Last few weeks of winter

It's officially spring and it's zero degrees and snowing here. A good time to wrap up the last few weeks of winter while we wait for the weather to catch up to the calendar. We've been staying busy with a lot more outdoor activities now that the sun has returned and Kieran and Fly have made the most of it. First off though, here's a quick look back at Kieran's last ski race of the season. Max was out of town so Rachel and I were Kieran's support team. He didn't really need us though. He knows the drill now. First, pick up your bib.

Then a little warm up (and if you can catch the eye of a little girl on skis, all the better).

 Line up at the start. Kieran, farthest from the camera, was the youngest racer in this lineup, but he wasn't intimidated.

This race turned out to be a skicross course which was a first for Kieran. He did great, making all the gates and in the picture he had just landed the jump before the finish.

 Proud ski racer!

 And hungry! This is Kieran's favorite part of ski racing because "even if other kids are hungry and thirsty, only racers get to eat the cookies and drink the tea at the finish".

 I don't know which one is more proud.

 

 Now on to other business...all this shoe chewing tires a puppy out!

 There has been a lot of romping around the yard these past few weeks! Fly is getting bigger by the day and he and Kieran have become buddies.

 Playing on the snow hill at home.

Kings of the mountain!

 Quick snuggle for the camera.

 Heading off to the power line trail down the road.

 We love the neighborhood trails!

 The boys waiting for me to catch up.

 Checking out the mysterious cabin along one of the trails on the ridge. Inside is a bed frame made with branches fastened into a platform with wire. Kieran walked away with all sorts of stories about where it came from and who lived there.

 Fly loping down the trail. It's been fun watching him get to know the area and adopt these trails as his own. Now he has his favorite spots to visit and is oh so excited to greet anyone we run into out there. He's a terrifically social little guy with other dogs, cats, and especially people.

 Zooming and bouncing through deep snow - joyful puppy fun!

 Last but not least, Kieran ended the winter with one less tooth! It was causing some trouble and Kieran wanted it gone. Luckily, he has a trusting relationship with his dentist who very gently took care of it right away. Finally, no more injured teeth! Let's hope it stays that way for a long while.

Happy Spring :-)

Fly

After twelve years of living in doggie Fairbanks and known as ardent "cat people" we finally made the big decision to bring a dog into the family. Nobody was more excited than Kieran as we waited for the puppy's arrival.

Just shy of 8 weeks, this little guy wasn't sure what to think of our house and all the non-dogs inhabiting it. But he turned out to be a very polite little boy and he earned a good amount of trust right from the start, particularly from affable and curious Rufus.

Mostly, I think he just wondered where he was and what he was doing here.

Something told us that he missed his litter mates and his mom. Good thing we had a surrogate.

He picked out of few little lovies from Kieran's pile of stuffed toys. Buffalo went on lots of walks with us at first.

Ah, way back in week 1 when he took naps...those were the days.

In the weeks that we have had him he has received a new name (Fly), learned how to avoid snowshoes while walking the trails, and accepted that he is home.

Thanks Patt and George for deciding that we were the right family for this sweet little fluffball :-)

You can see that he's fitting right in.

Last trip of 2012

After Christmas we took off for some fun in the sun and on the ski trails in WA, and a great visit with Uncle Adam, Payten and Ben.

Every car ride was a party!

 Payen and Kieran had fun skiing together

What fun to ski on fast snow!



Payten and Uncle Max having fun at the trail head.



Skiing across the suspension bridge. Gorgeous!



Looking good boys!

 

 

Trying out the zipline back at the house. We'll need to install one of these at home!



 Outdoor cousins.



20 degrees feels warm after a month at -30.

Piled high sledders.

Thanks Adam, Payten and Ben so much for hosting us and for a super fun visit! We can't wait to come back.


Then it was time to fly east for more family visiting...and more fun. First stop was the farm.
 

It was the first winter visit for Max and Kieran. Not a whole lot happening in the fields this time of year.
 

But it's still lots of fun to explore.

 Checking out the brook. No ice bridge here.

And checking out the new walk-in. Perfect size for a Kieran shower! Thanks Grandpa and Grandma Lee for a nice, quiet visit. You both managed to avoid the camera!

 Next stop, Bushka's house, where we were pampered and doted on and generally spoiled rotten.

There was some bird feeder maintenance.

And climbing.

And for Max and Kieran, a winter trip to Westport.

Ocean air + beach combing = happiness.

There's no place like Westport, even in winter.

 

We spent one afternoon walking around (and on) Walden Pond.

Carrying big sticks.

And skipping stones across the ice. 

Lots of walking but we made it all the way around.

And warmed up by the stove in Thoreau's recreated little cabin.

 

Then fed some goats at the egg farm on the way home.

Lemon bars and birthday candles, thanks to Grandma.

Silly cousins...wish we could do this more often!

 

Thanks to everyone for all the walks and talks and togetherness.

 



I love this picture.

 

What we had originally planned as a vacation and post-holiday family visit became much more than that. The unexpected coming together of far flung family and friends made this a trip we will remember always. It was a quiet and peaceful time to be together, to see family and friends we don't see often enough, and say goodbye to beloved family members we will miss dearly.