Alaska Guyers - It's a Wonderful Life: August 2009

25.8.09

FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

Quinn is looking all grown up as he prepares to go

to his first day of Kindergarten

Lunch packed, supplies ready, backpack on!!

Big brother assures him Kindergarten will be lots of fun!

FIRST DAY OF 2nd GRADE!!

Mitchell was very ready to start back to school

But he sure is going to miss his little brother

15.8.09

BEARS, BEARS, BEARS, BEARS!!!!

So, did I mention that we saw a few bears on The Russian River last week? Well, they were a little too close for comfort considering it was me and a friend with our 4 kids in toe. There were screams of "bear! bear! bear!" and then we saw him emerge from the woods. A black lab was tied to a log nearby and was going crazy. That didn't amuse the bear and so the bear thought he'd take care of that dog. Bear approached, dog barks louder, and louder and louder (probably thinking "someone untie me there's a bear going to eat me"). I truly thought I was going to see a grizzly eat a lab right before my eyes. Then BOOM!!! Lab owner fires a warning shot and the bear runs off. But where? Into the woods right beside the boardwalk where my friend and the kids are. Yikes, off the boardwalk and onto a rocky island for safety. Eyes now wide as dinner plates continually scanning the woods as we are prepared to wrestle any grizzly that dares come close to our little boys! There's one walking up river, we're safe. Then 2 more come into the river between our safe little island and the boardwalk (the way out). He sits in the river and has a light lunch of salmon sushi right in front of us. Head lifts, eyes stare directly at us and the yummy morsels we call our children. We flee our "island of safety" and head down river. We are now in a safe area and see 2 more bears nice and far away. We decide that there has been enough adrenaline pulsing through our veins to last us a very long time and so hop on the ferry to get home. The guys hiked back through the bear zone to get the car!

Wild times in ALASKA!

Junior Park Rangers!!!

While at the information center for the Kenai Fjords National Park in Seward, Mitchell and Quinn became official "JUNIOR PARK RANGERS". They worked hard on their activity books and Mitchell even interviewed a Park Ranger. Then they stated the oath, right hands raised of course, that they would take care of the land and protect our environment. After that they were officially "sworn in" as Junior Park Rangers and received their badges!

They were so proud!