It's Christmas time!!

It's Christmas time at the Olsen's house. Yes it starts early, but it gives a good feeling in the home. We finally are getting settled into our new home and the whole family loves it. It looks as if I will have to live in Kotzebue for another month or so. I hope it goes fast, I miss Mel and the kids.

Holy Moly look at all of those stockings!!!

These guy's were over by my parents house. There is actually another one behind Momma you can kind of see his rump.

Aidan out at Indian Valley Meats.

The little man stole my spot.

Mel went on a fishing trip this summer when she went down to Anchorage. Yeah, I send her to go catch the halibut. I get sea sick. I'm still secure in my manhood.

We are Moving!!!!!

Well, we are back on the road system! We found a house in Wasilla, off of Knik Goose Bay road.
The process is slow but we are just getting the house together. We love our new home and it is so beautiful here. When we get all of the way done we will put some pictures up. On a sad note Mel and the kids will stay in Wasilla and I will be up in Kotzebue while my company tries to figure out a two week on two week off schedule. I hope it does not take more than a couple of months.

Hunting in August

Todd my partner from work and I decided to go boating down the coast the other day. We took one of our pilots with us. We found this little secluded beach that can only be reached with a boat. I found a walrus skeleton with the head still attached.


Found some jelly fish in the water. I think these two were mating. This was a vindication for Melissa because earlier in the week she got stung by jelly fish in both legs and people were telling her there weren't any in the region. Hah!! We also traveled 60 miles south past the Arctic circle to Puffin island, It is the most northern nesting grounds for the puffin. Look at all of those birds. I have never seen anything like it.
We dropped off our friend and Todd and I decided to do a impromptu hunting trip. This was our camping spot. Can't you just smell the moose?We woke up early in the morning and cruised really slow up and down the slews. Keeping our eye out for the big one.

Yes sir. I got it!! Sixty Eight inch rack! And now we have all that meat in the freezer.

No hormones and we were able to take 700 lbs of meat with out bones. Needless to say I had a lot of happy friends. It was awesome. I was praying to find a moose to catch and 30 minutes latter there he was silhouetted against the sky with his antlers looking like two huge satellite dishes bobbing up and down.




We got home late and here was a nice picture as we pulled into the boat harbor.

Summer Time

It has been a long summer. We have had horrible weather as it has been cold and rainy for most of the time the kids have been out of school. We did manage to capture some of the good days out in the boat and down at the beach. Fourth of July was fun with our mini parade that goes through town. It starts on one street, continues for about 7 blocks, turns the corner and goes another 7 blocks, turns the corner and goes another 7 blocks and then ends at the "fair grounds" which are some fenced baseball fields. The town all line up on front street which is by the ocean. Once the parade passes everyone moves one block east, waits for the parade to pass, and then again moves one block east. It could only happen in Kotzebue. It was fun because Emma and Cora were in the parade. They were part of the National Park Service Float.


Aidan was sad because the big kids went hiking up the steep bank onto the tundra and he wanted to go. They left him behind but the picture was cute.

"The Man, The Machine"



The family with the hooptie.

Pink haired pistol packing mamma.
At the beach the kids have been having fun on the ATV. Mel has become quite good with the 22 pistol.
Gotta have more cowbell!!!!

Catching Up on the Blogging.

In May the girls and I attended my sister Alicia's wedding. The girls looked like little brides.
Cora, Emma, Alicia and her new husband Matt. It is about time we got some height into the family. Matt is 6'5"

So we were over at Vanessa's house for Mother's day and we were all sharing what we bought. Ariane said that Ryan had got her a plant for mother's day and did not look too happy about it. I stated that early in our marriage I bought Melissa a plant. I told her it symbolized our marriage, and that as we watered it, and nourished it, it would grow and flourish. That was all key for, I couldn't afford flowers so I found this cheap plant. I told him that I could totally see what he was doing and was with him all the way. That of course was until Ariane brought the plant in from the car. The only thing I could say was, man you screwed up. I showed the pictures to Mel at home and she could not stop laughing. I think she almost stopped breathing. Way to go Ryan. I am going to print these pictures off and put them on the fridge. Anytime in the future that Mel does not like a gift I gave her I will just thrust my finger toward the kitchen and in a defiant voice say. It could of been worse...Thanks Ryan.
You thought the other angle was bad!

I had the opportunity to go Musk Ox hunting. Mel thought it would be a good Idea to get a family picture. Too bad were late for Christmas cards.

Fun Weekend

Mel racing across the Kotzebue Sound

My speed racer posing with her machine

Getting down with the chain saw.

The Kotzebue Branch Shea fishing trip

(The fishing was good, the catching was bad)

Our new elder couple missionaries from Utah...they

were a little under dressed but they had fun.

I arranged for a babysitter to come over and sit with the kids. I had to gather firewood for the Branch Shea fishing trip and we decided to turn it into a snow machine date. We rode up the trail about 20 miles and then decided to get off of the beaten path and break our own trail. We had a lot of fun cutting in and out of the trees. We did get a little nervous when we approached a dense patch of trees...we came across a bunch of fresh bear tracks...decided not to go in there...We rode around for a couple of hours and on the way back home we stopped to cut wood. It was a good evening. It is amazing how big this country is. Three and half hours, 52 miles and we did not see one person on the trail!

Coping

Getting to know Mel! (stole the list from Megan's blog)

1. LIVING ARRANGEMENT? Apartment 3 bedrooms 2 bathrooms 1200sqft
2. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? My book club book is Elantris, and I just started a Agatha Christie mystery Five little Pigs
3. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Too lazy, don't have one
4. FAVORITE BOARD GAME? Clue Master Detective
5. FAVORITE MAGAZINE? Don't really buy them , but I love house plan books!
6a. FAVORITE SMELLS? Fresh cut grass! Baking food smells like rolls, bread, apple crisp, oh can't forget turkey!
6b. LEAST FAVORITE SMELLS? Rotten meat and fish
7. FAVORITE SOUNDS? The Law and Order Theme doot doot, the ladies cry on the begining of Cold Case and my children sleepeing soundly
8. WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD? Giving talks or any speaking in public
9. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING? Man it's cold!
10. FAVORITE COLOR? eggplant purple
11. HOW MANY RINGS BEFORE YOU ANSWER THE PHONE? depends on what caller ID tells me, usually three.
12. FUTURE CHILD'S NAME? Im not telling, someone will steal it! It's good though.
13. WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT IN LIFE? My family and my religion
14. FAVORITE FOODS? spicy seafood pasta
15. VANILLA OR CHOCOLATE? Milk Chocolate
16. DO YOU LIKE TO DRIVE FAST? Oh Yeah!!!!!!
17. DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL? Chris is my Bear, kinda fluffy too
18. STORMS - COOL OR SCARY? Cool
19. WHAT TYPE WAS YOUR FIRST CAR? 92 Honda CRX 2 door
20. IF YOU COULD MEET ONE PERSON DEAD OR ALIVE WHO WOULD IT BE? Emma Smith, Mary Magdalene
21. FAVORITE DRINKS? Chocolate milk, A&W root beer from the restaurant
22.WHAT IS YOUR ZODIAC SIGN? Cancer
23. DO YOU EAT THE STEMS OF BROCCOli? Yes
24. IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY JOB YOU WANTED WHAT WOULD IT BE? Fornesic Pathologist, or dental hygenist ( I just realized how eccentric that looks )
25. IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY COLOR? I turned 30 and needed to act out so I dyed big streaks and the underpanel bright pink. It's kida fun actually
26. EVER BEEN IN LOVE? yes and lust too!
27. IS THE GLASS HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL? Who cares as long as it's clean
28. FAVORITE MOVIES? Jane Eyre, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Pollyanna, Emmit Otter's Jug Band Christmas
29. DO YOU TYPE WITH YOUR FINGERS ON THE RIGHT KEYS? I try!
30. WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED? Storage bins full of craft stuff
31. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE NUMBER? 13 has been pretty lucky for me? Who knows why
32. FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH? Hockey
33. WHAT CD DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR STEREO RIGHT NOW? American Idol songs
34. FAVORITE TV SHOW? House, Jon and Kate plus Eight, Law and Order SVU, CSI (the regular one, not Miami or NY!!!) Cold Case and currently American Idol, Hey there's nothing else to do in the winter!
35. EARLIEST MEMORY? I stuck something in a outlet and got zapped ( I think I was 3 or 4)

"The Great One"

This is a photo of Kotzebue from the air. I think it was around 50 below when it was taken.

On the way to Anchorage on a medevac, we pass Mt. Mckinley. I took this picture at 23,000 ft.