Imaginarium

So I broke down and bought an annual pass to the Imaginarium. The kids have a blast, and it makes me feel good that they are learning while they play. They also have a planetarium inside there too. With Corbin's latest obsession of planets, he can sit down and get answers to questions that I can even come close to answering.

Curt's favorite area. I don't know how we pulled him away. With the summer coming up, I don't how I am going to pull him away from the rivers.

Corbin learned about the arch's and the parts that are important and can't do without.

Aubrey's favorite area is the bubbles.

Fierce Flooding

So as most of you guys heard by now the Red River that splits North Dakota and Minnesota is flooding. This is where I grew up and most of my family is living. My parents house isn't close enough by the river to get flooded but my sister's gorgeous house is. At first they thought they wouldn't get hit, that just the upper river would. But as of now they are evacuating everyone in the neighborhood. My sister says it looks like a war zone with all the Army Jeeps around but she did say that she loved seeing everyone in the town coming together. The college kids, member of different churches, and neighbors are sand bagging. A lot of people will have to leave there home and find shelter somewhere else. And in the flood of 97 many people lost there homes. I remember seeing homes that had water up to there upper windows. They say that this flood is worst than the flood in 97. My brother in-law is the bishop there, and has I heard, is very busy. Please keep these people in your prayers. I love in the time of need that people come together to overcome.

Aubrey's Friend the Snowgirl

So it has been warmer lately. When I say warmer, I mean in the high 30's. I think it is great weather for the kids to be outside. We went sledding and than the snow was really good for a snowman. Well, Aubrey wanted a snowgirl.

She first gave the snowgirl her gloves and scraff, (I got the hat and carrot from the house) and than she wanted to give the snowgirl her hat. She stood there outside talking to the snowgirl. I think it was a hint that she needs some more girlfriends.

Still looking for a dance class....

So we tried a creative movement class for Aubrey today. It really was a tumbling class. She didn't really like it as much as dance and I didn't really like the teacher. I think I might have to break down and drive to Anchorage to get a good dance class.

H2O Oasis Water Park

Because Aubrey went pee-pee in the toilet she got a new swimming suit and got to go swimming at the H2O Oasis Water Park that is located South Anchorage. The kids had a wonderful time. Corbin went down the slides and Aubrey danced in the water and pretended that she was a mermaid. Of course Aubrey made a friend (she makes friends where ever she goes) and had a hard time saying goodbye.

Temple Night

So Curt and I got out for ward temple night. It was nice to get away and see more of Anchorage. It is one of the small temples that have only been open for 10 years. It was Curt's first time in a small temple, I have been to the Minneapolis Temple. It was fun doing something with just Curt and I.

Paper Airplanes

So Corbin's friend Carter came over today. For family home evening we got a book from the library about how to make all different kinds of paper airplanes. The boys found the planes and played with them for 2 hours. They had so much fun throwing them off the stairs and seeing what they could hit. I am glad that Corbin found a friend to have a fun time with.

You have to eat your carrots.

So I told you how much Aubrey loves sledding, but I guess not enough to eat a little bit of a carrot. I really would love it if Aubrey would eat any vegetable. I told her she couldn't go out and go sledding with us until she took a bite. She is so stubborn, (she gets that from me) she didn't eat it, so Corbin and I went sledding down our path.

Aubrey Misses Dance Class

So today Aubrey saw that I was looking for new dance classes for her. She loved going to dance classes, ballet is her favorite. We also loved her teacher Miss Julie that did an amazing job with the girls. It was a Mommy and me dance class but never had to jump in to help her because she was so eager.
So while I was looking for a class around here for her (which is so much more expensive, I paid 32.00 per month in SLC and the lowest I found is 75.00 per month here) so got in her outfit and started dancing. She keeps on reminding me that we need to go to her dance today. She is just so cute and all girl!

New Car

So this picture is for you Papa, you said that you wanted to see the new car, so here it is. We like it. It only has 35000 miles and we feel more confortable driving on these roads. Almost everyone has some sort of SUV up here. I guess we just followed the crowd, but I am so glad that we did.

The Ducks

So I went to wash the car at the car wash in town. You know the ones you have to do it yourself. I was just wanting t0 rinse it off because it will be dirty again in about two days. They don't take care of the roads very well up here. The ice melts and than freezes every day. But because my Dad wanted to see our new car, I needed to at least rinse it off. Well after I washed it off, the kids came out and feed the ducks with some crackers that we just bought at the store. She kept on taking a bite of the cracker and giving the rest to the ducks.

Going Sledding in the Circle

So, we now leave in a circle. (it is so nice to be away from a busy road) They piled up the snow in the middle of the circle, so it makes good sledding hills for the kids. We bought some sleds at Walmart for only 3 dollars and go out almost every day. For some reason Corbin gets kinda scared while Aubrey thinks it is the funnest thing in the world right now. I wonder where Corbin gets his sensivity...well....not really. But I don't know how Aubrey loves the color pink though. She defiantly didn't get that from me or Curt.

It is really not that cold.

So the two main questions that people usually ask is "how cold is it up there?" and "is it really dark there?" So, the answer every ones questions is that it isn't that cold. It has been in the 30's all week. Though, the first week when we were here it was in the teens. One morning Curt was waiting for his bus that was late and the thermometer said 5 degrees. But the kids actually like going out side in the cold. I have just learned that you need to make sure they are dressed right and you can still do almost all the things that you can do in the summer. Kids ride there bikes, ride there four wheelers, go to the park and play on the playground. It is kinda a pain to dress them but it is well worth it. And about the darkness, it is about the same as Utah right now. But we actually gain 6 minutes of light each day. So it is getting lighter and lighter. People tell us that in the summer it will be light out at midnight. I need to still invest in some good curtains.

Pictures of our Home

Thought people would like to see our new place. It is the nicest place we have lived in. It has a heated garage (which I heard is a need up here) open spaces and a trail that goes on for miles right out our back yard. Though Curt hates when I go out on the trails because he thinks we are going to get attacked by Moose. But the kids love riding in the sled while I get a workout. Most of all I like the neighborhood and the elementary school that is right down the trail.

Settling in.

So to update everyone, we are doing great! We are finally settling into our new place. We didn't bring too much with us so I had to some shopping to make the house somewhat livable. I just have to say, I don't know what I would of done without Craiglist. It is an amazing website for us to find some cheap stuff.

So I got to go see Curt's office the other day. It is a bigger firm than he has experienced in the past. About 35 employees. It has great benefits and best of all they are really busy which makes us feel confidence that he won't lose his job. I still don't completely understand why Alaska is doing so good at a time where our economy is doing so bad, but whatever it is I am grateful for a good job where I can stay home with the kids.

I have made a couple good friends. One girl coaches high school club volleyball and has three kids around my kids age and lives three doors down. Another is a girl that just moved up here from Idaho that has a boy that has all the same interest than Corbin. (Corbin is into planets, speed racer, and nature right now ) And the last girlfriend has a son that is the same age as Corbin and has the same name. Corbin thinks that is so cool, to have a friend with the same name. I have been trying to stop by when ever I can because her husband just left for Afghanistan last week. She is so strong though. I complain when Curt leaves for Boston for 10 days. She doesn't get to have her husband with her for a year and he is in the most dangerous place I can imagine. I am already learning so much by moving up here.