Monday, August 26, 2013

Still Alive!

Hi.  I'm alive. Barely. 

We returned from Alaska Tuesday night and have jumped right into life.  I am trying to restock our fridge and pantry, get things organized, Bryan started school  the day after we got back, and Eli's schedule is bonkers, we are busy!

I have a million to do lists and shopping lists, and I am leaving Friday to go home for a short visit. I am excited but wouldn't mind a chance to catch my breath :)

Oh...and my computer is sick. Possibly terminally ill which makes it hard to post pictures. I'm sorry but I will update you ASAP!

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Boat Ride

We all went out to visit a family that lives on a separate island, and can only be reached by boat.  Eli was all for driving :)



Crazy driver! 
"Oh hey guys, I'm just driving this boat at a year old"

Papa Shane can always get a giggle :)

Totem Pole Raising



Patty, Shane, Eli, and I were able to go to the totem pole raising in Klawock, AK (next town over) this week.  They have a small native totem park and after several years the hand carved poles deteriorate and need to be replaced.  This year they replaced 6 poles.  Each pole is hand carved by a master carver and represents a specific clan (Eagle, Raven, ect) and are from a certain family line.  There is a lot of interesting history associated with it, and it was really cool to watch them bring up the pole traditionally without any modern technology.

They were buddies for the day

This is a hand woven native hat- they were gorgeous

Each line of people were the ones heaving on the rope to raise the pole





Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Happy Day

Eli was so stinking' happy today I couldn't resist taking tons of pictures! We started our morning playing peek-a-boo. What a ham :)
Then after his nap we had some serious bed head issues

It was fabulous weather so we played with bubbles on the porch. He was fascinated by them! 







Love my little walker. (And the sweater I made for him out of Bryan's old T-shirt)





He was pointing at his name on the boat. 

Eli looked like a cat sprawling out on the carpet warm from the sun 



And what better way to end a day than on the beach. 

Monday, August 12, 2013

Sleepy Hike

Patty took a few pictures on the hike but I didn't get them off her camera.  Maybe I'll add them later.  

Bryan got back from fishing early so we all went on a little hike out to the end of the island.
This cute boy fell right to sleep



Shane's got the best seat!

Bubbles


On one of the many gorgeous summer days we've had in Craig, we brought out the bubbles for Eli to play with. It took him a little while to figure out what they were, but he enjoyed them!  He even blew a couple by himself!  Then he went to smell them (he's into smelling everything) and blew a bubble with his nose.  haha!





After dinner we were on the back deck playing with the bubbles again and Eli put the bubble wand in his mouth.  He spit a little and he blew his own bubbles!  We couldn't stop laughing because it was exactly from a cartoon!

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Captain Eli

Bryan took Eli and I out on a little boat ride.  It was Eli's first time on the boat (and wearing a life jacket) and he did great!





He kept saying "ooh!!" with every bump and turn.

I think we have another fisherman in the works!


Sunday, August 4, 2013

Berry Picking

Bryan had a day off!  (He worked 28 of 31 days in July).  Yikes!  Bryan's parents, Bryan, and Eli and I went huckleberry picking out some old logging roads.  It was very peaceful to walk along, pick berries (eat a few too) and just enjoy nature.  Eli did awesome in the backpack too! When I would be in a big bush picking, some branches would be near him and he would pick the berries too! He would eat a few, but most would fall by my feet.  Maybe next year he will figure out how to get them in the bucket :)



Can you see Bryan?  It is easy to get lost in these thick woods!

cleaning the berries


and a gorgeous walk along the shore in town

great end to a great day

Life Lately

I often lay in bed after a long day and wonder what I did to teach Eli, to better myself, to explore the island, and to record life with pictures.  Sometimes I feel I am just surviving and going through the motions without really soaking in life.  But when I took take a second to snap a picture I see how sweet and simple life really can be.