Jan 05

A Little Christmas Joy

The past six weeks have been full of holiday activities, play dates with friends, and school activities. Staying busy pushes us through the dark, winter season, and helps burn the never ending amount of energy three six-year-olds brings to our household. As the sun sets before four in the afternoon, it seems like that darkness turns into kid energy and wildness, all while cooped up indoors in the evenings.

We kicked off the Christmas season with a Samaritans Purse evening, organizing and filling boxes that would arrive all over the world, to share a little Christmas joy with other kids less fortunate. The girls were great helpers, customizing their boxes for girls aged four to six, and begging to do more than one box. They colored pages and wrote notes to include in their boxes and stacked them up in the big pile. Bonus was the cookie decorating table, which included some eating and some donating plates to others- all in all, it was a productive and fun night with their classmates.

Thanksgiving was late in November this year and nicely didn’t coincide with Craig’s birthday. Aunt Jenny purchased blue plaid, kid onesies that were quite the hit at dinner, with the girls wearing them consistently at night and while playing at home the past month, as we continue through our cold season. After a nice dinner at cousins’ house in Eagle River, we headed to the “real” Nutcracker show in Anchorage later that weekend, hosted by the Eugene Ballet group. Last year the show we attended was performed by a local ballet school and a little more kid friendly for noise; this year we watched the fancier one, meeting up with their friend Ava and practically sitting in the auditorium rafters. I had fancy hairstyles planned to match the Christmas dresses, but canned the idea after realizing we had the day wrong and only an hour notice to get everyone ready and downtown.

There were fewer when is it over complaints from Emerie this year; she seemed happy to sit with Ava and watch the show. Reagan also had a nice conversation with Ava’s dad during the show and Harper insisted on sitting with Craig for the whole thing. After a quick cookie snack at intermission -because everyone was apparently starving after an hour- they enjoyed watching the dances and beautiful sets and costumes, but were ready to run by the ending.

The school Christmas show went off marvelously and all three were strategically placed near each other, but with a non sibling in between each. All three sang their hearts out and did the motions to their songs, all smiles. I always enjoy these events, as it makes me feel more like a parent than other days of the year, and gives me a surreal sense of happiness.

A few other noteworthy, funny moments over the past month:

Harper begged for Mrs. Claus dresses this year, which are harder to find than you might think! Grandma Sue ended up sending Santa and Elf themed sweater dresses from Fred Meyer and the girls continue to wear them at least a couple times a week. They are great for photo ops and warm for winter, not to mention cute!
Emerie continues her goofball comments, with so many silly commentaries about Grandma’s baby boy– meaning Craig- and it’s hilarious. She latches on to an idea and then rolls with it for quite a while, accentuating the baby booooooy when talking about him.
Reagan now creates word and spelling games for sisters. You’ll find two of them with heads together and thick as thieves, doing some kind of spelling categorization or asking how to spell a word. It’s very sweet to watch her guide and explain to her sisters; she is definitely our school kid of the three. Maybe there’s a future teacher in there!
On a sweet note, Harper still starts her conversations with can I tell you something?! I love you. and I hope that lasts forever. Normal conversations often start with that question, and then she waits until you agree before starting her tangent. On the other hand, Emerie goes the opposite direction in the morning and often hollers I told you to stop waking me up! I want to wake up myself; go away! when starting off the morning for school. If you walk away she will get herself up like it was her idea in the first place; funny kid.
Harper now requests music in a new way- the girls recently noticed the car screen shows album covers and it is often completely irrelevant to the playing music. I now receive requests such as can you play the song with the girl in the pink dress? and I’m supposed to know what that is. At least with the customized song names from the toddler days I could interpret it; I definitely don’t know album covers! All three also ask what song names are, as written on the screen, and are getting better at sounding them out.
Emerie now tallies our life scores, whether we agree to participate or not. If I can’t answer a question, then my lack of correct response means she gets a point. I am unsure what these points tally toward, but I sure don’t seem to get any on my side. She asked Grandma Sue the other day how was God born? And the lack of “correct” answer earned Emerie a self proclaimed point, because she didn’t know. This is starting to happen more frequently off all her random questions.

Our girls continue to grow like weeds and no longer boast those baby faces and toddler mannerisms. In addition to sailing through an entire clothing size this summer- our quickest yet- we also rearranged their bedroom this month and removed the sofa chair purchased during my pregnancy. This felt like a mental blow to my mom brain, reminding us how rapidly they grow up, and prepared for the oversized beanbag chair arriving from Santa. That chair holds so many memories; used multiple times a day, every single day, for years: triple bottle feedings every three hours around the clock, quick diaper changes, comforting a crying baby in the middle of the night, calming wild toddlers at bedtime, snuggling for naps after Emerie’s many eye surgeries, or reading a gazillion books. I often found Emerie sitting on it with a stuffy, listening to a Tonie story, or Reagan singing along to one under a blanket. I couldn’t bring myself to rehome it, so its new home is downstairs in the family room, ready for more memories and cuddles to come. To this day, I truly believe it was the best purchase we made in preparation for the girls, and the most used piece of furniture those first few years. In other big kid news, the girls slept in the living room by the Christmas tree a couple different nights, which is another age milestone and something I greatly enjoyed and remember doing as a 90s kid.

In addition to moving furniture to make way for new activities, so begins the arguments and deep discussions related to boy crushes. I thought we’d have more time since they are only six, but exactly that occurred at the end of a school day earlier this month. I arrived with Harper in tears and Emerie mad, and Reagan running up to explain they were fighting because Harper told Emerie her secret crush and Emerie didn’t keep the secret. Emerie told her teacher, who responded they are too young for crushes (which is true!) and Harper lost her mind. Ooof, that was such a fun ride home, believe you me! This is a terrifying preview of the teenage years…SO not ready yet. The girls now intermittently discuss their “crushes” and which boys in their class they will marry someday. Reagan still wants to have twin girls and has their names chosen already, Harper wants triplets (ha!) and Emerie is a no go to having any babies in her belly, at least right now.

Christmas break this year was significantly easier than years past, and not only because of the surprise arrival of Grandma Sue (surprise to me) and Auntie Amanda (to the girls). In addition to all the Christmas arts and crafts and goodie cooking, the girls will now wander off to read a book or write something out with a drawing, which they didn’t independently do last year. Lego building, dolls sets, and a variety of slime related activities help keep the sanity too, in addition to the afternoon parkour gymnastics down the street to burn energy and give me a small break. We watched several movies at the theater, including Moana 2 twice, and had several successful ice skating excursions at the mall. Everyone is excited for skating lessons starting in January, and three impatient girls wanting it to start already.

We visited Santa at Cabela’s, and he asked everyone how old they were. When all three answered six in a row, Santa still didn’t catch on. Instead, he asked them what it was like to be twins; they were not impressed and quickly corrected him. Santa should know better!! Christmas morning did bring one Santa present request; a panda, turtle, and seal onesie, specific to each kid’s favorite animal. Good thing Santa was listening…. 🙂

I took two weeks off work for school break, not knowing that Grandma Sue was coming up for some of the fun. I nearly spilled the beans about Amanda’s visit multiple times but managed to keep that one a surprise. Picking them both up at the airport resulted in three very happy girls, who had no idea why we were driving past Mom’s work to Mom’s airport! So many delicious, Christmas goodies were consumed the past few weeks, and the girls helped Grandma with so much baking. All three liked her fruit dip, or should I say vanilla pudding, and were unimpressed with added spices. They sure did eat all the apples and grapes intended for that dip, but without the dip! Everyone helped me make gingerbread cookies and did great this year cutting out the cookies, including three new custom shapes for our set: a turtle, panda and seal (see the theme here?!). In addition to decorating a couple dozen cookies, everyone was thrilled to display the customized gingerbread house on the table and admire it for a couple weeks over the holiday.

We painted and baked Christmas plates this year and watched a new holiday movie for the first time, Home Alone. The girls didn’t want to watch it at first, but once the story line picked up, they were hooked and giggling at all the torturous activities to keep out the house thieves. A few other new Disney movies prompted some distress and bad dreams, on random things they latched onto; an issue that resolved itself after a few nights and much discussion about life, death, and heaven.

After a quick hour of Christmas Eve prepping after bedtime, which included placing out the already wrapped presents from sneaky wrapping sessions over a few weeks, Craig and Amanda built the new vanity and mirror set and I stuffed stockings. I spaced out all the tasks to prep for the big day, making the night before go much quicker. All three left a cookie out for Santa, Emerie leaving hers on a tiny doll plate after adamantly demanding it had to be that way. Everyone slept well and went to bed discussing Santa’s impending visit.

Emerie and Reagan were up by 6:30, but I managed to contain them until about 7:00, when the excitement was just too much to bear. They dragged a sleepy Harper out of bed to demands of presents, and wandered downstairs to see the big, pink beanbag chair on the floor and presents scattered around the room. After a cup of coffee for the adults, presents were opened in sets of three, just like prior years. It is relatively organized and fast paced, with all three opening similar gifts simultaneously and sharing their excitement. They have different answers to their favorite gifts than I do. For example, I made a princess photo album for our Disney World trip that includes pictures of all the princesses with the girls, and of course the “magic” shots courtesy of the park cameras. I wanted the girls to be able to flip through an album and remember the trip whenever they want, like adults do on their phones. Finding three Precious Moments picture frames was a great find too, and filling them with a picture of each kiddo with their favorite princess; now I just need to find them a home to keep them from getting broken.

While Christmas isn’t all about presents, we still endeavor to make sure to have a fun and magical day. It was fun to share it with Sue and Amanda, and allow Craig to make his fancy beef wellington in peace while everyone checked out their new toys. Each kiddo received something to play with customized to their specific desires, since they aren’t all the same, a few clothing items to wear, and doll sets from both Grandma Sue and Grandma Anne. The girls ran around with their new doll pets and carriers from Grandma Anne and danced with light up animal ballerinas that play music from the Nutcracker from Grandma Sue and Papa Lon. Adults helped opened the toy contraptions and enjoyed laying on the floor playing together, mostly nicely!

Craig found dresses for all three in their favorite animals -not an easy feat- and a princess dress for each was also unwrapped. By mid-morning all three had changed outfits at least three times with no end in sight. Another outfit change was prompted later that evening after opening presents from cousins…wait for it…white wedding dresses and vails! This was met with great excitement, immediately running upstairs to change into “wedding girls.” Not going to lie…they look SUPER cute in those outfits, and had so much fun running around in them.

When asked what their favorite gift was, Emerie responded the turtle costume and really I just like everything. I like my Elsa photo. Harper responded she liked all her presents and opening them and can’t choose a favorite. Reagan’s response was her stuffed panda from Amanda and the pink mirror (vanity) where we can do our hair.

Only one real hiccup on the big day occurred and kept us on our toes for holiday events with family. I left carpet cleaner spray on the stairs, intending to better clean the carpet where the cat left us his own Christmas gift; Emerie picked it up at some point in the evening and chased everyone with it, ultimately spraying those chemicals into cousin Elliot’s hair and eyes and prompting an unplanned shower and face scrubbing and some red eyes. Can’t say we’ve had that happen before…nothing says holiday cheer like spraying dangerous chemicals at your cousins, right?

The week between Christmas and New Years is a type of no-mans land, where you don’t know what day it is and time is spent doing whatever you want to make it through Christmas break with the kids. The gymnastics afternoons greatly assisted giving Amanda and I short kid breaks, and we filled the mornings with other fun activities like cleaning and organizing the house, painting creations at Color Me Mine, playing outside and with the neighbor kid, building Lego sets and watching Star Wars with Amanda, creating slime and play dough creations, and hitting up jump parks and playgrounds. I was hoping for a few sledding adventures while Amanda was here, but the cold temperatures and lack of snow conditions were less than desirable. Build days at Lowe’s and Home Depot were also a hit, as was Zoo Lights one night.

Having family visit during the break was such a much needed treat. I love being in a central location (by Alaska standards) and getting unplanned (and planned!) drop-ins, something I did t have as a kid with no nearby family. Grandma Sue and Auntie Amanda staying with us not only gave Craig and me a chance to recharge (I even got to sit down and read a book one afternoon!) but also created so many fun memories for the girls. Cousin Jaren flew in for a couple hours one afternoon before returning home; Uncle Will stopped over a few times to enjoy dinner and make glittered slime with the girls. Papa Cliff stopped by with a few presents. Cousin Tyler brought Chatum, Dorian, and Beckham over, and the kids had a blast riding the four wheelers in the freezing dark. It’s amazing how much longer they can endure the cold when they’re having fun! The boys were such good sports about it. At one point, Chatum and Harper came speeding down the street, with Harper at the wheel, laughing and shouting, we won! as they zoomed toward the house. Emerie and Dorian’s four wheeler died at one point in the neighborhood and they required rescue, but no upset kiddos from being out that long in the cold.

The cherry on top of all the visits was getting to meet the newest additions to the family- (second) cousin Amber’s identical twin girls, who made the trek all the way from Kenai just to see us. I believe this was the first time the girls have held babies this small and everyone was eager to participate, Reagan really taking her momming skills up to the next level. In fact, baby Kylan took a nap on her and it was so very sweet to watch her tuck her into her blanket and whisper. Elsie took a nice nap on the new beanbag chair and looked so cozy and happy, and they slept through the noise of our house! Spending a few hours with three month olds is a good reminder at how far we’ve come, and how much easier the day to day is now that the girls are more self sufficient and are out of naps and diapers. I am SO excited for next summer when they are mobile and we can get out and about.

It was a wonderful holiday season, and I tried to treasure every moment, knowing how fleeting they are. We only have a few more years to enjoy the magic of childhood at Christmas and I can’t even believe how fast it’s gone. A meme I saw earlier this month summed it up accurately: remember this is the youngest they’ll ever be at Christmas again. Pretty solid thought! Merry Christmas and happy new year…here we go 2025!

❤

Nov 13

Vacation Part II: Heading South to Disney

First day of the second half of our trip was spent in the car, driving from Cincinnati down to Atlanta, with three six year olds in tow. For NINE hours in the car, they did so well and better than we expected. The drive was seamless through Lexington with no traffic, speeding south with that lovely 70 mile per hour speed limit; bumper to bumper traffic didn’t occur until until Knoxville, which sucked up over an hour of slowly moving forward. Once again we then cruised until Chattanooga, and then off and on had traffic delays until we arrived at our Airbnb in downtown Atlanta. With only a few potty and food breaks, a brief run session while we waited for food, and a random playground, we spent the rest of the day in the car. The girls colored, wrote down words displayed on billboards and played with their toys, and watched a couple television shows. That, and a LOT of snacking.

Craig had another surprise in store, unbeknownst to the girls, with Grandma Sue walking in the door that night in Atlanta, to complete surprise and delight. While we traveled all day by car, she traveled by air. She walked in the front door like it was no big deal and they were so surprised! Little did they know that their beloved Disney castle was right around the corner.

Atlanta was not our final destination but a good midpoint on the long drive, so we shoved two major tourist destinations into a one day visit. We walked over to the Atlanta Zoo, first thing in the morning (once we found the front entrance!), and explored all the attractions in perfect morning temperatures and with very few people around. Staying a couple blocks from our morning destination and being able to walk over was a nice touch to the visit.

First stop was the elephants, learning that a couple were older than us! We stopped at most of the penny machines and I towed a huge bag of customized, zoo animal featured pennies back with us. Everyone saw the zebras and giraffes but didn’t get to feed them, as they didn’t wish to cooperate while we stood in line for it. Gorillas were everywhere in several different enclosures, but the girls could care less and were more excited to follow the random squirrels -which are everywhere down there- and collect acorns and pine cones off the ground. We saw snakes and other reptiles, and a variety of different turtle breeds. A few beautiful birds humored us in the bird enclosure while the lone red panda refused to wake up from his nap to say hello.

Fake pandas everywhere but no live ones…sad day.

Turns out the Atlanta Zoo didn’t quite live up to Cincinnati’s vibe, but at least it filled a morning. The real kicker? The live pandas packed their bags and returned to China just a week before we showed up. Reagan took the tragic news like a champ—definitely better than I did. She still strolled around the panda exhibit like they were magically going to reappear, we made panda themed pennies, browsed the still-open panda gift shop, and grabbed some panda merch. Because if you can’t see the real thing, at least you can own the T-shirt, right? And the irony of it all- while we were in Atlanta not seeing the pandas, another pair was refueling in Anchorage on their way to a different zoo—one we weren’t visiting. Talk about timing!

The petting zoo was cute, with goats and sheep enjoying the sun and a little love from kiddos and adults alike. Emerie and Harper insisted on picking off all the straw on them, and stood there talking to the zoo employee while “cleaning” them off. The kid specific area had a little train that looped the section, decked out for Halloween with a candy-themed stretch that looked like sugar rush from Wreck It Ralph. It was basically Halloween eye-candy central, minus the actual candy (thankfully, because the last thing we needed was more candy). The girls enjoyed pointing out the types of candy decorations and yelling echos as we passed through the tunnel.

After the zoo visit we walked back to the house and drove further into downtown, stopping for a quick lunch eating some local barbecue -brisket and pulled pork that took forever and didn’t actually get eaten until hours after our next adventure. We headed to the Georgia Aquarium for our second aquarium of the week, and honestly? I was a bit disappointed. Compared to the Newport Aquarium in Kentucky—which might be smaller but is definitely more exciting and better laid out—this one just didn’t impress.

Harper immediately spotted the seal enclosure -which was tiny by the way- and she happily watched them swim around, talking about them with Reagan and Emerie. For so many seals in one spot, the size of the area didn’t even compare to the Sealife Center here in Seward, but still drew quite a viewing crowd. The adjacent wall displayed paintings of all different types of seals and we had to return later to ensure Harper had a picture with it! The girls weren’t really impressed at all the fish varieties swimming in the many tanks, although I did hear Emerie exclaim look it’s Dory! and later look it’s Nemo! when we passed those species. And in truth there were many beautiful fish- though through the eyes of a six year old, I can see how that is less exciting than all the larger sea creatures swimming around. Another fish coloring activity led the girls to requests to color lots of different fish and see them swimming along a full wall projector, and it took a few minutes to convince them we couldn’t do that section for an hour.

The dolphins and the single, large shark were seen without any big excitement from the three, surprisingly. The kids absolutely loved crawling through the tunnels under the penguins—so, naturally, Craig and I found ourselves down on all fours, squeezing through like giant, overgrown toddlers (kidding not kidding!). We popped up inside the viewing bubbles, face-to-face with those cuties, probably looking just as thrilled (or ridiculous) as the kids. It was a sweet family moment— with a side of mild knee trauma for the parents! Another, more readily accessible spot had a moving escalator below the large fish tank and was met with more excitement than the actual exhibit, and less suffering on the adult knees for that experience. We touched more stingrays in the touch tank, took pictures in front all all kinds of fish, and the girls touched every piece of fake treasure on display throughout the Halloween themed halls.

After a couple of hours wandering around, we ventured back outside and to a nearby playground for a few minutes, then attempted to find ice cream to no success. The place we found was in a large, air-conditioned mall and hotel, but nearly everything was closed. The funniest thing about that stop? The highlight of that stop? Three girls, probably in their early 20s, walked by and asked if we were triplets—a question asked countless times on this trip. Turns out, they were fraternal triplets themselves, sparking a cute conversation about life as triplets, who’s the oldest, middle, youngest, and all that fun stuff.

We ended the evening driving to the Atlanta Airport to swap the rental car for a large model; you know, to accommodate Grandma and our continued shopping excursions. Craig and I managed to find the right location within the city that is the airport, and the rental folks were very nice and helpful. After clearing out one car, loading all the car seats and coloring (so much coloring) into the replacement, we drove home with the sunset dropping across the sky. This time, the quest for a local ice cream spot was successful, with tons of random flavor choices to try.

By the end of the day everyone was tired; no bedtime stories or Tonies were requested, and not even a nightlight to keep the darkness away. The three bedroom AirBnB meant each kid slept in a big bed with one adult, and were off to dreamland in no time, unsuspecting that Disney was right around the corner after one more day in the car. While Atlanta was a bit disappointing overall, I believe we made the best of the stop and still had fun. Reagan found plenty of panda swag, Harper saw more of her beloved seals, and Emerie

Final Travel Day: Atlanta to Orlando

The long awaited trip to Disney World is finally here! After six years as a parent, over a year of saving up funds and buying plane tickets, we finally made the final 400 mile drive to get to Orlando. Some grumbling and complaints were heard with another day in the car, but not enough to give away the surprise at the southern destination. With a fourth “older” kid in tow (Grandma Sue haha), the overall ride consumed less complaints and arrival time requests. Everyone rotated seats, with one in the very back surrounded by luggage and Grandma and the other two in the middle row. Each kiddo spent a block of the ride doing their reading homework with Grandma when seats swapped, time very well spent in the car, and eventually we conceded to allow iPad games for a while too, a rarity all were thrilled about! Nobody napped, everyone snacked and enjoyed the unusual screen time as we made our way to our final, exciting destination.

I will also add, traffic was nonexistent on the drive until outside Orlando, which was MUCH appreciated after the first trip’s challenges. With fewer cities to get through and more rural areas on the one interstate, traffic moved at a fast pace and the 70 mph speed limit kept us moving. We drove through areas affected by Hurricane Milton earlier in the month, with the billboards (or lack there of I should say) torn to shreds and missing on a long stretch of road. Many were blown down, in pieces, or ripped apart, as was the brush and trees nearby. Numerous DOT employees were out clearing trees along the interstate right of way and continuing efforts to clean things up. Once into Orlando area, we couldn’t see any devastation other than more missing signage and areas with high standing water.

The temperature and humidity continued to increase as we worked our way south. Our final rest stop potty break was met with a slap of humidity and the girls finally felt real heat as we coaxed them off the iPads and out of the car. I was surprised we made it more than halfway through our trip before encountering any real humidity—Ohio had been drier than usual, and Georgia only slightly more humid. The girls eyed the palm trees and found other trees dropping pine cones, which were bagged in the back of the car and even made it home to Alaska with some effort, for a flower craft we will do this winter.

First stop after arriving at our home base for the next few days? The pool! After a long day cooped up in the car, all three of them couldn’t get into their swimsuits fast enough. They practically sprinted across the condo parking lot to the pool, which turned out to be the perfect temperature to cool down a bit on a nice day. The only thing that slowed them down? Recognizing dozens of tiny geckos living their best lives along the pathway, each one spotted getting an excited remark from one of the three. They had fun torturing Craig in the water while I relaxed poolside, letting my eyes refresh from a long day of driving. Later, we tried out a local spot for dinner; while the my salad and the rice bowls were amazing, the place could’ve used a few more hands on deck. We gave up waiting for a the kid meal dessert and explored a Publix and a Disney outlet shop (they’re practically everywhere!) next door before calling it a night—a good nights’ sleep was a must!

Everyone chose their parent for the first night and ended up staying in that same room for the rest of the trip. Harper roomed with me in the master bedroom and glorious king sized bed, Emerie insisted Craig bunk with him in a room with two full beds, and Grandma and Reagan were together in the last bedroom. Each bedroom had a fun feature- colored lighting under the bed frames, and a nice way to handle kids’ dislike of darkness in a foreign place; definitely a good set up for families visiting Disney. The condo perfectly fit our group, even though we only really slept there each night, and spent the rest of our time adventuring, meeting princesses, shopping, and enjoying what Orlando had to offer.

Orlando Day I: Disney, Disney, Disney!

We opted to keep the excitement of the day a secret until the very last second. Getting the girls up, showered and fed, Craig and I then walked out in our princess themed t-shirts (Rapunzel for me and Snow White for Craig, the least girly color options!), and handed the girls three more matching ones with their favorite ladies, Sleeping Beauty’s Princess Aurora, Frozen’s Queen Elsa and Aladdin’s Princess Jasmine. They initially took the news a little calmer than I expected, with minimal screaming, but definite excitement that grew once we made it to the park and the realization of the day’s adventures became reality.

Matching shirts in front of the real Disney castle!!!

It took over an hour to get from our condo to the actual park—despite the fact that we were only 10 minutes away by car! Little did we know, once you find the right parking lot for the right park, you catch a ride to the park entrance, only to then hop on a train to finally get near the actual entrance. This all equals lines in between each transportation stop, and of course, doing this right at opening time meant everyone else was just as eager as we were. Thankfully, the girls were thrilled to ride on both vehicles and managed to stick close to ‘their adult’ in the crowd of equally eager park-goers. Somehow I was also flagged BOTH times we entered the park for security to go through my bag. Not Craig, who wore a backpack himself, just me. The girls kept saying my boobs were setting the censors off…silly kids!

This being my first time at any Disney theme park, I wasn’t expecting the throngs of people that surrounded us. In fact, one park employee noted about one hundred thousand people pass through in a day; in Alaska terms, that is a third of the city we live in, which is crazy! Because of that, each kiddo was reminded to stick with their “assigned parent,” which rotated throughout the day (although Reagan was mostly glued to me for the whole trip). Everyone was handed a Disney card “ticket,” Emerie instantly unimpressed that Elsa was not an option. It took the girls a couple tries to swipe into the park, but we made it. The cards helped with our princess photo pass, the predominant reason for the visit, and will make the memory book at some point later.

The first day of Disney World, at the Magic Kingdom Park, was a big success. Not only that, but we ended our 14 hour day with very tired but happy kiddos and parents, kiddos who exclaimed this is the best day of my life! (Emerie!). No amount of coaxing in the world would have kept all three awake on the short drive home, after such a fantastic day.

We met several characters the first day, including Encanto’s Mirabel, Tiana, Cinderella, Elena of Avalor, Rapunzel, and Ariel; but knew a few others were going to be part of day two. We stopped in many shops, rode the carousel and twirling tea cups, ate popsicles, smoothies and ice cream (anything cool!), enjoyed dinner in Beauty and the Beast’s ballroom and rounded out the day with the big firework show. It was a magical day made extra special by a few thoughtful details. For example, smoothies came with edible chocolate crowns, something small and fun that made it even more enjoyable. You better believe Grandma and I made sure to get three crowns for those tiny humans! New dresses were selected and everyone sparkled in the sun with princess-themed jewelry (jewelry that kept falling apart and making the adults crazy, I might add!). Eventually each kiddo found their mini princess doll (Elsa, Aurora and Jasmine duh) and toted them around like a tiny royal friend. The custom princess t-shirts were eventually traded for tank tops, which felt so much cooler in the direct, afternoon sun.

Another epic find in my mind was the customized parasols, each one hand-painted right there in the park and with their names on them. Emerie, of course, picked a “Frozen” theme, with cool snowflakes and an Elsa and Anna dress against a purple backdrop, while Reagan went for a Jasmine design against blue, full of vibrant colors and the magic lamp. Harper couldn’t resist Aurora’s signature pink, with a touch of fairy tale elegance of her crown and pink dress. A few hours later, we picked up their custom creations—perfect souvenirs for a day spent in their own little kingdom and a keepsake I hope we can keep from utter destruction for a couple of years!

Watching your kids see Disney World for the first time is like seeing pure magic unfold right before your eyes. Their eyes light up with a joy so big it seems to spill over, and each new sight—whether it’s the castle, a fancy dress (or pair of shoes!) or a favorite character—feels like a piece of their dreams coming to life, a small look into what they see as magical and important at this stage of their lives. It’s hard to put into words how wonderful it is to witness them in that pure, unfiltered excitement; in those moments, you realize you’re sharing something they’ll (hopefully) remember forever, just like your bank account will (am I right or am I right?!). I found myself pausing to watch the experience, and so very glad we made the effort to travel across the country to do it, and that we waited until this age.

I could write a book on the adventures of the first day, so in lieu of that here’s a list of some of the highlights:

The goal of the day was simple, to meet as many princesses as possible. Day one consisted of Mirabel, Tiana, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Elena of Avalor, Ariel and Jasmine. We learned that Elsa, Anna, Belle and Aurora would be day two at a different park, much to Emerie and Harper’s dismay. Many assurances continued to remind them all the favorite princesses would be met before we went back home to Alaska. We also spotted lots of familiar sights, like this photo with Rapunzel’s tall tower, which really looks like the real thing!

Seeing the real Disney castle, was a request Craig and I heard on repeat for the past two years or so. The girls didn’t fully comprehend the upcoming day until that castle came into view and were met with shrieks of excitement and awe that it does indeed exist! We took pictures in front of it, watched a couple dance numbers in front of it, walked through it, and explored with three very joyous and excited girls. Watching the magic come alive and their reactions to it was one of the best parts of the entire vacation. The firework show with the castle all lit up was a pretty exciting thing to see as well.

So many princesses to meet, such lines! We strategically decided who to see and when, with Tiana the first stop because her stop had no line. It was pure surprise when we walked in to the Princess and the Frog’s Tiana AND Rapunzel, and the girls peppered both princesses with lots of questions. The best part? The girls explaining they called Rapunzel “Pan” for all their toddler years, because it was easier to say and for her excellent use of a frying pan, which was met with a laugh and smile. Emerie also commented that Rapunzel’s hair was so beautiful, and we have braids too!

The moment they saw Cinderella, the girls made a beeline to ask her the most pressing question of all: what do your shoes look like? With a kind smile, she humored them and lifted her dress just enough to reveal those famous sparkly shoes, and the girls were so thrilled.

I couldn’t resist mentioning to Cinderella that Grandma Sue (and now Craig and I) always say, don’t act like Cinderella’s stepsisters! She actually laughed—a genuine, out-of-character chuckle—as if even she couldn’t help but non-verbally agree that it was pretty solid advice. The girls also asked her about her mice friends, and the prince, and were so fearless and not shy at all!

While rides were not the main focus for the day, we absolutely took advantage of low lines to ensure a full experience. At one point while Craig waited for lunch to be ready, Sue and I caught a quick line and rode the spinning teacups with the girls. We rode the carousel several times throughout the day, Aladdin’s magic carpet, and the girls drove the motor car track and ensured all three adults received minor whiplash from the wild steering. Apparently Harper became a speed maniac and was giggling and screaming manically with Grandma Sue in tow. Sounds about right.

We committed to a very long, winding line in a cave to ride the Ariel clam shells. Waiting in that line with the massive throng of people around us was the most anxiety I had the whole trip, but the ride was pretty cute once we made it. Reagan and Emerie hopped in with me and Harper with Sue and Craig behind us, and off we went. At one point everything stopped and the ride was stuck, which presented more time for the girls to look at everything closely. It was fun and got us out of the elements for a few minutes, not to mention all the creative characters and sets to look at.

Later in the afternoon we finally made it to see Ariel, in another cave. While in line we actually met another set of six year old triplets visiting from Michigan, whose mom is on my triplet Facebook page. It was nice chatting with them as we waited. Everyone was SO excited to talk to Ariel and full disclosure, Harper definitely reach out and touched her boobs. She told me later she wanted to know if her bikini top was made of real shells. So funny.

Last but definitely not least was Princess Jasmine and Aladdin. This was the toughest line of the day, 2 PM in direct sunlight, and we all look as sweaty and overheated as we felt. Reagan was SO thrilled to meet Jasmine and give her a hug; no one even batted an eye at Aladdin there with her, which was pretty funny. After pictures we rode the magic carpet ride, which provided a little breeze and view of the park from above.

It was really impressive that all the characters we visited took the time to listen to the girls, answer their questions as they all spoke at the same time, and just let them bask in the magic of the stories playing out in front of them. Everyone took turns pretty well, getting triplet photos and single photos with each princess, and often loudly announcing we’re triplets! to ensure that message was conveyed clearly to everyone in the room.

After a couple rides we walked through the Monster Inc. scare floor, watching the comedy show. It was cute although no Sully sighting was a little disappointing, but the air condition and momentary break to sit, on the other hand, were great! We rounded out the evening with dinner at the Beauty and the Beast ballroom, with the Beast walking around and waving but unfortunately no Belle sighting. Adults and kids alike had a three course meal and funny enough, Reagan and Emerie both ordered appetizer salads with their meals and quickly devoured them. The food was delicious after a very busy day and the girls received light up cups to pack home (to their delight and our addition of another tote for home). The kid dessert also had fun chocolate teacups that came with paint brushes to paint, so the girls decorated their masterpieces before tasting them.

By the time dinner was over it was dark outside, and we were right on time for the evening fireworks. While we initially planned to leave the park before this to beat the traffic, I’m really glad we found a spot off one path, with a direct view of the castle and sky. The girls oo’d and awed over all the different colors, which lined up with both the music and in relation to the princesses and characters. It was a spectacular show and the girls happily watched, without the “I’m tired” complaints after exploring for close to fourteen hours. It took another full hour to leave the park after the fireworks, along with practically everyone else. It felt like herding cattle, trying to keep my little ones close and with the adults as the crowd shifted to tired kids and sleeping babies in strollers, all of us pushing toward the train cars and the distant parking lot. Once we reached the car, keeping the kids awake was impossible, and the drive was completely quiet. Back at the condo, they instantly climbed into bed, still in their tank tops and shorts, with wonderful memories of the day to dream about.

Since this is apparently the longest blog ever, I’ll wrap up this post here and finish our trip’s highlights in the next one! There’s just so much to capture—so many moments I never want to forget and so many details that deserve their own stories. I’m beyond grateful to be part of this family trip, sharing these magical days with my girls, an amazing mother-in-law who makes traveling so fun, and a husband who’s wholeheartedly embraced his role as a girl-dad, making every moment extra special.

Being here together, watching the girls light up with every surprise, princess encounter, and adventure, has been something I’ll certainly treasure forever. And I can’t wait to share the final leg of our trip soon….when I finish writing it 🙂

❤

Sep 26

Exploring the Outdoors

The past month and ending to summer flew by. As we enter my favorite season of the year, where the leaves turn to vibrant yellows, oranges, and reds, the air turns crispy- like the perfect bite of an apple- and the blue skies are crystal clear, we plan to spend as much time outside as humanly possible before winter arrives. Whether it’s hiking through trees that look like they’re painted in watercolor or simply breathing in the cool, fresh air on the back deck, there’s something magical about embracing the beauty of our home state this time of year.

On an impromptu weekend trip down to Seward, we caught a perfectly sunny and calm day to play along the beach, collecting shells, fancy rocks and sea glass. We played at the park, tested out the local gelato, and enjoyed dinner at one of the local restaurants with friends. The airbnb for the night boasted a large, kid friendly outdoor area, so smores and bike rides were a must. None of the old bikes had training wheels, so the girls essentially taught themselves to ride around the big, gravel parking lot without any assistance, in a matter of about fifteen minutes.

We’ve definitely slacked this summer on the bike riding, and taking the time to become comfortable riding without the training assist. It is not easy trying to help all three at once, or even two at once with both parents- you are constantly hopping from one kid to the next, trying to keep the collisions and frustrations to a minimum and certainly a reason for the lack of progression in this area to date. Managing three at once is like a mix of running from one wobbly bike to the next while offering words of encouragement, untangling the occasional crash or wobble over and corresponding raging kid, and celebrating each triumphant moment with cheers. The thrill of watching them gain confidence and balance all at once is also a great feeling—though by the end of the moment, you’ve likely run a mini marathon, and probably need to find some bandaids!

Within a few minutes Reagan was circling the driveway, keeping her pace and confidence up across the dips and bumps, and Harper followed soon after. Emerie attempted a bit slower and more timidly than her sisters, but also caught on quickly until she tumbled and scraped up her hand. There are perks to all three learning so many skills at the same time (not just parental cardio!), because if the first kid can do it, confidence is boosted for the other two. That, and a little friendly competition.

Back at home in the following weeks, Craig removed the extra wheels from two of the three pedal bikes, and so far Harper and Reagan keep the momentum going, literally! They are improving at pushing off unassisted and not always asking for help. Emerie insists on training wheels, even after rocking it down in Seward, and we aren’t fighting it until she gets more confident. I wonder if her bifocal plays into some of her hesitation; that can’t be easy to balance with. We are taking short walks more frequently in the evening, both to wear them out and to let them practice. The discovery of downhill acceleration was quite a highlight one night too, and now we have are defined direction to go each time.

In addition to muscle powered machines, we tested out the new motor track by our house one sunny morning. It took several clear articulations to convince them going through the puddles and mud purposefully was okay, and even then they still hesitated. Everyone is also a bit timid to tackle big hills and splash through puddles, which meant the parents (ahem…Craig) had quite the unexpected cardio workout. Every time the terrain looked a little too daunting, an adult needed to run over to give a push, give them more throttle up a slope, or coax the wheels out of a mud puddle. After unsticking kids multiple times, we found they were far more excited to ride loops in the wet grass with their friends, over and over again, than test out the muddy hills. Sassy Emerie emerged as she constantly hollered at Oliver, you can’t catch me! He looked at her perplexed that they were even racing, which was pretty cute, and she found it hilarious. Harper rode the loop over and over again, and didn’t want to stop until she was wet up to her shoulders; Reagan enjoyed the loops and then wandered over to the playground equipment while her sisters continued to circle.

Another end of summer event greatly enjoyed by our household is the annual Trick or Treat in the Heat. This event occurs well before the normal Halloween and gives local kids the chance to participate while it’s less frigid and dark outside. The meaning behind the event is much more significant than just having fun, and relates to a young boy more than a decade ago who lost his fight to cancer, but not before his neighborhood came together and gave him an amazing September trick-or-treat experience. The even now fundraises thousands of dollars for cancer research and the Ronald McDonald house, which is really cool. This year we went all in on a family theme, with a “big” and “small” trio of Sanderson sisters from Hocus Pocus. Harper insisted a witch was her pick this year, which nicely supported the idea. Emerie was displeased that she couldn’t be Elsa for the 6th year in a row.

We watched the original Hocus Pocus movie for the first time, with hesitation at the beginning and investment by the middle, and Craig spun up the enthusiasm by endorsing one of the sisters himself, and convincing Cousin Tyler to do the same. One of the best parts of the entire evening? Watching people walking opposite as us smile sweetly upon seeing the girls all matched in their dresses and wigs, then seeing their eyes level with Craig’s fully gowned awesomeness, and bursting into a big chuckle. I probably witnessed that at least a dozen times, with many kudos from other dads.

The rain held off for the evening and it remained warm enough to leave coats in the car. Reagan called me her twin all night in our matching outfits, Emerie finally accepted being the bossy one was okay only because Craig was too, and Harper had the need for speed and kept trying to get ahead of the group for the best pick of candy. That might also relate to all the empty candy wrappers in her bag…

One other fun fall evening this week- we finally took the girls up to Flat Top for a hike around the base of the mountain, something we haven’t actually done with them before. There were many hollers of I can see EVERYTHING from up here and wow we are so high; and the occasional demand to know where our house and Miss Tawni’s house were below. The adventure started out sunny and warm, but ended in clouds and a brisk wind; thank goodness we brought hoodies with us. The girls scrambled up the hilly parts full of energy; apparently we should have proceeded further up the mountain, because they were still energetic on the return home. All three carried Ziploc baggies and filled them with treasures- you know, berries you can’t eat, colorful leaves, twigs, you name it. The discovery of edible Alaskan blueberries resulted in a few blue fingers and requests to go berry picking another day, something we haven’t actually done this year.

It is nice to get out and about and share a love of nature as a family. After a stressful month at work for both Craig and myself, getting out and releasing that stress is really helpful for our sanity, as a parent, a triplet parent, and a full time employee. Fall has arrived and that means more hikes, festivals, and enjoying the last month of warmth before the cold and all the beauty that comes with it returns for the year.

❤

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!

❤

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!

❤

The Douglets

Triplets in Alaska

activities