Great People

When Darius was in the restaurant business he had the opportunity to meet a lot of people over the years. Some of those people have turned into good friends, and naturally most of them live in Florida. After our time with Gaile and Jim in Sarasota, we met up with some such friends that evening for dinner. Jim and Claire and their daughters Emily and Elizabeth are great people. They are always so welcoming, and we love our visits with them.

They treated us to an awesome dinner and great conversation. Elizabeth is close in age to the boys and generously shared all her toys with them. Emily entertained us with a couple of her Irish Step Dances (so awesome!), and made red velvet cake for dessert, which the boys loved. I can't say enough nice things about this family. We look forward to our visits with them whenever we're able to make it to Florida.



Sarasota

On Friday we got an early start and drove south to visit the boys' great grandma, Gaile, in Sarasota. She and her husband Jim met us at the Sarasota Jungle Gardens, which is a zoo-type park with 10 acres of beautiful gardens housing rescued/donated birds and reptiles.

 The park was the perfect size for the boys and we had fun mingling with the free-roaming flamingos. There was a great playground within the park that the boys gravitated to, and we ended our visit to the park after watching the Birds of the Rainforest bird show.

After the park, Gaile and Jim treated us to lunch at Lee Roy Selmon's and gifted the boys with some new books, little stuffed Curious Georges, and birthday presents to take home with us. Grandma Gaile has always been so generous with us, especially Ben and Zach, and we enjoy our visits with her. Thanks Gaile and Jim for taking the time to meet up with us! We enjoyed our visit!

Lunch & Dinner

The boys and I joined Patti for lunch with Dylan at his school this afternoon. We had another beautiful day, so we dined alfresco and then the boys enjoyed running around the school yard with Dylan before he had to go back to class.

After lunch Patti generously offered to watch the boys for Darius and I so we could spend the rest of the day together. We enjoyed an unusually quiet afternoon of a little shopping, and then we stopped at our favorite pizza joint, Mellow Mushroom, for dinner before heading back.

Best pizza...best crust!

It's still a strange feeling to go out without the boys, but we did enjoy ourselves. Even though I always feel a little guilty for leaving the boys, I know it's healthy to have some adult time away from them every so often. It makes for a happier mom and dad! Thanks again Patti & Michael!

Clearwater Beach

On Monday we went with the Bacons to Clearwater Beach. The weather was sunny and warm with just enough breeze to keep us comfortable. There was a great covered playground for the boys to play on/around, and we all had fun watching them play. The beach is fantastic, and the sand is some of the best I've been on.

After a delicious lunch at Frenchy's, we got our second wind and stopped at the splash park in Dunedin to the let the boys play.

 The days have been going by so fast since we've been here, but we're squeezing as much as we can into each one and doing our best to enjoy every minute of our time here.

Disney

We've enjoyed a fun-packed weekend! Saturday we got an early start and drove to Orlando to hit a couple of the Disney parks. We ended up visiting Epcot and Hollywood Studios. The boys were excited that we were going to see Mickey, and Mickey they saw. We made our way through a little character meet and greet at Epcot, and the boys got to meet Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, and Donald (my favorite). Zach was very social and went right up to all of them after doing his little happy dance. Ben was excited too but preferred to keep his distance.

We enjoyed eating and drinking our way through the countries of Epcot's World Showcase, and the boys really enjoyed The Seas with Nemo & Friends Pavilion. They even helped out with dolphin impersonations at the Turtle Talk with Crush show.

In Hollywood Studios we heard all about Buzz Lightyear from the boys. There was definitely a lot going on with Toy Story 3, and the boys were going a little nuts. They waited "patiently" in line to meet Buzz and Woody (in their Buzz & Woody shirts no less) and then I completely missed my photo op once it came.

Another favorite was the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure. It was a massive play area for the kids to explore, or get lost. It really was like stepping into a bug's shoes. It was a good thing we had Dylan with us to keep up with the boys. With all the kids playing and with the size of the play area, I was surprised anyone could keep tabs on their kids.

Even with all the fun in the parks alone, there was also the additional treat of riding on the parking lot tram, monorail, boat, and bus. All high quality entertainment in Ben and Zach's eyes'.

Another great Disney experience! Thank you so much Michael, Patti, and Dylan for making it happen!

Splash

We've been soaking up some beautiful sunshine, and we are thoroughly enjoying our time here in Florida so far. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous! Our friends, the Bacons, have welcomed us into their home again and have been showing us a great time.

Today we took the boys to a splash park in Dunedin, and then to the "beach" along the Dunedin Causeway. As soon as we got to the splash park the boys jumped right in, but Zach got a surprise bucket of water dumped on his head during the first few minutes and spent the rest of his time there skirting around the park.

On the causeway the boys had fun throwing rocks and dipping their feet in the water.

We finished our day with a lovely meal with the Bacons and the head of the Bacon family, Pop Pop and Honey.

All the Bacons have been spoiling the boys, and tomorrow another big spoil is coming their way. We're headed out early to enjoy Magic Kingdom and Epcot in Orlando. We're all very excited to see the boys' reactions to the parks this second time around.

We're so lucky to have such great friends! We haven't even been here a week yet, and our moods have been lifted and we feel like ourselves again.

Happy

Today we got a very early start, and much of our day has been spent in the air and at airports, and we still have another 5+ red-eye flight to come. Despite all the stress that usually comes with travel, I can honestly say it hasn't been a stressful day. I've just had a really good day so far. I'm happy.

It's my favorite holiday, so that might be playing a small part, but I think mainly it's because I have been fortunate enough to spend it with my 3 favorite guys, traveling to visit friends we love (who just happen to live in a warmer climate). Yeah, life is good right now.

To all my friends and family: I hope your Valentine's have found their way to you, and that you've had as good of a day as I have. Just know that you've had 1 extra person thinking about you today and sending a lot of extra love your way. Bear hugs and smooches all the way around!

Unpredictable...

...our weather in one word.

When we got home from Utah last week there was fresh snow on the ground. The following few days it rained and all the snow melted. A day later it snowed again, and then the weather cleared and we had a few days of beautiful, albeit cold, weather with blue skies. Now we're back to grey skies, gusty winds, and sideways rain/snow.

I figured out early on that there was no consistency in our weather here and gave up on paying much attention to any weather forecast for this area. I'd rather be surprised each day with how the weather unfolds than be disappointed by how I think it should turn out based on forecasts.

Lucky for us we got out for a bit during the window of nice weather we had late last week. On our way back from the cake-bake judging at the library, we passed by the park and the boys were insistent we stop. The boys never seem to be deterred by the weather, and the blanket of snow covering the park was probably just icing on the cake in their eyes. It's nice to see that playing in the snow is more enjoyable for them now than it was a year ago.

Yup, there's the sun! It's finally made it's way back over the mountain.

"Can't Run, Never Will"

Cordova is celebrating their annual Ice Worm Festival this week. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the completion of the Copper River and Northwestern Railway, which is the highlight for this year's celebration. The railway was impressively built from Cordova to Kennicott from 1907-1911 with the purpose to transport copper. Critics said the railway couldn't be built, and the nickname "Can't Run and Never Will" was adopted by the railway. The railway was in use until 1938 and it, along with the bridges and land around the tracks, was then turned over to the US government by the Kennecott Corporation to be used as a highway route. After the earthquake in 1964 damaged the Million Dollar Bridge, road construction was blocked beyond the bridge.

I'm amazed that 100 years ago the task at completing a nearly 200 mile route was accomplished, especially considering the elements and the landscape. The people constructing it were faced with glaciers, canyons, rivers, hurricane-force winds and those pesky mosquitoes we love so much here. Soon after the completion of the Million Dollar Bridge, the 2 glaciers nearby quickly started to advance towards the bridge. At one point a northern lobe of Childs Glacier began advancing about 8 feet a day and ultimately came within nearly 1400 feet of the bridge.

I enjoyed doing a little research and learning more about the history behind the railway. I guess the boys' love of trains has rubbed off on me a little. I entered the cake bake contest again this year, and used some of the history I learned as inspiration for decorating a cake.

Darius was kind enough to drop off the cake at the library for me before heading to work since our car is on strike. We had beautiful weather all day, so the boys and I took a walk up to the library for a taste of cake after judging. My little snails took a little too much time on the way, and unfortunately we missed out on all the cake. I was a little disappointed, not for missing cake, but for missing out on seeing all the other decorated cakes. I collected what was left on my tray and my awards for Most Theme Oriented Cake and Overall Best of Show! The fondant ice worm worked well as bait for getting the boys home again.

Fly Home

I was hoping to make it home the same day when we left Utah last Sunday, but we didn't make it in until Monday. I didn't think the airport would be so busy in Salt Lake until Carrie pointed out to me that the Sundance Film Festival had just ended. I have never seen so many ski bags at the same time before! We were on standby for the first flight out to Seattle but didn't actually get seats until the third flight out. Not a big deal just part of standby travel, but that did cause us to miss the connection we had hoped to make in Seattle and put us there overnight.

This was, I think, my 3rd time traveling solo with the boys. There are always extra challenges to going it alone when I'm outnumbered, but at least it's possible. It's times like these that I'm glad for the research and planning I did when purchasing "equipment" after Darius started working for the airline (and for a good stick of deodorant). We've come a long way from those first few flights with the boys. It's never easy to travel with kids, but each trip gives us more experience, and we're able to refine our approach with each subsequent trip.

I'm always beyond grateful for the opportunity we have to travel. I think to myself on every flight I board how fortunate we are to be able to fly to see our family and friends more than once a year. I can't imagine having to pick and choose who we would be able to afford to visit each year. It's our ability to travel that has made living in a remote area bearable for us.

Darius, I know I've said it before, but I'll keep saying it. Thank you so much for all your hard work that gives us these opportunities, and thank you for giving us so much time in Utah. I know it was boring and bit depressing to have us gone for so long, but we sure did appreciate the time we had there. Love you!

Two very happy boys to be home with their daddy again.

The boys have literally been climbing all over their daddy since arriving home.

Home Away from Home #2

The time not spent at Carrie and Bobby's home was spent at my parents'/Strates' home in South Ogden. This was our first time staying there, and I was unsure at first how comfortable we'd be since it had been a long time since I'd had a lot of interaction with my oldest sister's family. I felt comfortable right away in their home and really enjoyed my time there. The boys also settled in right away and loved playing with their cousins and all their toys. Every morning the boys were tugging at my hand and asking me to go downstairs where all the toys were. They loved their cousins' Lego table, Transformers, and James the monster.

After my parents left for Mexico, I went back to stay with Carrie and Bobby again but went back north again to spend a few more days with Michel's family towards the end of our time in Utah. Even with my parents gone, I still felt just as comfortable, and I loved being able to sit and talk with my sister and learn about all the things going on with her and her family. The age difference between Michel and I is close to 10 years, so our relationship growing up was different in the sense that she had more responsibilities (namely looking after me and my younger siblings). It was fun to hear about her memories from when we were younger because she remembers a lot of things I have no recollection of. The memories I do have of her are all good. I honestly can't recall a time when I was upset with her for any reason. Michel has such a kind soul, and I'm constantly amazed that even with everything she has on her plate, she still keeps a level head and is so sweet and kind to others. Her kids are so fortunate to have her as a mom.

The other "boys" - Jarom and Brenton

Michel and her husband Brent have 7 kids, one of which is off to college, and then also an exchange student. Needless to say, they have a full house. Their kids/young adults were great with Ben and Zach, and it was nice to have all their extra eyes keeping tabs on the boys. I so appreciated all their help and how generous they were with the boys.

Growing up I remember the comments of my aunts and uncles were always along the lines of how much I had grown since they'd last seen me. I guess in a small way I found those comments annoying growing up, but I completely understand where they were coming from now. I don't get to see my nieces and nephews all that often, so naturally they change a great deal from visit to visit. I tried to be mindful and keep the "annoying" comments to a minimum. I really did enjoy seeing all of them and hearing about what they were involved in. They all have such unique personalities, which reminds me a lot of our family growing up.

Karissa, Brenton, Elisabeth, Michel and Jarom

I am so grateful to all of my family for all they did for us during our stay. I got to see everyone at some point during our time in Utah, and I appreciate the time everyone made for us. The break was awesome, but to be able to spend it with family and actually have the time to just relax without running around the whole time and to reconnect with all of them was huge. I thoroughly loved our time there. Loads of thanks to all my family for their generosity. Love you all so much!

Home Away from Home #1

It's a great feeling to be able to kick your shoes off in someone else's home and feel as if it were an extension of your own home. Carrie and Bobby have always been tremendous hosts, and I always feel comfortable staying in their home. Ben and Zach also love them, their home, and their pets...very much! I honestly don't have adequate words to express how much we appreciate them and their hospitality.

Carrie doesn't have a lot of toys on hand, so she went out and bought and borrowed some, so that the boys would have things to play with during our stay. Can you say explosion of Potato Head bodies and parts? She and Bobby have an unbelievable catalog of movies, and the boys got to see a few new movies and quickly fell in love with Chicken Little. In fact, Zach was borderline obsessed with it while we were there.

Bobby and Carrie have trained their cat Max to tolerate a certain level of gentle torture, so that when the boys decide to chase her down, she puts up with them amazingly well. Their puppy (in a dog's body)  Skoog aka Snoog was really good with the boys and only accidentally knocked them over a couple of times. Zach even got a full on french kiss from him.

Then of course there is always their amazing cooking that I'm lucky enough to enjoy. Even though Carrie was on a restrictive diet while we were there, she still made us yummy things to eat and always had a mommy drink on hand for me for when the boys went down for the night.

There are so many other little things too that they do to make our stays with them awesome. I love them dearly for how good they are to us, and I know the boys love them too. A million times over, thank you, Carrie and Bobby for having us in your home. You have done wonders for my mental well-being, and I know the boys thank you for that as well!

Hello Sun

A few days ago the boys and I arrived home after spending nearly all of January in Utah with family. It was huge to be able to get out for a break, and we wouldn't have been able to do it if it weren't for my awesome family. I don't have enough kind words to express my sincere thanks to all of them, especially Carrie & Bobby, my parents, and the entire Strate family for putting us up in their homes.

Fortunately Darius was able to spend part of the time with us, and then he was great to let us stay the extra couple of weeks, while he came home to go back to work. As hard as it was for him to have us gone for that long, he knew how important it was for us to get out, to be around family and friends, and to have the chance to soak in actual sunlight and get outside to play. I don't think my eyes ever fully adjusted to the sunlight on the sunny days we had.

I'm in awe of people who have lived in Cordova all their lives and can manage the winters here. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a total wuss compared to any of them. My hat is off to them for maintaining their sanity, which I find I have so little of during these dark months.