I like mine HOT HOT HOT!

I love gardening. The fruits of my labor, however, have been enjoyed.... No devoured... by selfish and annoying moose for the LAST FIVE YEARS. You have no idea how that pained me. I cried my eyes out! I was determined last year, to remedy the annual occurrence by purchasing a rather Spendy electric fence. Well. The stupid moose ate everything before we were able to figure out how to work the thing. I vowed not to plant or grow anything this year unless the fence became hot. Well it took half a summer of sweating bullets each morning, hoping a moose hadn't visited the night before, and then.... Joshua Clayton helped me turn it on and got it working. Bring on those stupid moose Baby! Let's see them mess with me now! I will be the one eating the fruits of my labors this summer, thank you very much! Here's to a great garden with super powers!

birdseed project

As part of my summer obsession preparation, the boys and I have a family night where we made some home made bird bell hangers. We dissolved Knox gelatin in water and then added it to bulk birdseed. I sprayed a muffin pan with Pam and then after placing yard hangers and the bottom, let the kids form their mixture into birdseed bells. They enjoyed the activity and our birds couldn't be happier about all the new munchies hanging around our back deck.

As part of our Dzuuggi program, we got to go on a spring field trip to the Butte and visit the reindeer farm! We got in the pen with the moose and reindeer and go to see Bison, Elk, Horses and goats too. The reindeer had band new babies that were too cute! We even fed the moose bananas and banana peels. Mommy's hand got all slobbery! The kids had a blast and we finished the trip with a haywagon ride. What fun! If you have any friends coming from out of state, this is a neat place to take them to at least get up close and personal with some of Alaska's unqiue animals.

Summer is finally here!!

Summer is FINALLY (mostly) here! Despite the fact that we are still having freezing temperatures at night, I refuse to wear pants and even cleared out my flower beds yesterday. It was invigorating to see all the green sprouting up from the ground. I can't wait to buy and plant annuals and get this place blossoming again. I have started way more dahlia bulbs than I ever have before and hope to see flowers, flowers, flowers all summer. The kids have been enjoying playing outside without having to wear a coat lately too. They had a visitor yesterday, Mason actually caught this beautiful butterfly but it soon befreiended Tysen and didn't wanna let go of him. Ty thought it was super cool, until it kept crawling on his face and creeped him out! haha

Tiger Scout

Donovan joined the tiger ranks of the Boy Scouts this year. This past weekend our family attended the annual Blue and Gold Banquet where he was presented with his Bobcat badge. I can't tell you how many times he practiced reciting his Boy Scout Promise, one of the requirments for this award. After a spaghetti dinner, the ceremony included a symbolic face painting where Phillip painted blue, yellow and red stripes on Donovan's face. The two blue stripes on his right cheeck stood for loyalty and truth. The yellow strips stood for cheerfulness and honor and the then two red stripes represent courage and perserverance. Now all I have to do is sew the new patch on his uniform, he is so proud!


Our proud Cub Scout

New Bobcat Award

Phillip painting Donovans face during the award cememony.

Donovan and his Tiger Den, Pack 297.

The boys had to creat their own table centerpiece, made with completely recycled materials. We used egg carts, recycled paper, sting, wire, wooden pegs, and newspaper bags to create this masterpiece.

Nicholson Grandchildren Christmas Picture

For Mom and Dad's Christmas present, I sewed matching qaspeqs for all 6 grandkids and Heather and I went to have their portraits taken at Sears. Everyone with kids knows how hard it is to get four little ones to look at the camera and smile at the same time. Of all the kids, Donovan was the biggest stinker and this was what we got. We have another picture where we incorporated some of the grass baskets that my grandma Bessie wove before she died so these pictures were very special to all of us.

Winter

We have had a pretty good winter. Aside from it being sooo cold, we have had a pretty decent amount of snow that has allowed the kids to sled and drive their snowgos around our 3 acre property. Donovan is the kids who would live outside if I'd let him..... he is outside everyday and has to nearly be threatened to come back in the house. Mason has been a lot more confident walking in the snow and treking up hills. He wants to join his brothers whenever they venture outside.

I miss My Fisherman!

Brandon is still commercial fishing with my dad. He looks forward to it every year and I am so thankful that he has a window into the life that I lived and grew up in. I believe working on his A'pa's boat has taught him many things; an excellent work ethic, the value of money, taking pride in one's work, etc. Our family has been fishermen for generations and I am so pleased he is keeping up with the tradition. My dad prides himself in Brandon's willingness and reputation as a young fisherman. He has already experienced 12 years on the good ole Bristol Bay! My buttons are bursting to know he has become such a strong and smart fisherman. I just miss him. Lots. Soon he will be going into 7th grade. I am so blessed to have such a smart, athletic and generous 12 year old, son and big brother. He is a ray of sunshine everywhere he goes.

Super Boys!

Two of the cutest boys you ever saw in your life.

Going into first grade

My baby is going to be a first grader? He absolutely loved kindergarten and the entire school routine. He is ready, I'm not. He has lost a couple more teeth. Three in all, all on the bottom. I cringe every time I look in his mouth though. We had our annual summer exams at the dental office and the dentist smiled at me and told me to "start saving" immediately. Orthodontics are definitely in his future. I just pray that as he grows he will start to have a little more room in his mouth for the permanent teeth as they grow in. Right now, his poor little gums are bursting at the seams, even with his itty-bitty baby teeth.
He is definitely an outside boy. He would spend every waking minute of his summer on his bike if we'd let him. He rides like a wild man too. Every inch of his body is witness to his craziness. Seems every night at bedtime I find more cuts, scrapes and bruises that even he didn't know about. The picture here shows one of his recent battle scars, poor baby. The handle bar did some damage during this wipe-out.