Alaska (April 12 - May 19)

From Hawaii, Elly and I made our way on to Alaska while Sam returned to Germany for 3 weeks before heading back to Virginia for a training. The flight to Alaska was not bad. It was through the night so Elly was pretty tired and as long as I held her she slept. It also worked out that we had all 3 seats to ourselves, so we were able to get pretty comfortable...at least as comfortable as possible on those airplanes. Elly is such a great little traveller. She's such a happy little thing and chatters away without a care in the world. She loves to interact and flirt with everyone around us. She's a pretty sweet little girl :)

We had a wonderful time in Alaska. It's always great to be back with my family. I was glad for the opportunity for Elly to get to know everyone better. Once again there are lots of pictures so here goes...

Trying on Grandma's shoes

16 April 2011~
Every spring in Fairbanks there is a fundraiser to raise funds for the CareNet Pregnancy Center in town. Each table has a host who provides food and tea and they invite friends to fill their table. Each table is decorated in different themes. Each person pays a small amount to attend and that money goes to the Pregnancy Center. It's for a great cause and really fun too. Kristy hosted a table this year and did a great job. She used her Polish pottery and had it decorated very elegantly.






Elly loved Sweetie. She was just the right height for Sweetie to lick her face, which is what that face is about in the picture. I think is kind of gross, so I tried to discourage it. Elly loved it though :)



Elly loved looking at the Easter decorations that Mom set out. These were made by Grandma Thorne years ago. She made the bunny candy dish and a bunny by a mailbox for each of us kids. Mom still has them all. We could each have ours, but it just seems right to keep them all together. Here Elly is holding my bunny.





Mom had the honor to teaching Elly to crack an egg. I was a little hesitant because I couldn't imagine her getting it in the bowl....which she didn't the first time :) But Mom is patient and had Elly try it again. I was impressed because she got it in that time. She was so proud of her accomplishment.

Once candy was put into the bowls, Elly had to get back up to check it out. She liked smelling the different candies.

23 April 2011~
Elly is still a very picky eater, but one thing she does LOVE is ice cream. Grandma gave her a whole chocolate ice cream bar and she thought she was in Heaven.

Saturday evening Kristy and the kids came down and we all colored eggs. This was Elly's first time and she really had fun with it. One of the things I love about having a child is being able to do fun traditions around the holidays and seeing them through her eyes. I have always loved traditions and I think it's really important to pass them on to our kids. I think traditions make the celebration of holidays so much richer.

Hadassah with one of her eggs.

24 April 2011 ~
Easter morning was fun this year with all the little kids. I missed Sam being with us because it's the first Easter that Elly has been old enough to really enjoy it and she was so cute! Kristy's kids got up first so they got their baskets and then later when Elly woke up we cleared the table and it was Elly's turn. She was half asleep, so it took her a few minutes to get interested in what was in that bright pink basket. She's still not a good eater and just refuses to try many new foods, so I wasn't sure what candies she would try. I just put a few pieces in each egg so she could eat whatever she opened. The chocolates were eaten immediatly. The girl knows what she likes :) The jelly beans and other candies ended up getting played to death. She would lick them, but wouldn't eat them.

It was fun being back home for this Easter. It won't happen very often with us living over in Germany, so I enjoyed being there this year.

Eli was checking out what Elly had. Unlike Elly, he will eat anything and tried his best to get his little hands on her candy. I don't think Elly would have minded since she wasn't eating it anyhow, but I'm sure his Mama thought he had quite enough.







Here she is with a mouth full of yummy chocolate. What a way to wake her up :)

She looked so cute all dressed up for church and I was trying to get a picture of her. Of course, she didn't cooperate. This one would have been nice, but it looks like she's missing a foot.

Tired of pictures...



Eli and Elly ready for chruch

Hunting for eggs after church



Hadassah and Elly





Sisters... with our girls :)

Our family ~ Easter morning 2011



Uncle Chad helped Elly with her bubbles

This was so cute! When we got home from church Elly and Eli disappeared. From experience, I know when I don't hear Elly that she's probably into something so I went looking for them. I found them in the back bedroom huddled over Elly's basket opening the eggs they had gathered after church. They stayed there for a long time checking out their loot.



Later that evening we were all in the living room and I looked in at the dining room table and these two were up there getting into whatever they could. Like I said...whenever it gets quiet it's time to go looking for them.

25 April 2011~
Elly and I went outside to blow bubbles. She liked them, but got very upset she didn't get them all to herself.

It's really tough being two years old :(

We finally put the bubbles away and she just played in the snow that was left from winter.

29 April 2011~
Connor had his first prom this year so we headed to Fairbanks to see him off. He looked so handsome! We are so proud of him.

They look innocent enough...

...but Elly would not leave little Eli's leg alone...

...so he held on to it to keep it away from her.

Yep, still got that leg.

Connor getting ready for his prom.

Kristy getting her boy ready to go.

Papa helped with the tie.

So handsome!

Connor with Grandma and Papa.

Meanwhile, Eli hovered close to Papa while he peeled an orange.

Eating an orange with Grandma

Connor, Kristy and Hadassah

Eli was playing peek-a-boo.

30 April 2011 ~
One Saturday, we met up with Art to go ice fishing on Quartz Lake. It's kind of ridiculous that I lived in Alaska for 23 years and had never been ice fishing until now. Even still, I didn't actually fish because I would have had to get an out of state license, but it was fun anyhow. It was pretty chilly with the wind blowing out on the frozen lake, so I tried to keep Elly bundled up.

Mom serious about trying to catch a little fish on her hook.

At the end of a few hours we hadn't caught even one little fish so we packed up and headed back to town for lunch. It was fun even if we didn't catch anything.

Elly and I spent a couple of days with Kristy and the kids in Fairbanks. Elly just loves playing with her cousins.

Elijah and Elly

Playing in Eli's bed







A couple of days before Elly's birthday I worked on her cake and got it finished up and in the freezer. I saw an example of this butterfly cake and wanted to make it for her birthday. Mom helped me get it to scale. I was happy with how it turned out.

This particular evening Elly was being so cute. I just had to take a few pictures :)

Helping Papa at the computer

We celebrated Elly's birthday a day early this year. We had some friends over after church. Unfortunately, Kristy and the kids couldn't make it because Hadassah woke up that morning very sick.

Ready for a party!

My sweet little birthday girl :)

She's so funny! I was squating down to get her picture and she kept copying me. Little stinker.



Elly was so tired and fell asleep after church. Here she had just woke up and was a little taken back by all the people there.

Elly loves Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Bill

Of course, it has nothing to do with the fact that Aunt Cheryl let her play with her camera :)

Or get into her jar of yarn...

...and make a terrible mess of it :)



When people started singing "Happy Birthday" to her she was so surprised because as far as she knew that was HER song. She sings it everywhere. So, I think she thought it was neat that everyone else knew that song too. It was pretty cute.

Eating some of her "cake-cake"

Opening a baby doll from Daddy

A really neat book from Bill and Cheryl. It's a felt book with different scenes and LOTS of little felt pieces that can be placed on the pages. She really likes this book.

Puzzle from Mom and Papa

Her very own camera from Mom and Papa

Trying to figure out how it works

Concentrating...

Snuggling up to Uncle Chad.

She loves her "Apple Jaus". I was glad he could be there for awhile. He was going to come with Kristy, but then decided to come on his own when she couldn't make it. Then his car broke down and Bill drove partway to Fairbanks to tow him down to Delta. Kind of a hassle to go through to get there, but it was nice having him.

Worn out from her big day

Off to bed...Happy Birthday my sweet little angel.

Both of our birthdays were actually the following day, but we just celebrated mine since we had her party the day prior.

Sam sent me this Vera Bradley bag he had bought while we were in Hawaii. I was pretty surprised because I saw it in Hawaii and was going to buy it until I realized how much it was and couldn't really justify paying that much for a bag. So, the day after Elly and I left Sam went back and bought the bag. Sweet guy :)

The following Sunday was Elijah's 2nd birthday, so Kristy and the kids came down from Fairbanks to celebrate at Mom and Dad's. They brought gifts for Elly since they had missed her party. Hadassah is so sweet and was so excited about the gifts they brought for Elly.

Cute umbrella and rain boots from Aunt Kristy

Eli was up at the table checking out all his gifts.

Elly has a thing for giving a hug and picking the person up at the same time. Eli does not look impressed.

Kristy putting the finishing touches on Eli's birthday cake.

So cute and ALL 'boy'.

Me and Elly outside of Mom and Dad's on our way to church

Uncle Chad and Elly

Elly and Mom

The two year olds beating up on Uncle Chad

Ready to party!

Hadassah and Elly played on the trampoline for awhile before they headed back to Fairbanks.

Gotta love static electricity!!





We had just a couple of days left before we had to leave Alaska and the weather was beautiful. We went outside to rake and help Mom clean up the yard. Elly is always a ready and willing little helper.

Uncle Bill and Aunt Cheryl came over to spend some time with Elly before we left.

Aunt Cheryl and Elly

The day finally arrived when we had to pack up and get back on the airplane. I hate saying good-bye to my family, knowing it'll probably be a good year or more before we see them again. I'm thankful for the phone and internet which gives us the ability to keep in touch with each other, but it just doesn't really compare to spending time together.

Elly had lots of fun with the dinosaurs in the sand pit at the airport. We visited with Mom, Dad and Chad until it was time for us to go through security.

Saying goodbye to Mom and Papa :(

On the airplane and ready for our long trip to Virginia.

So, then we were off to Virginia, West Virginia and Florida. Hopefully, I can get those blogs done before too long. Until next time...