Alamosa

A big highlight of our trip every year to Colorado is our visit to the Alamosa Clouses.  The girls love seeing their cousin Bella as well as Uncle Ben & Aunt Jenny.  They sure know how to show their Alaska relatives a good time!

 We were lucky enough to be able to spend the 4th of July with them which included a parade, a BBQ and fireworks!  I think the girls were the most excited about watching fireworks because in Alaska on the 4th of July it never gets dark enough to really enjoy them.  The only time we get to watch fireworks is in the freezing cold winter, on a snow machine.... in the middle of the tundra.

 

Jon and I went to college in Alamosa at the newly christened "Adams State University" (formerly Adams State College) so we like to go and visit all the local fun spots in the surrounding area: Alligator Farm, Zapata Falls, Sand Dunes and of course the campus.  

We fit so much in during our visits....... and the girls were such troopers!

Colorado & Swimming Lessons

We left Dillingham and it was 54 degrees. Just before we reached Jon's mom and Dad's house he snapped this picture.

It was quite a shock, let me tell you.

Despite the heat we had a great time getting out and about.  It did slow us down quite a bit- Jon slept about 16 hours after he got home and Kalin was at a close second, sleeping about 15!

The day after we landed the girls got to go to their first swimming lesson with their very favorite swimming teacher,  Arika.  She has given Kiley lessons two times before but this was Kalin's first bout.
I was amazed at the progress they both made!

Kiley was doing the back stroke, free style and the butterfly by the last lesson!  I think she can swim better than I can now.... :)

The Vacation is Over....

Now it is time to start catching up on our blog! I took quite a hiatus, but boy did we have fun during that time! I wish I could have gotten my Blogger app working while I was gone but it just wouldn't cooperate!

I will start working on different posts from our trip to Colorado.  I asked the girls what some of the "best parts" of our trip were; Alamosa! Zapata Falls, Garden of the Gods, Swimming Lessons, the Sand Dunes, Toads and the Alligator Farm.  Funny none of them mentioned the 100 degree temps or our many visits to Sonic...... I shall fondly remember Sonic.

Yupik Dancing, "Yurqaq"

Every year Summer Preschool closes the year with two special Yupik dances by the preschool students.  Students are asked to wear traditional Yupik gear, which is a kespeq.  Kalin wore her special kespeq made by Auntie Babe and the headdress she made in school. 

We are so proud, she did an excellent job!

Summer Preschool!

Kalin was so ready for summer preschool this year, unlike last year where she wouldn't let me out of her sight!  Preschool was about 3 hours a day, 4 days a week this year at the elementary school.  The classes were the biggest ever- ranging around 25 three, four & five year olds for each class!

Our summer schedule has been pretty hectic with very late evenings in the land of the midnight sun (we have had gorgeous weather!!) and not so early mornings (waking up at 9:00, what?!!).  So, needless to say,  Kalin was late to preschool a few times. Although she got very creative at making excuses as to why she couldn't go to Preschool (like her knees were hurting, school was cancelled, etc.) she really did love every minute.

 

She was so proud every day when she brought home the craft she made in preschool, our favorites being the caterpillar.  Father's Day fell during this time and so Kalin got to make her Dad a present.  She was so excited to give it to him that she couldn't wait another day... even though she made a big show of hiding it and telling him, 'DON'T LOOK DAD!" haha, he got it that afternoon.

The last day was a very fun day with a family potluck and a special Yupik dance by the preschoolers.  More of that to come.

From a Daisy to a Brownie....

Kiley bridged from a Daisy to a Brownie Girl Scout this year.  She had an exciting year of Girl Scouts filled with monthly meetings with her troop as well as with all the Girl Scouts.  Being involved in something like Girl Scouts is quite a commitment, for us as well as Kiley.  I volunteer as a parent, so I tag along to all the meetings and help out Kiley's troop leader.  This is a great way for me to know what is going on and to get to know Kiley's friends. 

What a fun group of active girls!

This year her troop focused on cooking- and made fun things like pretzels, pizza, quesadillas and popcorn!

I'm looking forward to Kiley's time as a Brownie- this means more concentrated community service as well as the opportunity to sell Girl Scout cookies!  It should be a big year for her, for all of us.

Snake Lake Mountain!

Our yearly trek up to the top of Snake Lake Mountain happened a little earlier than usual this year. Typically we head up around the end of July, but this time we made it up in the beginning of June. After such a long winter with so much snow fall I shouldn't have been surprised to see so much snow every where, but wow, I still was.  So much snow meant not so many bugs (actually hardly a one!) so that made us happy hikers.

The girls hiked on through it like it was nothing, even Kalin.  This was her first time climbing the mountain all by herself. She made it to the top last year but her Dad pretty much carried her the whole way.  This was Kolbi's first trek up the mountain too! Last summer I carried her.... :)

I was a little reluctant leaving the house, feeling a little lazy.... but I am so happy that I live with such an energetic group of people.  This was an amazing, glorious day! Parents, kids, and the dogs were happy!  We were out all afternoon hiking, walking, laughing and spending real quality time with one another.  A "few hours" lasted until about 5:00.  It must have reached into the 70's, and for our neck of the woods at this time of year that is unusual.

We have started our summer with gorgeous weather and we are crossing our fingers that it lasts to the end! After a winter filled with many, many negative temperatures and a ton of snow we are looking forward to a lot of warm sunshine and blue skies.

2nd Hot Dog Run

 We got asked multiple times this year, "What is the Hot Dog Run?"  How can people not know about the Hot Dog Run? It lives in infamy! 

Kiley was and wasn't as excited this year because she had to run a WHOLE mile..... and the first time she tried to she told us, "I felt like my lungs were going to explode!" Classic.

I think she was more nervous than anything else, and she was afraid she wasn't going to place (when she practiced she came in 7th out of the girls).  The adrenaline kicked in and she did awesome.

She ran her mile and got second in her class. We were so proud of her!

2012 Graduate!!

Two years and a lot of hard work have flown by!  Blaker-Blaker finally did it, he graduated!!! This summer will be filled with hours at Peninsula Airways as a ramper, his home away from home. This is the second summer in a row he will be employed by our local airlines.  After that we hear plans to move into Anchorage, after that we aren't sure.  I've heard rumors of looking into being an Alaska State Trooper, but time will only tell.  

We are so proud and thankful that this goal has been accomplished. Go Blake!

She's a Rollin'!!

We knew this day would come.....but so fast already! Before we know it she will be crawling around, walking, talking and screaming at her sisters!

 

FYI, this is what she does when you try to make her roll over on command (she doesn't like it much!) 

Graduation Speaker

I was asked to be the Commencement Speaker in New Stuyahok this year.  Although I internally melt at the thought of public speaking, this time I couldn't say no.  The kids got me on the phone and said, "But you are our favorite teacher!" Haha, little buggers. Well I got them back by telling some great stories about their "elementary" behavior.

Did you notice our matching kespeq's? Made by Robyn Chaney Designs- in "Chief" Ivan Blunka colors no doubt.  We got a lot of complements and everyone asked me who made them.  I'm lucky to have such a talented seamstress in my family, as well as a sister who has an eye for gorgeous fabric.

I was excited at the chance to head back "home", if only for the day.  It was snowing on the day we left (! Yes, snow in May!) and I was nervous that we weren't going to get there at all, but it was just passing through and flying was no problem.  Jon and Kolbi came with me and we had a grand time catching up with friends and showing her off.  She got passed around and loved up- everyone commented on the fact that she looks a lot like her sisters.

I was a little nervous flying with Kolbi, this was, after all, her first small bush flight.  She did fine!  Fussed a bit and then as soon as the engines roared up she fell asleep (just like her Dad did) on my shoulder.

Since I have been in New Stuyahok I've been reflecting quite a bit about my career choices, and the fact that I am just not interacting with kiddos like I should be, or want to be  It's given me a lot to think about.

Three Months Old!

Kolbi Paige is now three months old. I'm guessing she is at least 12.5 lbs and 24 inches long.  She has a killer smile that just about melts you when she does it....she really is an adorable baby.

We hear these things from people when they see her, "Oh she looks like Kiley!" or "Oh she looks just like Kalin!" or "Wow, she is such a combination of her sisters!"  Most frequently people comment on how long she is.... and I tell them she is a Clouse after all.

Kolbi just discovered her tongue, she likes to suck on it.  Her sisters like to tell me that she sticks it out at them.... but I can't blame her, it's really her only weapon against them besides her voice.

Our baby girl is on her way to rolling over, she can get over to her side and can kind of rock back and forth.  I'll giver her a few more weeks to reach that milestone, it will happen soon I am guessing.  She's started to reach for things and has quite a good grasp for a 3 month old.  I'm happy she hasn't discovered my hair yet.

 

We are gearing up for a busy weekend.  New Stuyahok and then Anchorage! Traveling with a 3 month old is always interesting, wish us luck.

Three Deep

This seems to be a song we've been singing a lot at our house lately:

"There were three in the bed and the little one said, 'Roll over, roll over.' So they all rolled over and one fell out.... there were two in the bed and the little one said, 'Roll over, roll over.'  So they all rolled over and one fell out, there was one in the bed and the baaabeee said....... "Ahhhh, just right!"

Haha, Kolbi knows how!

I have woken up more times than I would like to admit squished with a girl-child on each side of me, sweating and with a kink in my neck or back.  We have tried so hard to start and keep them in their own individual beds.... but what do you do when you don't even hear them crawl into bed with you? When you just wake up and they are there?

Seriously.  I have to tell myself they won't want to sleep with me when they are ten. Right?

Daddy's Girls

Be still my heart..... :)

Spring in Dillingham

We saw our first seagulls this weekend on a little walk we took to the beach. Besides the obvious snow melting, birds coming back is our first indication that spring is here- or more appropriately, "break-up."  "Break up" = the time of year in Alaska when the ice & snow start to melt and break and finally disappear.  We go from white to brown and eventually to green.

The icebergs are still large and in charge, and I am ready for them to melt away.  Cam and Kiley had fun exploring for a little while.  Our walk started  through some pretty deep snow.... which was pretty hard on the 4 year old.  Snow over and in the boots make for some very cold feet, and a lot of snot & tears.

This is the time of year we can wake up to beautiful blue skies and 20 degrees - have the day warm up to 45 and then a snowstorm will hit that night. Very unpredictable.  We try to focus on the sunny days, and really enjoy every second.

Clouse Babies...

One little, two little three little Clouses..... People say all the time that our girls don't look anything alike. I beg to differ.

Check out our babies when they were all babies.

Kiley Jeanette... Clouse Baby #1

Clouse #2.... Kalin Dawn

and the freshest of the bunch. Clouse #3... Kolbi Paige

Happy Easter

We had a great day today. Lots of candy, a visit to church, egg hunting and a fabulous dinner with family. What more could you ask for with Kolbi's first Easter. Oh and a great picture of her screaming. See below....

Stationery card

Celebration Bash Graduation Invitation

Graduation announcements and invitations by Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Snow in April.....

For those of you in my family who keep texting me about 80 degree weather, flip flops and sunshine.....I needed to show you these pictures so you can see just how u.n.b.e.l.i.e.v.a.b.l.y cruel you are. See the little house behind Sis? That is my green house.

Here is a close up just in case you couldn't see it very well.

This is our greenhouse in the SUMMER. We have a TON of snow. A ton.of.snow. More snow than I think I have ever seen, really.

I don't think it is ever going to go away (the snow). We have woken up this week to 12 degrees, a snow storm and 3 degrees this morning. Winter has its cruel grasp on us and just isn't letting go.

So I am really hoping that we get some of that Global Warming that everyone is talking about. We just aren't seeing it around here..... so have some pity on me!