Pug Break

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Lucy & Frank in the bath. I give them baths several times a year and have to do it individually or no more than two in the tub at once, as there is no room for three dogs in the tub. Frank is not particularly fond of baths but will tolerate them. Lucy is the complete opposite and she will jump in the tub when we are taking a bath, and she loves to lay down and close her eyes. Winston, not pictured here, he sort of likes baths but prefers being held in the shower, I think he likes being in the tub even less than Frank! Lucy is HILARIOUS in the tub! She will dig in the tub to get something that is on the bottom and will even hold her breath under water to retrieve it, what a smart little girl :-)

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Its a nice sunny day outside and I got spring fever, are you ready for some warmer weather??

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Sunday drive

We took a nice drive on Sunday and headed south towards Exit Glacier near Whittier. The temp. hovered around 10 Degrees but with a clear beautiful day we couldn't resist getting out of town for a short drive.
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Our favorite place to stop for some hot cocoa and snacks

















Kyle enjoying the beautiful sunshine












Tunnel leading to Whittier












Heading home












Doggies have had enough of the cold snow!












Refers to the glacial ice, it looks blue due to the color spectrum and the light rays affecting the ice. In the summer, when winter's snow has melted off the glaciers, you can see the blue tinged glaciers.

The Simple Woman's Daybook - Feb. 23rd

FOR TODAY, MONDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2009

Outside my window... It is cool and crisp, the stars are shining brightly and I am hoping for a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis.

I am thinking... That my start to a new week is going well and hopefully will continue to be so.

I am thankful for... My little fuzzy dogs, they are so amazingly devoted even when being punished they will gladly give kisses at a moments notice.

From the kitchen... I am reheating some tasty leftovers and getting our breakfasts ready for tomorrow.

I am wearing... Pj's and my fuzzy slipper socks

I am creating... Dabbling in some sewing projects. I dont have space to set up my craft table and will have to sew at my dining room table which is overrun with fabric at the moment.

I am going... To join Kyle on our cushy couch, watch an episode of Stargate, and have some dinner and a cup of hot tea.

I am reading... Haven't yet made it to the bookstore so no new reading yet, unless you count the headline stories at MSN :-)

I am hoping... That it warms up this week, I dislike going outside with wet hair and having it freeze like dry spaghetti noodles.

I am hearing... The dogs' pitter patter feet on the hardwood floor, time for a nail trimming!

Around the house... The humidifier is going in our bedroom and our awesome new furnace is keeping the house toasty warm.

One of my favorite things... Our Monday night ritual of watching Heroes followed by weekend leftovers and maybe an episode of Stargate, definitely home movie night.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Get our Taxes taken care of and finish at least one sewing project.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

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Bohemian Waxwings invade Anchorage every winter during their migration, here they are feeding off of berries on Mountain Ash Trees. It amazes me that they can manage to swallow the berries whole and will occasionally toss them into the air before gulping them down.

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You can visit Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook for more daybook posts.

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Semi Homemade Chili

By the time the weekend rolls around I feel pretty worn out with all the cooking that I do that it is always nice to have an easy meal on Friday. In case your wondering what I am talking about "all the cooking that I do", I am a full time Chef with some work days stretching to 12 hrs. long that by the time I get home the last thing on my mind is standing in the kitchen to cook more food!
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Here's what I did to stretch a single can of chili into 5-6 cups of chili.
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Semi-Homemade Chili
1/2 Lb. Hamburger
2 Tbsp. Onion, dried
1 Can Pinto Beans
1 Can Chili (I used thick style chili)
1/2 C Water
1/4 C Ketchup
1 Tbsp. Mustard, prepared
1/4 C Cheddar Cheese, and more for topping
Salt
Garlic Salt
Hamburger Buns
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I started off by browning the hamburger in a medium sauce pot with the dried onion and a dash of salt. Cook until the meat is brown and add in drained pinto beans, and chili and heat until bubbly. Then added in water, ketchup, mustard, cheddar cheese, and a dash of garlic salt. Bring back to a low boil and stir until all ingredients are incorporated. Then I take 3 hamburger buns or hoagie/hotdog buns and lay them on a sheet pan, split sides facing up. Top with some chili mixture and sprinkle on a bit more cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes, this allows the cheese to melt and crusts up the bread edges.

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Chili is cooked and ready to go.

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Hamburger buns topped with chili and cheese ready to put in the oven.

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Oh yummy!
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All ooey gooey melty goodness thats ready to eat.

These are super tasty and are great for a quick lunch or dinner.

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Pug Break

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Our little Winston celebrated his 2nd Birthday on Valentine's Day. He was spoiled with a Birthday treat and some new toys.

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The Simple Woman's Daybook - Feb. 16th

FOR TODAY, MONDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2009

Outside my window... The sun has gone to bed, and the white topped mountains peak out among the dark clouds.
I am thinking... That it would be nice if I never had to work again, having a long weekend at home with my family really feels nice and I'm dreading working tomorrow.
I am thankful for... The blessings the Lord has given me in these rough times; a strong family bond, plentiful meals, and a warm home :-)
From the kitchen... It is dark, you can hear the buzz of the dish washer cleaning the last of our weekends meals.
I am wearing... Pj's and my fuzzy slipper socks
I am creating... Working on my place mats, the directions are a bit confusing so it is taking longer than expected. I am also finding that using fabric with stripes is a bit challenging due to even the slightest error in sewing greatly shows.
I am going... To bed, in my soft warm bed with my husband by my side.
I am reading... I am taking a break from reading til something new catches my eye, I'll have to visit the bookstore this week for some inspiration.
I am hoping... That the week goes swiftly and before I know it, it will be another weekend...yeah, I know, but I can wish!
I am hearing... Keith Urban crooning from my speakers singing about "Once in a lifetime".
Around the house... The dryer is humming with its last load for the week, and the dogs are nestled in their kennels for the night.
One of my favorite things... My "my" time before bed where I get ready for work and take some time to snuggle with my hubby before I doze off to sleep.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Hopefully finish my placemats and try to figure out what is causing my Lucy girl to have allergic reactions as it isn't her food so now I will have to check out the chemicals I use in the house. Can be frustrating, but I hate seeing her all broke out in spots.
Here is a picture thought I am sharing...
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Time for bed, oh yeah!
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You can visit Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook for more daybook posts.
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Happy Valentine's Day!

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Have a great holiday everyone. I'll be spending the day with my sweetheart and my 3 love pugs!
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Family Friday

I'd like you to meet my husband Kyle for this weeks family Friday.
aaaKyle at 3 yrs. old with his brother
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aaaKyle at 4 yrs. old
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aaaHappy 8th Birthday!
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aaaHappy 16th Birthday!
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aaaWith some friends, Kyle is 22 yrs. old
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aaaKyle at 28 yrs. old
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Kyle at 30, 40, 50 yrs. and beyond...guess we'll have to wait and see!

I love you sweetheart, Happy Valentines Day :-)
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Grateful

We have suffered our last night without heat, yippee! This morning it is -12 and I am having a new furnace installed as I speak/type this. The dogs had us up during the night as they were cold, against my better judgement I obliged by turning on a small heater and letting it run near there kennels, I know that it wasn't safe but it was really cold!
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Our saving grace through all of this was that the State of Alaska has a weatherization/home energy rebate program. The state set aside a good chunk of money for homeowners to make qualified upgrades to there home to increase the efficiency. The current wait list is over six thousand homes in the city of Anchorage. Anchorage has 6-7 energy raters with each of them able to rate up to 300 homes in a year (the rating takes 4 hrs per home). When we lost heat last week I called the AK housing corporation to get on the wait list, not realizing how long it was, and I ended up speaking to a nice man (obviously high up in the program as he authorized me on the phone), who bumped me to the top of the list since I was without heat. An energy rater visited our home on Saturday and was able to have our paperwork to us on the spot via his portable office, this I sent in on Monday and could finally get a furnace installed.
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The way the program works is through a point system. The standard home rates at a 4 stars with newer construction homes coming in around 5 stars. I am sad to say that our current home rating was a 1 Star plus, how depressing! The program pays you a higher amount for the repairs based on how many stars you increase your rating, so our furnace won't be covered 100% but any assistance is better than having to cover it completely out of pocket. Besides the need for a new furnace we found out that there is NO insulation in the crawl space and we have massive drafting issues around the outer walls of the home, and our current windows offer no insulation value as they are original to the home and it was built in 1983. The good news is that making even half of the improvements will at least double our efficiency.
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aaaYikes, 1 Star Plus

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aaaBlower door test

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aaaOut with the old

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aaaIn with the new

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I snuck a quick shot of the new furnace being installed, the installation tech still has a lot of work to do as he has to cut an access into our attic to attach new duct work for city code compliance.

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The Simple Woman's Daybook - Feb. 9th

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For Today, Monday February 9, 2009
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Outside my window... The clouds are slowly creeping down the Chugach Mountains, enveloping the city in a blanket of white. Smoke trails are visible from the chimney tops and the occasional Raven flies overhead on their way to nest for the night.
I am thinking... That it would be really great for us to have a working furnace as it is awful cold in our home.
I am thankful for... My supportive husband and how he can always make me feel better. It seems that I have started out the New Year on a glum note, I think its just the weather outside, but Kyle has been there to give me support and love even though I can be difficult to deal with.
From the kitchen... I am planning out tonight's dinner of corned beef & cabbage followed by a cup of cocoa.
I am wearing... My comfy pajama pants and a soft warm sweater that Kyle bought for me 2 yrs ago for Christmas.
I am creating... A new set of place mats for my dining room table, I picked out the two fabrics over the weekend and I am excited to make them as they will have a built in pocket for silverware.
I am going... To take a nice soak in the tub before I tackle dinner, and watching Heroes with Kyle.
I am reading... Actually I am currently reading craft books and a home preserving book that I hope to put to good use this summer when produce is on sale.
I am hoping... For a nice Valentines weekend with my sweetheart by spending the day taking a drive south to Whittier for a packed lunch followed by a nice homemade dinner with lava cakes for dessert, yummy!
I am hearing... Snoring Pugs!! The dogs have stayed very close to the heaters and will spend a good part of the day parked on the warm human bed.
Around the house... I am working on re-arranging our second bedroom as it is currently over run with stuff. I am hoping to tackle steam cleaning of the carpets, I actually enjoy this and aim to steam the carpets every month, and to pick up the master bedroom as it always seems to have 3x as much stuff as it should.
One of my favorite things... Taking a hot bath before bed.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Run to the store for water chestnuts for our Valentines Day dinner, get a new furnace installed pronto!, & start on my new sewing projects.
Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

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Kyle loves those baby Pugs, this is the lone female from Frank & Lucy's last litter, her name is Rose Fire, she was born on Valentine's Day 2007.

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You can visit Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook for more daybook posts.

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Family Friday

Thought I would share a bit about myself and where I was born & raised for this weeks family Friday.

I was born in 1980, the youngest of 4 girls, on the Richest Hill on Earth. Many fond childhood memories are of; St. Patrick's Day parades with the Edmonton Bagpipers and having corned beef & cabbage with my grandmother, going on a Sunday drive, digging for rocks (I love rockhouding!), eating ice cream at DQ in the rumble seat of my parents restored hot rod, seeing the Lady of the Rockies lit at night as she watches over the city, and having a piping hot pork chop sandwich at Pork Chop John's (original hometown restaurant, the sandwiches are delish and I would love one right now!).

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As I grow older I find myself longing for those lazy days of childhood.

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Chilly

I know that 45 Degrees doesn't sound that cold, considering that I live in Alaska, however once you realize that that is the current temperature inside my home then you know just why I've titled this post as chilly. Honestly chilly might be a nice way to put it, more like finger numbing, 3 layer wearing, soaking in the tub for over an hour freezing cold.

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I discovered the lack of heat yesterday, upon returning from work, I realized the balmy temperature inside my house. After fiddling with the thermostat, I checked the furnace to find that it wouldn't fire the burners. So, a really long story short is that my furnace is dead and gone and I am in need of a new one. Being the end of the week, and one of the coldest months of the year, I am finding it difficult for someone to replace it within a reasonable amount of time. So we will most likely be without a furnace for a minimum 6 days before it will be replaced unless I want to forfeit my first born in order to have it installed sooner. So for now, Kyle and I will survive with a couple of borrowed space heaters, getting up at 2am to warm blankets in the dryer, having lots of tasty warm drinks, and taking extra long showers.

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Aaaahhhhh... the joys of being a homeowner

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Temperature yesterday as I got home from work, definitely cold as our furnace should have kicked on at 64 Degrees.

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Alaskan wildlife

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Spotted these Bald Eagle beauties on my way out of work today. It still surprises me to see them in a major downtown area.
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Waiting on Redoubt

We picked up some supplies over the weekend while we waited on news of Mt. Redoubt. Volcanic activity seems to increase and then decrease daily so we still don't know if/when an eruption will occur. With Anchorage 100 miles north of Mt. Redoubt, it is estimated that if the mountain erupts it will take approx. 30 minutes for an ash cloud to reach Anchorage, just enough time to get home. The above picture isn't all the items we picked up, missing is dog food, doggie pee pads, bleach, another roll of plastic sheeting, & 5 Gal. water jug.

Kyle is on call for his job, because of the volcano, and thus we will have a very early warning of an ash cloud. Kyle will unfortunately remain on call until the eruption situation has been resolved, one way or another.

Photos taken 1-30 & 1-31, posted at the Alaska Volcano Observatory website, show glacial depressions on the top of the mountain, where the last eruption had occured back in 1990. Fumaroles have increased in size and are visible on the web cams at the Alaska Volcano Observatory as well as mud flows from the side of the mountain.

The waiting is killing me more than anything. Until the mountain erupts or quiets down, we will be on edge waiting to see what will happen.