The Break-up

 Although it was a good movie (I like Jennifer Aniston, plus her dad is Victor on Days...) it is also an important word for any new Alaskan to learn.  You see, in Alaska there seems to be 3 seasons.  Construction season (AKA tourist season) that most know as summer, which is followed by winter.  (We seemed to have a day of fall in between, but not enough for a full blown season).  Winter is then followed by break up, which most of you in the lower 48 (also a word you must learn up here) know as spring.  It is when it starts to stay above freezing and the ice starts to break up.  This is followed by the snow melting, and moving right into too much sun and tourists.

So, I can now say I have survived my first break up...

I recently asked some visitors to Alaska what they thought of it.  "It's ugly" was the response I got.  Not expected.  However, once I thought of it, oh so true.  This is not a pretty time to visit.  The streets and sidewalks are that dirty grey road sludge color, and piled high with all the gravel that has been sprinkled on the streets daily for the last 9 months.  The snow has melted, giving way to a beautiful sight of all the trash that has collected in the ditch since October.  And, everything organic that was covered with snow, is now covered with this strange grey snow mold.  I don't know if that is the real term for it, but that is what I'm calling it.  So yea, it isn't a pretty place right now.

However, if you survived the winter, it is a beautiful sight outside!  No snow, no ice, hooray!  This means no coats, and on a sunny day, flip flops and booty shorts (for those Alaskan's who didn't just have a baby...)  I tired not to get my hopes up after learning of break up.  Because after I was told that was the season we were in, it continued to snow and freeze.  In fact, it snowed the day we brought Rowan home from the hospital, a little under a month ago.  However, a few signs now tell me winter is done, and the orange construction cones and road crews will soon be out, along with people carrying fanny packs and maps.

1.  Driving around town, it constantly gives the impression that it has just rained.  You then seen city dump trucks sitting around random places full of gravel.  Indeed the streets are wet, but only because water is sprayed, the street is cleaned (moving all the gravel used to help keep the roads not quite as icy as a hockey rink to the side) little trucks come suck it up, and it is placed in the trucks.  Then, those empty parking lots that were full of snow now get full of gravel.  Interesting.
2.  The mountains to the east are starting to look less like mountains, and more like big hills that I could totally climb.  Snow makes a mountain bigger, and as the snow starts to melt, I start to get ambitious.  Dont' worry, I'm never ambitious enough to actually try it.
3.  It's May.  Although that isn't a sign, it is hope.  April showers bring may flowers, not may snow storms.  I hope.
4.  The dark is gone, and the light has returned!  It is light enough for no headlights by 5 am, and at 1045 last night I could clearly see down the street.  I thought the hardest thing about moving up here would be the dark during the winter.  However, that wasn't nearly as hard as getting used to it being light so early and staying that way so late.  Hopefully the sun will encourage some green grass and we will be seeing all of those beautiful flowers very soon!!!

So, to celebrate our spring, we put the winter boots and coats away (although not too far in the back) and took the boys on our first walk as a family of 4!

 

As you can see, Rowan had a good time.  My new duo sit and stand stroller proved to be perfect for my combo of little guys.  Get ready Cori, we can hit the town in June!

 

 We found that the city had put new play ground equipment in our favorite play ground off our walking trail.  It has a toddler rock climbing wall.  Jenssen was of course all about it.

It was so nice to get out and let Jenssen run!  We have this nice trail a few blocks from our house, so Izzy and Jenssen both got their much needed energy release, with out the concern of traffic.  However, the bears are waking up, so we have to decide what is more dangerous, a bear coming out of hibernation, or a teenage driver on a cell phone...  Good thing Justin comes with us, and his bear gun.

Jenssen was quite interested in this pine tree, and why it was so pokey.  He kept poking it, saying ouch, inspecting his finger, and upon finding no owey, returned to said tree and the poking continued.  Ah, 2 year olds.

 

And, I was quite excited about this evidence.  You see, this is what happens when a moose gets an itch.  Poor tree, but me and my moose hunter Izzy are quite excited at the thought of a moose in our neighborhood!  Might have to bring a bigger gun next time.

And last.  Can we say guilty?  Dirt desert was made for Easter, and this is what I found when I turned my back.  One Pekas boy licking out the whip cream container, the other with a mouth full of gummy worms.  Next year I'll have to make it when I'm home alone...

Well, I was up last night with 2 sick little guys, and Justin was able to get the morning off to stay home so I can sleep.  Sorry for any typos, or sentences, or blogs..., that don't make sense, for I am not proofing this one.  Sleep when the baby sleeps, right?  Or in my case, when daddy is home to watch the terror that is Jenssen after frosted flakes...

Look outside, enjoy your green!  Mine isn't here yet, but maybe by June!