Hi from Alaska!
I found a computer. yeah, I think this is probably the one and only time I will be using one. On Monday we fly out to a remote village. I am going through blog withdrawls. Alaska is great. I have seen a moose and a mountain goat and am hopeful about seeing a bear. You know I am all about the animals. Also hiked to a glacier today. Paul would be hyperventilating if he were here right now. I'm pretty sure we would be taking pictures every ten minutes down the highway. I'm planning to bring him back as a tourist. I am staying with some people that live by the Kenai River, a famous fishing river. In fact when we drove here there were fishermen lined up down the river catching fish.

Annie

Paul and Brandon exploring the caves.

Mark, Barb and Will (Paul's sister Rebecca's boyfriend). This was Will's first time camping ever! He said he liked it.

Tahklahk Lake - we just love this campground, it's so beautiful!

Mark and I tried fishing with no luck. Last year I caught six or seven, but this year they just weren't biting. Maybe I'll have better luck in Alaska?

Our campsite

You won't hear from me for a while. I am leaving tomorrow on a mission's trip with my church. A great adventure! Paul and I just got back from camping at Tahklahk Lake with our family and friends. I will try to post some pictures before I leave, right now my computer is being a little wierd.

Paul comes into the kitchen from the garden:

Paul: "guess what, the birds LOVE me."
Annie: "have you been talking to them again?" (he has a history of this, and whistling to them)
Annie: (note to self: this is going to be great for my blog)
Paul goes on to tell Annie elaborate story of a hummingbird who got REALLY close to him.
Paul: "... it was so close, but then I got freaked out a little, and I moved, and it flew away."
Annie: "freaked out?"
Paul: "yeah, haven't you ever seen thier beaks?"

Yeah, Sarah is probably the only one laughing right now, but I think it's so funny.

Do you love to cook? Do you love to eat? Share your recipes with us. I created a new blog called Food Love where you can share recipes and food stories with everyone. Email me to become a member!

CYIA team from Lewis County, from left: Mark, Tobin, Alicia, Emma, me, Alana and Marie.

I'm back from summer camp! I am soooo glad to be home.

Isn't Paul a great photographer? He took this picture of our neighbor's dog, Dexter, yesterday. I will miss him (the husband, not the dog) next week when I am at camp. You won't hear from me for a while but I will make sure to post many pictures when I get back.

Our first crop of strawberries. Last year we harvested about two the WHOLE year. So we're very excited.

Two of my friends from highschool, Addie and Kara, and I got together last night for fun. Addie lives in South Carolina and was home for a week. Kara lives in Bellingham. Thanks Alysun for the recipe for Emergency Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Broiler frosting. It was a hit. Anybody want to start a recipe blog? I've been seriously thinking about it. You can have multiple contributers on one blog, so we could all contribute. Let me know if you are interested. Leave me a comment. People are always asking me for recipes, and recently my sister in law pointed out that I never remember to give it to them. Maybe this would help.

Isn't she lovely? And yes, the curls are natural. And yes, at 29 she's still got 'em. Eat your heart out. Check out Smith's Bliss for more.

My husband actually said this while we were shopping at Macy's (eyeing a salesperson suspiciously):

"Don't look too lost or they'll come and harass us."

He said this under his breath as if we were on some secret mission. Shopping is a foreign thing to him. Everything must be questioned. In fact this is the only time when he sees me at the leader and he as the sidekick. Even though we are shopping for him. We shop for the polo shirt, the button up shirt, and the T-shirt. He views all other styles with extreme suspicion. Once we went into Eddie Bauer and I said, "How about you go over there and look at the men's, and I'll look at these dresses." He gave me a look as if to say, "Are you out of your mind? Leave me alone to wander this store? You're not going to protect me from harassing salespeople?" I actually started to walk away to see what he would do. He just stood there, like an abandoned child. One time I saw something across the store and headed over to look at it, somehow I lost him, and when he finally caught up with me, he expressed his displeasure at me leaving him alone. "I couldn't find you," he said.
I have to say though, after we were all done shopping for him, he actually followed me around while I shopped for myself. I even modeled some clothes for him. It's a give and take thing I guess. In the end he did have fun. He tried on all his clothes when he got home, just to make sure that they went with the things he already had. I love him. Paul is starting an internship in a week and needed the appropriate clothing. He goes shopping about once every four years (I'm really not kidding). We have been married for almost 5 years and I can only remember one other major shopping trip, where he actually bought things other than for hiking or camping or other such outdoor sports.
It's Monday and it's raining torrentially outside. I am in my (empty, sniff sniff) classroom cleaning up. Have a great week.

Kayaking at Tugboat Annie's (6/10/06)

Bliss (and a bit of sadness too)

Yes, it is the last day of school. I bet you were wondering (all three readers of my blog) where I have been all this time. The kindergarteners cried, the first graders cheered....the joy, the sadness, the pure freedom of it all....some faces panic stricken (what? kindergarten is over, why, it just started!)....some faces joyful (get me out of this prison!)

Yes, now I start that season of the year which actually takes a little getting used to. I know, you're saying, "Gag me, lady, I have to work all year." Needless to say, I'm outa here!

Here are some quotes that I forgot to blog about:

"Teacher, my grandma got her gold-bladder cut out."
"My favorite part of kindergarten was learning how to read." (I'm tearing up)

Have a great weekend. We are (weather permitting) going kayaking with the fam tomorrow. The whole family. As a blogger, I live for these outings because I KNOW there will be a story. More later...

One of the benefits of my job.

We went to the zoo in Tacoma today. Some of these kids don't get to the city very much and here's how I can tell:

Student: "Look, teacher, there's cool writing and pictures and stuff on that wall."
Teacher: "Yes that's very nice"
Teacher: (to herself) "Yeah, that's called grafitti"

Smile

I really miss college sometimes, especially MY college, MBC. Here's one (of many) reason why:

Once found, now they're lost

"Yeah, we voted for Taylor twice. We were gonna vote again and then daddy told us it was a dollar each time you vote."

-Kindergartener