Duck Hunting, Bake Sale and We're Out of Here Today --We Hope!

I didn't bring a camera to the 6th grade bake sale this morning (they've adopted a needy family for Christmas) but I did get Jr. Making his 'sis some cream puffs for her contribution.

Bella and T went hunting this morning!

Manderzz and I are about to head to ANC for 9 days! I was so overbooked this morning that I skipped stroke clinic (learning how to swim better) and a hair appt (REALLY bummed about that!!) I did go to the gym for 90 minutes and helped at Manderzz' bake sale at Alaska Ship Supply. Her class is really excited about helping the family they've adopted and are learning a lot about finding deals online (gotta know how to work it!) And looking for deals on practical items, plus a few fun things too.
The weather is not tooo bad out...if it holds for 3 hours we may luck out!!

Girl Day at Our House

Yesterday Jr was at work (WED night seafodd buffet night) Someday I've got to go and get pictures, it's fancier than the brunch --well should be it costs more!? I haven't been in at least a year..
Dills was at wrestling, but Juno stayed to hang out with Manderzz....they turned 14 of Margarita's pecans into the most colorful ornaments!

This Santa scares me...'just sayin..

I went to the completion celebration for the school's upgrade project --forgot my camera...there were a couple other bloggers there, it was a very nice ceremony! The school looks fabolous and should be much more sound, safer and fuel efficient.

I love sledding pictures!! That's very obvious --the kids are happy and outside! Plus they're very fun to scrapbook.
Worked out for almost 3 horus this morning....have 2 meetings and swimming and a trip report to get done this afternoon and evening, I feel like I'm working :)

And big decision: Jr is staying home alone!! EVERYONE please make up an excuse to drive by and make sure there aren't 2x as many cars as usual (3 trucks & a RAV) We were once left alone, 4 teens and a cat...one creature didn't survive and we're STILL in trouble! It was BAD BAD BAD....

I Love Snow...When I'm Not Flying.

Yesterday was fun! It was snowing like crazy...the 2 youger kids took the puppy sledding across the street. I worked out a lot...didn't have an accident when a grater was coming at me on my side of the road in the snow?? I'm still muttering about that? Why would the driver do that? It's a perfect road, wide-ish, flat, paved...no obvious reason to mess with my head.
Manderzz made a snowman, I learned how to make cube steak from moose meat. I only like very tender meat...this was absolutely delicious and worth the $120 or whatever the gadget cost!

I made more peanut clusters, then as I don't even like peanuts I tried macadamian nuts and pistacios too --yumm! We have candy for the entire holiday season, really must move on!
I've already worked out, gone to the dentist, my teeth are perfect... just 2 more silver filings to be "fixed" apparently they're wearing out or cracking...that's fine, it'll be nice to have no metal in my teeth at all! The kids all have dentist appts this week too and now  I have to get a temporary put on the worst cracked filling Friday...that way I can get the permanent one when the dentist comes back in just a few weeks --fun! It better stay in, no fun to be messing with a tooth while running around Anchorage!!

Manderzz' adorable snowman, who was spoting pusky arms and nose!

Random Cabala's gadget that I'm really going to love!

Enough candy to last a month...

AG and I walked while AS played basketball last night, Pattycakes popped in, haven't seen her in ages, ended up talking instead walking or watching...opps!

The dads played raquetball last night.

I have to write up the saying to go on Jr's yearbook page...right now..I should quit blogging and get it done so I can swim @ noon. I'm getting close to being done with my "Indoor Triathelon" which comes to over 3000 hours of working out....I must be adding that wrong. It's 1660 miles, you get 30 miles for each 60 minutes of exercise...I'm on a break from school. Anyone??

Nothing Exciting Going on...

I think lots of snow is exciting! Seems like last winter was without good snow. We live on a flat, paved road, have a huge parking lot and there are 3 males to shovel. And my Rav4 gets around so well. No reason to not love snow!!

Life in the valley is so much more serene than over on the docks!

Stopped by the school to pay for Jr's yearbook page...there was a potluck for principal's appreciation day. I snuck a bit! Everything was so good!

This picture cracks me up:

 

Derick made Aunt Cathy's banana cookies for T...they didn't work, too much butter or not enough flour, too bad!

  

Isn't Bellla growing quickly?? She ALMOST always makes it outside now...although the snow is as tall as her bottom, sort of freaks her out. Manderzz and I are heading to ANC on SAT night after a long day (working out, stroke clinic, Manderzz; bake sale --her class adopted a needy family through the Salvation Army, her game, a birthday party for a cute soon to be 3 year old....THEN we head to Cold Bay THEN finally Anchorage. We have tickets to New Moon on Sunday morning, and with any luck at all HEDER will have us over for a delicious dinner with her wonderful family. I've been working out and doing things around the house lately....not much that is blog-worthy. A mom cooking, cleaning, organizing, working through a to-do list.

Monday Troy catches up with us. He's got appointments most of the day TUE. After that I'm not sure what the plan is for most days. Pattycakes is going to be there, maybe dinner with her? AKGlitterQueen and kids are coming up too! We've got to get pedicures, it's a tradition when we get together....maybe Thanksgiving in a diner?? I'm good on turkey and stuffing for awhile, but didn't have any pie as I need to practice crust before I make any pies. --I guess Christmas will be at AG's --the infamous deep fried turkey! We're having a New Year's party here! Now I just need to buy Christmas gifts, we're being calm this year. Not a ton of fancy electronics, did that last year. Nothing has broken or come out since then that is important.

Stocking stuffers are the hardest to find, I'll try to do that in ANC. I need to go alone to do that really, hard to do with Miss Manderzz along.

The Mightly Duck Hunters

I can't believe it's been almost a week since I got home! Ohh yeah...I saw Jonathon from the TB in the PENAIR area in ANC....ignored him also..those guys are everywhere!!

Ughhh worn out planes don't make me happy! I'm going to assume they put their money into the engine and not into making the inside look decent.

Manderzz made me a chocolate cake with A LOT of frosting!

Time has flown, I've ignored my computer, badly. All the moms and friends feel neglected --sorry x7! I have been swamped, really! Every day flies by: kids, puppy-working out-errands-housework oh and T too.
T and RS took Bella the mighty duck dog hunting last night. They got 4 ducks for Irene...Bella couldn't be bothered to even glance at them. Then she hid in the grass from the rain only 3 feet from T, but wouldn't come..and to top if off refused to walk back to the truck, T had to carry her back! She needs some training and she's only 13 weeks old.

T has some appts in ANC and I'm going with him, little princess Manderzz was NOT pleased, her parents going to ANC yet AGAIN and she who "NEVER has ISSUES" NEVER gets to go...plus the drama of a puppy taking all the attention she USED to get....she's almost 12, I guess the drama is par for the course?? LOL...I thought, why not? It'd be fun to bring the kids. The silly boys can't be bothered, Jr. is looking forward to a lot of OT at the hotel, Dills just can't be bothered, he really can't stand shopping, waiting around for appointments to be done and hotels are even boring to him (Not me...I like hotels!) I told Manderzz she could come....OOPS should've looked first...no seats! I was stressing out for a day, not wanting to tell her, then not wanting to go myself...I remembered the special number that we can call to get seats when it's a time that the seafood industry is moving people and seats are not to be found looking online.
I was a very distraught mommy....not even an act, but a polite distraught mommy...the very professional, fast, smart and helpful agent got her a seat -- on the 21st, not the 23rd like T and I were originally scheduled to leave but that's good enough, she also changed my outbound WITHOUT A FEE --that's awesome and doesn't happen very often --no way that a 11 year old can fly alone in the winter! 1) She'd be scared, sometimes the other passengers can look a bit frightening --I have never personally witnessed arrests upon arrival in ANC, but I do know it's happened. 2) There can be drunk people -- yuck! 3) the flights make stop(s) usually in the winter and 4) the weather is sucky, usually making for a bumpy ride.
We're used to all of this, but it's just easier when a parent is there with you, when you're a kid.

Today is the car, hotel, tickets to the Nutcracker (I hope!) and making desserts for our early Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow night. After dinner we're going to play games with AG's family! I miss playing games!! They played last week when I was at the school board training and Manderzz beat everyone, she's ready to play again!
K, off to buy more Spanish peanuts as I burnt the first ones,I can't make peanut clusters with over-cooked peanuts (thanks for the recipe Martha!)

Still @ the Conference, Heading Home @ 2pm

Not a lot of photo-ops yesterday, LOTS of talking, lots of learning....some eating and a bit of shopping too.

I'm packed and ready to head home this afternoon, time to get busy selling my eBay! For reals!!

We'll be heading back over for some medical in a couple weeks..ANYONE up for puppy sitting for just a couple days???

I found peanut oil for AG's husband to deep fry a turkey for Thanksgiving and picked up some stuff for CB too. Didn't do all that I wanted to do, but there is always next time, right?

I wasn't able to work out this morning as the gym opened late...bummer! Back at it 6am tomorrow!!

Can we start baking holiday goods and listening to Christmas music yet??

Here's TFP hte president of the Unalaska Board of Education. Or Her Majesty as I like to call her, moderating the resolutions meeting this morning. Later today she will take her position as AASB president...go Tammy!!

A Long Day..Then A Bit of Fun

We had a long day of meetings and seminars, learned lots...then the annual AASB scholarship fundraising dinner. After that we needed a change of scenery...several of us ran to Target to grab some little things... ohh the fundraiser was AMAZING every district donates items, then we bid on them ...omg hand carved ivory and soapstone figurines, signed items from Phil off the CM from us, handmade dolls from up north, just all sorts of wonderful Alaskan teasures. OVER 15k was raised! 15 $1000 scholarships --horray!!

6 Hours of Fabulous-ness

She's called the Glitter Queen with good reason...
Look, I do have a better pair of shoes with me....haven't worn them yet.....but I might :)

Rama is so cute! I didn't get enough pictures of Heather, but I'll make up for that before heading home.

The first day of the conference was good, at 5 Heder swung by, we went to The Glacier Brewhouse...Rama and the moose joined us shortly afterward. It was wonderful 2 of my favorite people and a delicious dinner too!! Heder had to leave us too soon :( I hope to see her lots more before going home!!

R is so fun, I need to update my wardrobe, I seem fine for home, but much too dull! I'll see her more than once every 5 years and pick up some pointers. Nothing tooo crazy, mostly better footware. She hates my lime green Danskos ---ohh they're soooo comfortable though and my feet do get tired with all the working out.

The kids are off for parent-teacher conferences, so the puppy is not alone. I owe Manderzz some clothing from Abercrombie for all her efforts...hope the girls can help me choose, I think I passed them 2x yesterday, I see Juno much more at home than traveling with her!!

Rama and Heather both need to come to Unalaska....one has an insane number of miles on her AK Air account and the other is married to and AK Air employee...helloooooo....everyone wants to meet you guys! And Rama can't wait to meet AG and CB especially, maybe not at the same time.....