here are a few of my favorite things...

I just love flowers in the summertime!

from my flower garden

cactus dahlias

from my Mom's flower garden

pink peony

both the salmon pink & the fire orange poppies came from my flower garden

oriental poppies

from my Mom's flower garden

bright red asiatic lilies

from my flower garden

frilly fragrant peony petals

First Family Fishing Adventure

"My God, How Great Thou Art!"

The scenery is always beautiful no matter which way you look there is mountains to one side of you and the ocean on the other. We truly live in the most beautiful place on earth. Alaska is God's greatest masterpiece.

Kylee is STUFFED into her life jacket!

Her face is PRICELESS!

Ethan is hookin' the fish and bringing them

to be beheaded, gutted and cleaned.

Jolee loves to clean all of the female salmon so that

she can collect and hold all of the fish eggs.

Jolee isn't afraid to get her hands dirty gutting all

of our chinok salmon. That is an Alaskan-girl for ya!

Ethan with holding his favorite fish.

-yes we know he is wearing a PINK raincoat-

It was the only coat that fit him.

And he didn't seem to mind the color.
-REAL men wear pink proudly!-

Logan with his favorite flounder.

Jolee is our little mermaid!

She has fish lips.

Kylee is the same size as the salmon.

I have pictures of me laying next to fish

when I was a small baby too.

I thought it would be fun to carry on the tradition.

Jolee, Kylee, Ethan, & Logan

Here are the kids all pooped out from such a fun filled day!

Oh, the joys of camping!

They are all such good little fishermen.

- - - - -

Just for the record

229 chinok salmon (a.k.a. reds), 2 Dolly Trout, & a King Salmon

all from a dip net & all within a 24 hour period.

FISH - It's what's for dinner.

PETER vs the KING

and the winner is...

PETER

-this is what a 45 lb. KING Salmon looks like-

Here fishy! . . . fishy!! . . . fishy!!!
Kylee giggles when she pokes the salmon.

Logan dosen't want to get any closer than he has to.

He is afraid of the King Salmon's super sharp chompers.

Ethan didn't want to lay down next to him either

because he was afraid of his teeth too.

This is Jolee next to the BEAST and lovin' it!

Here's PAPA, Peter's Dad, with the heavy weight.

Cheesecake for Lathen on his special day!

This is the New York Cheesecake topped with Raspberries that I made for my brother Lathen for his special day on Sunday. Yesterday Lathen was ordained an Elder. What made that day so special was that Gramma, my Parents, me & my family, and all of my brothers & all of their children were able to be there for the blessing. What a wonderful feeling to be all together for such a special blessing. And to have all of us active in the church with worthy Priesthood holders to participate. There was a lot of love in that small room.

Lathen's mission call should be arriving in the mail any day now and we love him so much & are all so excited for him!

Alaska Zoo Highlights!

Our first trip to the Alaska Zoo
although we have been to countless other zoo's in the U.S. this was our first trip to the zoo here at home in Alaska. The kids had a blast!

Our first stop was to visit the seals.

All of the kids really enjoyed watching them swim.

The otters were not as active, but nevertheless
always interesting and fun to observe.

Peter & the kids... they are fun to watch too!
It is so amazing to see how quickly they grow & learn!

the polar bears were sleeping

The Musk-Ox is wide awake & alert.

Here is our sweet little Kylee at 17months old with her Daddy. If you are wondering about her pink puffy buised eye it is because of a mosquito bite. Unfortunately all of my kids seem to be allergic to even the smallest of bites. They swell up like a melon shortly after and it stays like that for at least two weeks. Poor baby girl.

Here are our little wild & crazy zoo animals

mingling with the other zoo life here at the

Alaska Zoo and loving every minute of it!

Here is Jolee with her cousin Travis

(Jordan & Alice's oldest son) practicing

their three legged skills before the big race.

Lions & Tigers & Bears - OH MY!!!

We saw this bear seat at the zoo gate and

couldn't resist a good picture opportunity!

So here is Jolee trying her best to be terrified!

Ethan is very theatrical in his attemp to be

SURPRISED that the bear has snuck up

behind him and grabbed a quick snack!

Logan is yelling for help as he gets eaten alive!

Our little Kylee bug seems to be truley afraid

and dosen't seem to like the bear chair

that grabs you - not one bit!

We all SCREAM for ICE CREAM!!!

~ annual picnic ~

Alaska Airlines Summer Fun

Jolee & her friend Alaina Sanger
Logan, Daddy, & Ethan
Enjoying what little cotton candy they scrapped
from the bottom of the barrel.
Smiling with blue teeth... it dosen't get much better than that. Sadly by the time we made it through the hour long wait for the food, sat down & ate... there wasn't much of anything left in the way of treats & goodies at all of the other fun booths set up around the Anchorage Zoo. The cotton candy... gone! The fresh cookies... gone! The giant pretzels... gone! The ice cream... gone! Belive you me we nearly had a riot on our hands! Luckily however, my kids are such good sports and they understood... but it was quite sad. Oh-well maybe better luck next year!

Together on my Birthday

This is our first family temple trip where all of the married children were able to attend together. With everyones hectic work schedules, planned vactions, & Loren leaving with his family for a 8 month job in Guam - today was our only chance to go together as a family to the temple. What a wonderful birthday present to spend my 28th birthday surrounded by the ones that I love in the temple together. This only streangths my testimony of the sealing powers of temple, that families really are forever, and that by going to the temple often that you will be blessed.

Jordan & Alice, Dad & Mom, Duran & Ashley,

Peter & Sara, Loren & Kelsey