Mount Redoubt

Mt. Redoubt in AK has now erupted somewhere between 10 and 25 times (I have lost count) now and for awhile we weren't getting any of the ash-fall, but last night we got a thin blanket covering everything. When I go outside I can smell the ash and feel it getting into my lungs-this is not very pleasant. Also, the ash turns everything outside a nice gray color. "They" are saying the volcano could keep erupting for the next 6 months.

Like father, like son

Levi wanted to be like his papa and have facial hair. Haha! I didn't even put the bubbles on his face, he did that all by himself-no joke.

Beluga Point

John, Levi, and I took a car ride last week out to Beluga Point (an inlet where Beluga whales come in). It was freezing cold outside but we still got out and walked around a bit. The coolest thing was all the ice was crashing up against the shore(sorry, no picture) and it looked like oreo cookies. I immediately started craving oreos. Ahhh!

Update

I have not been good about taking pictures of Levi lately, but he does not fail to keep doing and saying funny things! We had my cousin's daughter, Serena, over two days this week and I think he noticed right away that there was something different about her. :) I told him that he is a boy and she is a girl. When she got up from her afternoon nap I put her on the couch with her blanket on her lap. He jumped up on the couch and snuggled up right next to her, tried to hold her hand, and then put the blanket over his lap too. I don't think she really knew what to think, but I just laughed. He would have never done that with any of the little boys he knows! He also tried to throw her one of his balls and he didn't understand why she didn't want to throw it back to him.

I have been taking Levi to the library every Friday to switch out his books and to do something called a "lapsit". The person leading the lapsit usually reads a couple of books, reads some poems, and sings songs and the little ones are expected to sing/talk along to all of those things all the while Levi is sitting on my lap(hence the name) or standing right in front of me for some of the more interactive songs. We have been learning "head, shoulders, knees, and toes" and now he can say toes. I really enjoy this time because we get out of the house, and Levi gets some of his energy out!

Other updates...We have started painting our living room, but this far have only painted two walls. We need to paint the other two and then also paint the ceiling, and then put up crown molding. I will post pictures soon. The other day I also made a whole list of spring cleaning projects. John said, "I guess you have a lot of work to do." Haha, he has no idea what I have planned for him to do. We are BOTH going to be busy this spring! We moved in in September so we never really got time to do the projects that our now on our lists, but the winter gave us time to think about what we really want to get done.

The pregnancy is going well and I am feeling a lot better! I am very thankful that I don't have to spend my days on the couch anymore. Levi is enjoying my improving health too because that means we get out of the house more.

The other thing I have been taking Levi to do once a week is swimming. At first he wasn't so sure, but now he is loving it. He likes to watch the older kids, and he tries to keep up but he can't quite yet.

I am so thankful that March is almost over and spring/summer is getting closer everyday. For those that live in AK, you know what I am talking about; the itch for breakup to end and 24-hour sunlight to start is almost unbearable. I am so ready for the snow to melt so Levi and I can go for walks and to the park down the street!

Levi's Updated Pictures!

1. Levi looking really cool in his sunglasses again!
2. We went to the library for the first time and Levi is enjoying his new books!
3. Levi was having applesauce for a snack and
decided that he would like to wear it as well as eat it.
4. I put towels down on the kitchen floor for Levi to play with water, measuring cups, and bowls. He loved it! He played for 45 min
and would have kept going if I would have let him, but everything was soaked.

Pregnancy update

I had a prenatal appointment today and everything is going well. I got to hear the baby's heartbeat again; the baby kept darting around really fast so it was hard for the midwife to detect the heartbeat for more than a few seconds. On Saturday, I will be 15 weeks along. I would like to think the nausea would be gone by now, but it is still apparent-decreasing, but apparent. My appetite is definitely increasing so I have to be really careful to always bring food with me wherever I go!

salad!

Yesterday I had a friend over for lunch. We made a really really good salad and one of the last things we added was spinach. I pulled a handful of spinach out of the bag, and lo and behold there was a bird feather sticking out of the green leaves!!! Gross!!! My friend almost threw up and the thought of eating spinach now makes me queasy. Needless to say we didn't eat the salad with the spinach. I wrote the company, and we will see if they call me back!