CHRISTMAS BREAK!

FROM SARAH

Goodmorning! We are out of school for a week. I’m so excited. It is -20* this morning. Not so excited about that! The wind came up yesterday and started blowing all our copious amounts of fresh snow off the trees. I never did get a fresh picture of our winter wonderland. It has been beautiful out.

Here’s a link to Sarah's caroling album: 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150447991986569.351964.674561568&type=1&l=e7709d74dc

For her Thanksgiving album click here: 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150429081256569.348667.674561568&type=1&l=db4e42232c

Here is a link to my photos for Christmas caroliong

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2694265807613.129972.1585591801&type=1&l=01d1f4f1d4


I’m sure there’s more news but I need to go clean my house while no one’s around.

I DO need to say that…. We will NOT be having a service next Sunday. We ARE having our Sunday dinner on Saturday night followed by potluck dessert and “tab” fun (no ice rink this year) until we reach midnight when we will have our traditional fireworks show. Sunday will be a family day, and it’ll be back to school on Monday, the second of January 2012.

Have a great day.

CAROLING AT THE LAND, DRY CREEK ALASKA 2011

THIS FROM SARAH JEPSEN

Hello,

LOTS of snow, a little bit cold (-10*), lots of company, lots of extra food lying around…. And it’s time for church.

We had a great, coldy time caroling.  The kids are wonderful.  The Williams set up the horses and sleighs and lights and prepared a warm snack for afterwards.

More another day.  Continue to have a great weekend.  Sarah

>>

We both took photos so I am posting links to both Sarah's and my album on Facebook. Take a peek and enjoy!

Wishing you all the BEST CHRISTMAS SEASON EVER...PEACEFUL AND BLESSED IN EVERY WAY.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150447991986569.351964.674561568&type=3

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2694265807613.129972.1585591801&type=1&l=01d1f4f1d4

I'M DREAMIN' OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS...

HAVE A BLESSED, PEACEFUL AND JOYOUS, CHRISTMAS AND REMEMBER THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!...

Tomorrow is the shortest day of daylight!  I’m sooooo excited.  I might have to go out hiking to celebrate. The Hilliker trail was opened by the Kohler boys in their snomachine, so now we have another trail to snowshoe in…really nice! Takes about 30' from the main trail, so it's a nice workout! Can't wait for the days to get lighter, if I'm not on the trail by 2.45 I always get caught in the dusk and have to take my headlamp with me.

We had a sharing service tonight – Miss JoAn, Jarred, Tommy, Jeni, Bro Rus, Bro Garth all shared.  The theme I heard was trust and wait on the Lord because He does have a good plan for us.  Of course, Jeni mentioned super heros (spiderman) and Bro Garth mentioned T-bow (?) so that helped everyone stay awake.  We had an extra special treat in that Griselda led worship – a treat we haven’t enjoyed for some time.  This is Sarah saying this...ha!

Last Sunday Bro Rus and Bro Andy preached and Bonnie led worship.  Bro Rus shared on us being called to be kings and priests who minister to the Lord and Bro Andy shared on traditions, although good, cannot replace the Spirit of the Lord.  (BTW, SJeps crew made Caribbean Jerked Pork with corn, salad, cornbread, and pumpkin pie.)...hard to diet with food like that!

Last night we had a visit from Paul and Mary Trotzke.  A few people came over to visit; a delightful time was had by all. 

Sis Betty Hilliker has been very sick with a chest and head cold.  She has been down for a couple of weeks.  I sure hope she is improving.  I hate to call and check in case she might be resting. 

We’ve continued to have mild and slightly snowy weather.  It was  22* this morning, but I notice that it has dropped to -0* (that’s what my digital thermometer says). 

Kathryn had some of her wisdom teeth taken out over the weekend.  Wonder if she feels less smart?  Jonnie Mac has recently had braces put on his teeth. 

Cathy’s one knee has been giving her a lot of trouble for a year or so, but recently it seemed much worse.  She went to see the doctor and found that she had sprained the ligaments surrounding her knee.  She has to wear a brace and is laid up at home for a little while.

The last we heard from Judy McCaffery is that there are move delays concerning her trip to Ethiopia to pick up her adopted daughter(s).  The delays are frustrating, I imagine.

Linda Samuel has recently started a business called the Jewels of Sheba.  I went to check out her site.  Very pretty things there; if you’d like to check that out, go to:  jewelsofsheba.com

Also, Kathy Casey has started sewing like a mad woman.  She’s been sewing quilted articles to sell on her Etsy site:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/AlasKase?ref=top_trail   check it out! I understand she is doing quite well with it and has customers call her from all over the nation! Wow!

We don't hear much from Pat & Beth- being new double parents is very time consuming. We get to see the girls on Skype now and then, they are growing so fast! Can't wait to squeeze them! I mailed their surprise Christmas package and the occasion was made into a short video, where Ella's reaction to the package was captured for ever…so cute…she kept hugging it and tapping it, wanting to know what was inside. It's a secret until it gets open on CHRISTMAS DAY! Love you girlies so much…my darlings…GOD BLESS YOU!

Rob is really enjoying his new reading/phonics software program. READING HORIZONS. An amazing product that actually teaches adults and ESL students how to read and write the english language. Wish I had known about it earlier. Once he was done with the excellent EDMARK READING PROGRAM, I was at a loss on what to do since he is not a phonics kid, more of a sight word person. The AGSD came to the rescue and presented me with this option which is more phonics oriented, but amazingly enough Rob is getting it! If the system does not let him go ahead owing to his "mud mouth" approach to sounding out words, I can override this and let him continue without getting frustrated and losing interest. Very comprehensive and thorough. I think he will do well with it. It teaches, grammar, punctuation, usage, etc. and has video clips showing how words and sounds are produced. We try and do that every day for about 30'....for Math the district again came to the rescue and  hooked Rob up to an online Houghton MIfflin program called Discovery Math. Rob enjoys it and we are now working on PLACE VALUE. In a few weeks Rob will be getting a new iPad from the district which comes pre loaded with all sorts of educational programs...a bonus. PTL! I LOVE AGSD! Thanks guys don't know what I would do without ya!

During my HS Spanish class, Rob has his own version of Rosetta Stone Spanish and does quite well, all considering. Rather funny at times, the system just cannot understand his responses (Mr. Mud mouth) and so keeps beeping at him and saying "excuse me"...haha...one of my students pipes up and speaks it out for him...and he's on his way! too funny...he's starting to say things in Spanish and using his newly learned greetings with different ones in the community...gets a laugh.!

January will be a busy month for us since we are taking Rob in to get his tonsils out. Trying to see if this procedure will help with lessening his snoring and sleep apnea. Glitch is that one must stay in Fairbanks in a hotel for 10 days, since doc wants him close at hand just in case...will have to find things to do cooped up in a hotel...pray all goes well and we come home soon.

A cold front coming in from Siberia is threatening to make our Christmas caroling rather cold I think. We will be out in the cold regardless…A nice ham meal is planned for the actual day by Ali Squires crew and kids are getting excited and wanting to be out of school….TOMORROW IS FRIDAY!

I need my beauty sleep.  Talk to you later.  Have a great rest of the week.  

WINTRY AND WINDY

We’ve had mild weather for a whole week, I think.  Right now it is snowing big fluffy flakes, as it has been all day, and it is 22*.  Yesterday it was 26* with a cool wind. 

Did anyone see the eclipse on Saturday morning?  I mean to see it but overslept, Pat did get up at 4am. and saw some of it. Some say it was  spectacular, but probably not as much as the solar we had earlier. 

Last night, Tom and Brad, took all the teens and young adults out sledding on Johnson Hill.  Brad brought a generator, and Seth brought lights.  They had a bonfire, marshmallows, sleds, and lots of snow.  A good time was had by all. 

We will be cutting up cows and pigs instead of service on Wednesday night. 

  

Jannis spent the weekend at Whitestone.  Then John and Donna Hasz and Jack Fredricks brought her home and stayed for Sunday supper. 

Kevin and Tommy moved a bunch of the cows around on Saturday, separating the moms from the babies.  Now we have mom’s bellowing for their babies at all hours of the day and night. 

Great expectation in the kiddie department for the Christmas season, not that we celebrate it per se, but we do get out of school and the routine is a bit different. Of course caroling is in the offing as usual and it is always the harbinger of NEW YEARS EVE which brings the yearly display of fireworks and staying up all night to greet the near year in. A nice christmas meal of ham has also become a tradition at The Land and various ones put up lights and other seasonal decor which give the place a festive look with the snow...Pat put up the lights on our sentinel black spruce outside our cabin and it looks rather nice all covered with snow.

Not much happening at home, we are all keeping busy with school work and schedule.

Trust all well with you all and hoping you will have a blessed season in the company of good friends, food and family.

Blessings

Hunting 2011

Seth Jepsen put this hunting slideshow together from various hunts during the season of 2011. Enjoy! May and Pat are in one of the clips I believe.