Butterflies

My friend Brittani ordered a butterfly garden, and accidentally ordered 4.

We were lucky to reap the rewards of her extra purchase!

We had ten caterpillars in two jars eating and growing and making silk looking webs.

As you can see Zanna has been fascinated watching them grow and move.

About a week or so after getting the caterpillars they turned into crysalis's (cocoons). It was so cool to watch this process.

Then about a week after that we had beautiful painted lady butterflies emerge from the chrysalis. WOW. This is one amazing process. I am seriously amazed by it all!

Zanna has been the butterfly whisperer. She is so funny to watch. She loves holding her little butterflies. They will fly around her room, she will wait for them to land and set her finger right up by them and they climb right on. It is pretty cute. Although I have to monitor her and only let her get one butterfly out at a time. One time she had five flying around her room and we only found three. A few hours later, as I was walking down the hall, there was one of the butterflies flying about. It was kind of fun and whimsical.

Troop is trying to blow the butterfly off of Zanna's hand.

Troop gets really excited when there is a butterfly flying around. He kind of gives me anxiety. I have to watch him really close because he kind of makes it into a game of trying to chase or stomp at them. Oh BOY!

Zanna trying to make the butterfly land on Troops head. She is so funny. She always tries to make them perch on her head too. Silly girl.

Mmmm. He melts me! He is getting so shaggy! It is just about time for a cut.

Break-Up Season

A few weeks ago we were experiencing break up season here in Alaska. Oh what a mucky mess that is. Rain boots are a must. Other wise you just end up with wet, muddy shoes and socks. Thankfully we are pretty much out of it!

Here are my bambinos racing down the street. Troop looks pretty awesome sporting his camo jacket! And Zanna is still loving her balance bike. She hauls booty on that bad boy!

Jathan racing with the bambinos.

My handsome boys.

I mean really!! Love them.

I ADORE how this shot turned out. I love the two of them silhouetted against the sky.

Playing on the rocks.

Heading up the huge, massive, butt crunching hill at a park near by.

The baseball fields are a full on river with melting snow. I forgot to throw my rubber rain boots on and my poor little feet were so wet and freezing. At least Jathan and the kids were prepared.

The kids (Jathan included) were fascinated with walking in the stream and playing with the ice chunks.

A hold on baby #3

Well I suppose it is about time I tell everyone that I miscarried.

I miscarried at ten weeks... about ten weeks ago. Don't worry, we are doing fine. I kind of felt it coming. This pregnancy was just so different from my other two. First off, I wanted to get pregnant... but the second I found out, something was off. I was excited but something was just different. I wanted to hold off telling anyone for a while (usually we tell the second we find out, with this one I announced to most at around 8 weeks... I know, not that long to wait but it felt much longer than with the other two and it is long for us ;).

As my pregnancy progressed I had a few normal pregnancy symptoms. Mostly I was just really tired and I got my normal after noon headache, but that was it. Usually I would be super nauseous and very sensitive to smells. I was amazed when I would smell a strong smell that with my other pregnancy's would make me want to puke and with this one didn't really phase me. In the back of my mind I was really worried. Worried something was not right. Then at ten weeks it happened.I started spotting so I went into get an ultra sound. Apparently my sac had developed to 8 weeks and the baby had only made it to about five. So really, it was still an embryo. I was so thankful to know that the baby had not made it to a fetus yet. It made me feel so much better about it all. As far as miscarries go mine was easy. I passed everything on my own with minimal cramping. I was thankful for that.

You know it is strange how something like this was a total testimony builder. It gave me a greater understanding of just how much the lord knows me. He knows what is best for me and my family. I have always felt a little rushed with getting my children here. Not by anyone but me. I was excited and hoping and praying to get pregnant and I got pregnant with in a month. Then once I got pregnant a few realizations came to me. Things I had not thought of before I was pregnant.

Then I miscarried. I honestly feel it was the lord answering my prayers and letting me know I do not have to be in such a rush. Not that I want to wait many years... or even another year for that matter. But I don't think I would have been fine with the thought of waiting any other way than this.

I hope that made sense!

So yes, baby number three, we will wait patiently until the timing is right!
weather that be in a month, a year or three years.

Bulls Eye

I know I know... all you need to see is another photo of Zanna and a lizard.
But we have some bad news... cupid, our last lizard died (I had to kill the poor thing).
So here is Zanna's new lizard bulls eye. She named him all by herself.
He is a nice little lizard... not quite as nice as cupid.
Cupid was just so chill.
Bulls eye is a jumper.
NO GOOD.
But he is still really sweet and Zanna loves him to pieces

P.S. we did not make Zanna eat cupid... ;) Even though she was the reason he had to pass on. She stepped on him to try to stop him from going into the closet. OOPS!!! He did not do too well after that point and unfortunately I had to put the poor little guy down :(

Troop

Troop came back from Utah a toddler.

No longer is my little guy a baby.

I am not too sure how I feel about this!

I have been finding it so comical the difference between Troop and Zanna at this age.

Zanna was mischievous and into everything, as is Troop... but he is just different about the way he gets into everything.

Nothing is... mmm... graceful.

He has such force with everything he does.

He is so funny to watch.

He is always making car sounds.

Always throwing his body into the couch, the love sack, Zanna, me, his daddy.

He loves to wrestle and run. He was so excited to join in and wrestle all six of the boys we had over for joy school.

He loves to lay on the ground with a toy car and watch the wheels go round and round.

He loves books and I will often find him in his room with twenty books surrounding him.

He jumps off any ledge he is on.

He is a tantrum thrower and has NO patience.

If he is ornery and sees his reflection in the oven or in a mirror, he gets ticked off and starts hitting and yelling at his reflection (which I can't help but giggle at him.... but also hope he doesn't have some anger management issues... ha ha)

He is a total tease to his big sister and I feel like he will hit her or pull her hair so he can make up with her. He gets so excited to say sorry, give her a hug, and LOVES to kiss her. It is really cute.

He is like a little tornado around my craft things. He sees my neat little piles of felt I am cutting, sticks his hands in them and shakes them as fast as he can. Ahhh. Such a mess!

He loves meat like his daddy and doesn't like much else. Picky Picky!

His favorite word is NO and he says it to everything. I can't wait until he figures out what the word YES means.

He has a pretty amazing little scowel.

He is not gentle at all with the lizard. I know he is only 19 months but Zanna at that age was incredibly gentle with animals.

OH my Troop, how I love you and your crazy ways!! You are so totally all BOY!!!

Mmmmm he is a handsome little stink!

It is a good thing he loves to snuggle and loves giving me kisses, over and over and over again. I could kiss and squeeze him all day long!

Iditarod

We went to the opening ceremonies of the Iditarod with some friends today. It was so cool. I have been so excited to go watch the Mushers and their dogs!

For those of you who don't know what the iditarod is, here is a quick break down:

The Iditarod is an annual dog sled race that takes place between Anchorage, Alaska and Nome, Alaska. The Iditarod isn't just any race; it's a race that pairs humans, or mushers, with their sled dogs as they make their way across well over 1100 miles of some of the roughest, coldest wilderness in North America. The race started in 1973 with a winning purse of $25,000.

All the finishers split the prize money, with the first place prize claiming $72,066 in 2005

This is one intense race, lasting around ten days!

Check out this dudes mittens. I bet those puppies are super warm! I think they are beaver mittens.

The kiddos hanging out in the chariot. I am so glad the sun was out! It was still really cold, but the sun was shining which always feels much better.

Jathan and his Beaver hat he got at a rendezvous. That is one warm hat!!

Scott & Chablis

Their darling daughter, Lydia.

Kent & Robyn

The Ladies: Brooke, Chablis, Robyn and Me

The kiss face

Look at these dogs. They all look so cute with their tongues hanging out.

It was so funny, we were right by a hot dog stand (giving away free hot dogs, hot chocolate, chips, cider and other yummy FREE food) and suddenly all of the dogs from one of the sleds go running off the trail, up toward the hot dog stand! I guess the scent had them salivating and they just wanted a little snack!

This chick was wearing a really cool Wolf hat. There were so many cool fur hat's, muck lucks, mittens, parkas and other warm furry things.

Zanna, after some hot chocolate and a hot dog. She was so messy! It is hard eating with mittens. Cute little girl!

As the mushers went by, all the kids would hold out their hands and give the mushers hi five. Here is Jathan holding little Troops hand out for a hi five!

And Troop after some hot chocolate. So MESSY & SO CUTE!

The best photo ever. I think Zanna is eating her hot dog... but I am not sure what face she is pulling! Ha ha ha! I am just glad I captured it!

We had such a fun time. By the end the kids were whining and cold and ready to go home, but they loved it and so did we. Thank you Alaska. Thank you Iditarod! And good luck all you hard core mushers!!

Feeding the Eagles

On Sunday Zanna and I went into Eagle River to watch the Eagles being fed.
Every Sunday at 11:00 the VFW feeds the eagles salmon. It was so cool to watch! There were tons and tons of eagles dotting the trees and flying about.

It was 7 degrees outside so Zanna sat in the car with the window rolled down to watch all the action. I thought my fingers were going to freeze as I was taking photos, they were totally numb. I am really ready for the weather to start warming up!

I took a ton of photos! Here are a few of my favorites.

This photo makes me chuckle. One of the eagles is a just a squawkin at another.

It was so cool to watch the eagles swoop down and grab the food.

How cool is that.

It is really cool to see all of the Alaskan wildlife! Well most of the time it is really cool... the only time thus far it hasn't been was a few weeks ago when I came ten feet from hitting a moose on the freeway. I about wet myself ;) Talk about an adrenaline rush!!