Kreider Khronicles

Happy Winter Solstice! The shortest day of the year and here we are sitting in an airport making our way back to the east coast to celebrate Christmas with family. A lot has happened since I last wrote about our lives. This year hasn’t been easy for us, lots of adventure and heartache. But we continue to make it through by leaning into God and each other to find the strength to carry on. Now to catch you up on our life in the last 4ish months.

The last weekend of July was the Tanana Valley State Fair. Now for all you PA folks, this is not your typical state fair. There is so many food stands that you won’t go hungry but what we all think of a fair is lacking. Walked into the livestock barn and was disappointed. There was maybe 2 dairy cows, several sheep and a couple small pigs. Not what we are use to from the many farmshows in PA to the state farmshow every year. But we can say that we went to the State Fair.

August started out strong with another camping trip with some friends. This time we went about 2 hours south of Fairbanks near the coal mines. It was a very fun short weekend. But man did it get chilly at night. I ended up not being able to sleep in my sleeping bag due to being too cold. So once Benjamin noticed that I was shivering he had me climb into his sleeping bag with him. He has a burrito bag so it was very tight. But at least I was a little bit warmer. Come morning we all ate breakfast and then went Fourwheeling to check out the coal mine trails. Got to enjoy the breathtaking views of Alaska from a new view point.

Some of you may know that we unexpectedly lost Benjamin’s grandpa Kreider the middle of August right before his parent’s were to come out to visit. We instead flew back to PA as quickly as we could. Losing grandpa has been very hard to process and grieve through. He was a very important man in a lot of people’s lives and continues to be missed greatly. We will always remember the man he was and the impact he has had on our lives. Upon return to Alaska from PA life kinda began to slow down for us which was much appreciated.

Over labor day weekend, Benjamin and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary a little early. We drove down to Anchorage to spend the long weekend there. We did see my Uncle Andy, Aunt Becky and their one son Jonas for a lunch in Palmer. They had been up the week prior to do some fishing in Soldotna. It was nice to hear about their experience and to just get to catch up on all that has happened in our lives since the last time we saw them. That Sunday we drove to Whittier Alaska, which we both highly recommend. You can only get to it by a train tunnel that is open each direction for 15 minutes every half hour. But if the train comes through you have to wait a little longer. The town on Whittier is at the head of the passage canal, It is very much a fishing town. The boat yard is a massive. The entire town all lives in one building, it has the hospital, grocery store, church and post office inside with the residents. In Whittier there is a glacier that you can hike too. But don’t be fooled by the hike, it may only be 3/4 of a mile but in the 3/4 mile there is an 800 plus elevation gain. But the view from the top is gorgeous. Would totally do it again if we go back. On our way back to Fairbanks on Monday, we drove through Hatchers Pass. Which is another passageway that I would recommend traveling through. The fall colors really popped as your drove through. Right before getting to the road for Hatchers Pass there is the remains of a gold mine town. We stopped, explored and learned the history of the town from when it was booming. Then we saw the iconic red cabins that are most associated with Hatchers Pass. Hatchers Pass is only open for specific periods of time in the summer due to how dangerous the road can be.

The rest of September was pretty chill. We celebrated our friend Nicoles birthday once we got back from Anchorage. We also chased the fall colors around Fairbanks, trying to capture the beauty of fall up here. It is some of the beautiful yellow leaves with the occasional orange. Very few reds. All our friends up here kept telling us how lucky we were to experience such a long and beautiful fall. Last year they said they had snow by September. Luckily for us the snow held off till October when we got our first dusting.

By mid-October we got our first good snowfall. Which was a wet snow, again kinda rare up here. So my coworkers and boss went outside during lunch to build a snowman because what better things can 20 something year olds do during lunch. And that is when the snow plowing started for Benjamin and the day work came to an end. Near the end of October we said our goodbyes to Cade and Nicole as they moved out of the state. Life hasn’t been the same without them around. We no longer can go over anytime to just hangout with them or go northern light chasing. The northern lights were very visible in October. The way they paint the sky is like nothing you can imagine on your own. The different colors that come through at different times. Sometimes green, blue and purple.

November is when life really started to slow down for most people in Alaska. Which to some might sound crazy but for us it has been amazing. We have been able to sit back, relax and enjoy the time we have. The days get shorter and shorter. It is usually still dark when leaving for work and dark when going home. It took some getting use too but wasn’t as bad as I thought. We helped our friend Trevor propose to his fiance Taylor. Which was a total surprise for here and a very hard secret for me to keep. Thanksgiving was spent at Matt and Meagans house, where several friends gathered with their family. I was kept busy with reading to the children or holding malamute puppies. Then it was small business Saturday, I went out with a bunch of other women living in or near Fairbanks going to several small businesses via bus that our Friend Lizzie scheduled.

Now it is December, the end of the year. We have roughly a total of 4 hours of daylight if we are lucky. Some days the haze from everyones wood stoves hangs too low to allow the light through. But the daylight isn’t true daylight. It is more like a constant sunrise to sunset. It is usually incredibly beautiful with the mountains in the background and the sun just creeping past them. Most of my days are spent at work and Benjamin works at night. We have roughly a total of 2 1/2 feet of snow on the ground. So he has been very busy at night plowing several locations. As his boss says, your wife is gonna soon know you as a stranger she loves. Most weekends are now spent at our friends Chris house hanging out in the new shop he built. All around the woodstove talking and figuring out what the next adventure is.

But the closer we got to leaving for PA the colder it got. The last several days have been around 40 below zero, so obviously it ins’t going to snow. Which I have enjoyed having Benjamin home in the evenings and getting scared at 3am when he crawls into bed. The 40 below is a different feeling but isn’t as bad as anticipated. Still not use to my nose hairs freezing as soon as you walk out the door or our front door being frozen shut with ice on the inside. The cold is a dry cold and not a wet cold that gets into your bones. But also don’t want to be out in it for long periods of time because it is very hard to breath. The shop dog when he goes out to use the bathroom ends up in a cockroach position before making it back inside because his paws get too cold. The truck is always plugged in now with the hope it will start up in the morning. So far it has started every morning even if it didn’t want too. With the weather being colder the sky at night is clearer except during the day. The last two days the ice fog has been bad. Basically the warm air has nowhere to go too so it hangs around at fog level making it hard to see in front of you. If the snow didn’t make peoples driving interesting the ice fog did for sure.

Now we are off to PA to enjoy Christmas with our families. Lots of festivities to be at and Christmas cheer to pass around. And hopefully no sickness since it is about an 80 degree swing from what we left Alaska with (42 below zero). We will head back to Alaska right before the new year. I want to say I will be better about sharing our lives in Alaska but sometimes emotions take over and wanting to share gets hard. I will try my best to keep you all informed about the exciting moments of our lives as they happen. Till next time, Love the Kreiders.

Life has been a little crazy and different right now. Trying to find a new routine that works best for us has been a wild ride, that is part of the reason why I haven’t been on top of the blog posts. When I remember Sunday morning I think I have all day. Then we get ready for bed at 10 or 11 and I go oh shoot I didn’t write the blog. Then I go I will write it later but then this week that didn’t happen. I was either exhausted from learning new information at work or had a headache. So here I am on a Saturday night writing about the previous week.

Throughout the week it was different than our usual weeks we have been having since moving here. With me working and Benjamin trying to get as many hours as possible it usually means that I don’t get him from work till 6pm or later. So our routine at home is very different now. We are still trying to figure out how that will work especially when winter hits and Benjamin won’t be working late. Well only time will tell. For now it is somewhat like organized chaos, till we figure out the best fit for us.

Friday night we checked out a local bar in North Pole, The Badger Den. Some really good food and cheap drinks per Alaska standard. We met some new people that are considered regulars at the bar. This is a bar that our friend Chris likes and he eventually came by. Had a lot of fun that night and made plans to go to the Rodeo with Chris the next day.

Saturday morning was like our usual Saturday. Morning is spent grocery shopping for the next week, light cleaning around the house and then going out if we want. This saturday was a little different, we actually slept in for the first time in awhile, took the day slowly. Grocery shopping like normal so that we can make sure we survive the next week. Fairbanks had a Rodeo this past weekend. Saturday afternoon, Chris picked us up and we headed to the Rodeo. I have never been to a rodeo so this was my first time. Benjamin has and Chris use to ride bulls so it was cool to see his perspective on how the rodeo was put on. It was a lot of fun and pretty good for a rodeo in Alaska.

Sunday we went back to the church we visited last week, Jounrey Christian Church, it reminds us so much of CBC back ni PA and it is so nice. But this time we went to the Next Step Table to find out some more information about the church. Thenwe went home to continue our Sunday lunch tradition, of grilling. This week it was nice outside so we ate our lunch outside. Finally able to eat outside without being eaten by misquotes.

This past week has been a slower week but also crazy at the same time. Trying to find a new routine is going to take some time but we will get it all worked out sooner or later. See you all tomorrow with an update of this week.

The last two weeks have gone by so quickly. It all started with our first visitors of the summer. My mom and her friend landed Thursday July 7. It was so nice to have my mom out and show her around our new world. Friday was spent with me showing them around Fairbanks. First stop was the visitor center. It is a great way to learn the history of Fairbanks and what all you can do in the area. There is a lot to also do right around the visitors center. The arch of antlers and different statues around the area with history.

If you know my mother you know she loves her Mexican food, which isn’t the easiest to accomodate in Alaska but there is this one place we enjoy. Taco King, it is like a step up from taco bell but not a traditional sit down resturant. It is a great place to enjoy some tacos or burritos. It is one of my favorite places up here to hit my mexican fix. Friday evening a local church in North Pole was hosting a food truck festival so we all went and enjoyed the different food trucks and what they had to offer.

Saturday started bright and early to make our way to Denali National Park. It is about a 2 1/2 hour drive through what would normally be a beautiful drive with amaxing moutain views and potentail wildlife sightings. This drive wasn’t exactly like that. Alaska has been having a lot of wildfires so with that there is a lot of smoke in the air. The smoke prevents us from seeing the beautiful views. But once we make it closer to Denali there isnt as much smoke in the air. The air quality is a lot better than in Fairbanks. Lots of clear skies but no clear enough to see Denali. But we still saw some epic mountains and enjoyed our time.

We checked out the Denali Visitor Center to see where we all wanted to go and if we wanted to go on a bus tour. We decided against a bus tour but did go out to as to the farthest point to go by vehicle. Which is 15 miles from the park entrance. You can enjoy the views and go on several hikes if you wish. We went on the loop hike. Instead of just going around the loop we walked off the path some to enjoy the views. Sat around the area to enjoy our time. Eventually we made it our way around the loop and then drove to the campsite to enjoy our lunch. After our lunch we made our way out of the park.

As we left the park to drive back to Fairbanks we passed one of the wildfires that we saw in the morning, it was the Clear fire right outside of Anderson. In the morning you couldn’t see the fire from the road but that quickly changed throughout the course of the day. Throughout the day it got windy and that changed the fire. The Clear fire was now right next to the road. As we approached Anderson all you saw was these big clouds of smoke and you could taste the smokeyness in the air. As we continued to drive you could see the fire right next to the road. After we passed the fire we pulled over to take some pictures and saw a helicopter getting ready to drop water on the fire. It was cool to see the fire but also concerning since it was so close. For about the rest of the weekend there was this thick smoke in the air from that fire and the other fires in the area. The fires prevented us from going to some places but we made the best of it.

Then on Sunday we started our day a little later and enjoyed a brunch at a local what in PA are called diners. It is the closest thing to our favorite diner in PA. After brunch we went out to Chena Lake to explore the area. Trying to figure out what the different birds are and then also try not to be eaten alive by the misquitoes. Then we went to Pionneer Park which is a small area in Fairbanks that goes through the history of the town. Through the gold mining then to how the area developed. It was a lot of fun to learn the history and to see some of the original homes.

Monday was the last day that our guests were in town. So after taking Benjamin to work and the picking them up we headed out to explore North Pole. Well we drove to the Knotty Shop which is in Salcha. It is not the kind of place you are thinking it is if you are from PA. This shop is a souvenior shop that has so many options of different gifts. Before leaving we enjoyed the ice cream at the shop. On the way to Salcha we pass the airforce base. Which has the longest runway at a total of 2 miles long. Then we went to the Santa Clause House in North Pole. There is also reindeer on the property, which is just domesticated caribou. Then we just went back to our house to enjoy one last meal. So we made them caribou tacos. Then we dropped them off at the airport late Monday night.

The rest of the week was just us going through our normal routines but with a slight twist. I got a job that started on Wednesday so now we are both out of the house all day and are getting back into that routine. So we are working on figuring out our routine now. Friday night Benjamin hung out at home and I went out with Lizzie and Nicole. Which was a lot of fun to have some girl time. Saturday was a big day for us. We finally have a washer and dryer in our cabin! I found a nice stackable set off of Facebook Market Place and we got to pick them up Saturday afternoon. Cade came and helped us pick them up and install them in the utility room. We have learned since them that when the washer and dryer are running the whole cabin might shake at times so that is interesting. But it is so nice to have the ability to do our own laundry at our place and not have to go to the laundry mat.

Saturday night we went out to Lizzie and Blaines house to hangout with our friends there for the evening. Blaine had gone fishing the weekend before and caught Red Salmon and so they made Salmon for everyone. It was a blast to hangout with everyone again. The last time we did that was camping for 4th of July. Sunday morning we went to a new church. We enjoyed seeing a new church and seeing if it will be a better fit. Then we went about our usual Sunday routine, RELAXING. That has been our routine since we have been married and is my favorite part of the week.

This week brings in cooler temperatures than we have experienced in the past couple weeks. No more need for the big box fan in the window to cool the place down. With this cooler weather we are also getting rain which will be nice as well. Not a whole lot going on this week but it is always an adventure. See you all next week. Love the Kreiders.

Last Sunday there was no update due to me being sick the entire week after returning from vacation. Then over that weekend Benjamin got really sick. Therefore we did nothing that whole week. We stayed home, relaxed and slept. Not a whole lot to talk about. Thankfully by last Tuesday we were both a lot better and could continue with new adventures.

We sure did have an adventure this past weekend but we don’t want to skip over the week. Monday was spent at home, Benjamin said home from work since he still had a slight fever and wasn’t his usual self. But by the end of the night he was feeling 10x better and was back to work on Tuesday. The rest of the week was just us trying to get back into our routine after being on vacation and then sick.

For the upcoming 4th of July weekend we were going camping with our friends out near Nome Creek in the White Mountains. So most of our week was talking back and forth in the group chat about the plan and shopping. Oh did we go shopping. Spent a small fortune on supplies but it was all worth it in the end. Thursday we ventured into Fairbanks for said supplies. We needed hammocks, mosquito nets, lots of bug spray and plenty of food for not only us but also for the group. You might be wondering where our tent is on the list. We didn’t buy one. For the whole weekend we slept in our hammocks which was AMAZING. Friday was spent with me making sure the house was clean for us to leave for the weekend and getting things packed up.

Friday evening we met up with Cade, Nicole and Will at the gas station to travel up together. At least that was the plan. We ended up getting ahead of them and meeting them at the entrance of Davidson Ditch where Lizzie, Blaine and their one son Anthony were. Then we all caravaned our way the 15 miles to the campground. The drive was beautiful even with all the smoke in the air from the wildfires. Eventually we made it to the campground and picked out a campsite that would fit everyone. This trip has been a tradition for the others in the group so it was an honor to be invited to it this year. The tradition campsite was taken already but we made due with the one we had. It met up right to the creek and was nice and secluded. Everyone managed to get all set up and we hung out by the fire but only after Blaine went around and smoked out the mosquitos. Super awesome tool to have.

Most nights ended with everyone around the fire just having a good time till about 1am when someone would go to sleep then it would just depend on when the others would slowly make their way to where they were sleeping. I have noticed that with the sun being out pretty much all night you never know when you should go to sleep. Saturday morning, Benjamin and I had breakfast mountain pies. If you haven’t had them I would recommend making them sometime. We also learned how to use a perculating coffee maker. If you know any Kreiders you know they need coffee and I wasn’t about to experience Benjamin without coffee. During the day the boys fished right near our campsite, Blaine and Benjamin waded in with their waders. Fish were caught and fish were eaten. It was a super fun morning. Our other friend Chris showed up in the late morning/early afternoon, which everyone was excited about since he makes blueberry cobbler.

Saturday afternoon some of us decided to jump in the creek at an area that had a nice size swimming hole. So the ones jumping in changed and then we all made our way to the swimming hole. It might not have been the brightest idea to jump into the creek but it was so much fun. One by one we jumped in. Lizzie first, me, Nicole, Cade and then Will who did a flip off a log. We all had that initial shock of the cold water but after a while it wasn’t terrible. I probably could have stood up with my head still out of the water in the hole but didn’t really want to test it. Everyone else wouldn’t have been able too. Getting out of the water was another adventure. The way most of us took had us walking across several logs to the bank. I didn’t have my glasses on so it made it extra fun. We all made it back onto the bank without anyone falling back into the water. The rest of the night we all just hung out until it started to rain. A couple people went into someones tent and ended up taking a nap the rest of us stayed at the table under a canopy. The rain left just as quickly as it came. Our hammocks stayed dry which was nice. Dinner was tacos over the fire and Chris’s cobbler. Followed by lots of laughing around the fire. That night Benjamin and I only stayed up till about 1am before deciding we should go to sleep.

Sunday we all had breakfast together. Pancakes, sausage and bacon. Benjamin and I borrowed Chris’s four wheeler to go on a ride for part of the morning. On our ride Benjamin told me about this flower that is sometimes referred to as the time flower. Technically called fireweed. This flower blooms from the bottom up and is to be believed that when the top blooms winter will soon start. Most of our time was spent hanging out with everyone around the fire or fishing around the creek. At one point Lizzie, Nicole and I washed our hair in the creek. That was a process, with trying not to get completely in the water. So we would walk in a little, squat down and dip our hair in the water. I strugggled since I’m taller and didn’t want to get my butt wet when I squatted. As we are in the creek we can hear a thunderstorm starting to roll in. Shortly after we finished the storm came in. It started to pour, not like the rain on Saturday. Eventually it started to hail and people made mad dashes for their tents. Benjamin thought it shouldn’t last much longer so we stood on the table under the canopy. We were so wrong, the storm just kept coming. Eventually it was right on top of us. Lighting striking in front of your and thunder booming that bounced off the mountains. At a point it let up enough we could make it to the truck. While we waited it out Benjamin took a nap and I read a book. Once again our hammocks stayed dry.

Dinner on Sunday was whatever we wanted, so Benjamin and I had steaks over the fire. Everyone was jealous. After dinner we all decided to take a ride up to the High Country. So some people pilled onto the Side by Side, others on the four wheeler and then Chris hauled the rest in his truck to go the 10 miles to the trail. Once at the trail we had to figure out how to fit us all on just the Side by Side and Four wheeler. Eventually we got a plan that worked. Chris drove his four wheeler with Benjamin and I on it and everyone else on the Side by Side. Once at the top the view was breath taking even with all the wildfire smoke nearby. A view like no other. We all enjoyed the view, took some pictures and had a few good laughs. Then it was time to go back down the mountain, to the truck and then the 10 miles to the campsite. Once back around the fire, we enjoyed some marshmallows and good talks. Benjamin was smart and went to sleep before me. I stayed up till 4:40am talking with those still up. It made for a long Monday.

Monday morning was our last day camping. We all shared a breakfast well it was more like lunch by the time we enjoyed our breakfast burritos. While breakfast was being made everyone worked on taking down their tents/hammocks. We also packed up the back seat of our truck that served as our “dressing room” for the weekend. If you want a quick workout just try to get changed in the back of a truck without anyone seeing you. Not for the faint of heart. Lucky for us our truck is tinted so we just needed to hang a blanket to cover the front windsheild. By the time we ate mostly everying at camp was packed up. After eating we all packed up the last items. We said our goodbyes and hit the road back home.

One major difference from camping in Alaska to camping back in PA is the campground. In PA you have water and electric hookups. A bathroom with running water for showers, sinks and toilets. That is not the case in Alaska, no running water besides the creek, no electric hookups and no cell service. There is a toilet but that is pretty much a hole in the ground with a toilet on top. It was a very different experience from what we both grew up with in PA but was an amazing time. We wouldn’t have wanted our first Alaskan camping trip to be with any other group of friends.

By the time we got home on Monday we were both exhausted from the lack of full nights sleep but wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. First thing we did was open all the windows in the house and got the fans running full blast. Our house was about 80 degrees so we needed to cool it down ASAP. Thenwe unpacked the truck. The coolers and food bin were brought inside. I unpacked those while Benjamin laid out anything that was either wet or slightly damp to dry. As I was unpacking our coolers I was very grateful we last minute purchased a new one from Costco. There was still some ice in it unlike our other cooler that was pretty much just cold water by the first day. After we had everything unpacked and items for the storage unit put away we relaxed. I relaxed so much that I started to fall asleep while watching our show.

This week we prepare to have our first guests. Don’t worry they aren’t staying with us. NOt sure how we would make that work in only 500 square feet. On Thursday night we pick up my mom and her friend from the Fairbanks airport. They get to spend time with us in our new neck of the woods. If I don’t get caught up in spending time with my mom and showing her our new home their might be an update on Sunday. But knowing me I will be enjoying my time and will update after they leave late Monday night, just so that we enjoy every moment with them. It has been 3 months since we have last seen them and are very excited for this time. Talk to you all soon. Love the Kreiders.

It truly cooled off this week. No longer sunny and 75. More like 60’s, which feels so refreshing. Minus all the mosquitos. They are no joke here. My ankles are finally no longer swollen at least for now. When the wind is blowing they aren’t bad, every other time good luck stepping outside.

We enjoyed the cooler weather this week. Spending some time outside and relaxing indoors with the windows open. Wednesday evening, we went on a little adventure. Benjamin wanted to go fishing, so we made our way to one of the many sloughs near our house. A slough is pretty much like a creek but the water doesn’t move as fast. The water in the sloughs is now really clear. You are able to see the fish coming for your lure. This trip Benjamin didn’t catch anything. We did drive around the area a little afterwards. Saw a couple houses that Benjamin did jobs at.

The rest of the week we didn’t really go out. Thursday evening we ventured into Fairbanks to do a little shopping. Benjamin picked up a couple new flies for when he goes fly fishing. Also stopped at Walmart to pick up last minute travel essentials for our upcoming vacation.

Saturday was a busy day. Spent the morning cleaning the house up, putting laundry away and packing our suitcases. We are heading to the lower 48 for a Kreider family vacation. After we were all packed up, we went to the farmers market to see what vendors were there. A few more vendors than the last time. Went to one stand where the lady paints on birch bark and also does hand embroidery earrings. It is amazing to see what people are able to create. Then it was off to the car wash. The truck was in desperate need of a wash. It was starting to look like a different color from all the pollen , dirt and dead bugs. Got it all done up just for it to sit at the house for a week to collect more pollen. Benjamin also went out for one last fishing time for a week. He did catch a grayling.

Saturday night we started our journey to end up in Hilton Head South Carolina. And it is quite the journey. Our flight out of Fairbanks was at 9:52pm landing us in Minneapolis Minnesota around 6:50am on Sunday. I’m writing this post in the Minneapolis Airport. We are running on fumes and still have one more flight. Neither of us managed to get any decent amount of sleep on the plane. When we booked our flights Benjamin picked a window seat, we got on the plane and he was in the only window seat that didn’t have a window. He was very disappointed, all he wanted was to look out the window. Hopefully he has better luck on the next flight to Savanah Georgia.

This week will look very different from our typical week in Alaska. We will be able to see darkness for the first time in weeks, experience humidity again and enjoy family time with the Kreiders. We will hopefully get some sort of a tan from laying on the beach all week. Come back next week to hear about all the Hilton Head adventures.

This week has been a warm one. Almost everyday was in the mid to high 70’s. Felt great till you stand in the direct sun for awhile and it gets hot. The one thing that wasn’t great was the mosquitos. My ankles have been swollen all week and continue to get worse. The main way to not get eaten alive is to use bug spray with 98% deet which isn’t the best for you but gets the job done.

Monday, started out with cleaning our entire house. With it being so tiny it gets cluttered fast. Have to always be on top of it before it gets to out of hand. With mostly all the snow melted from the mountains we decided to go on a hike. We went to Angel Rock. Last year when we were here we did this hike and it still had snow covered areas. This time it was all clear. The views from the top are amazing. You can clearly see the Chena River and there is this little blue house along the river that I adore. We were glad we did the hike mid morning because as we went back down there were so many families making their way up.

After our hike, we decided to try and fish along the different parts of the Chena River or ponds on the sides of Chena Road. Our first stop we didn’t even leave the truck because of the amount of people alongside the pond edge. We drove down the road some more before stopping again. This time there were very few people. So we got out, everything set up to fish and walked alongside the bank. Benjamin kept going into the water until if he went any further the water would go into his muck boots. His very first cast on the fly rod and he got a fish. The first fish any of us caught in Alaska. Was very exciting. He caught a small artic grayling. Later on he got another one and that was the end of the fish we managed to get.

To end our memorial day weekend we met up with Cade, Nicole, Will and some other friends at Chena Lake. This is where my ankles became a snack for the mosquitos. Benjamin played spike ball with the guys and I was on mosquitos killer duty.

With the temperatures in the high 70’s all week it heats the house up quickly. We don’t have air conditioning so we had to find out a way to get the house cooler. So we opened all the windows and placed the box fan at the window in the living room to move the air around. It worked great until the fan died. So we made an trip to Fred Meyer at 8pm to get a new fan. We splurged on two, a box fan for the living room and another fan for the bedroom at night. It has been working great.

We also went fishing on Wednesday to Chena Lake but at a different spot than before. This time I managed to catch a fish and Benjamin didn’t. We did catch a lot of weeds. Friday evening we checked out the local dirt track to enjoy some sprint car racing. Sprint car racing is something we enjoyed in PA. Here it is different, only about 5 sprint cars instead of 20 to 30. We have been spoiled by Port Royal Raceway. It was still fun to enjoy the race scene again. This was their first race of the season.

Saturday started with the usual, grocery shopping. Right now there is road construction pretty much everywhere you look. The quick way to fred Meyer is down the Steese but that is closed for a section. Lots of figuring out what side streets to take to get to where you want to go. So far managed to figure it out. Saturday evening we went over to Cade and Nicoles house to hangout with them, Will, Lizzie and Blaine. The boys went fishing to try and get trout for fish tacos and us girls hung out at the house. Out of the four guys fishing, Benjamin out fished them all. We had a blast with all of them. Had fish tacos and hung out by the fire. Then Baine fileted the trout and put it over the fire. I am not a huge fan of trout by itself but would have probably enjoyed it in the fish tacos.

We finally left at midnight with the sun still up and shining. Still boggles my mind with how light it us all the time in the summer. We have enjoyed the warmer weather but this week it is suppose to cool down which will be nice so the house stays cooler. Talk to you all next week!

This week was just like any other week. With life being at a slower space it allows us to enjoy the time afterwork without figuring out what to do. We have really been enjoying it. Allows us to enjoy the life we are creating here.

Typically on Fridays I go to the laundry mat to do our laundry this time I didn’t. I went to our friends house to use their washer and dryer. It also allows for Benjamin to just walk over when he is done with work. After work is when the long weekend began and the plans started.

Friday evening, Benjamin’s boss and his wife took us out for a boat ride on the Chena River. The Chena goes all the way through Fairbanks and dumbs into the Tanana River. Part of the Chena goes through the Army Base. You are allowed to go through but not allowed to get off the boat at all. Made us realize how big the base is. Everything in Fairbanks looks different from the water.

While out on the river, Benjamin’s boss was telling us little facts here and there about the area as we went by. We saw the west side of Fairbanks which is an area we haven’t been too. This considered the money side of Fairbanks. Lots of beautiful, huge houses. The major downfall to these houses is how close together they are. We enjoying getting to spend time with Benjamin’s boss and his wife.

After the boat ride we stopped by Cade and Nicoles house to hang out with our friends there. We usually enjoy our time talking and laughing around a campfire. Always a blast with them.

During the summer, Fairbanks has a farmers market on Wednesday and Saturdays. So Saturday morning we went to the farmers market with Cade and Nicole. We have learned that being from Lancaster, Roots has spoiled us with the idea of a farmers market. This one is peanuts in comparison. We still enjoyed walking around, looking at all of the different stands and seeing what food there was. We had some amazing tacos at one of the stands. Some of the best tacos we have had.

To finish out our Saturday morning we went yard saling. Yard saling is a very big thing up here. We went to several different ones and each snagged some deals. I managed to get us an air fryer that was barely used. It was a 2021 model that I got for $10. After some research we figured out that brand new it ranges from $50-$70. Quite a steal. We are super excited to use it this week. Also scored the Band of Brothers Series. Well Benjamin scored that one. If you know him you know he loves war movies. Finding this made him so happy.

We parted ways with Cade and Nicole just to see them again in a couple hours. One of Benjamin’s coworkers finished his last week of work to start his own concrete company, so he had everyone from work for a shrimp boil. I got lucky enough that they made me a caribou burger since I’m allergic to shrimp. I enjoying getting to meet everyone that Benjamin works with and their families.

We enjoyed our weekend like we do all the time but always enjoy our relaxing Sundays. Especially this week as we get ready for our Memorial Day plans. We have now lived in Alaska for two months. It has been an amazing two months. Can’t wait to see what the months ahead look like. This summer is going to be filled with plenty adventures, so stick around to see what all we experience. See you all next week!

This week started out with a birthday celebration! Monday was Benjamin’s 23rd birthday! We had the typical birthday dinner that Benjamin has had for many years. Cheeseburgers, pasta salad and chips. Was the perfect dinner. We had a great time celebrating Benjamin.

This week warmed up. Most days was the high 60’s with end of the week in the 70’s. Most days were spent with the windows open in the house, driving around with the windows down and spending the day in a t-shirt. Any snow that is left is right now is from it being plowed into a pile. Within a weeks time everything is green. A very beautiful green.

Benjamin went fishing again on Wednesday. Once again an unsuccessfully fishing trip. But there is always the next time. End of the week one evening was spent at our friend’s house around the fire. Camp fire season is happening and it is the best. Played some corn hole. I am a little rusty but we have all summer to perfect the game. Friday was spent relaxing at home before the weekend.

Saturday morning was spent driving 3 1/2 hours to Tok Alaska to pick up Benjamin’s hand guns. The drive down is beautiful. Hardly know you are in the truck for that long. Took all of 5 minutes before we were back on the road to get back home. We enjoyed the time driving. For our entire relationship we have the best conversations on long drives.

For the first time since we moving, we both had separate plans in the evening. Benjamin spent his time with Chris and a couple others looking for sheds in the White Mountains. He had a lot of fun. Didn’t see anything due to there still being snow up there.

I spent my time at Cade and Nicoles house with several other friends. Spent our time outside with a fire and yard games. Plenty of laughs and memories around the fire. We both enjoyed our time with others and always excited to come back home to each other.

Sunday afternoon we tried fishing again. This time we went to Chena Lake. A lot of people were there enjoying the nice weather. Once again didn’t get any fish. Benjamin had a couple bites but nothing stuck.

This coming week, we will have lived here for 2 months. Two awesome months of making plenty of memories. Making new friends, learned about the area and working on us. We can’t wait to see what is the next memory we make. See you all next week.

Well, the melt came to a slight halt. This week the weather wasn’t the best. Most of the week it was rainy. Monday and Tuesday it snowed. It is strange to see it snowing in May. Not something we expected. Since it would rain right after, the snow didn’t last long. By the end of the week the weather started to get better.

This week consisted of, trying to figure out what season it would be outside. Once that was figured out, just dress for every season to be safe. It would go from snowing, to raining, to sunny back to rain, in a matter of 30 minutes. With not knowing what it would be like outside and Benjamin coming home from work either cold, wet or both, we spent the week just relaxing. We enjoyed this week to relax. We figuring out what each of us needs from the other when we are in a small space, so we can both recharge.

By the end of the week the weather was started to turn around. Friday after dinner, we went for a walk at Chena Lake Recreation Area. This area is nice to walk around because of the Dam. Spent our time taking in the scenery and all the ducks in the area.

As fast as the snow came and went so did the week. The weekend came and went as well. We have our official Alaskan licenses. First thing we did was go out and purchase our fishing licenses. Due to not being a resident of Alaska we had to purchase out of state licenses. But now we get to fish when we want to.

One thing we always enjoyed about living in Lancaster is being able to go to the many diners in the area. We were spoiled with Silver Spring being less than 5 minutes from our house. We arent as spoiled now but have found an amazing diner near by. Breakfast Saturday was spent at Little Richard’s Family Diner. The food was amazing and the diner was unique. Reminded us of Lancaster county diners, with weird signs and antiques. We later found out that the owners are from PA, so it made sense why it looked the way it did. We will definitely be going back for the food and the huge cups of coffee.

That evening was spent hanging out at our friend Chris’s house with friends. Spent plenty of my time petting dogs, possibly getting a dog next time one is breed. Keeping my fingers crossed for that. Also tried to keep warm by the fire. Even though it was around 40 outside, it didn’t start to feel cold till 10 pm. The crazy part is that we all hung out outside even though it was in the low 40’s. Temperatures feel different here. We all enjoyed laughing and getting to know eachother. Excited to see how future Saturdays are spent now with it being light out and hopefully warming up.

Sunday morning we had our church by the water. Spent our time with the Lord by the river, taking in all of his creation. We went put those fishing licenses to good use. Well we tried, didn’t catch any fish. If you know me that isn’t a surprise, I did catch algae so helping to clean up a little. The Chena river is in flood stages because of the melt. Also at certain areas the water was moving quickly. We still enjoyed our time. Like every Sunday we relaxed. It is a big part of our weekend that we look forward too.

This week we look forward to the weather warming up. Which in turns allows for more time to be spent outdoors. Hopefully we will have a success while fishing or see more wildlife. Till next week!