Kitchen Remodel

Just a quick peek at the kitchen remodel project. We have finished installing the last of the cabinets, and a custom made wine rack that fits inside. We are feeling accomplished, and I am enjoying cooking and baking in my new kitchen, which by the way makes Anchor-town a little bit more enjoyable.

Winter Talking

Each of us, at some point in our lives, will feel like we have become obsolete, old-fashioned, outmoded, antiquated, and passé. The more experiences we have in our lives the more we can feel over cooked and saturated to the point that sharing your version of the world has become tiresome.

This too shall pass. Please tell me this too shall pass.

Life Lesson ~ Dryers can cause Fires

*This is NOT our dryer, but we were affected by the misfortune of our downstairs neighbors.*

A very important life lesson to remember: NEVER leave the house while your dryer is running! NEVER! The good news is this is not our dryer; the other good news is that the neighbor was home to call the fire department in time. The inside of the dryer melted and a load of clothes burned to almost ashes but nothing else had fire damage. There was a lot of smoke, and in fact, it set off our smoke alarm, and we could smell burnt plastic for a couple days but overall this incident ended leaving behind a valuable life lesson reminder. Never leave the house while your dryer is running.

Have a safe weekend my friends!  

Earthquake ~ 4.6

Snowy Days

On top of all the cold days that we have been experiencing here in the far North, we have received our fair share of snow. Mother Nature does keep us all busy with the shoveling, the fall raking, and the summer days basking in the sunshine. Cannot wait for some more sunshine. Winter is on the way out my friend, and life will be rosy once again. 

Have a great Wednesday!

Last Week Flashback

Them...

Us...

We both be like...

Temperatures seem a bit more doable this week, still cold but less harsh.  Stay warm my friends.

Laundry Room Remodel

First step ~ move the clothes washer and the dryer out of the laundry room.  Which isn't really a room and is more like a closet.

Discover the geology of dryer lint. 

Next step ~ prep the sub-floor and the heater vent.

Paint the back wall with some texture in the hopes of hiding the fact that this little closet is attached to the end of the kitchen.  Then remove the blue taped temporary flooring and prepare to install the permanent flooring.

We just might finish the kitchen remodel project in under a year.

Happy Friday my friends, and keep chipping away at your project list.

Along the Parks Highway

Road trips are the best even if you are leaving Fairbanks and headed back to Anchor-town, and especially if you are not the one driving.  Thank you Mr. Wheelman for taking such good care of us.

Mush on my friends, and have a GREAT Thursday.

What are your biggest dreams?

We all have big dreams that we carry inside our hearts with the hope that someday they will come to life on the outside for all to see and enjoy. What have you done to see those dreams to fruition? Your aspirations and the way you approach your biggest dreams may change over time; but your desire to give them life should never go out of style. 

Dream on my friends. Work towards your dreams each and every day.

Who Are?

Who are the most important people in your life?

Just like you’ll find important things in your life, you’ll also find certain people are very important to influencing your decisions. Who makes you a more positive person? Who provides you with the energy you need to become a better you? Find ways to spend time with those that offer you the greatest benefits and joy, and limit your time with those that don’t.

Thank you to everyone who is an important person in my life! You are truly a cherished gift.

Are you who you thought you would be?

Are you who you thought you would be?

Put aside any thoughts of the job you do that pays the bills, the house you live in or the amount of money in your checking account, these pieces really are not who you are, and these aspects should not be part of the conversation when you ask yourself; are you who you thought you would be?

I guess what I am trying to ask is how do you feel about yourself? From the inside out? How do you feel when you ask yourself this question?

Are you who you thought you would be?

If you do not feel your value, I would next ask; are you taking care of yourself?

Remember you are your greatest asset. Your health, your smile, and the kindness you share with others. Each day you need to give yourself the proper amount of sleep, healthy food, and exercise for your body and mind. The best way to become who you thought you would be is to first start taking care of yourself.

Get some rest, eat a healthy meal, and after a nice long walk, that smile on your face will tell you the right answer.

Let’s Keep Talking Stuff!

Let’s Keep Talking Stuff! What Do You Own that Brings You Joy?

We all have them, those things (that stuff) in our lives that truly brings us joy. What things bring the most pleasure to your life? What could you never do without? We all have very specific things that make us who we are. These are the things we must hold onto, and bring to the forefront of our lives.

The things that fit this category for me are my photographs, old and new. As the self-proclaimed family historian the story these older photographs tell, along with the family genealogy information, make up a large factor of who I am, and what brings me joy.

What about you?   

Christmas 2016

Christmas 2016 in Fairbanks! 

Complete with a visit from Santa Claus! 

And a scary turtle behind you.

Because everyone needs a muffin tin... on a rope!

One day she will master Canasta and skunk us all!

Best Christmas news from our family is that these two cutie pies and best friends got engaged!  Long live your love, your friendship, and your laughter.  May your love grow and strengthen.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Let’s Talk Stuff – Again!

Let’s Talk Stuff – Again! What can You live without?

Sometimes we ignore what’s really wrong with our daily routines because getting rid of something may bring about a change that has unforeseen effects. But we cannot let our fear of the unknown hold us back. In your daily routine is there stuff in your way? Is stuff holding you back from making a change?

It might be helpful to ask yourself, does this or that add to or detract from my life? A closet full of stuff, for instance, may cause you more headache than joy when you pass by it each day. What could you do differently by just eliminating some of the stuff from your life?

Less physical stuff to worry about will make room for more time, more energy, and more joy.

Practicing Bravery

Practicing Bravery is something that we might not think about when we set our mind to do something out of the ordinary, something outside of our comfort zone. But at the end of the day when you have accomplished something that you haven’t done before (or have not done in a very long time) that is exactly what you have accomplished. You have been practicing your bravery.

On Christmas Eve day circumstances being what they were if we all wanted to be together as a family in the same town then it was up to me to practice my bravery. So I loaded Francesca with Christmas and prepared to drive north. 356 miles north. In the dark. On the winter snow covered (and some spots ice covered) roads. Solo.

Tire pressure – 32 psi – check.

Oil quantity – full & light in color – check

Radiator fluid level – full at cold – check

Windshield washer fluid – full – check

Engine compartment including battery – tidy and strapped down – check

Visual inspection of external of car – normal and no evidence of any leaks – check

Music to get me through the long stretches of road where there is no radio – check – which by the way is almost 335 miles of the 356 trip.

Food and water for the day – potato chips, Hickory Smoked summer sausage, and a gallon of water – check

Trip travel plan filed with the husband (who was out flying all day) and the sons who were my alternate notification source if something was to go astray – check

Seven and a half hours later, two stops for vehicle fuel, three pit stops where there were no services (interpret Alaska in the winter where most business along the Parks Highway are closed for the winter so the only open “rest areas” are the snow banks along the sides of the road), and 356 miles later I arrived in Fairbanks. Happy as a clam and feeling my bravery run through my veins as I recounted my day’s story to my husband, who beamed from ear to ear with pride for me.

To everyone who everyday practices bravery, I bet you can hear me cheering for you from here.

Be brave my friends.

Compliments

“What comes out of our mouths matters. What we say affects what we think and how we behave. One of the best things we can model for girls and young women is how to accept a compliment with tact and grace.”  Renee Engeln, a psychology professor at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois

I would modify this just slightly to reflect teaching both our young daughters and our young sons how to accept a compliment with tact and grace as the balance needs to start somewhere in how we raise the next generation of future parents.

It is more of an issue for women of all ages because we have been raised on a different emotional belief system than men. R. Engeln also shares this bit of wisdom, “[Woman are told], love yourself, but not too much. Be confident, but practice a style of humility this culture never requires of men. Believe in yourself, but never admit it out loud, lest you make another woman who doesn’t feel good about herself feel bad,” she says. “If you’re raised to think it’s arrogant to ever say something positive about yourself, it makes it hard to accept a compliment.”

You are looking beautiful today and extra happy.

Thank you.

You are most welcome.

More time!

This year I vow to spend more time doing what I love! I vow to make the changes in my life that will allow me more time spent with those I love, more time creating, and dedicating more time to actively making my life be the best version of my story it can be at the end of each day.

How about you? More time for joy? More time for love?

Yup… me too!

How do I want to live my next 50 years?

I have a plan… my New Year’s idea for the coming months… I am going to map out my first 50 years in a story layout so that I can clearly see all that I have accomplished, with the hopes that I can really see the story that I have lived. Then I will continue the story with all the adventures that I want to add to carry me forward through the next 50 years.

Happy New Year’s my friends! Keep writing your story, I have a feeling this year is going to be a great one.