Back in the Saddle

But you thought we haven't been around since last June. Ha -- you are wrong. It's been far too long and far too many fish have gone by since my last posting. Here are a few of the highlights:

August 2009 - Haggards Cove, BC

• Fun fishing with Shannon's folks, Blands and our hosts the Chambers
• I didn't puke
• I read a book and walked in an old growth forest
• Boys saw a bear
  

The Jetsled saw it's fair share of "fish" over the fall - Coho, Kings and Pinks were in the Skagit last year.

Shannon did Roche Harbor Tournament again - but this time I spent the "alone" time with the boys in the Hospital. I could make an entire post outta that experience but why rehash it as I've already paid off the hospital bills and Fischer is HEALTHY!

I even managed a few trips in the "winter" - but I have to say that winter fishing is cold.

Then came spring - more jetsled trips and a fun trip to Great Wolf Lodge where the boys and the Carr's fished a River (can't remember the name) for a day.

Summer 2010 - We hit the first 3 weeks in the season - placed 7th in the PSA Derby and have had plenty of fish.

The boys have discovered a new fishery -- Dogfish. I'll get my butt in gear and get some pictures up and catch everyone up!

These kids are gonna eat me out of house and home!

The boys are only "almost" 4 and 7 and already they are eating machines. We can go through 3 boxes of "Z Bars" (at $3.50/box) in a couple of days and the other day Fischer ate 4 regular Powerbars (about 400 calories each!) in a matter of 2 hours and that was on top of the lunch, dinner and "regular" snacks he ate. I don't worry because this kids goes at top speed pretty much all day.

Today he was eating his 2nd breakfast and I looked at him and told him "you are a pig." In the nicest "you are a pig" sort of way and he casually looked at me and said "I know" and kept on eating. Oh lord -- how much money is going to FLY out the door this summer on food?

Alaska --

May 2009 Headed North To Alaska

The entire Terrell clan - including Karen and Gene headed North to Homer, AK to visit Gene's brother and his wife (Hardin and Joan). They graciously allowed us to crash at their place, kids and all! We left beautiful weather to land in Anchorage to rain. It sort of looked like Washington.
We drove from Anchorage around the Turnagain Arm and down to Homer, AK. Everyone told me I would see a moose but I didn't see a one! I was starting to doubt that I would see a moose.
We arrive in Homer and had a wonderful dinner and settled in so that we could get ready for fishing. The kids had a hard time going to sleep as we were in the Land of the Midnight Sun but they finally closed their eyes and were sawing "zzzz's" around 10pm.

5:30am came quickly and we were all up for a day of fishing.....We headed out into Kachameck Bay and towards Cook Inlet and did some Halibut Fishing. As we were trolling for Black Sea Bass Hayden caught a nice 30ish lb Halibut that he reeled in himself (with the help of Grandpa who helped hold the rod). We picked up a few more "chicken buts" that day but no salmon.


After a long day of fishing we returned to Joan and Hardins' house and I finally got to see my Moose. I worked in Alaska but I never saw a Moose in Bristol Bay - I saw Grizzly Bears, Swans and Cariboo but never a Moose. Hayden spotted this one in the neighbors yard. That kid, has the "eye" for spotting wildlife. This was the same day we watched a yellow lab chase a little black bear cub down into the gulley on the side of the yard. Hayden and Shannon really wanted to go find the cub in the gulley but I wisely reminded them that it was a baby and his / her Mommy was probably close by ... Fischer was totally freaked out and he was in the house the rest of the night.






The next two days consisted of more fishing. I was able to take off one day and stay in town and explore. That of COURSE was the day that they were EN FUEGO with fish! Oh well, I found the Time Bandit Store (from the Deadliest Catch) and chatted up the gal for a while and found out all the 'scoop.' The boys came in a few hours later and spent $100 in about 30 seconds!

Time Bandit Sweatshirts with Homer Spit!

We had a real Alaska experience -- no salmon but I have seen my fair share of Alaskan Salmon but I have a freezer full of halibut. The boys saw a Grizzly on the way home on the Kenai Peninsula, we saw a glacier, we drove through a tunnel, we ate the best fish and chips, and we were together as a family. So all in all it was an awesome trip. I think that the boys have gotten the Alaska bug. Shannon has decided that he does not want to live in Homer...I think that he thought maybe he did...and we are working on a trip to Sitka, AK next year.

Fred the Eagle that came to eat at Joan's house everyday around 2:30pm. But we didn't feed him, that is against the law and we would never do anything against the law.

A family picture...and look I'm in it!



In the words of Hayden "Yo Griz....waz up?" He made eye contact with the bear when he yelled at it and that freaked out Fischer who screamed "ROLL UP THE WINDOW and DRIVE DAD!" uut Hayden just had a rolling converstation with the bear.

Alaska rocks because it is the only place I know that you can totally get away with wearing jeans, a hoodie and your Sitka Slippers (aka Extra Tough rubber boots) EVERYWHERE and EVERYDAY and you are totally in fashion. Next year, SE Alaska here come the Terrell's!

April and May Updates

Can it possibly be nearly 2 months since my last blog posting? I guess I have lot to catch up on. April and May were cold around here and not much went on. Hayden did finish is Spring Soccer season. He was on the same team as the Fall and he had a good season. Hayden lost his two front teeth. The were both hanging by a thread and boy are his two big teeth coming in fast.





Fischer is just Fischer -- he is 3 going on 8 and is full of bumps, bruises and cuts. This kids is a walking poster child for Band-aids! We've already used an entire container of that neosporin spray. The latest was his gigantic black eye he got hitting the ice cooler in Alaska. He is independent and has a fierce temper (not sure where he got that!)

Our New Baby

After much thought and discussion ST purchased a new baby. This one is 16ft long, silver in color and comes with two engines and seats several. We took it on a maiden family voyage yesterday up River on the Skagit River. Here is a little video from the trip. I think that Tyee was the biggest fan! I have not seen her this puppy like in several years. She reminded me of Bailey...




Here are the kids exploring the sandbar we stopped at for lunch. They found cougar tracks, deer tracks and tons of sticks that had been chewed up by beavers. Fun for all!

Silver Mt.

Skiing with the entire family is just a blast. We are close to having everyone on their "own." But right now, Fischer is still doing the between the legs thing most of the time.


So we were trading off with the boys and I had Fischer on the "magic carpet" while ST and Hayden were up ripping in the terrain park. We were making our 4 run down the hill. I was going backwards and holding his tips and making him "turn" and do it on his own. But of all things, he was a little bit scared. Yes, Fischer was a little bit scared. He was not having fun because Dad holds him between the legs and goes FAST and does jumps. So at the bottom of the run he looks at me and says, "This sucks, you suck and I want my Dad!" I expect this sort of thing from Fischer. He is such a feisty one. So after I stopped laughing, which pissed him all that much more, I told him that I thought "he sucked right now too and I wanted his Dad too!" We did make it to the top of the Magic Carpet and luckily there was Dad! So I took Hayden and we let Shannon with Fischer!

Of course things were all good at the bottom of the Gondola and I bought him some M&Ms and then we hit the water park. So Mom didn't suck all day.

Bowling Parties Rock

Here are a few pictures from Hayden's Birthday Party at Park Bowl. They are a little out of order in the blog but I had to post a few!