Alaska

Alaska

new blog in progress

9 September 2014

With the help of my handy dandy husband (not notebook), my blog is currently under a grand renovation. How exciting!

Last night, Chris and I made efforts to have a family home evening type thing. It involved us eating yummy salmons and kahuku grill fries/roasted potatoes, and we played some guitar, and then we watched a couple mormon.org videos. These activities aren’t really out of the norm, but we did say a closing and opening prayer, so we can basically call it FHE.

Then after our videos I was telling him how I wanted a blog makeover and showed him a few templates I found on etsy. Then we got on themeforest.com and saw a bunch of super cool designs, and he convinced me to switch from blogger to wordpress. And we went to godaddy.com and I got my very own url! Exciting. Then he spent a while getting my new theme and wordpress and url and blog set up, as I struggled to keep my eyes open. :) It’s still a work in progress but I’m excited about it because it’s much much better than what I’ve got going on right now here at happychelsea.blogspot.

And good news, all my old posts and info will transfer over to my new blog, and it should just forward directly to the new site. I’m glad Chris knows so much about this stuff. It’s surprising all the things he knows. And I’m sooooo happy he’s home and I’m happy it’s raining today.

Alaska

dia 7 de setembro and thoughts while Chris is gone

8 September 2014

Shabbat Shalom.
I’m about to go clean boats. How it will be glorious when my evenings are not filled with boat cleaning! It has slowed down a lot the past week and peeps haven’t been fishing as much. I probably have two weeks left, or until they shut the water off in the harbor.
I’ve had a lot of difficult nights boat cleaning this summer, mostly just because I was so resistant to being there and made it hard for my smelf. Chris has helped a lot. Cleaning boats with him is soooo great. We’re so speedy at it and make lots of monies.
All of the boat and cabin/lodge cleaning monies from the summer will go to BRAZIL! We’ll journey south the spring for a while and we’re so excited. I think it’ll be one of the happiest, most joy filled times of my life.

Speaking of the beloved country of Brasil, it’s their independence day today! Naturally, I had to wear my Brazilian flag earrings. Not sure why I don’t wear them more. But I shall.

Chris comes home tomorrow! He left on Tuesday and I’ve missed the boy. But there definitely is some truth to the phrase, “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” With him gone, I realize how lovely it is with him around. This week has been better for me than his last work trip “outside” (which for us Alaskans means “the lower 48” or just the states outside of Alaska), and I got some good hanging out done. :)
I watched season one of Reba, I organized our cupboards and food storage, and I put an awesome giant vinyl sticker of the world on our wall, which eventually fell off due to the crappy paint that we haven’t painted over. Miss Edelweiss and I have had some good bonding time and beautiful walks in the forest, so that has been good. I haven’t really eaten much while Chris is gone, just a lot of trail mix. And I did get around to making some smoothies. I’ve just been too lazy to make food for one person.

Hmmm what else can I ramble about to procrastinate going to the harbor… I guess I’ll just share some pictures. :) I love the Manti temple. We’re planning on getting sealed there this December. Magical. Cheers.

PS my blog needs a makeover.

Alaska

Kate and Simba

5 September 2014

SIMBA.

What a good companion he has always been.
I received Simba as a gift from my neighbor, Kate, when I was about 7. We lived in Anchor Point at the time and Kate lived (and still lives) in a red house across the street. For quite a while, she had a big turquoise flag with a peace sign on it, hanging on the front of her home.
When we first met Kate, my older sisters, Holly and Stacy, went to her house and drank tea. I remember them not being too fond of the tea, and I remember being excited to meet her and spend time with her. When I went to Kate’s, I remember always drinking lots of hot chocolate. I’d hang out over there with her a lot. It was nice. And I remember I’d always shake my belly and hear the liquidy hot chocolate rolling around inside of me.

Kate has travelled quite a bit I think, and I remember being fascinated with all the treasures and trinkets in her three story home. I always remember a rainstick, and especially liking the library upstairs. This home across the road from mine, belonged to multiple friends and families through out the years. Most notable were the Ballentines of course. I remember playing on their pulley zip line thing, playing cops and robbers, and perhaps hunting easter eggs, though the easter memory could be false. There were two other families, the Woods and Schluckabeers, who had girls my age to play with! Emily and Alicia I think. That’s what I remember. The house still belongs to Kate now. I think I need to go have some hot chocolate or tea with her in her memory filled home.

We actually ran into each other at the post office the other day. I told her how I was still so attached to Simba. I explained how he’s traveled a lot with me. He accompanied me to BYU-Hawaii, Jerusalem and other places in the middle east, my mission in Brazil, staying with my grandparents in California, visits to Utah, and he’s even been on plenty of kayaking and backpacking trips here in Alaska. Where I go, Simba goes. It’s sort of like the Ruth and Naomi thing. ;)

My dear friend Kate said she has a little stuffed snow leopard that she’s been quite attached to over the years too. She encouraged me to ponder and think more about why I’ve been so drawn to my little lion cub, Simba. Interesting thoughts. But yes, Simba, Kate, her snow leopard and I need to have some hot chocolate and tea soon, just like she and I always used to.

After all these years, I always remember Kate’s phone number, and even part of her license plate number. When I first received Simba from her, I remember taking him on a bike ride with me down the dirt road. Somehow he fell off (silly lion) and got dirty. I was sad about that because he was nice and new and mine and I wanted to take care of him. While I was on my mission, my beloved twin friends’ mother sent me a little felt missionary tie for Simba. He still wears it proudly. Today, Simba’s fur is quite matted, and the black on his eyes is very worn. Every so often I recolor his eyes with a sharpie to make him young again, and to keep myself young too.

Alaska

Labor Day

2 September 2014

I ran around in the forest with Edel this morning. It felt rejuvenating to run. It was beautiful and wet with morning dew and light with morning sun. I stubbed my toe super bad a few times on roots and sticks, causing me to swear in my head. Oops. And anytime I’d hear something in the trees, I’d look around and start running faster, thinking the noise came from a moose or bear. :)

Then my mom, my sister, and her girls went for a walk through town and then the forest. I brought our adventure kitty Bel! She didn’t like it. She was just really afraid and felt unsafe so I just held and cuddled her most of the time. She was happy to get home, and so was I, because I loooove our home so much.

Right now I need to go clean boats. I mean, three hours ago, I should’ve gone to clean boats. But I just don’t feel like leaving my home. :) It’s a bit annoying how I put off boat cleaning (and other things) sometimes. Buuuut we’re all learning and growing. And each day, we just need to be a little better than yesterday.

Alaska

We all want to run.

30 August 2014

Today we had the privilege of attending the temple with many of the beloved souls from our Homer ward. I have so much love for the Homer ward family. And it was so special today being in the temple with people who have known, loved, and supported me since I was a little babe and a young whippersnapper. Really special. It was am extra special day too, because our dear Annitta, a recent convert, received her endowment today and I am so glad we could all be there together, bound in our love for each other, the Lord, and his gospel.

A trip to Anchorage is usually accompanied by a stop for pizza at the Moose’s Tooth, as well as a visit to costco, to stock up on the goods. Omg, Moose’s Tooth pizza is the best. So good. Yum. Costco was good too since it’s lots cheaper buying stuff there than here in Homer. But at costco you often end up buying so much more, so it’s probably not too much of a money saver. We did get our most favorite corn chips though! And plenty of frozen fruits, and our favorite bread, and some chocolate chips, and I couldn’t pass up this great raincoat they had too. Good finds. :)

And we came home to our kitties and pup, and then left to go clean boats. Most fortunately, Husband is a helpful one and a great boat cleaner! Work is so much better with him. Play is much better with him too. Life is so good together.

So I haven’t really been journaling too much lately, but I am blogging more. Feel free to read, or just look at pictures. :)

Oh! Why I wanted to blog today, was because when we were cleaning boats, Chris made a pretty bloggable statement. We were running down the ramp and on the dock and I talked about how remember being kiddos, and you just wanted to run. And you’d just run and play and be so full of energy. I don’t know why it takes so much effort sometimes now to run, or exercise. But Chris said, “I think deep down, we all want to run.”

That was a pretty good thought. So I said I’d blog about it, and he said maybe I should run a few miles first, haha. That’s a good idea.

Alaska

Thumbelina meets Penelope

28 August 2014

I took little Bel for her first ride in my Subaru Penelope the other day! She meowed a lot for the first ten minutes. Then she was fine and cruised around the car checking things out. Then she camped out on my shoulders and neck as we drove out to the spit to meet my dad and help his Belgian hitchhiker friends.

I just got done browsing through all my blog posts for the past 2+ years. I really love my life and my smelf too. Things and people are really swell.

It’s work time now. Babysitting the girls last night was great. I love my nieces. Cheers.

Alaska

Cookied

28 August 2014

It’s just after midnight. I’m making cookies. Actually I decided to call them cookied chocolate chips, because there’s more chocolate than there is cookie. YUM! Just like it should be. :)

I’m at my sister and brother in laws house watching my nieces, and Chris just sent me this picture of our kitty. We call her Bel, or Lina, or Thumbelina. Last name Palmer. We love her.

These cookies, I mean cookied chocolates chips, are being made with love for neighbors, boat captains, cabin owners, família, and of course the Palmer Palace. I love sharing food and treats with others. Spread the joy and share goodness, and health!

Alaska

Humans

27 August 2014

Humans of New York is inspiring. I love their posts @humansofny, that come up on my instagram feed. So humanizing and real, sometimes sad, sometimes happy, but real. I’m grateful for humans and all they do and all they are. Especially grateful to know and be with so many stellar humans. I’m also grateful to be with stellar animals! Like our new kitten! More on that later. :)

They’re building two duplexes right next to our house right now, and it cuts into our path to our magical forest and trail. We haven’t been too pleased with the construction and development, but we know that now there can be more great humans around! Still have mixed feelings about wanting to head for the hills and buy a few acres of trees and plants to surround a home for us, but it’ll be nice to meet the new peeps that move in here at Aprill Place. And we still have a gravel road here at our home, and there’s still lots of green around, so it’s quite nice.

Btw, this picture doesn’t have much to do with this post, other than it has my most beloved human in it next to me. This was taken camping across the bay. Summer has been grand. I have to go to work right now right meow though. I’ve been working a lot, and I’m ready to work less and bundle up in sweaters and beanies. It makes me excited for winter.

For winter, my plans currently consist of volunteering in my nieces’ kindergarten and second grade classes, sending out our wedding thank you cards, learning to play the harmonica, make plans for our Brasil trip, get sealed in December in Manti, maybe get an internship done and get my degree, and play Super Mario on super nintendo. I’m hope you can understand my excitement.

Alaska

“10,000 years will give you such a crick in the neck!”

13 August 2014

I’m watching Aladdin.

I’m grateful for Robin Williams and the goodness and great memories has has brought to my life through his acting and the characters he’s played. Genie from Aladdin is probably numero uno for me, and of course Mrs. Doubtfire! And being in Jumanji, Hook, Flubber, Jack, Patch Adams… pretty talented fellow who will be remembered and missed.

Alaska

GLORIOUS SUNDAY

11 August 2014

Chris just finished going through the 6000 pictures we took for trek two months ago! Hallelujah. We watched the old extreme makeover: home edition and he just rallied through them (and I fell asleep). There are so many great fotos!

One of my boat captains came to church today, which was so wonderful. I loved it and it made me really happy to see his desire to learn and feel the spirit. He took the day off from fishing just to see what church was like. He doesn’t really ever take days off, even when it’s windy windy windy. So it was special and wonderful that he felt inspired to be there today. And the meeting and classes were full of God’s love.

Then me and my sisters and nieces and nephew and husband boy all spent Sunday afternoon at my Dad’s house. It was so nice. And so beautiful outside. The fireweed is so magical right now!

The girls and I played bunnies on the trampoline. I love them so much. I love playing with them. And that little Brady is delicious and chubby!

Also… I didn’t clean boats today!!! Heavenly. Feeling good. And sleepy. Our fluffy kitty is right here next to us purring away, and the shedding puppy Edel is on the floor intently watching her. It’s raining outside right now, and it sounds perfect.

Telling Holly not to use zoom on the iPhone haha. Just take a step forward sister.

Alaska

#overit

9 August 2014

I don’t hashtag much.

Nor do I ever really post selfies.

But tonight… #overit.

I need a night off from boat cleaning…

Alaska

Brady boy

8 August 2014

What a precious little cabbage patch boy he is! I love this little nephew and it has been delightful having him (and his parents) around.

Alaska

10:38 pm

29 July 2014

Chris is at Osh Kosh, in Wisconsin. Boy do I miss him. He left last night and I can’t wait for him to get home in a week and a half. I love my boy.

Alaska

Man time.

26 July 2014

We’ve had some great guests this past week. Chris’s brother, friend, and cousin have been here visiting and the four of them have been manning it up all week.

Lots of hiking and camping and fishing and boating and eating and running and being kinda smelly. :)

I unfortunately wasn’t able to participate too much in the activities of the week, except for the eating part. But it’s been great for the for of these guys to be together in the great land of Alaska.

Alaska

Poetry of a seven year old

25 July 2014

I found these the other day.

So funny.

I found lots of other great poems I had written too. :)

There is one for each of my family members. It’s funny to see what I thought of and the words I chose to describe my dear beloved family.

Notice my perception of self was pretty spot on haha.

Alaska

More salmons and lotsa wildlife!

24 July 2014

I’m so grateful for the salmon we’ve been getting. Hopefully we’ll get some halibut soon too. I prefer halibut to salmons.

Today was great. We’ve seen so much wildlife lately. Today (from pretty far away) we saw a mama bear and a new cub and like a yearling, all together! So cute! Bears are pretty rare to see and we saw a black bear on Monday and three today!

Also, we saw a bunch of seals, and the girls were trying to catch jelly fish/jellies, and of course we saw plenty of sea birds (even gray fluffy babies!) with a stop at gill island. And when we got back to the harbor, there was a seal kicking back on the docks, which is fairly rare. Oh yes, I always see sea otters in the harbor too. There’s lots here in kachemak bay. I love my home. And I saw three moose today, one was a cute baby! I love seeing moose.

There’s lots of wildlife here in AK, and Homer, and it’s always so exciting to see. I never tire to see a moose, or otters… These living creatures are all just great and fascinating. Eagles don’t impress me too much anymore, because they’re just all over here, but they’re pretty amazing strong birds.

On the beach the other day we saw one catch a fish out of the water with its large talons! :)

I’m really grateful for this beautiful earth and the magnificent creations. Don’t even get me started on all the great plants! :)

Alaska

Salmons

22 July 2014

We got ourselves about 80-90 lbs of salmon filets yesterday! It’s so great to have delicious, healthy fresh fish all year round.

Last night we ate salmon kabobs at my sister’s, and it was such a good meal. I love eating with the fam. And I love being home in Homer.

Fishing was unexpectedly good. It’s sad killing all the fish with a rock or stick after you take them out of the water, and then you have to pull their gills too to bleed them. Holly and I made sure to thank the fish and tell them sorry too. But we sure are grateful to have them in our freezer!

I really like participating a lot in the obtaining and creating of my food. I need to garden next year too! I don’t know much about gardening, but how great would it be to be able to sustain ourselves a little better.

Btw, we saw a little black bear on the shore in the rocks on our way home from fishing! He had a salmon too!