Sunday, January 31, 2010
200 MILES ! I DID IT !
Well, I just finished the 200 miles and nearly 48 hours. I am exhausted and feel every muscle in my body and was running on 2 1/2 hours of sleep throughout the race. I am going to get some sleep and I will blog later on my experience...and what an experience it was !
Thursday, January 28, 2010
THE DON BOWERS MEMORIAL RACE--SECOND TIME AROUND !
Don Bowers Memorial
200/300 Sleddog Race
200/300 Miles through the Mat–Su Valley. www.donbowersmemorialrace.orgWell, I have been getting ready for the Don Bowers Memorial Race. As many of you know last year I made it 100 miles. I plan on finishing this year ! The goal is the 300 miles, however, it looks as if it will be a 200 mile race. Actually, I am just fine with that. I rather like the idea of being in a larger field of mushers...middle of the pack suits me just fine ! With only 4 on the 300, there just aren't a whole lot of teams to see out there. (And the thought of being 4th just isn't a pleasant thought...I like knowing that someone is behind me !)
There is a lot of preparation that goes into the race. I am still not sure if I am running the 200 or 300. The 300 mile race will be dropped if there are not at least 4 teams running it. As of right now there are just 3 teams signed up...as two have dropped out. I have one less drop bag to prepare if I am running the 200. Yippee!
Yesterday I took a trip to Anchorage to have soles put on the bottom of my mukluks. I also took advantage of being in town to shop at REI and I picked up a pair of windstop fleece pants and a jacket, along with heavy wool liner gloves. I also picked up some more felt insoles for my Lobbens and a good pair of arch supports for them as well. Found some rag wool socks to wear over my other wool socks. I am planning on having warm feet.
Started this morning off with Vet Checks on the dogs. The vet came to the kennel. All the dogs got a great bill of health, with the exception of Roan. She thought that maybe he was coming down with a cold. So, Roan will rest up.
Today we went to the feed store and picked up kibble, chicken skins and liver for the dogs. We stopped off at AIH and bought some tarps and bungies and work gloves. Then to 3 Bears and picked up some food and bottles of heat.
Got back to the house and I spent the afternoon in my outdoor butcher shop....chopping up and bagging meat and fish. I also bagged up treats and kibble. I will have 2 camping bags put together, along with my drop bag for May's Cabin.
I will carry straw on my sled for the camping at about the 50 mile mark, and straw will be dropped at May's Cabin as well.
This evening I froze coffee in ice cube trays and also orange juice. (in separate trays...) Tomorrow I will seal them into 1 cup servings in the food saver bags. When I am melting snow and bringing the water to a boil to cook the dogs food, I will throw my food into the water. I will then have something hot to eat and to drink. I then will pour the boiling water into a cooler that is full of meat for the dogs. I will then put the lid on it and it will sit for about a half hour. Then the meat will all be thawed out and I will add kibble and feed the dogs.
I am really quite tired and need to get to sleep so I will hopefully continue with this tomorrow...
Good night !
MENU FOR THE RACE
Well, the menu has been decided...the dogs will snack on salmon, beef, poultry skins and chicken and rice cookies. Their cooked meals will be a mixture of beef, lamb, liver and their kibble. Jan will toss her frozen meals and drinks into the cooker to heat up. I will be eating 3 cheese pasta and packs of Canadian bacon, along with frozen peanut butter and honey sandwiches. My drinks will be the ultra healthy capri suns. They work great to throw into the cooker. I have mocha ice cubes to melt and heat up. I also have quite an assortment of chocolates, nuts and fruit, and gummy bears. I will be adding throat lozenges as I am getting a sore throat...which is a bummer. I am pushing OJ, vitamin C and echinacea.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
SATURDAY -- JANUARY 23
Thanks for the email Jeff and the prompt that I haven't written in my blog for a week...
Well, I have been having lap top problems and decided that I would make every effort to get an entry in this morning and get you all caught up !
For the past week I have been enduring the colder temperatures and fighting cold feet and in general just a bone chilling cold. I have been running two teams a day, 30 miles each (or close to it) and that makes for very long days.
Ted jokes that what I destroy...he has to fix and I have to admit that I have been hard on things...but i also think that a lot of it is that many of the equipment that I am using in just at that point where things need updating. I did however, hit a tree with the drag on my first time out with it earlier in the winter. At that time it was set up with a break away line so that it wouldn't break the chain harness....well, the second time when I took it out after our new snow, as I was coming out one of the trails, it got stuck on a little stump and without having a weaker break away line on it, it snapped the chains. So...that was another thing for Ted to fix. Let's see...two sleds, and one drag, and a ladle...I am sure that there are a few that I am forgetting.
This past week when we got our latest new snow, I took the snowmachine out dragging the trail. I would have much rather been on the sled with dogs, but I instead spent 4 hours out there. I met another woman on a snowmachine and she was free running a group of puppies. I stopped and talked with her and asked her about a trail. She told me that it was called "Lost Lady"...(comforting to me...lol) She went back to pick up a couple of puppies that she was missing and I dropped my drag and went exploring. I ended up on a trail that actually had a toilet seat hanging up in a tree....interesting. That trail ended up on the powerline that I have been on and it answered my question as to where the trail off it went to. I was excited, as I had a new trail. I continued back out to the same trail and then found her trail with the many footsteps of about 10 puppies that were following her. I was now on "Lost Lady". That trail also crossed the same powerline and again...I experienced excitement because I had been curious as to where those trails led to. Lost Lady was about an 8 mile loop and I soon saw the snowmachine ahead of me and all of the puppies. We stopped and chatted for about a half hour and then I went and picked up my drag and decided to drag that trail so that when I went home and hooked up my team I would be able to follow the trail that was freshly dragged.
That evening I ran Lost Lady with my headlamp. I was SOOO happy when I noticed landmarks to tell me that I was indeed on the right trail. Success ! I made it home safely.
On the way back, I was already figuring out connecting runs in my head. I figured that if I ran Lost Lady backwards I would be easily set up to run Windy Lake Trail afterwards to get in an even longer run. I now have quite a few trails to loop around on.
My new thing is to run all of my trails in reverse. It is different for both me and the dogs, however, sometimes there are merging trails that are an issue when you are running it in reverse. It is so beautiful out at night and with just a headlamp. The dogs seem to really enjoy running in the evening. The other day Willow pooped out on me and she got a ride home in the sledbag. She is a smaller dog and she is still working up the miles. She laid curled up on my bag and seemed to enjoy the ride. When we got home she was running around and ate heartily. I did however, give her the next day off.
There have been many nights that I am getting in around 9 and then it is midnight before I get my chores done and have dinner and get some sleep. So...that is why my blog has been suffering. I will say that I am asleep within seconds and am not waking up nearly as early.
The Don Bowers Memorial Race is fast approaching. I have decided that I will be running the 300 part of it. My big concern is staying warm on the trail. I was told that Cabelas makes a great one piece suit and that it is on sale right now. Well, when I got in yesterday from my first run...Ted had one of the suits with a Wolverine ruff on it laying on the couch. He bought it from Mike Bishop, and for $200.00. I wore the suit on my second run and with two less layers and I stayed warm. So that was really nice.
Today will be a quick day to Anchorage and my mission will be for footwear.
Well, I have been having lap top problems and decided that I would make every effort to get an entry in this morning and get you all caught up !
For the past week I have been enduring the colder temperatures and fighting cold feet and in general just a bone chilling cold. I have been running two teams a day, 30 miles each (or close to it) and that makes for very long days.
Ted jokes that what I destroy...he has to fix and I have to admit that I have been hard on things...but i also think that a lot of it is that many of the equipment that I am using in just at that point where things need updating. I did however, hit a tree with the drag on my first time out with it earlier in the winter. At that time it was set up with a break away line so that it wouldn't break the chain harness....well, the second time when I took it out after our new snow, as I was coming out one of the trails, it got stuck on a little stump and without having a weaker break away line on it, it snapped the chains. So...that was another thing for Ted to fix. Let's see...two sleds, and one drag, and a ladle...I am sure that there are a few that I am forgetting.
This past week when we got our latest new snow, I took the snowmachine out dragging the trail. I would have much rather been on the sled with dogs, but I instead spent 4 hours out there. I met another woman on a snowmachine and she was free running a group of puppies. I stopped and talked with her and asked her about a trail. She told me that it was called "Lost Lady"...(comforting to me...lol) She went back to pick up a couple of puppies that she was missing and I dropped my drag and went exploring. I ended up on a trail that actually had a toilet seat hanging up in a tree....interesting. That trail ended up on the powerline that I have been on and it answered my question as to where the trail off it went to. I was excited, as I had a new trail. I continued back out to the same trail and then found her trail with the many footsteps of about 10 puppies that were following her. I was now on "Lost Lady". That trail also crossed the same powerline and again...I experienced excitement because I had been curious as to where those trails led to. Lost Lady was about an 8 mile loop and I soon saw the snowmachine ahead of me and all of the puppies. We stopped and chatted for about a half hour and then I went and picked up my drag and decided to drag that trail so that when I went home and hooked up my team I would be able to follow the trail that was freshly dragged.
That evening I ran Lost Lady with my headlamp. I was SOOO happy when I noticed landmarks to tell me that I was indeed on the right trail. Success ! I made it home safely.
On the way back, I was already figuring out connecting runs in my head. I figured that if I ran Lost Lady backwards I would be easily set up to run Windy Lake Trail afterwards to get in an even longer run. I now have quite a few trails to loop around on.
My new thing is to run all of my trails in reverse. It is different for both me and the dogs, however, sometimes there are merging trails that are an issue when you are running it in reverse. It is so beautiful out at night and with just a headlamp. The dogs seem to really enjoy running in the evening. The other day Willow pooped out on me and she got a ride home in the sledbag. She is a smaller dog and she is still working up the miles. She laid curled up on my bag and seemed to enjoy the ride. When we got home she was running around and ate heartily. I did however, give her the next day off.
There have been many nights that I am getting in around 9 and then it is midnight before I get my chores done and have dinner and get some sleep. So...that is why my blog has been suffering. I will say that I am asleep within seconds and am not waking up nearly as early.
The Don Bowers Memorial Race is fast approaching. I have decided that I will be running the 300 part of it. My big concern is staying warm on the trail. I was told that Cabelas makes a great one piece suit and that it is on sale right now. Well, when I got in yesterday from my first run...Ted had one of the suits with a Wolverine ruff on it laying on the couch. He bought it from Mike Bishop, and for $200.00. I wore the suit on my second run and with two less layers and I stayed warm. So that was really nice.
Today will be a quick day to Anchorage and my mission will be for footwear.
Friday, January 15, 2010
THURSDAY...BACK IN MY SWAMP
Well, we got about 3 - 4 inches of new snow and it was beautiful as always.
Ted and I went out for breakfast and then Ted went on a run to town. He picked up 2 bales of straw and I purchased 12 bags of dog food, and 150 pounds of beef. I also had him pick up more toe and feet warmers for me.
After he left, I hooked up a team of 8 dogs and we took off. The trails were not groomed so the dogs had to break trail. It is a bit more work for them.
There was only one other set of tracks out there on the whole run...most of which we were leaving the first set of tracks. I never saw a team out there anywhere. We ended up doing a shorter than normal run...about 25 miles rather than the 38 mile run. I stopped a few times to let the dogs rest and roll in the snow. I didn't have to bootie the dogs so that was nice. The dogs had a great time rolling in the fresh soft snow. Otter and Amber seemed to roll for the whole team. Tok and Roan got into it a bit. Chad just stood there and barked. What a team !
Well, we got back to the house and I cut up 100 pounds of the beef. When I went to feed the dogs, they had fun licking off all the meat dust that was stuck to me. After the dogs were fed and quiet, I spent quite a bit of time with them...going to each dog individually and talking with them and scratching them behind the ears and neck. They love the one on one attention...at least most of them. There are a couple who just seem to tolerate it.
Ted and I went out for breakfast and then Ted went on a run to town. He picked up 2 bales of straw and I purchased 12 bags of dog food, and 150 pounds of beef. I also had him pick up more toe and feet warmers for me.
After he left, I hooked up a team of 8 dogs and we took off. The trails were not groomed so the dogs had to break trail. It is a bit more work for them.
There was only one other set of tracks out there on the whole run...most of which we were leaving the first set of tracks. I never saw a team out there anywhere. We ended up doing a shorter than normal run...about 25 miles rather than the 38 mile run. I stopped a few times to let the dogs rest and roll in the snow. I didn't have to bootie the dogs so that was nice. The dogs had a great time rolling in the fresh soft snow. Otter and Amber seemed to roll for the whole team. Tok and Roan got into it a bit. Chad just stood there and barked. What a team !
Well, we got back to the house and I cut up 100 pounds of the beef. When I went to feed the dogs, they had fun licking off all the meat dust that was stuck to me. After the dogs were fed and quiet, I spent quite a bit of time with them...going to each dog individually and talking with them and scratching them behind the ears and neck. They love the one on one attention...at least most of them. There are a couple who just seem to tolerate it.
WEDNESDAY--LOST ??
Well, when I asked Ted if I could take the dogs and go running with Kathy on her trails he wasn't so sure about it. He originally said that I should stick to my trails. I was disappointed...but he said that he would sleep on it and we would talk about it in the morning. So, I didn't call Kathy last night and cancel. When I got up this morning Ted said that I could go.
I had a lot to do in just 2 hours. I ran out and started "Whitey". I got dressed for running dogs, went out and watered the dogs. Then I drove the truck up to the dog lot, unhooked my sled gangline, loaded the sled atop of the dog truck, packed up the harnesses, dog snacks, a quick release, my gangline, I had my old spare headlamp. Loaded up 8 dogs. (originally the plan was to take 16 dogs and run two teams...I decided to just run one team.) I was right on time...it was 9:00 and we were planning on meeting at 9:30 at her dog lot. Since we had no water I stopped at her house, which is just a mile down the road and made a pit stop. I then followed Kathy to her kennel.
The plan was that we were going to do about a 25 mile run. There would be Kathy, Caleb, and me. We were each going to have an 8 dog team. We were going to be running in that order.
I hooked my sled to the hitch off the back of my truck, with my dogs on the trail through her dog lot. To make a long story short, it ended up that Kathy took off and I followed and Caleb was supposed to be following me. We were traveling slow and Kathy thinks that Caleb just wanted to be off on his own...He ditched us with the good map and the young eyes...(Kathy and I are both small print vision impaired.)
It was a beautiful run...so nice to be out on new trails, for both me and the dogs. I stayed right behind Kathy, as I would have never found my way back on these trails. I had no idea where on earth I was, but these were her trails and she knew. I will say, it was comforting to notice that Kathy was very diligent in checking to see that I was always behind her. My thought was that if I were following Caleb, that may have not been the case.
After we had been out there about two hours, Kathy stopped her team and hooked down. I did the same. She looked at me and told me that she had no idea where she was. All I could think was "Oh wonderful...I don't have extra clothes, my sleeping bag, my good headlamp, food, and I only have a partially charged phone". Very poor planning on my part. I asked Kathy what she had in her sled. She was in the same position. She said that she had just planned a short run and that she had not loaded the sled. I told her that this should be lesson to both of us. We decided to continue on the trail that we were on for another 30 minutes and see where it took us. I did see a sign that said "Sweet Cream"...sounds like a nice run, huh?
Well, Kathy knew of "Sweet Cream" It was one of the most challenging runs on her trail system. She wasn't sure just where on the loop that we were, but we found out real soon. We hit the hills and windy trails and then we came along a ridge that had quite a steep drop to the swamp...I noticed it and thought that we may have quite a hill to go down. Well, it was just up ahead. I could tell immediately that my sled was not positioned all to good for the upcoming hill to the unknown. It was a sharp 90 degree turn at a tree before I could even see the drop. It is interesting...the dogs totally disappear and the sled spins and then you get to see your fate !
At the bottom Kathy was hooked down waiting for me. I hooked down and she said she was surprised that I made it without dumping the sled. She said that she now knew where we were. We looked at the map...and saw the notes on it...don't run in this direction...and the turn was marked with a bunch of xxxxxx.
She said that she was a bit worried that with Ted's apprehension...she gets us lost and we end up on the most challenging trail on her system. I laughed and said it was quite an adventure that turned out well.
We ended up running about 40 miles. I did have snacks for my dogs and plenty of extra so I was able to share with Kathy. But in the future, I will have my sled loaded no matter how short a run.
So were we lost?.....no....just temporarily confused.
I had a lot to do in just 2 hours. I ran out and started "Whitey". I got dressed for running dogs, went out and watered the dogs. Then I drove the truck up to the dog lot, unhooked my sled gangline, loaded the sled atop of the dog truck, packed up the harnesses, dog snacks, a quick release, my gangline, I had my old spare headlamp. Loaded up 8 dogs. (originally the plan was to take 16 dogs and run two teams...I decided to just run one team.) I was right on time...it was 9:00 and we were planning on meeting at 9:30 at her dog lot. Since we had no water I stopped at her house, which is just a mile down the road and made a pit stop. I then followed Kathy to her kennel.
The plan was that we were going to do about a 25 mile run. There would be Kathy, Caleb, and me. We were each going to have an 8 dog team. We were going to be running in that order.
I hooked my sled to the hitch off the back of my truck, with my dogs on the trail through her dog lot. To make a long story short, it ended up that Kathy took off and I followed and Caleb was supposed to be following me. We were traveling slow and Kathy thinks that Caleb just wanted to be off on his own...He ditched us with the good map and the young eyes...(Kathy and I are both small print vision impaired.)
It was a beautiful run...so nice to be out on new trails, for both me and the dogs. I stayed right behind Kathy, as I would have never found my way back on these trails. I had no idea where on earth I was, but these were her trails and she knew. I will say, it was comforting to notice that Kathy was very diligent in checking to see that I was always behind her. My thought was that if I were following Caleb, that may have not been the case.
After we had been out there about two hours, Kathy stopped her team and hooked down. I did the same. She looked at me and told me that she had no idea where she was. All I could think was "Oh wonderful...I don't have extra clothes, my sleeping bag, my good headlamp, food, and I only have a partially charged phone". Very poor planning on my part. I asked Kathy what she had in her sled. She was in the same position. She said that she had just planned a short run and that she had not loaded the sled. I told her that this should be lesson to both of us. We decided to continue on the trail that we were on for another 30 minutes and see where it took us. I did see a sign that said "Sweet Cream"...sounds like a nice run, huh?
Well, Kathy knew of "Sweet Cream" It was one of the most challenging runs on her trail system. She wasn't sure just where on the loop that we were, but we found out real soon. We hit the hills and windy trails and then we came along a ridge that had quite a steep drop to the swamp...I noticed it and thought that we may have quite a hill to go down. Well, it was just up ahead. I could tell immediately that my sled was not positioned all to good for the upcoming hill to the unknown. It was a sharp 90 degree turn at a tree before I could even see the drop. It is interesting...the dogs totally disappear and the sled spins and then you get to see your fate !
At the bottom Kathy was hooked down waiting for me. I hooked down and she said she was surprised that I made it without dumping the sled. She said that she now knew where we were. We looked at the map...and saw the notes on it...don't run in this direction...and the turn was marked with a bunch of xxxxxx.
She said that she was a bit worried that with Ted's apprehension...she gets us lost and we end up on the most challenging trail on her system. I laughed and said it was quite an adventure that turned out well.
We ended up running about 40 miles. I did have snacks for my dogs and plenty of extra so I was able to share with Kathy. But in the future, I will have my sled loaded no matter how short a run.
So were we lost?.....no....just temporarily confused.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
TUESDAY-- JANUARY 12th
Well, last night I was every Alaskan male's dream...I went to bed with polar weight long johns and gray flannel plaid PJ's, a pair of wool socks and a pair of fleece socks, and a knit hat. LOL...quite a visual ! And yes...I was warm and slept well. Yesterday I was chilled to the bone.
Woke up this morning and it was zero degrees...CELEBRATE ! I ate a hearty breakfast this morning, hoping to have a warmer time on the sled. With fingers still sore from yesterday, I was armed with hand warmers in the mitts and also a good supply in my pocket.
I switched out my sled from yesterday back to my blue sled. I am constantly a source of amusement to Ted..."my dogs", "my sled" and "my truck". I took out an 8 dog team and we went 36 miles. It was a great run. Then I got home and had lunch and took out another 8 dogs and we went for 12 miles. When we took off, Walt went on the wrong side of a 4x4 post...and the post was sheered off at the ground level. He broke his neckline. I was just so glad the he was alright. When I got back from run #2, one of the puppies greeted me, dragging his chain. I hooked him temporarily to one of the dog runs. Snacked my dogs and put them back to their houses. Ted had the food ready for me and I fed the dogs and then went into the house and had dinner. A long day...but a very satisfying day.
I got a call from Kathy Fredricks and she told me that her landlord gave me permission to run from her dog lot. That is great news, as now I can go on runs with her and explore a whole different trail system. It will be fun running with someone rather than alone all the time. I will have to load up the dogs when we go running together and drive them over in the dog truck.
Woke up this morning and it was zero degrees...CELEBRATE ! I ate a hearty breakfast this morning, hoping to have a warmer time on the sled. With fingers still sore from yesterday, I was armed with hand warmers in the mitts and also a good supply in my pocket.
I switched out my sled from yesterday back to my blue sled. I am constantly a source of amusement to Ted..."my dogs", "my sled" and "my truck". I took out an 8 dog team and we went 36 miles. It was a great run. Then I got home and had lunch and took out another 8 dogs and we went for 12 miles. When we took off, Walt went on the wrong side of a 4x4 post...and the post was sheered off at the ground level. He broke his neckline. I was just so glad the he was alright. When I got back from run #2, one of the puppies greeted me, dragging his chain. I hooked him temporarily to one of the dog runs. Snacked my dogs and put them back to their houses. Ted had the food ready for me and I fed the dogs and then went into the house and had dinner. A long day...but a very satisfying day.
I got a call from Kathy Fredricks and she told me that her landlord gave me permission to run from her dog lot. That is great news, as now I can go on runs with her and explore a whole different trail system. It will be fun running with someone rather than alone all the time. I will have to load up the dogs when we go running together and drive them over in the dog truck.
MONDAY--JANUARY 11 BRRRR......
Well, today the plan was to run 2 teams. I have some dogs that I need to work up miles on and I have my "athletes". I was going run a 12 mile run and also a 38 mile run. I was also going to take out my new "Broncos Sled" lol...it is the beautiful finishing sled that Ted used to finish the Iditarod. He had a sled bag made for it and it is bright orange and blue. I decided that I would do the short run first with the new sled...and then if for some reason I didn't like it I could take out my training sled on the long run.
It was 20 below out and I was all bundled up. I put booties on the dogs to protect their feet and away we went. The trail was hard and fast. I kept on the drag trying to keep their speed down. Right off the bat my hands were hurting...the finger tips. They were so cold. I quickly dug for a hand warmer...exposing one hand even more to the cold and put them into my over mitts. I was cold all over and I didn't like the sled. So glad that this was my short run.
Well, I couldn't get the team home fast enough for me ! When we got back I quickly snacked them and then I went into the house to warm up a bit. Then I went back out. I took off booties and about that time Ted came by in the truck. He told me to hop in and come into the house...that he had lunch for us. LOL...today he bought us each a salad...that was a first...and I wanted soup !
We talked about my run. He told me that at first he didn't like that sled either, but then he loved it. He also told me that I didn't eat enough breakfast and that was why I was cold. I have been out on runs in the - 20's and never been this cold. Well, I then went and put the dogs back to their houses and put away the harnesses and dried out the booties. I decided to wimp out and not take out my next team. Instead I washed all of our work gloves and hung them to dry and also all of my fleece neck warmers and liner gloves and my work jacket.
Turns out that I frost nipped my fingers and they are still sore a day later.
It was 20 below out and I was all bundled up. I put booties on the dogs to protect their feet and away we went. The trail was hard and fast. I kept on the drag trying to keep their speed down. Right off the bat my hands were hurting...the finger tips. They were so cold. I quickly dug for a hand warmer...exposing one hand even more to the cold and put them into my over mitts. I was cold all over and I didn't like the sled. So glad that this was my short run.
Well, I couldn't get the team home fast enough for me ! When we got back I quickly snacked them and then I went into the house to warm up a bit. Then I went back out. I took off booties and about that time Ted came by in the truck. He told me to hop in and come into the house...that he had lunch for us. LOL...today he bought us each a salad...that was a first...and I wanted soup !
We talked about my run. He told me that at first he didn't like that sled either, but then he loved it. He also told me that I didn't eat enough breakfast and that was why I was cold. I have been out on runs in the - 20's and never been this cold. Well, I then went and put the dogs back to their houses and put away the harnesses and dried out the booties. I decided to wimp out and not take out my next team. Instead I washed all of our work gloves and hung them to dry and also all of my fleece neck warmers and liner gloves and my work jacket.
Turns out that I frost nipped my fingers and they are still sore a day later.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM JAN AND THE DOGS !
Monday, December 21st, I headed to Anchorage and had the chance to actually do some Christmas shopping, then I caught my 2:11 AM flight to Seattle. I arrived in Seattle around 6 am...so good to be home.
Took Andrew and Ashley and their brothers and sister to the Science Center to watch an Imax film on Elephants...then back home to make Christmas goodies and decorate the house. Mom and Dad dropped off a tree and we got it decorated.
We have started a new tradition with the family...I gave everyone a pedicure again this Christmas. It was so much fun all of us together getting our toes done. Well, almost everyone... Tyler opted out. However, afterwords he did say that he may join us all next year.
Christmas Eve dinner was at my place with Nikki and boyfriend Phil, Tyler, my Mom and Dad, and my Brother, Rick. We had a wonderful time and everyone enjoyed the turkey, stuffing and all of the fixings ! We then went to the Candle light service at 11:00. Came home and crashed. We all decided that we would sleep in in the morning and have a late breakfast. Thank goodness for grownup kids.
Christmas Morning we had the usual breakfast casserole and then sat around the Christmas tree and opened presents. Most of all, we had a very heartwarming Christmas, with lots of chatting and sharing memories. It was wonderful having Nikki (my New York artist) home and with Tyler. They are so much fun when together.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
