1. mountains
2. all of the amazing colors on the mountains as fall erupts
3. glaciers
4. icebergs in the lake
5. ocean view
6. watching salmon swim upstream to spawn
7. eating fresh salmon
8. the wildlife: moose, bear, bald eagles, foxes, and caribou
9. cooler weather
10. parks, parks, and more parks
11. let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
12. great gift shops
13. Governor Sarah Palin

Labels: Alaska, Thursday Thirteen, travel

Our first potty stop in Alaska. What can I say, when the youngins have to go they have to go!

We drove along part of the Alcan Highway. What a trip that was! The highway is not even all paved and the part that was paved was extremely bumpy. We even had a little one get car sick!

Labels: Alaska, travel

When driving through Canada and Alaska we began to notice a change in the evergreen trees. The harsher winters are evidenced in the trees. They are thinner.

Labels: Alaska, Canada, Christianity, Encouragement, Fruit of the Spirit, Give Thanks, hope, Nature, travel

At the end of the ferry trip we got off in Haines, Alaska. It was a beautiful little town!! We drove a few hours before we stopped for the evening. We had a long day's drive through Canada. We went through British Columbia for a very short time and most of our time was spent driving through Yukon. Here are a few photos of our trip through Canada. It was such a beautiful drive!




That is my show and tell for today. For more show and tell, visit Mary aka Canada Girl.

Labels: Alaska, Canada, Nature, travel

Well, the ferry trip was wonderful! It took us through such beautiful places! I did get seasick and lost my lunch but only once and it was out in open water rather than the milder water. Our one child that with ADHD had a tense first day on the ferry too. I think she has some anxiety issues also. The first night was stressful for her and all three of her ticks were manifested again and in succession as well as a return of the bedwetting which of course brought many tears. After the first night though things were back to normal and she had a wonderful time.

We were able to see humpbacks, orcas, porpoises, and bald eagles. Our drive through Canada was fun also. We saw several bears, swans, and a fox. We are still looking for the moose but am sure they will be in view before long. The scenery is so beautiful! God is such an awesome creator!

Prices are very shocking though! I knew it was expensive but give me a break! $7 for a gallon of milk, $5 for a package of bologna, $6 a gallon on gasoline, and a 20 ounce diet dr. pepper cost my hubby $3 today!

Alaska is a bit cheaper than Canada was but it is still costly. I think hubby filled up for $4.80 a gallon tonight. Well, we are settling down and getting children ready for bed and should arrive in Anchorage tomorrow. So until I get another chance........that is the update! Hopefully, photos will come soon!

Labels: Alaska, journal, travel

Here I sit in my hotel room wishing I was already asleep. I am finding that I am tiring easily. We spent almost two weeks in the Spokane area. Our older children were able to attend camp and we had a great time visiting family and a few friends. There were many more people we would have liked to see but there is only so much time. We did take the opportunity to do a few other things that we enjoy in the area.

We all finally feel as if we are moving. Before it just felt as if we were coming home from a year long vacation. Now that we are somewhere that we have not been before it is beginning to feel like we are on the move.

The children are beginning to show the strain of traveling for so long a period of time and are a little bit tired and cranky but I think that will settled down with the adventure ahead of us for the next week of travels.

Thank you those who are praying for us! I will check back in as time and access to the web allows. May God's riches blessings be upon you all and may you be aware enough to recognize them!

Labels: Alaska, journal, travel

Thank you! Thank you! To my readers!!! I am so encouraged to check in here and see all of your comments! It is difficult being gone from my blog and not checking in every single day but it has also been a bit relaxing at the same time. I thought that since I had a moment that I would share with you what has been going on the last week! A LOT!

We have been busy and things have been a bit hectic and we are tired. Before leaving San Antonio we learned that a friend had died. Please just pray for their family. This occurred while we were packing out. Her funeral is today and I know her family needs prayer.

We left SA and drove for two days and my ankles were swollen and sore! I am so glad that we are dividing this trip up. I had not anticipated the swelling this early on in my pregnancy. The pregnancy is going well though and I am beginning to feel this little one move more and more. We have reached the half way point!! Yeah! Oh yeah, and I did get that ultrasound before we left. We are having a ........................... well, maybe I will make you wonder a bit longer.
Here is our pattern so far...

boy
girl
girl
boy
girl
girl
girl
girl

What do you think we are having??

On another note...
We are currently in Colorado. We had a chance to visit our friends here. Our son decided that he was going to ride their ATV. He rode without a helmet and rather fast. He was thrown over the handle bars and the ATV hit a tree. Needless to say, he spent some time in the emergency room. He is a little banged up but no broken bones or anything. Praise the Lord! The ATV on the other hand is badly damaged and it may take all or more of my son's car savings to repair or replace it. Other than that it was such a great visit. Our children have had a chance to hang out with their grandparents and the friends who live across the street from them. We visited Focus on the Family and to the Rock Ledge Ranch. We also went to the Air Force Academy for the fireworks show. After the fireworks our older five children decided to take turns wrapping up in a sleeping bag and tumbling down the hillside. As one tumbled the others acted as a wall to stop them before they ran into the cars in the parking lot. It was almost more entertaining that the fireworks and gave several onlookers a good laugh.

We are off to see Kung Fu Panda today, after hubby gets back. Where is he??? Well.....
One of our daughters has been having trouble seeing so we took her to a optometrist for a regular eye exam. They told us she needed bifocals and that her eye pressure was very high and that we should have her seen for possible glaucoma. Well, hubby is on his way back now from the Opthamologist. All I have to say, now that the appointment is over, is that Walmart is NOT the place to go if you want an accurate diagnosis!!! She is fine and simply needs a new prescription. Of course there is the wrangling we have to do with TriCare to actually get them to pay for the medical expenses they are supposed to cover! Why people LONG for socialized health care is beyond me.

We are having a great time though and will hit the road again on Thursday after trying to fit in a few more fun things! I miss "seeing" all of you in blogland but I simply do not have the time or the access to stop by every one's blog and say hello. Please know that I am thinking of you though and hope to be back "on top of" my blogging life soon!

Labels: Alaska, journal, travel

Finally, today is the day! We are headed out of town today for our 4700 mile trek northwest! We are so excited to be heading to Alaska and for the fun things we will do in between! I will check in and update you on our where abouts and what is going on and will have other things posted between stops with computer access. (I just love that scheduled posting feature!)

Please pray for us as we travel! Leave me a note here too! *grin*

Labels: Alaska, travel

The Trip
As my regular readers know, we are preparing to embark on a 4700 mile move. Yes, 4700 miles! We are also driving (except for three days on a ferry). I often hear people with only a few children talk about the stress of traveling. They are usually much shorter distances too! I have been pitied and then asked how we keep our sanity on such trips. I will admit that we have not made a trip quite this long before, our longest was a year ago when we traveled 3300 miles (all by car). We did have a few bumps along the way too. Do you remember the $400 Bee?

Here are a few statistics for our upcoming move:

• 4700 miles
• two vehicles driven
• eight children (plus being pregnant)
• two dogs, kennels, bed, and other supplies
  
• 1 month for travel
• luggage and necessities for living out of suitcases for about 3 months (plus what is needed for camp)
• 2 coolers
  

Sounds like fun right????? If you answered that with a resounding "NO!" let me tell you that you would already be doomed to have a not so fun trip! I thought that I would share some of our secrets for having a great trip even while driving 2 vehicles with a large family, 2 dogs, hundreds of pounds of luggage, months of living out of suitcases, and so many miles ahead of us.

• Sounds like fun right?? Your answer should be, "We cannot wait for this grand adventure!" If you look at it positively then things are more likely to go well for you. Even things like a $400 bee can be seen as an adventure. Look for the positive because getting angry, frazzled, and upset NEVER makes the miles any shorter and more often than not makes them seem longer.
• Plan some fun stops along the way. Give the children something to look forward to. Make it a mini vacation. You have to stop so why not stop somewhere fun?
• Take advantage of hotel pools. The children have been cooped up all day long let them have a way to exert some energy. It doesn't take much, even a half an hour will do.
• Let the children stay up late and watch television and snack in bed. Yes, they may not want to wake up in the morning but they will often go back to sleep once you hit the road.
• Pack your coolers well. Make sure you have plenty of healthy snacks, as non-messy as possible, on hand. This keeps you from having to make more stops, spend more money, and keeps the little ones happy and distracted for a while.
• Take along some stories on cd. Long stories. One trip we listened to Focus on the Family's theater version of the Chronicles of Narnia. On another trip we listened to some G.H. Henty stories on cd. All of the children were engrossed in them and often complained when we had to stop for gas. They didn't want to stop, they wanted to hear more of the story!
• Enjoy your time in the hotel. Free breakfast and no beds to make. You can even leave the towels on the floor! It is like having a maid.
  
• Living out of suitcases isn't so bad either. You have much less laundry to manage than you would if you had your entire wardrobes. Sure the laundromat isn't all that fun but you get every load of laundry done at the same time!
• Get an early start (it doesn't have to be super early), the day doesn't seem as long if you arrive at your destination while it is still daylight and you have a few hours to move and let the littles wiggle a bit. It seems much longer and more tiring if you arrive in the dark only to go to bed and start over again in the morning.
• Take pillows, little blankets, and a favorite doll, toy, or book. Limit it to only one (you usually have more than enough stuff to keep track of)! Yes, it takes up more room but if your children are comfortable they will endure the long hours better.
• For us, smaller suitcases with handles and wheels for each child (or two littles per suitcase) works better than larger suitcases with several children sharing. They are responsible for their own things and are responsible for moving it to and from the van.
• Since we must take both of our vehicles when we move, walkie-talkies are great! Hubby and I can contact each other easily when one of us needs to make a pit stop or just chat about the scenery along the way.
• Keep in mind that children are children and not adults. They do not always endure hours in the car the way an adult does. Be prepared to have to make occasional stops to let the one year old out of the car seat to run. Treat them with a happy and loving tone, this always works better than getting angry with them. They may still cry and be upset but you are the adult and you can set a cheerful tone.
• MOST IMPORTANTLY- bathe your trip in prayer!!!
  

Labels: children, travel

We are headed out of town today. I am off for a visit with my father. I have not seen him in 20 years. He has never met my husband or any of our children. This should be an interesting visit. Then I put hubby on a plane home (he has to work) and I will continue on to visit my grandmothers, mother, cousin, siblings & siblings' families. It should make for an interesting trip.

Thanks to blogger and their upgrades (new scheduled posting), I can still be posting without actually having to be at a computer. So stayed tuned. Posting may be more sporadic but even though I am going out of town without constant computer access doesn't mean I won't be "on my blog".

Please pray for safe travel and good visits. Oh, and just because I will be in and out doesn't mean you can take a break! I would still love to hear your comments on the posts published while I am traveling! You always brighten my days with your comments!

Labels: Family, journal, travel