weekend of chores

 We got to visit with Ryan on Friday for Family Fun Night.  We built clay people and animals and then smashed them to see how funny they looked when flattened.    Amanda had another weekend full of work.  We booked a halibut fishing trip for this summer at half price.  Jay made some birch syrup, changed the oil and removed the cap from the truck

 Having to remove the studded snow tires by May first(despite snow in the forecast for Wednesday)  I headed to the garage early, there were 20 people in line a half hour before they opened.  60 folks in line by the time they opened and then I spent 3.5 hours waiting.

 Needless to say I needed a beer afterwards.  So, I headed over to have my lovely lady pour me a pint.

This is a video I took while at work on Elmendorf Airforce Base.  The F-22 were taking off all day.

Spring Weekend in Hope

 Brendan and Jessie James Maguire

With Amanda booked all weekend and the 15 hours of sunlight I grabbed the gun and some homebrew and headed to Hope to visit, to play in the snow and look for black bears.

 el bano at Casa de Maguire

 Brendan's brother John stopped by.

 Let's head into those mountains

 Wild Bill Williams (Jessie's brother).

 Brendan climbing one of the bowls

 Jay looking for bears and not finding any.

 Bill making it look easy.

 Jay on the new machine.  After I sunk it in deep snow I was completely exhausted.

 Brendan with his new truck.

 On the ride back north all the snow was sliding off the mountains.  This is a huge avalanche.

 These guys are using kites to snowboard.

I love that Turnagain Arm is no longer frozen.  Summer will be here soon.

mid week hike up the butte

We took tuesday off from work to relax and hike the butte.  there was no snow on the trail and limited mud.  we really enjoyed ourselves being ourselves

 Phinn

Amanda really liked the steep section

weekend full of surprise

 This past week was full of great news.  My cousin Sheila and her husband Marc are doing well with the pregnancy of their child little Herman Samuel Pawlak!  Our close friends Travis and Terese are expecting their first child on Oct. 16th!  My friend Sean who lives in Seattle is engaged!  Then Saturday morning while Amanda was at work and I was doing errands I got a phone call that Karl, Tory and Ryan were coming to Anchorage for the day.  There was some sad news that Max, Lynne and Bob's golden retriever passed and joined his sister Molly in doggie heaven.  The Two Dog Saloon will always be empty w/o you lurking for food, laying around and drinking from the toilet...we love you Max and Molly.

 Saturday night we had a little fire in our backyard.  Karl and Darius stoking the flames.

 Tory, Shekinah (Darius' mom) and Amanda having a make-up session.  (yes, Amanda is working)

 Jay and Ryan.  Ryan is going to be staying in Anchorage for the next 30 days.  His place will be right down the street from our work so we can visit everyday for an hour.

 Amanda tending bar.  Doesn't she look beautiful?  And yes, Amanda is working...again

 Amanda's Bar - Schwabenhof

 The view from the bars deck

On Tuesday I went in for a new tattoo.  It has been seven years.

So excited.  Going again in 3 weeks to finish the background!

Goin' back back to Talkeetna keetna....

Jay and I spent our 3-year anniversary in our favorite little town in Alaska. When we woke up this morning it was definitely snowing, then it started raining, then the sun came out and 40 degrees never felt so warm and cozy. Hey at least the sun is finally back! Check out our fun afternoon in Talkeetna!

 Our favorite beer (Ice Axe) at our favorite pub (West Rib) with our favorite wings (Satan's Revenge!) Can't wait to take Em and Tyler here this summer!

 Uh hem, my face is actually supposed to be the focus here...and if you're wondering how I get my skin so fresh and so clean clean just check out Skin Care on my Mary Kay webpage!: http://www.marykay.com/Amanda.M/Profile.aspx (what's a little shameless solicitation among friends and family right??)

 For Jamie and Justin, from Jay :-)

 Stuffed? No. Jay is just getting this good at photographing live action animals..if this thing wasn't tied to a post we would've been hurtin' fo sho. I think that actually is blood all down its front....

 Dead things on the wall at the grocer.

 Oh and don't forget to buy your live rounds just a shelf above the smokes....

 :-)

 Um yea, par for the course for me in Talkeetna. Post-holed in 3-foot snow but I found a super cool flash light and I didn't drop my ice cream!

Btw, it's 9:00pm in this shot :-) yay for winter being over....just look past the snow like we do!! yay for being crazy!