A New Beginning/ Ham and Cheese Bread bowl

I love the fresh feeling of a new year!  While I'm not one for once a year resolutions, I think it is always wise to be evaluating myself frequently to acknowledge the changes that have occurred as well as the areas in which I will strive to improve.   So this year I've learned a great many things: how to change the exciting diapers, how to make a baby laugh, how to bake baby hats, and how to do a great many things one-handed. I've begun to learn how to be a wife and momma, but I think that's going to be a lifelong lesson.  Leading in to one of my biggest constant goals, to be a better wife and mother as well as daughter, friend, co-worker, etc.  What a blessing it would be for me to be a blessing to others!  Still more important to me, though is to improve my relationship with God, more consistently in prayer and His Word.  Then, of course, there's the less important things like weight loss, finishing Josh's painting for the stairwell, and about a gazillion other projects around the house.

Here's just some photos of our Christmas to New Years' week:  We found Mello Yello at the store the other day (I hadn't seen these in forever!), Fynn playing with his buddy Evan as we made Laura's wedding reception cards, and just a few of adorable little Fynn!

Finally, we have me trying out my new hefty tripod that Dad sent me for Christmas!  This is what I look like to run out to feed the chickens.  See we've had a bit of a cold snap and it's been hanging out between 30-40 degrees below zero.  It's just like a slap in the face when you walk out the door.  And so dry!  My hands and nose just start cracking and bleeding every now and then. Fynn seems to like the cold, he's had a couple bloody boogers, too, so I only have him out (WELL bundled) between the house and pre-warmed car.  Oh, and that's a headlamp on my hat seeing as it's almost always dark right now.  

So, our New Years  consisted of some family time at home.  Really nice, actually.  Josh woke me up at midnight to say happy new year.  But we did have a special dinner: sweet potatoes and rice for Fynn, and Mom's sourdough, ham and cheese bread bowl with iced tea for Josh and I; it's tradition.

Hollow out a sourdough loaf and save the innards for later.  In a separate bowl, mix 1 c. mayo with 8 oz Colby cheese, 8 oz. parmigiana, 1 cup diced ham (we used Christmas leftovers) 2 tsp garlic powder and 1/4 c. chopped green onions.  Press into bread bowl and cook for 1 hour.

Well, Fynn's not exactly crawling, but he seems to wiggle where he wants to go and he's getting mighty close to the computer cords, so: signing off for now!

And to All a Goodnight

What fun starting Christmas traditions with our new baby!  Josh got Friday off and we packed up sweet little Fynn and drove to North Pole to see Santa at his home.  Since Fynn got croup on Wednesday night, car rides have been even more traumatic, but he held up like a trooper on the way there.  Santa Clause's house was all aflutter and smelling of the amazing fudge, sweets, cocoa and coffee brewing.












Santa was just getting ready to go check on the reindeer out back, so we walked over to the ice park to see this years sculptures and take Fynn down a slide or two.  We pulled him out in a little sled and Josh took him down the big ice slide and I took him in the ice spinning bowl.  He wasn't real thrilled, but tolerated our photographing.

Then we went to meet the big man himself after sampling their homemade fudge and sitting by the roaring fire.  I was worried that Fynn would be afraid (separation anxiety has begun to set in), but he was just cool as a cucumber!  He actually does seem to be more okay with guys with beards than anyone else, now that I think about it!  We read a couple of the letters to Santa posted about, saw the world’s largest Santa outside, and Josh and Fynn sat in Santa’s ice sleigh.

Christmas Eve was fun, too.  Mostly just hanging out around the house during the day, then a service at church that evening.  I kept Fynn back in the sound booth with Josh to avoid spreading any of his croupy germs.  The boys got their Christmas PJs and we hit the hay.

Then it was Christmas!   Josh got up early and got all the presents set up, a fire going and chai tea brewed (so nice!) and we began to go through all the generous gifts that were given.  Fynn made a haul with a bunch of books, a tractor, a train, some CAT trucks, hats, gloves, clothes, and a bookshelf for all his books!  The cats loved the boxes, the dog loved the wrapping paper rolls, and Fynn sure loved the paper!  Again, it’s often the free things…

Josh read Fynn The Story from his Bible book while Fynn intently listened.   Then we made some cinnamon rolls and watched A Christmas Carol while Fynn napped.  When he awoke, he had so much fun playing with all his new toys.  So fun to see the joy on his face!  We (I) decorated the gingerbread house I made with candy from our stockings and later that evening, had a 6 way video chat with my folks, brother, aunts, uncle, Grandpa, and cousins in Washington, North Dakota and South Dakota.  Slightly chaotic, but it made me appreciate technology just for the ability to see everyone, if nothing else.

Dinner was super simple, but yummy: ham, mashed potatoes, salad, sparkling pear and strawberry cider, and chocolate cream pie for desert.  Fynn played with some Cheerios and ate homemade yams and rice with pears for dessert.   Fynn was pretty wiped and fell asleep quickly after reading one of his new books.  And now I’m listening to Josh pick some carols on his guitar as I write.  What a fun season, but most importantly, what a reminder to be grateful for Jesus’ choice to come to give us hope!  A merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Just some Journaling

I find myself measuring distances by what songs I'll have to sing to get there without Fynn crying.  He's always hated riding in the car, but we've discovered recently that he'll calm down if we're singing one of his favorite songs: those with funny noised.  We were able to add "The Wheels on the Bus" to our repitoir this last week.

So we drove one "wheels" and half an "old McDonald" to the store to get a gift for my friend's bachelorette party this weekend an to pick up some photos.  Then a "yodeler" to an assisted living facility to do some visiting.  Then  half a "yodeler," and a "Lilly the pink" to get to the post office, then just a quarter "McDonald" home. =)

Fairbanks is such a unique place.  We've not even been here 3 years and already I'm forgetting that.  It wasn't too cold this morning (only 5 above) but totally still.  That stillness caused a little bit of ice fog on the way into town.  When we were coming home at noon, we caught a couple rays of sunshine as we topped the tallest hill on our drive.  The sun just barely peaks above the horizon these days.  And then there's snow.  Lots of it, but it's dry unlike the Washington slush I grew up with.  The land is harsh, but the people are so friendly and warm.

The sun was just barely peaking above the horizon  to the south at about noon when we were coming home.  The light is just so beautiful as it reflects off the snow.  The colder the weather, the better the roads.  They're slicker than snot when it's close to freezing, but when it gets really cold the ice gets thick and tacky and provides much better traction.  Also, the snow fills in the potholes! =)  It's fun experiencing it with Fynn now too.  He seems to actually like the cold, but gets so grouchy if he's too hot.  Ah, my little Alaskan laddie!

I'm finding that Fynn's favorite toys right now are the free things: big wooden spoons, a plastic cup, an empty wipes package...the best!  He is sure trying to crawl!  It's so much fun to watch: he'll lift up his chest, then his rump, then sort of rock back and forth until he crashes.  Actually he's really trying to walk too.  I'll hold his hands as he stands in front of me an he'll take a couple steps forward, then throw his head back to look at me with his mouth wide open and grinning and his eyes all a sparkling like, "Wow! Did you see that!"  And he's frequently talking up a storm these days, too.  I long to know what he's trying to communicate!

Friday Fun Finds: Teething Jewelry

Little Fynn seems like he's been teething forever.  You can feel the little bumps, but no teeth.  Not that I'm in a rush, it just seems miserable for him sometimes.  And everything goes in the mouth, making any jewelry a bit of a challenge.  I found these a couple days ago (and added one belatedly to my Christmas wish list!): what a fun idea!  They're perfectly safe for baby to chew on and still look nice!  Dear Santa...

http://www.smartmomjewelry.com/

O, Christmas Tree

Josh got this past Saturday off, so we bundled up the baby, took off behind the house a ways and lopped off the top of a Black Spruce for our Christmas tree (we cut up the rest of it for firewood).  For those who have not experienced Alaska, these spruce are a unique sort of tree.  They are one of the very few that grow on the permafrost ground and sort of look like something out of a Dr. Seuss book.  But the skinny tree fits better in our cabin and has more room for ornaments and presents! =)

Neither Fynn nor Clancey were too sure about the chainsaw, but really enjoyed the rest of the walk.  We got the tree thawed out and were able to decorate it after church yesterday while drinking peppermint cocoa (me) and spiced Russian wine (that would be my eclectic husband) and listening to Trans Siberia Orchestra.   Fynn was just in awe and so wanted to help with the ornaments!  I love seeing his wonder at this season and I can’t wait to teach him what it’s all really about!