We have made it...

um... home I suppose. It wouldn't be polite to call it my worse nightmare. The 3 people we have met (we are told there are 60 in the village now) are amazing! There is NO, I repeat NOOO, Native store as we were told (we ship most of our food but were counting on that store for emergencies and cravings)... we live in a trailer (yes that kind of trailer)... bears come into the village... the mosquitos are as big as birds and fly in swarms (I've lost an ounce of blood to them in the past hour LOL!)... and our plane wasn't able to hold all our things so we have no bedding or juice... I am craving juice. I don't mean to complain. I just wanted to be 'real'. Seriously, we are excited to be here... I just may cry myself to sleep tonight before I get over this and suck it up. In Macy's words, "I'm strong and I'm tough and I WON'T give up!"

Let us suck it up, find the good in all this, and unpack a bit and I will get on the details from our crazy long trip from old home to new home.

AH hahaha! We are in the school checking things out and using the internet... Arwen was not happy... Joe used the smart board to play Yo Gabba Gabba! So cute. The girls are dancing around and Arwen is trying to color the screen with her tiny hands. It's like our own personal movie theater. I could get used to that.

Shoot!

Oh NOW I remember how this works! We should have been on a little plane heading to our village now... We are not. Oh my what a stressful day. Joe has a few more phone calls to make before we know exactly what the h. is going on. I'll let ya know then. *sigh*

Fairbanks

We made it to Fairbanks! Had a really relaxing afternoon at the Wedgewood... Our home away from home from now on. Enjoyed a 'real' dinner... Brown rice with cheese hahaha! Feels good to eat right again... Got some yogurt freezing up in the freezer. It won't be as fantastic as Jax' but it will feel good in our bellys! Gonna finish unwinding tonight and hopefully get some pics and details up here tomorrow.

In Alaska

Sitting in (insert gag here) McDonalds waiting on breakfast. We were going to go to church with our friend Carmen but long story short got in late because our campground S U C K S! First real bust thus far. Oh and it's raining... Again. BUT the safeway has a Starbucks! This McDs is pretty sweet though. The bigs are playing checkers and bowling on a touch screen game thing and me and Arwen are sitting on tiny hamburgers with eyeballs... At a giant little kids purple table... So cute but I dont quite fit... She doesn't seem to notice. I wonder if this guy sleeping in the corner just couldnt find a room last night either?

Almost 'there'

Gonna make it to Alaska today! Can't wait to get to sourdough campground in tok but sad to give up anymore hotel stays... Last 2 nights were warm and cozy.

We have gone crazy!

None of this has to do with much of anything except I laugh at everyone of them! Every picture is crazy. We are crazy. Praying we see mountains or at least a change in landscape today! Sorry you don't get the update I promised... we actually slept last night. Soon though.

The new tent is cozy AND waterproof. Skipping a camping day and heading to Edmonton tonight. Will make up for the camping day in Hinton. There is lots to do and see in Jasper/banff area.
Will update as much as I can from the hotel tonight
We are wet and tired but safe. Pray for our moods... Lack of sleep (and lack of coffee) is getting to us. Can't wait to see some mountains and wildlife!

Where ya goin?

Here is an email update I just sent me mum. The kids are already in the car.... It's the first thing arwen did this morning after breakfast... I guess it's a comfort to her now? I don't have a lot of time so no pictures YET. More info in detail soon!
Please pray for health and safety for us all and the car too ( I don't expect a bear attack or flat or robbery or anything odd but ya never know right) can't wait to get to the next stop and shower and get a change of clothes on. Ew I feel gross and the kids look gross lol! Look at those crazy tennesseans ay?!

no signal on iPad, no Internet, no phone... Unless we stop somewhere with wifi. Like now at the KOA :)
We are just pass thunder bay in the KOA now. We are about to leave and head to
Falcon beach
Regina
Meota, sk
Edmonton, ab
Hinton, ab
Fort St. John
Fort Nelson
Watson lake, yk
Whitehorse, yk
Then to tok alaska! Then it is alaska days until august 1 when we get on a plane to Stevens village Alaska! So close I can taste it... No literally. The air is better already, the people get nicer the further north you go, and the kids and dog are behaving pretty well considering all things. Our first night in a tent went much better than expected but it was what we prayed for most yesterday. All is well.

Saying goodbye...

No this isn't the blog post with all the pictures from the going away party or the parting photos from Grandma's. This post is me saying goodbye to my only addiction. Countless hundreds of dollars have gone to feed this complicated obsession. Single grande 1/2 pump mocha 140 degree no water chai latte. So long my friend.

Terre Haute KOA

Our return to Alaska begins with a night's stay in the wilderness of Indiana, right off the interstate, at a KOA 2-room cabin. The drive itself was pretty uneventful...for adults....
"So many cool things that can be on trips!" Macy shouts out as we pass over a bridge.
The car rode well and we only had to endure about 30 minutes of rain, not quite enough to soak our camping gear, thankfully.
"At least I got a carrot." Gavin interrupted a prolonged silence with this unexplained exclamation.
The cabin staff were super friendly, had warm cookies and chocolates all ready for us, which was good because we just had to endure an hour of Arwen's screaming, extended when Indiana moved forward and closed our on-ramp and privileged us with a ten-mile detour through Terre Haute.
There was a dog treat for Thora and a fenced-in doggie playground with a cute fire hydrant for the boys. Cable tv on a 13 inch television. Breakfast was cheap, simple, and good, eggs for us boring adults and pancakes for the kids.
On a side note, the cafe was playing Live with Regis and NotKathieLee and they played a clip of Jennifer Anniston wearing nothing but a lab coat and her undies. We were of course horrified and made all the kids look away. Molly was in her own world not listening, and I watched as she looked up at the television, pointed and shouted "Look!" while laughing hysterically. Obviously not easily embarrassed.

There was just enough time in the day to feed the on-site donkeys and play on the playground. We give Terre Haute KOA 4 stars, as there was a good bit of sand on the cabin floor when we arrived. *update- due to the quality of the other stays on this trip I am bumping this one up to 5 stars... seriously the sand was just an inconvenience.

We were all pretty stinky and wore the same sweaty clothes for 2 days, but we survived the Wilderness of Indiana.

Gone!

Last night we stopped in Terre Haute at a KOA and now we are on our way to Joe's grandmother's house. We have left Tennessee behind for good... Or rather a good long time. Here we come Wisconsin!
I have been keeping a little journal and will share more details with you all as soon as I get a chance. I want to add pictures with the descriptions but I have yet to figure out how to do that with the iPad.
I didn't take this photo but it is the exact cabin we slept in last night. Cute ay?