Christmas 2011

 One of our few recurring Christmas traditions: sugar cookie decorating for Santa.

 All three boys got Batman pajamas this year.

 Isaac is still trying to master the tough guy face.

 Christmas carnage

Soccer 2011

Hiking - Eagle River Nature Center and Mt. Baldy

 Me and the boys running from a bear. Note, I'm in front yelling at them to run faster. (Bear not pictured/present.)

 This was our first time hiking Mt. Baldy, and I didn't know that we didn't have to climb straight up the face. There is a significantly less steep path that I found on another day without the boys. The boys were real troopers and made it 3/4 the way up before I decided that coming down might prove more difficult, if I wanted to avoid having Ethan and Seth roll (not walk) down the mountain.

Alaska Summer Fun (and a new dog)

 Beluga Point -supposedly you can come here to watch whales.

 We thought that this knot on the tree looked a little suspicious. We call it the "Bear-Butt Tree".

 Pixie sticks at the Eagle River Fair.

 This box turned into a rocket.

 A mother moose and her baby moose were living in these woods behind our house for about a week.

 Isaac is a little ham.

 This dog is training for the Iditarod sled dog race. I won a drawing for a free tour of their kennel up in Wasilla. The sled dogs hauled us around in that ATV you see in the background. This set of racers and trainers won the Iditarod a few years back. It was lots of fun.

This "Batmobile" sits just outside of Wasilla at a firework stand.

 This bear waltzed into my neighbor's garage and then ran off with a bag of trash after knocking the garbage can over. I was amazed at how much the beast reminded me of a big dog. Note that both his (her) ears are tagged.

This is Ace. He is our new puppy. He is a lab-terrier.

Welcome Baby Isaac

Baby Isaac at about 30 seconds old.