2009 Year End Review

January
Bought the Versa!
Skiing at Alyeska
February
Mikes Birthday, Got new Camera
March
Went to Homer
Mt Redoubt Blew
April
Went home for Easter
Jacob was born!
May
Mom had surgery on her tongue
Joined St John's Softball Team
June
Megan's Parents Visited
Halibut Fishing
One year in Alaska
July
Salmon Fishing
One year at DOWL HKM
Megan's Birthday-Got Kayak
August
Grandma R came up
Camping
September
State Fair
Van "Drama"
Celebrated our 1 year anniversary with the Lion King
October
Mike was in the Academy
FLL Started
November
Mike Graduated from the Academy
G&G came up for Thanksgiving
December
BUSY!!!!
Mike one year with the DOC
Christmas
BUSY!!

Wow we were busy this year. Over all we had a great year. Buying our first New car together, getting more settled in our jobs and making new friends. We are truly blessed to have great jobs in this economy. I am so glad our family was able to come up throughout the year to see where we have been living in the Last Frontier. I keep on telling Mike "Can you believe we are Married," and he says "Yes... for over a year now." CRAZINESS!

So what are the plans for next year? Well we have the trip planned to Hawaii in January. Mike plans on going to Minnesota this summer for at least a week. Megan most likely will be working out in Kodiak this summer for a Month. We want to do more camping, hiking and snowshoeing. And of course the standard New Year Resolution of Losing some weight and getting fit. (Mike has actually started running with me so maybe we will run a 5k (3.1 miles) race together this summer!!)

Yummy!

Mike and I do not go out to eat all that often. However lately I have been going to one spot almost 2x a month... because I love love love it! Where you may ask?

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Great Harvest Bread Company... not only do they have fresh baked bread and goodies but they also make Fantastic sandwiches. My favorite strangely is Harvest Veggie it has Provolone & cheddar cheese, red onions, lettuce, sprouts, sliced tomato, cucumber, bell pepper rings, salt, pepper, and homemade roasted red pepper garlic on Honey Wheat Bread. Yes it is an all veggie and cheese sandwich but it is so yummy!

Why is it when someone else makes your sandwich it turns out so so good, but when I try to replica it it turns out not so yummy?

Merry Christmas from Java

This is where Java has been hanging out for the Christmas Season!

Snowshoeing

View of the inlet

Walking back to the Car

Sunset at 2:00 PM
At the top

Which way should we go?

Mike and I went Snowshoeing yesterday. We went to Potters Creek Trail. Once we got to the trail we decided we really would not have needed the snow shoes because the trail was so compacted. But we wanted to try them out since we got then in November, so we walked along the side of the trail in the deeper snow. We had never walked the trail before and it was up hill for the 1st half, then we turned around and getting back to the car took only 1/2 the time.

We had a great time and cannot wait to go out again.

Merry Christmas

Here is our Christmas Letter

This past year and a half has brought lots of changes for us. Obviously we got married in September 2008 and started out adventure in Alaska. WE have been exploring the state and making friends. Last winter Mike and Megan went to lots of Aces Hockey games with out friends. The Aces are a ECHL Hockey team who is affiliated with the NHL st. Lewis Blues. We also ventured down the Kenai Peninsula in March. In Homer we went to the home of the Eagle Lady, we saw the eagle feeding and over 200 Eagles. You can see some of them in the picture above. We did a lot of hiking and camping this summer in many state and national parks.

Mike has taken a job with the Department of Corrections, State of Alaska. He graduated the academy in November and is working in the Jail downtown Anchorage. He has enjoyed learning how to fish the Alaskan way called Dip Netting. Where you literally place a net in the river and pull out fish, this year he caught 12 salmon which are currently in our freezer. Along with dip betting Mike went Halibut fishing down in Homer with our friend Hans. There they pulled out a total of eight Halibut ranging for 30-80 pounds. They ended up with a cooler full of fish and split the fillets. His Grandma came to visit us is August and we went on a glacier cruise out of Whittier (the other picture above). He is now looking forward to the winter activities of skiing, snow shoeing and maybe some snow machining (snowmobiling for you in the lower 48).

Megan is working at DOWL HKM, as a Civil Engineer. She has been sewing, scrap booking, reading and working out. For her birthday Mike bought her a Kayak, so she has been cruising around the lakes and pongs of Alaska. She has been enjoying the campgrounds and hiking trails in the area. This summer Megan's parents came up and we went to Denali. Where we saw bear, moose, dall sheep, and caribou; along with a lot of hiking! The weather this summer was amazing, great weather for the softball team that we joined. Grandma and Grandpa Bjerke came up for Thanksgiving this year. It was such a blessing to have family here for the holidays.

Our Cat Java keeps us on our toes. She runs around the condo chasing her favorite toy mouse. She is also our alarm clock in the morning, demanding we feed her. Java brings us lots of joy.

We hope everyone's Christmas is full of snow, friends and family. Come visit us in Alaska

Love

Megan and Mike

Getting Lighter

Well it is going to get lighter! Yesterday was the darkest day of the year (Winter Solstice) with right around 5 hours of "daylight." Although yesterday had a thick layer of clouds so it never really got all that bright out. But to day we have about 30 more seconds of day light. Not that much but soon it will be 2 minutes, 3 minutes or 5 minutes and it REALLY adds up.

We have been so so busy lately. With the Holidays, Mike working, FLL meetings 2x a week and finding time to get our bodies beach bum ready there is no time to relax. I have not seen Mike since Monday Morning, if you really count talking to him for oh about 10 minutes as he is falling asleep and I am getting up. Only 2 more nights and he is off for a week!! (and I am off for 3 days).

We luckily do not have much planned for the weekend. We are going to Hans parents house Christmas Eve for dinner and then to a Christmas Eve Service at Church. Christmas Day we are just hanging at home, maybe with a fire. Then Saturday and Sunday NOTHING!! We would like to get out to use our new snow shoes if the weather is cooperative but also catch up on some sleep!

Merry Christmas from DOWL HKM

Here is a link to my Company's E-Christmas Card... 10 points to who ever can find me :)

http://www.dowlhkm.com/christmas09/index.html

Here is a hint: I am wearing a blue shirt under my Maroon Coat :)

Oh Christmas Tree

Before all the decorations

with the ornaments


Ready for Santa

I also got new Glasses today!
My New Glasses

Me and Java!

And a couple of Me and Mike! with Christmas Cheer!

36 day

Only 36 days until Mike and I take off for Hawaii! I know the time is just going to fly by. With Christmas in less than 2 weeks, new years in about 3 and then it is only 21 day of January and we fly fly far away!!!


This morning it was snowing when I left for work. I would say we got 3 inches or so Monday night too. Everything looks like a winter wonder land with the snow, plus all the trees have a very thick coat of frost on them. Right now we have a 40-60% change of snow every day until Christmas eve! So definitely going to be a white Christmas in Alaska.

Mike worked over time last night... again. So tonight we plan on Finally decorating the tree, before and after church. I will Post a picture of it all prettied!

Monday... Again

Seriously where does the time go? Anyone want to help me out on this one? Mike and I had a great weekend. We went to my work Christmas Party on Thursday night. It is always fun to get dressed up and see my coworkers out side of our normal office routine. They gave away a ton of awesome prizes, but sadly I disappointed Mike the 2nd year in a row and did not win anything.
Friday night we went to a retirement party for Mike coworker. It was at Lone Star. The food was good, the drinks were good and we sat at a table full of Mikes. Out of the 5 other coworkers at the table 4 of their names were Mike, needless to say learning everyones names was pretty easy!
Saturday we went and worked out together and finally went grocery shopping. We had been living out of the pantry and freezer for a good week. We also finished up our Christmas Shopping and will be sending the boxes out tomorrow! ( I forgot to bring them today...)
Sunday after church we finally went and got our Christmas tree. First we went to a out door place that we heard had beautiful trees. The trees were gorgeous... but the price tag matched it. I could not justify spending $75-100 on a 3-4 foot tree. So then we went to Lows and they really did not have any that "spoke" to use. We ended up at Home Depot and got a Nobel Fir Tree that looks beautiful in our condo. We planned on decorating it tonight (Monday), but Mike got called in to work overtime!!! So we will decorate it tomorrow. After getting the tree situated I started baking... I made a batch of puppy chow, a triple batch Cranberry white chocolate cookies, and some Christmas gift, (which I am not able to fully disclose until after Christmas). Then I went to Bible Study. Then Last night we went out to eat with Samantha, Hans, Jacob, and Hans Parents (Mark and Diane) to the Brew House. Samantha Finished her last class of College yesterday so we went out to celebrate her freedom!
Congratulations Samantha!

Time Flies

Wow time is just flying by. Did you know Christmas is only 2 weeks and 2 days away? Are you done with your Christmas shopping yet? Mike and I are almost done just a couple things left to pick up, ship out, and I have some baking to do. But we still have not gotten our Christmas tree. We plan on getting one on Sunday after church. We are super busy this week. Mike has been working days. Tonight (Wednesday) we have Youth Group, Thursday is my work Christmas Party, Friday is a party of Mikes old Coworker, and Saturday is a dinner with our Dinner For Nine group at church. I guess I do not need to cook much!

Last night we wrote up and printed off a Christmas letter to send out with our picture card thingy. Now to find time to fold the letters, stuff the envelopes and put them in the mail.

Well gotta Run!

Grandma and Grandpa's Visit

Grandma, Megan and Grandpa

G&G at Chair Five


Caribou


Orange Sky's (The picture does not do justice)

Dall Sheep

Musk Ox

Majestic Elk

Grandma and Grandpa had a great visit. We hung out a lot at the condo, playing games, went to movies and ate lots of great food. On Friday Mike and I took of work to go for a Drive down to Girdwood. It was a beautiful day. We left Anchorage around 10 just as the sun was peaking over the mountains so the sky was full of orange and pinks! Halfway to Girdwood we stopped to have a closer look at some Dall Sheep who were munching on the grass. Then we went to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. (http://www.alaskawildlife.org/) We saw Moose, Caribou, 2 types of Bison, Musk Ox, and Elk. Mike found an Elk that was posing for him! After the Conservation Center we drove back north to Girdwood and went into Alyeska Hotel and Resort to show G&G the Mountain that we go skiing on and look in the hotel shops. We decide to go to Chair Five for Lunch and then stopped at the Girdwood Bakery to pick up a couple apple fritters for breakfast Saturday Morning. Friday night we played a couple games and hung out with Samantha, Hans and Jacob. I was so sad to drop G&G off at the Airport on Saturday Morning but I know they had a great trip.

So who is coming to stay with us Next?

December = Busy

I cannot believe it is already December! Where has 2009 gone? Is Christmas really only 24 days away, holy smokes that is crazy talk.

Mike and I have tons planned this month. I have a work Christmas Party, Mike had a Retirement party for a co-worked, we have our dinner for nine meeting, I continue to have Lego Robotics twice a week, we have youth group on Wednesday, I go to Bible Study on Sundays, and we really need to hit the gym to get ready for our vacation. We are also going Skiing at Alyeska (http://www.alyeskaresort.com/) with the Senior High Youth on the 27th.

We are going to miss being home for Christmas again the 2nd year in a row. That is one of the down sides about being 2,500 Miles away for our families. At least we have cell phones, facebook, blogs and skype to keep in touch with each other. I am anxiously awaiting the Christmas Eve Candle Light Service! At least this year Mike can come too! (last year he was working nights).

I went to work today... Mike, Grandma, and Grandpa went to the Anchorage Museum. We are having Homemade Chicken BBQ pizza for dinner tonight, yummy. We might go to Blind Side tonight. I love having my Grandparents up here. I have to admit they have spoiled us almost rotten since they have been up here; buying our Christmas gifts, taking us out to dinner, and playing numerous games with us (Sorry, Dominoes, Life, Trouble, and Yahtzee.) I don't want then get on the plane Saturday. :(