Spring Break

This week was our Spring Break. It didn't feel at all like a Spring Break. We've had a pretty crazy week. First off! Why do professors feel the need to ruin any plans you might have for spring break? The largest assignments were given to me for this week. I have a 14 page take home midterm...I thought I was almost finished with it, there was only one more section left--which directed me to another section online that is 16 pages of more ridiculous questions! So I am sitting by our really slow printer waiting for those pages to print. But I've been slowly working on this project all week.

One nice thing is we haven't had to flex our work schedules so both Jed and I put in the normal hours and didn't have to worry about staying later or going in earlier.

But Jed had some bad luck later this week...he was working on his jeep and left his glasses on the hood then drove away...so we spent Friday night looking for them but still no luck.
Then the next morning his laptop died. I don't know exactly what happened, it doesn't recognize the hard drive anymore. We've been expecting it but it is always sad and disappointing when something you love dies. Jed also had to give a talk on Sunday and also teach his Sunday School class.

It has been nice and sunny. It's been in the upper twenties all week, so I guess I can't complain too much. I've been wearing normal shoes...this is the perfect time before break up comes and it will be too wet to were anything but rain boots. I just miss the days where we could drive south for a few hours and feel the southern sun!

Well my papers are finishing up. I have a few big assignments dues the first part of this week. Also I have my THIRD interview to be a tour director tomorrow. I have to give a presentation as if we were on a bus and I am giving a tour! Wish me luck!

First Signs!

The First Sign: Today when I came home from work the sun was still shining. The Sun now rises at 7:39am and sets at 6:43pm...meaning we have 11 hours and 4 minutes of sunlight! It is so great to see the sun shining so much during the day! I can't wait for the long summer days!

The Second Sign: As shown in the video above...water dripping! Though it will freeze again this week...it is starting to slowly melt. It is the best sound in the world to hear spring coming (Slowly).

The Third Sign: While I paused to listen to the water dripping I heard the song of a bird singing in the background! That is a sound that we don't hear all winter...well we hear the loud crowing of the disgustingly large black raven's but they are really gross and don't count. But the birds are migrating back!!! There is sign of LIFE again!

Three signs that this awful horrible winter is almost over!!

Fur Rondy '11

It's Fur Rondy time again! It's Anchorage's big festivities to celebrate the big fur rendezvous and the start of the Iditarod Dog Sled Race. It was a little warmer this year, the sun was out! But it was windy and really chilly. I thought it would be fun to ride the Ferris Wheel and Jed didn't argue too much, but once we got out on top it was SOOO cold! Worse idea ever! (This is us on top of the Ferris Wheel...FREEZING!)

We also had Flat Stanley with us, I took him to the Fur Auction...I think I am trying to smile, but I don't know...we couldn't feel our face after the that ferris Wheel ride.

Also ran into the Missionaries...we took their picture with Flat Stanley also!

The dog sled race, we didn't see too many of the real racers, but maybe next week we'll catch some!

On President's Day we also took a drive out to Talkeetna, Why? Just because...It was a little break from our daily routine. We saw a really beautiful bald eagle on the way and snapped a few photos.


AND if you are every in Talkeetna...which you should all visit one day! But if you are, you need to go to Mountain High Pizza Pie!! The most delicious pizza you'll ever taste! We got the Calzone, which is basically an entire pizza folded in half...mmmm--mmmm-mmm!

One way ticket to....

I really should post more often. But it is hard because I feel so negative lately, and I hate spreading the negative vibes. It is hard to be in Alaska this time of year. It is really cold and there is no hope for winter to be over. I heard that Utah is having a bit of warmer weather...to all of you in UT you may not realize but your upper 40 degree temperature would be heavenly right now.

For the last few days it has been hanging around -5 to -10 degrees. My energy levels have dropped, probably from the lack of sunlight and vitamin D. I stay in bed as long as I possibly can, which means I no longer allow myself the time to go out and start my car before I have to leave for work (Shhh ...don't tell Jed.) My car really doesn't do well in the negative temperatures, it growls really loudly. Trying to drive a car that cold is just painful, but what can I say? I would rather sleep in my warm bed for those extra minutes than bother to warm up my car.

Things are getting a little better though, when I leave for work (around 8-ish) I can see a glimmer of hope coming beyond the horizon...the sun?? Oh heaven's no, but the sky has changed from being full of bright stars to a midnight blue, I can see the silhouette of the mountains to the east. During the day the sun has been shining brightly, but just at the level that your car visor won't quite block it.

But even with the sun coming out more, there is still a thick layer of ice over all the roads, parking lots, and side walks. It is still painfully cold to be outside for more than a few minutes...and people are getting irritated by it. A friend brought to my attention not too long ago that February is the mean month...especially up here! People get very impatient and tempers get out of control...meetings are more stressful, people I work with (clients and co-workers) are more easily offended, homework assignments seem more demanding of your time. All because we are hating winter and just want it to be over with!

I find myself browsing the one way tickets on Expedia...Hawaii, Rio de Janeiro, or the Caribbean? At this point I would take Seattle! I just wish the winter would be over. I want to walk out side without my bulky (yet very cute) snow boots, gloves, hat, and heavy coat...I want to wear normal shoes!

You'll still be blessed

Yesterday Jed and I decided to go to the temple. The temple is really small up here so you have to call to make a reservation, so Jed called and made the reservation for the 8pm session, and the lady on the phone confirmed we were all set for the 8:00pm endowment session. We were running a little late had to rush to get there. When you go in the Anchorage temple you go in a little side room to remove your shoes and coat...so we rushed in threw our coats on the rack and walked up the little stairs to the recommend desk, where three temple workers were standing around talking. They immediately stop and starred at us, then exchanged glances with each other then asked "so what are you doing?"...umm, temple work I thought that's what we are supposed to do at the temple but Jed answered that we were doing and endowment session, again they glanced at each other and I thought we were too late...but there was still 15 min before the session was supposed to start. Then the gentlemen said, "well I guess you didn't get the message. The temple schedule changed and we only do a 7pm session rather than the 6pm & 8pm." So we missed it! But they assured us that we would be blessed for our efforts and they'd be sure to record our name in the computer. We turned around and got back into the truck that was still nice and warm and drove home. Going to the temple is so much easier than I remembered...And the truck was still warm!

Just Whatever

It has been a wild week. School is going well, I now only have 2 classes because I dropped intro to Logic. I am signing up for a Spanish class in town to help me get ready for the CLEP test. School is school, nothing much has changed; we should spend more time studying and less time on the internet, but I guess everyone should do that.

After cleaning out the fridge yesterday, I have made a new goal to eat more! We had tons of left overs in the fridge and food that just went to waste...I decided that I need to learn to cook less or eat more, I'm just going to eat more for now ;)

I went to a yoga class with a co-worker on Friday. I forgot how much I love yoga, my other goal is to start going more often...I'm trying to get Jed to start going with me, he has never done it before. I'll let you know how that goes.

So other than that, I am surviving a little better than earlier this month. The sun is slowly coming out, we now have about 7.5 hours of daylight. Just a few more months and it will start to feel like spring!

Is that too much to ask for?

I could really go for some warm weather right now...and yes the 27 degrees today feels pretty nice, from the -10 degrees we had last week. But what I'm dreaming about is 80 degrees or higher...I want windows rolled down blasting my radio,wearing sunglasses, chacos and spandex with my bike ontop of my car on my way to meet Mama Beck for a ride up Provo Canyon.


Is that too much to ask for?? ;)