HaPpY BiRtHdAy AsH!

AK Trip- Goose Lake

Yay for sunshine! It was a nice sunny day (which hadn't happened since we had been here) so Trachelle said why not Goose Lake! My mom used to take us kids there all the time when it warmed up a little. Oh the memories of going with Janel (having a leach stuck on me, converting our tshirts into swimsuits) The water is absolutely freezing, the beach is just right, the scenery is beautiful!

Gramea took turns walking around behind Ashley, she liked to wonder off into the water too deep. Andrew and the boys were in heaven making mud puddles and race tracks and driving the cars through it all. Andrew got a sunburned back and has tan lines from where little blobs of mud were stuck to him!

AK Trip- Potters Marsh

There is a pretty marsh on the way out of Anchorage that I took Andrew to the other day. Trachelle and the boys met me there and they had lots of fun running around on the boardwalks. Those boys love to play together! It was really windy and cold, but that wasn't holding us back. Lots of tourists were there all decked out in winter coats, it was pretty funny to me.



Asher looking at the birds flying in the sky and Andrew getting a close up of Zander :)

I love the drive south out of Anchorage, so beautiful!

AK Trip- Exit Glacier

On our way out of Seward we stopped by Exit Glacier. It sure has receded since the last time I was there. It was fun to hike up with Emily, Derick, Ryan and Adam. It is so pretty!

(yes, we like to take silly pictures...it's what we do)

AK Trip- Lowell Point

Ok this is my most favorite place in Alaska! It is beautiful no matter what. Today was overcast and rainy, but still I love the mountains across the water, the dark green trees, the tall grass, everything! Andrew loves playing in the water here. It was freeeezing, but that wasn't going to hold back a 5 year old! He had fun playing with his cousins Zander, Asher and Tiernan.



I think if Andrew had it his way, he would be connected at the hip with Asher. I love that they just picked up where they left off since they saw each other a year ago!

Adam, Dad and Ryan chillin' on the beach and the little boys being boys :) I LOVE THIS PLACE!

AK Trip- Seward

Derick and his business partner Adam came up to do a few jobs up here this summer, then his little brother Ryan decided he wanted to come help too, and on the first Saturday we headed out to Seward. I have SO MANY MEMORIES in this town- coming here every 4th of July since I was 5, camping at Stanton's cabin and the church parking lot, doing the Mt. Marathon twice, halibut fishing with the Johnson's, sailing on the Call's boat, Lowell Pt, food (oh my, I always go overboard there :) and Derick proposing to me in front of well, everyone in town!






Self portrait time :) Don't I have the cutest mom, sister and sister in law! I love them! We are just missing Leisl, Kara and Amy to round out all the Newman girls!


Cute kids walking around town. Asher pushed Ashley in the stroller all the way from the base of the mountain to the car by the finish line.


Walking around on the docks. Cute picture of Andrew and Gramea holding hands :) Ashley had to give this fish on the side of a building some loves too. Silly girl.

This was someone else's catch. The kids absolutely loved the octopus that these people caught!

AK Trip- Midnight Eclipse

(whoops, where's em?)

The 2nd day I was here, Eclipse came out, so Emily and Beth had gotten tickets to go see it at 12:10 am. We were exciiiiiited! BUT in Alaska they don't have any megaplex type theaters where you reserve your seats, so we stocked up on diet coke and snacks and sat in line at the theater for a couple hours. We had fun, and were silly, and for me it felt like 5am by the time we got home :)

Bye bye Aunt Meelie :(

SO SAD to see Emily (Aunt Meelie as the kids call her) go back to Alaska. Come back, we neeeeed you!!

Park City- Kids and Sisters- Second Edition (one more pic)

This was too cute to leave out.

Park City- Kids and Sisters- Second Edition

We've gone twice now to Park City with us sisters and our kids. They love it and have sooo much fun! We stay at Westgate, eat too much junk food, swim, stay up late and have lots of fun!

Emily, could you carry ONE MORE THING up to the room please?!


The kiddos having fun swimming.


Headed to the store with crazy kids! Andrew and Wes in the back seat couldn't stop giggling at each other over who knows what!


The store was fun! I'm sure people looked at us like, "could you please control those kids!" Nope, not going to :)

Since we are the most AWESOME aunts and moms, we let the kids have sundaes late late at night....don't they look so yummy!


We found the table like this.....great minds must think alike, or at least sisters! Now, which one belongs to each of us??


Slowly fading....


We've made it a tradition to take the kids on the free trolley. It isn't much, but they love riding around the streets, ringing the bell and being really silly together!




I guess we enjoy it too :)