Back in Alaska

We arrived back to Alaska in mid March, and were welcomed by an early spring.  The sun was back in the lagoon and the garden was coming alive. 

Chickens (and boys) enjoying playing in the warm greenhouse

Easter Egg dying

Vera's Easter Eggs

Thanks Easter Bunny!

The annual Easter Egg hunt after Easter church

And, a stormy family Easter bike ride out to Orca

A float trip down the Alaganik, and a great sunny bike ride for me at the start of the day. 

The Delta is alive with waterfowl. 

The Hallquist family and us paddled down the upper river, and ran into a frenzy of hooligan.  Great gull action, and fun to catch a few fish. 

We met up with the Reynolds clan for a sunny cook-out

Some wonderfully sunny days, and time to revisit some of our favorite summer haunts.  Fun at the sandpile, bike-riding at Hartney Bay, tide-pooling at Orca. 

Smoking hooligan

 Leif is making huge strides with potty training.  We don't have much (read 'no') notice, but he's very proud of peeing standing up!  We'll take whatever progress we can..

The two-three year old gang goes tide-pooling

Some sunny days up the ski hill

The weather has been back and forth, in extremes.  I got to spend a rainy morning on a low-tide adventure with some of my favorite people.  Good company always makes a bad-weather outing more fun. 

It's hard to tell, but the weather was Really bad... strong wind and rain.  

The kids were total troopers!

Back to sun, and Anchor's birthday party

Cordova on a beautiful day

Snow is so fun when you get to hike to it!  

The boys and I made it up to the Crater Lake cut-off one sunny day. 

A much needed family day.  

Both Dustin and I have been working too much, and we were thrilled to have a day out the road together. 

Just family.. Just play!

We hiked about 3 miles downriver at 27 mile.  It's a giant sand-box... and the ultimate destination for the boys.  Space to run, crash, jump, and be free. 

We had to cross a few streams

Looking at the terns

The dunes were our destination turnaround

And they provided the height needed for some air!

This outing got us excited about the possibilities of fat-biking on the Delta.  Miles to cover and explore. 

Camp fire and hotdogs

It's now been raining for the last 10 days...and we're all ready for the sun to return.  Meanwhile.. the shorebirds are returning, the hummingbirds are back, and everything is turning green around us. 

We have five new members of the family

And, today we had a break in the weather.. and planted our potatoes (thank you Uncle Robert!)