BEARS!!!

So this bear print is on a trail right behind my house. This was taken a month ago. Just last week there was a huge Kodiak bear that Christian saw right on the corner of our street. It's paw print would be twice as big as the one shown. He got a picture on a throw away camera. Hopefully it comes out so I can show you guys. 

 Pictures of Christian and I on a hike behind the house. We had an awesome day! We ended up hiking for 5 hours!

 This is my back yard! How cool is that?

Blessed

How awesome is it that something this beautiful is five minutes from my house?! I feel blessed to live in such a beautiful place. 

Awesome fish story!

I know I haven't posted in a very long time. Sorry :(

This is the best fish story! Some of Christian's friends were out on their boat fishing for rock fish commercially. So to do this you have jig machines with bait in the water. Basically a really fancy fishing pole with multiple hooks on each line. So they are bringing up the jigging lines and this Ling Cod is circling the boat. It is going to try and get the rock fish they were fishing for. So James decides to just take a gaff and get the sucker out of the water! This fish was not caught on hook or in net. It was literally scooped out of the ocean!

Barometer

I climbed a mountain! How cool is that? I'm not going to lie it was a little rough at times. I would walk ten steps and have to rest for a few seconds. I am way too out of shape! I made it all the way to the top though. The last little part was terrifying. One part you have to scale rocks. Other parts you have ten inches to move or you will go down a very large incline. I guess that is part of the fun of it, being scared. The view from the top was amazing. There was a mason jar with a notepad and a pen for people to leave a message. I left "Have fun. Go mad" tee hee! On the top there is a metal marker. Not too sure what it is for but there are a few in various spots on the island. I would imagine it's a military thing. The worst part actually is coming down. I think it has a little bit to do with being able to see how far "down" really is.

Going for the big ride

Christian and I were going halibut fishing in our 14 ft skiff. We were fishing blind with no chart or fish finder. It was like glass on the ocean so we went for a cruise in the boat and hopped over to a spot where he knew the big fish were. We weren't able to go over there before because it was further away and the swells were too big. Here was his chance to get the big one! Within ten minutes of dropping my line I get a bite! I thought the pole was going to come flying out of my hand. I knew this was no fifty pounder. There was one point in time that the fish was actually pulling the boat behind him. Christian looked at his GPS and we were going 2 knots. Wow! He had to take over and bring the fish in because I was going to lose the pole. It was awesome!!!! We had to rub the halibut's stomach on they way back to the harbor because if he would have started flopping around we could have tipped over. He was 120 lbs.

Beauty

Pictures form Bunker Hill beach in Chiniak. These were taken at the same time in the same place. You can see on the first picture in the left hand corner the dark clouds. I couldn't believe the night and day difference with just the turn of  the head.

Ocean Catch

So we go halibut fishing...............and the only thing that we caught was an octopus!! My very first ocean catch!

 We used it for bait the next time and I got a 50 lb halibut!!!!!

My first of many adventures!!!!

My very first Kodiak adventure!!!! How exciting! Miss Rachel and her boyfriend Jason went with us to Boy Scout beach for a bonfire. Our friend Jamie came along too. It was a beautiful night! You wouldn't believe all the beach glass on this beach. There aren't any other beaches here that come close to the amount you can find here. We already have three bottles full after three different trips. Oh yeah this photo was taken at 10:30 at night :) Yay for sunshine!!!

I am finally in Alaska! My first hour of driving is going great! And then....................................

Bam! A random snowstorm. It only lasted an hour thank goodness! How can I drive through extreme mountains and not have anything close to this? I slowed down, kicked it in 4X4 and made it out fine.

The wild life alone in the mountains of Canada was amazing!!! I didn't see near as much as I did the last time I drove this route but I saw plenty.

My journey to Alaska was tiring. It was an absolutely beautiful drive. Most of the way was raining or snowing. I was glad to make it here safely. Here of some of the eerily wonderful views driving through Canada.

Tea Party

Liza and I had a lovely tea time with her two darlings Libby and Grace. I love these girls! We had a nice lesson on compassion and opening our eyes to see others in need. The party only lasted ten minutes but it was precious. I am having an awesome time out here with my family.

After two long weeks of preparing I finally embark on my Alaskan adventure. My first leg of the journey was an eight hour drive to see my sister, Liza, and her family in Iowa. I absolutely love this family! I hope to relax and get myself mentally prepared for the next long haul. Alaska here I come!!!!!