Christmas weepies

 Christmas weepies aka Christmas blues. If you've ever lost someone special or miss the way things used to be, you're bound to get the Christmas Blues. While I can't bring anyone back or do time travel, I can offer a little help on fighting the blues. Don't concentrate on what you don't have. Concentrate on what is yours. What brings a smile to your face. What warms your heart? Will you laugh at anything this time of year? I miss my mom with all of my heart. Every time she passed a salvation army kettle, she always found something to give. I catch myself doing the same thing. It's not so funny if you give your lunch money away, but it happens. I gave each one of my grandsons 24 books. One for each day in December before Christmas.  I've watched them learn to unwrap. Watched them learn that pretty paper doesn't taste as good as it looks, and I've watched their parents read to them.  I've seen the wonder in their little eyes as they take it all in. I have flash backs to seeing Beth read to Lauren under the covers with a flash light. I hear mom's  voice reading to Rowan and years before to me. I remember my great grandmother reading a story to me in English and rereading the same page in German. I have old memories and am in the process of making new ones. My mom can't hold her grandkids in a rocking chair anymore (they wouldn't fit) but I know she's smiling watching me hold mine. I miss having my little babies and if truth be told, I accidentally called Parker by his dad's name.  I think he tried to kiss me. His open mouth came into contact with my face. There were slobbers and it might have been a really sweet gesture but he has six teeth.  So there's that, but it made me laugh. Laughter is the best medicine.  It even cures the blues.

A no-stress Christmas?

 Christmas can be a stressful time of year. Some many things to do. So many to buy for. So many treats to make/bake/take. It's supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, but it won't be if you're stressed to the max. Slow it down. It's ok to say NO. It's ok to only buy what you can afford. I am so very happy that ALL FIVE of my kids and their significant persons got me a list by Thanksgiving-it made my shopping so, so much easier. They all have three things wrapped under the tree. Stockings are almost full. I bought each one of the youngest grandsons 24 books each-one to open each day of December and an advent calendar for the oldest. They love them and are having so much more fun than I thought they would. My Christmas cards were taken on vacation in Alaska-and it's one of my favorites of Dwight and I-I hope I ordered enough of them(so far 20  have been mailed out-working on the rest). The inside of my house is decorated and I've started on the outside and it's all been fun to do. Christmas just has to be Merry if you're happy.

Apology to my family at the Thanksgiving Circle

 We made a circle at our family Thanksgiving dinner. We all said something we're grateful for-all thirty one of us-and somewhere along the line, I just lost it. I cried big, ugly tears and I tried unsuccessfully to hide behind Dave but it didn't work. Just before bed time, I had received news that one of my best friends had lost a grandbaby. The next morning, I was looking at my grandsons and wondering what in the world did I do to receive such little blessings? Such beautiful,  healthy, happy blessings?

Not counting sheep

 Have you ever been so tired that you can't sleep. Your body is so sluggish and your mind is tired but wired. You can't shut it off. Eventually I'll force myself to lay down. I remember old timers saying that if you count sheep. You'd put yourself to sleep.  I tried that for awhile and then my mind drifted to Thanksgiving and I started thinking about blessings that I have and so I started counting them.  And counting them. I fell asleep counting them and woke up so very happy. I know I'm blessed and so very Thankful.

Sweet dreams Sampson

 As I ended my night last night, Sampson kept doing circles around me. I stopped to pet him, but he still kept at it and maintained some eye contact so I surmised that an ear scratching just wasn't going to make him happy. I reached down and picked him up and held him like you would hold a baby that needed to burp. He instantly snuggled next to my neck and just calmed down. Most of the time, Sampson prefers to be by himself or chasing something/someone.  I held him and sang a song and I remembered how his sweet mama loved to be held that way and I sang another song and held him a little longer. He might not have needed that second song, but I did and it felt so good knowing that my hug had so much value. I put him down and he escorted me to bed and we fell fast asleep. Me snuggled into my pillow and Sampson in the curve of my back. Sweet dreams Sampson-hope you get all the balls. 

Rock-a-bye Baby

 Everyone knows that you sing to babies while you rock them to sleep. If you're lucky (like me) the baby will sometimes sing to you. And after you pat his back for a while, he might reach over and pat yours too. 

But nothing in the world can prepare you for the amount of love you will feel holding that sweet baby. You wonder if your heart might burst and then you feel even more love. I don't have to wonder about heaven and what it will be like. I think I already know. 

Momma Magic

I got a text that read "Mom call me asap. I'm alright" and sure enough she was alright but not really. She was having a horrific day. She needed a friend.  Someone to tell her that things would get better and make her believe it. She needed to know that someone had her back and that someone believed in her. So I did my best to reassure her and I smiled a little to myself remembering my mom and how it felt to be loved by her.  Some moms make you feel like you can move mountains. Call it Momma Magic.

Alaska Day 11

 Spent the day in Palmer. Went to the reindeer farm where they had two moose, Highland cows, elk (including a baby), polish chickens, turkeys, and pigs. Very informative.  

This turkey was so friendly and loved being held.

Then it was on to the Musk Ox farm:

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   Musk Ox toys seen above.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Then we went Independence Gold mine. Then Dwight picked wild blueberries and let me soak my injured foot in a glacier water.
   
   This is near Hatcher's Pass.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Alaska Day 10

 Said goodbye to sea lions in Valdez and saw five eagles near the beach. Another rainy day, but we took pictures in Keystone Canyon. Check out Horsetail Falls:

This is Thompson Pass.

This is Horsetail falls. 

Spending the night in Palmer.

Alaska Day 9

 Stayed two nights at the Hotel Glacier in Valdez. Went to Solomon Gulch Fish hatchery and watched sea lions, ate at The Fat Mermaid,  went to a museum. 

Alaska Day 8

 Left Tok and visited Chicken. It's an old gold mining town.

Then we drove to Valdez. Saw Bridal veil falls and a glacier. Then ate at the Fat Mermaid in the harbor.

Alaska Day 7 more

 Can't forget to add that we spent the night at the Burnt Paw Cabins in Tok. Around 90 miles from the Canadian border. Adorable and very comfortable.  It didn't hurt that the owner sent Blueberry bread and yogurt to our cabin. So cute with black petunias.

Then we went out to chase Northern lights. This is as close as we got:

Alaska Day 7

 Saw the Moose Antler Arch.

Then it was on the Alaskan Pipeline:

Then it was on to the North Pole:

Alaska Day 6

 We ended up spending the night in Talkeetna at the Wandering Moose Bed and Breakfast Inn. After listening to sled dogs howl most of the night, we woke up to more rain.  Headed to Denali anyway.  Beautiful scenery all the way. Got a few good pictures of Denali then headed to Fairbanks. Then we went to Chena Hot Springs and soaked a little bit. 

Alaska Day 5

 Rain all day for Homer so we left and went to 49th State Brewing in Anchorage.  Dwight got his yak burger and I got king crab grilled cheese. Then it was on to Wasilla where we saw Thunderbird Falls

Then we stopped at the Iditarod Headquarters.

One of mushers had the best quote: If dogs had one fault, it's that they don't live long enough. 

Alaska Day 4

 Traveled from Seward to Homer. Homer is a beautiful little town. Went shopping on the Homer Spit, walked the beach at Homer and hunted Eagles at Anchor Point. Had a beer at the Salty Dog Saloon and lunch at a local joint. 

First talk of the day

 Let me start out by saying it was very early in the morning. Before six am and the frigging coffee pot in our room would not work. I do not function very well in the morning and especially without coffee.  Dwight had made a couple of trips to the car and I brought the last of our stuff down. I put it in the back seat and went to sit down. As I reached for my car door. I locked eyes with a black bear. I muttered "oh. Shit. Dwight. Bear". I was honestly hoping he would snap a couple of pictures, but instead my husband yells very loudly for me to shut the door. I think he yelled it two or three times and scared the poor bear. We never did get his picture.  Dwight scared him that badly. 

Alaska Day 3 Seward

 We left Whittier before six and drove down to Seward. A very small town with a cute harbor. We took another cruise to look at wildlife. We saw Otters, seals, eagles, and orcas.

Alaska Day 2

 Started our day with a hot breakfast at the Anchor Inn. Grits were not on their menu but my hillbilly got his biscuits and gravy. Then it was on to the 26 Glacier cruise. Such beautiful scenery.