Arctic Adventures

I thought I'd never see the day that my dad, Russ, would make it to Noatak.  He HATES flying, but sure enough yesterday at 9:30 am I drove to the airstrip on our 4 wheeler and my dad, Grandpa Phil, and Uncle Paul stepped off the plane onto the gravel.  I don't think I've ever seen Grandpa so excited.  He was laughing as he stepped off the plane.  I heard him say many times, "I'm in Alaska.  I can't believe it!"  Dad figures this flying thing ain't so bad after all. Grandpa and Brett heading out to the river.  Doesn't he look excited? Paul and Dad heading out. Grandpa took a nap after they got all settled in and I took Paula and Dad down to the river.  They caught over 20 fish in about an hour and a half and were just in their glory.  With every fish they caught or snagged they were hootin' and hollerin'.  "Look at this one.  Oh my GOSH!"   Of course Oren is enjoying his company. He's going to have some adjustin...

I promised myself that I would write a couple time a week during my maternity leave, and here I am on the THIRD week of my leave writing just my first entry.  Whoops! Oren-1 month old We have been getting settled in, enjoying fresh air, resting, and anxiously awaiting our visitors.  Yesterday was a beautiful day with clear, bright, sunny skies.  We took a Honda ride up river with the VanAmburgs, Alision and Kyle, Timm, and Brent and Louisa.  We had to cross the river a couple times.  Then when we reached our destination, we made a fire, roasted marshmallows, tossed a football around, and enjoyed the company and sunshine.  Oren loved the ride and being outside.  Setting up on the river bank. Beautiful view. Alision and Kyle heading back. Stan and Doris crossing the river. One part of the river got a little deep and there was a steep hill up the bank.  Alision, Doris, and I all jumped off the Hondas before the hill, I guess we were a little nervous. We went fishing a few ti...

Noatak River Water Everywhere Mom and Oren Us and a Plane Full of Cargo We made it back to Noatak on the 15th after a busy summer back in Michigan. I still don't know where to call home yet. We live in Noatak for most of the year and it definitely feels like home, but Michigan will always be home, home. Kotz Airport After a couple of long days of traveling we made it back to blue skies and beautiful 60 degree weather. Oren was really good for the whole entire trip. He cried for about ten minutes at the end of the flight from Anchorage to Kotzebue but that was it. He is definitely missing all of the attention that he was getting. He doesn't really like to get put down. Missing Grandma Already Trail to Noatak (You can barely see the trail markers) I have been busy getting right back into the subsistence swing of things. There was a lot of rain here last week so the river was really high at the beginning of the week. High Water I have been out fishing ev...