Merry Christmas!

You know you’re experiencing an Alaska winter when…

• You put up outdoor Christmas decorations in September to beat the cold.
• You drive with headlights at 3:30 in the afternoon through 10:00 in the morning.
• The temperature soars to zero or above and you say, “It’s sure nice to have a break from the cold”!
• Everyone you know is planning, or wishes they were planning, a trip to the “lower 48”.
• Things that you once considered luxuries, such as a remote car starter and a heated garage, become necessities.
• Home heating produces frequent smog advisories.
• You refer to the Aurora forecast app on your phone as often as you do the weather forecast app.
• Your friends have painted moose poop hanging on their Christmas trees.
• You carry an arctic survival kit in your car.
• You have spent a small fortune on car winterization, snow tires, snow pants, long underwear, boots, gloves, hats, etc.
• You know exactly how long it will take for your skin to freeze to metal at -20, -30 and -40.
•  If a parking lot doesn’t have outlets for plugging in your car, you just leave it running while you do your shopping/errand.
• You cough every time you step outside.
•  Ice forms in unexpected places – inside door locks, inside windows, in your nostrils…
• Kids need a reflective belt for walking to school in the morning.

We certainly are enjoying our adventures in Alaska!  Jeremy is getting a lot of great experience as the newest dentist in the clinic and is working with the Cub Scouts at church.  

Tricia was recently elected to be the PTO president at the kids’ school and is actively involved with the Officers’ Spouses Club and Med Group Spouses Club on base.  She has been working with the 8-11 year-old girls at church and was just given the new responsibility of working with the 12-18 year-old girls.  

Becca is in 5^th grade and stays active with Girl Scouts, Student Ambassadors and writing club. 

Isak is in 4^th grade and is involved in robotics and chess club.  Both kids started playing violin this year with the school orchestra. 

Our family tries to get to the gym as much as possible to work toward a goal we have set to participate in the Disney Marathon in January 2015.  The kids are preparing for a 10K,  Tricia is preparing for a marathon, and Jeremy has set his sights on the Dopey Challenge - a 5K, 10K, half marathon and full marathon spread over 4 days.  Dopey indeed!

We are so grateful for our families and friends who are scattered around the globe.  Wethink of you often and wish you the best this holiday season and throughout the year!

Love,

Jeremy, Tricia, Becca & Isak