Baby Charlie!!

Mama Dree with Charlie

This kid is going to be spoiled...... Uncle Lee and Charlie

Lee helping "new Mom"

Aunt Karen with Charlie

Adrianne, my sister, had Charlie today at 12:02 pm. He was 6 pounds 8 ounces. Dree looked great, and made it look pretty easy. (Yeah right, I'm sure). He sure is a cutie! He just snoozed the entire time we visited. I must say, I'm very poud of my little sis, she is already breastfeeding! I look forward to spending more time with my little nephew! He is just so fun to hold.

Go Utes!

Dree, Lee and me

I thought this was a funny picture!

Tonight, we watched a HUGE game between BYU (sucks) and the UofU. The town was seriously divided over this matchup. We all went over to Lee's place to watch the game. We enjoyed pizza and lots of yummy snacks. Of course the Utes won! 48-24

Adrianne's baby shower

One of Adrianne's friends hosted a baby shower for her at the Dodo restaurant in Sugarhouse Park, Utah. It was a nice relaxing get together. I am amazed at how great my sister looks. She doesn't even wear maternity clothes! She is due in a few weeks. We are all very excited about the new addition to our family.

Birthing class

Dree and I at her breastfeeding class.

Views from our house

Sunrise from my bedroom window

Corn field behind my house. No neighbors!

Our new house

Here is our new place in Utah. Eric is in the village flying, so I'm trying to get all move in by myself. He is still going to fly in Alaska for 2 weeks, then will return to Utah for his 2 weeks off. There is a lot to be done in a new place, so we will work on it bit by bit. I need blinds! I taped construction paper to the bathroom window. Classy! I thought about aluminum foil, since that's what Alaskan's do, but decided against it.

It is crazy being back in Utah. I just tell everybody I am from Alaska, and act like I don't understand the Utah culture. It is better that way. I still cry a lot....

See you later Anchorage

Good-bye Anchorage

My Alaska airlines flight to Seattle

Janna and I at the airport

This sign always made me smile. Anchorage - my home.

Today was a very, very sad day. Eric and I decided to move back to Utah. I have been staying with my friend Janna for the past 2 weeks. I have cried my self to sleep every night. I finally felt that I had found my true happiness in Alaska. I loved who I had become, and I am dreading moving back to Utah. It's hard to write how I feel, but I know that I have changed because I moved to Alaska. I am not looking forward to starting a life in Utah. Utah is nice, but is very boring. People there don't really understand how to survive. They are more worried about what kind of car they drive, or if they have the newest jeans. It's very disgusting. What's worse, is that I am moving to Utah County. That is because people are so worried about keeping up with the jones's, instead of being happy with who they are.

I have so many friends in Alaska, and I have no one in Utah...... I don't want to go.... I tried to be strong in front of my friends, but as soon as I got on the plane, the tears just would not stop. I never thought I would find myself in Alaska, and now a part of me has died. I don't know if I will ever feel how I did in Alaska. I am just grateful for all of my experiences in Alaska and my amazing friends. They taught me how to be happy with myself, and accepted me for who I am, flaws and all.

Pottery with Janna

Janna had a great idea to paint some pottery at color me mine. She made a very funky mug, and mine was a tribute to Alaska. It looks much better now that it's finished. I promise!

Last night with the girls

Erin, Ila, Me and Brandi

My RD gals when out for one last time tonight, since I am heading back to Utah. We had dinner at the Bear's Tooth (my fav), then hit a cool bar called Subzero for some martini's. It was a fun night, and I am really going to miss my friends!!!!

The end of the Alaska Highway

No caption needed......

Here we are in Dawson's Creek, British Columbia. Truck, boat, boat trailer, trailer, and 2 dogs. It was a LONG 3,000 miles. Eric said the dogs did better than I did. I just complained the whole time about moving back......

On the road

We don't want to move!

Jake and Katie don't want to move either!

Near Arctic Valley

Chugach Mountains near Eagle River

"Suicide Hill" into Eagle River - gets slippery in winter

This is my view from Anchorage to Eagle River. It is a beautiful drive as you can see.

Berry Picking

Trail Head for Bear Mountain

Look how high we've climbed!

Far above Eagle River

Taking a break for lunch

Wasilla and Palmer in the background

Eklutna Peak

Pioneer Peak

Arctic Tundra

Brandi and I - Denali is in the background

Fall Colors

Alaskan wild blueberries

Anyone lose a goat???

Emily, Brandi and I decided to go berry picking today. It was a beautiful sunny Alaskan morning, so we figured we'd better go - the weather changes in a second. Emily is quite the hiker, so she took us to one of her favorite hikes in Eagle River. I did not realize we had to climb so high to reach the blueberries, but it was worth it!

We picked berries as we hiked along, enjoying the warm fall day. When we reached the top of Bear Mountain -what a view! Denali was visible. You could see Anchorage, Wasilla, Palmer and Eagle River. So amazing up there. I love the smell of the tundra. There is something very magical about berry picking in Alaska. The fresh air, the sweet berries, digging in the tundra. It brings you back to your childhood.

We had purple stains all over our hands and pants - but it's all worth it. Bear Mountain is an excellent berry picking spot. Amazing scenery, and very remote. Not many people hike up there, as it is difficult. What a great Saturday!

Dinner at Orso's

From left to right: Mandi, Tammy, Me, Janna, Jessica

Some of the "Bethel gals" got together for dinner tonight at Orso's. Mandi still lives in Bethel (poor thing), Tammy is moving to Fairbanks, and the rest of us live in town. It was great to get together, eat an enjoyable dinner and catch up.

Saturday Market

This woman's shirt cracked me up. "Got Seal Oil?" Only those who have spent time in an Alaskan village would get this. I quickly snapped a picture while Eric stood there.

Flying to Kotzebue

Eric fueling the caravan in Palmer, Alaska

Mountains near Palmer, Alaska

Smile

The Alaska Range
I thought this was cool

Hurricane gulch - along the Parks Highway

Glacier among the mountains

This may be Moose's Tooth mountain

I can't believe I ate those - gross!

Look at me, I'm flying!

Selawik Lake

Kotzebue is on the spit along the Bering Sea

Kotzebue, Alaska

Caribou antlers

Hageland hanger in Kotzebue

Eric's pre-flight check

I got the amazing opportunity to fly with Eric from Palmer to Kotzebue and back. He had to fly a caravan to Kotzebue and pick up another caravan. This was a 1,000 mile round trip, that took us through some unbelievable Alaskan terrain.

The weather was sunny - a rarity here, so we flew through a canyon near Palmer. I took video of that, and will try to upload it on this blog. I felt like I could touch the mountains. So cool. After we passed the mountain range, it becomes arctic tundra. Fairly flat with some rolling hills. We looked for caribou and moose. We did see 4 black bears running together.

Kotzebue is a bush village north of the Arctic Circle on the Bering Sea. I can't imagine how cold it must get here. I had never been north of the Arctic Circle before, so this was very exciting. Even though there is not a line in the tundra, just the thought was enough for me.

We arrived in Kotzebue around 10:00 pm. The sun had not set yet, but it would soon. What a sunset. As we flew back in the darkness, we watched the Northern Lights dance overhead. You've never seen such bright stars. This state is so incredibly large and breathtaking. It was a late return trip, but I was glad I was able to travel with Eric. This is something I will never get to do again.