Trying to get to Alaska!!!

This is me re-packing for the fourth time.  I had to re-arrange 

everything just in case we drove.

These two picture are from the first time that we tried

to get on an airplane and you can only see half of our stuff

This was the fourth time and the day the we actually got on a flight!

Finally arriving in Anchorage Alaska at 2:00am Utah time

The boys were just a little tired!

All the STUFF that you have to pack for a family of six!

So for those of you who are unclear about where we are and why I will try and fill you in.  With the construction world coming to a screeching halt we had come up with an alternate plan, quickly.  Jared accepted a job in Homer Alaska running a halibut fishing charter again (people pay him to take them Halibut fishing)  We rented out our house and went and stayed in Heber with my parents for about a month and a half.  We then learned that Jared had to register his captains license in person before April 15 or his license would be void and we would not be able to have a job running the boat-which is bad.  We made quick arrangements to fly March 26 to Homer in order in insure that he is registered in time.  It was about that time the the Volcano, Redoubt started erupting which continually caused the airport to shut down.   Our first 3 flights were cancelled  we rescheduled one more time but new that if that one was cancelled that we would have no choice, but drive to Alaska in order to get Jared registered in time.  Let me be clear about how scary the idea of driving is:  It takes 75 HOURS of driving to get to Alaska.  Yes, it is a beautiful drive (Jared and I did it the first year that we were married) but pretty sure that it would be impossible to enjoy the scenery with all the kids in the car for that long!!  

The whole thing was really a nightmare things just seemed to get from bad to worse.  Four times we packed the car with 8 suitcases, 6 carry-on bags, double jogging stroller, two car seats, pack and play for babies, two carriers for the babies and a big dog and her kennel.  Every time we had to be ready just in case and every time the boys were completely devastated that we were not getting on an airplane and to make matters worse my hands (because of the ridiculous stress level) broke out in tiny blisters, about 500 of them on each hand.  Apparently my body can only handle so much!

Fourth time is a charm in our case and I couldn't be more grateful for an uncomfortable long flight with for kids.     

I do want to say a big thank you for all the phone calls and words on encouragement from so many friends and family members.  Your kind words made my days so thank you for being so kind. 

Anyways we made it here and it is a beautiful to place to spend a summer.  There are no Cafe Rio's here and so I find it impossible to think about staying any longer then that, but the boys are in heaven.  Now just pray that people come fishing!

Volcano Erupts Again

Ash blankets the ground 

static from the ash create this amazing lightening show

This is the Ash cloud that came to Homer-notice how it is light out?  When is reach us it looked like it was in the middle of the night-it completely blocked the sun.

Redoubt Volcano

After the ash had settled.  This is off our front porch

This was taken the day before the ash cloud

Two days after arriving in beautiful Homer Alaska the volcano, Redoubt erupted again.  Up until now there is not a lot of evidence that a Volcano has been erupting 100 miles alway, but this was a big one.  Homer had only seen about an eighth of an inch of ash only one time since the volcano started erupting weeks ago.  This time it was so much more we were completely covered in ash. 

Easter and Catching up

Our Little Princess

Our Family

My handsome Boys



Here are our Easter Outfit Pictures.  Everyone is getting so big!  I spent the other day scrolling through through older posts and I can't believe how much they have changed.  Updates:

Since arriving in Alaska Joshua started a new school for the third time during 1st grade.  We gave him the choice whether to start another school or do some home school for the rest of the year and he wanted to go to school.  He is so good at adjusting quickly to new situations and loves making new friends.  He is a excellent reading and loves math.  Is is always so kind to the babies and a big helper.  William and Josh butt heads quite often but that is what brothers do.

William is one extreme or the other.  He is either sweet, funny and imaginative or he is mean stubborn and impossible to deal with.  It has been a hard adjustment for him to go from the youngest to having so much attention needing to be on the babies.  I tell people that the twins have been hard, but the three year old has been the hardest.   He will grow out of it that is what I have to keep telling myself.  Will loves to make up songs and is always singing and dancing-Love you William!

Gabriel is HUGE last week he weighed in at 21.4lbs  He is my cuddler he loves to snuggle into his mommy.  When he is happy his whole face lights up and he laughs with his whole body.  He rolls all over the place but not quite sitting on his own and his first tooth finally broke through yesterday.  Gabe is so loud when he is happy or mad everyone knows it.  He has his mother lungs.

Gracey is a delight we love having a little princess (other than William) she is always one step ahead of Gabe and is almost sitting up on her own.  She has a soft spot for her parents and will let you hold her until she hears her mom or her dad.  You have to work a lot harder to get her to smile, unless you are her father-all he has to do is look at her and she lights up. She loves to make raspberries throughout the day and has to have a soft blanket over her face to fall asleep.

Now that we are getting settled the babies are finally getting on a schedule the nap at 10 and at 2 and I am only nursing them in the middle of the night and early morning.  The rest of the time they are eating formula and homemade baby food.  They are so hard only because there are two of them, but we enjoy every minute.