Aug 23

Summer Side Up

Somehow summer is beginning to wrap up and school has started once again. This was our first summer without the kids in some kind of daycare (for the most part) and our first one with grade school aged kids, with all that entails. Everyone says it goes by in a blink -something that I believe also occurs to kidless people in terms of the shortness of Alaska’s summertime- and before I knew it, back to school pressure was on! While school is a topic I haven’t tackled yet, let’s delve into some of the fun happenings since our return from Juneau in mid-July.

Emerie had her first eye check in six months and passed with flying colors. The daily patching -with much effort I might add- is genuinely making a difference in the sight of her left eye and her brain’s awareness to use it. While patching will continue for at least another year or two, we are very excited to see the results that equal about 20/40 vision and greatly improve her future welfare.

The other day I heard Emerie reflect to a neighbor kid that she has to wear glasses because Doctor Winkle told her to and that patching helps her eye get strong. She clearly articulated that she only did it because he said so, not her parents :D.

Enjoying and playing outside as much as possible during the summer months is a requirement. Since sunny weather is more of a rarity the past few years and something to take advantage of as much as possible, the girls are finding new ways to entertain themselves and enjoy the warmth. This specifically pertains to anything flower or berry related (Reagan constantly warns her sisters don’t eat the sick berries, those make you sick!), grass soups and other creations, and all types of tea parties, pretend and with real food and drinks. Harper especially likes setting up such events for her dolls and seals and later inviting her sisters.

Harper also now announces herself into a room with a loud (and proud) Harper alert! Harper alert! and a grand entrance into the space. It’s pretty cute.

Another general accomplishment from Reagan, her first braid! She was SO excited to show her first twist braid, and all by herself. Having three girls, I can’t until until the day that they start doing each others hair. The makeup portion of that journey has already begun, but maybe I should rephrase to say when the makeup and hairstyles are socially acceptable in public…although Craig has no problem sporting that wild eye shadow and going out and about.

Her creativity continues, more recently with toilet paper rolls creating wishing fountains. One caveat I noticed after the fact- when she ran out of toilet paper rolls, she went into the bathrooms and unrolled the ENTIRE new rolls and left it in a hot mess by the toilet. So. Much. TP.

You wouldn’t believe the compilation of flowers that pop up all over the house. Dried flowers, drown flowers, moldy flowers, beautiful bouquets, fist fights over who gets what flower, explosions of petals in the car, under their bed, stuck to your socks…essentially across every surface of our living space. A $15 flower bouquet from the store gets hours of enjoyment, and some fighting, and is well worth the money! We now draw and paint flowers, the girls seek out lupin for Grandma Sue and fireweed for me, just to make sure we see them (real or artistic), and they exist to the level that rocks existed around us when the girls were toddlers. #flowerpower … right?

Another box checked for back to school, the triple haircut. I took all three to my favorite hair expert, who just so happens to be a twin mom and all around rock star of a human, and we survived an hour adventure resulting in three haircuts and much excitement over the machine that sucks the hair off the floor and into it. Everyone wanted a quick wash (because why not!) before their trim and air dried while the next had a turn. Reagan begged to have shorter than shouldn’t length so we compromised with hers an inch shorter than her sisters, but still past shoulder length.

In addition to a triple haircut was our next dentist visit. I’m happy to report no cavities -maybe a bit shocked by that too- and plan to seal all those new molars in about six months, that are now popping through everyone’s gums. We also have more loose teeth, although none are ready to commit, we anticipate those top front ones will be abandoning ship sometime this school year, based on the latest x-rays.

I made it approximately two weeks with kid booster seats in the back of my Toyota Rav4. My love for my car lasted a decade, but juggling three kids into boosters forced me to upgrade to a roomier vehicle with a third row. We broke it in a trip to Girdwood to enjoy Double Musky, and I’m loving the girls now buckle themselves in like professionals, after five plus years of four point harnesses. Milestone achieved!

Grandma Anne visited for a few weeks in July. The adorable picture you see next to this paragraph shows her handiwork on custom colored kuspuks, which still fit but needed minor mending to accommodate the girls growing bigger. The girls played lots of board games, crafted with everything from glue to glitter, and read lots of books during the visit.

Our kitty Winston went missing for 12 days, reappearing the night before we left for Kenai, vocal and malnourished from wherever he landed. A night or two is no concern, but after a week we reported him to the pound with no success. He ended up snuggling in the girls’ beds that first night and getting lots of love, and seems to be doing better now. Harper was very excited for this cuddle picture with him.

Another summer past time, constant trips to the you-pick farm. I have to at least add this to the blog, knowing it’s one of my favorite adventures and gets easier to do every year. The girls love jumping on the massive blowup strawberry (which was deflated on our last visit disappointingly), and ready for the fall zip line fun. We also impatiently wait for potatoes, carrots, and peas to open.

This picture articulates a creative activity the girls invented while playing at home over the summer. When focused on something around the house and not physically upstairs, fashion shows begin with the theme “dress like Mom.” This usually entails a master bedroom closet raid, complete with boots, shirts, skirts and hoodies donned and strutting around the house. The volume exponentially increases after a few minutes, and by far the favorite accessory is the discovery of bras, which produces a huge amount of giggles and wildness when on display. By the time I return upstairs, it’s an explosion of clothes (the less fun part of it for me!).

After a weekend at home to recover from our excursion down south, we packed up once again and headed to Kenai, this time for a family meetup for the next set of identicals (twins) to join the family. I completely dropped the ball on travel preparation, forgetting entirely to book somewhere to stay. Luckily we received an amazing offer to use a camper for two nights, parked outside of Jaren and Savaya’s house. The girls were thrilled at this new accommodation, since it’s “so” different from staying at a hotel or at a new house, as the girls say when we go somewhere (we return to our old house on the way back!), and overall other than a bit cold, they did pretty well. All three slept in the top bunk over the driver seat, while Craig and I corralled in the bed in the back and Grandma had the table turned bed. And you know what you do to solve being cold? Have a kid sleep next to you.

Sue and I helped set up the lady bug themed baby shower while Craig wandered with the kids through parks and jump parks on the peninsula. During the event the girls were in high spirits, continually sipping cups of juice, munching on snacks, and scarfing down a slice of cake as they ran around with the other kids on the beautiful, sunny day. All three seemed to enjoy watching Amber open presents and seeing all the baby outfits and goodies; it was a sweet reminder of how long ago that stage feels for us and how it really wasn’t that long ago. Everyone colored custom happy baby shower pictures along with our presents, sported pink necklaces (because baby girls of course!) and ran around with the ladybug fans and balloons for most of the afternoon. They were exhausted from the excitement and the fact everyone was cold and up way earlier than normal after a late night. I managed to get Emerie and Reagan to briefly doze off on an intentionally long drive back to the camper; Harper not so much, but she did settle for a bit in her booster seat.

We attempted a short lived fishing venture that night, not heading out until well around normal kiddo bedtime. It was still light and sunny and exactly three kid life jackets were waiting for us. The girls were full of energy and couldn’t resist running along the water, tossing rocks and collecting grass and wildflowers, completely unconcerned with how dirty they were getting or interrupting other folks trying to make a catch. After Savaya caught a fish, Jaren turned into a tour guide, showing them all the fascinating details of the catch—the slippery scales, the wiggling fish, and of course, those eyes that seemed to beg for a poke by three excited girls. They gathered around curiously as Jaren strung it up, getting a front-row seat to the process. It was a thrilling few minutes that would be replayed in their minds long after the drive home that night.

It was quite the whirlwind weekend, but also really fun! I look forward to these memories all year round and especially when timed with family. We are so lucky to be able to hop in the car and drive to see so many extended family members, something I did not grow up with. I’m already looking forward to next year, planning to step up our game for some real combat (dipnet) fishing, or get out on a boat. On the return drive we pit stopped at the train car for waffles, making sure Craig had a chance to experience it and I enjoyed a fancy coffee. The waffles were as delicious as ever (I finally tried them!), and the kids enjoyed the fun of eating in such a unique spot. By the time we made it back to town in the early afternoon, we (the adults obviously) were happily worn out and the kids happy to be home, with full bellies and a weekend’s worth of new memories to cherish.

Our next adventures relate to back to school and my kindergartners turning into first graders. More to come on that soon!

❤

Aug 09

Don’t “Juneau” What We Did This Summer?!

Better late than never is my theme lately on life blogs. Summer is often such a whirlwind that keeps us constantly on the move; I always have the best intentions of documenting the cute and exciting things that happen, the funny moments, the unexpected surprises, and the sweet (or hilarious!), everyday comments that ring into my ears. But before I know it, another day has passed, and I realize I forgot to jot down those memories to expand on later. Staying connected through these little updates over the years helps everyone feel more involved and more present, even when we’re miles apart. It’s one way to ensure that no matter how hectic life gets -and it can get pretty hectic with three- we’re all part of the adventure, the ups and downs, the big moments and the little ones, together.

We trekked down to Juneau for nearly two weeks at the start of July, with the plan to work in state office buildings there while the girls bummed around the city with Grandma Sue, wreaking the normal triplet havoc. We broke the record on number of suitcases, and resulted in what I felt like quite the spectacle lugging everything into the airport. The girls each had a tiny, pull behind carry on stuffed to the brim with their dolls and toys, and they even dragged their booster seats to the ticket counter, with minimal grumbling and groaning on the way. TSA and getting to the gate were much easier this time around -we haven’t flown with them in about 15 months- and they were oddly displeased at the lack of requirement for shoe removal as we passed through security. In fact, they strongly expressed their disdain to the agents, who were cracking up about it as they passed through. And I can also say, going through security with three six-year-olds is faster than going through it alone for a work trip: figure that one out!!

We occupied the back row of the 737 aircraft, which is actually amazing with multiple kids in tow and minimal turbulence. Reagan wanted Mom time on the way down and everyone swapped parents on the ride back. The best part about the flight down, besides how ridiculously smooth it was (for once), were her sentiments, which mostly consisted of repeating Mom, is this dangerous? It feels dangerous. Is flying dangerous? I think it’s dangerous. Once above the clouds and leveled out, she demanded to know why aren’t we moving anymore? How do we get there if we aren’t moving? It was unusually smooth, with only bright, blue sky and a layer of clouds below, giving the “air” (haha) of stillness.

After boarding Emerie asked twenty times when we would actually move and eventually figured it out as we pushed back. Harper stopped and explained to several smiling passengers that she was a triplet, and that her and Emerie are indeed twins, with another sister being her triplet. She continued to explain she had her own sac and so did her sisters and on and on… I still find it somewhat disconcerting that the layout of them before birth is explicitly shared to random strangers at the airport, at the store, everywhere.

Flights both directions were uneventful and everyone snacked and watched Bluey or Lion Guard on the iPad with minimal fighting; Craig worked on another yarn project and I listened to music and played random iPad games. One store had iPhone looking gum containers that were also devoured on the return flight; so funny. And I now believe we can tackle a longer flight and actually leave Alaska for a trip, and we will survive it! With a full backpack of snacks.

We stayed at Papa Cliff’s house for the whole trip, pulling sleepy blondes out of bed bright and early and loading the car in pajamas and messy hair, to drop them off at Grandma Sue’s to get ready and have fun for the day. Some nights everyone went to bed smoothly, other nights resulted in random and hyper chaos. For the most part, everyone slept well once asleep, and even through all the fireworks on the 4th of July, which were much louder and more constant than at home in Anchorage. At one point I could hear Harper comforting Emerie on the loud booms, explaining they were fireworks and she didn’t need to be scared. Very sweet.

Fourth of July weather was nice for the most part, at least in Juneau standards. It poured for a few minutes during the first downtown parade, nothing raincoats couldn’t handle. It didn’t diminish any candy collection or excitement; and Juneau may have a better parade than Anchorage! This being my first experience at it -we tried during our unplanned visit in 2019 and gave up due to the lack of parking and tiny toddlers in tow- and it was really fun. We grabbed hot coffees and smoothies at Heritage and walked over for the fun. The girls wore fancy flag dresses recycled from another triplet mom, fancy braids and hair ties (of course), and to top it off everyone’s faces were bejewled with sparkly “gems,” including Craig’s. Auntie Amanda was a little harder to convince, although I do believe one, lone gem made it on her cheek after we pinned her down.

The girls retrieved SO much candy. It must be a Juneau thing to distribute saltwater taffy and all the adults seemed quite excited by that too. The biggest monstrosity of the entire event was the man handing out plastic whistles to EVERYONE, and the crowd suddenly turned into a throng of tiny noisemakers. Parents winced while the kids, of course, thought the increase in volume was fantastic. I found myself caught in the middle of this chaotic symphony, ears ringing as I tried to embrace the sound increase. It was a sensory overload, but seeing the girls’ faces light up with joy was pretty priceless, and those damn whistles were hidden not long after we returned to the house.

We trekked over to the Douglas Island parade to ensure we had enough candy…and apparently more whistles, and enjoyed lunch at Island Pub. After the second parade the girls were climbing all over Auntie Alicia and Amanda, wanting to be carried, which was great for Craig and I not giving into it (hehe). We explored the beach a bit and played at the playground, snacked on lemonade and cotton candy, and it was an all around good day.

Another reason for the timing of the trip was for Craig’s 20 year high school reunion; somehow he (we) is that old overnight. The girls played a solid two and a half hours at the playground by the barbecue, with only a bit of rain and a lot of sand to ensure everyone was very dirty by the end. They didn’t even sit down to eat their burgers, and were very tired on the way home.

Another day one of my fabulous coworkers took us out for the girls’ first boating experience. Balancing their enthusiasm with safety was crucial, as we caught waves in hopes of seeing some wildlife. Riding a boat with three kids in Alaska is a minor feat in itself, and the very reason we hadn’t attempted this adventure when they were smaller. Other than the constant adult holding each kid’s life vests as we moved, it was a pretty easy experience and no one landed in the water or needed rescuing, even our wonderful tour guide from triplet time.

The breathtaking view of rugged mountains, expansive waters, and spots of sunshine provided a stunning backdrop; it is hard to describe. Even after growing up in this inspiring state, I am still in awe at such beautiful moments and hope the kids grow to appreciate how lucky we are to be here and raise our kids here. The kids, bundled up in warm layers, were filled with excitement and curiosity, pointing out every splash, boat, and potential animal sighting. We didn’t fish and catered to the demands to see specific wildlife, including a bunch of sea lions and whales. Harper expressed her opinion that we didn’t find any wild seals -which we spotted a different day from a dock by downtown- but also enjoyed listening to the sea lions expressive conversation from a distance. Luckily the girls have their father’s DNA when it comes to motion sickness, and the movement had no resulting effects on them. It was a memorable afternoon.

In addition to the boat excursion, one morning Sue took us to a beach at a low, negative tide, to see what we could find. As you can see from the photos, no hair was done or breakfast eaten, faces were dirty, but at least we changed out of pajamas and into coats and boots! It was well worth the reduced sleep, and I enjoyed it too as an “Anchorage city girl” myself. We left with three buckets of shells and other treasures…and happy girls.

Another first that my mom heart strings weren’t completely ready for, their first sleepover without mom or dad. While my emotions were a mix of pride and a pang of sadness on the realism they continue to grow up, it went smoother than I thought it would. In fact, it was no big deal to all three, sleeping over at Grandma Sue and Papa Lon’s house, and all demanding to sleep in Auntie Manda’s bed. I question if adults had a comfortable night of sleep, but everyone seemed in good spirits the following morning, and like it was no big deal. Sob!

One day after work we explored downtown and looked around for seal earrings, one piece of jewelry Harper desperately wants me to find, and I’m not sure actually exists. In the past I’ve found a diamond panda necklace and turtle earrings, but nothing seal related (which is not surprising). Auntie Amanda treated the girls to ice cream and I even cheated on my no sugar and ate a few chocolate covered, Alaskan blueberries (SO good). Emerie found a stuffed turtle with a baby on its shell, Harper found a stuffed seal she HAD to have for the collection, and Reagan spotted a panda face plate that she wanted more than a stuffy. I am happy to report the plate even made it back home without getting broken!

We finished our two weeks of adventures with two normal tourist activities when you visit, checking out the massive whale fountain and walking out to the falls. We lucked out on clear blue skies for our downtown excursion, and the girls begged me to find enough coinage for a wish at the fountain. It was a VERY big deal. In fact, Harper wished for a fabulous pink dress OR a pet seal to live in the bathtub, Reagan wished for all the Princess Sofia dresses in the land, and Emerie insisted she couldn’t divulge her wish with me or it wouldn’t come true, so who knows what whim she willed as her quarter went into the water.

We later walked to the waterfall out by the glacier, with a huge throng of tourist buses, moving very slowly. It was the perfect mix of clouds and warmth, so the walk wasn’t overly hot or bright, and the girls didn’t complain about temperature. They did complain about distance on the return trip, on a flat, gravel pathway, but managed to survive such hardship by collecting rocks, climbing and jumping off rocks, random screaming, and befriending a baby squirrel that followed us a ways. Harper at one pointed even noted I’m tired and my feet hurt, I need water and I just want to sit and watch TV… for a walk of less than a mile each direction!! The falls were beautiful and surprisingly loud, and everyone climbed up for a closer look. Grandma also muscled them up on one of the huge rocks, so they could stand in awe at the top and see everyone down below, much to their joy.

Also on the way back, Grandma Sue went into a legendary only-Sue-can-come-up-with-this-BS explanation on how the large rocks fell down the mountain from Elsa’s high castle, because it’s summer and the warm weather is making everything melt… something like, since it’s summer now and Elsa’s magic isn’t keeping things cold anymore, everything is starting to melt—including the mountains! That’s why these rocks have come crashing down and don’t look frozen anymore. Adults passing by were cracking up and pausing to inconspicuously listen to the animated narration while the girls (especially Emerie) argued about the validity of the information. The tale continued to expand as Sue defended her version of events with a mischievous smile. I mean if you really think about it…why not?? Juneau has a great winter climate with loads of snow (lately), it’s secluded and peaceful from the rest of the world, very beautiful, the northern lights boast their own type of magic that she could probably tap into, there’s lots of wildlife and options to connect with nature, and on and on! Yeah yeah, I’ll stop now. Suffice to say after a couple of weeks, Emerie is fully convinced that Queen Elsa of Arandale lives in Juneau during the winter, and is displeased that we missed her presence because our visit was the wrong season. Grandma has some work to do to keep her story true for next time we head down during the winter season! I have a feeling we will be trekking out to the falls in our snow gear.

All in all, it was a good trip- I questioned if two weeks away from home would be too long, but now that the girls are older and activities are easier to do, it was just right. They befriended a number of other kids on several play dates, kids we will have to see again on our future visits. They enjoyed many outdoor adventures and beach visits, parades and tasty foods, and spending time with family, i.e. torturing Auntie Amanda and Papa Lon, climbing all over Alicia and getting snuggles, and you can’t forget all the nail polish salon afternoons that occurred too. Good memories!

Until the next time ❤

Jul 05

Little Entrepreneurs & Summer Shenanigans

The girls embraced their entrepreneurial spirit during the first weekend of sun this summer and set up a lemonade stand at the end of the driveway, in coordination with the adjacent neighbor’s moving sale. For over two hours the night prior, all three worked on customized signs, using lots of color and adding hand drawn lemons and cookies. My freehand bubbles letters are not great, but their tracing and coloring over them turned out nicely. If you look closely, stylistically all three signs are very different, with Reagan spending a great deal of time drawing patterns in the letters, Emerie went for a more jagged look, and Harper added a cookie path at the bottom. Craig woke up early that morning to hand squeeze two Costco bags of lemons, and I managed to drop an entire first batch of it on the front steps (at least it wasn’t inside!) as we were setting up. Life lesson, carry juice containers from the bottom, not by the handle, which is useless…. The girls also helped Sue make chocolate chip cookie bars and her special rice krispy treats, which were individually bagged and ready to show the neighborhood the delicious treats typical in our household.

The two hour event was busy, and definitely hot from the first direct sun of the season! The girls hung out for most of it -a year ago it probably wouldn’t have held their interest that long- and Craig even had to run to the store for more lemons, thanks to my fiasco. We ended up raising the goodies to $1 a bag, after getting a lot of grief they were too low. The first sale of the day from a neighbor produced a $5 payment, which impressed me but not the girls, who seem to have a preference for quarters. It took about two hours to completely sell out, which I didn’t expect to happen! By the end of the morning, inflation became a major factor in prices and the girls were telling people $20 for a cookie bag, up to $36! Good thing that came with lots of giggling.

A few other notable things from this past June:

With childcare costs dramatically increasing this year, we opted to bring Grandma Sue up to spend time with the kids while the parents worked. With Craig traveling for work and me heading off to the office each morning, the girls discovered a couple new shows; one being The Lion Guard, a spinoff show to the Lion King, and Sofia the First, which is all about the princesses. In addition to some new shows, all three collected sticks on our adventures this month, absolutely heartbroken with denials they couldn’t come in the car, so in true Grandma Sue style, everyone found new sticks and made customized “Rafiki sticks” to play with. After lots of feathers and other craft material, and half of Craig’s hot glue from the garage, all three prance around with them proudly, surveying the pride lands of Alaska. Summer is fun, folks!

Two weeks of real sunshine meant all kinds of backyard activities to shove into that time, in case July turns cloudy and rainy like last year. The girls turn into self proclaimed “swim-girls” and love selecting a swimsuit to rock for the day. The water slide came out a number of times, as well as the kiddie pool, with insistence that cold water is still not acceptable. After many summers, the water table is still a hit, whether it’s filled with Orbies, water, dirt, or a combination of the three. The puppy also enjoys drinking out of it.

A sunny week wouldn’t be complete without a quick jog down to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Portage at least once. It was a perfect day and warm enough to leave the coats off, even with the breeze. We accidentally timed it to see a newborn, surprise baby muskox- only 16 hours old and snuggled in the sun, not a care in the world. After many fruit snacks and my feet are tired -oh and the picking of TONS of dandelions and other weeds- we had a great afternoon. Did I drive toward Portage at the end to make them sit in a patch of lupine for a photo?? You bet I did!

Our annual trip to Kenai was also a success. Craig continued to work from the office that week and I attended a work inspection and public involvement event while the girls chilled and explored with Grandma, and it was even easier to navigate than last year’s excursion. We did the usual fun, hopped over to Homer for an afternoon to walk along the spit, swing on the swing by the ocean, eat cheeseburgers to warm up, and find more flowers, played at the main Soldotna playground and walked along the Kenai River, and even ate breakfast (caramel waffles) in a retired train car, which was really cool. Dinner at cousin Jamie’s house, with smores and a fire, is now an expected activity when we wander around the peninsula. The girls really enjoyed playing games with Hayden and Maddie while Grandma and Mom had a nice break around the fire. We ended up staying up late every night, and the girls did pretty well with the routine change and were up for the challenge.

The first Saturday market visit of the summer couldn’t have been on a better day. The girls went down the massive slide a dozen times, their pace eventually slowing up three flights of stairs. Craig, Papa Cliff and I rode the merry-go-round a couple of times, even sitting on the horses. The spinning swings were a huge hit and a first for the girls. Even Reagan, who doesn’t like going fast, had a huge smile plastered on her face. Emerie posed her arms and legs silly ways each time around, looking like a suspended ballerina, and Harper hollered and yelled snarky remarks at us each time they circled.

One spinning ride turned out to be a little too adventurous, even though Harper and Emerie pleaded with to ride it again. All three were strapped in together, and as the ride picked up speed, they forcefully ended up squished into one side, laughing and squealing. Reagan, on the other hand, wore a look of pure terror, clutching the safety bar as if her life depended on it, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and regret. Harper and Emerie, meanwhile, couldn’t stop giggling, their infectious laughter filling the air. It was a scene straight out of a comedy show, although Reagan might not completely agree with that. We all agreed that we’d save that ride for another summer, or perhaps next time, when a non-motion sick adult could join to keep the peace and balance the scales a bit. Until then, we’ll stick to the merry-go-round and super slides!

We also adventured a little north this year and rented a cabin in Talkeetna for a few days. It was a nice break to go somewhere we haven’t explored in a while, and the girls wanted to check out EVERY single tourist shop in downtown. It was a lot of fun and all kinds of treasures were found, including patterns to a turtle and seal themed quilt -which Grandma Anne is now tasked with making, as well as finding an equivalent panda pattern to create for Reagan- and felted, kid-size purses, one being a panda. Lemonade stand revenue was definitely used during this trip. Much ice cream was ingested (I even cheated on my diet to collect fireweed ice cream calories), as well as a couple fun dinners out. We played along the water with a beautiful view of Denali, and timed our excursion before the wildfires up north began. The last pit stop on the way out of town was to a spruce syrup farm, who had the BEST ice cream and syrup for sale.

I can’t wrap up this blog without giving a special shout out to Craig, who continues to fully embrace his girl dad side. He not only rocked custom six-year-old makeup but did so with an admirable level of enthusiasm. The girls have a unique flair for makeup artistry, preferring to make each eye a different, vibrant shadow color, resulting in a look that can only be described as delightfully chaotic (you like that?!). And this day was no exception. Picture Craig, out and about, his eyelids a kaleidoscope of clashing colors that adorned attention with every blink. The funniest part was seeing people’s reactions – a mix of surprise and amusement – whenever they made eye contact with him; I kept forgetting about the colorful masterpiece he was sporting until he’d respond to me on something. The girls were absolutely thrilled with their work and beamed with pride as they wore their own rainbow-hued eyelids for the day. It was a testament to Craig’s dedication to making his daughters happy, no matter how wild the makeover! Don’t even get me started on his toe and fingernails….

And now, it’s time to kick off July with a bang and explore the exciting adventures that await us in Southeast Alaska!

❤

Jun 02

Performances and Puppies!

After months of inquiries as to when it would happen, the girls attended their spring dance recital earlier this month, for both tap and ballet. After Harper’s solo dance class last spring, Emerie and Reagan begged to join so they could perform on the big stage like Harper. Custom costumes for each routine made for some excited little girls, and the big evening happened on an already big day, the last day of school.

Attending another ballet school’s performance the weekend prior also amped up the excitement. The Alice in Wonderland theme was really fun and everyone dressed up for the occasion, including Papa Cliff! The girls kept saying I looked beautiful -just for wearing a skirt- and all wanted do pose for photos and wear crowns. Craig went all out and did temporary hair color for each kiddo and everyone was ready for an evening downtown.

To our surprise at the girls’ show, Emerie turned out as the crowd pleaser, waving constantly and ensuring she was in the front of the group. Harper attempted to stay close to Miss Jess just like last year; while Reagan was more shy and stayed toward the back, focusing on her footwork. It took a bit to figure out who was who from so far back in the auditorium, and even then I wasn’t completely sure I was right on Harper and Reagan. Doing the same hairstyle and costume and a significant distance equals difficulty!!

The girls were excited for “real” eyeshadow and my eyeliner, and did pretty well to not smear it everywhere. Harper ripped her tights after the first dance and although displeased, thankfully didn’t throw a fit over it. Also unlike last year, Craig didn’t have to carry a screaming, overtired toddler to the car; all three did great after the picture with their teachers and some much needed French fries; bedtime routine was smooth sailing after a long night.

Another fun event that week, arguably the best run kid event ever, was the annual Anchorage Fire Department’s spring open house, at the training station over by the hospital. It was seriously the most fun event, with an immediate stop at the free face painting, a hotdog snd hot chocolate lunch due to the cold temperatures, and tons of activities to try and things to climb on. Don’t forget the bouncy houses and shaved ice!

Everyone climbed in the fire trucks and asked the kind firefighter five thousand questions about all the buttons; I had to pry Reagan away as she kept thinking of new things to ask. Everyone tried drilling concrete (with ear protection of course!), smashing soda cans and crumpling wood piles with the cool power tools. All in all, it was a really well done event, even with the rain! We will definitely return next year.

While Papa Cliff was here for a quick visit, the girls were excited to build the girly Lego sets with him, and we were quickly reminded that building a set with three six year olds at the same time is impossible. Building with two is actually doable. All three definitely demanded turns and they are improving on putting them together.

With summer’s arrival and the ground completely thawed, we finally buried our sweet kitty Rory, who spent the past two months solidly frozen in the garage freezer (unbeknown to the girls!). About two years ago we did this with Rafi and impressively the girls remembered that and knew what to do. Everyone sprinkled rose petals on him from their dance bouquets from Craig and added a million dandelions atop the dirt. It’s never easy to bury a beloved pet, but as death is still a part of our lives, I believe it is good to share the experience and talk about it, and prepare them for something that is not enjoyable, but happens in real life. They did great; Reagan needed some hugs but otherwise all were satisfied decorating his resting spot and asking questions about him in heaven with Rafi. Yes, Emerie still verified that his head was indeed still attached to his body….just in case that changed since she last inquired.

Unrelated to the burial service, Craig convinced me and the girls that adopting a puppy was the logical next step for our household. While this is continuing topic in our lives, he managed to find a super calm, five month old lab mix to bring home to love. The best part…in my opinion? She chews EVERYTHING, so all toys and clothes have to stay off the floor. That’s an instant way to convince kids to clean up after themselves, don’t you think?? The poor little teether is finding all kinds of goodies to enjoy, including our feet, cat toys, real mice, and the handles off bags. Seems like we have another toddler in the house. Just like with Rosie, the girls unanimously agreed with Harper’s first name suggestion, Gemma, and insist she sparkles like a gem or diamond. Insightful, right?

So we ease into summer with an empty, cat less freezer, and a new, sweet pup. If we can potty train three toddlers at once, we should be able to train one pup…I think!

❤

May 16

Work Trips & Roadkill Sitings

It feels like winter vanished and a switch flipped into spring overnight, and boy are we so thankful! After a long winter of significant snowstorms, cold spells and sicknesses, and cooped up kiddos, we welcome the warmer weather and additional outdoor time with open arms. What is one of my favorite new tasks when spring finally arrives? You guessed it…putting away all the winter gear and spending more time outside without tracking all that clothing down! The girls made it through a second winter using the same snow bibs and they are definitely ready for the donation pile, since they have grown SO much!

This next season kicked off with a couple parent work trips, up north for me a couple weeks back and down south for Craig. It’s been about a year since my last overnight work trip and this was my first one hopping on the plane without the kids. I knew when the time came I wouldn’t want to go- all that normal mom guilt or “what if something happens” inner monologue or what if I miss something, etc.- thoughts I pushed through and took my seat on the plane. The trip ended up really nice and much overdue, and while I still felt mom guilt pangs on our quick FaceTime call before bedtime, the logical, non-hormonal side of my brain knows everyone was just fine and having fun dad time. They even dined with Jessie and Jason, because why not keep everyone busy! All three stuffed bunnies joined me on my trip, which the flight attendants giggled at as I buckled them in to the empty seat next to me and sent Craig photo evidence. The bunnies were far less stressed than me and had a great time seeing Denali and my coworkers, and even brought back fancy rocks from the airport. Yep…they did that.

We warned the girls the night before about Craig’s impending departure on a four night work trip to Juneau, knowing stress over it would happened. The last time he did a couple night trip, I certainly stressed more than the tiny toddlers, mostly just mental anxiety that I worked through silently! Funny enough this time around Reagan stressed over my departure while Harper stressed over Craig’s the most, and Reagan and Emerie complained a bit, but were placated with phone calls and pictures of Craig’s adventures. Knowing time would pass quickly with five full days of work, evening chores, and activities; so I planned two evening play dates, one girls’ night movie night, and didn’t sit down each night until nightly chores were done, so Craig didn’t return to a tornado house. I’m happy to report it went smoother than I planned and much less anxiety on my part from two summers ago. Post bedtime routine when solo usually involves holding your breath a bit and crossing your fingers that everyone will stay in bed, not take an hour of arguing to fall asleep, and stay asleep until morning. While each kiddo wandered into my bed once, all on different nights thank goodness, they all slept until it was time to get up for school each day, which was quite a blessing for my mental sanity.

Other fun discoveries that week- everyone forgot mosquitos exist and now scream every time one appears, inside OR outside. It’s not like they didn’t exist last year, but clearly that small detail about summer time in Alaska was forgotten, or those buggers are just really early this year and going to hit us in full force for the next three months. So now we listen for mosquito related screams instead of spiders…because that’s fun! Random topics of conversation this last week also revolve around random exclamations from Emerie, after knocking something over upstairs I hear OH BISCUITS!! (courtesy of Bluey) or moments from all three asking how did the doctor cut your belly open (c-section) questions (Mom, did it hurt? What kind of knife did they use?), which apparently involve great detail to get them to stop, and requests to see said scar, and other cute moments like Harper telling me movie details after school about un-hydrating and when you have a headache, it’s cause you are un-hydrated! She proudly announced “a secret” the other day, one that she insisted she tell directly to Dad…that she and Michael are getting married. Who knew! She insisted only family members are allowed to know this news, and of course Miss Tawni. So of course that means it should be posted on a blog, right? My babies are growing up! Hahaha…

In other news, the girls saw their first moose strike on the highway; poor thing had legs straight up in the air with a dismayed guy standing by his totaled truck. The rest of the drive home consisted of very interesting six-year-old conversations, questions, and some tears:

Reagan: Mom, I’m going to name that moose Cupcake. (Sniffles) Poor Cupcake, it’s so unfair.
Emerie: Mom! Was that “our” moose?! Was that Carrot the Moose from our house?! (no- we don’t “have” a moose, just a neighborhood one with the same name each year!)
Harper: That was definitely a girl moose. People don’t hit boys on the road.
Reagan: Whyyyyyy didn’t that driver try to not hit him? He’s so mean!
Me: after an explanation about moose running across roads and people not intentionally hitting them….
Emerie: No, he hit Cupcake on purpose! He did!
Harper: Mom, moose to go heaven right? Do their babies go with them? I think they do; their babies go to heaven too. Do they have new babies in heaven? (and she was deep in thought)
Reagan: You better call Dad and tell him about the moose. Poor Cupcake.
Emerie: Yeah, why didn’t you take a picture to send to Grandma (as if driving down the highway the opposite direction gives me enough time to try my phone out and snapped a picture!). She will want to see him.

And on and on and on. Bedtime was super fun that night…I tell you…BUT, I can report that we did survive a whole work week without Dad, I finished all the laundry and kept the house semi cleaned up (my life goal is still to have a clean kitchen every night), everyone went to school on time, and all were thrilled to go into the airport to see him walk through security. If we are being real about this, they might have been more excited to see escalators than anything else, but we will just go with they were excited for all of it. And so was I 🙂

Craig ordered a butterfly kit to kickoff spring time and the girls really enjoyed the entire process, from watching the caterpillars burrow into cocoons (listening to all three say cocoon is the greatest!), to watching butterflies grow in the netted cage, to releasing them into the wild one evening. All three were very gentle to pick them up and not damage wings, and other than the random throwing them into the air and hoping they don’t gravitate straight down, it went pretty well. They don’t mind butterflies walking on them, but scream for any mosquito siting; so funny. Most butterflies stayed in the front trees through the following day, much to everyone’s delight. It was a fun experience we should do again, and wasn’t too much effort to do. Those butterflies are part of the family according to the girls; as they flew away or found one nearby, we learned a bunch of them were named. Emerie had a Queen Amaya and Harper named one Lena. Silly girls.

The kindergarten class had another field trip as the school year wraps up. It was a nice, sunny day in Anchorage, but definitely bogged in and raining by the time we arrived in Portage for the wildlife conservation center visit, about forty-five minutes away. The porcupine exhibit was indoors and the entire class did a fantastic job staying quiet and using inside voices for all their questions. Who knew this we even possible with a bunch of six-year-olds, but they did great! Harper and Emerie kept raising their hands not to ask a question, but to point out how cute the porcupine was. His name was Twix; how could he not be cute!?

It may have poured rain as we explored the brown and black bear exhibits, but overall it was a fun trip! We drove the rest of the place in the car, a bit wetter than planned, but for the most part it worked out fine. The girls could care less that they were five feet from two brown bears (other side of the fence), and the class found a couple worms outside the wolf exhibit that became WAY more interesting to see than the big, wild animals directly in front of them. Who knew mosquitoes and worms could be so very exciting? I give you the perspective of a bunch of kids!

The girls last field trip of the school year was to the Botanical Gardens this week, and on an exceptionally beautiful day. Craig joined for the fun and everyone made their own natural chap stick, which was quite a topic of conversation on the way home that afternoon. Needless to say, May is off to a fun start and as everything starts to turn green and get a little less dusty, summer is right around the corner and we are ready for it!!

❤

The Douglets

Triplets in Alaska

raising triplets