Potty Training Completed!

Okay, so day 3 and my brilliant child has grasped the concept of the "potty" and is officially "trained"! I am the most excited parent in all the world. Granted...these past 3 days have not been fun...BUT...we now have a 2 year old daughter OUT of diapers! Thank You Jesus! I'm sure there will be many "slip ups" in the days to come...but on this glorious day...we will only dwell here on the GOOD!

SNOW!!!!!!!

IT'S SNOWING!!!!!! It's September 27 but it is snowing outside! BIG, HUGE, BEAUTIFUL, SNOWFLAKES! It is midnight and as crazy as Travis and I are...we ran upstairs, woke Wes up, let him put on his snow boots, and took him outside to make the first snowball of the year!!!!!!! Poor Kid...he has crazy people for parents! BUT IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL! You know the feeling of the first snow fall of the year...it is dark and quiet...and the most amazing white floating down from the sky! I LOVE SNOW!!!!! (and that is why God brought us to Alaska) hehe So, after waking our 4 year old up at midnight to play in the snow, we just HAD to make hot cocoa and relish in the moment! Oh how I hope he remembers this night!

Potty Training-Day 1

Okay...so today began the potty training process for Miss Emmy Grace! At the end of day one...I'm not quite sure how to rate our progress! I will say however, that this day has been the longest, hardest day of my life!!!!! We awoke with great anticipation that THIS day will be the LAST day of diaper land! So, we began the day with a VERY FUN game called "throwing all the diapers in the trash" game! Emmy LOVED this part...we sang a "made up" song written by mommy and had a blast throwing all those VERY EXPENSIVE diapers in the trash! We don't wear diapers anymore...we wear BIG GIRL PANTIES! We had lots and lots of accidents but we also made it to the potty several times as well. We are learning! Hopefully we will do better tomorrow:)

Daddy's New Toy!

Travis bought a snow machine! Yes, we finally gave in to temptation! It isn't new or glamorous but it was a great deal and it runs wonderfully! Wes is SOOOO excited...ALMOST as happy as Daddy! We are all excited for the snow to get here now...we can't wait to go out and PLAY! We are going to hook a sled up to the back and pull the kids around...don't you all just want to come and join us! I know you do! (and by the way...anyone is WELCOME to come and experience Alaska with free room and board...all you have to do is get here...the rest is on us!!!!! Please please please come visit!) Okay, so anyway...just putting that out there. We live in a wonderland and want everyone to experience the joy that we do each day! The beauty is breathtaking!

Okay, enough about that...OUR SNOW MACHINE! Wes is so excited about it that each morning since we have bought it he wakes up, and runs out in the garage to "check on it for us". Isn't that so cute! He has washed it down 3 times already...and one of those times it took him 1 and a half hours. WOW!

Bowling:)

Today we went bowling for Brittany's birthday party. We had so much fun (thanks Britt for the invite:). The kids love to bowl...Emmy sat mesmerized forever watching the ball roll down the lane. Finally we let her try and she was giggling with delight! Wes enjoys bowling so much too...he is actually not that bad. Naturally talent I know:) But anyway, here are some pictures of our day:)

IN LOVE!

I just wanted to say how much I love my husband! He is the most incredible man! HE is so much fun! So flexible, spontaneous, full of life! He challenges me to try new things on a daily basis! Sometimes it gets annoying but over all, I've experienced so much life since God blessed me our relationship! I wouldn't trade my life for anything in all the world!

I just wanted to publically give praise to God for my fabulous man! I am one LUCKY girl!

Cleaning =Therapy

Many people find this an odd statement...but to me it makes complete sense! Cleaning=Therapy! I love to clean...to organize especially! It is so bad that my children enjoy cleaning too! Wes has all his toys organized into little boxes and cubbies...and Emmy Grace knows exactly where every baby doll sleeps! I know it might sound creepy to some (including my husband)...but to me it is wonderful! When I am stressed or feeling down...all I have to do is give my home a nice wipe down and my day immediately looks better:) Organizing my cupboards helps me organize my thoughts in a strange way! It truly relaxes me!

So today, I decided we would clean! Not just put things away and wipe off the counter tops, but CLEAN from top to bottom...wiping baseboards, hands and knees scrubbing the floors, the whole nine yards! IT WAS AMAZING! Wes and Emmy LOVE cleaning day!(at least now they do...I'm sure in a couple of years it will be a different story!) They each get a rag and off we go. Although today I found Emmy Grace wiping the kitty...she has scratch marks to prove it...but overall it was a fun and crazy day! We sing and dance sometimes. We bond. I know I know...insane! But hey, I can lay my head down tonight, take a deep breath, and know that in the morning all the work is done! YEAH!!!!!!

What's Your Story?

There are so many stories out there! Some good, others not so much. Some easy...some extremely hard! Some stories are written like a fairy tale...beautiful...with a perfect ending. Most stories though...are unique...with the ending far from sight! Have you ever sat and thought about YOUR story. From beginning to...well the place you are in right now? If your reading this blog than your story is still ongoing...far from over!

Recently I have encountered some stories that break my heart. Hardship, grief, tragedy, loneliness, hopelessness, despair! Insurmountable odds that seem unbeatable! But while listening, a quiet, yet persistent voice speaks to my heart! He tells me that this story is nothing He has not seen. This story isn't doomed. THERE IS HOPE! My heart begins to beat faster with the realization that the course of this story can be changed! Odds can ALWAYS be beaten! Hardships only make a person stronger! Grief, tragedy, loneliness create a heart humbled and broken, seeking a Savior! There is no such thing as "hopelessness". God wants to give us all a hope and a future filled with love and acceptance!

My own story is quite the same as this one...a sinner. Dirty. Nasty. never good enough to stand before a HOly God. Yet, Rescued. Saved. Freed from a life of despair! My story is a miraculous one...like so many others! And my story is far from over...PRAISE GOD! Listening to other's stories sheds light on the magnificent love God has for His creation! Even in the middle of stories that are still blinded to the truth, there is still evidence of a Mighty Father chasing after His lost children...loving them and directing them to the hope of His salvation! WOW!

I challenge you to think about your story. And praise God for the many chapters He has brought you through!

Black Bear

While in Valdez, Travis took Blake for a black bear hunt. We hiked around from about 6am to 10 before spotting a big bear walking up and down the river feeding on spawning salmon. I stalked him through the river tributaries until I had a clear shot at 50 yards. 1 shot with a 7mm Mag sent him running through the brush for 50 yards until he died in another tributary of the river. After starting the work on the bear we remembered the big Brown Bear we had seen earlier that day so we made a decision to finish the work on a sand bar just down stream where we would have a better view of any incomming danger. Blake helped me skin and dress the bear in about 2 hours. Thanks Blake. His skull scored 18 9/16 and measured 6' nose to tail and 6'6" arm span. The fish and game biologist suggested that the bear was pretty big and about 6 years old or older. Thanks to Blake we got the work done quickly. He said that was the hardest hunting he has ever done.

Loving Mimi:)

My mom has the most patience with these kiddos of mine:) They will repeat her name a THOUSAND times and each time she will answer with the same love and excitement as if she were speaking with them for the first time! Thanks MIMI!

Uncle Blake:)

My brother, Blake, is visiting for 10 days and camped with us this year. It has been so much fun hanging out with him. This is his first visit to Alaska and I think he has enjoyed himself so far! The kids have fallen in love with him and won't leave his side! Here are a few pictures:)

Camping:)

My favorite part of the day is the evening...sitting by the fire...roasting hotdogs...making s'mores...and hanging out with family! The most wonderful part of the trip for me!

The Bears in Valdez

The Salmon were so plentiful...that is part of what makes this trip so fun! YOU KNOW you will catch fish! But the bears knew that too! It was fun to watch them take their share of the fish:)

Valdez 2008!

IT is now official! Our Labor Day trip to Valdez has become an annual event! I thought last year was fun but this year was unbelievable! We caught so many fish, spent some really fun moments with friends (the Sabos) and family alike, caught more fish, camped and had some amazing campfires with some amazing food, caught even MORE fish, and Travis and Blake got a black bear...a HUGE black bear! So, overall, the trip was so cool!


Here are a few pics of the fishing part of the trip:

2 Years Ago 2day:)

I was just remembering what we, the Anderson Family, were doing two years ago today:) We were bringing Emmy Grace home from the hospital for the first time! Here are some thoughts from that day that seems like a lifetime ago...

-We awoke with excitement and anticipation as today would be the day to take our miracle home:)
-We packed up our small room that had been our home for 3 months and said good-bye to nurses and hospital staff that had become our closest family!
-Our primary care nurse (Nichole) came into our room to say good-bye, and in her hands was the sweetest knitted sweater she had handmade for Emmy and a card that I still hold dear to my heart to this day!
-We cleaned out the NICU freezer of all our milk mommy had spent hours and hours pumping and prepared to journey home.
-We loaded up Emmy in her car seat with her heart monitor and received our last instructions as I carried my precious little girl out of the NICU for the very first time!
-Everyone clapped and cheered!
-I remember thinking: "This seems so surreal! For months I was so restricted in how many times a day I could touch her or hold her and now I am just walking her out of here like it is the most normal thing in the world!!! THIS IS CRAZY!"
-Emmy flew on her very first airplane to Fairbanks...at just 5 weeks old! (still only 35 weeks gestational age. WOW!)
-Daddy picked us up from the airport with a smile on his face, and then life as we know it now began!

God is so good! When I stop to think how life could be without Emmy...my heart stops a beat. She is the part of our family that makes it complete! She LOVES life...LOVES to make people smile and laugh! She LOVES her brother with all of her heart. She LOVES to talk and SUPER DUPER LOVES the grandparents in her life! Thank you God for my precious little girl! Thank You for choosing to bless our life with this amazing, larger than life, little miracle!

p.s. Thanks Lindsey for the idea of this post:) I love your blog!