With the year coming to a close, I am reminded for 2 things. One we are just a week shy of being here 6 months; and two, I have been really bad about posting regularly. My New Years Resolution, journaling...We shall see how it goes.
Well with this winter weather (1* today, yeah it was in the negatives earlier - Fairbanks is -40 today) I am going to make it my mission to keep you updated. Summer time we are outside enjoying the weather and traveling (day trips), so it is hit or miss. Paul has walked the boys to school once..COLDDDD! The sun is starting to come up over the horizon around 9/9:30, but really rises around 10:00 and it starts getting dark around 4:00, by 4:45 it is dark, so about 6 hours of daylight. December 21, we have been told, is the shortest day. I'll have to let you know. It is a challenge to get the kids inside for dinner. Even though it is cold, the snow is so much fun to built forts, igloos, bumps for sledding over. We have stairs going down from our deck, it is now a sledding slope...with bumps at the bottom. Coming in to warm up is something we are trying to remind ourselves. Frost nip and frostbite are so easy to develop if not careful. Can you guess which of the kids has had frost nip??? You guessed it, Simon. Bless his heart.
A couple weeks ago, the boys were talking about what happens when you lick something metal...this is the talk on the playground. School nurse has her work cut out for her. So on the way to school we talked about what happens when you lick metal in the wintertime. That night while I was cooking dinner, the boys were playing outside...I heard someone screaming. Which child licked a metal pole??? You guessed it, Simon. Bless his heart.
Paul had to work on Halloween, so I took the kids door to door. The boys were Ninjas, The girls were a pony and a care bear (full body costume are warmer). The exciting thing was the 3 Moose that were out and about..and the police trying to scar them away plus keep kids safe. Thanksgiving is usually bustling with family. This year we spent the day with another trooper family that Paul trained with and moved here at the same time. It snowed and snowed, so after a wonderful dinner, sledding was a must. They live in the woods, so going in between trees was thrilling for the kids. Driving home in the dark and ice with moose and no Paul (he had to work that night) was not as thrilling.
I have been developing some wonderful friendships. I need all the help and pointers I can get come summer and fishing season and next fall, hunting season. Fishing, Hunting, Gardening.. living off the land the good Lord created, is what people do. Canning and freezing are what most people do. I do have access to buying wheat. Lots of people make their own bread too. Researching which vegetables and fruits grow best and trying new recipes for halibut and salmon, have become my favorite past time. We have found that most people here, live simply and self-sufficiently. We desire to raise our children in that way. To train the boys to catch a fish, fillet it, clean it, prepare and cook it, then to sit down and enjoy eating it... To harvest a garden and enjoy the bounty through out the year....
Paul is loving his job. Search and rescues are a lot more exciting here, bears and moose in yards and roads have replaced cows and horses, also more exciting. We are seeing moose almost on a regular basis...we never tire of it. Amazing creatures, including the one's that poop in our yard and stand ground in our driveway. A calf slept in our back yard last week for 6 hours. The time here has flow by. We truly love it here.
From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!
The Secor's
Taken at -20. Not bad!
