123 Inches of Snow!

We are on the road to getting more snow here in Anchorage/Eagle River than they have gotten since 1954-1955! On average Anchorage would have about 63 inches of snow by this time of year. So, we are doubling the amount of snow that is usual for Anchorage.

http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/snow-records-near-bursting-across-alaska-accumulation-mounts

Childhood Sounds

Today I am pressure cooking pinto beans. We are going to have beans and cornbread tonight and then chili tomorrow night. The sound of the pressure cooker in my kitchen brings back so many memories of my mom's kitchen. Memories of living in Galveston and eating LOTS of beans. We had beans and cornbread, beans and spanish rice, cabbage bean soup, beans and corn tortillas....I do not make them very often now that I am grown. But they are one of my favorite meals. I am not sure if it is because it reminds me of growing up or what. But I do enjoy them! Especially with some cornbread. Although, my taste in cornbread has changed since I was a kid. Growing up I DID NOT like sweet cornbread AT ALL. If it had even the slightest sweet flavor I couldn't stand it. But now, I like it super sweet! Now, if only I could learn to like onions I'd be golden! :)  Having the pressure cooker going just brings back this entire feeling that comes along with the memories. There was such an innocence and a carefreeness when we were young. For some reason it makes me think of building "forts" underneath the dinning room table. We had a HUGE dinning room table. And we would gather up blankets and cover the whole table with them and then all crawl inside. And we would play for hours under there. We would always leave a huge mess with blankets everywhere. I am pretty sure it was Mama's favorite game for us to play! :) One time (this was when we lived in Abilene, in the two story house) we crawled under the table and were pretending that a tornado was coming, and (I am pretty sure it was Tyler) kept calling it a giant "tomato" instead of a tornado. I can't remember exactly, but I think Landon and Tyler may have been defending us with their guns against the giant "tomato". After a while, the name "giant tomato" instead of tornado stuck, and we started pretending there was actually a giant tomato rolling towards us that was going to roll right over our house. So, the boys were would ride out on their "horses" with their "guns" and try to get the tomato while us girls were safe underneath the table. Oh, what great imaginations we had. I am thankful that we did not have a TV growing up! We spent hours, literally, making up games! 

Crazy. Just the sound of the pressure cooker in my kitchen led me through all that.

These Boys

Look at these precious boys.

 Sarah burping little Piper.
It is pretty fun watching your friends learning to be parents!

 Piper enjoying some time with his Grammy :)

Aiden. Check out this smiley little one.

All you have to do is talk to him and his face will light up with this big ol' smile!

LOVE getting to hang out with these boys and their parents!

Visit and Big Decision

Matt's mom, Gabrielle, came to visit us a few weeks ago. It was a super short, but great visit! We have been so blessed that she has been able to come up to visit us at least once a year since we have lived here. And she has talked about maybe coming back up to visit us sometime this summer :) 

These ice sculptures are downtown all winter!

 Matt and his mom riding in an ice train.

One said this:

Although Sarah was spelled wrong, it was cute :)

Also, while she was here we took here to see our soon to be house. Matthew and I (along with many friends and our family) have spent a lot of time in prayer about what to do next. Matt will be done with his enlistment with the Air Force come November. The decision about what he should do, as well as where we should live has been a tough one. We miss our families so much. And hope to one day live near them again! But for now, we have decided to stay here Alaska. We are very at peace about our decision and are excited to see what/how God continues to work in our lives here. As usual, we always LOVE visitors!!! So, you are welcome anytime!! :) There will, of course, be pictures of the house to come!