Extra day in Anchorage

We got to stay an extra day in Anchorage, because James wouldn't fly on the plane we were originally scheduled for. We boarded, there was a fuel leak in the right engine so we got off, and James booked us for the next flight. He absolutely wasn't staying on that plane! I got to take pictures of my favorite fireweed flowers, as well as some fox tails, and dandylion fuzz.We also visited Mike and Dolly and their kids. Mike, Sage, and Charlee had just come back from fishing in Seward, so James helped put their fish away.

Sage had fun with the hose and watered his mom's pretty flowers.
And Isabelle was just tootest! We're her godparents, how cool is that! We feel so honored.

Marty and Sarah

I said earlier, that Marty didn't come fishing with us in Unalakleet. Well that's because he was living in Anchorage with his girlfriend, Sarah. We went to dinner one night and took pictures afterwards. It was good to see you guys!

Emma

Back in Anchorage we met another new baby, Emma Clarice Harrel, Eva and Jason's baby. Such a good baby!

Picnic on the beach

It was so nice out, we went up the beach for a picnic. There's a lot of drift wood on the beach, so we don't need to go far for firewood. Hot dogs, burgers, and smores taste so good on the beach! Kathy & LA's boys, Carter and Payton roasting marshmallows
James eating his smore.
Looking north to Blueberry Hill...and a lot of driftwood...and a fort.

Ayuu

We finally met Ayuu Cecilia Roesch, Tera and Mattox's baby. Tera was pregnant with her at our wedding and gave birth to her just days after we started driving from Alaska to Texas. She's so cute and Tera's such a good mom! We had so much fun with them. Sorry Mattox, we didn't get to see you as daddy in action. Next time!

Unalakleet, AK fishing

We visited my hometown for 5 days and had such a good time. All we wanted to do was visit and fish. James loved fishing so much, he'd wake up before me and go without me! We can just walk down to the point (it's the south end of town and where the river runs into the ocean) and rod-n-reel for fish. Gabions were placed here for erosion control, so that's what we stood on. Pink salmon were jumping all around, but James ended up with tom cods he threw back in. In the village, we usually ice fish for tom cods as well as trout and smelts. My brother, Merle, took us on my mom's river boat to fish just across the river.
We also went up the river to fish with all my brothers except Marty, the dogs, and my mom. I finally caught a fish, a pink salmon. James caught some grayling he threw back, one trout, and some pink salmon. This day was cool, in the 50's, and when the wind wasn't blowing, the mosquitos were everywhere!
James would always clean the fish and learned how to filet them and also how to make dry fish. I thought it was pretty cool when he checked on the dry fish hanging on the fish rack. He's loaded pics from our fishing days and came up with all the cool captions. My personal favorite is "You wish dry fish". My three favorite Inupiaq gals - My mother-in-law Marlene, Grandma Ellen, and Meryl
Bet you $10 my mother-in law cuts fish better than yours does
Humpy's and a trout from upriver ready to be cut
The river and the hills - does it get any more beautiful than this?
Hats and jackets do double time - protect you from the cold AND the mosquitos!
The beaver dam..cool!
You wish dry fish
Whoa...what is that?..Its a tom cod!
My only wish, to catch a fish...
Lots of Ulus
Flower and Mickey...probably wondering how Otis is doing in Houston
Merle is ready for work
Mmm..strips
Old Bureau of Indian Affairs School
Lots of humpys!
View from the boat- I love when the sun is still out at 10 pm
Reel him in Merle!
Guuk side!
Three of my brothers -Melvin, Merle, and Matt
Mickey is all about fishing...good dog.
Meryl fishing the point.

Camping in Kasilof, AK

Both of our cameras ran out of battery juice, while we camped in Kasliof with our cousins, Mike and Dolly Cruz and their families and friends. So here's the low-down from that trip. The camping area was nice and open, there was always food, James learned how to make eggs benedict, and both he and I learned how to clean fish. People were dipnetting for red salmon on the beach, and James and I tried our best to keep up with the fish they were bringing us. That really didn't work since we were slow! It was so good to see everyone and camp, anyway.
Sage lovin' on his mom, Dolly, around the camp fire.

Sean and Courtney came to visit

Our friends, Sean and Courtney, came from Oakland to spend one weekend with us in June. It was so good to see them! Joe and Timmy came to our place hang out with us. I hardly took my camera out while Sean and Courtney were here, so here are random shots we took. I didn't really get any of Courtney, but she's the 6'4" girl that was in our wedding. Above is a pic from the glacier cruise we took the day after our wedding last year. People don't wear winter clothes in Texas.
Sean giving us a solo on the drums while Joe laughs.
We all thought it was hilarious when Joe did this. Not really sure why!
Otis really, really, REALLY liked Sean and wanted to be as close to him ALL the time. Otis would start prancing around and following Sean wherever he went and lay down right by Sean when he sat down.