This Moment-The Game Of Catch Up.

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

-Amanda Soule (Soule Mama)

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I am going to continue to post special moments each Friday like they do over at Soule Mama, but for the next few Fridays I am going to be catching up on all the memorable moments that I didn't get to share over the past few months. This may result in never being caught up because it's not like I can put the present good times on hold now can I? I guess I will just pick a few from our first months here and resume real time play in a couple of weeks. It's a nice ritual no matter when the photos were taken right?

Check back if you want because I am just gonna jump right in and start playing "wordless weekends" again starting tomorrow.

Have I mentioned how fun it is to be back? Sorry, just can't contain myself.

Have a great weekend!

What The Heck Have We Been Up To?

We have hiked, climbed and scampered hills and trails all over this icy, mossy island. We have walked (or, if you are me, inched awkwardly) across many a frozen body of water. We have been touched by our first ever snow and learned how to keep nice and warm. With surprise, we have found we don't mind the cold.

We have combed for miles where snow meets sea and collected shells filled with ice. Have you ever thought of such a thing? Not me.

One of us has settled into a new job. Two of us have settled into a new school. Both have turned out to be an awfully nice fit. The remainder of us (oh, just us gals) have settled into our new dailies and have made ourselves quite comfy.

Best of all, we have bought a house on a sliver of Alaskan soil. After all those years renting, then traveling, and recent temporary dwelling and hotel-ing, somehow we have finally found ourselves at home. In our own cozy beds. Boxes unpacked and those darn suitcases put away.

Now. What have YOU been up to these past months?

Tickled In The New Year.

Oh my how long it has been.

I have been surprised and blushing at all the sweet wonderings about me and my lil' blog. Thank you! And yes, yes YES! I am keeping up the blog thing! I have dearly missed compiling my daily ramblings and photos and relishing in the good that can come from each and everyday. I have to be honest and say that there have been moments, days even, over the past few months when finding a snapshot or squeezing out some positive words that were worth you time would have been difficult for me. I still believe that there is always something lovely and important to share from each and every one of these days that fly by us. Even from the hard ones.

As you can see we have a new header. Nothin' fancy. I will pretty it up when we have our computer set up again. The poor thing didn't weather the move all that well. I am still working from my iPad and Jeff's notebook when I can steal it from him. The iPad remains a mystery to me but it is still a neat little gadget anyway. No matter how it gets posted I am excited to start sharing again. So, the blog address is the same out of convenience and as a nod to where this all started, out in Two Rock. Hope you enjoy the new scenery.

We certainly are, in this new year with new ground under our feet.

Now we are... "Out Here In The Flats".

And it's darn good to be back.

So Thankful.

This will be our first holiday away from loved ones in a very long time. Away from traditions we know so well and the tables we are so used to gathering around on Thanksgiving Day.

We will be having our first firehouse Thanksgiving celebration this year too which seems to be the coolest thing the kids have ever heard of. It will be nice to share a meal with new families, new co-workers and neighbors. We are "this close" to moving into our new home and I am looking forward to next year when we will be able to carry on our special traditions and create new ones around our own table-maybe, possibly, hopefully, with visitors from back home.

Until then, thank goodness for the little tradition of a chocolate turkey for each of us. (Thanks Grandma.) Five little turkeys wrapped in foil that have traveled from California to Alaska just to let us know that those traditions are still in place and that our loved ones are still there, thinking of us on Thanksgiving.

And we are thinking of them. Everyday.

Wishing everyone a happy, Happy Thanksgiving!

Halloween On A Temp Basis.

So, we have been living out of suitcases for well over a month. And I mean really living. Work, school etc. That’s a long time. Just the same we gotta keep on with all this living don’t we? There is nothing we can do about that.

Still, I was kicking myself for not preparing the kids Halloween costumes long ago and having them packed in our cases waiting for wear. I have forgiven myself and realized that there is only so much planning ahead a gal can do sometimes. The kids have forgiven me too because we have pieced together some cool costumes from clearance isles and discount bins and a cardboard box on the sidewalk labeled “Boy Costumes-$10.00 and under…”

“Hey! I have boys!” That is exactly what my frazzled-Halloween-panicked brain said as I pulled over. Add a marked down costume makeup kit to the mix and I ended up with some happy Trick-Or-Treaters.

Yup. We already went Trick-Or-Treating and we are going again tomorrow. We went downtown for the local business event which was fun and crazy. Right up the kid’s alley. The small town feel and neighborly hellos that went on all around us were right up this mama’s alley. I hope someday soon, I will be greeting my neighbors and catching up on things as well. This is my town now too right?

Each day it feels more and more so.

Now, from the sweetest “Mother Nature Fairy” in Kodiak and the zombiest Darth Vadar ever and from my peppy but insistently scary Ghost...

Happy, Happy Halloween!

Yup. Fishin' Is Big Here.

We weren't here a full day before my boys caught the fishin' bug.

Not hard to see why when we are surrounded by rivers and lakes that call out, begging to be fished in that are right off the main road with no parking restrictions or fees. (Imagine that, Nor-Cal folk.) Most families here are long time hard working fishing families and Kodiak's fishing history is very long. It is all around us.

It seems that one may be on their way to the grocery store or the post office but if there is a pole in the trunk the post office may close before that mail is fetched and someone from home will be calling to see where the milk is.

Not saying that I am speaking from experience...yet.

Anyway, we had about two full nights sleep before the boys made a fishing pole AND CAUGHT A FISH in the back yard! I couldn't believe it.

They let the fish go but I see many more in the near future and I think that is the best fishin' pole I ever did see.

Destination-KODIAK...

It has been too long!

So much has happened. Has it been an action packed couple of weeks for you too? I am writing this from a teeny desk on an even smaller computer so this post will be brief. I am just here to say that after 3 adventurous airplane rides (gulp, that last plane was oh so very tiny!) and with severe aircraft-seat-hair and plugged ears and one of us (ahem) with a mouth full of brand new dental work...

...we landed. Safely. In Kodiak, Alaska. Just like in the movies we ran across the tarmac into Jeff's open arms and our new life began. Just like that.

Plus-I now own a warm pair of boots and
there's a creek and a little old bridge in my back yard.

Just like that.

(Stay tuned. Posts may be sporatic for a while as I get used to things and I get over missing my computer set-up and photo editing gadgets. I have so many pictures to share! We have been busy with the important work of exploring our new town and we have been working hard I tell you! Can't wait to show you.)

Have a great night!