The Day Hiking to the Glacirs Ak Ancorage

 Today we took a really long hike to the Glaciers. We saw  two of them and they were Giant!!! One of the Glaciers was 2 miles through the snow and the other one was a little less then one mile one way. But they both had a lake or a river coming out of them. Glacier water is really cold and looks like tropical water until you get to them then you realize how cold they are.

Zander Rolph 5-29-11

Fishing!!

I know Sarah already did one on this but mine is going to be better so you should read it instead!!! Just kidding.... not really :)

Sarong Fishing

Sarong fishing DOES NOT work so don't ever try it. In theory, heres how you do it:

1. Get two people who are willing to get really cold and wet. In this case, its me and Sarah.

2. Get them to hold on to the corners. Two corners each; one for each hand.

3. Go in the water, bend down, lay the sarong on the bottom of the river, lift up one side, lift up the other side, bring them together and run like heck to shore before you get frostbite. Hopefully you have a million fish to show for it. 

What I think went wrong here is that the sarong FLOATS so we cant really lay it on the riverbed. Also, I believe the run like heck for shore so you don't get frosbite part came WAY too early.

Sooooo, since that didn't work, I asked some nice lady for a net to borrow and she let me take it. Heres what happened:

See all that fish? We pulled out around that many every time we put the net in the water. SUCCESS! The fish were really good and we ate them for breakfast!!!

Fixing the Muffler



The previous owner of the Pimpmobile had drilled a giant hole in the muffler to make the engine louder
 and "more manly". The loudness of it was driving everyone crazy so we went to Home Depot and
 bought some metal strap things, sheet metal, and JB Weld to fix it. Zander and I JB Welded and strapped
 the sheet metal to the hole with a little help (ok maybe alot, it was hard). It took like an hour and its still
 pretty sketchy but it helps alot. Sometimes we can hear it flapping around down there and really hope it
 doesn't fall off because it was hard work putting it on! Its ok though because Zander did alot of
 the dirty work, as you can see!
~ Mia (i really like that squigly thing, don't you? :)

Bear Poop and Fishing by Sarah

 Bear Poop! 

We were in Seward on a trail, when we saw this fresh, really gross bear poop. 

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Fishing

On our way to Seward, we saw a ton of people catching fish with nets along a creek that was emptying out into the bay.  We stopped on the way home and Mia asked some nice people to borrow their net they were not using.  I caught aroud 15 smelt and Mia caught around 8 smelt.  The smelt were swimming upstream to make more baby smelt, then they die. 

The next morning, mommy cooked them up and we had them for breakfast!  They were breaded and yummy!  She made fish cakes with the eggs. 

I want to go fishing again!!

Alaska!!!!!!!

We got to Alaska at 10:00 pm on Wensday, it was still light out. Our apartment is awesome, everyone has a bed! It got kinda dark around 12:00 pm. I also saw a Moose, it's legs were really long.
-Kayley
 

Buying the "Pimpmobile"

This is the Pimpmobile.

A day after we arrived here in Anchorage, AK daddy began looking around for a car.
He found this monster Chevy Suberban. Zander, daddy and I bussed over to the guys house and took it for a test drive and all that.This car had been all but destroyed by its previous owner. Zander and I firmly believe that this guy was a total redneck. I mean, he drilled a hole in the muffler to make it sound "more manly" and when he sold it he unplugged the stereo so there is only a big hole in the dashboard where it should be. Also, one of the tires was pretty much flat and the windsheild it pretty much shattered. We bought it anyway and drove it home, filling up the tank and trying to make a bit of a dent in all the dust and dirt and bird crap that covered the roof. It was an interesting and educational experience for Zander and I. And now we call it the Pimpmobile and laugh in disbelief whenever we see it :)

<3 Mia

Botanical Gardens

We went to the Botanical Gardens in Golden. They are really big, and there are lots of status of Native Americans. This native american is shooting a arrow into the sky. It got really boring after the first 30 minutes. It was boring because right after you saw a plant my mom would be like OMG look at that plant!!!! and I would be like come on mom I already saw that plant..

Elevenmile Canyon with Kelsey and Dave

From the top of this high rocky wall of the canyon, we can see everything. There is a dammed up lake in the distance, and the South Platte River snakes from its base. Here and there stand patient  fishermen, waiting for the fish that were supposedly ample there.... I wouldn't know, I only saw two the entire day. I didn't even try to fish. Kayley and Zander and Sarah did, but I gave up fishing last summer during the Junior Guards fishing trip. I stood there for two hours and caught nothing. I guess I don't have the right kind of luck. Instead what I did was hop from boulder to boulder across the cold water. I think I am in love with rocks :) And heights, I really like heights. Like on that huge mountain/boulder we climbed up (pictured above). That was super fun. I like climbing things :) somehow, its always twenty times more fun when I climb rocks to the top of a mountain than if I hike. And then at the top all the wind is blowing at you like it wants to push you right off the top. It makes me feel like I'm flying. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to jump off a cliff... don't worry, I'm not getting suicidal here, just curious. I want to go bungy jumping or sky diving some day...

Maybe in New Zealand!?

Yet another soup day!

Hi all!  It's hailing and rainy again.  The walls of Soch's log cabin style home are shaking from the windy gusts.  I am greatful that the kids are safely at school; Sarah and Kayley are having an indoor field day and Mia and Zander are agnostic to the numerous movies being shown to them on the final day before the final day of school. Glad they are learning about priorities in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and culture in Natcho Libre, their 2 favs so far that we've heard about around the dinner table. 

Brian just told me that I need to find a job, now that we've almost finalized the itinerary, I need him to finalize, and I've almost secured us an Anchorage rental.  I guess it's me time!!!  I shall start tomorrow, after the laundry, sorting and getting rid of all of our stuff , and I need to get some paint on some canvas already!  We leave for Anchorage in a week!  I've secured us some coaching ops, an adult soccer team, and M&Z voluteer ops with the parks and recs in Anchorage.  I hope to keep us busier with some regular morning outings/classes.  I think the kids are going to become really good at fishing us lunch every day!!!
Hey! isn't my job the kids during the summer!!! 

Well, off to do that laundry, get ready for swim practice, and my Zumba class at the rec. center.  What a great resource! 

Riding the bus on a snowy day 5-13-11

Some times we have to go to school on snowy days and its really weird because its May. I'm used to sunny California days not snow. 

Hart of Evergreen walk around the Lake 5-15-11

I really enjoy defacing artwork.... That is why I am climing on this incredibly boring statue with my sister.