Northern Lights!!!

Yup, it's official.  I'm an Alaskan.  I have seen a bear run across a 4 lane highway, I've had to stop and wait for a moose to cross the road, I've eaten salmon that was swimming that morning, I've felt the breeze of a dog sled team fly by me, I've worn fleece when it gets above 0 and felt warm, I don't wear socks with my UGG boots, I've come home to a moose in my front yard, I've worn flip flops out to start my car when it was -15 out, and NOW..... I've seen the northern lights!

Now, you can't just see the northern lights, it takes some effort.  Here are a few steps I took to ensure I would see them.
1.  Downloaded an app on my phone that tells me if it is a low, mild, moderate, active, or extremely active night for the lights.
2.  Made my friend Melissa, who lives in the valley, text me if she ever saw them (you can see them much easier near Palmer and Wasilla than you can in Anchorage)
3.  Got pregnant in July, so that I would be in my last 4 weeks and up peeing every hour during the best months to see the lights, (Feb and March)
4.   Just kinda hoped I could see them.

And wouldn't you know, those steps worked!  A few nights ago, my phone told me it would be an active night.  So... I woke up around 2 to pee, and thought, ugh, I should go upstairs and see if I can see the lights.  Before I knew it,  I was back in bed (the bed warmer just draws me in...)  Then around 4 I was back up to answer Jenssen's request of "Maaaaaa.... drink."  And I thought, okay lady, get your butt up.  So I looked out my window, and saw a light.  I smiled to myself and ran upstairs to the big window.  I looked again, and the light was still there.  Then I realized that light, along with the other 4 lights, were nothing more than the lights on the wings of a plane that was landing on the Air Force base.  That was disappointing, so I went back to bed.

Talking to some gals at work, I was told it will be a glow, not a single light.  I knew that, but hey, I was tired, and didn't have my glasses on.  The next night, my phone again told me it would be an active night.  So at my usual 2 am wake up, I looked out the window, and once again, was sure I saw them.  I ran upstairs, only to then realize that what I was seeing was the glow of the neighbors yard light.  At least I saw a glow this time.

However, last night was the night!  Once again, active was showing on my phone.  I was determined to see them (that determination is a lot stronger during normal hours vs the middle of the night).  I had been watching a movie, and was getting ready for bed, when Melissa texted me "lights!" So I went outside on our deck, and there they were!  A green glowing band of light dancing across the sky.  I always thought it was funny people describe it as dancing.  But it's true, they really dance.  Like a ribbon just floating across the sky.  I stood out there for at least 30 minutes.  First, I called Kileen because we had just talked about seeing them.  She didn't answer, so I texted, then called again.  I wanted to make sure she knew they were easily seen in Anchorage tonight.  She answered, quite concerned that I was going into labor.  I guess when you are full term, and your husband is away, you should not call the person you plan to call when you actually go into labor, numerous times, if you aren't in fact going into labor.

 

This is a picture I found from one of the news stations of the lights in Anchorage that night. This is exactly like the lights I saw.  I wasn't able to take a pic with our camera as it was so dark, but this is seriously just like what I saw.  Next time I'm going to have the tripod set up so I can set it there and get some good pics in the dark.  That or Amber needs to move up here and be my photographer!

After Kileen, I called my mom, because we had also talked about the lights.  My dad answered, a little concerned that I was calling him so late.  Late I thought?  It was 10 pm here, so 11 pm there... whatever, good night.  It didn't hit me until talking to him today that it was in fact 1 am there, as it is a 3 hr time difference, not 1.  Sorry dad....

Then, I called Justin, to rub in that I was seeing the lights on the deck.  He was on the beach drinking beer.  My plan kinda backfired.  However, about 30 minutes later he got the news that a large wave may be on it's way towards him, so he was packing up to go sleep on the 3rd floor of the hotel instead of the 1st.

So I sat out there for about 15 more minutes, just watching them.  Sometimes they can change colors, and I was hoping to see some pinks and reds.  Stayed green, but still an amazing thing to see.  Neat.  I always wondered why my neighbor cleaned off his lawn chair.  Was he going to sit out there and watch

In other Alaskan news, the Fur Rendezvous gave way to the start of the Iditarod last weekend.

 The picture below is the ceremonial start in Anchorage.  They then have the official start the next day in Willow.  I didn't go to the start, but drove by on my way home from work Saturday (didn't have my camera with me, so this is a pic from the newspaper).  I thought it was funny how they build up the snow for the sled teams.  The atmosphere was so neat just driving near, I can only imagine what it's like to see them up close!

Check it out.   http://www.iditarod.com/  The 1,000 mile dog sled race is about half over, or so I heard on the radio today.  It is so crazy to me to think that a person and some dogs go that far, across Alaska.   I bet they get to see lots of northern lights!  They report on it every night on the news. All kinds of reporters, veterinarians, and others follow them.  Lots of fur is worn from what it looks like.

And, for one of the higher points of Alaskan life.  The Running of the Reindeer.  Apparently, there was a lot of running this year.  Some of the girls I work with went.  I don't think they are the ones scantily  clad in this picture.  Apparently putting the reindeer in heat at the end worked this year!  (Don't worry, once again, the pic is from the newspaper.  This 9 month prego lady wasn't standing in front of the reindeer!)

And then there was this guy. Now, if Justin wasn't in Hawaii, I would have been concerned when I saw this in the paper.  That is certainly Alaskan.

So yup, just go ahead and call me "Tammy the Alaskan".  It is quite the place, and I have seen a lot of things I would have never had the chance to had we not gotten a little piece of paper that said "go to Alaska... now."  However, I miss everyone back home, and wish we were closer, especially while we are starting a family.  Oh well, that's why I always make sure to have a guest bedroom! ;)

Good night!