Avacation Part Two

While we've been here, we've had some great family time and visiting.  We don't all run errands together but we sure know how to eat dinner together.  This is the first time that me and my brother PK's mom and Lara's mom have been able to meet.  It's been super nice.  The lobby in this hotel is very bright and welcoming.  There is coffee 24/7.  A lot of time has been spent sharing stories from each other lives.

Moose's Tooth.  A must for Momma.

After some running around and Christmas shopping Momma and I decided that we needed some lunch.  She loves Moose's Tooth so I drove our awesome mini van with fancy blue track lighting on the ceiling over there.  We had just spent an hour or so poking around Kohl's.  I think we both scored.  Mom got an appliance and I got a tank top for $3.25.  What's better than that?

I went with a small salad.

Their Hungarian mushroom soup is glorious.  Seriously.  Devour a bowl or at least try a cup if you ever get the opportunity.  The pizza crust is pretty fantastic, go with any pizza that has roasted garlic on it, or add roasted garlic to any pizza.  Their beers are delicious.  Blending the Hard Apple and the Raspberry Wheat is an amazing combination.  I recommend it for anyone that likes a light. fruity beer.

And their glorious hungarian mushroom soup.  YES.

We went to Michael's.  I found a panda figurine.

Panda!

I found two panda figurines.  I may or may not have left them in a compromising position for some unsuspecting individual to find.  After all, one must entertain themselves after shopping for hours.

Pandas.  *snicker*

Avacation Part One

This week Momma and I decided to come into Anchorage to spend time with Lara and PK while they're waiting for little Miss AvaKate to come into the world.  She's not scheduled to arrive until November 2nd, so we're a little early, but it's what was planned.

Plane ride into Anchorage.  This is Momma.  Everyone say hi.

The flight was significantly delayed coming into Unalakleet. Our weather was down and PenAir didn't even leave Anchorage until about 3.  But this gave us plenty of time for a bacon filled breakfast and a few games of Catan with Kaitlyn.  A perfect way to spend a delayed flight day.

Snow covered mountains!

The delay put us into Anchorage pretty late.  We had a loooong stop over in Aniak, mostly due to the stupid FAA guy that was on board the flight with us.  Not to mention the plane was on the ground in Unalakleet for almost an hour.  Whine, whine, whine...  I know.  It's a plane right.  By the time it landed and we picked up the rental I was starving.  So I consider it legitimate whining.  I don't think we were hunting a restaurant down without a wait list until around 8 o'clock.

Gosh it was a beautiful sunset though.  The timing was perfect for that.

And we could see the moon.

On my last trip into Anchorage I saw a preview for The Perks of Being A Wallflower.  I had NO idea that it was being made into a movie.  Aaaand the gentlemen that wrote the book, Stephen Chbosky, also wrote the screenplay and directed the movie.  Talk about rare.  I went on Sunday night.  I adored it.  Adored.

Perks

Beaver Mitts (Part two)

Step three continued: Here's the beaver that I used for the tops of the mittens.  You need at least one pretty large beaver for the tops and another decent sized beaver for the bottoms, or two smaller beavers.  The mittens are meant to be worn over other gloves.

I trace out both pieces before I start cutting anything.  Usually I trace out all of the pieces before I cut anything so that I know I have enough and that the fur is all going the right direction.  Tracing kinda sucks because you can't pin the pattern to the skin.  One option is to tape the pattern down to the hide.

Once you have all of the pieces cut out you need some welting.  I just use strips from the leather used for the palm of the mitten.  Cut them loooong and skinny, about a 1/4 inch thick.  When I sew with the welting I put it so the rough side is to the leather and the smooth side is to the fur.  Just personal preference.  You can welt however you like.

Ready to start sewing!

Ahhh... drinking.

Me too.  Me too...

Pure class

We've all been there.

Those Russians have their shit together.

Respect your wine.

All images from this site.

Sunbutter, banana, bacon

Oh the glory that was this sandwich.  I want another one.  Recently, I was introduced to sunbutter (sunflower seed butter, a fantastic alternative to peanut butter).  I've been addicted to it after the first taste.  After eating about a pound of sunbutter on crackers, I felt it was time to expand my horizons.  Thus the sunbutter, bacon, banana sandwich:

Toast the bread.  Because toasted sandwiches are amazing.

Sunbutter on both sides, because one side just isn't enough.

Peel one side of the banana, because it's easier to slice when it's peel is holding it together.

Put the banana on one side of the toast.

Eat the banana that you didn't use.  Om nom nom.

Add the bacon.  Glorious bacon.

Another view of the gloriousness.

Make it a sandwich and consume it with gusto.

I want another one.

Fuzzy boots

Underarmour addiction.  It's the leading cause of the depletion of my bank account.  For example this pink hoody.  Did I need another hoody?  Well... okay I could argue that point and say yes, but lets go with no.  But yet, here it is.  And it's pink.  And I love it.  And it has a low neck so the hood doesn't pull at my throat strangling me.  And did I mention it's pink?

This pink hoody really goes with everything about me.

Fall boots!

These are fall boots for two reasons.  I can only wear them in the fall after the ground is frozen so they don't get muddy.  I can only wear them until the snow falls because once snow falls they become slippery as f*ck.  I fell in them three times before I figured out that I'm not coordinated enough to wear them when there is snow.  Hence, fall boots.

I love these jeans.  Aaaand they're made in the USA!

Summertime beaver chasin'

Bwahaha... I crack myself up.  I really did chase a beaver though.  And I caught the little guy.  The proof is in the pictures my friends.  Thank you to Sava for catching this on digital print and for being a gorgeous Russian that I got to stare at all summer.

Why hello little beaver.  I see you there.

On the drive up to site one day, I saw a brown little butt scuttling along the side of the road.  So naturally I stopped, got out and started saying hello to it.  The boys in front of me also stopped and Sava busted out his camera.  The poor little guy was quite surprised by us.  I took a few pictures with my phone and Sava was clicking away with his camera.  Then Sava said, "Go grab it.  I want to take a picture of you holding the beaver."  I laughed.  He said, "No, seriously."  So I laughed some more and said, "Okaaaay."  Then I started waddling after the beaver, trying not to step on it.  Eventually I got hold of it around it's middle, yes it was a wet beaver, and held it up for the mug shot.

I won't hurt you.

Said mug shot:

I just want to hug you.

I think I terrified the little guy.  He was all shaking and quaking, squirming and trying to get away.  After picture time I set him down and he started off running away from us again.  It was like we just didn't have a bonding moment or anything.  How rude.

And let you go.

I shall trap you one day.  Just you wait.