"He couldn't catch a cold buck naked in Alaska"

I don't know who "he" is--but I have definitely caught a cold, and it didn't even take me getting buck naked in Alaska to do it!! It is flat out cold here!! I spoke to a recruiter a couple of weeks ago who had been up in AK and she hadn't explored much. I told myself, "that wont be me--I will be out and about every chance I get" little did I know that it would be too cold to bare outside! Part of it coule be that I am a huge wimp, part of the reason I have stayed inside as much as I can is because I have a cold, most of it could be that the warmest the weather has been since I have gotten here is -2. This morning when I left my first high school at around 10 am the sun was finally out, but it had disappeared by 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The sun never rises it seems, it just hovers, as does the moon.

The picture above is a shot of what it looks like flying into Alaska. I couldn't get to my camera on the plane but I was amazed at how beautiful the ocean was frozen over. It looked like trees from above--this photo is courtesy of NASA--they have a better camera than I do anyways!

Tomorrow night I am planning to drive up a little north out of Anchorage and hopefully see the Northern lights. It has been so cloudy here that the hotel front desk folks were skeptical that I'd see them, but tomorrow is supposed to be clearer. I am going to go get a hot chocolate and wait it out--wish me luck!!

I got here Monday afternoon, I started my high school visits today and had three successful visits! The counselors here are great and I have had quite a bit of interest in University of Idaho. I will do three visits a day and am hosting a Informational night on Thursday for students and their families. I am pretty excited for it and am hoping for a good turnout!

I miss home already though and feel bad for poor Shane, he is working hard and here I am having a work/vacation!

Catch Up

Wow--It has been awhile! December flew by and Christmas was done before we knew it! We spent Christmas in Tekoa with Shane's family! It was very busy--which was good! It kept me from thinking too much about missing my family. Christmas Eve Shane's family (Terry, Denny, Jenn & Grace) came to our place for brunch and to open presents! It was a lot of fun!
Shane and I got each other couches for Christmas (finally!!) and they came the day before so we were able to enjoy them with the family together!
After brunch we relaxed for a bit, went to Mass at Tekoa together and headed Shane's Grandparents house for a Brouse family dinner! This was probably the highlight of Christmas for me! Delicious food, very fun people, my first time playing Pictionary, and a White Elephant gift exchange made the evening fly by!
I missed going to midnight mass with my family, singing in the choir, and everything though. The following day (Christmas Day) we slept in and went to Denny and Jenn's for dinner and a game night with some members of her family.
Overall Christmas was pretty good! It was my first Christmas away from my family! It seems like every time to Fruitland gets shorter and farther apart with the obligations of work and farm that we have--but I wouldn't change it and I'm just happy that both Shane and I are able to do what we love and be together :)

Thankful for so much...

I have been back from Alaska for over and month and life has just whipped right on by! It took me a bit to get used to driving in Idaho and Washington and it has been great being able to sleep in my own bed again! I do have to admit that I do miss out eating all the time, but am very happy to be in Tekoa where there are familiar faces, and of course happy to be back with Shane.
Thanksgiving sneaked up on me this year, and was over before I could get a second helping of turkey! We celebrated at my Grandparents house in Myrtle, (outside of Lewiston.) It was the first time since the wedding that I have spent time with them and my parents and brothers, aunts, uncles and cousins rounded out the guest list. It was fabulous having the entire 'gang' back together.
My parents and brothers joined Shane and I in Tekoa, WA for a couple days. We watched football, ate great food, and played the Wii. I realize I am very fortunate for family and friends this season! Thank you everyone being a part of my life! Until next time!

Glaciers, Moose, Eagles, Oh My!

Awww....Alaska. I have been really enjoyed being in Alaska. It is going to be so hard to go back to Tekoa and Moscow. Before this trip I truly thought I lived in the most beautiful area, no offense to anyone in North Idaho/Eastern Washington, but Alaska is AMAZING!! I grew up in a family that went camping, explored, and got out to the unknown of the Northwest. I thought I had seen it all. I have been to ghost towns, Yellowstone, and many other National Monuments, and parks. I thought it would take a lot for me to be surprised or amazed at my surrounding. I have been in awe most of my trip here so far. Here is a taste of what I have experienced and there is more to come!
Sunday while I was driving through Anchorage a moose (yes a full size moose!) crossed the street. Now, I pictured Anchorage as a smaller "city"--bigger than a town but still small. Boy, was I wrong. It is a good sized city with more than one Target! And here is a moose walking down the street! It was absolutely amazing.

Monday I had the pleasure of visiting Seward and Soldonta High Schools on the Kenai Penninsula. I had some spare time in Seward before I left for my next visit and was able to visit Exit Glacier. This is my first experience with a glacier. I didn't know what to expect, but I was amazed at the beautiful color and the size of the glacier. As I was leaving the glacier a Bald Eagle flew right over me--it was amazing feeling to be engulfed by nature, only 8 miles from a town.

I was able to look at four different glaciers in the portage area later that day after all my visits and they were all amazing. Once again a different bald eagle appeared. I was able to pull over and take some pictures as it ate its fish that it pulled out of the stream. As you can see I was able to get very close!

Now, I should probably say something about the work I am doing up here. Every student that I have met has known someone who has been or is currently a student at the wonderful University of Idaho. I have been very excited about the students and the teachers that I have encountered. This trip has been a blast and tonight I started the fair circuit and was able to meet the recruiters from other institutions.

As always, more to come soon. Tonight I am in Ketchikan, tomorrow Sitka, the day after tomorrow Juneau....I am a traveling fool!

Give Moose A Break....

My favorite road sign that I have seen so far in Alaska has been the "Give Moose A Break" Yesterday I had quite the day before the day even got started for me! I went out bright and early to warm up my car because it was frosted over and I had high school visits in Wasilla and Palmer, AK. I got out there and my car was dead.
I asked the front desk and everyone in the hotel breakfast area if anyone had jumper cables. Everyone I encountered had a rental or a work vehicle and had none. But, once again, everyone was so nice. I walked through the lobby and over heard a gentleman re-asking the front desk for me! The front desk called a cab company who came and did it. The gentleman who had re-asked the front desk for me (he was about my dad's age) actually went outside with me when the cabbie came to make sure that he was legit and didn't kidnap me or anything! It was so nice of him!
Anyways, I paid the nice cab driver and got on my merry way to Wasilla. I pulled into Wasilla, turned my car off to grab a water and a coffee at a gas station and got back to my car and it was dead again! Ridiculous I thought to myself! I jumped out and went into the gas station, they luckily had jumper cables. I found someone to jump my car and when we got back to my car it was locked....WITH THE KEYS INSIDE IT. Not only were my keys inside it, but also my cell and wallet. I had nothing but my coat.
So I went back into the gas station and they called a cab company. I was about in tears!
The cab company got there and tried to start working on my car. The woman was kind of struggling with it and a guy filling up his car with gas came over to try to help. While he was working on it a competing driver came by and started to try to help. 10 minutes later he was in. No one would take any money for getting me into my car or jump starting my car! EVERYONE WAS SO NICE!
I went on to have spectacular visits--and was so ahead of schedule that even with all the drama of the morning wasn't late to any visits! Every student that I talked to knew someone who had or is going to University of Idaho and UI was in many of these students top three. The counselors were all very welcoming and allowed students to be pulled out of class and asked me to come back again soon to visit! It all turned into a great day--mostly due to the amazingly nice people that I met in Wasilla. THANK YOU TO THESE PEOPLE AGAIN!
Now...today (Friday) it hit me, that maybe the second time my car was "dead" it actually wasn't. I remembered later on, that I had a hard time turning the engine over when the guy hooked the battery pack up to it. He jumped in and said, "Well you need it in Park, honey" I had acidently turned off the car with it in gear. I drive a manual so I usually coast into a spot and pull the brake. So, maybe if I had checked that I would have never gotten into my second mess. I still haven't figured out the locked out, but I have turned the car manual inside out and found the pin access code for the keyless entery on the door.
Hopefully I will have no more car trouble for the rest of my trip. I find it funny now, but yesterday if anyone gave me a hard time about it I would have cried. It was stressful and not a very fun way to start a trip. Those of you who know me wont be surprised by this story at all :)

ALASKA!!

So, I have made it. I have been in Anchorage, AK for a little over eight hours. Why am I here you may ask? University of Idaho sends recruiters to Alaska every year to talk to potential students etc. Alaska fell into my area so here I am. I am all alone in a new city, new state, new timezone! I love adventures like this!
Today I cruised around Anchorage to try to become better acquainted with it, talked to some locals and decided that there is just too much to do in this one trip. Oh yah, I am also supposed to work on this trip :) Tomorrow I head to Wasilla and Palmer to do High School visits. Friday I am sticking around Anchorage and Monday I will explore Seward and Soldonta. I do get the weekend to explore freely--I am very excited about that!
This trip is different than any I have ever taken before. I will be gone for 15 days. Shane and I have never been apart for that long. Weird. He is busy with fall work and maybe by the time I get back he'll be done...probably more around Thanksgiving time he'll be completely done. So, no Shane to join me. It is a weird feeling to have someone who you want to call and share each new experience. A friend of mine who is married told me this would happen.
"Traveling alone just isn't the same. You want to share everything with your spouse."
I laughed and told him that I had traveled enough alone that it would be fine. I had been to Hawaii, New York, D.C., and plenty other places alone and while I would call my mom to catch up, I never had that feeling of wanting someone to experience it with me. I was fine being a lone traveler.
Not even 24 hours into this trip, I am wishing Shane were with me. I called him when I got my rental car. I called him when I got to my hotel. I called him when I ate my first meal alone in Alaska. I called him when I returned my rental car because it smelled of cigarette smoke. I swear I am bugging him, but I guess that may be the price he pays while he's driving a tractor in Idaho!
Some notes on Alaska. The first thing I noticed was that people in customer service jobs are NICE. They are genuinely kind and good at their job. Now, I have only encountered 5-6 people in these positions, but all were extremely welcoming and effecient. Not something that I have always encountered during my travels. I am loving this town (the little I have seen) and am looking forward to getting more and more acquainted as the week goes by!

My Birthday....

My birthday is tomorrow, Oct. 3--the best day in history. I know of a couple people who agree. On October 3, my parents had their first child, their only daughter and I have been a constant joy ever since, (just ask them!) My grandparents (both sets) were blessed with their first grandchild, thus making me the favorite for the rest of my life.
My Grandpa Tes used to tell me that I was the only one who could say certain things to him. Those of you who knew him, know that he didn't always take a joke directed at him very well--but I for some reason could get away with making smart-aleck remarks.
On a great October 3 while I was in high school my amazing cousin, Ellie, was born. It is a very special thing to share a birthday with a child. We had horse themed birthdays, and Dorah, and many more.
My favorite would have had to been last year. Ellies parents and her siblings and my parents and Zack and Shane all came together in Moscow. Early in the afternoon Shane and I had lunch with his parents (Dennis and Terry) and my parents (Jon and Teresa.) This was the first time they had met, and it was a lot of fun. Shane and I both agreed that they seemed to get a long well (which was nice--we got engaged a couple weeks later.) After lunch time we hung out together for a couple hours and then Ellies family and my family came together in the house I was living in last Fall for a BBQ dinner, lots of birthday cake, and a little tailgating for those of us who were old enough. We all loaded into the cars and headed to the Vandal Football game. We wont that game, which was awesome, but the best part of it was having everyone come together once again for the birthday celebration.
Many people believe that farmers are only busy 3 months of the year. That farmers just twiddle their thumbs and stare at each other after harvest. This my friends, is not true. It is weird how you have to take care of the soil, fertilize the land, plant seeds and work on equipment so it is always ready to use. This for me means that farm work is not even close to being done.
Not only will this be the first time in 9 years that I am not with my parents or Ellie and her family to celebrate my birthday, it will be the first time I'm married. This is the first time in a long time that I have actually felt a birthday.

I feel old. Should I feel old? Another thing is that Shane has been working long days (11-13 hour days) I am not sure if he has time to even remember that it is my birthday tomorrow. So, I am going into tomorrow with no expectations. We will wait and see--keep your fingers crossed. If nothing happens, I can do my best to be understanding towards him. He loves farming and it does require long days--we signed up for that together. I knew going into it what was required and expected.

Till tomorrow!!