We Made It!

This is all that we could take.

We drove up to Seattle, it took us 16 hours. Mapquest told us it was only going to take 12 hours but with the trailer on the back of our car, it took 4 extra hours. It was a long 16 hours....But we made it. We left our car and trailer in Seattle to get barged on a boat and we flew up to Anchorage. Curt got us a place to live. Well, I found it online. It is a townhouse in a great area with one of the best elementary schools in Alaska. We still don't have our stuff though, so we are staying with the Bishop and his family. They have been so nice to us. I don't know what we would have done without them.
I really do like it here. I will like it more when I can completely move in and get settled. I already made one really good girl friend. Our kids are the same age and we have been over a couple times. I really think a found a "Lori" here in Alaska. Not that anyone could replace her. Even though I can see myself really liking this place I will miss Utah for the relationships with family and friends.
I promise to keep my blog update often. Now that I have more time, I want to do it more. Everyone, please keep in touch.

Alaska here we come!

We are moving to Anchorage! I got a nice job offer at a great firm. We are excited, and feel like this is right for our family. It will certainly be an adventure. I will start in mid Feb and find a place to live, then we will all drive up at the end of Feb early March.

Balloons

We went to dinner at Disneyland and a man came by and made balloons for the kids. Aubrey had a melt down at the airport because we couldn't fly home with her balloon crown.

The Beach

One of our favorite family activties is going to the beach. For the afternoon we went down to Huntington Beach and just hung out.

Trip to Cal

So we took a last minute trip to California to spend some time together and so see the Browns. We had a blast! We got free hotel stay and tickets to Knott's Berry Farm. The kids loved the rides and staying at the hotel.

Congrats to Timmy!!!

So my mom and dad came into town and got to celebrate Timmy's graduation, Christmas, Lilly's baby blessing, Aurbrey's first dance recital. We were all very busy but made many memories.

Ballerina

So here are some pictures from Aubrey's first dance recital. We just love Miss Julie, Aubrey dance teacher. Poor Aubrey was so sick that day but wanted to be on stage. I had to run out and grap her because she would come off.

Curt's, grandmother passed away on Oct 8th, 2008. We had the Viewing and Funeral this last weekend. It was nice to be with the whole family to celebrate her life. She was a strong woman that loved to play the organ, and she was really good at it too. She had a hard life, but always pushed through them with her faith. I never got to meet her husband Charles but she would tell me stories of there experinces every time we went over to her house. I know that Grandma Schenk had a wonderful reunion with Charles, finally! Curt and I are glad that we had the opportunity to know her and had the chance to have our kids know her too.

Conference Weekend

Conference weekend is great! It helps me realize what is most important in my life and how I can be better, and doing so, I can be even more happier. So far I have learned that I want the spirit more in my life. The spirit to me is a overwhelming feelings of joy. The prophets have told us how to have it more but sometimes I get busy and think that other things have to be done first. I need to do better. Our family is going to make sure we have a morning and evening prayers together. We have been doing really good with Family Home Evening lately because I don't work Monday nights anymore. We have seen blessings already for studying the life of Christ. We have been displaying a picture and talking about it with the kids. Sometimes you think , "why am I doing this, the kids aren't even listening." But Corbin has been really thinking about it lately. Curt told me the other night that Corbin stated asking questions about why he couldn't see Jesus and asking where he lives. It was a great opportunity to talk again to Corbin of Jesus' life and purpose. When Curt thought there conversation was done, Corbin sat thinking and profoundly said, "Jesus changed the world, didn't he?" It amazes me the simple minds of kids. I am so grateful for the opportunity to teach my kids the wonderful teaching of Christ and how it helps us to become better. We all want our kids to grow up and be good people, and I think Christ teachings helps us all.
Curtis grandmother (Grandma Shank) is on her death bed right now. I haven't experienced death very often so it has really got me thinking. We need to make the most of today. What is the most important in our life? I think it is my relationship with my Heavenly Father, my husband, my wonderful kids, my extended family, and friends. In 20 years I don't want to say "what if". We will one day run out of tomorrows. (President Monsen said that)
At the top of this post I displayed pictures of the temples that the Anderson siblings got married in. Each of these building teach the amazing plan of our Heavenly Father. I am grateful for the education that I have obtained and the promises that I have made. My favorite part in the Temple is the blessings that we will receive if we do our part. My other goal is I am going to go to the Temple every Tuesday morning. Everyone that knows me, knows that I am not a morning person. So hopefully a year from today I am still keeping my goals.

Anderson / Brown / Bingham Reunion

We went to a resort outside of Cass Lake MN. The whole family was able to make it besides Curt that had to be in Boston. We had a great time in the water, catching frogs, doing crafts, making night treats, and hanging out with the family.