We moved!

This October we decided to down-size and move back out to Chugiak (about 6 miles north of our former home in Eagle River)! We are loving having a bit more land, a one-story home and less house to clean!

Back in Eagle River!

This summer we found our dream house on the market and decided to try to sell our house and go for our dream. Seven days later, our house had sold! So.. just a few weeks after that we packed up our first house in Chugiak and moved into Eagle River.

It was a whirlwind month, especially since we moved three days after I returned from a weekend trip to New York for my cousin's wedding. Now we are in a great home in Eagle River, with a bit more square footage.

Our fantastic life group helped us move, and we had a blast while doing it!

My awesome sister helping me pack!

Time to fill 'er up!

Last time playing in the backyard

First life group gathering at the new place

First life group gathering at the new place

I tried a new organizational-moving system I found on Pinterest

My garden flag makes it feel like home

***Special Note: Our mailing address will be changing. If you'd like it, please get a hold of me.***

Memorial Day (Backyard) Campout

This year for Memorial Day weekend, our friends all wanted to go camping, but we knew it would be difficult to go somewhere to fit all of us. So what did we do? We decided to camp in our backyard!
During this time, there was a burn ban on, due to a very large forest fire on the Kenai Peninsula, but we made the most of it!

S'mores on the grill during the burn ban

The evening got pretty chilly!

The next morning turned out to be a bit chilly (around 30 degrees!) - but we managed just fine.

It turned out to be a great time with our wonderful friends! What a fantastic kick-off to summer!

First Snow

The last week of October we finally got some snow.  Last year was the snowiest winter in Anchorage's history and this year, we barely have two inches on the ground.  I heard someone say that this time last year we had something like 32" of snow on the ground!

Anyway, below are some pics I took after the first snow, at Peters Creek Park in Chugiak, Alaska.

Autumn in Alaska

Well autumn has arrived in Alaska... and left!  We had our first snowfall this past Saturday, September 28th.  It melted in a few hours, but fall is definitely over.  This morning it was a brisk 23 degrees outside at the house.  Our few weeks of autumn have definitely gone by quickly.  That is one downside of Alaska, the shortness of my favorite season.  It was a great fall while it lasted.  We keep chugging along with our classes, and Andrew started a new job  as Flight Operations Coordinator at UAA.  The view from his new desk is great - Merrill Field!  He of course loves being closer to and working around planes again.

We've had some breaks from the rain this month and I was able to get out and take some pictures around the Chugiak/Eagle River area, some of my favorites are below...

View from the parking lot on Mount Baldy in Eagle River

View from the parking lot on Mount Baldy in Eagle River

Mt. Susitna "Sleeping Lady" from the parking lot on Mount Baldy in Eagle River

Down the road from the Eagle River Nature Center

Down the road from the Eagle River Nature Center

Down the road from the Eagle River Nature Center

Hiland Mountain in Eagle River

Bear Mountain at Mirror Lake in Chugiak

Mirror Lake in Chugiak

Bear Mountain at Mirror Lake in Chugiak