So Long, B Street!

This is my last night in this lovely abode. And my last night in Alaska for a bit. My journey across the country begins bright and early tomorrow for a 2 week adventure on the east coast to celebrate the holiday season with wonderful friends and family. See ya next year!

AEYC Staff Sending You Holiday Cheer

These are the lovely ladies that I get to spend every day with.  They are the "early childhood experts" of Southeast, Alaska and they're a ton of fun! I've learned a lot from them and feel blessed to be surrounded by such motivated and passionate individuals who have an incredible grasp on the balance of and relationship between work and play. 

Pictured Left to Right: Nikki, Robin, Shelia, Maria, Joy, Lori, Carolyn, Nicole (me), Amber, Emily

Mountainfront Property

The view from my bedroom window. 

Good Morning, Juneau!

Sunrise around 9am. Shorter days make it much easier to catch these bright, beautiful works of art. 

Gonna Miss This...

The warm, cozy living room of 319 B St. This is where we lay, drink tea, read, solve life's problems, play bananagrams and enjoy living simply and slowly as we look out the window at gently falling snow (or pouring rain) and big giant mountains. Cathleen's couch is on the left, mine is on the right, we're not quite sure where our two new housemates that arrive this evening are going to sit? They do own the house, so I guess we'll let them have first pick. We're here for one more week, home for the holidays, then a new apartment! I'm sad to leave this most wonderful house but excited for a real big kid apartment. More to come on that...

Silly & Sweet

It's our last weekend on B Street before the people that own the house we are "sitting" come home, so we decided we'd take advantage of the kitchen, aprons and all, and do some serious holiday baking for friends. I think the sugar fumes may have gotten to us...

Holiday Hospitality

The annual Christmas open house at the Governor's mansion was this evening. We waited in line and were served hot cider and cookies by the Governor's cabinet members. We walked inside to the beautifully decorated former home of Sarah Palin and got to meet Alaska Governor, Sean Parnell (pictured right), his wife and Ltd Governor Treadwell (pictured left). There were over 24,000 cookies prepared for the event along with lots of Joy, holiday cheer and sense of community.

"I Think I Can. I Think I Can. I Think I Can."

Family night tonight! It was train themed in honor of Dolley Parton's favorite book, "The Little Engine That Could." Dolley Parton created the Imagination Library that is run out of my office for Southeast Alaska. Any child can enroll for free and get 1 age appropriate book in the mail each month from age 0-5. We made trains out of paper towel rolls, gave out conductor hats and were mesmerized by a real live train conductor from the White Pass Railroad who was our book reader! Conductors, railroads & positive mental attitudes... let's just say I enjoyed myself. So did this bright eyed conductor in training. 

This Is My Friend Ellis...

 We got to hang out every week at parenting class that is put on by my office. She loves jazz music, she makes pizza dough with her dad a lot, she rolls her eyes when Michael, the other little boy who comes to class, tries to kiss her, she loves taking pictures of herself on my phone, she's got some serious attitude and she always asks me where my mom is. I tell her that my mom is in New York and she never seems to comprehend how that is possible. Unfortunately, this session of classes came to an end and we had to say our goodbyes for now. Juneau is a small town so hopefully I'll run into this cute, little sassy-pants again soon! (I never thought I'd be learning so much about parenting at the age of 23. Taking notes!)

I Feel Home

I've come to define "home" as a place where I feel comfortable, where I feel at peace and where it just feels right. 

After a few months in Juneau, it feels like home. I know the bus routes down to the minute. I know that just because it's dark out doesn't mean it's nighttime. I have a warm winter coat,  insulated rain-boots and special attachments for the bottom of my shoes so that I don't take a spill on the ice. I know that just because you're from Alaska, doesn't mean you like Sarah Palin. I see familiar faces everywhere I go and I make small talk at the grocery store. I give tourists directions. I know which stores have free wine at the monthly gallery walks. It doesn't sound weird when I hear someone talking about going "to the glacier" or "out the road" (there's only one). I have fun and supportive friends and colleagues who know that I love oats and enjoy wandering. I've become accustomed to spectacular views everywhere I look and have to keep reminding myself that this isn't normal. I am SO blessed to see this beauty daily. I never imagined that I would add Juneau, Alaska to my list of places I call home, but I am filled with Joy by the thought of it. 

"Santa! I KNOW HIM!"

The first Friday of every month in Juneau is the "First Fridays, Gallery Walk." There is art displayed in most of the shops, free food, live entertainment and a bustling downtown. The December Gallery Walk is the most anticipated and Downtown Juneau was certainly in the holiday spirit last night! (It reminded me a lot of the Victorian Street Walk for all my Saratogians out there). And yes, we did wait in line to see Santa, and it was awesome. 

Au Royaume du Bonhomme Hiver

In high school french class every year we sang Christmas carols in french the day before the holiday break. "Au royaume du bonhomme hiver" is the french version of "walking in a winter wonderland." This line of the song kept running through my head all day today as I enjoyed the white wonder around me.