Just in the nick of time...

Lisa here. Was just about to head off to bed and thought..."maybe I should check our MOD account one more time". And to my surprise a last minute donation popped up! THANK YOU!

Today marked the end of Alyssa and Katy's six week session of ice skating lessons. To mark the occasion, all of the kiddos participated in a little ice show. The theme was "Summertime at the Beach". How fitting for our little "wanna-be-beach-bums"! We couldn't have been more proud...the girls did AMAZING! I can't believe how much they have improved in such a short period of time... 

Here is the video of their performance. Hopefully we get some donations tomorrow and I can share some of the still shots!

lookout!!

Thank you Sherri for your donation today! Twins supporting twins!! Looking through our pictures, I came across these from the fall. Our good friend Amy came up to visit us in September this past year. I always tell family and friends this...if you want to visit, early September is the time to come! The weather and scenery are perfect! One of our local favorite lookouts is up near the Flattop trail-head. We took Amy up there to check out a beautiful Alaskan sunset.

Chasing Alyssa with the camera.

Thanks again Sherri. Tomorrow is the girls final ice skating lesson. I believe there is some sort of performance planned! I hope we get a donation so I can share those pics tomorrow night! Who's next???!!

blast from the past

Two more donations today...thank you to the Foisy's and Marla for their donations today! We have crossed the 2K mark!! Today, I wanted to revisit some old videos. Occasionally, we'll sit down and look through these videos. We actually have over 200 on youtube! Here are a few of our faves. Never never shake a baby! Some funny faces from Alyssa trying green beans for the first time. and a video that will make anybody smile... Thanks again for the donations today! Who's next??!!

cutest girls

Sometimes I really do think I have the cutest girls on the planet. Before we get to the evidence, I have to thank 3 different people for their donations today! Back on track with 3!! Thank you Mr. Driskill, the Kriedermans, and Lisa's Mom for your donations today!! We are almost down to our last 2 weeks with more than half way to go. Lisa and I are planning ways to raise a lot of money but we'll still need every dime from all of our friends and family that you are willing to give. Help us reach our goal!! Back to the cuties- Lisa brought home the girls' first school pictures. Can not believe how great they came out.

And the video that Lisa promised on facebook... Katy "beep" boxing. The explanation is this...one of the shows that the girls will occasionally watch in the afternoon is Electric Company. It is WAY different from what I grew up with but still mildly entertaining. They have someone on the show that will occasionally beatbox. I guess Katy has seen it enough that she has picked up on it and is now trying to imitate it. Pretty funny.... Hope you enjoyed! Who's next??? Thanks again Mr. Driskill, Lisa and Ben, and Eileen for your donations today!!

More Iditarod 2012

Thank you Kirsten for your donation today! Small progress towards our goal = a few more pictures on the blog. Before I crash, I wanted to share some more photos from the Iditarod this year. Lisa taking a picture of the girls with their first booties from the sled teams. We had quite the collection by the end of the day.

The fresh and very deep snow was too much of a temptation for the girls. They had to explore.

...and eat the snow.

I like this one of Katy.

Cheering them on..."GOOOOO DOGGIES!!!"

Lisa grabbed the camera and took this picture. Awesome picture.

Thanks again Kirsten! Who's next!!???

Iditarod tease

This is a little unfair but life is getting in the way of raising money for a great cause! I will honor our commitment and post on the blog every day that we receive a donation but as I start this entry at 11pm (and I still have work to do!), I'm going to have to cut it short tonight. So tonight, I want to recognize two donations that were made; Sam Shea and Katrina! Thank you two for your donations and getting us closer to our $5000 goal! We have a list of pictures that we'd like to share (in addition to whatever is going on currently in our lives). One of those events that has happened over the last several months was the 2012 edition of the Iditarod. Like always, we took the girls to the ceremonial start...or at least along the trail of the ceremonial start. Here is a tease of what's to come from that morning.

Mary-Beth joined us in our "secret" spot.

Alyssa taking a break from cheering on the teams and eating snow to look cute. Just for a moment...and then back to business.

Toward the end, the girls were more and more brave reaching out to get high fives from the mushers.

Alright, back to studying! I feel like I'm in college again!!! GRRRRRRR!! Please keep those donations coming so I can finish up all these pics! ....oh, and raise money for a great cause! :)

Fall pics

Thank you Jill for your donation today!! Today's pics are from the fall of 2011. We are currently in my least favorite time of year in Alaska, break-up. Snow is melting, everything is dirty, no green on the trees yet....just nasty. I thought this would be a good time to go back and share some pictures from my favorite time of year, fall! The scenery and weather is always perfect in September. Lisa took these great pictures of the girls in our side yard last year. Oh how I miss this view right now!

Alyssa playing catch.

Possibly the picture of the year taken by Lisa.

Thanks again for the donation. Who's next??

Trick or Treat in the Heat

Thanks to a pair of Daves for their donations today. The Stricklan family and the Sniders both helped us inch toward our goal of $5000! This post is for you!

Going back to September, we took the girls trick or treating. In September?? Yep! Each year, several neighborhoods put on Trick or Treat in the Heat. It started as a wish from a terminally ill child here in Anchorage who wanted to go trick or treating one more time. They have continued to put on the event each year to raise money and as a way for kids to get out and trick or treat and not have to wear their cold winter gear. Great idea!

You can read more about it here.

Of course, the girls were all about the princesses. So Alyssa was Sleeping Beauty.

And Katy was Cinderella.

On with the trick or treating!

Could not have picked a more perfect day to do this.

Pretty sure I have the cutest kids.

Well maybe this one. He was pretty cute.

Nope...our girls are cuter.

Thanks again for the donations. We are 32% of the way there with 24 days to go!! Keep'em coming!

Well Howdy Parnter!

Another anonymous donation today brings us a little closer to our goal! Thank you!!

Today, I wanted to share a few photos of the girls before they went to the preschool "Hoedown". (I have no idea if I'm spelling that right...)

My cowgirls.

Alyssa...little Miss Photogenic.

Katy was having a hard time finding her smile...so Alyssa was trying to tickle her and help her out.

There it is!

Equally photogenic when she wants to be.

Thanks again for the donation! Keep'em coming and you'll continue to see what these two miracles are up to!

Girls first hike up flattop

A couple of donations in the books today! Thank you Shannon and Erika for your generous donations today!!

I was looking through pictures for tonight's post and came across the girl's first hike up Flattop! How could I forget this gem?!? This actually happened right before our trip down to California. Sam had come up to visit and one of the things on his bucket list was to climb Flattop...so we went for it!

Funny thing is it almost didn't happen. The first 100 yards were just about as unbearable as it gets. The girls would not stop whining about how tired they were and how hard it was...until...we made it above the tree line. As soon as we got above the trees and they could see the amazing view below us, we couldn't slow them down!

One of my favorite pictures I've ever taken of the girls.

We got up to the last saddle where the climb gets a little hairy. Sam went the rest of the way while we stuck around and watched. I climbed up a little hill overlooking where the girls stopped so that is them way down below, the two purple and pink dots.

A picture of Sam taking a picture of me....taking a picture of him...

Nice shower on the other side of Anchorage.

My girls.

Love these three!

Heading down with the trail up to Flattop in the background.

Exhausted but still moving.

We were really impressed with how well the girls did (after those first few hundred yards). Can't wait to get out this summer and explore some more with them.

Thanks again Shannon and Erika for your donations! Who's next???