Snow tunnels? Yes, please.
Kael has really taken off swimming and has done a great job working hard and improving himself.
We are having fish for dinner. Ice fishing never gets old.
Freya doesn't seem happy, but really she loves sharing a tiny bed with anyone who will jump in and snuggle her. Athena was happy to make that happen.
Sunsets in the winter in Alaska NEVER get old. Well any sunset in Alaska.
I think the melty beads is a picture of a halibut one of the kids caught... Imagination in Alaska.
I want to remember that the kids loved doing these melty beads when they were young.
I have no idea why my picture was taken. Either way, proof Sharice gets up and dressed for the day.
JBER Hospital. When the skies are beautiful while you are at work, you have to snag a photo.
After ice fishing, Kael is becoming a pro at helping to fillet and gut fish. We found some baby fish one of the fish ate inside one of the big ones. Gross, yes, yes it is.
Bald Eagles while ice fishing will never ever get old.
Kael and Packer at one of their first church dances. These boys will enjoy years worth of church dances together in their future.
One of the things I am so happy we embraced when moving to Alaska was teaching the kids how to ski. It was a lot of Saturdays taken over. They feared it a bit at first, but over the years now love to go skiing.
Even 7 year old Connor can make it down the hill in one piece with a smile on his face.
Kael has gotten really good at lifting weights now. Derek spends as much time with him, and when he can't Mom steps in. The kid is growing stronger every day.
Happy Valentines from our anesthesia doctor husband and Dad!
Valentines also brings this guy a year older and wiser too. We love him so much and appreciate all the love he has for our family. He is the best example, leader, father a home could ever have.
Grandparent Valentines are the BEST!
A digital photo album! His co workers are the best! They have seen all the photos of us in his office and they decided to help give him so many more photos in his office this way.
38 years young.
Grayling and rainbow at Long Lake, Alaska.
One of the most fun dates, for me, me Sharice. Derek barely caught one small fish, I couldn't stop catching. I don't think I ever caught so many in one sitting yet. I don't love the way grayling taste, but Long Lake was fun. But, the best was being out in nature with my best friend. I had so much fun skunking Derek out and out fishing him this day. Yes, I will brag forever about this day.
When the conditions are just right you can see all the way to the bottom of the lake and it is so clear. There is a tail of a fish in that picture! It is so neat seeing the fish swim across your hole.
Derek is SO good at gifts for the kids and spoiling them and knowing their personalities.
When Derek was deployed he got special Valentines cards for the kids that were 3D pop ups. He went all out and made cards for the kids and myself this year and put personal notes for each of us to show us how much he loves us. It was amazing and so special. Each animal fit each kids personality too.
It definitely was a happy Dad Day and Happy Valentines Day!
Sometimes skiing can be hard, exhausting, and sometimes even a little scary.
The kids were having to practice racing this day. Racing is not something any of the kids love. They love skiing, but going as fast as you can around turns trying to beat other people was really not their thing. But, they lined up and took their turns anyway. And it was exhausting.
Date night! I will dress up for this guy anytime, any day, anywhere.
I do believe this was Eden's first time at the temple. We made it a family trip for her first time.
Poor Freya's toe got really infected. We didn't want to pay for a vet visit, so Derek got some lidocaine and went to work. He was able to lance it open a little to get some infection out and bandage her up. Took a little while, but she did heal as good as new. Poor thing though.
What happens when you grab your watch, phone, and kids and run to the car to go chase auroras. You then drop your said watch out of the car as you jump out to take a picture. Then, you drive over the watch to find a better view. The GPS tracker on the phone found the watch on the road, and it was a sad night after some very amazing aurora moments.
Location of where the watch was dropped...
Connor was able to start swim lessons! It's about time after all of the covid stuff!
He had a very busy month.
Sharice volunteered to help teach the little kids class for skiing. Mostly it was Sharice learning how to ski. Let's be honest, I needed ski lessons. It was fun trying to keep up with a bunch of 4-7 year old kids who could out ski me in a heart beat. But, it was fun learning to ski with Connor.
We tried to refill their Disney balloons. It "kind of" worked.
Trying to cross country ski with LOTS of snow can be difficult to say the least.
