Wow, so much has been going on... so so so so SOOOOOOOOOOOO much. Lets see... where to start...

The two weeks spent at my mom's house was really nice, except for when the dogs got sick. Both of the pooches are now perfectly fine and no longer stressed out since all our stuff arrived and both Dan and myself are here. They've lost a little weight, but nothing major and both are eating regularly and back to their happy selves.

I think this time spent with my mom has doen wonders for the both of us. Something happened and we are really getting along. I love it. I hope this lasts for the rest of our lives. I was able to put some issues behind me this time, and I think she was able to as well.

We made it to Cooper Landing. The house is a far cry from what we lived in when in Kodiak, but now that its 85-90% unpacked and put away, its feeling much more like home and has mucho potential to be really cute. My mom had a good suggestion for me... think of the house as our "cottage" and not the "home". Thinking of it as a cottage allows most of the flaws to disappear in my eyes, and I can enjoy it for what it is. In all seriousness, though, I can not complain. We are paying under $900 a month for the following: heating fuel, electriciy, AND rent. This is a 1900 sq foot home that takes a lot of heating power when the temperature reaches below freezing. So far, almost every day has been below zero. The view is AMAZING. Tonight we watched the sunset over the lake and the mountains from our dining room table.

There was a welcome dinner at the community center for the new troopers in the area (two of them including Dan). All the food was homemade and the company was great. We met so many community members and found out there are about 101 clubs you can volunteer for in the community. I was also invited to a scrapbooking night over at one of the lady's house. I had so much fun! I wish I could do that more than one night a week! We are going to love being a part of this community. Plus, since there are mostly elders here, they all love babies and can't wait for the new addition to the town. I guess its a big deal when there is a new baby in town.. :D :D

My mom came to CL to help me unpack. She stayed for two days. I don't even know how to begin to thank her for her help. Had I done this by myself (Dan has already started working) I would be frazzled, frustrated, and in the psych ward. Her organizational skills are amazing. She managed to fill our entire utility room with all the contents of our garage and it still looks bare. Everything has its place and there is still room. She help me sort through a bunch of junk and get me down to what I REALLY needed, she also did all the heavy lifting and all the scrubbing that required one to be on their hands and knees (i.e. bathroom floors, kitchen cabinets.....). She really came through for me, and my appreciation goes beyond what I can express.

Dan and I drove to Kenai yesterday for furniture shopping and grocery shopping. I found new furniture that I LOVE. We bought a couch and loveseat set of that micro suede in sage green that has a 10 year stain free warranty. The prices were unbeatable. I also indulged and bought a brand new lay-z-boy recliner for myself also in the micro suede in a nice camel color with the 10 year stain free warranty. This recliner is so amazing it has the memory foam (like those temperapedic beds) throughout. The couches will be here next week and the recliner will be here in about 10 weeks because of the special order fabric. After the furniture is here I'll buy some nice floor lamps and some great curtains. This place will be home yet!

If you consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling through
18 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping that the food
will swim by, you might live in Alaska.

If you have ever refused to buy something because it's too spendy
you might live in Alaska.

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from November through March,
You might live in Alaska.

If someone in a store offers you assistance, and they don't work
there, you might live in Alaska.

If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the middle of
his forehead, you might live in Alaska.

If you have worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you might
live in Alaska.

If your town has an equal number of bars and churches, you might
live in Alaska.

If you have had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who
dialed a wrong number, you might live in Alaska.

YOU KNOW YOU ARE A TRUE ALASKAN-ITE WHEN:

1. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a truck
plowing snow on the highway.

2. Vacation means going to Valdez.

3. You measure distance in hours.

4. You know several people who have hit a Moose more than once.

5. You often switch from heat to A/C in the same day and back
again.

6. Your whole family wears blue jeans to church on Sunday.

7. You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging
blizzard, without flinching.

8. You see people wearing camouflage at social events (including
weddings)

9. You install security lights on your house and garage and leave
both unlocked.

10. You think of the major food groups as beer and Salmon.

11. You carry jumper cables in your car and your wife or
girlfriend knows how to use them.

12. There are 7 empty cars running in the parking lot at Mill's
Fleet Farm at any given time.

13. You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a
snowsuit.

14. Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are
filled with snow.

15. You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter
and road construction.

16. You can identify a southern or eastern accent.

17. You know how to polka.

18. Your idea of creative landscaping is a statue of a deer next
to your blue spruce.

19. You were unaware that there is a legal drinking age.

20. Down South to you means Seattle.

21. Your neighbor throws a party to celebrate his new pole shed.

22. Your 4th of July picnic was moved indoors due to frost.

23. You have more miles on your snow blower than your car.

24. You find 0 degrees a little chilly.

25. You actually understand these jokes, and you forward them to
all

So I have decided that in my upcoming spare time in between moving (There will be a month and a 1/2 that I'll have no job and stay at home before the move) I am going to muzzle train Bear. After thinking, I figured this is the best way to socialize him without him causing injury. Reason being, is that I didn't socialize him properly when he was a pup. As a result, I have an American Bulldog/Pit Bull mix that hates other dogs. There is only one instance that I can recall that he didn't fight, and that was when he was introduced to a pack of 5 friendly dogs. The pack of dogs, he knew, were more than he could handle, so he actually did a good job being around them. He showed some aggressiveness, but nothing too alarming. So there is hope.

I started the training tonight. In the past, when a muzzle was put on him, he would fight it until he got it slipped off. Well, tonight, I tightened it up a bit and made him sit, gave him a small peice of meat as a treat and got his full attention. Once I had his attention, I fed him another peice of meat through the muzzle hole, so that what he was doing was putting his own face into the muzzle to reach the meat. Once he did it, I fastened it on, and gave him another little peice of meat as a reward. I actually got him to sit, stay and come on command while wearing the muzzle. Being our first practice he got an A++.

A couple times he started to fight the muzzle by pawing at it. When he did that I quickly got his attention and gave him another small peice of meat (which was really deer burger crumbs from a pot of chili I made). It worked great.

I only worked him maybe 5-6 minutes because I didn't want to overload his pea brain on the first try. I'm very pleased with his success tonight and gave him lots and lots of praise and hugs.

Are there any dog training tips out there to share???? I'm way open for advice!!

So one of my co-workers just came in to tell me the cutest story about his 7 year old daughter Tessa. Tessa got one of those American Girl Dolls for Christmas. Tessa thought for a long time about that name to give it. She finally decided to name her doll Heidi. My co-worker asked her why she named it Heidi, and Tessa replied that, "Heidi was the name of her ice skating coach, and that it looks just like her"

I am so flattered and so honored! I don't know what these american dolls look like. I'm going to look into them, but the fact that she thinks so highly of me, really means a lot. I must have made a difference in her life, and that's amazing.

I saw a special on History Channel tonight about the History of Christmas and its pagan roots. It was quite interesting. Here are some of the pagan traditions that were brought over to the christianity version of the holiday:

The evergreen tree is a symbol of life through the harshness of winter because its always green. The German christians were the ones to bring it into the home and decorate it with apples to represent the garden of eden, the apples eventually turned to ornaments.

The pagan Romans celebrated their winter solstice on the 25th of December. The celebrated the birth of the sun god Mithra. When the christians needed to pick a date to celebrate the birth of the baby christ, they picked the 25th of december because pagans celebrated the birth of the "sun" and christians celebrated the birth of the "son". So basically this way celebrations would take place during the same time. According to historian, christ was more likely birthed during the spring.

The Persian sun-god Mithra was widely accepted
in the Roman world prior to the period of Christian
evangelism. Sunday was dedicated to Mithra (lord),
receiving the title of the "Lord's Day"

I found this in the Catholic Encyclopedia about Mithraism, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10402a.htm

For several years in the 16th century England, christianity and the christmas holiday were banned.

The holly bush represents the crown of thorns on Jesus's head.

The Yule log would burn for 12 days, being that it was so large. This was the time the Norse would feast (during the entire burning of the log). Each flame and spark of the fire represented a new lamb or calf that would be born in the coming year. So the bigger and better the flames of the yule log, the more prosperous the livestock would be.

There really was a St. Nick, but Santa Claus was basically made up for the children. The reindeer that pulls santas sleigh was originally made up in the poem, Twas a Night before Christmas, which was written by a priest, who was too embarassed of his poem that a long time had passed before he admitted he wrote it.

A Christmas Carol, by Dickens, was written as a way to teach the higher class victorians that they should be charitable to the poor.

It was a pretty kick ass show. I'm going to buy the DVD from the History Channel. Very good history there.

So it looks like I'll actually get to stay with my parents for 6 weeks instead of the 4 I thought. I have some anxiety about this. First off, its not my home and I'll be away from Dan longer than I thought. I know I'll survive, but I'll miss the man. He is going to miss 6 weeks of my pregnancy, and its the part of the pregnancy when things start happening. It will be the time when he would be able to feel the baby kick. He'll also be missing my 21 week ultra sound, so hopefully we can bump it up and have it done early in Kodiak so he will be there to see, and hopefully find out with me if its a boy or girl.

Second, I'm going to have both dogs in my mother's house. She says that it will be fine, but if she let my sister's dog, Joker, get on her nerves sometimes, then my spaz dog Bear is going to drive her insane. I have every intention on keeping both the dogs under as much control as possible, but I know how easy other peoples pets get on other people's nerves can be. I'm also worried about the neighbors mean boxer that was agressive towards my mom. If that dog and Bear got into a fight, I don't know who would win, and the thought of my pup prince fighting a big boxer with balls freaks me out.

Then, one night, while I was typing away on some things, my mother came home after being out with Dad while he was bowling. She wanted to know, what I was typing, who I was typing to, what was it about.. blah blah blah... I told her it was none of her business and that made her mad. I finally told her that I was typing on my journal. She just told me that she would read it later. I simply said, "not if I mark it private" She went to bed after that. I felt like I was being treated like a 14 year old again. She and I are really starting to come together again, and I like that. There are just some quirks on both our sides that I don't think will change, and I think they will cause us to butt heads. So, this makes me nervous. I already feel like I'm imposing and I'm not even there yet.

I think I'm stressed out again. I have so much to get done at work before I quit, I feel like I have to do so much at home before I leave. Not to mention we have make the house sale official, which, the paperwork process will begin on the 29th and that will last a good month. Getting the dogs adjusted scares me. Constantly thinking something is wrong with my baby is not good, and the fact that I've been out of my medication for 5 days is SERIOUSLY not helping me mentally. I've already started the withdraw process because I haven't filled my prescription (pharmacies have been closed and with traveling... etc.) I feel like I'm walking around in a drunken haze. I just want to scream right now. Also, the thought of driving the Alaskan roads in Jan/Feb is really not fun. What if I do something wrong and get in an accident? CRAP!!!!

The reality of it is... its not bad. Dan says everything will work out fine and I believe him, I really do, but the anxiety just won't stop. I just want to be in Cooper Landing now, setting up my house, bypassing all the stuff inbetween.

Fuck I want a beer, or 5 beers. I am going to have to settle for a milk instead.

K, I'm done ranting. Time to watch a funny movie and curl up to Bob, my body pillow, and relax.

I don't have much to say about this christmas. I feel out of place this year now that we are moving. We didn't decorate the house at all, and for all of last week I was in Palmer staying at my parents. I bought Dan a really nice 2-way radio set. He didn't get me anything because what he wanted to get me he couldnt find on this rock. Note to those who ever move to an island, things sell out fast. I really want a nice ipod, so I'm going to shop for myself and find one that I want. Here is a list of my pressies this holiday:

Native American flute and penny whistle from my mom. They rock! Thanks mom!

A little clay set to make a clay print of my baby's hand after its born. Thank you Debi :D

A "car baby" cell phone adapter which allows me to talk to the person on my cell phone through my car speakers, totally hands free. It works swell and is pink! A cell phone antenna inhancer, and the "car baby" holder to mount the cell phone in my car. Thanks lil' bro.

A great set of homemade pillow cases, a crocheted towel, and fabric box, all made by my grandmother Char. I love you grasshopper!

A great candy gift package from my sister and family. Thanks Carol!

We did have a family dinner with my mom, dad, myself, Dan and Jeni (Clints fiance). The dinner went great and we had a lot of laughs. Food was yummy as usual.

I visited my grandma Loretta for a while, which was nice.

On Friday night mom, dad and myself went to the American Legion for steak night. The food was awesome and of course I'm treated like a regular there. Its a pretty fun bar, even when I'm drinking just 7up. The elders have some fun stories.

I did a lot of maternity clothes shopping. I found most of the clothes I bought at Berlington Coat factory and at the Value Village Thrift Store. So now I feel that I have enough to get me through the pregnancy. More than likely I'll buy more though.

On xmas eve, before I flew back to Kodiak, there was a brunch at my aunt kathy's house. I always like the family gatherings such as those. The only scary part is that she lives way the hell up the Eagle River mountains, and being in a rental car with summer tires on snow almost made me go into labor. haha. Everything went fine of course and the car handled well. whew. The thought about a seatbelt accident across my middle is pretty frightening to me.

So thats it.

Well, I was in charge of the photos, wedding cake, and tuxedos for my little brothers 21st of December wedding. Earlier in the month Clint called me crying, telling me Jeni called off the wedding because they weren't on the same "spiritual page". Of course Clint was devistated, not knowing what she meant. Right now Clint is in Virginia doing some training.

Well, this news was both a relief and a disappointment. A relief because I really want them both to be completely sure of the decision to be married. I mean, not all problems will or can be worked out BEFORE marriage. Marriage is a constant live long growing process. I am just glad that she said "whoa, wait a minute" now instead of after the I Do's. The cancellation was a disappointment because there were a lot of family, including myself that wanted to see them married. But, again, I'm glad they are taking baby steps now to get to know eachother more.

Shortly after the cancellation, Clint and Jeni had some long talks, which in return, made Clint feel much better. He felt he had lost her, but he didn't. Its just postponed.

So this week I am pretty sure that I have felt the baby move. When I'm laying down at night and its quiet I'm able to focus on my lower regions. So far, I've felt the same sort of movements, like a flutter, every night except last night. When I finally sign off the computer tonight I'll lay down very still and see if it happens again. At first I thought it was the classic gas or something, but it didn't seem to be. So yay, I felt the baby move at 15.5 weeks!

I've taken only 3 students this year. One of them is very promising. She is in Freestyle Level 4, so she is jumping really nice, but her spins need work.

The other two are in their basic levels, and I really only said yest to them because I can't seem to say no. My heart isn't in to coaching this year. With a combination of being burnt out at work, pregnant, moving... I am just not motivated to devot my time to another side job when I need to be home getting rest and deciding what to pack.

I am going to conclude my coaching in the next two weeks. Heck, in another two weeks putting on my skates will be even more uncomfortable than it is now, and my tummy is really not that much bigger, even though it has grown. zoiks.

I was going to coach the christmas break skating clinic, but decided against it since my boss didn't want to pay me for time spent away from work during the day, even though I was on city business, since the clinic was being hosted by the city. Now I'm glad I didn't do it. I'm just worn out all around the last 4 months.

Okay peoples... get ready for a posting frenzy. I need to get caught up!!!!

Debi L of Wasilla. Her anniversary was on the 21st and I forgot to tell her, so here I go...

Happy Anniversary Debi and Rob!!!

I'm going to buy one, or maybe even 2 of the three following shirts for my baby when its born. I just can't figure out which one I want..... Help me out folks. They even come in pink and blue :)

The state announced today that Dan was awarded the Cooper Landing position. There was actually a crazy mess up involving it. Dan had filled out his bid form for the position, but for some reason, it wasn't mailed to the brass when it was supposed to. When the position was awarded to another trooper with less time on than Dan, big red flags went up. Dan's boss found the form and called the Major. Luckily the Major chaulked it up as an administrative error, and withdrew the job from the other trooper and gave it to Dan who was the senior of the two.

After some rough draft planning, we have decided that my last day at work will be January 20th, and I'll load myself, a vehicle and the dogs onto the ferry at the end of January and drive to my parents house where I'll live until March, when Dan has to report to Cooper Landing.

The red dot is Cooper Landing, and below that on the Island in the Gulf Coast, is where I live now, Kodiak City.

I've been thinking for days on what to update my journal on. Here are a few things that come to mind...

Figure skating

Performing CPR on a frog, no success

Big Snowfalls

Emergency Ultrasound

Baby's Heartbeat

Uncle's Death

Thanksgiving Dinner

How my eyes would cross when I hit a high note singing in elementary school <--true story I shit you not.

Little Brother's wedding plans

Total burn out with my job

Movies I've recently seen (The Skeleton Key, The Amnityville Horror, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...)

Dan put in for another transfer, we find out on Thursday/Friday

How the holidays are the time for suicides and pissed off co workers

My short term goals, work and non-work related

I would like a beer



I don't know where to start with these updates. I suppose I can start at the beginning. I do know that there is much that has happened in the last 3 weeks or so that I have not mentioned that are update worthy. I guess my little brain will reveal them when its time.

I was pretty wasted in this picture. Clint wasn't aloud to drink. By the end of the day he was getting annoyed with all our self portraits


After a long day of being in the sun

( More pics!!! Click HERE NOW!!! )

I drove up to the coffee stand this morning. They are now serving eggnog drinks! Whooo hooo! So of course I indulged on a double shot decaf short eggnog latte. OMG, yummy goodness!

Sorry Carol and Debi for not up dating sooner you live journal sluts! Muaa haa haa

Anyway, so I'm in this Records Managment training yesterday, today and possibly tomorrow. It sucks balls. I am not happy there. Its taking place in the Assembly Chambers at City Hall. That room is too damn hot, way hot. The only bonus is that I have been working through lunch so I go home at 4 instead of 5. I can't wait till the training is over. I can't wait until the weekend. For real though, the software that we are learning will actually be neat when its implemented, just the training on it sucks.

This weekend (on the 29th to be exact) will be mine and Dan's 6th Anniversary, and my mom's birthday. Fun weekend. My mom and I are going to plan to watch a scary movie together, her being in Palmer, and me in Kodiak. We haven't decided which one yet.

I'm 8 weeks pregnant today. YAY. Wow. Holy Shit. I still ask myself often if this is for real. I'm feeling super great. I'm passed all the icky feelings, well mostly. My boobs still weigh a ton, but they aren't so sensitive to touch anymore. I can actually wear just one bra now instead of two. My pants are getting slightly tighter, but nothing drastic. Here is what arrived in my email this morning:

Hello, Heidi!

If you could peek into your womb this week, you'd see that your baby's fingers and toes are growing longer, her eyelids practically cover her eyes, and her embryonic tail is just about gone. Of course, it's still too early to tell whether your kidney-bean sized baby is a boy or a girl because the telltale parts aren't visible yet, but go ahead and play the guessing game. Many moms-to-be say they have an inkling early on — and often they're right!

I have no clue what my baby could be. I really don't care what it is.

K, time to go to training damn it.