We made it!

Hi Everyone!

So, I'm going to try a blog. I've had lots of request from family and friends to keep everyone updated on our adventures up north, but I don't want to be flooding everyone's email box with random updates. So, check in on my blog and see what we are up to!

Now, keep in mind this is my first attempt. Considering I have been trying to get this to work for like an hour now, it will be a work in progress. So stick with me okay?

Don't worry, I'll keep plenty of pictures of Jenssen coming, as well as all of our outings, but like I said it took me an hour to get it set up.... so... give the pics some time, ha!

A little background on our move for those that haven't gotten the down low. Justin, Jenssen and I arrived by plane about three weeks ago (crazy it has been that long!) along with the animals (Izzy, the dog, and Charlie and Mika, the kitties). We have a duplex on the east side of Anchorage. Our neighbors are for the most part nice. I say for the most part because we have ones to the east that are being evicted by June 1st, and we can't wait. I'm pretty sure a minimum of 10 families live there, and the yard is full of everything and anything. That includes a teddy bear, parts of a trampoline (that they actually put together last week so now they jump on it at all hours) quite a few pieces of lumber, toys, half a bed, a few grills, and many more. Besides that, it is a nice neighborhood. Our duplex is three bedrooms, one bath, with a nice deck and a fenced in yard. Everything is now put away (for the most part, still have a few random boxes here and there) and it is feeling like home. Almost all of this stuff was still in the boxes from Savannah, and somehow it all expanded between here and there ;) or so I told Justin. It is feeling cozy, and Justin and Jenssen do their best to mess it up!

The sun rises sometime right after 5 am, and it is still plenty bright out by 1030 pm. This obviously means we needed black out shades. Our landlord had put in some shades in all the windows that do quite well. I did have to buy some darker ones for Jenssen's room. I guess he thought that since it was light and bright at 530 he should get up. Nope, not true. Now it's dark in there, and he sleeps til 8 am! We "make night" around 9 pm. We shut all the shades, and pull the big camo sleeping bag (yes, it really goes with my decor) over the patio doors. It is strange, and I think I might finally be getting used to it. It will only get worse though, with June/July having something like 16 hrs of day light. Guess I better take it all in while I can!

We bought a '99 Jeep Grand Cherokee that is red in Feb when Justin came home from Afghanistan. The army shipped Justin's Sierra up here, and we left my car in Nebraska with plans to sell it. I'm starting to enjoy my little jeep. It is quite handy. I feel like a real Alaskan! We still don't have a nickname for it, so take my little pole question I made!

Jerry, Justin's dad, drove a UHaul from Nebraska with our household goods in it. I can never thank the man enough for that! He then was able to stay for a week and we had a good time. He was able to do a lot of touring and enjoyed getting to know the town. He left me his maps, complete with notes, so now I'm ready to explore!

As I said, we are pretty well set up here, and I think everything has it's place. I'm getting used to having Izzy in the house more. I'm actually keeping up on all the hair (I have no idea how a dog can have so much!) and SWEAR by the swifter vacuum sweeper thing. Not only does it work great, Jenssen is very good at it! I'm LOVING having Justin around, and it is really neat to see him and Jenssen bond so quickly. Jenssen does miss everyone back home though. We look through our little photo album and he points at everyone.

Well, I suppose I will end this little recap of our first few weeks. Hopefully I can keep this up a few times a week. Better keep doing interesting things so I have something to write about huh?

Toodles!