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No I’m not on a photo-shoot!


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No, I’m not out here all alone having a Zen moment.


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Hey there! This is our secret family beach spot!  Ok, I’m sure people know about it, but we like to think it is a secret.

We are hanging out on the side of this beautiful cliff!  I’m not showing the pictures of the kids, cause it looks very unsafe, although I assure you they are all fine.


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We drive out the road on a sunny day and then hike to our favorite spot.  Kites, snacks and games make it fun and special not to mention the beautiful scenery and wildlife.


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We stop and look at all the sea creatures.


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We run and play.

Most beaches here don’t have sand, they are rocky so we have to watch our step.


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Let’s go fly a kite…

Find a special place to call your own.  Maybe it’s a corner of your house or your yard that you like to curl up in and read books or play games.  Or a favorite place to hike or picnic.  Your family will always remember going to “Our Special Family Place.”


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This is our beach, Shh!


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By Brooks | Also posted in Brooks' Spill It's, Spill It! | Tagged , , | Comments (1)

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As women we are built with natural tendencies to take care of others.

We come into this world with the ability to be nurturing and loving.

Because women are built to do this so well, for many years women were taught to put everyone else before themselves. As a woman, it was selfish or taboo to take care of yourself, to take time for yourself or to say, “No, I can’t help you right now.” Consequently many women become run down, ill, depleted and too tired to do anything. They suffer physically, emotionally and spiritually. Their families suffer, their marriages suffer and life becomes very unhappy. As a result the constant giving they had done for so many years catches up with them and comes to a halt. They can no longer give anymore and who is there to take care of them?


You have to take care of yourself. This is not a luxury or something you will get to when you have crossed off all the other things on your list. We make lists for everything; things to get at the store, people we need to call, things we need to do, places we need to go, things we need to pack. I even make lists of the lists I need to make. Where are you on your list? Are you on your list? Put yourself on the list! Not at the bottom, at the top, where it will do you some good! How can you give from your well of wisdom, love, and strength, when your well is constantly empty? You need to fill your well. This will take time, balance and consistency.


My whole thought about sharing this with you is that, yes there are times in our lives when we will be asked to sacrifice what we want and even need in order to help the greater good. I do not regret giving everything I had to my children or my husband in times when I was not getting all that I needed, but a person can not do that forever. I do not think the Lord wants us to give and give until we are broken and can no longer enjoy life. He wants us to give and give until we have no more to give then go back to that sacred place within ourselves and replenish what we have spent. Because then we can give and give again. This requires a large amount of faith and self discipline on ones part. Life is to be enjoyed! He gave us this life filled with trials and hardships to see and experience happiness, even if it is a glimpse. If we are too busy with our personal hardships we will miss the smallest and even worse, the largest moments of happiness in this life.

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By Brooks | Also posted in Brooks' Spill It's, Spill It! | Tagged , | Comments (1)

Have you ever wanted to travel Alaska?


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I have the awesome privileged of living here!  I love spring, it is so exciting to watch everything thaw out and turn green.  There are so many signs of spring and we Alaskans are watching out for them.  Can you identify these types of botany?  They will look much different in the weeks to come of many hours of sunlight.  These little buds are everywhere in the forest now and I wanted to share them with you.

What is this?

1.  This is a stinky plant.  It may look small now, but by the end of summer it’s leaves may grow up to 6 feet long.  Can you name it?


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2.  I love these, they make great jelly. Humans, bears, and birds love to eat them.  Can you name it?


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3.  Stay away from this evil weed!  Unless you want to use it’s leaves and berries for medicinal purposes.  Can you name it?


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4.  These pretty little plants shown here with four leaves will soon have color to them.  They look sweet and share a name with a much larger plant, actually a tree.  Can you name it?


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5.  This last one is not a plant, but it is everywhere in the forest.  No it doesn’t come in loaves, can you name it?


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Whether it’s on your next trip to Alaska or your next walk in the woods, impress your friends and family with the names of these fun plants of Alaska’s Spring Quiz!

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By Brooks | Also posted in Brooks' Spill It's, Spill It! | Tagged , , , | Comments (2)

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Well, last week was spring break for us; it was a long week filled with a lot of fun and on the go activities!  We skied, we shopped, we played outside a little, we played with friends, played the wii and even worked a little too.  We were one of a couple of families that didn’t travel out of our town (at least it felt that way.)  Although I was swept away daydreaming, many times during the week to a warm place, just to keep my sanity.  One day during the middle of the week I had a bad headache, I was tired and not feeling well.  I don’t know about you, but when I feel yucky I get really crabby (to put it nicely.)  Unfortunately I end up taking my frustration out on my kids and then I become aware I am sounding like a grouch and stop. Stop the madness!

Then, the next day when I came out of the fog of misery I was in, I took the kids to get pizza and the arcade and watched them played games.  It was raining buckets outside so we chose an inside activity.  They were having so much fun spending all of my quarters and making me laugh while they zipped and zigged between the ridiculous games.  They stopped at the table to get a bite and were cracking me up.  I looked at them and said to them tenderly, “I sure love you guys.  Sorry I’ve been such a bad mommy the last couple of days.”  My son put his hand on my shoulder and said, “It’s OK mommy, you just need some practice.  Just like everything in life, you just have to keep practicing.”  And as if that weren’t enough, my daughter said, “Yeah, it’s OK mommy, I don’t think you’re a bad mommy at all!”  That was enough to soften my heart.  I think sometimes kids need to hear that we have bad days too.  It’s OK.  If you need to apologize, well then say you’re sorry and let’s move on and back to having fun!

Besides who could stay grumpy with these little delights around?


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Every year around this time in Alaska, Mother Nature tries to trick us.  You see us Alaskans have been sitting in the dark for a good four months, grinning and bearing the cold, rainy, snowy, windy weather.  We are waiting for Spring!

I made up a saying several years back, “There is a light at the end of the tunnel, it’s called Spring!”

But Mother Nature wants to see how tough we really are and around this time of year there will be a few warmer days, you know in the low forties, when we think it may turn into spring.  The Canadian Geese show up in the wetlands eating and resting before their flight further north.  Their return to our land is another sign that  spring is coming.  But then out of nowhere, or least it feels like nowhere it snows!  This always drives me into a crazy sad moment, because in my mind I have already moved on from winter and want to stop wearing boots and my big bulky jacket (which I hate wearing.) Not only does it snow, then it melts a little into slosh and then freezes into a nice thick sheet of ice.  This is a lot of fun to walk and drive on, let me tell you!

Before I let it bring me down, I think fast….think, think, think!  What will do the trick? Oh, I have it!  A party!  I love parties!  I love attending parties, I love throwing parties, I love eating at parties!  I don’t have much time and really don’t want to do a lot of planning or clean up, so I call a Ladies Luncheon at my house.  Bring some food; let’s eat, laugh and talk.


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I set the table really nice and girly.  I made this dainty tablecloth and put on all of my favorite decor for some of my favorite ladies.  You know it’s nice to do this sometimes, because it helps you and your friends feel special and important! If you don’t do something nice for yourself, who will?  Treat yourself!


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Then the ladies came, oh and they brought food!  Yum, yum!  We had good, healthy stuff.  Yes, those two words can go together, don’t argue with me.  Brooks’ Crock-pot Chicken, Brooks’ Mashed Yams, Cucumber Salad, Veggie and Fruit Platter.


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The company was just what I needed!  There is something about hanging with the girls that is healing to the soul.  You get to be “just you.”  In those moments you are not a wife or mother or daughter or girlfriend or employee, you are you! You know what I mean?  I love those moments, I feel grounded.

Good company + good food + laughing + bearing of your soul + teary eyed moments + chocolate = Super Great Time!  Feeling better now!


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Side note to table decor – When I got married I started collecting petite salt and pepper shakers so each setting has their own, so cute!  Then there is no fighting over the salt!

Friends! Thank you for sharing your smiles with me!


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Told you the food was healthy and good! You know you want some!


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Whether the weather has sprung into spring or it’s going to stay winter for a while longer just remember that you’re not alone.  Well, you are, but only if want to be.  Call your friends and tell them to come hang with you for a while.  Sometimes we need an estrogen boost and a little, or in my case a lot of chocolate and then we can feel better.

On Saturday it will officially be Spring!  Even if it is crummy outside, I am going to bring spring inside!  Check out my Home and Family post this weekend on our Family Spring Celebration.

And for all of you living in a warm place where the flowers have started to push up from the ground and things are starting to bloom.  Soak it up for us and appreciate the beauty and new life of Spring!

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