12.31.2008

1000 pieces go together

Gran Gran Gran Gran Granny...Sweetest Granny!

No tree :( Ready for New Year's though!!

French press ready for 7 am! ...hmmm, maybe I should melt snow water, boil it, add the grounds to a pot and boil it...Eskimo Boil...

Gram definitely gets the recognition for this picture coming together in the time it did. Just as she has patience to knit a pair of gloves; or sew a parka, Gram pieced most of this cardboard scenery. At the end, Romay, Jason, Gram and I were having a blast, almost racing each other to find the last remaining pieces. After it was all done, we did the ESPN highlights, "this part was challenging...I'm glad this straight line was here..." You know, the debriefing!

12.29.2008

We may be in the same boat, but some of us have bigger cabins...

That is the quote from the current project going together, a 1000 pieced puzzle.

Gram and Jason gave each other a high five shortly after this picture was taken, they really are progressive puzzlers. They celebrate the pieces coming together.

Big Game Hunter, now the PS2 is in her room! (no puzzling for Romay)

Myra's in that picture to add space, she's a wanna be puzzler...

Romay is a bright kid, BUT look at Gram still going at it!

Tutuwak (moose)...Taking a break from puzzling to snap a shot.

12.28.2008

More of Christmas

Ode to Joy...24/7...Recorder music fills the house...screaming when Romay gets it right...

Fire at the lot on Christmas Day.

We were looking forward to the yummy desserts when we got home, and oh yeah, TEA. (When grandma stopped by Harriette's place, Romay, being 2 or 3, would sing out "tea" in her highest pitched voice)

Gram, Jeni, Jason and Romay trying to stay warm Christmas night!

Everyone with new pajamas on Christmas Eve!

12.27.2008

A new Christmas Eve Tradition?


Plenty of air conditioning...thanks Auntie Jen for buying the new sled!


Kemper made a new friend, one that liked to hang off his flappy cheeks.


Mr. Kopp hauling the crew up the hill after their trip down the hill-wish I had that luxury when I was growing up!


Amanda, Kaylin, and Romay

12.24.2008

Merry Christmas


A great Christmas break read!

Daniel testing out his furry recliner...

Mmmmm, monkey bread.

Thank you Grandma, for all the parkas, mukluks, sealskin gloves, sealskin hats, kuspuks, etc! Here she is making a new parka cover for Myra.

Welcome to the Harris' household! (Grandma's mukluks, Gram's here!)

Just like 'ol times





Generally we're always looking for people to ski, snowshoe, go sledding, or anything else with; Jeni fits that bill perfectly! Not only that, but she has always been such a supportive and awesome friend to Jason and I. So, after Jeni's day of rest from traveling, we decided to hit the trails around Galena behind our lot. Romay and Sarah were equally excited since they got to drive the snowmachine; boy did they have silly grins on their faces the whole time. The snow behind our lot is around 3-4 feet, Romay and Sarah managed to turn around in the powder, all the while, giggling and maybe the most important factor, not getting stuck. Of course we came home and loved gorging on the yummy food we have stored around the house...guacamole and chips, cheesecake, etc...I'm basically trying to stay up with all the fun we're having around here!

12.23.2008

More Pictures



Run Run Rudolph




As you can guess from the title, Romay played the part of Rudolph for the Elementary Christmas program last week. The 5th grade did a wonderful job as the performance included guitarist head bangers, the 3 dancing girls, a groovy lead singer and Rudolph. Romay couldn't be happier, she got the perfect excuse to wear a pair of Adidas shorts as she ran around the stage while the other kids pantomimed. At the climax, "Rudolph" took a relieving sip of water and fell from exhaustion. Our Christmas tree is up, there are a few more pictures, but that is for another story and another post.

12.14.2008

A Girl's Best Friend

Not only can we make Kemper yawn, but sneeze!

12.07.2008

Harris Christmas Tree






The Harris clan going to get a Christmas tree is much like when the Griswalds go to get theirs... just the Alaskan version. Of course, we have a Ski-Doo Skandic Sport in place of the Ford station wagon, but the journey is usually just as full of adventure.

We had our own little train going out to get the tree. Behind our machine, we pulled a freight sled, and behind that, Romay had tied on her red plastic sled. Kemper has this thing about being lead dog (even when he we does not know where we are going), and so he ran out front. The four of us went to the trail next to our lot as it heads back on to some dry lake beds amongst some trees that we hoped would hold our Christmas tree.

Galena has gotten some of the best snow this year that I have ever seen and makes machining both fun and challenging. Part of that challenge came when we drove over the bank that had been pushed up by the road plow. The snow machine made it over fine, the freight sled soon followed, but the red sled took a more interesting path. The cord had become slack from the freight sled dropping over the bank and when that slack was drawn up, the sled shot forward, and fired Romay about three feet into the air. First a scream, then giggles and then the Mom and Dad nearly fell off from laughing so hard. Romay may have a future as a human bullet. The key is deep snow and a down coat.

The only vehicle that had been back on the lake must have been a dog sled as the trail was so narrow. It felt more like we were on a jet ski than a snow machine as we floated around through the back lakes. Each time we got off to look at the spruce tree possibilities, we would trek through about three feet of snow. Kemper perfected a dog version of the butter fly as he undulated through the snow, more swimming than running (for those of you that don't know Kemper, he is a big lab and so you can see the snow is deep). The further out we traveled, the skinnier the trees became. We unhooked the sleds and made an interesting u-turn that any sled neck would be proud of. Back we headed toward town and to the trees we looked at originally.

Wildlife made its showing as we passed two antlerless moose that seemed to surprise Romay. "Mom, can I ride in the freight sled with you?" Her eyes got the size of quarters as we passed by. After being used to seeing caribou for the last five years, moose seem more like draft horses.

Thankfully, unlike Clark Griswald, we remembered a saw. My Dad would have been proud though as we cut down two trees before we found the one we liked (Dad and I always cut at least three: "The top of that one look okay to you?" as we looked up at a twenty foot pine).

The tree is up, decorated, and a day later and Kemper is still passed out on the floor. It was a good trip.