Happy 71st Birthday Dad!

Lookin great!
Jared holding his cousin Macy

Carson and Maggie give out some love!

Uncle Mike!

These are my firsts
1. Who was your FIRST prom date? Todd Thompson
2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love? Nope
3. What was your FIRST alcoholic drink? I think I had a sip of one in 11th grade while on a double date, but was freaked out about. So really Freshman year of college
4. What was your FIRST job? Alaska Litter Patrol
5. What was your FIRST car? Citation....dont remember the year, but it had 2 crushed in doors
6. Who was the FIRST person to text you today? Rob Proffitt
7. Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning? Carson
8. Who was your FIRST grade teacher? Mrs. Olafant I think....
9. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane? I think to Idaho....
10. Who was your FIRST best friend? I would say Dana Cobb
11.Your first kiss? Ben Durham
12. Who was the first person you talked to today? Carson
13. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time? My brother Mikes and his wife Linda's
14. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning? checked my email on my Iphone
15. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to? Great White, I think....at the dipper for sure...
16. FIRST tattoo? Dont have one
17. FIRST piercing? ears
18. FIRST foreign country you went to? canada
19. FIRST movie you remember seeing? Bambi in the theater? I think Jaws...maybe
20. When was your FIRST detention? Never had it....I was very good
22. Who was your FIRST roommate? Regina Fanelli
23. What is something you would learn if you had the chance? I would say to play the piano or to skate really well.
24. Did you marry the FIRST person to ask for your hand in marriage? Nope
25. What was the first sport that you were involved in? Volleyball
26. What were the first lessons you ever took? swimming-I remember my mom bribing us to jump off the diving board with McDonalds
27. What is the first thing you do when you get home? Usually check my email

Another one of Jared's photoshop creations.

My Life According to Prince


This is a fun one. Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to at least 15 people (okay, it doesn't HAVE to be 15) and include me. You can't use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think! Repost as "my life according to (band name)".

Pick your artist: Prince

Are you male or female? Raspberry Beret
Describe yourself: Delirious
How do you feel? Purple Rain
Describe where you currently live: Alphabet Street
Favorite Mode of Transportation: Little Red Corvette
Your best friend is: I Would Die For U
What is life to You: Diamonds and Pearls
Your Fear: When Doves Cry
What is the Best Advice You have to Give: Kiss
How you would like to die: On the Couch
My Motto: Let's Go Crazy
Describe your love interest: I Wanna Be Your Lover

my soon to be bionic toe!

Sorry for the picture for those of you who get grossed out easily. So I have had toe pain for probably 4 or more years. Nothing that causes great pain, or the need for pain killers, just irritating. Mostly noticed it when wearing a different pair of shoes, or walking a lot.

I went to the TVC clinic a couple of years ago, and had a x-ray done, but it didn't show anything according to them. So finally this summer, I went to an actual foot Dr. He also did x-rays and immediatley said I had some arthritis in the joint of my big toe and that surgery was required to fix it. Surgery for something that wasn't causing me much pain, just irritation. Sheesh! So I finally decided to do it.

Yesterday I went in. The first thing they do is a pregnancy test (yeah right!). So after that test came back negative 15 minutes later, they go my IV put in. My blood pressure was a bit high, so they gave me a valium to help calm my nerves. After awhile the nurse asked how that valium was doing, and really I felt the same. My blood pressure did go down, so I guess it must have been working, but the nurse asked me if I did stuff. I was like Stuff? she was like year stuff, and Im like do you mean do I do drugs? She nods..haha Im like I take some flight anxiety pills when I fly a few times a year that is it. I guess it was weird that the valium didnt work wonders on me! haha so anyways after waiting for 2 hours for the Dr, they finally come in to prep me. The anesthesiologists came in and explained what they were going to do. Then after about another half an hour, the wheeled me down the hall to the surgery room. It looked just like they look on tv. Metal looking room, freaking cold, giant light in the middle of the room. Once I got in there it was pretty quick. She said Im gonna put some medicine in your IV to relax you, and then they put the mask on my face and said to breathe deep. My first breath made me cough, so did the second breath....I started the 3rd breath, and next thing you know I remember sorta dreaming then someone talking to me. I woke up in a different room, and asked the question that I am positive that nurse must hear everytime "am I done?" yep she said, and then she gave me a popsickle. About another 10 mins in that recovery room, then they took me to recovery room 2, and that is when Derek got to come in. It's pretty cool actually. Out in the waiting room they have a big screen monitor with numbers on it. Each patient has a number. So Derek had my number and on the screen it tells you where I am. (Post -op for like 2+hours, Operating room for about 1 hour he said, Recovery room 1 for about 1 hours, and then recovery room 2-when he came in). So anyways, the Dr. (Dr. Quayle) comes in and gives us a picture of my foot. I guess that is the round ball thingee in your joint of your toe. It is suppose to be round and smooth, and mine is detoriating as you can see in the picture. Because of that, it would get caught up while I was walking sometimes and that is what would cause my minor pain. So he smoothed it out the best he could. He did say that this should give me years of relief, but that I may have to come in to get an implant. (oh joy).

Years years years ago, my family along with my sister in law were at a Goldking hockey game. My sis in law Linda got hit in the knee with a puck. Since most of you who read my blog are hockey people, you know how getting hit in the knee with no shin pads, not even paying attention would hurt. My dad retells that story ALL the time, and he always call Linda 'Puck Knee.' About 2 months ago, my family, and my dad and Puck knee's daughter Jenna went to a Grizzley game. My dad and Jenna had seats right in the front row. Derek, the kids and I were about 10 or so rows above them to the right. So a players flies over the boards trying to catch a ball, and pretty much lands right on top of my dad. I text Jenna and ask if everything is OK, and she said yeah, but that the players helmet bounced off of Grandpas (my Dad) shin. He was tough guy though during the game, but did say it hurt like Hell. So now he is called 'Helmet Shin!' Even though my toe is not really the bionic toe (as my friend Jason nicknamed me), I am now proudly in the Puck knee, Helmet shin, Bionic toe club!!

Valdez trip

You can't see from the distance, but I just happened to have my camera on, as I had just taken a picture of a mountain, when we came upon a eagle, raven and seagull eating on a dead rabbit. The eagle took that one last bite and due to his size didn't quite get the height of the other two birds. Too bad I didn't click a few seconds later, because that Eagle was in my direct vision and we barely missed clipping him. Phew!
Alaskan pipeline

Weird cloud formations we saw....looked like alien ships

us up on the Worthington Glacier....we hiked almost to the top

Boys on the rocks near the glacier

Seals in the Prince William Sound

bad lighting with my camera...but Jared and a pink

Carson and a pink

Jared and Derek

Derek with one of his pinks

and yet more pinks..

and more....

the boys playing a game in the RV

Jared's biggest catch...

Boys on the docks in Valdez

Carson pointed out that this looked like the shape of Alaska in the side of the mountain....it really does...

Jared and another pink salmon

on the highway heading home...

Quick stop at Kultina River for some more fishing...

Jared fishing the Gulkana River