Wraping up Summer

With a morning frost on the grass and garden, I believe Fall is here. 

This summer has been amazing! Warm and full of adventure.  The cold weather must be due to the fact that our President is here for the "Climate Change Conference."  A hearty "Welcome to Alaska!"

 

Back to Our Family...

We had the pleasure of going flying with Grandpa and Grandma last week.  It was the most beautiful day.  We finished up homeschool and went out to Scott Rd., to Moffit's field.  What a view!  And we have pretty amazing stunt-flying Grandparents.  The kids were loving it, but not quite as much as the open fields to run and roll in... Sorry Grandpa.

 

 

Actually Calvin was the most enthralled with the planes.

That and Grandma's lunch.

 

Grandpa had to make some adjustments to the biplane, it was worth the wait. 

 

 

End of Summer Reading Program at IDEA. Henry and Lydia were top readers in their grade, and I missed at least half of Henry's reading minutes.  He's a voracious reader, I love it.

The reading program partnered with Bricks for Kids.  They were able to build their own Lego men/women and a merry-go-round that ran off of a battery pack. 

So I didn't grow up with Lego's, and I haven't gotten any for my kids either.  I was amazed at how able they were at following directions and building working models.  Especially Lydia, she kept getting irritated at me for helping.  It was a great day! Guess I will have to invest in some Legos.

 

 

 

Our next great adventure was Hiking in Eklutna.  I have only been out there one other time, last summer.  It was beautiful! There's a hiking trail up to Twin Peaks, about 2.8 miles to the top.  There was supposedly a look out half a mile up the trail... 2.3 miles later... we found the bench and the view was well worth it.  Next year we are planning on hiking up to the top and into the bowl.  There's supposed to be amazing blueberries up there.  (Not many people want to hike the three miles to get the blueberries and then haul them down)

 

 

Our best friends showed us a great spot up in Hatchers Pass for picking blueberries.  We went twice and found the mother load :)  It was a very successful pick.  Daddy even got to go with us!

 

 

Other berry picking was less "fruitful".. But we were taught a new way to "pick" raspberries by our youngest.  Skip the middle man!

 

And these are the fruits of our labor! 

17 quarts of Jam

Rhubarb Blueberry

Raspberry

Raspberry Rhubarb

Rhubarb Cherry

Rhubarb Lemon

For now... More to come :)

 

More summer time adventures.. we hiked the Butte nearly every week.  Next summer we are planning bigger and better adventures. Maybe some winter hikes too... Summer time we will miss you! 

 

My baby isn't so much a baby!! UGH!

What a ham!

 

 

 

 

My successful Hunter!!

He went out to get a Moose, the Lord provided a Caribou.  Which we accepted gratefully.

And the next week a friend got a moose, too much meet for his family, so he gave us a leg and some ribs.  We didn't have room in the freezer for a full moose and caribou.. thus the mass jam making.  But now we have both.  The Lord blesses us with miracles daily and we are ever grateful for his hand in our lives. 

 

There are great blueberries up in Denali too I guess :)

Fresh Blueberry oatmeal for the hunters.