Do-si-do your neighbor

I went with my friends Dan and Katy for a little Contra dancing tonight. Very fun. It's like square dancing, only you are in 2 lines and change partners after each step sequence, which a caller calls. The pics aren'e the best quality, but you get the idea, kinda. =) Once a month. Next one will be Feb, I want to say 18th, if anyone wants to go!

When the wind blows...

Trees fall over...into the driveway. I went at them (one tree pulled two more down with it) with Grandma McCubbins' saw. As you can see, the saw was visited by the rust fairy. Needless to say, it was easier to break the dry branches off than saw them. I AM MIGHTY!! Dad came to the rescue w/ a chainsaw. Kammi, Daniel, Charise and I "re-planted" branches in the snow. I'm thinking they won't be growing in the spring.

What do you do in Alaska for fun?

Dan Pascucci and Chris Pepper jammin (w/ the salmon) at Veronica's open mic night, which I frequent, every Thursday night.

Charise and I went out for a long winter walk on the beach...in -10 degree temps. We played, slipped and slid on the ice-mud lumps. Nature makes the most incredible ice sculptures...Iwakami, you ain't got nothing on this!

Moi
Reece

Happy Birthday to meeeeee...

It's the big 28!!!! How am I so blessed? What a great age to be. I'm really excited about my 28th year! Those of you who have been 28, tell me about your favorite part of your 28th year. If you've not reached 28 yet, let me know what you'd like to do at age 28.
This year...hmm. I think I'd like to run another 1/2 marathon. Hopefully I'll start PA school. I plan to go on many a hikes and it'd be great to get a bike and go biking. Who knows what else 28'll bring!

Michelle and Jeremiah's Wedding

I realized I hadn't posted any pics of the wedding. They got married on Dec 22nd at the Anchorage temple. They had their reception in Kenai on the 29th. Congrats kids!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

My little Christmas nome (that's an Alaskan garden creature...see the plants she's hiding in?).

We spent our traditional Christmas Eve at Uncle Lynn and Aunt Rosanne's putting together Christmas baskets we later delivered while Christmas caroling. As always, it was tres fun. We split up into two groups this year because we had many houses to visit, and many packages to deliver.

Funny story: so, one of the last houses we went to was Daniel's little friend's house. Unbeknownst to us, they were having a big Christmas party of their own, w/ 50+ revelers. They invited us in to carol for them, then invited us to join in their festivities. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!


We spent Christmas day with Grandma McCubbins, Aaron and Toonks. Delicious food, great company, I love parties, drinks all around...

New Year's day we went out to Bill and Christine's for snow machining and sledding. So much fun!

Yeah for new years and new adventures.

Question Charise posed to me and I pose for you all: When you think of this coming year, how do you see yourself when you are the most happy? Let me know.

Good luck with 2008!

Iggi-giggah kamashlamanayay

Quit dissing my native bro's...

Happy Thanksgiving!

I didn't take any pictures today. Silly me. We had dinner at my house, Grandma McCubbins house. Mom, Dad, Kammi, Daniel, Lisa, Mike, Court and Dreamie, Lisa invited the Nujoy's (they owned the Thai resteraunt) and I invited Heather Gaines who brought John Whiteside. It was a lovely celebration, with much food and grandma's pumpkin pie!!! Oh, yummee!

I do want to say how thankful I am for my family, my friends, my life. I am so blessed! Love you all!

HA-HA-HA!!!

Daniel asked grandma McCubbins if he could do something for her. She said that he could put a couple bags of rock salt pellets into the water machine to soften the water. She went down to wash some towels, and this is what she found...



Dreamie wanted to go skiing...in my boots!

Happy 80th Grandma Carlson

Grandma's Carlson and McCubbins...I'm so lucky!


Uncle Bill, Grandpa Carlson (his little joke...he says "Grandma is eighty and I'll be eighty too (two)" HA! funny guy)!


Daddy and I


My grandmothers, Mccubbins, Wooster(grammy, Charise's grandma whom I have adopted), and Carlson. This was too cute to pass up.

Back home in Alaska

I got back to Alaska on Nov 4th. Charise picked me up in Anchorage and we stayed up at Alyeska where she was having a conference.


Another pic of the mt's of Girdwood.


Brandi's birthday party. Me, Kristin, Brandi, Heather, and Carolyn. All girls from work.


Mountains overlooking Cook Inlet.


The moose are everywhere!

College friends and roomies

I joined my roommate, Heidi while she was teaching a Tahitian dance class.


I spent Halloween with Sara and Tyson, and Heidi and Pona. Sara, Tyson and I are obviously pirates, so we made the children sing "A pirates life for me" before they could have any candy. I also went to my friend, Amber's for a "The Office" party, based on the TV series The Office. They named me the purse sales-lady.


I met up with Beth and Kristy, girls from my last ward. I was Beth's visiting teacher.

Back in Utah

I went to my good friend, Amber's choir concert at U of U...so great! She's on my left, and her friend Amber on my rt.


I got to have lunch with my mission trainer Alison 'Madsen' Johnson. We had such a good time. She and her husband, Zack took me to dinner the night before I left. They are so great!


I also got to see another of my companions, Elisa Rasmussen (can't remember her new last name). She is due to have a baby any day now!


Kamilla's Jake picked me up from the airport when I arrived from Germany, but I didn't get to see Kam. I visited James, Mel and baby Paige, Andy and Stacy, also had dinner with Woody, Melissa and their gang, and Aaron and Mary. I tried getting ahold of Curtis and Becky, and Kimmee, but was not fortunate to get to see them...next time!

Arizona adventures

Anna, Matthew and I took a road trip to Arizona to see Hans, Holly and Smootchalicious Kelsie! We also got to celebrate Holly's birthday while there!


Dramatic vistas call for dramatic moments.


Holly, Anna, Kelsie and I went swimming while the boys played raquetball. You should always wear your sun bonnet when going to the pool. Oh, she's so yummy!


Kelsie read a story with Aunt Anna.


With Hans, Holly and baby Kelsie. So fun to visit! Thanks!

Rexburgious

Kierstin, Becca, Heidi and I went out for Happy Hour at Applebees. De-light! I went with them to church on Sunday and realized I was about 4 years older than the oldest person in their ward. Ah, their such precious young-ones. In RS they were saying "maybe some of you will go on missions...(check, been back from mine for 5 years) and in a few years when you graduate...(mmm, yes, check, check). I'm to thankful that I'm here and not there!
Thanks so much girls for the fun times!


We had Sunday breakfast with Scott and Estelle. Scott fell asleep, but Kierstin, oh she's so devout!


I got to see the Kumfermans...Love them!!! Sad not to have a picture of the whole family, but here I am with my cousins, Elise and Rachel...Diva's!!!

Vernal

I went to visit Anna snd Matthew in Vernal for a few days. It was a lovely visit. We went to the driving range and hit a few balls around (my first time). We got an impromptu lesson from John. With his left arm in a sling, he proceeded to give us a lesson on how to hold the club and swing. It was very informative...and funny.


Yeah, Anna and I are going on the next PGA tour...


Matthew ain't got nothin' on us! So what if he can hit the ball...


Anna did my hair...silver foil is all the rage now!!! Suh-weeeet! While she was doing it we watched Braveheart... I thought I had seen it before, but I found out that I had only seen about a half an hour of it...wow, so good! Thanks so much for letting me visit!!!

Going away party for Millie

I had a going away party for myself, attended by my good friends, starting at the front of the table working around left: Sophia from Austria, Louisa from Berlin, Laura (the new au pair) from Utah, Koko from Utah, Olivia from Australia, Evalynn from Tanzania, Francesca from Rome, Martin from Germany, Martina from Germany, Tamer from Egypt, and Patrick from Austria. It was so great to have everyone there!!


Olivia, Laura and Sophia.


Eva gave me this beautiful wall hanging from Tanzania as a going away present...we had to pose.


Loves first kiss...


My German boyfriend. Hot isn't he?! Too bad he has a smoking problem, and I feel like a giant compared to him, but who could resist eyes like that? And what a physique!!!

Merl/Millie Family pics

Millie, Nicholas and Phineas in the Rheinaue


Me, Koko, Patrick, Nicholas and Phineas


Me and Sophia Shmidl...she is fabulous. Look at her scarf, how could she not be?


The Rheinaue at dusk...stunning