Vacation in AZ-Fountain Hills

Had a great visit this year! Stayed for SIX weeks. Mike and I took a hike on the hillside by the lake almost every AM! What a beautiful site to see the fountain shoot up in the air 560 feet!!

Mike and Laurie came to visit! This was on the way to the airport we stopped for lunch at the Waters Edge.

Debbie and Todd came to visit and we went to the Park!! In the high 70's what a beautiful view!!

Then we went to visit them in Quartzsite!! We took a 4 wheeler trip and looked at an old Gold Mine and some abandon rock homes that belonged to the indians.

We ate lunch at the local mexican diner. It was nice to spend time with our friends from Alaska...

Beaver Mayhem

I do not know where to start?? We have a family of Beaver that are eating all of our trees!! They have pretty much cleaned us out. The best is last night at 2 am we were awoken by a tree hitting our house!! The trees have been on the power and cable lines. This Beaver is on a serious mission!! Hope they move on next year?? Well actually they will need to there are no more TREES!!

Hunting Alaska Style

Moose hunting in my house is the biggest event of the year. Mike loves hunting more than life eternal!! Is that extreme? Well sorry but it is true!

So off these men go to the cabin and then ultimately spike camp:). The big news is this year some how Michelle got us wrangled into attending this testosterone fandango!! We

arrived on Friday. By then Mr. Flynn Harrop had bagged his moose!! Way to go Flynn

Early the next morning the men and Evan all headed to Spike camp (which is a two hour drive through the muck on four wheelers) . But first they all got a big belly full of biscuits and gravy... thanks Debbie..

Here are just a few pictures of what took place over the course of " Hunting Alaska Style"

Flynn shot the Moose now the work begins.

Peyton loves to build a good fire!!

So Michelle, Peyton and I all stayed at the cabin alone for two days. It was fun but a long two days. It was chilly and very dark at night!! Michelle was the generator extraordinaire!! She kept us gassed up the whole time!!

The Motley Crew

Well we had our first sleepover at the cabin with the kids and Milee the one eyed dog!!

It was super fun and a good time had by all!! We are the luckiest family and love was in the air!

John feeds his bird off the bill of his cap!! So John :)

Peyton learned to feed the camp robbers with his Pops!!

Michelle

looks absolutely GLOWING I wonder why??

Evan, Bebs and Chell take a canoe trip!!

Evan took me on a secret adventure.. it was interesting..

I wonder if that is black gold bubbling up ... probably not!! hehe

Decorating on a DIME!!

My daughter has a gift:) She can take what you have and turn it into a fab new space, one that is organized, fun and just what you were looking for!

My new room is a money maker!!

We spent a few hours and turned my spare room into a sewing, craft and imagination space. I finally get my kitchen table and dining room back .... after working all summer on sewing and beading projects!!

Aprons are a girls Best Friend

Making things with your own hands is very rewarding!! I decided since I was no longer working that I would delve into my creative side. We have a adorable consignment store here called the "Stash?. Here are some of the items I have taken over for sale.

Well I guess I better get busy I have since purchased wads of material from JoAnnes and have many pretty aprons and patterns to choose from!!!

Smoke gets in your eyes

Let me start by saying we get ICE FOG in the winter that is horrid. Having smoke in the summer is probably worst!! So here we are first of August and there are fires everywhere. It is not pretty!!

Harding lake is HOME

Liz my sis and Mike and I went to Harding Lake to see a house for sale. It has occurred to me that perhaps living at Harding Lake once Mike and I are retired would be fun. After all older folks than us lived there back in the day!!

Anyway we went to the lake and had a nice evening!! Liz and I took a swim and it was MARVELOUS!!

House is nice but rather spendy 275,000.00 not sure we want to spend that much!! I need to see the inside:)

Kayak Trip Down the Chena

This is MR Moose notice the small horns poking out? Mike told us that the male is usually darker than the female?? hmmm suave ??

Anyway he did not have a care in the world and was munching away yummo on those branches dude!!
Okay so looks like this was how they tried to save the river bank back in the day ... not so smart. But interesting none the less.

From Nordale we go Debbie and I...it is 11:30 .

This is a great picture of Debbie I think she may be enjoying her last summer in Alaska!!

Weekend with Deb

There are good times and then there are GREAT times!!! This was one of the GREAT times!! Mike and I had the opportunity to take Debbie Harrop to our cabin on clear creek. We left Friday night and came home Sunday (Mikes b-day) around noon.

We worked on the cabin hanging panels on the upstairs. We ate like kings! We canoed down the creek that was a blast. We ate like kings some more!!

Beautiful weather and lots of relaxing and fun, fun, fun !!!

Oh and Happy Happy Birthday Mike Woods!!

Totally a Boys DAY!!

Today was the BEST day with my boys ever!!

We started at the Museum and then went to the Botanical gardens.. okay well that was a joke.. we had lunch and I had to wrangle them in.. Lots of trains and bridges that were much more interesting than flowers!


Then we went to Pristines were Evan got a serious treasure a rose quartz, Peyton got some bird feathers.

Off to the tire store where OMG tires were the BEST thing EVER!!

Then we went to the train depot but it was closed bummer for Peyton!!

Had a great day I have to say they are the most amazing part of my retired life!! I love spending time with my favorite boys!!

Evan and Bebs adventure

Evan and I went to Creamers Field today.  It was a bit smokey but it was one of the best days we have ever had! 

It was amazing and beautiful, these are just a few of the pictures.  We probably hiked about 1.6 miles total. We only saw a red squirrel and some birds but the terrain was the best.  We will be going back to see what it looks like in the fall, winter and spring!!! We had a wonderful day!!

Hot Summer Day

Summer has been amazing this year!! We have had a bit of smoke, but not as bad as it could be and has been. 

I spent the day at Chena Lakes with my daughter, grandsons and there neighbor!! We had a wonderful relaxing day of laying in the sun and sand and taking a quick dip in the lake to cool down!! 

I think the boys had the best time!!

Down the River

Today was one of those BEST days EVER!! I was the luckiest girl in Fairbanks Alaska.  I went floating down the beautiful Chena River with my best friends.  We had one mild disturbance a fool in a Riverboat knocked deb and I in the drink!! Oh well we were on the shore line!! It was hot and the water was devine. 

We set off at my house around 12 PM and landed at Pikes around 3:30, where Mike met us and we enjoyed a burger and beverages.. the ending to a perfect day! 

Good times with Good friends...