Kreider Khronicles

We made it a month of living in our little cabin in the North Pole. We can’t wait for the months to come in this little space as we make it our own and make memories that will last a lifetime. The craziest part about this month has been how quickly the snow has been melting. It isn’t all gone yet but it really is melting. Our driveway has quite a few puddles. Always wearing my xtratuffs to leave the house just to make it to the truck.

This week we didn’t get around to going back to take the knowledge test for our Alaskan licenses, so I have no updates for that. Hoping to get it done on Monday. We have learned some interesting facts while studying for the test.

This week was bit of a slow one which is always nice when getting use to a new place. I can for the most part confidently get around to the important places in Fairbanks. With Benjamin not driving all the time he has picked up quickly where everything is as well. He doesn’t drive as much I keep the truck in case I need to go into Fairbanks or North Pole. It’s easy when Walmart, Old Navy, Lowes, Home Depot and the Sportsman Warehouse are all on the same road/strip. And Costco isn’t far from them.

This week we went to another pizza/game night. Always fun to spend time with new friends and enjoying our time together. We all can’t wait for the puddles to disappear so we can spend our time outside with a fire going and playing Spike Ball! Super excited for Summer to be here. Spending time outside and with friends. Right now, if you were to walk outside at 11pm it is still light outside. We shall see how sleeping goes over in the next couple months with it being light all day.

Friday night was date night! Always my favorite day. When we were out last year, we went to a Thai restaurant in Fairbanks called Bahn Thai. Ever since we got here, I have been asking Benjamin if we can go. We finally went on Friday. I love their Thai Iced Coffee. After dinner we made it home and watched She’s the Man. If you want a cringe worthy 2006 movie that is one to watch. We both just sat there like are we really watching this.

Saturday morning has been the time that we go grocery shopping and any other errands that need to be taken care of. We have found that going to Costco for our big-ticket items is the cheapest option. This week we didn’t have to go there. So, we went to Fred Myer. This week was a more expensive trip. We left our really nice grill with a friend in Pennsylvania, so we are grill less. Benjamin has missed grilling. So, we purchased a small round Weber charcoal grill. Super nice to have and plan to take it with if we ever want to grill when out fishing. Also, the perfect size for camping or picnics.

After errands we, well Benjamin, replaced our toilet. This week I noticed that right at the bottom our toilet was leaking and there was a hairline crack. Benjamin let the Landlord/his boss know. He got us a new toilet and Benjamin installed it on his own. I was very impressed with him. Now have a new toilet with no leaks.

For Christmas this past year Benjamin got me a really nice camera. I used it a little back in PA and on our way out. That was a little difficult since we didn’t have the time to stop. I tried my best to take the picture through the truck window. Some turned out really nice. I have started to edit those. Saturday afternoon, we drove up the Steese Highway for me to take some pictures and really get to test out the camera. The beauty up that road is amazing. In total we drove about 4 hours. We finished just in time to meet up with friends to go to the movies. We all went to watch The Northman. It is weird to go to the movies at 6pm be leaving at 9pm and it is still light out. Probably won’t get use to that feeling.

We have been attending True North Church with our friends Cade and Nicole since we arrived. This church has been amazing with helping to feel at peace and finding a community to be a part of. What stuck out to us the most is how much the staff and pastors make you feel like you are part of the church. The first Sunday we were introduced to the pastor of the one campus, and he explained what the church has to offer and how to get plugged in. Then the very next week we were introduced to the lead pastor at the other campus. This very much helped us. Super excited to see what God has in store for both of us here and how we will plug in with this church.

This week we plan to pass the knowledge test and start the process to get our Alaskan licenses so then we can register our vehicle to get Alaskan plates. We will see how much the snow melts this week as we continue with the warm weather. The warm weather is different from PA. Not as windy so with being high 50’s you can wear sandals no problem and spend the day in a T-shirt. Also hoping to get our fishing licenses to spend some time at the rivers. Maybe I will manage to get the fish off the hook myself. Still can’t do that without freaking out a little. See you all next week, with lots of the love the Kreiders!