Fish!

Jeanette- stoked on how good her fillet looks!

I look forward to fish every summer- more explicitly of the KING SALMON variety. There is nothing like Wild Alaskan Salmon fresh out of the water- don't every let anyone tell you any different!

I even cut my fish with my new ulu

I have issues with my ability to fillet and put away the fish for our long winter, I'm embarassed to admit my fillet-ing ability is not what it should be. That, however, changed this summer. Practice makes perfect after all.

I hired (ha not really) two very experienced teachers for my Sister and I to walk us through step by step on how to fillet, brine and hang our King Salmon to make a yummy three day smoked fish (which we can and then use in dips, casseroles, soups- you name it). My Mom and Aunt Emily stepped in and walked us through the process.

Mom hard at work with the monster King Fillet's

Aunt Em with the strips in brine

We spent a few hours processing 7 Kings- they were big suckers. Filled up our smoke house. On the third day a bear decided to sample our hard work. Yes, a bear. He was not invited. The bugger got about 2/3 of our hard, hard work. He's been coming back to visit just about every night since..... but we are done so haha Mr. Bear!

Regardless of our little bear episode we still got quite a few cans of fish made and they look gorgeous. Play your cards right and you might just get one.

Washington Trip

Birch Bay

While I was off gallivanting in Tennessee the girls went to Washington with Papa and Gram. Poor Kiley got an ear infection and had to go to the hospital in the first week she was gone. Sadness, the first time one of my babies has been sick without me.

Strawberry Festival- Tractor Ride

Despite being sick the girls had a great time with their grandparents. They went to the movies, to parks, to Birch Bay and got to drink pop (major highlight). When I was finally done with my travels we had fun picking strawberries, swimming, going to parks and of course going to Birch Bay again.

Papa and Gram

We were all disappointed in the weather, me especially. I was hoping for 70-80 degree temps but instead got weather and temperature very similar to Dillingham's. We had lots of clouds and temperatures in the 50's. Well at least we had stores, parks and movies to go to!

Park Fun

The girls had their fair share of pampering on this trip- they got their nails painted and their ears pierced. Both were big surprises for their Dad!

Posing at the Park

Happy Birthday Jon!

Snake Lake Mountain Trip

Happy Birthday to my husband and the father of my 2 (soon to be three!) beautiful children. We had a fun BBQ to celebrate his birthday with friends and family and then just had an easy day today. It was perfect, very low key the way Jon likes it!

We have had such a great summer so far! But the girls and I decided that 3 weeks away from Jon was too long and we will never do it again. The few weeks we have been home we have been having so much fun and doing all we can in the s0-so weather we have been experiencing this summer.

The reality of both of us working, and back to work, is going to hit hard, soon. Jon heads back to work tomorrow and I'm due back in the office August 1st. We definitely enjoyed every minute we had off!

Ekuk trip

Aleknagik Trip

The Smoky Mountains

Thanks to our friend Opie I got to spend the afternoon and evening in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. What a blast, and what awesome scenery. We crossed the Tennessee border into North Carolina so I was in two states this trip. I didn't realize we were that close to NC! So on my travels this summer I was in WA, GA, MN, TN, NC, CO and WY (counting just airport stops)!!! Too much, I'll never travel this much again..... well at least not for a long time!

Opie and I took a little hike (that felt like 10 miles to me straight up!!) to get to the "third highest peak in the south". It was worth the sweat, the view was unbelievable.

We had fun driving around the mountains and Opie liked that at this higher elevation (6,000 ft +) it was SO much cooler than in Pigeon Forge and where he lives. Which is good to know. He was telling me that in his house hunt he couldn't believe that some of the houses that he looked at didn't have air conditioning! So, needless to say, he thinks Tennessee is as hot and humid as I did/do.

Did I mention I got to see one of the starting points for the Appalachian Trail or the "AT"? I read "A Walk to Remember" by Bill Bryson this winter for our local book club and really enjoyed it. He recounts his attempt to hike the entire trail with an old college friend. Most parts were very funny, I would recommend reading it. I hope to one day be in good enough shape to be able to attempt a partial hike.

Dollywood!!

Shannon and Robyn in Dollywood baby!

One of the big highlights of my trip to Tennessee was going to Dollywood, which is a theme park outside of Pigeon Forge. This was were I got to see Dolly Parton twice; once at the viewing of "Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy", and at the Bubble Show. My pictures of her are so bad. Opie drove to Pigeon Forge for a visit and I got to see Robyn scream her head off on numerous rollercoasters. I also got to be a VIP for the day... which basically bumped me up to the front of the line for the play and for a bubble show I made Opie go to. But you aren't VIP every day, I enjoyed it!

Dolly! The play was um, very child friendly, and she was so gracious!

I took pictures of D.P.'s paparazzi.....

A sign from 1901 posted in TN for teachers, we thought it was kind of funny. "You May Not Wear Bright Colors" and "Schoolmistresses shall not keep company with Men" Love it, and glad I didn't have to live it!

Opie and Shannon at the Bubble Show!

I didn't get a slice, but seriously? A 25 lb Apple Pie?

The first roller coaster Robyn went on, she gave her lungs a work out on this one!

T-t-t-t-tennessee!

Dixie Stampede

What a whirlwind of a summer it has been already! A few too many airports and airplanes for my taste, but you live and you learn. I won't try to fit so much into so few weeks ever again.... at least for a long, long time. My first big trip of the summer was to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee with my friend Robyn, thanks to a scholarship from Best Beginnings. Our first trip down South, and what a trip it was! I got to do some amazing things in just 5 days, and here are some highlights.

1. Attend the National Imagination Library conference
2. Explore Pigeon Forge, TN
3. Go to Dollywood!
4. Explore the Smoky Mountains
5. See Jon's old roommate, Opie
6. Go to a Dixie Stampede (picture with a Southern Belle above)
7. Hike a miniscule part of the Appalachian Trail

There is so much more and I have pictures to prove it!