyard was wide open, and snow was all over our carpet, couch door and T.V. stand. It has been non stop snowing for several days now, and there have been warnings for wind gusts up to 80mph. Maybe it is the fact that I have lived in Sarasota most of my life and every year there seems to be a hurrican warning for this type of wind gusts, but they never happen. I should have known Alaska shows no mercy. The wind had comepletely blow open the door sometime in the night, they have a dead bolt lock on the door...which I am pretty sure now is to prevent things like this.

The only thing we could do was get the snow shovel, and shop vac and get to work. Kingston on the other hand was having the time of his life! He couldn't believe that their was snow inside the house, and didn't wait a moment to show all his favorite toys.

'Spring...but it is no break'

So back in Sarasota, FL everyone is on spring break and spending it on the beaches or taking trips. It is so strange to think that somewhere people are running around in bathing suits and having to put on sun screen. Alaska never gives us a break, and actually has a bit of humor. Since the actual start of spring it hasn't stopped snowing, and today is no exception. Though I can't complain because the sun is staying out longer and is so beautiful when it shines on the snow.

When we first arrived to Anchorage the sunrise was around noon and set at 2pm, and now the sunrise is 7:30 am and the sun sets at 6:30pm!

2010 Iditarod

The last greatest race...

The unofficial start of the Iditarod kicked off this morning in downtown Anchorage. They officially start the race in Wasilla, but because so many people come in all over the world to see this they needed the resources of a big city. Heading downtown I didn't know what to expect but was really excited to see how many people really do turn out to watch it.

72 mushers entered the race this year with 16 dogs each...that means that there were 1,152 dogs!!! It is so interesting to read about each of the mushers and why they started doing the race. The great majority are from somewhere in Alaska, but there are also some who come from different countries and several states from the lower 48. I was reading one about a women who is in her thirty's now, but use to be an international model ten years ago. She would always fly out of Anchorage to be in runway shows in Pairs, Japan, and other countries, when one time flying in happened to be the start of the race. She fell in love with the dogs and the race. So she decided to quit modeling and move to Alaska to be a full time musher.

We met so many people downtown that fly in from all over just to see the race. I feel so thankful that we were able to experience something like this.

the gang

STELLA! aka my little princess

Age: 2.75
Breed: Mini Australian
Weight: 35 (but that just depends on how much my dad is feeding her right now)
Current location: Sarasota, FL with my parents
Favorite activity: Fetching the ball...but eating poop comes close
About: If you know anything about me, then you know Stella completes me. If I don't bring her name up at least once a day, than something must be wrong with me. I first got Stella in the fall of 2007 when I moved away to Orlando. I had felt like something was missing in my life, and it was her. For about a year I don't think I was apart from Stella more than a few hours, and this shows in her bizarre but love able personality. She is the perfect dog (at least to me), doesn't have to be on a leash, loves dog parks, lays at the foot of the bed, and waits at the door for me to get home...maybe not anymore since this time I have left for a rather long time.



Kingston!

Age: 14 weeks (we adopted him and they weren't exactly sure)
Breed: Mutt (he has pit bull in him, but mostly he is a lab...only time will tell)
Weight: 35 pounds...and growing everyday
Current location: Anchorage, AK
Favorite activity: eating snow...even the yellow
About: Kingston is the newest addition, and is what I like to call Josh's dog. He is more or less the opposite of Stella (including the price), Kingston loves taking naps and being lazy...there is no such thing as being a guard dog when you are getting as much beauty sleep as he is. He loves wrestling and being a tuff guy...this includes barking at the mirror for over an hour every morning...okay and did I mention might not be the smartest dog. He is a lover and would love to stare into your eyes all day long while cuddling ( hey even tuff guys like to cuddle). He is the perfect Alaskan dog because he loves being outside in the cold/snow and taking hikes.

Thank you!

I just have to say thank you for everyone's thoughts and prayers. I never thought that it would be so hard to lose a dog, and it just seemed worse since I wasn't there. We have so great friends up here that were able to cheer me up! And kingston is good company!

goodbye murphy dog

He would have turned 16 this April, but at 9 this morning murphy dog is no longer with us.
Murphy was my childhood dog, he helped me fall asleep at night, started my love for animals, and watched me grow up. As I started my life and moved off to college, murphy was slowly ending his, and I am only sad because I was unable to say goodbye.
I know everybody says this about their beloved animals, but Murphy really was as smart as they come. He enjoyed sun bathing, and backyard adventures, and in his recent days he just enjoyed a good nap.

Murphy I love you and miss you.