Quick Trip

Last weekend we made a quick trip down to SLC to see family. Mostly to visit with M, but we got to see family and meet our new sister-in-law, Marideza. We left Friday night from Anchorage and arrived (via Minnesota) Saturday morning around 10am. The weather was great... didn't have to wear jackets, trees were blooming, green grass & leaves, mid-60's. Practically the opposite of Anchorage - our grass is still dormant and the trees have buds, but no leaves, and temps have been in the mid-40's. Mom picked us up - we hadn't told Amy we were coming...

Surprise!!

We brought all the hats we collected from Game Night the previous weekend and a couple other surprises for M. We got to visit (and do some shopping - wahoo!!) with her on Saturday, and we spent Sunday at mom's house playing games and visiting with everyone. Sheri & Amy joined us for a very early breakfast (3am) before Sheri took us to the airport to catch the flight home on Monday morning. (Jeannea picked us up from the airport, since she'd already made it to Anchortown to come visit - thanks, Jen!!)

Family Hat Testing

It was a whirlwind trip, but I loved every minute of it! The best part was getting to spend time with M. Of course, I enjoyed spending time with the rest of the family and meeting Mari too!! I am very lucky to have a great husband who loves & supports me.

M - I hope #3 goes as well as possible for you!!

Game Night, Hat Party, pre-Easter Shindig

We had another get-together at the house a couple weeks ago - Game Night - on Easter Eve. It was originally scheduled to happen while my sister (M) was here. A week or so before she was scheduled to come up, she called to say she wasn't going to be able to come right now - she just found out she has cancer: Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (a non-Hodgkinson form), stage III - her 3rd chemo treatment is tomorrow. For such a sucky deal, there are lots of positives: they caught it early; she's young & in good health; this type of cancer is extremely rapid growth but chemo is especially effective against rapid growth cells (they'll do testing after the 4th treatment to see where things are at); and M works hard to keep a really positive outlook.

So we changed the focus of the party just a bit. Still Game Night, but we asked people to wear hats and bring one to donate to M if they felt like it. We told them we were going to take a pic of everyone toasting M - we toasted her a couple years ago when she got into med school - and give it to her with the donated hats. My sister Sara came in the Monday before - we tried to change her departure so she could stay for the festivities, but no luck. So she helped prep for the party - cleaning & shopping went much easier with her help!

Heather & Sara - Hat Shopping

We decided to have ham & deep fried turkey in honor of Easter. Mmmmm!! In addition, we had all kinds of food: fresh spring rolls, curry egg rolls, fruit, devil'd eggs, green salad, potatoes & peas, salmon salsa (courtesy of Sara), cookies... and more. It was *delicious*!!! Everyone ate and visited for a while, then we played Battle of the Sexes - boys against girls, of course! (Girls won - was there any doubt?!?) =)

Must be story time?

And we spent the rest of the evening having fun and enjoying good company. It was very heart-warming to see all the support from our friends for my sister, whom they've never met. We know some really *fantastic* people!!!

Here's to you, M!!

One, Two, Three-and-Four, Five-and-Six

I always enjoy watching people on the dance floor that really know how to dance. I'm okay at the "white man shuffle", but I've never been very coordinated or graceful. So it's nice to watch a couple move around the floor together - they have a rhythm (no "real" vowels in that word!), sometimes grace, and they look like they're having fun. Someday I want to be one (well, two) of those people.

Ages ago, I convinced Greg to take a dance class with me: West Coast Swing. We had a blast! But we never did end up practicing the steps, so a couple years later here we are and I can't remember a thing! But I was talking to some girlfriends, and found that they were interested in dancing too. We didn't let the boys choose - we didn't have confidence that they'd agree - and we made plans for dancing. I found beginning WCS lessons - they meet weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays.

We went this past Friday - and I had a blast! Even though it was years ago, I started remembering some of the steps from our class. I hope the others had fun too... Our previous lessons were different - we spent more time learning the basic steps before we learned moves; we spent two hours a night, once a week (so had more time to cement the moves); and it was a community learning course instead of meeting in a bar - less noise and confusion while we're trying to figure out what to do with feet and hands. And I guess that WCS is one of the more difficult dances to learn - in part because there are so many different moves that can be done. But it was still lots of fun.

We're on for dancing on Tuesday night. And starting next month, lessons will be for Night Club 2-Step. I've done that one (very briefly) too, and I had lots of fun. The steps are easier (if I remember right) and it's very versatile as to the kinds of songs and the tempos you can dance to. So, I haven't started putting on paper my "List of 100", but this is definitely one of the entries!

Poker Night

I always enjoy having people over to the house, usually more than I enjoy going to socialize at other people's houses. Not sure why that is - it definitely means more work for me... I have to clean the house, sometimes decorate, prepare lots of food. Lots of planning and works goes into having people over to the house... for me, anyway. We sometimes go to other abodes for celebrations and get-togethers, but I really do enjoy putting them on at our house. And in that spirit, Saturday night was POKER NIGHT - Wahoo!!!

We had a bunch of friends over with the promise of food, and the tantalizing hope of winning the pot. We play (on the few occasions it has happened to date) Texas Hold 'Em. It was a blast!! We had loads of food... so much that we had to put the bacon wrapped scallops (those didn't last long!!), some chips & dips, and the veggie tray on another table. Of course, desserts had their own spot too!! The food "theme" was finger-food... that way you could make several rounds between hands or just munch whenever. Several people brought dishes to add to the eating experience - a real group effort in "fine dining"!! When it was time to play, we consolidated food and then ran two tables for a while.

This shot is before food consolidation...

We play for a $10 buy-in per person, and we had 11 people playing on Saturday. It makes for great entertainment. We had people show up between 5-6pm so we could start on the eating right away. The last guest left around 3:30am - we were all yawning, but I was very satisfied with the events of the evening. We ran two tables and then consolidated to one after a few people lost out. Those of us that were out early had a chance to eat some more (of course!) and then started a game of Mexican Train (a domino game). I had as much fun there (more almost) as I did playing poker. We had a really good group of people. Definitely a game night to do over - and I don't think we'll wait as long (last Poker Night was in July or August 2005).

We're planning on having a Game Night when my sister M comes to visit. I'm already working on details, altho I have some time... Not sure if it'll be Poker Night, or Cranium, or maybe group Trivial Pursuit. Last time we had Game Night, we had about 30 people over and never did get around to playing the game... but it was still fun, and that's what really counts!!

Our grand winner had never played poker before - congratulations Cindy!! =)

A very big snowman

Remember... Don't look directly at the sun!!!

Is it summer yet?!?

One of the hardest parts of being in Alaska is the long, cold winters... but as with anything, there are benefits (of a sort). Some of the coldest, most miserable days are also the prettiest. It gets so cold that it hurts to breath and your nostrils can stick together - but that coldness forms ice crystals in the air that clump together and eventually coat everything with a crisp, clean layer (or several layers - depending on how long it's been cold enough to freeze your extremities off) of pristine frostiness that glitters everywhere.

That's not snow... It's ice crystals!!

We've made it through January... *finally*!! The days are noticeably longer, and I can dream that it's going to start warming up soon. Although, if tradition holds, we'll probably get a *huge* snowstorm sometime in February or March. It's sad when you realize it's "warm enough to snow" and are glad of it. I keep my sanity by starting to plan what kinds of flowers I'm going to plant in the flower bed, how many pots I'll get, and where they'll go.

We're going to a Superbowl Party tomorrow - get to watch the ads on a 42" plasma flat screen. Wahoo!! And I don't have to clean the house for visitors - another BIG WAHOO!! So today I just have to do laundry and grocery shopping (mostly for goodies for tomorrow!!). It'll be fun to chill with friends and watch the game (more like watch the commercials!). If I have to pick a team, I'm going to root for Seattle - they're lots closer to me (geographically speaking) than the other guys... whoever they are?!?

I'm still learning how to use this blogspace. I finally figured out how to get a picture on, but not how to do two in one post or update my profile with a picture. I'll keep learning and before I know it... I'll be a whiz! Or at least able to do the things I keep trying to... =)

Go Seahawks!!

Cold Showers and Hot Coffee

So my dear husband (who showers first) took all the hot water today. As I was toweling dry he came in to brush his teeth and I asked if he had started laundry. (He has a habit of starting laundry or the dishwasher when *he's* done showering, somehow overlooking the fact that I'm not done and now there's multiple areas fighting for hot water.) He said no, which means that he hogged all the hot water while he was in the shower, leaving none for me. I don't know if I'd have felt better knowing I was freezing because clothes were being cleaned? Maybe so. Either way, it was a quick shower!!

Fortunately, there was still coffee in the pot, so I nuked some and used that to help warm up after the shower. Sometimes I'm not so lucky, but this morning ended up good. I'm not sure if I would have preferred a hot shower and NO coffee?? Or cold showers on a regular basis with the guarantee of coffee... I don't want to have to make that choice.

I found out yesterday that my little brother is probably getting married the beginning of April - but haven't heard "officially" yet. Not sure if we'll be able to make it down for the festivities. I was checking out flights yesterday and it's going to cost a small fortune. The whole thing puts some kinks in my plans - and you know it's all about *me*!! I suppose I'll just have to adapt and make the best of it. =)

I still haven't started my List of 100, but I have been exercising - more this month than last month, which is what I'm aiming for. I'm looking forward to Spring - warmer temps (it's snowing today - which means it has warmed up since yesterday... good & bad) and picking out flowers for my flowerbed.

The best is yet to come...

When I had my last birthday (in October), that's the way I felt - this is going to be a *fantastic* year, with the best yet to come!! And so far I haven't been disappointed. In honor of that sentiment, I'm doing things for myself: exercising more, eating better, enjoying friends & family, sharing my happiness (which is where this blog comes in). I know it won't all be roses, and you'll all get to share the pain when it's not, but for now Life Is Good!!

I'm looking forward to lots of things this year - it's going to be an exciting one! My brother is getting married; my sister M is going to come visit; I'm going to work on things just for me: exercise, building my knowledge-base, exploring new hobbies. I read an article a while ago where the author talked about a "List of 100" - it's a list of things she wants to accomplish sometime over the course of her life. I'm going to start my list this year and see where it takes me. Come along for the ride!!