Skip to main content

Alaska: Floating the Knik River and our final week

Launching off Jim Lake to float the Knik River :)




Aunt Mandy completely outfitted us for our trip...from all the gear to our snack bags. She made this trip one we will never forget!


Henry looks good in fall layers :)

stopped at a party sight off the creek





We were all bottoming out on Jim Creek with our canoes. 
I can't say Henry and I make a good team.
 He rolls his eyes at me...I'm  desperately asking him to stop making us zig zag. I'm not sure what his memory of this 24 hour trip will be, but I hope it was just how spectacular and special it all really was.



Mandy and her boys


We set up camp in a perfect spot for morning play and breakfast.
 It was postcard worthy. 
Greetings from the Knik River!




Clay in his natural habitat :)

Clay's camp donuts!

Happy kids :)


 
The icy, silt filled glacial water of the Knik is something a designer dreams to see. This color is only here. Probably.
I have never seen it anywhere else. 
Just one more reason my artistic self loves being in Alaska :) 



Post float Audrey
(I guess I should add that I left the keys of our car parked at our exit spot.... I felt so dumb. Beginner move!)

Rainy day outing around Mirror Lake





Finn, Aunt Mandy and Aud



leaf head :)

Post mirror lake outing to Bushes Bunches...
was this our 4th time???
haha
I seriously cannot get enough of the deep fried zucchini and the kids loved the peanut potatoes :)



parting moments of playing games together :)

pieced my quilt together and left it for someone to do the top stitching :)

rainy day nap under the picture windows

Our final weekend we spent watching conference, waiting in this 40 car line for donuts and just enjoying each other for the last 2 days!



I made everyone come with me to find the Kanye sign in the rain!

haha

Conference cuddling :)
I saved this artwork used during conference. I love it.

final walk underneath the broken tree around a pond in Mandy's neighborhood...kids were biking laps around us.

Leaving Alaska after all the leaves blew down around the Matanuska River seemed appropriate:)

After a long night on the plane and a great 3 weeks being with family,
 it was time to be home and get our lives in order for our move.
We are in escrow but it seems shaky :/
We are putting our trust in Heavenly Father.
With each week we have acted in faith to move our lives up to Northern California. We left for SF last weekend on the fly to look at rentals and secured one in El Granada.
Alaska was a good restful place for all of us to prepare for what is in front of us.
We are so grateful to Mandy and Tom for taking such good care of us :)

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Sports Mom Era

I think I saw this coming but maybe I didn't really see this coming:) I am a sports mom. Plain and simple. I had other hats too like library mom, classroom aid mom, costumes for musicals mom, outdoorsy hiking mom, musical mom, jazz band mom, tech crew mom, art mom, spring break mom, etc etc etc But sports mom has been a pretty big theme in my life:) So, in honor of my Dad's birthday today and his absolute love of sports, I share this to save the memoires.  Because one day, it will be just that, sweet and crazy sports mom era memories:) Okay, so I love JV games because the weather at 4pm in the Bay Area and even coast side was amazing last year. Tee shirt and jeans? Heavenly  Fall 2024 (he already looks different) Friday morning fits Becky Ruppel photography↑ In the middle of football season lies the beast of the high school basketball pancake breakfast. It was actually fun to serve all of the people coming through... even the complainers...haha Homecoming! And nothing better t...

Audrey Opens Her Mission Call!

It's been so long since I wrote. but THIS! This needs to be recorded for all.  Earlier in the fall of 2024, after wondering why she hadn't had any specific experience letting her know if she should serve a mission, Audrey did receive her own personal answer. You already know. She called me and relayed her quiet yet powerful experience.   She later met with her YSA Bishop and opened her mission papers!      Everything fell into place with all her appointments and paperwork *phew  On the morning of December 31st...she received an email alerting her she had her call waiting to be opened in her missionary portal! She was all nerves haha So, we got ready and headed to Montara Beach per her request to read her call...and thankfully, we were all home to share this with her.  Such a sweet and tender moment to launch 2025 with💗 Dominican Republic  Santo Domingo East Mission! Spanish speaking June 2nd Mexico MTC after a week of home MTC :) I'm really proud...

Audrey's off! Santo Domingo East Mission

Here she is.  On a split.  In the campo(country)! Dominican Republic Time hop to May when she received her tags :) Her paper giving her permission to proselyte! Pre-mission things to do were: picture with flag at temple ✓ hikes in the sun✓ being set apart as a missionary in our home✓ home mtc p-day shenanigans✓ last taco bell supper :) ✓ hugs that need to last 18 months✓ Her first MTC phone call home. She had too much fun there but why not? This missionary mom will send you one package to the mtc... and that's it :) Upon arrival, she met her mission presidents!  Presidente y Hermana Chaverri Meeting her trainer in the field:) And after a mini transfer, meeting her new trainer! Her spanish will improve exponentially (she is from Nicaragua!)  The scripture she shared as she was in the Mexico MTC:)  I wrote it out so each day I could walk by it and remember her, and  remember the joy the gospel of Jesus Christ brings💗 I cry a little more nowadays but she has ...