Well well well, guess who is back!! Yup, Alaska has not beaten me, rather kept me super busy and it's time to update. It's been 22 months since my last post and we've had a few changes.

I got a job, got knocked up, bought a house, had a baby and started living the American dream (minus the white picket fence-not my style). I guess you could say, life is good.  I know your dying to hear the long version of the last 22 months, so don't panic. Grab a beverage and read on, I have lots to share!

I started working in January 2012 at a job I have grown to love. I work at the same clinic Dale does so we spend every waking moment together, take a moment and let that sink in, be jealous. I am working in the field of addictions and am near my certification completion as a Chemical Dependency Counselor and as of June 2013 I manage my department.

Dale is still at the same clinic and working in family medicine. He recently joined the Commission Core and is now a LT in the USPHS.  Oh? Never heard of USPHS or the Commission Core? Yeah must people haven't.  www.usphs.gov Very proud of my hubby, LT Welsh.

We decided renting was overrated and bought an amazing house. We moved in a year ago this weekend and have been working hard to fill it with all our crap, I mean stuff.  We live near the end of a cul de sac so very minimal traffic and lotsa room for the dogs.  It's brand new construction so we spent the summer putting in a lawn- yay!!! Who ever knew grass cool be so dang expensive! Oui vey!

What else.... Oh yah, we had a baby! I started working in January and we thought it was the perfect time to add to our family.  I will spare you the details (If you have questions, she has the answer) about the process. I spent the summer percolating a perfect baby and on November 12, 2012 at 6:46 pm we welcomed our perfect little girl, Ariella Grace, into this world.  The last year has flown by and we have experienced more than we ever could have imagined.


I have much to share with you all, so don't fret. I will get better at updating you on our crazy lives in AK, it's just time for me to step back and enjoy the view for awhile.

Merry Christmas!

Alaska is a state too!!

Just in case you were not sure, had any doubts, or needed clarification- Alaska IS in the United States of America and has been since January 3rd 1959 when it became the 49th state. So my question is- why the eff is it so freakin' difficult to get anything shipped here or order anything from Alaska to have shipped elsewhere?? Just because Canada separates us, it doesn't mean we are the red-headed step child of America- plenty of other states win that award;)

The next time you order anything from an online sight or magazine or see something on TV that you want to order, look at the fine print or read the disclaimer. Free shipping- excludes Alaska and Hawaii. Unavailable in Alaska and Hawaii. Extra fees apply when shipping to Alaska and Hawaii.

So how do we get things shipped here you ask? Well it's friggin expensive and the pony express was definitely faster. The irony here is I can mail something on Wednesday to send to Michigan and its there Saturday, but when sending us a letter (you know the "hand-written, pen and paper thing we were taught in school") plan on at least a week. So obviously it's easy to get out Alaska but not in......

Thankfully, I will be in a city with a MALL and SHOPPING and not shipping next week;) Now I will just have to keep my luggage under 50lbs and contained to 2 pieces......stay tuned!

Christmas In Ice

Shrek, Donkey and Puss 

My favorite! Santa on a Snowboard!

The detail on this is amazing!

Ice SLide!

Ice Maze

Ice Santa in the MIddle of the Ice Maze

My favorite slide-Ice Slide with 2 tracks and it changed colors :)

Beautiful Santa!

BP Ice Carving finishing up

Merry Christmas!!

My bad!

So I have totally been slacking lately on keeping all you fine folks updated on the Great White North:)  So here is what has been going on the last 3 weeks- a whole lot of the same!

Thanksgiving has come and gone and we celebrated with some good friends here in town.  We of course had waaaay to much food for the seven of us, overate,  felt miserable that night- it was a success:)  The best part was that since it wasn't at our place, we didn't have as much cleanup and we only took minimal left overs home so I happy to report we are not Turkey'd out!

We had that nasty cold snap and now we are having a heat wave.  There have not been any negative temps in nearly 2 weeks, it is lovely!  The terrible part is all the ice:(  We got stuck on our cute little house on the hill last weekend because the ice wouldn't allow us to get down the hill without some of sort slip and slide action.

It is December and we have been keeping busy with Christmas stuff.  My next post (which I am doing today-PROMISE!) is filled with pictures from Christmas in Ice at the North Pole, holy moly those are some crazy talented people!

Keep your fingers crossed for me, but hopefully soon I will have a great post about my new job!  I am currently working. kinda.  I am helping someone out at her Daycare and yikes, I am only working 6-7 hours a day and I am soooo exhausted!  I love the little bambinos, but put that many in one place and exhaustion sets in!

We are slowly getting ready to head out for Christmas, the packing has not started- but my lists have! We are heading to Dales mom's in Arkansas for Christmas this year, it will be nice to get out of the darkness for awhile and enjoy some warmer temperatures and relax!

So that is a quick cap of our happenings and I promise I will be a good kid and try to keep up with the posts!