Better late than never...right?

I sound like a broken record...but, I'm late on the blog again!

Summer flew by in the blink of an eye.  Fall is here and we expect the snow to fly any day.  I enjoy this time of year; hunkering down for the winter and preparing for holidays, Rory's birthday and winter activities.  

Rory is growing like a weed and is an amazing little girl who likes to help her mom, dad and little sister.  She has a wonderfully pleasant disposition, dances like a superstar and has an innate desire to learn.  After spending the weekend with my friend Dyanne and her daughter, Natalie, Rory now likes to play Go Fish and War; she usually ends up beating her dad and me.  Rory's favorite thing to do lately is to watch Uncle Jesse on the Healy Lake version of Carly Rae Jespen’s song Call Me Maybe – look it up on YouTube.  Jesse can be seen in the night vision shot – far right – the terrible lip syncer.

Massie has grown leaps and bounds in the past two months.  Just like her sister, she's a dancing fool who would rather listen to music than watch TV.  She is curious and one of the sweetest babies you'll ever know.  Her vocabulary is growing exponentially with each day that passes.  Some of my favorites (and most frequently used) are: night night, up, no, dada, mom, banana (or something that sounds similar), yes, all done, tank you :-), hello, I love you (or more like - ra ruv ru).  

Now that you have sufficiently been updated on the girls...let's get to the pictures.

Outdoor Adventures

We are making an effort to get the girls outside more and with Fall upon us it is a perfect time to get out and breath the fresh air.

Yuri with the girls on a beautiful fall day.

Playing in the leaves in her brand new jacket.  I had no idea the jacket would be neon pink when I ordered it. The good news is that we'll be able to see her from a mile away (heck, the airplanes flying overhead will be able to see her).

Massie picking up one of one thousand leaves.

Dyanne and Natalie / Robyn and Mike Visit Fairbanks

One of my dearest friends, Dyanne, brought her daughter, Natalie, to Fairbanks for a visit about a month ago.  We had a nice time catching up and running after the kids for a long weekend.  The girls got along well and by the end of the trip were acting just like sisters.

Natalie loves the water and is a little fish.  Fortunately for us, this interest rubbed off on Rory.  Rory is now enjoying the water and has even dunked her head a time or two.  Thanks Natalie!  Below are the girls at the Chena Hot Springs pool.

Not my finest hair day but below is Dy and I with the girls.

A day after Dyanne and Natalie headed back to Anchorage, my oldest (not talking age people) and dear friend, Robyn, made a stop in Fairbanks with her hubby, Mike.  Robyn and I enjoyed a day of pampering while Mike and Yuri hit the golf course.  They then headed off to Anchorage where Yuri and I met up with them, and the rest of the gang, the next day.

Once I arrived in Anchorage I headed over to Sullivan's to meet up with the crew - L to R (pay no attention to the terrible picture - everyone seems to have glowing raccoon eyes) - Mike A., Robyn, Dyanne, Betty, Bruce, Mike R., Renee, Lanie and me (Yuri was at another function but met up with us later in the evening).  This group never has a dull time...we can get together after not seeing each other for ages and it's just like no time has passed! 

The next day, Robyn, Dyanne and I, along with our husbands, headed out to Girdwood for the evening.  Below is a picture of the three of us girls at the Double Musky.  Hard to believe our little group of three has been together for 20 years...I'm so lucky to have these gals in my life!

Parties
The WWWW gang got together at my Mom's studio last month to watch Martin and Maurik blow glass.  We had a nice, low key evening and everyone got to go home with a hand-blown wine glass.

Here are a few of the hand-blown glasses that were made for the gals.

Baby Jesse turned 31 this year.  To celebrate, Mom and Dad had a small get together at their house.  Below is Jesse after blowing out the candles.  Rory is staring in disbelief as Jesse actually blew out his own candles instead of having her do it as most people do.

Jesse with his sister and nieces.

Grandpa Bud celebrated another birthday last month too.  Below are Rory and Grandma Linda with Bud, who is cracking up at the card he's been given.

Outdoor movie night - Living in Alaska we rarely have an opportunity to watch movies outside as it is usually too cold to be outdoors when it is dark.  For those of you who haven't experienced Alaska, the summer months are daylight nearly 24 hours; it only gets dark when fall/winter comes which makes it COLD.  It seems that it's been unseasonably warm so our friends, the Baileys, hosted an outdoor movie night.  Yuri attended the party with Rory as I stayed behind with a sleeping Massie.  Below is a not-so-great picture of the movie watching participants.  What a great night and a great party!

My friend and fellow WWWW member, Jacyn, made these cupcakes for her son's birthday party (that we crashed :-)).  She is incredibly talented - the toppings are edible and the cupcakes were delicious!

Dodson 4th annual chili cook off - Jimmy and Heather moved into their new (amazing) house and christened it by hosting their annual chili cook off.  I, of course, brought a vegetarian chili - I mean, someones got to come in last place, right?  Just kidding, I'm not positive I got last.  A good time was had by all and Rory spent all evening outside with her girlfriends.

Heather and Jimmy announcing the winners of the chili cook off.

Grandad Andy with Massie at the cook off party.

Several months ago we celebrated Jacyn's 30th birthday.  Below is me, my Mom (middle) and Sue Wilken.

Renee Visits Fairbanks
Renee was brought to Fairbanks for a work function and stayed the night to hang out with the Morgan girls.  We love seeing Renee!

Rory and Massie - Like Peas and Carrots 
My girls are always loving on each other...it is very sweet to see.

No fear here...finally enjoying swim time.

I'm convinced that Massie was a Yogaite in a former life - every now and then I'll look over at her and she'll be doing the downward dog pose.  Here is Rory trying to copy the move.

Rory being a wonderful teacher - showing Massie how to adhere the window clings.

All Rory
Rory got tired of watching me take pictures of her and Massie so she grabbed her Elmo camera and started snapping away at her masterpiece.

I think she's taking after her Grandmother Judy...the light looks just right for a masterpiece.

We took a family trip to the fair in August - there was a lot to eat, ride and experience.  Here is our little dump truck driver taking a turn at the wheel.  Gotta have a flower in your hair when you are delivering a load of dirt.

Rory had the unfortunate luck of having a her back tooth break and then get infected.  Long story short, poor little thing had to have a root canal.  She was AMAZING!  No crying or wiggling; nothing but listening to the doctor, following directions and being incredibly grownup like.  Here she is getting the laughing gas.

All Massie
Massie is turning from a "little critter" into a very cute little girl.  Having said this, the next two pictures don't quite show her new found beauty.

We like to put Yuri's glasses on Massie and call her Mr. Chesterfield...not sure why the name is used but it fits!  Doesn't she look like a little number cruncher?!

She won't thank me for this picture when she gets older...but...gotta love her jowls in the pic!!!!

Next month...Grandma Karen and Grandpa Sid visit!

Firsts...

Summer is speeding by at the blink of an eye.  Luckily we have had a lot of opportunities to get outside and enjoy ourselves and our girls.  

Massie sprouted about 5 teeth over the course of a week and now looks like she's got half a mouthful of Chiclets.  She is in full mimic mode and is trying so hard to speak like a little girl. Her little chunky legs love to run and she has a giggle that would melt the Grinch's heart.

Rory continues to love dancing, playing with her friends and learning new things.  She knows most of her letters and is starting to sound them out.  She is a darling little girl, however, she does have moments that remind us that she is, in fact, only three.

Massie - Partied Out

We attended a surprise 30th birthday party for our friend, Kyle, several weeks ago.  We had a great time celebrating his first official birthday since turning 18 - since then he has either been away at school or overseas working (if you call playing basketball working :-)).

Massie quickly hit a wall at the party - luckily we brought the wagon with us and made her a makeshift bed.  Not much cuter than a baby sleeping in a wagon.

Eventually Massie awoke from her slumber - it's almost as if she could sense that Grandad Andy was armed with ice cream.

Golden Days 

Our friend Renee was in town for Golden Days so we decided to show her how small town Fairbanks does a fun night.  We all hopped on our bikes and headed to the local Mexican joint for a bite and a Corinita.   We then got back on our bikes and headed to Alaskaland for a good old fashion comedy show.  An evening is never boring when you are on bikes acting like a bunch of pre-driver's license holding teens.

Also in town over the Golden Days weekend were Betty and Bruce (more pics of them later).  Below is Betty with the girls enjoying the grub served at the Governor's barbecue at Alaskaland.

Although this picture doesn't adequately portray the natural beauty of my girls it does show two girls chowing down on their ice cream.  Massie looks like a proud little critter and Rory is attacking her ice cream like it stole her boyfriend.

Proud to ride on her dad's shoulders.

Betty giving the girls a ride in the wagon...she was a trooper and kept them occupied for quite some time.

A beautiful couple - Betty & Bruce

A Trip of Firsts

We've taken a few adults only rafting trips over the past few years and now that Rory is getting a little older we opted for a kids rafting trip.  It was decided that we needed to start with a basic one-night trip on the Chena River so we packed up and set off with our good friends the Baileys and the Burks (minus Megan unfortunately).  Massie decided to stay behind in the comfort of Grandad Andy and Grandma Judy's home.

Rory is very much an indoor kid; we've done a poor job at making her feel comfortable in the outdoors but there is still time to "fix" her with outings like this.

Her first rafting trip was a trip of other firsts as well...

...first time fishing...

...and a first time in a tent and sleeping bag. We are so proud of how well she did on this trip.  There were only a few "I'm three" breakdowns and I foresee many more adventures in her near future.

The Craziness of WWWW

It was murder and mayhem at the Miss America competition this year.  As always, the monthly WWWW get together was over the top fun.  The murder mystery party included some shenanigans and a murder involving laced breath mints.  Fun was had by all...I feel so fortunate to be part of this great group of women (and you'll notice Matt Wilken sneaking in the shot below).

As Miss Wisconsin, I don't exactly have pageant hair so I opted for a high quality $9.99 hairpiece.  Both my girls were horrified when they saw me...I have to admit that I do look a little creepy.

Rory, Rory, Rory
Now that Massie is getting older she has taken up big girl interests like writing on her sister's face with markers.

Rory went to the fair with her Grandma Linda - this lucky girl got to ride Snickers the Pony.

Coming up next month...Robyn returns to Alaska and the three "tall chicks" reunite.

Milking Summer for All It's Worth...

Summer is in full swing here in Fairbanks and we are milking every last drop of possible fun out of it. 

Massie is officially on two feet - walking like a little duck and doing a lot of quacking too.  She has a few words but "uh oh" is her favorite as she throws things onto the floor.  She has a wonderful disposition and is simply a pleasure to have around.

Rory is a great big sister and is smart as a whip.  She's a little chatter box who is interested in everything around her - how things work, why things "are" and constantly says "are you really sure" when asking for a commitment on something.

Massie's Birthday - Continued

I know...we covered Massie's birthday in the blog last month but I've got a  few more things to share.  The first is the video I tried to post last month but wasn't successful.  I'll again apologize for the terrible singing of Massie's mother.

Here is Massie reading her birthday card from Grandma Judy and Grandad Andy.  She did the respectful thing and read the card thoroughly before looking at the amount on the check.

Golfing Weekend in Fairbanks

A group of Yuri's pals from Anchorage came in for a good-old-fashion guys golfing weekend.  They spend several days golfing and then we had them over for dinner and a "skills challenge".  The challenge could be likened to to an obstacle course and included skills from the following sports: soccer, Frisbee golf, boccie ball, and golf (with the clubs of a three year).  This is a competitive group so fun was had by all.  In fact, after the official challenge we ended up in two vacant lots in the neighborhood for a long drive competition (still using Rory's clubs).

Here is the gang (L to R): Dewey, James, Bruce, George, Rob, Massie, Yuri and Rory.

Yuri showing the guys the rules of the skills challenge.  You'll notice that Rory has a stopwatch around her neck - she was keeping time...not sure why Yuri has a yard stick in his hands though.

Our good friend Bruce Tangeman holding a quizzical Massie.

WWWW - Glamping

It was my turn again (along with my mom) to host the monthly WWWW dinner and this time we chose a "glamping" theme.  For those not in the know, Glamping is a mixture between camping and glamour...Google it.   We set up on a vacant lot my folks own in our neighborhood right on the pond; it was the perfect setting for our evening.

My mom made the table - it had a gutter in the middle that held ice to keep the beverages cold - she is so talented!  There was an eating/dining area and a lounge area (pictured below with my Mom and Rory).  A wonderful time was had by all and I can say it was one time where the picture in my head actually came to life.  I wish I had taken more pictures as there is so much missing I would have liked sharing.

Yearly Craziness in Riverview - The Midnight Sun Run

The yearly Midnight Sun Run goes right past our house and always bring a lot of fun to the neighborhood.  There are hundreds of runners but even more people on the sidelines cheering them on.  Our neighborhood turns absolutely nuts!  There are multiple DJ's, dozens and dozens of parties, and the grandest party of all  included a dunk tank and probably 300 people dancing in the street until 3am.  If any of you out-of-towners have any interest in visiting Fairbanks next summer make sure you do it over this weekend...you won't be disappointed.

Below was early in the evening...first glass of champagne in hand while hanging out with Rory who got to stay up past her bedtime to watch the racers that didn't start their run until 10pm.

Once the serious runners came through the neighborhood, the gang of girls stood in the middle of the road to give high-fives to the race participants.

Sydney's 20-Year Reunion

It's been twenty years since I graduated high school and frankly it doesn't feel any longer than a year or two. I was hesitant about attending the festivities but ultimately acquiesced and am happy I did.  Reunion's are simple - there may be a few gray hairs, extra pounds and some laugh lines but the at the end of the day you can kind of anticipate how peoples lives will turn out.  I had a nice time catching up with some old friends and some interesting people that I didn't know too well in school.  All in all it was a nice time.

My childhood friend, Rick(y) Allen and me.  Rick and I have been friends since before we were born - my father and his were high school friends and in fact his father married Yuri and I.

One of the reunion events was held at Harding Lake (where we spent many weekends in high school behaving ourselves).  Below is Rory with the daughter of John Sadler, my close childhood friend and neighbor growing up.  The two of these girls got along like peas and carrots.

Other Happenings

I took an accounting class this summer and one of the class days happened to fall on the same day that Yuri had golf league so we had to find sitters every week.  Things got desperate one week and Uncle Jesse (my brother) was called in.  He did awesome - the kids love him and he will definitely be called in again soon.

On a beautiful sunny Fairbanks day we decided to pack a picnic and head out on the boat.  Rory has finally gotten over her fear of being on the water and Massie's not scared of much so it was a pleasant trip.  Below is a picture of the gang (minus me) at the mouth of the Chena. 

Sisters

Rory is growing up so fast - here she is being a little mother to Massie.

Some more sisterly love.  Yuri thinks that Massie's hat makes her look like a Japanese tourist.

Yuri with Rory, Massie and cousin Estelle in the playhouse.

Rory, Rory, Rory

As mentioned in previous posts, Yuri has high hopes for Rory's golf career.  Take a look at the video below and you can come to your own conclusion on this. 

Rory likely appreciates snack time on the course more than she does hitting the balls.

Rory with Great-Grandfather Bud.

The Marvelous Massie Morgan
Massie was invited to her first birthday party a few weeks ago.  Her friend Janelle turned one and we had a great time celebrating.  Below are Massie and Janelle munching on messy watermelon.

Hello?  Hello?  Massie has been watching her sister enough on the phone and now wants a piece of the action.  Soon Yuri will have to give up his cell phone to one of the girls like I have been doing for the last two years.

Massie snapped eating dinner.

We hope you are all enjoying your summers...thanks for checking into the blog!