and the cutest little witch.... (doesn't she look like Wendy from the Archie comics?)
More pictures of a pregnant witch and Angry Bird to follow.
The Clouses had a visitor, my nephew Coleman Cael! His dad was coaching in Kotzebue for a wrestling tournament so we got to keep the most handsome little man at our house for the whole weekend.
We took baths at 7:00 a.m., trying to keep the house quiet for at least a little while. It didn't work very well.
Coleman is a terror on hands and knees.... fast and into everything! But he also likes to be held. We like to accommodate that.
The girls had fun wrapping him up in blankets, whether he liked it or not. I think he liked it most of the time. What a fun weekend, I miss the little man already!
Every year we order a large amount of food from a company out of Seattle, Span Alaska, who then put our groceries on a barge headed for Alaska. We buy a large assortment of bulk "goods" that are too expensive to buy here, or just weigh a lot and are too bulky to deal with sending out of Anchorage. Things like dog food, cat food, rice, cake mixes, cans of soup, chips, pop.... canned veggies and fruit. Just to name a few.
So far all looks well. Baby Girl Clouse #3 is healthy, and very, very active! In one picture I swear she is about to do a somersault.... which would match perfectly with her two very active sisters! They are estimating her due date somewhere between January 30th and February 2nd. 
Jon took the girls and dogs on a climbing expedition to "China Cap." Is it a mountain? Or a hill? I don't know, but it is just a hop, skip and a jump from our house and the family loves to go there. What a gorgeous fall day to be out hiking and soaking up some fall sunshine, just look at that view!
I heard all about the fun they had- rolling and running and picking berries when they got back home, but after seeing these gorgeous pictures I wish I could have gone! I think our next sunny day we are heading here to take our next family picture.
and sunny faces.
As well as monkey bars.
And favorite cousins on the trampoline.
The biggest cabbage we have ever grown. I think it would have won a prize at the state fair!
Cheese... it was hard to get a picture without the grandkids in it!
Kalin and Kiley helped decorate Gram's cake, they love to decorate.
Family party- she cried the morning of because she didn't like her cake. The plight of a 7 year old.
The pirate ship cake @ the kid party. She was happy with it.
Pep talk before the bike race
Ready!
Here they come!
Finished! Phew.
Two of the biggest potatoes they could find
It was a good year for potatoes this year, at least at our house. We dug up about half of our potato garden this weekend and had a total of 51 pounds when all was said and done. It was like digging for gold we discovered..... red and yellow gold.
They make Sis's hand look little!
Some girls take ballet lessons, learn how to cook, take up knitting or play dolls.
See Uncle Will? Right through the head!
That's how it's done boys!
Kalin got to pick a "big" one
Kiley filling her bowl
We have picked from our garden three different times so far this summer/ fall (along with some sampling on my part and I'm sure some secret picking sthat I am not aware of)- I would guess a total of at least 40. There are still so many waiting to ripen, I am hoping that first real frost hangs back for just a little bit longer. 
We don't feel quite so jealous now when Papa and Gram tell us about all the berries they are picking in WA. Gotta love Alaska and this long harvest period, it sure is fantastic this year.
It was another Labor Day weekend spent hunting, not for me but "the boys." They traveled up the Nushagak and spent Friday night to Monday afternoon looking for a moose to fill our freezer for the winter. Why didn't I go you ask? I am a huge supporter of subsistence hunting and fishing, just not so big on the shooting and killing part. I would rather go and pick berries.... which I did. So I made jam this weekend, I was productive at home!
So anyway the boys got a moose, a very big moose. It just happened to be Matthew's first moose too. Matthew acted like it was just another day hunting, minimal excitement. Who wouldn't be excited about that rack? This moose will fill our freezer and give meat to another family to boot. Not to mention really, really cut down on our food bill. We already had our first taste last night, and it was delicious!
So hunting can be a little boring..... but it can also be full of wrestling too.
Boy was she ready! Just look at that smile...
Kiley said the first day of first grade was awesome, the whole day was "the best day." She found out today that her teacher was taught by her Papa, not once but three times! Her teacher was also her Uncle Max's teacher, and her Uncle Max was her sons' teacher too! She thought all of that was combined was pretty stinkin' cool (so did her Mom).
Sis got her face painted like a puppy and also got to ride her favorite ride- the Merry Go Around. She kept telling her Dad she wanted to ride the "horses", so he hiked across the fairgrounds to take her to the pony's. "DAD! NOT THOSE HORSES!" haha, she wanted to go on the Carousel.
Pretty design- she surprises me every year.
What a great day, I wish we could go to the fair every year! So many memories, such good times!
The more the ride spins, the more Kiley liked it!
