Cabin Weekend

Over Thanksgiving Weekend, our friends invited us to go out to their family member's cabin. SO beautiful and restful. This happened back in November, but I just loved it so much and have been meaning to blog it and share pictures. 

So cool to reflect on how the Lord brought us to Alaska and has provided us with such incredible community here. We joined a small group when we first moved up to Alaska through our church, Cornerstone. The couples in our group have been so much a part of our lives and have enriched life here for us. It is so good to have the encouragement of other wives here in Alaska. Most of the women I met in our small group have family in other states and that has helped me to see other women who have grown to love Alaska, been committed to following the lead of their husbands, sometimes away from family. Our first experience was talking Jesus and reading scripture and studies together. Our group has grown to ski together, have game nights, rent a cabin together, get out and walk the dogs, dinner nights together, and everything in between. God is so good. I consider the women in my small group to be some of my closest friends here. God has a plan and a journey. I find rest for my soul by putting my trust in Him, knowing that even when you make a huge move, He provides, He shows me His love, He continues to keep His promises. He is faithful and I am thankful.

Rockin' Alaska Style

Love the loft style of this cabin.

Cutest kitchen ever.

We loved getting to see this amazing cabin, which was on an island. We had to drive across a FROZEN lake to get to the cabin. Seriously, so scary. We spent the weekend cross country skiing and ice skating, playing games, and drinking hot cocoa. We loved the time to rest, enjoy community, and experience a way of living in Alaska. The cabin definitely spurred a desire in Tony and I to save up one day for a cabin property in Alaska. I love the idea of raising our kids in acres upon acres of Alaskan land to explore, ski, fish, hunt, bike, hike, and just live experiencing the world God has provided. 

{And let us consider how to stir up on another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.} 

Hebrews 10:24-25

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Holiday Bliss

LOVE the holidays. Wanted to share a few little snapshots of our winter holiday season :) We spent the winter in Alaska with Tony's fam and our Alaskan friends. Hope yours was full of joy as well!

Ice Skating, Potter's Marsh

Thanksgiving Dish #1: Deviled Eggs

Thanksgiving Dish #2: Seven Layer Dip (+ lots of tortilla chips)

Thanksgiving Dish #3: Pecan Pie

Thanksgiving Dinner 

We had a snow day off! :)

Our Christmas Tree

Sagey Girl

Tony + Drew Downtown

Youth Group "Make A Human Christmas Tree" Game

Youth Group "Make A Human Snowman" Game

Gifts Galore from my students :)

Christmas Card Time

Caroling in the Snow

Gingerbread making and present wrapping

Luiken Christmas

Holly Loves Christmas!

Puzzle Time 

Got to see my bestie Steph! And we went skiing

Ice Skating with Stephers

Christmas Dinner Table

Love Alaska :)

Hope you had a wonderful winter and holiday season! 

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2013 Fitness Friday: Weeks 43- 52 + 2014 Vision

 So, 2014 is officially here and it came upon me in a flash! I love the excitement that a new year brings and the time it brings to reflect on the last year and get excited about what is ahead.

I never had time to post my last Fitness Friday posts in the craziness of the end of 2013. November and December were super busy but what I love about Alaskan winters is all of the fitness you can do outside. We found some time to do some cross country skiing, downhill skiing, ice skating, and snowshoeing. I loved being able to do some fitness outdoors and I am even more excited for the Alaskan summer (because with teaching, I'm able to have the summer off!) :)

We used to have a membership to the Alaska Club, which is a gym here in Anchorage. But, with working at a private Christian school, we decided we couldn't afford that gym membership anymore. We cancelled our membership and are now trying to focus more on getting outside to do fitness.

Some of our fitness adventures this past winter:

Downhill Skiing at Alyeska Resort with my bestie Stephanie

Ice Skating at Winchester Park in Anchorage, AK with Tony and Steph

Cross Country Skiing near Earthquake Park with our puppy Sage :)

Snowshoeing with Sage Girl at Powerline Pass

It was motivating also when we bought our dog Sage and she helped get us wanting to get outside to go walking.

As I reflect on 2013 and the goals I made, I know that I definitely did not work out as much as I wanted to. But, I did feel like making my New Year's resolutions helped me to stay motivated to keep working out and having to blog about it did help me stay accountable to knowing that I needed to keep healthy.

Some of my goals from 2013 including wanting to spend time in the Word every day and update on the blog about how it was going. I do feel like 2013 helped me to journal more, and my resolutions helped me to stay getting in the Word and reflecting on what the Lord was teaching me. I did not update as much as I should have, but I loved being able to look at my journal and see prayer requests that were answered and lessons that were learned.

2013 was an incredible year. Tony and I bought a house that we LOVE. We love our new dog Sage. I also got my dream job: teaching :) I love being a teacher and a coach and I am thankful to the Lord every day for how He answers prayers in His timing and how we learn incredible lessons as we wait upon the Lord. Tony and I learned a lot in 2013 about how to budget and eat in and learn how to communicate. The Lord has taught us so much. I can't wait for 2014.

For 2014, I just want this to be my vision: to desire the Lord. I want to update when I can about what I am learning as I walk with the Lord. I want to learn to be a better listener. Tony and I want to learn how to budget well. I want to keep getting outside in beautiful Alaska to walk, run, ski, hike.

I am so thankful to the Lord when I look at 2013. And I can't wait for what 2014 will bring.

Happy (Belated) New Year! :) Pin It