In My Backyard



Isn't this photo amazing! It had nothing to do with my mad photography skills. The Chugach Range is beautiful, and its in my backyard. 

 One of the great things about living in Alaska is having breathtaking views in your "backyard". I can drive twenty minutes and hike up a mountain, not too many people can say that! Also in the summer time, you can hike almost all hours of the night and not need a headlamp. Our moms group has been taking some hikes in the evening after we all put our kiddos to bed. It's so nice to be able to have adult conversation and not chase kids. There are several times where it's so quiet, probably cause we are all trying to catch our breath! The flowers were blooming and it was so green!

  We were looking out over Anchorage and trying to place streets. Anchorage is so spread out! No wonder it takes me forever to get to the East side from the South side!

   

  We hiked Flattop on Summer Solstice.....and so did everyone else! Flattop seems to be one of the most hiked mountains here in Anchorage. You can meet people from all over the world there.

 This was my first hike since having my youngest. I'm really out of shape so I was enjoying sitting down and didn't want to get up for a photo opt. 

  It only takes me 15 mins to get to Flattop's parking lot from my house. Took us a little longer getting to the top! But we made it!! On Summer Solstice, a lot of residents like to camp out and party at the top. We saw some interesting people carrying guitars, wearing a kilt, carrying a stroller, carrying a beer.. wait I think that last part is normal, so my husband says. Water is not the thirst quencher it used to be.

  Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year with 19 hours and 21 mins of sunlight! This picture was taken after 10pm! It was an amazing day for a hike!

  With trails being so close to us, its great to take the family for a hike. Kaden was having fun, promise. The lady who took this photo was hiking in with a friend to camp out for the night. Two older ladies just enjoying the day. I bet their kids were grown and NOW they can finally do stuff they enjoy without getting interrupted.

  Brooke did great! It's crazy cause this time last year she wasn't walking and we were not sure when she would start. Now she is running and jumping everywhere!

 Our moms group are planning more hikes. Do you have a favorite here in Anchorage? What has been your favorite hike in Alaska?

July 4th Fun

 What a beautiful day it turned out to be here in Anchorage! It started raining a little but it held off! Did you and your family enjoy the day? We did! We went to see the parade downtown!

 A parade isn't Alaskan without Star the Reindeer! You gotta read how Star first came to Anchorage! 

How cool is this! A Wagon car!!!! The Red Wagon Society at the Children's Hospital at Providence sponsors the car. Kaden loved waving his flag at all the cars.

I had to take pictures of the kiddos in their red, white and blue. Yup, representin' the Braves! =)

I have to say, I really miss seeing fireworks in the lower 48 for the 4th of July. Those outside of Anchorage are lucky enough to shoot of fireworks legally. But I guess it helps lessen the disappointment due to it being so bright here.

I took this picture of the Chugach Mountains at 10pm. See the rainbow? So it would be hard to see fireworks anyways. But that didn't stop residents! I heard them everywhere.

When did the fireweed pop up? I took this photo at 10pm as well. The flowers are already half way up!! I'm trying not to think of it reaching the top!

I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend with family and friends. I started doing a lot of brainstorming and there are going to be some changes to the blog. I want to post more about Alaska in general. There are so many COOL things about this state! Got certain categories that would interest you to see on here??

4th of July in Alaska!

What is everyone doing for the 4th of July?? I think we are going to head downtown Anchorage and watch the parade and enjoy the activities! This will be our first time with the kiddos, I think it will be a blast! Hoping to see NO CLOWNS!! I do not like clowns. Anyways, here is a list of the 4th of July festivities that are going around the state of Alaska. If you know of any that are not on here, please post in the comments and I will add them!

Anchorage/Eagle River

July 4th Celebration- Delany Park Strip 8a-6p Celebrate America’s birthday on July 4th in true Alaska style. This old-fashioned, patriotic celebration is complete with family-oriented events such as the pancake breakfast, downtown parade, picnic, activities, and fireworks finale.

Alaska Baseball League Doubleheader and Fireworks- Catch Alaska Baseball League action between Anchorage's two teams, the Bucs and the Glacier Pilots, in an Independence Day doubleheader followed by the traditional fireworks show.

Great Alaskan Salmon Bake & Fly By- 1-5p AK Aviation Museum Enjoy a buffet of salmon, burgers, hotdogs, salads and more celebrating the 4th of July from 1-5 p.m. at the Alaska Aviation Museum on Lake Hood, the world's busiest seaplane base! Auction, live music, fly bys from a variety of aircraft, and meet our special guest Egil Ellis, dog race winner from the Fur Rondy! $30 for adults, $15 for kids. Call 907-248-5325 for more info. This fundraiser helps the museum continue its mission of preserving Alaska aviation's history.

Eagle River Independence Day Celebrations A community-wide Independence Day celebration and first official "July 4th" firework celebration. July 3: Celebration at Lions Park begins at 6:30 p.m. and ends with fireworks at midnight. Enjoy community entertainment, sky divers, games and concessions. July 4: Chugiak Parade begins at 2 p.m. at Latimer Fire Station on Old Glenn Highway.

Fairbanks
4th of July Celebration- Lots of activities at Pioneer Park!

July 4th Summer Festival- Parade at 11a, cream the mayor and more at the North Pole!

Homer
"Our Town USA"- Parade starts at 6p and other events will be going on throughout the weekend!

There are parades going on in Seldovia (907-234-7612)  and Anchor Point (907-235-2600) as well. Call the number to get more info.

Juneau
 Juneau 4th of July Parade- Starts at 11a

Kenai
"Take Your Hat Off" Parade and Festivities- 10a-4p in Kenai


Mat Su

Wasilla Independence Day Parade- 11a on Main Street

McCarthy’s annual Fourth of July celebration- includes a parade and a full day of family fun for all. Music, games all day for kids of all ages. Classic 4th Of July BBQ

Seward
Parade and Festivities- Enjoy the parade, food, fireworks and more while in Seward!

Mount Marathon Race- A well-known mountain running event held annually in the seaside village of Seward since 1915, said to originate from a bet among friends that Mt. Marathon could not be tackled in less than an hour. The foot race is a climb and descent on Mt. Marathon - a mile and a half up and a mile and a half down, complete with cliffs, scree fields, waterfalls, and a spectacular view. This annual event draws runners from around the world.

Hope you and your family have a great 4th of July weekend wherever you are in Alaska!! Be safe!!

Peekaru Giveaway (closed)

  Thing are slowing down here...I think?? Does anything slow down when you have 3 kids?? Anyways, I'm really excited  do this giveaway. I've been waiting since winter to do it! So here it is, the Peekaru Original giveaway!

 I actually came across one of these in Kid To Kid, but it was too big. I thought it was one of the COOLEST articles of clothing for baby wearing parents! So I contacted TogetherBe to see if they would let me try it out and do a giveaway. They are so sweet over there and they replied so quickly.

 So sorry for the snow pictures, who wants to see that right now!! (sigh) When I got the vest, I tried it on right away over my Ergo carrier. It was kind of awkward to put on by myself at first. The hardest part I had was zipping it all the way up on the side. After wearin it a couple of times, it has become easier. I LOVED that I was able to put it on over my winter coat. I first tested it on a cold, windy Alaskan day. It kept the wind off of Kora, but I probably should of put warmer clothes on her because the vest is not thick enough. These vests are "high quality Polartec fleece" but I think it was too cold for her that day and we went back inside. It took 30 mins to get all the winter gear on all the kids and me and we only stayed out there 10 mins! Ugh. They need to invent a suit that has boots, mittens, hat, long under and snowsuit connected!! I bet the Peekaru Soft Shell would of been better for that kind of weather. I think I might invest in the soft shell for next winter.

 I did wear it several times when it wasn't as cold or windy. It worked great and kept her warm. She fell asleep in it several times. A friend borrowed the giveaway one to try it out. (It's the green one pictured above.) She is carrying a newborn in there. =) The newborn stayed toasty while mommy got to play with her toddler. It was a fun day of sledding and skiing for the kids!

 You can also turn the vest around and wear it on the back!  "It fits comfortably over all carriers, including Baby Bjorns, Hotslings, Ergos, Mei Tais, and Wraps."  I haven't worn it turned around yet because Kora is just getting to the age where I can wear her on my back. There is also a little pocket to keep your keys or id in on the side of the vest. The only thing I wish this had was hand pockets. I LOVE to put my hands in pockets and was bummed when I didn't have anywhere to put them. Other then that, this is a GREAT product for Alaskan parents! I keep it in the car even in the summer because sometimes it gets a little cool.

Oh and just FYI, if you order one because you don't win, they run a little big. I wear large shirts and can fit into the medium vest with a fleece jacket.

 Want to win the green medium one? Just leave a comment with a way to contact you. Oh and you have to be from Alaska. =)

Nina's Beanies and Bows Giveaway (closed)

There are so many accessories out there for little kids! Ill be the first to admit, I'm not the best person to coordinate and pick them out. So my little girls are generally in comfortable clothes and no accessories.  Nina, from Nina's Beanies and Bows has created some great hats and accessories to go with them that are interchangeable! What a great idea, especially for someone like me or even the fashonista who has different accessories for every outfit for their kids!


Please tell us about yourself and how you started your business:
I am a local designer from Anchorage, Alaska. I stay busy working from home and feel grateful for the opportunity to be home with my children. I am the mother of two little girls that are my inspiration for everything I create. Last year I began making bows and accessories for them and found it to be a fun challenge and relaxing at the same time. I caught the ‘crafting bug’ quickly and wanted to coordinate every outfit they owned! It just wasn't practical to have that many hats so I decided to make all my bows and flower clips interchangeable. Not only are the combination possibilities endless but pieces could be worn alone in the hair or clipped to a headband and cleaning the hats when needed was easy. Last summer my daughters’ collection of hair clips was overflowing but I was hooked on making them so I began to give them as gifts. Soon after that I started to receive requests for custom pieces and was encouraged to go into business by my friends and family. I started with a few Craigslist ads and one day I received a call from the owner of Sweet Adeline's Children’s Store asking if I’d be interested in carrying my products in her store. I have been truly blessed with success I never imagined possible and I can’t wait to see how my business will continue to develop over the coming years! I absolutely love creating each and every piece! I could never choose a favorite and I feel it shows in the quality of my work.


Where can I purchase these products?
Currently my products can be found on my Facebook business page https://www.facebook.com/ninasbeaniesandbows and at Sweet Adeline’s Children’s Store in Anchorage in the Huffman Square (1120 Huffman Road Ste #4)

What do you love about Alaska?
Summertime is my favorite time in Alaska! I love sitting on our swing in the backyard watching my girls blow bubbles and giggling as they chase them around the yard. Summertime means visiting different parks in town, grilling outside and just enjoying the fresh air. But what I love most about Alaska is the sense of community and ability to achieve anything you put your mind to. I think it’s a great place to raise my children and I can’t imagine doing it anywhere else.

Too cute right?! Just have boys? You can join in on the fun, she offers boys embroidered beanies! Nina is going to let the winner choose a beanie and you get to choose the color and style as well! Here are the rules:

1. Must live in Alaska.
2. Leave a comment on what kind of hat you would get with your email address, and that's it!

A winner will be chosen randomly Monday night! Good luck!!

Sweet Adeline's Children Store (Closed)

Have you visited the cool, Eco-friendly Sweet Adeline's Children Store here in Anchorage? If not, you gotta get in there! Jessica, the owner, has some way cool things to look and play with! Talk about community, this store has it going on! She sells several products made locally, offers affordable classes for the wee ones, and is constantly giving back to the community.

 She sells several of our giveaway items there, so if you didn't win, get down there and buy it! The thing I love about this store is the unique "green" items. Each product is carefully picked out and are BPA, Phthalates, or PVC free.

 Doesn't the picture of the store look inviting to parents with small ones! They can actually play while you shop, I love that!
 What about the art classes? They are 4 week sessions that cost $8-$20 and are for ages 18 months to 10 year olds. She is offering French classes there as well. There is still room for the art classes this summer so sign your child up today!

We are doing a giveaway from Sweet Adeline's, wahoo!!!

A sweet bunny puppet, bun glaze, and rubbit oil.

A bear happy blankie and some bubbly soap ( I gotta go get my kids some of this!)

Here are the rules:

1. Must live in Alaska

2. Leave a comment telling me if you have been to Sweet Adeline's yet and if so what is your favorite product.

3. Be sure to leave your email address, anonymous WILL be counted. =)

A winner will be chosen on Monday, good luck!

Happy Bottoms Diaper Service Giveaway (closed)

It's been awhile, so sorry! Gotta get back in the game!!

For awhile now I've wanted to try cloth diapers, but couldn't fork up the money without knowing I would like it. I contacted Theresa, owner of Happy Bottoms Diaper Service, for a trial run. If you want to get into cloth, this is a great way to test it out without spending hundreds of dollars first. Check out what the Risk Free Trial includes.

Theresa came to my house and taught me the basics of cloth diapering to get me started. Cloth diapering can be overwhelming at first, but Theresa was so warm and kind. I never felt dumb for asking questions and not knowing. She was an email or phone call away if I had a question, the task didn't seem to daunting knowing that. She helped set up everything and then left...here I go!

I have to admit, the first change I was kind of grossed out. I didn't grab it correctly so it was very wet. But how many times have I had to grab something that was gross with kids? Soaked bed sheets, blow out diaper, throw up on kid and MY clothes, the list goes on! So I continued on.

It took me a couple of days to get in the swing of things but I actually started liking it! The BEST part is I got to put all the diapers and wipes together and send it with Theresa to be washed. I didn't have to touch it!! I was worried about the smell, but there wasn't any. Unless I'm just so used to the smell of 3 kids. =) Every Monday morning, I would put my red bag with dirty diapers and wipes on the front porch, then Theresa would pick it up and leave me fresh, clean diapers! Now THAT'S service!

I hear all the time how cute babies are in cloth and now I believe them! This is not the only reason why I feel in love with cloth diapering. Saving on money in the long run is a HUGE plus for me. I changed her diapers far more then when she had a disposable on. I have to admit I would think, "this disposable diaper is barely wet" so I wouldn't change it. With cloth, I didn't feel like I was out money. Or how about when you go to change baby and they pee on the new one. Really? I barely got any use out of that one! I feel like that's all I'm doing is buying diapers! So its great know that with cloth, it just needs to be washed and reused again.

It was great thinking that I wasn't throwing another diaper into a landfill. I was making the earth a little better for my kids. I'm concerned with all the chemicals now days going into our bodies, especially my little ones. I loved knowing that there was no foreign chemicals going into my babies body.

I started afraid to cloth and now I'm working on buying them! It was SO worth trying it out with Happy Bottoms Diaper Service! Theresa offers a great service that you can have part or full time! Just think, you don't have to launder diapers, someone does it for you! You don't have to make midnight runs to the store for more diapers because you used the last one!

I HIGHLY recommend using Happy Bottoms Diaper Service. Theresa is a mom to a little one so she understands a lot and she uses the product herself! She has a pretty wicked sense of humor, which I like! Humor and service!

Theresa donated 2 $50 gift certificates for a giveaway! You can use it towards the service or buy something for the store.

Want to win? Please follow the rules!

1. You must live in Alaska.

2. Visit the "About Us" page and then comment on how you would use the gift certificates

3. Leave an email address so I can get a hold of you, no way of contacting you, your comment will not be counted!. Thanks!

Ill randomly pick 2 winners Monday evening!