December 21st marked two years of marriage for us!  

This picture is funny to me, and it’s taken just in the spot where we were married two years before. 

We are happy together. ❤️

We almost didn’t go out to eat on our anniversary, but decided we should do something a bit more special. But I just love being home with Chris and doing simple things together. 

On our drive home from dinner, I made up a compliment/comment game for us to play, where you back and forth throwing out compliments. 

I started with: “I like your beard.”

Chris: “I like your butt.”

Hahaha that cracked me up. Then we shared a bunch of random comments  like “I like when you stick your chin out and look at me (like in picture below)” and “I like when you wear your boat shoes, sort of. I like when you skate around in them in the driveway,” and things like that. I love my boy and I’m grateful we chose each other. ?

Since we got home from our Utah, Nevada, California three week long trip, I’ve pretty much been subbing day after day. This is good. But I’ve missed being able to get up and do what I want! Instead of sleepily getting out of bed and getting ready for school.  Well, today is the first day of Christmas break! I’m celebrating by laying in bed. :) Now I need to celebrate by getting up and taking edelweiss and the cats for a walk, by listening to Christmas music, by making Christmas presents, and cleaning our house.

Happy aloha Friday!

Also, a shout out to Piper for helping take the ornaments down. ;)

Also! I just saw this funny article and illustrations.  True love. Approaching two years of marriage and this article is very relatable! Especially, “this shirt doesn’t fit you anymore. Can it be my pajamas?” Haha. I love Chris.

In a world that’s becoming more and more secular, I’m so grateful there are still things like kids’ Christmas concerts. Most of the songs and performances were light and super fun, but there were a few CHRISTmas-y moments that were really special to me. 

First of all, I got lazy and almost didn’t go to the concert, because I wanted to stay home and decorate the tree and put some more lights up. Like I didn’t have all day to do that.  

   
Cutting down our tree was funny. We found it on Sunday night and it’s a beauty. We don’t have a saw or an axe, but luckily Chris has a nice serrated blade on his leatherman. Once we discovered that blade, ten minutes in to sawing the tree with a dull blade, cutting down the tree went pretty quickly. Edel was happy to join us and Piper, the spaz kitty, was happy to be there as well.   

This year we have a tree stand! That makes the Christmas tree thing much better. :) you may notice a little pile of lights that I still need to wrap around. Earlier when I was putting light on the tree, the tree started to fall over, and Chris and to fix the tree stand. He said something about how Christmas can be kind of annoying or frustrating. He had just untangled a chunk of lights too. Now there’s some random Christmas decor strewn about the living room they I don’t feel like cleaning up. Maybe tomorrow. :)

Back to the Christmassy moments of the day… In the concert there was a 5th or 6th grade Down’s syndrome boy being guided by a fellow classmate around the stage. The helper boy seemed so so kind. It was pretty sweet and reminded me of the goodness of the savior. Alyssa, you would’ve loved that moment and the performance too, and especially at the end of the song when a couple of the special needs kids were so happy with everyone clapping. Big smiles all around.

  
Another great moment from the concert was accompanied by the song “Where are you Christmas?”, which Faith Hill rocks at.  There’s a deaf girl at the school, and she and a bunch of her classmates signed that song! It was awesome. The interpreter lead the students in the song and most of the performers were really into it, and I bet it made the deaf girl feel so included in a world where she’s so different. I thought it was great and it helped me focus on the words of the song too. We can find Christmas with lots of love!

  
The other highlight of the concert was watching little Natalie dance around in her paper leprechaun hat, banging exercise balls with sticks, and listening to the foot stomping, Celtic version of her Christmas song. 

spoiler alert :) if you don’t know what happens at the end of the Hunger Games series, you might not want to read this yet. Just know that I had a good time at the movies and I’m happy.

11:30 pm. Christopher and I just got home from the movies! Our little Homer Family Theater is so cozy and since tonight was monday, it was only $6 each! What a deal. We didn’t go to the movies too often when I was little, but I do remember watching Aladdin in that theater! Except then, it had big murals on the inside walls, and lots of spit wads on the ceiling. But now it has like some sort of sound board panels or something. I miss the murals. I think there’s less spit wads now though, so that’s always good.

I haven’t read the Hunger Games series, but I did watch all the movies with Chris. I think I watched the first one with him when we were dating, and we probably fell asleep on the futon in his living room, and after the movie was over I probably tried to get up and go home, without wanting to, but wanting to at the same time. :) I love that I can have sleepovers with Chris every night now! I don’t ever have to get in the cold car and drive home because I already am home. How happy.

The third hunger games movie I watched here on our couch, cuddling with Chris. I remember when it was over I just wanted the next movie to be out so I could know the rest of the story! Actually I would’ve just preferred if they made the third book into only one movie instead of two. Harry Potter is the only story that can split into multiple movies. I wish there were five movies per Harry Potter book. :) Actually, I don’t know if I wish that. But I am happy they have Harry Potter on audible now so I can listen to the books again! I love listening to them. Jim Dale does a perfect job with the audiobook.

Back to Mocking Jay part II (here’s the spoiler), I really liked the ending. It was happy and sunshiney. The whole war and battle was not my favorite part, but it was pretty crazy when Katniss shot President Coin. I suspected it, but I didn’t know if that’s what she was going to do or not. So that was a good surprise and I liked how it turned out and Panem was better off without Coin (and Snow) as leader. And then Katniss went home, and there was her sister’s cat. :( That was sad but good, and cats are great. So sad her sister died though, and I liked how true her emotion seemed.

Then I loved when she and Peeta met back up at home, and he had primrose flowers. How perfect and sweet. And I like the name Primrose. And then they were just bffs again! And lovers too. After the whole story and all the battles and war and lack of peace, Peeta and Katniss had perfect moments of peace. And I thought that that’s what it was all for. For people to love each other, especially Husband and Wife, and then for them to have babies and teach them how to find peace and joy. The ending was great.

I loved what Katniss told her baby, that she sort of plays a game in her head about thinking of every good thing people have done. These days it’s easier to lose hope in humanity, but it’s important to remember that there’s still hope and there is still so much goodness in the world.

The image from the movie was most piercing to me was when Katniss got in bed with Peeta and they cuddled and fell asleep together. So that’s what Imma go do right now with my honey husband. I’m so grateful to have Christopher boy as my companion and that he loves me so much. Life is great with him. <3

I left my Alaskan home in Monday, and got on a few airplanes until I made it to Salt Lake City. How amazing they we can get on an airplane and be almost anywhere we need within a number of hours.

Our friend is taking good care of our animals and home and we are ever so grateful. It’s not an easy job and it’s so so helpful to us. Thank you Emily! When I left, I was a bit sad to leave the animals, and my family members too, but we’ll be home in a few weeks, just in time for the local nutcracker!

My plane ride was great. I slept, listened to good música, and read a super great general conference talk for 1996.

I miss Brazil. Well what I miss are the Brazilians, the people who gave me so much unconditional love, people who don’t have much but who are willing to give it all, people who make the best rice and beans seasoned with garlic and onion and some meaty thing probably, people who are humble, beautiful, and who have taught me to be more Christlike. I hope they all know how much I love and appreciate each of them and all they have given me. 

There’s one Brazilian lady, Isabela, who would tell us the English she knew. She had a tape and workbook or something that went like this: “I’m eleven….” and then “I’m eleven too!” And I love hearing her say that. I miss her. For some reason that plays on repeat in my mind “I’m eleven too!” And sometimes I even say it out loud. 

Speaking of more elevens, today is eleven eleven, Veterans Day! At school (3rd-6th) they did good things to commemorate and remember Veterans Day and I learned when Veterans Day first began! I forgot now, maybe 1919 with Roosevelt? Not sure though haha, I need to study up on my history!

Chris told me how he has national pride on this day, proud for the values that were fought for, and for those who served and gave their lives, proud of that old America, the land of the free and the home of the brave. 

11-11 is also especially special because you get to make wishes all day long! I used to be big into wish making, but I’ve forgotten about it the past few years. I guess my wishes all came true! :) At one point I’d wish eveytime I through a banana peel, since I ate so many bananas. I shall start wishing more and throwing good thoughts out there, because there’s still plenty of good wishes I can make. 

  Natalie and I made pie and yum!
There are many suffering in the world, so much suffering that I don’t even know about. I know we can make it through our pains though, and with God, we are capable of so much. I’m grateful for the freedoms we have here in America, and especially in Alaska, and I hope we don’t lose them! Either way, we’ve always got the freedom to choose. Oh! Also, when we obey, we’re free! I think I was listening to a talk from general conference that said that, how obedience to God is freedom! So let freedom ring, my friends.  :)

Yesterday’s Christmas light magic:

    
And today’s… Nice. They got knocked down. :( 

November. I love November. It’s a time to gather, a time to give thanks, and a time to prepare for Christmas! I wore a Christmas/winter sweater to church today and listened to some Christmas music tonight. It was delightful. I wore some nice blue tights too to keep my legs warm in the cooler weather.

Right now I’m in bed alone, wishing Chris was here to keep me warm. But I at least have our dog and a couple cats. They sure are nice to cuddle with. ❤️ I dropped Chris off at the airport tonight to go to an aviation conference in Texas. We’ll be apart for two weeks, until I meet him in Utah. We’ll spend Thanksgiving time in Utah, Vegas, and California, then we’ll be HOME for a good while.

It’s always hard to find someone to take care of our animals while we’re gone, but with good effort and the Lord’s help, it always works out. Still working on finding someone to stay here for the few weeks we’ll be out. I’m sleepy. Edel girl just jumped up on the bed to perfectly spoon with me! That’s nice. If only the cats will cuddle with me too. We shall see haha.

The animals, especially our German shepherd, Edelweiss, are plenty of work and make our house lots dirtier and so there’s always something to clean, but I love them anyway.

I miss Chris. He’s such a good cuddler and I love it and his love.  Here’s a sad airport picture. Funny that we’re not both looking at the lens at the same time, because Chris always gets on me about looking at the camera lens and not at my reflection in the screen hehe.

Here’s some catch up of the Last two weeks since being home from Brazil.

Not pictured: changing the cat litter (ugh), washing the walls and carpet from a dirty puppy that’s gets hair and dirt all over. Also not pictured: the unhealthy eating of unhealthy foods I’ve been doing lately (oops, time for changes), me not going visiting teaching, staying in bed late like a bum sloth, my skin growing more pale day by day, my cat getting fatter, our fluffy cat missing, and other minor and less minor struggles that we go through, but life is also full of these wonderful moments that are pictured.

At Katy’s 7th birthday party with loads of temporary tattoos and with my sister who is a great mom.

  Natalie and I adventure walking from the beach to home. Cats included! And check out those delicious fall leaves!

Walks with Chris are lovely. He always walks our dog Edel and half the time I don’t join, but if Piper is outside, she always goes haha. She’s such a spaz sometimes. Like right now as she’s attacking my rabbit fur! Turd.

  My mom, sister, and nieces and I hang out a lot and I love it so much. Here we are with a pile of Brazil stuff I needed to go through. 
Kiana’s Homer missionary farewell. She is such a gem and she and her brother create great music together! She’s off to the missionary training center and then to Italy for 18 months!

Watching a sunrise at 9:20 am, from my favorite perch of dead trees and stumps in the swamp.

Kindergarten teacher by day, sloth by night! ;) Sometimes I teach kindergarten, or anything else needed. I love subbing.

  I went to pick Natalie up from school with Edel. I took her a cookie too. It was so great to walk home together and she loved it. 
I had a special afternoon with Katy too. She was wearing all black because she and Natalie got in a fight and Katy said Natalie didn’t like black, so she wore it, hahaha. Here she is making an egg!

  Natalie and I played at her school playground and it was awesome. Super fun. I don’t want to forget how to play! On this day Natalie was wearing all black. Katy picked it out for her and it turns out Natalie doesn’t really mind black. 
Lots of good things in this picture. I remember reading that the number one need of a dog is exercise. We do what we can to exercise edelweiss and keep her happy. She’s a lot of work, but she’s a really good dog and I love having her here with me when Chris is gone. And when he’s home too.

  Fresh salmon from din din!
Seminary one morning. News flash, they changed some of the scripture masteries! Who did that?! It totally threw me off.

  We made homemade corn tortillas! They were delish and we had a yumm Mexican feast and rented movies or watched BBC stuff on Netflix. I love making food together and need to make it happen more often. 
I got a yummy salad when we went to our friend Richard’s birthday dinner put a bajikkion craisens in my salad. So I made a smile with it. I only like about five craisins per salad. How do you spell craisens or craisins?

  Super awesome clouds one morning. 

Beach walk to help Chris take a little break from being at work all day. He’s been working so much, too much, but it’s temporary.       Natalie reading! She had a hard time reading in school her first couple years, but loves it now!!
These moccasins…. Fixing them for Natalie’s Halloween costume.

  Katy dodging a picture because she got upset since she couldn’t do what she wanted on my phone. 
A drive by picture of beluga slough. Wow! Going to meet our good friends for dinner. Such beauty! We saw a bunch of whales in the bay too on our drive out to the end of the spit. It was awesome. And then I ate a yummy salad and tasty mac n cheese for dinner. :)

  I voted! For our bishop to be a city councilman. 

The best and pinkest morning sky I’ve ever seen. This is one of the only reasons I’m thankful for daylight savings. Otheriwse, daylight savings is silly silly. But today I was able to get out of bed and have loads of time before church. It was great! Our life is good and we are grateful. :)

   

My dear brother, Jake, is currently living in Bethel, Alaska working as a dentist at the native hospital. We don’t get to see each other too too much, probably a couple times a year, and we all wish he lived closer. 

We texted the other day and he said he just got out of Denali, and I wondered if he might be in Anchorage when Chris and I flew out. But I forgot and never asked. 

To get to Anchorage from Homer, it’s a four hour drive. It is an option to fly from Homer to Anchorage, but it’s not inexpensive so Chris and I drive when it makes sense. Christopher and I left home when we planned and were doing pretty good on time. There was some construction on the drive up and lots of fireweed fluff fluff!  The yellow leaves were so beautiful too. Fall… It’s lovely. 

   
 
  
Anyway, when we finally made it to the airport we were cutting it so close on time. Nobody likes that. Chris insisted everything would be okay, and that’s always nice to hear. Security took much longer than normal to get through, and normally it’s a pretty quick process. But I was standing there staring off and I hear, “Chelsea” and then I looked up and there was my brother! We got to hang out for about a half hour and it was so good. Rejuvenating. I love family and I’m really proud of Jake.