My Pregnancy Belly

I have received many requests for pictures of my ever-growing pregnancy belly. I have to admit, it is rather embarrassing to constantly be taking pictures of yourself especially as you grow and grow and grow. They are not very attractive pictures, but none-the-less, the ones everyone has been asking me for. They are in descending order, so if you are an "order" freak, you might want to scroll to the bottom first and then work your way back up. I like to complicate things....ha ha!

Have a good laugh....

Me and our boy at 31 weeks.

31 weeks after an evening of walking in one of our only days of no rain and a little bit of sunshine.

Somewhere around 26 - 27 weeks. This was taken in St. Louis towards the end of our vacation. Thank goodness we left the heat behind! I can deal more easily with the Alaska summers while being pregnant, although, a little sunshine and less rain would be nice.

26-27 weeks.

Somewhere around 23-24 weeks. This was taken at Table Rock Lake when we went out on a boat with my family for vacation.

This was the first weekend in May, so I was about 16-17 weeks here. I guess, depending on what I wore, I was still able to conceal the fact that I was pregnant, even though all my clothes were getting tighter and I could tell myself.

This was Easter, so it was probably around 13-14

weeks.

This was still in the beginning. These are my girlfriends when we went on vacation in New York for ann extended weekend. I think I was around 10-11 weeks here. I wasn't really showing, but they were all excited to touch my belly with me and share in the excitement of our new child to be!

Da BEARS!

One of the many wonderful things about living in Alaska is all the excitement that abounds when you are sharing your backyard with such wonderful wildlife. Well, this summer, Bob and I have definitely had our eyes opened to learning to live with the BEARS!

Last year, we experienced lots and lots of moose in our yard all the time and this year, in the bush, we deal with being confronted on a regular basis by a big ol' grizzly bear. In fact, just the other night, I told Bob I heard a loud noise and he went outside to inspect. He got to the corner of our house and discovered he was nose to nose with a giant brown bear! You can imagine what went through Bob's mind....The bear made a loud "huffing" noise at Bob and continued to stare him down. Bob, slowly backed up and came inside to get his gun. When he returned the bear had disappeared. The bear's paw prints were all around our garage door and we think it was trying to figure out how to get in there. We keep our fish in a freezer in the garage. We are now extra careful about the freezer and any other smell coming from the garage, like trash.

Due to that incident and many others, like where the bears paw prints had been all over car windows in the morning, or where the bears had gotten into boats and tipped the gas can and everything over etc. etc. We are very careful when we open our door at night or early in the morning. We look both ways before we step outside and we keep our bear spray and guns nearby always.

Below are just a few pictures I took during the month of July. The bears usually came out in the evening time around 11 pm or so, but lately, now that the salmon run is almost over, they've been pretty brave and come out during the day as they search for more food. Most of these bears are the same two brother and sister. We believe they are about 2 years old. We think their momma has been killed so they are learning to fend for themselves. This is why they are so brave because they haven't really been taught very well.

In fact, one morning, one of my friends called Bob to let him know what happened in their yard last night. She started by saying, "I know you can't arrest them, but they really are becoming a nuisance." She proceeded to tell him that they grilled some of their salmon that night on the grill and in the morning, she went outside and found her grill, which stood right next to her house had been squashed several times over and smashed completely flat to the ground by the bears! I saw pictures of it and it was as flat as a pancake! She said, the bear apparently tried to open the grill but couldn't get inside to get to the fish smell, so it kept punching and beating it to get it open and then just smashed it to the ground! Yikes!

A nice evening stroll for the pair of 2 year old cubs seen here.

All of the darker pictures were taken the first night we saw the bears. This was around midnight and we had just come in from filleting our fish we caught that night. We were in the process of sealing our fish to be stored in the freezer when everyone started calling each other to let them know the bears were out. We took a break from our packaging to get some pictures. The bears made a b-line towards the beach where our nets were all sitting. They knew exactly where to go to look for the fish as they could smell what we had gutted and filleted there that night. However, the seagulls and eagles had pretty much eaten everything by that point.

Heading right for our fishing nets on the beach to see what fish guts and all were left for their dinner.

This bear was spotted right in our backyard! Too close for comfort!

These are different from the other two bears. The big one is a momma sow and the teeny tiny fur ball you see next to her is her cub. I took this picture from our bedroom window - in the safety of our house - one night.

I like to title this picture,

"Peek-A-Boo."

This was also taken the first night we saw the bears out. When this guy popped up from the bushes right in front of where Bob was standing! Yikes!

Anyone up for a refreshing and ICY dip in the lake?

This guy was also in our backyard. Oftentimes, they hang out around the corner from our house and they unintentionally cause a little blockade for my girlfriends and I when we want to go on a walk. So, our walks have been seriously limited this summer between all the rain and the bears blocking our path.

Looking for dinner.

Heading to the beach for fish.

As beautiful and cool as these bears are, they definitely have caused many problems and scares for all of us living with them out here. Bob oftentimes goes out in the evenings on "bear patrol" and if any are near homes, he shoots them with these special firecracker shells that have a delayed charge in them. It is supposed to scare them away and teach them not to come around people's homes. This week has been better and we haven't seen as many, but they are probably just moving on to a different food source area as the salmon are not as plentiful right now. Soon, they will be out looking for berries.

Ladies Night

This winter Jeannette and I teamed up to host/teach a ladies bible study. Jeannette, the pastor's wife, had already conducted the same study two times before, but there was still an interest from several women in village who hadn't done the study to do it again. So, I volunteered to host the study on a weekly basis at our house if Jeannette would teach. The study was based on a book of biblical principles and titled "Boundaries." It was a great study and I recommend it for anyone else who has the opportunity to go through it. We held ours from January until May and it really brought several of us women closer. I am very thankful that I now have a group of girlfriends who I can relate to on a deeper basis and truly call FRIENDS!

Below are two pictures, not necessarily from the specific bible study group, but some of the women pictured did participate in the study. The woman in the orange sweatshirt is Amanda and we were throwing her a going away party as she was leaving to go back to the Lower 48 after her husband taught at the school during the school year. She did participate in our group with us.





These are just a few of my women friends in the village.
From left to right, they are:
Front Row - ME, of course, Amanda, Marcy and Jaslyn
Back Row - Mary and Jeannette

After getting to know these women and some other dear friends who were not in the picture, we have gone on to form a little excercise group for the summer. We are hosting our very own "Biathalon" later in August. At first we thought we'd make it a Triathalon, but no one wanted to get into our frigid waters and swim! Can you imagine? So, we've teamed up together and set an exercise schedule throughout the summer for our training. I won't be able to participate fully in the race due to having a baby, but for those that still want to exercise, like me, we will be doing a sort of walking race at the same time! Afterwards, we'll completely negate all the calories we burned by having our men fire up a big BBQ in celebration after the race! You can be sure, we'll have some s'mores to go along for a tasty treat too! I'm not so sure we're totally dedicated to the health benefit of the exercising if we're all focusing on the s'mores afterwards! ha ha! Or.....maybe it's just me because I'm pregnant and can't stand to have a cookout without the traditional tasty treat!

I'm BACK!!!!

Well, here it is, my apology to all my wonderful Icy and Spicy followers! I seem to have fallen off the internet blogosphere for the last month. I don't really have an excuse because I had plenty to write about, but things seemed to get really busy in May for us and I just put working on the computer aside for a while.

During the month of May, I finished up the school year with the kids in our village and then I started a new job for the summer. I'm now working at as an administrative clerk at a local fuel/shipping company at the airport. I'm enjoying my new job. Then we went on vacation in the Lower 48!! So, I've just now been able to get some time to catch up on the computer.

Needless to say, I'm glad to be back online and have lots to share with our friends who keep in touch via the computer. The next several posts will be a little out-dated, but never-the-less entertaining! We hope you enjoy them and please keep in touch!

Preggo Belly Photos

Did you know......

We're having a BOY!!!!

Last weekend (May 1st and 2nd) we went to Anchorage for our doctor's appointments and the Air Show. While there, we had our big halfway ultrasound and learned we are having a SON!! He took us both by surprise as we both thought we were going to end up with a little girl. So, we spent the weekend getting used to the idea of having a little boy running around the house.

It seems that just during the past week and really in the past few days, our little boy has just grown and grown and grown in my belly and I'm really starting to show. I've had several people request pictures of the developments, so here you go.....mostly for my mom! ha ha!

I've also been asked if I can feel him move and I think I've felt him move a little bit in the last few weeks - you know, just those little fluttery feelings. But this morning, I think he must've been really active, because it seemed as if he was moving all around for several hours. I wonder, can he hear me when I'm hollering at the kids in PE? I think he can!

I'm starting to feel a little more uncomfortable and it's getting more and more difficult to bend over and tie my shoes or pick something up off the ground. I've still got several more months to go and kindof dread all the awkwardness that comes with the end of pregnancy. However, it definitely seems more real now that I can feel him move, and I can see changes in my size and all. I've been trying to read to him every couple of nights too. I feel silly, but they say it helps you bond with the child and helps to soothe him even after he's born by knowing our voices. Bob even rubs my belly some nights too and talks to him. He's going to be a great dad! I just wish you all could hear his comments about how he's going to raise our son.....he's so strict, but I agree with him. It's just humorous the things he comes up with. Just yesterday, he said, "Boy, I'm in for a long 18 years. I'm gonna have a hard time." I asked, "Why?" He replied, "'Cause, I gave my dad a hard time and I'm gonna get paid back for all of my trouble-making!" ha ha!!! I guess, what goes around, may just really come around again! I hope the Lord will help us!!!

These pics were taken last weekend (the first weekend in May). You still couldn't really tell with my clothes covering things up, but I felt as if I was beginning to show a bit and I had already started to wear the maternity pants because I couldn't fit into my normal pants.

See....Underneath the clothes, you can actually tell I was growing!

What's this?

NOT ME!!!!

Bob felt left out and had to share is "preggo sympathy belly" growth too!

ha ha!

This was this past Sunday, my very first Mother's Day!! I was 20 weeks here and definitely beginning to pooch out from under my clothes. No matter what I chose to put on, I was popping out and feeling slightly uncomfortable. This was the first time I dressed up in months for church. It was one of the only dressy maternity outfits I had....thanks to my family and friends who have loaned my their maternity clothes!

Halfway through the pregnancy on Mother's Day at 20 weeks!!

Be sure to always check out our pregnancy ticker countdown at the top of our blog. It will keep you posted on our current week and growth of our little guy!

Landing On A Glacier

This last Thursday evening, April 8th, 2010, one of our friends in the village called and asked Bob if he wanted to go flying for the evening and land on a glacier. Of course, Bob didn't turn that down! So, he immediately jumped up and put his snow pants on and headed out the door. So, being the dramatic woman that I am, I was a little bummed that I didn't get to go too. I guess not all the wives around here are as adventurous as I am. Well, Bob could clearly see that I was disappointed, so after he got to the airport, he asked our friend if I could go too or if he could take me out another time for the same experience. That's when I got the phone call! Bob said, hurry up and get your snow gear on and hoof it to the back yard by the lake, we'll fly by, land on the frozen lake and pick you up too! WAY COOL!

So, this is me doing a self-timered picture on the dock in our backyard and waiting for Bob and Karl to arrive in the plane. The big white open space you see behind me is Lake Iliamna. It was frozen with about 8 inches of snow on the top.

Karl and Bob had just landed in Karl's Piper Pacer to pick me up.....in our back yard on the lake!! Talk about curbside service!

I know, I know, you've seen enough of these self portraits over the months, but I can't resist every time I'm on a new flight. I must document, document document! ha ha!

Now, by now, I know you might be tired of all my mountain pictures, but these are different as we were right up next to some scary looking shear drop off faces of mountains on this flight! These are not even zoomed in pics! I had to actually lean way back to get the full effect of their massiveness! Yikes!

Scary giant sharp razor pointed mountains can be intimidating while you're flying RIGHT NEXT to them!!

We landed.....ON A GLACIER!!!!

This was the coolest thing ever! We were near the base of the volcano Mt. Iliamna - somewhere around 5000 feet in altitude. Both Johnathon and Karl landed on this glacier. Johnathon's plane is the yellow one and Karl's is the blue and white one. While up there, Johnathon said he named this glacier (it didn't have an official name on the map) "Bird's Eye View" because once you were standing on it, it gave you a bird's eye view over the whole valley below. It was so beautiful and peaceful! When we got out of the plane, we were stepping in about a foot of snow, but Johnathon got out his measuring pole to see if he could reach the ice on the glacier and said it was too deep. He suspected there was a layer of snow that was about 20-30 feet deep before you would reach the ice of the glacier. (Johnathon is a former tour guide that flew sportsmen and tourists up to Mt. McKinley for 4 years. He is currently a pilot for our air taxi. Karl also works at the air taxi.)

Karl, in front of his plane on the glacier. He was having just as much fun as us! What a great evening!

The boys discussing their planes and how to land on a glacier on skiis - technical talk that was clearly over my head.

Johnathon, me and Karl and Johnathon's dog, Tali, who came along for the ride too. This is where you can see Johnathon using his big measuring pole to see if he can reach the ice on the glacier.

Checking out the planes again and getting ready for take off. Did I mention this was around 8:00 pm in April? It was still sunny and a beautiful night. That is one great thing about Alaska, you can play outside until late in the evening because the sun doesn't seem to ever want to set!

The men pose for a pic.

Wow, did you ever think you would be here Bob?

Bob and me!

Now, here's a great story for you......

On the way back, in order to even out the weight distribution, (Be careful guys how you describe the reasoning here.....you're dealing with a pregnant woman!) I flew back in the yellow plane with Johnathon. The worst part was trying to climb into the plane. Let me remind you, I'm about 4 months pregnant and my snow pants weren't even able to zip up all the way. I was already sunk into the snow up to my knees and had to step up to the ski at the bottom of his plane, THEN I had to hoist my leg another 4 feet or so up to a step in order to hop into the passenger seat! This is no small when you can't seem to bend at the waist very well and you feel as if your snow pants are about to fall off. Once up, the chore was not over. I then had to wiggle myself inside the plane - very tight quarters I might add - and straddle the strange heating element coming from the flight panel, dodge the skis hanging over my shoulder and hearing the dog rustling around over my head, all while trying to find the seatbelt and get my headsets on. This was the most exhausting part of our journey....just getting into the plane! In this picture, I tried to capture the essence of how I felt - all crammed into the plane, but there is no way for you to really understand unless it was you, there instead of me. I just had to laugh as these experiences ALWAYS seem to happen to me!

My view from inside the plane. Let me explain a little about flying in Alaska......

We've got all the essentials right here in this picture. You can see our "Spot", the orange satellite GPS signal duck taped to the bar on the front of the plane. Then the orange tube I'm holding out (and continued to hold for the whole flight back and pointed in whatever direction needed heat) was the heating element. Heat - always a good thing when you're flying in below freezing temps in Alaska and landing on glaciers. Finally, the skis are resting on my shoulder and taking up the length of the plane. It's always good to have skis or snow shoes (which are required when flying in Alaska in the winter) with you while you're out braving the elements. You can't see her in this picture, but please don't forget about Tali, his dog, who was riding in the back of the plane. What a great adventure.....flying out in one plane and back in another!

Here's one additional note on the essentials needed while flying in Alaska. This shot was taken in the back of Karl's plane (that's where I was sitting). A good bear gun is a NECESSITY, a can of oil can never fail you and navigation charts are always needed. BUT, if you look closely, you'll see one more huge requirement.....DUCT TAPE! Did you know that Duct tape is an officially approved field fix it for many needed issues on airplanes. I'm totally serious. So everyone carries it and in fact, you'll often see duct tape on many planes around here. In fact, Bob just added some white duct tape to cover up some air vents on our plane on our last trip! It worked quite well.

On a final note, we took videos of our time on the glacier, including our landings and some fly byes. They are really cool, but I have not been able to upload them to the internet yet. I might not be able to until we are in civilization again, because our internet speed is too slow. I'll keep working on it and see if I can get them out to you - stay tuned for that!

Our Flying Follies

As most of you can tell, by now, one of our main hobbies (well, Bob's hobby - I'm just along for the ride) is flying all around Alaska. Currently, our flights are more out of necessity rather than fun sightseeing. Although, even on each of our trips back and forth to Kenai, we still get to see so many of God's amazing wonders and creations. We are so thankful for this opportunity.

We hope you're not already tired of our endless pictures, because we've got MORE for you!

Me attempting to show you Mt. Redoubt from the plane window. Clearly, it didn't work because of the sunshine filtering in through the window....oops!

Our flight back to Iliamna. We were searching for a hole in the clouds to make it out of the mountains and back down to the lake and on over to our village. It was a beautiful flight, but a little nerve-wrecking not knowing if we'd find a hole or not or have to turn around and go back to Kenai......especially, after being stuck in Kenai for 3 days longer than we planned due to the weather moving in! (FYI...we DID make it! Great flying Bob!)

More views from above the clouds on our way back to Iliamna.

So peaceful and beautiful!

We love the sun that stays out so late now! This picture was taken around 8 pm at the end of March!

Are you tired of the mountains yet? We're NOT!

Bob flying our plane with Mt. Iliamna (one of our volcanoes) in the background!

What a fabulous pilot he is!!

Me, the eternal photographer/passenger!

On one of our trips to Kenai, we were grounded due to a mechanical problem on our plane. Of course, I was not complaining because I was able to walk around and shop while Bob and John worked on our plane. It was the best of both worlds for everyone!

This is John working on the plane while Bob was working on it from inside the plane and under the flight panel. Thanks to our friends at Kenai Aviation, they loaned us the use of their WARM hangar to work on our plane while they were out flying for the day. What a huge blessing to us so Bob and John didn't freeze while working hard!

Bob working on the plane.

Bob had to remove the seats from inside the plane in order to gain access to the panel. It's nice to know they come out and go back so easily! Could make for an uncomfortable trip back....ha ha!

Bob, did you ever imagine you'd be flying around these gorgeous mountains so often?

How cool is this! What a life!

Thank you God, for these blessings!

Fly, fly away with Bob and Lindy!