Living My Dream -- Part 3: Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year ! ! !

Bob and Jan wishing you all a Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year ! ! !

Well, I am taking a "Whirl Wind" visit to Edmonds to celebrate Christmas with my family. My training schedule doesn't allow much time off so the plan was to have consecutive runs in with my team and then they can take the days off while I am In Edmonds. I am at Ted Stevens International Airport waiting for my flight. I fly out 2 am this morning (23rd) and back on a morning flight on Christmas Day, to celebrate Christmas with Bob.

The flight out is booked solid with no empty seats...so, no sleeping well on that flight. At this time, my flight home is half empty and I have a row of seats to myself, so I hope to sleep my way back home to Alaska !

Update: My Edmonds Christmas

Well, I had a wonderful Christmas with my family. I made the decision after Christmas 2011 that I would not, not come home for Christmas. My Iditarod would not be more important than family. Sadly, in 2011 my mother passed away on December 29th and I did not spend Christmas with my family. I really regretted that decision.

I arrived at 7 am and took the shuttle. Nikki, my oldest daughter came from New York. It was so wonderful to see her. We went to the store together and picked up everything that we needed for our Christmas Eve family dinner. We then spent the evening with my dad and had a wonderful time.
Christmas Eve, the turkey went in the oven and at 5:00, dad put on an apron and cut the turkey. We had a wonderful family dinner. While they were all enjoying their pumpkin pie, I took off for Crista rehab unit to visit with Marjorie. I brought my pie and a piece for her. We sat and visited and enjoyed out pumpkin pie together. Then there were hugs and I went back to my family and soon we were off for the candle light service that we always go to.

Home after 12:30 and time to clean up the dinner dishes and kitchen. After dinner I had placed turkey and stuffing in zip lock bags and put them in the freezer. They would travel in my checked baggage in a refrigerator bag back home to Alaska. Christmas dinner for Bob and I.

Two hours sleep and I was up making room in the garage for my dad's car for the winter. With the car emptied and cleaned up and tucked away in the garage, I woke Nikki at 7:00. We left for the airport at 7:30. My flight took off at 10:20 and I had three seats to myself....you got it. I slept all the way to Anchorage. I was so glad that the flight was empty.

My Willow Christmas

Had a wonderful dinner with Bob and even though it was a "Whirl Wind" trip, I was so glad that I made it. It was a wonderful time with family and I left with a happy heart knowing that my dad was so happy. Bob decided to take a Christmas Run with his dogs. I opted for sleep and went to bed early.

On the 28th Bob's daughter Melissa came over with Josephine. We spent a wonderful day together.
We started off making and decorating a Gingerbread house. Then we opened presents and had pizza.

Then it was time to take the puppies for a walk...or should I say that it was time for the puppies to take us for a walk. It was great fun watching the puppies play and Josephine loved the pups.

Afterwards Grandpa took Melissa and Josephine for a sled ride behind the snowmachine. They went out our trail from the kennel and through the tree tunnels. Then they took a tour of the neighborhood.

Grandpa ready for the ride

Josephine and Melissa

Afterwards, Josephine got to snack my dogs with herring. She loved watching the dogs devour the fish, heads, tails and all ! A great day for all of us !