A Christmas to Remember!

Some of you probably heard that we went Christmas in the woods. It was definitely an un-tradional Christmas, but one we will always remember. We went with our good friends the Keller’s to the Upper Ohmer Lake cabin that we reserved ahead of time for the 24th-26th.
Christmas Eve was really crazy! We kept the store open until about 5, and then once we were closed we rushed to gather up the gear, the food, the fire wood and all the gifts to be on our way. Brian was thinking ahead when he decided to leave ahead of Parker and me to get a fire going in the cabin for us. The only problem was that it was pitch black, snowy, icy and cold and I had no idea how to get to the place! I realized this about half way there. Thank goodness for cell phones. I called Brian and made him pull over and wait for us. Once we got to the dirt road Brian sped away to get there a little faster and luckily got there a little bit before us!

I’m not sure how many trips back and forth the guys had to make but they piled all the stuff on sleds and pulled it into the place for us. They are so good to not make us carry anything! In fact Travis hooked two sleds together and pulled Nettie and her boys in one sled and Parker and me in the other sled…plus some gear! It was a fun ride!

We threw some hobo dinners on the stove once we got there, and shortly after that we realized I forgot the eggs for the omelets Christmas morning. So Brian and Travis drove back to town to get those while Nettie and I stayed behind with the wild boys and tried to get them warm and fed…and in bed! Some Christmas eve this had turned out to be! We didn’t even have a tree! The worst part of that evening was that I had to pee and I didn’t know where in the trees the outhouse was. I knew it was at least 5 below 0 out there and I wasn’t about to squat and have the pee freeze to my legs! I may have gone to look for the outhouse had the guys left us a flashlight (or told us there was one in the backpack!). When Brian did finally walk me out to the outhouse that was about 200 yards away, we shined the light inside and the place just sparkled! No, not because it was clean, because it was covered in ice crystals! I have a hard enough time with the bathroom situation with out adding the fact that I’m 7 months pregnant! All I can say is that I survived.

I’m not really that great at estimating measurements but I will tell you that cabin was too small!!! There was a table, a small counter, a wood stove and 2 bunks….and a small area in the center that the children and the toys took over! Nettie and Travis have 3 little boys and we have Parker (who counts as 2 most the time) so you can imagine the sleeping situation! Actually the only really hard part was getting all of the boys to go to sleep, once that happened Brian and I got enough sleep to feel refreshed. Travis would probably tell you a different story, but thanks buddy for keeping the wood stove burning!

The next morning Brian drilled a hole in the lake and got some water to boil so we could make breakfast. I don’t know whose idea this was since we hauled at least 6 gallons of clean water that was room temp in the cabin. I swear it took that water at least 2 hours to boil. We had omelets and bacon and finally got to eat around noon. That’s another thing…don’t mess with a pregnant ladies meal schedule!

While we were waiting for the food, Nettie and the boys made ornaments for the tree. I’m glad she was motivated enough to bring along the glitter, glue and paper to be festive with! She also has way more patience than I ever will….who lets a 1 year old help decorate paper with glitter and glue??? Nettie you rock! I have to also say that Brian and Travis came up with some pretty creative ornaments made from popcorn and wipes. Thanks guys, it almost felt like a real Christmas.

Next all the boys got dressed up way warm to go cut down a tree. I’m guessing it was around 1 or 2 and I think we were all getting a little worried that Santa hadn’t made it by now. But we had a pretty good feeling that he would come if we got the tree ready! We hung it from a string above the kitchen table and went out to play for a bit. When Brian was sick of pulling Parker and me around in the sled we went back in and got warm and put the decorations up. Then Nettie, Brian and the boys went out to play again and you’ll never guess who came while they were gone…

We had a great time with all the fun gifts and you could tell the kids were having a really good time! We all got some awesome things. Even my unborn child got something…Thanks Haws family, we loved the little outfit…so cute! Parker got so many fun new toys, Elmo Live, Blocks, a horse farm thing, a fishing pole, Bathketball from his cousin Keller, and a flashlight! Brian got some new x-country skis, and a Cabella’s hunting game for the Wii. I got a new pair of crocs, and a kitchen aid attachment that does slicing and shredding! (also got a Wii, but we started using it early as part of my birthday!) And the best gift ever…A trip to anchorage with 24 hours free babysitting from the Keller’s!

I grabbed a sandwich and Brian and I headed back out to the road to call our parents. We left Parker behind and Nettie and Travis cooked dinner while we were gone! It was great. They told us that the whole time we were gone Parker stood in his portable crib with his new fishing pole and swung it around. He had a great time! I think he’s a fan of the whole Christmas thing now!

Dinner that night was more traditional: Ham, potatoes, rolls, salad and sparkling cider. Yum! Then Nettie had a fun scavenger hunt for the boys that ended up being a nativity set we unwrapped and discussed the importance of each piece! Thanks again Nettie for the entertainment!

After the whole bed time mess was over with we got some sleep, and the next morning cleaned up and went home! It had snowed the night before and things outside were beautiful. Brian had a great time with his new skis!

I really wanted to name this post “There’s no place like home for the holidays” I just didn’t want to sound like a scrooge….but seriously no matter how many songs we sang, the one song that played over and over in my head was that one! It almost felt like a movie! I really did have a good time…I was just moody I guess. I get homesick and stressed out during the holidays and so I hope I didn’t ruin any of the fun. I will however admit I would do it all over again!

Our new baby…

Ok, so we are still waiting on the little boy that is coming in March sometimes, but in the meantime we have another “new baby”. After a couple years of pressuring and nagging Brian to figure out what he wanted to do with his life he finally figured it out about 6 months ago! It took a lot of work (on Brian and his dad’s part) but on December 10, 2008 we became the official owners of Wilderness Way Outfitters, INC.

So you’re all probably wondering what the crap that means…so let me tell you a little bit about it! Wilderness Way is the store that Brian has been working at for the past 3 years since we have been in Alaska. His boss was ready to retire, and so Brian approached him about selling the place to us. The store carries mostly high end outdoor equipment, Brian’s specialty! You can find things like coats, long underwear, cross-country skis, backpacks, water bottles, sunglasses, hiking boots, freeze dried food, water filters, travel guitars, fly fishing gear….and the list could go on. Some of the clothing lines include Mountain Hardware, The North Face, and Patagonia.

If Brian we reading this right now he would probably laugh at my lack of knowledge of the place! It is quite obvious that he is the expert on this whole line of business, but I am slowly learning. I guess my main job will be the bookkeeping and all the fun paperwork that I can do from home.

Brian had me come in last Saturday to try and learn the computer system and get a feel for helping customers, since I will be working there the week of Christmas while we are hopefully (fingers crossed) super busy. Of course wherever I go….there Parker is also. Not for long though. Parker was fired from his second job (first one was Radio Shack when he pooped on me) on Saturday….his first day at the place. He was a holy terror! I can’t figure out if it was because he was sick or because that’s just his stage now, but he was screaming and running around and wrecking the office. There was no place for him to go…so Brian sent us home. Although I didn’t describe all the details of the event, trust me when I say it was quite the experience.

I had the hardest time keeping all this excitement to myself this whole time, but we signed confidentiality documents that didn't let us disclose that any of this was even happening. Sorry....I would have shared sooner if I could have!

A couple really super cool things about the whole deal….first I get to advertise with a whole bunch of new clothes….and the other is that the Outdoor Retailer Show is held every January and August in Salt Lake City. We have to go to meet with all the vendors to do the pre-season ordering so we will get to go visit twice a year for sure and write the whole thing off as a business expense! Sweet! Brian will be coming down this January by himself though…I’ll be 8 months pregnant and we won’t have anyone here to try run the store, so I’ll have to catch it in August.

We have lots of big plans and dreams for the future of our “new baby”, and as time passes I will try and keep you updated with all the fun new changes. In the mean time if you call our house and we answer, “Wilderness Way” it’s because we call forward the phones after hours to our home office.

Oh yeah...It doesn't look like this in Alaska right now...obviously everything is a white and frozen. Hopefully we'll be able to get a picture of us with the store sometime soon! But I wanted you to get an idea of the place!

The Great 8

8 Favorite TV shows...

1. The Office
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. Biggest Loser
4. 48 Hours Mystery
5. My name is Earll
6. Sesame Street
7. Super Why!
8. Can you tell I don't have cable...so there isn't 8 shows worth watching!

8 Favorite Restaurants...
1. Subway
2. Applebee's
3. Olive Garden
4. El Neuve Amanacer
5. Braza Grill
6. Cafe Rio
7. Javier's
8. University Broiler and Grill

8 things that happened yesterday...
1. Worked 10-4
2. Yelled at my boss
3. Played with Parker
4. Went Grocery shopping...and took my time cause the donuts are 3 for a dollar after 6!
5. Cooked dinner (I know its a miracle!)
6. Ate the dinner and it was yummy
7. Watched a really cheesy british movie with Brian "Love or Money"
8. Went to sleep

8 things to look forward to...
1. Finding out if its a boy or a girl!
2. Taking Parker to UT
3. Eating at the yummy places in UT
4. Halloween and dressing Parker as a Lion "RRRRAAAARRRR"
5. Seeing my family and friends!!
7. Christmas time
8. Having another baby and quitting my job!

8 things I love about Fall...
1. All the pretty leaves and colors
2. The crispy air
3. All the tourists go home!
4. Halloween and being spooked
5. Going to Utah to visit
6. Fishing is over!
7. Hunting is almost over!
8. The first snowfall

8 things on my wishlist...
1. To get a bigger house
2. To make a scrapbook for Parker and my next baby
3. Get Parker's pictures taken (for the first time!)
4. Get more food storage
5. Being able to figure out what is for dinner and cook it!
6. Being better about feeing Parker veggies and healthier food
7. A new car that is bigger
8. Quit my job and stay home with my babies!

8 people I tag..... Ha! I don't even know 8 people! But I bet Nettie will read this!

Utah...here we come!

Today for some reason I have alot to say...
Yay! I am so excited! If you guys haven't heard I am coming to Utah for about 3 weeks! I will be leaving her Friday the 24th and arriving in UT the 25th! I am so excited! Halloween down there will be so much fun. We are are going to borrow a LION costume for Parker from my sister. He is already practicing his "GRRR!". He will be so excited to see everyone, and wait til you see him! Walking and getting so smart! I can't believe how much he changed in September!
So there are voles living in my house and I am freaking out! I guess people up here call them shrews, but they really are voles. Luckily they are smaller than mice though! This one woke us up 2 mornings in a row at 7 chewing on something in our bedroom! Who knows how long they have been in the house! Well, after the second morning of the creepy rodent noises Brian found a pile of carpet padding in the corner under our base heater! The little piece of crap was chewing our carpet up and taking pieces of the padding for it's nest. Actually I am kind of glad it did because it took it from a spot no one will ever see, and it left a trail! We followed the little pieces into our closet, pulled everything out and found a little round hole in our wall! Can you believe it!?? It is just like in the movies and I am pissed! Rodents are like the freakiest thing I can think of! On the other side of the wall in Parker's room there is another little round hole that they chewed! So Brian, being the clever trapper that he is, put a trap on both sides of the wall and before the end of the day we had one! He tried to convince me that was the only one there was, but reset the traps anyway. By morning we had another one! We've been infested and I want to move! Brian promised that tonight when he gets home for family night we are going to clean everything off the floors and clean the garage really good, and I bought a butt load of more traps we are going to set! It snowed today, so I am guessing more will be coming in from the cold!

So some of you already know, but Brian shot a 3-legged bear the other day! Sad huh! Well happy kind of I guess. He was out hunting for bear to make a rug and he saw this one and it was limping. He decided to put it out of its misery because he thought it was hurt. When he found the bear after he'd killed it, he realized it only had a stub for a front leg, and it was an old wound so it was getting by just fine! He brought the meat home and our good friend are making it into sausage. I am still freaked out by the goat so I don't know if I dare try a bear! Anyways, he laid out the hide in our garage and decided it would look goofy as a rug a bear rug with 3 legs. So he cut the others off too and the hear and now we have a bear skin mat. He has been salting it for a few days now and I am about tired of stepping over and through it to get to the laundry! Oh and guess what else....he decided yesterday that before he gets the skin tanned he needed to wash the blood out of the hair. So he rinses it out in the hose out side which was fine...whatever. But then he borrows my hair dryer to dry it! Not only did he make the whole garage/house smell like a stinky wet dog, but this morning when I went to retrieve the blow dryer, the back was caked in bear hair and when I peeled that off I saw that on the little vent inside there was burnt bear hair!! It is so gross and the whole time I was using it this morning I was trying not to puke from the disgusting smell! He owes me a new dryer!
Oh yeah, and if you are wondering about bear pictures...don't count on them. Not only am I bad at posting pics, as you all know...but Brian didn't take any! He took my camera (that I haven't seen in a month!) with him up the mountain and couldn't find it in his backpack so he used his friend's camera phone! Before I could take any of the hide he had the skull pulled out and the legs cut off! Sorry...no 3 legged bear pictures this year.
I am thinking of all the places that I want to eat while I am Utah! I can't get them off my mind so I decided I would blog them. That way while I am down there I can check back at the ones I have forgotten. Plus if you guys have any place to suggest...I can add them to my list of cravings! I wish Soldotna would at least get a Wendy's or something. Here it goes in no specific order:

• Olive Garden!!
• Apple Bee's
• University Broiler and Grill
• Mongolian BBQ
• El Neuvo Amanacer
• Chick-fil-a
• Subway...50 times (even though I have one here)
• Braza Grill
• Wendy's
• Javier's
• And that one place in N. Ogden with the yummy rolls and chicken (only ate there once and loved it!)
• KFC
• Arctic Circle-have to get a Halloween kid's meal!
• Scone cutter

I'm drooling already...hope I can fit all this in!

I guess that's all for now. If I think of anything else, maybe I'll blog again tomorrow, but don't count on it, you all know how I am!

Tagged...but not tagging

3 Names you go by
1) Nikiesha
2) Kiki
3) Momma

3 Restaurants I love -
1)Olive Garden...too bad there are none in Alaska
2)Does Subway count?
3)El Nueve Amanacer

3 Trips to plan on this year -
1)Utah!
2)A day in Anchorage
3)There is no where else to go!

3 Things you want badly
1) My house to be painted
2) A bigger house
3) More friends and family in Alaska

3Pets you have/had -
1)Brittany
2)Zoe
3)Bella

3 Things you did yesterday -
1) Went to my first pregnancy appointment (I'm 15 weeks!) and heard the heart beat
2) Had a full pelvic exam and pap-smear...eek! The joys of having children!
3) Worked the rest of the day

3 Things you ate today -
1) French toast
2) Steamed veggies with rice
3) Hot Tamales

3 Fears -
1) Something happening to my family
2) Fires
3) Rats

3 Things you plan on doing today -
1) Clean out Parker's closet and switch his clothes to bigger sizes
2) Clean out my closet and switch my clothes to bigger sizes...what can I say, we're a growing family!
3) Possibly put some pictures on Facebook

3 Things you plan on doing tomorrow -
1) Shopping in Kenai for Diapers
2) Clean my carpets
3) Look for Plane tickets to UTAH

3 Favorite Holidays -
1) Halloween
2) Christmas
3) Thanksgiving

3 Favorite beverages -
1) Milk
2) Gatorade
3) Root Beer

I'm not tagging anyone since I don't even know if anyone reads my blog...and if they do, they have probably already been tagged!

Improving...

Alright, so I think I might be getting the hang of this. We now have one picture on our blog and it wasn't as hard as I thought. I guess you just have to take a minute to mess with it.
I also figured out how to add some of the Blogs that I look at....but I decided not to post them all since most people don't even know that I look at their blog. Kind of embarassing. I'd rather just stick to the stalking rather than coming clean. It's easier this way.
Well I guess I've done enough for a while. Hopefully next time I attempt this "improving process" I will have some pictures of our vacation to Utah! It was the best time ever!

Richards Rumble....not Grumble

Yes....its true. After days...even months of "blog stalking" we've entered the world of blogging!
Tonight I told Brian it was time we came up with a title for our blog. If we are going to post or lives on the Internet we have to have a title to it. So what does that mean? Is it supposed to be creative...cause we aren't creative. After about an hour of blurting out random words to go with our last name so that we could at least look like we are trying, Brian officially thinks I am wacko. He would be embarrassed for me if I posted all of the ridiculous titles I was blurting out. Things like "Our Alaskan Adventure"...."Richards Report"...."Frigid Richards".....and the lameness went on. I was putting all this effort into getting him excited about a name for OUR BLOG, he comes up with "The Richards". Come on. We can do better than that. How about "Richards Rumble" Or "Richards Grumble"! And finally he contributes. "I'd rather it be Richards Rumble....not Grumble!" And so its true. As you can see we named our Blog "Richards Rumble".
~Happy Blogging!