Jumping, Chocolate & Star Trek

Manderzz chose a bar with real mint leaves, Hethykins got blueberry, Jr didn't end up with his first choice of a sampler show here he went with milk chocolate with smoked almonds and it begging to go back because he regrets NOT choosing the bacon bar (eww) I got a a red fire dark chocolate bar with ancho chilies, chipolte peppers and Ceylon Cinnamon! Dills was going to get a Oxaca bar, but opted for the large traditional hot chocolate instead. JP is a unique guy! He chose Enchanted Mushroom ????
Just a small portion of the large selection we had to choose from + beverages & truffles too!

Even the logo is cute I think!Jr. doing some sort of a sumersault --he landed on his feet.

JP doing some impressive move --they really needed to do something like this after the long emotioanlly draining day.
Even Manderzz was messing around, a little scary for me to see. I don't think anyone in Unalska owns a trampoline right now, I'm OK with that! Less chance of an accident. With the wind and storage space, even lawn space at a premium, not to mention rudimentary medical facilities for a neck or back injury I'm glad it's a once-a year type activity!
Boys relaxing...better than video games! And NO texting for a whole hour!!
Dills and Manderzz jumped with Hethykins and her hubby's kids before they took off with Dad in the motor home for Chitna.

At noon, we hit my new favorite restaurant that serves all the healthy & delicious food. I knew that breakfast or lunch from this place would stick with us for a long time. It did. Not everyone liked everything they chose, but someone else did (except the goat cheese that was quite 'goaty' on Dill's omelet, that got pushed away). Everyone shared and we were ready for the day. We were able to make it to all 3 parts of the funeral in a timely manner with a tiny bit of know-how and a lot of following other people who looked as if they knew what they were doing!

We got back to Hethykin's house around 7pm. Her family had gone camping for several days...she still has to work for another week. She was relaxing or being sad or enjoying the quiet house? I'm guessing all three!

The kids headed straight for the trampoline she commented, "It's only about 50 degrees and a little drizzly" I replied. "That's good weather to them!"

We stopped by a Chocolate Lounge for a special treat, I really had no idea what we'd find there....but it just sounded so intriguing. We had a sample of a spicy (not baking spices more like cayenne) chocolate espresso LOL read: pure, silky melted chocolate. They would dilute with warm milk if needed...it was good, but Dills opted for a regular hot chocolate which he declared was the best ever, "I don't think they even use powdered stuff!" LOL omg at those prices they better not!
The rest of us chose a fancy bar of chocolate as our treat. They'll last a week!

We hit a late movie to top off a very long day. Girls did Star Trek and Boys did X-Men. I will say that Star Trek appeared to be a great movie and I can't wait to watch it again and see what sort of plans Josh Whedon has in store for us. (I have not read or heard one things about the subject) as it totally seemed like he's setting something up (something great of course!!) I DO own 15 seasons of TV that he produced, I'm a fan! But, I will admit I think I snoozed half the time. I suck. It just happens when I sit still! Manderzz and Hethykins say they were both poking me at the same time a few times! It WAS way past 11!!!

Long Sad Day

Are teens way too addicted to texting? Are their mothers? Are their mother's friends?? (I forgot my phone in the car!) I thought I'd lost it!!


Our Landlord Max was there too. Used to be the PE teacher in Unalaska.

I'm not a good enough writer to even begin to touch on what today was like. I'm not going to try...it was one of the saddest things we've ever been to, there were MANY people in attendance and a good amount from Unalaska or former Unalaskans. Several people spoke of Taylar, our own TP got up and reminded everyone that WE had him for 13 years in Unalaska, we all loved him & consider him ours. She told of a couple favorite memories of Taylor.
We snapped a couple pictures at the gathering afterward:

Unalaska Friends in Anchorage

This is Gwen..she was a toddler-sized stray sock. LOVE the belly button and you can't see it well, but she has great lips! Juno is having fun!
JP and Manderzz found a Guitar Hero game. Our island-dwelling kids get so excited over things that others maybe don't see.
JP had 2 meals--- incredible!! That kid is TINY.
Manderzz: "We are NOT tourists!" Me: "Sure we are!!"
Ahhhh quiet and lovely after a heinous 40 minutes of Wal-Mart torture!
Toooo good for McDonald's food. He IS my twin!!

My 1st morning chore was to finally have my appointment with the endocrinologist. I have basically no thyroid power at all right now...How the heck am I running all day and only taking an afternoon nap? LOL everyone that knows me knows I love to "rest my eyes" every afternoon anyway!!

I shouldn't take anything for my thyroid so it has an opportunity to heal itself...and check in with her mid-July when we pass through again. I think my super-round face is from the HYPO-thyroidism too. Hopefully will be all normal by fall.
The kids were STARVING...Jr & I grabbed McD's breakfast for the 2 younger kids and fancier breakfast sandwiches for us. Jr. wasn't thrilled to even step foot in a fast food restaurant..heheh where does his attitude come from?
The kids didn't even like their sandwiches. Our fancy ones were delicious. They all get yogurt today!

I had an appt at my dermatologist too. Have to keep up on face stuff :) After all of that morning running around Hethykins and I ditched the kids who weren't ready to leave the house yet. Really my friend and I just needed some peace and quiet! We wandered a lovely strip mall that was attached to REI; every store was calm, lovely and smelled good I liked it! Got a gift for my sister's BEAUTIFUL baby who was 1 yesterday at a free-trade store, bought some books at a ginormous non-chain (local) used bookstore which has new ones too and is very funky, fun and COMFIE!

Ohhhh....we HAD to go to Wal-Mart needed a few things like Bounce in unique scents LOL, we have a very specific shopping needs when off the island! It was full and crowded and awful. My head was spinning! And I only bought $79 worth of crap.
HATE THAT PLACE. I needed calm so.....
We had a late lunch at the best resturant ever...very healthy and delicious! Taking Jr there this am. (or maybe not? He's still sleeping. Pretty much trying to avoid the day I think) He wants hiking shoes from REI and swears he'll hike (yeah right) sooo CB jr is promising to hike on those rocks to "Jefferson Beach"

We met up with JP and his Mum TP for dinner and a movie....so fun to see them here! We were teasing TP, I said a name from home in my teasing --oops 2 of Lauri's friends were sitting right there waiting to take their kiddo to a 3-D movie they heard me... CRACK ME UP...busted (not that they cared one bit) But no gossiping even over 800 miles from home!! that's what I get.
The only movie we could see at the time we showed up was Night at the Smithsonian I REALLY wanted to see Star Trek, maybe tonight?

Sooo Irving, the black dress-sock dude is NOT mine, she made that one for jr. (whatever!!) BUT she made a cute tiny one for me "Gwen" She's having fun!!

The funeral is today..

I Rocked Color Pin Bowling & the Kids JUST ROCK

Manderzz rocking "The Kill" ?? never heard of it. She's on the big screen, how freakin cute is that??
.There she is rockin out. OMG I love it!
Dills rocking some Ozzy song on the big screen or maybe it was Black Sabbath, sounded REALLY old! It's hilarious they know more old hard rock songs then I do.
Soo cute!
Hethykins got a strike!
Manderzz had to leave the house quickly to grab her brother, not as dressed up as usual :)

I had to put this picture on, Dills is happier than I've seen him in a picture in a long time!
Fun, fun, fun....and they didn't jump SUPER high...Jr is here now and it scares me a lot!!

Mandrzz entertaining herself at the orthodontist's office. They just moved into their new office and didn't have a plant in this corner shelf yet.
I didn't get a better picture, he inhaled his banana split sooo fast! It was his first EVER!
She got a brownie oreo sundae. I shared a few bites, I knew she wouldn't finish :)
Hethykin's cubicle!!!

I had yet another appointment for my thyroid scan, but we ran to Hethykins' cubicle before the appointment. We found a cute kitchen store to buy some spoons. I had spoon issues, I neeeded a couple ice tea spoons, soup spoons and Chinese-style spoons too, hooray three things off the big list.

My boss emailed that it appears to her that I'm now hypothyroid...geeez it sure changes quickly. BUT I see the endocrinologist in 2 hours for her opinion/diagnosis/prognosis. Finally a specialist!!

We ran to the mall for Manderzz she was flippin out for some shopping (fueled by CB's texts --did your mom take you to the mall? To fast food yet?) We didn't have a lot of time, but had 2 pairs of jeans to return and a $20 certificate for Old Navy to spend...3 of us looking at everything only spent $17...the selection was awful.

A visit to our family orthodontist was next...he moved, had a bit of a time finding the new office, but we survived. Dills is looking good...Manderzz will probabaly be needing braces within a year or 2. Not too bad.

Kids jumped and jumped even though it was drizzly and about 49 degrees. They needed to burn off their extra energy!!

After ordering pizza online, even paying for it --soooo easy. It was a local place too. Not even a chain. Very handy....we grabbed jr from the airport & went bowling. We didn't plan it, but it was color-pin bowling and then also Guitar Hero night. Both kids beat their songs on expert withjust a small fumble at the begining and a restart...they were so excited they were the 1st two to play!! I got 3 strikes on the color-pin bowling, 2 free games and a EVIL diet soda that we shared. Hethykins won a little frog for me :)

Cookie Dough's Sweat Shop Continues

I found this little guy this morning.....

Even without my direction the teens kept working!!!

LOL...Hethykins has pointed out that I can't stand when kids wander in circles doing nothing or just quietly sit listening and watching us. I DO have slave-driver tendencies. GO DO SOMETHING has been said a couple times already. They have lots to do...why hover?? Ughhh, so not into kids flopping around or hovering....

3 Appointments, 2 Yummy Meals and a Whole Lot More

Manderzz got chicken and fries of course... it was soaked in Tabasco-- YUM I think it's sooo cool that she loves spicy food.
Dills taking advantage of the "bottomless" strawberry lemonade.

This is how fun my appts were for the kids.
We will bring lots of bags home in July...getting some staples for the next year. AND OMG!!! The ginormous container of strawberries was not even $5! We HAD to have it!With the cousins.
And my sis-in-law....geez look at me, I didn't realize that I looked soooo buxom LOL. Must work on that diet plan...yeah right.

We hit the road running yesterday! I was up right before 5am with my friend, her husband was already heading out the door for work! I had appts for my thyroid at 8am, 10:45am and 2pm. So tiring. We ran around and went to dull stores in-between (stuff on this side of town is not to our liking) We had a yummy lunch with my sisterin-law and my 2 nephews, they were adorable, shy but so cute! The older one was freshly shaved for 2 weeks in Palm Springs...they shoudl be landing there anytime. They took a red-eye last night or technically this morning??? They change so much every time I see them! (that means I don't see them often enough)
It was cool, drizzly and only 51 degrees out...imagine that!! I want it to be summer-y! Everyone in ANC is thrilled...WE NEED this it's been too dry...whatever...
We did find a store that Dills was so thrilled about --Natural Pantry, there was a ton of food he can eat without hives and other "not lovely" stuff happening! He was very excited. After all that running around I needed a nap, so I took one!
A Costco field-trip was next, then dinner (oooh so yummy just caught, just made smoked salmon on cesear salad absolutely delicious) some homework completed the night..it was cold and I was not energetic enough to go to a movie.
Jr flies in tonight...he's coming for NOT a good reason, the funeral and to support his buddy the brother. JP is flying in too. They're such good boys! This extremely sad event will be new territory for all of us.

We get to bring Jr. to Washington with us, we of course love that!! The relatives down there all want to see him and were so bummed when he was staying home. Dills is looking forward his big bro to coming to the water-slide hotel http://www.greatwolf.com/grandmound
Where we're going for 2 nights to celebrate his b-day! We're also going to Olive Garden, both boys will be in unlimited salad and bread stick heaven!! I promise just a few pics from there CB LOL....he loves it there too I hear. Time to run again....

70 Degrees When We Landed

Dills trying to score on some free wireless...too bad his battery was at 1%.
Manderzz' job is my texting secratary. She's getting faster all the time. I'm not a good driver, or a fast texter, help is imperative!
Not a bad car....silver is my least favorite color for cars, but that doesn't matter at all, it's not MY car.
Being Mom's secratary while waiting for the car --or maybe texting little Mellychops...who knows?
Jolly Green Giant just wants to get going and eat...it WAS nearly 9pm.

YAY! Bossy found my good camera on OPLG's desk (I guess I was visiting her?) Thank goodness our flight was late OPLG ran it over THANKS GUYS!!!!!!!! I can't stand my old one and was soooo upset that it was missing!Dad was having a busy day....
M&M&M....anyone recognize the toddler from another blog??? They stayed for a long time! Gaby & Eldie came too...very sweet!
The "best" picture of Mt. Redout steaming away that "Laslo" the random grizzled fisherman on the plane got with my camera....
Dills... still looking like Robin Hood.

Manderzz loves to fly! Especially take offs, landings and turbulance ---what's up with that!!

We were an hour late leaving for some reason never communicated to the passengers, but we had lots of visitors and the pilot ended up being a good friend of my hubby's from Kodiak years ago, LOVE THAT! It was 70 degrees in ANC --wow!! Dyl and I loved the sweet smell and the heat...Manderzz prefers beach smell and cool overcast weather. I am Norweigan and a little bit native I don't need sun!

The flight was uneventful...except Mt. Redoubt was in view on the OTHER side of the plane...I asked "Laslo" some old random fisherman to get a couple shots, they weren't great and I had to endure this dude talking to me for the rest of the flight, even asking me to meet him for coffee "back in DUT" I laughed at that. ME PLEASEEEE??? eeek what I won't endure to get a picture!

Picking up the car was fine, except for the smarmy car rental agent trying to upsell me or whatever their term may be and make me pay double what I wanted to pay! Ughhh... I saiud No, no no... I'm good thanks.

Had a late supper before heading to Heder's as I know they go to bed early. They get up at 4am.