Gavin has begged all year long to "climb a mountain". Jon pointed out we couldn't climb the mountains because they had snow on them. This didn't deter Gavin in the least. He continued pleading until all the snow was melted and Jon ran out of excuses. Well, we finally "climbed the mountain". This particular hike is called Flat Top. There were quite a few hikers and dogs which was a nice change. Thinking that Gavin had his hopes set high... maybe too high, we borrowed a backpack. We were certain he would tire out long before we reached the top. WE COMPLETELY UNDERESTIMATED HIM! He was the little engine that could. Not only did he walk all but the first 5 min. (when he whinned to get out of the pack) but he didn't complain once. Every time we tried to head back he pushed us to finish what we started. He was a trooper. This was the opposite of his 5 year old sister. Reagan whinned and complained the ENTIRE time. Her feet hurt, she was tired, she had to pee... it never ended. Funny how sometimes your kids surprise you. Here are pictures from our adventure.

Birthday Bash

The birthday bash started 2 years ago when we combined Reagan and Gavin's birthday party. Reagan's birthday is June 12th and Gavin's is July 12th. Rather than plan 2 parties a month apart and invite the same kids to more than one party, we opted to simplify. We still do a small celebration (cake/ice cream) at home on the actual birth date. This has worked so well it's become tradition. Chuck E. Cheese was the location of this years festivities. Although it was loud and there were a million kids... the party went very well. It was fun to see everyone running from one game to the next collecting their tokens. All our Alaskan friends were able to attend and it was a party we will never forget. Here are some pics from the special day.

Memory Tag

1. As a comment on our blog, leave one memory that you recall with any member of our family. It doesn't matter if you barely knew us, or if we were joined at the hip. Anything you remember is fare game.
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty cool (and funny) to see the responses. If you leave a memory about us, we'll assume you're playing the game and return the favor on your blog.

EAGLE RIVER HIKE

As you may have noticed, our page hasn't been updated lately. Jon finally took some much needed time off. We have hiked trails, climbed mountains, been sightseeing and still have big plans for this weekend. Bear (pun intended) with me as I try to bring you up to speed. We decided to pay a visit to the Eagle River Nature Center. This is not only a great place for hiking but you can learn all about salmon cycling (similar to a hatchery) and enjoy the majesty of Alaskan wildlife. In case you wondered... yes, we were in bear country... and yes, we were completely unprepared. Jade is very good at alerting us but the entire time we were hiking bears were on our mind. In several areas we were the only humans in sight. We found out a week after we were there, a woman was mauled by a grizzly in the same area. She is in critical condition and hopefully will recover. Let's just say we won't be going back without firearms. Gotta love Alaska. Here are pics from our day in the country.