Cabin Fever

The National Forest Service is really great here in Alaska. They have cabins located throughout the state that are very cheap to rent for a night, and free to use during the day. We've played at a few of these cabins during the day, but decided that it was time to hike out to one and spend the night. This was probably one of our greatest ideas, and we only wish we would have started taking advantage of these cabins sooner. We hiked a rocky and wet 5 1/2 miles out to Eagle Glacier Cabin on Wednesday and were greeted with the most spectacular view of the glacier, the glacier's river, and looming snow-capped mountains. The cabin's front porch overlooked this natural beauty, and the inside of the cabin was clean and cozy.

Fall hiking here is the best.

The BIGGEST mushroom we've ever seen.

 The cabin was equipped with a propane heater (fuel included), a wood-burning stove, table, cupboards, bunks, and our favorite part--a loft with a window overlooking the lake and glacier. The deck was spacious and there was a secluded outhouse not far from the cabin.

Our original intentions had been to keep hiking and exploring around once we got to the cabin, but we were so taken aback by the splendor of our new front yard that we opted for a lazy evening and hung our hammock up on the front porch. (For all those of you who wish we lived closer, the truth is we still aren't out of the mushy-gushy, loveyou-loveyoumore newlywed stage. As much as we love hiking, cuddling is sometimes better. You're welcome for moving away so we don't have to subject you to this).

Eagle Glacier and the lake in front of the cabin

Close-up of Eagle Glacier

After dinner we thought it would be fun to play some card games, as we found cards in a cupboard next to the logbook. We lit some candles for light and sat down to play. It didn't take long to realize neither of us could remember a how to play a card game with just two people! Maybe we should stop avoiding invites to "game-nights" as if they were the plague...

The warm cabin would have provided us with a perfect night's rest if it hadn't been for the loud scratching-clawing noise. We were sleeping in the loft and not long after we cuddled up we heard this loud scratching sound. Chris swore it was "just a mouse munching on insulation inside the walls" (cause that is comforting), but I wasn't half convinced it was as small as a tiny innocent mouse. It for sure was a large family of mice that were about to break through the wall and storm us, or a huge rat with rabies that was seconds away from eating through the wall and running into our sleeping bags, or perhaps it was a brain-eating zombie who had been trapped inside and was hungry and ready to get out. Whatever IT was, it was not just a mouse, and you can bet I did not sleep well that night, in between the noise and the nightmares of what was really scratching at the wall. 

However, the morning light was breathtaking, and our hike out was even better than the hike in. The trailhead was pretty far out the road, and without a car we weren't certain how we were going to get back to work in time. Luckily our thumbs and smiles were nice enough that our hitchhiking attempts worked, and a rad guy named Dylan picked us up. He was headed towards the local campus, so he wasn't able to get us all the way home but he got us far enough that we could walk home with plenty of time before work. When we walked past Auke Lake we were greeted with an amazing rainbow in the sky. All in all it was a 99% perfect trip (rabid rats and zombie not included).

Reflections.

On Friday night we saw the northern lights for the first time! The nights are finally getting dark, and it was clear enough for Lady Aurora to shine through. They were too faint to pick up without a fancy camera, so unfortunately we don't have any pictures for you. But we have a full winter ahead to continually search the skies for these majestic lights, and hopefully will one night have colors bright enough that even our amateur cameras can bring some pretty pictures your way.

We loved watching General Conference on Saturday and Sunday. Luckily with the time zone difference we were able to watch all of it live except for the last 15 minutes of Saturday afternoon due to work. We even upheld the Andrew family tradition of hoagie sandwiches, chips, and grapes for lunch! But more important than our full stomachs was being able to hear the testimonies of the three new apostles and have it confirmed through the Spirit that they are indeed called of God. Every General Conference weekend is full of the Spirit, but there was definitely something special this time. I don't think either of us can pick a favorite talk, as there were just too many to love. The speakers were very relevant with all that is going on in the world today, and we thank the Lord for the guidance he is giving us through these troubled times.

Remember to pray and remember to play,

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew

Observation Peak

It's a good thing Chris is normally focused on school, because when he isn't we almost get too ambitious with our adventures. This week was full of trails, mountains, and sore legs.

Monday morning we had the chance to bike out to Herbert Glacier. This was a beautiful wooded trail and was just hilly enough to make biking fun. We enjoyed getting splattered by some mud, and loved seeing the glacier at the end of the trail. (Chris's edit: we wanted to see some wildlife, but Dani screamed so loud down the hills we only saw a porcupine. Haha!) (Dani's edit on Chris's edit: everybody knows things are more fun when you scream - this is taught in Roller Coasters 101 and applies to many other facets of life as well.)

Herbert Glacier

On Tuesday we went to Glacier Gardens - the local botanical gardens. We were taken on a short golf cart ride through the woods, and saw some really beautiful flowers. The owners put a lot of work into the planting and care of their plants, and we couldn't help but think how much Grandma and Grandpa Andrew would love to see this place. Their specialty is finding fallen hemlock trees and putting them upside-down in the earth with their roots splayed out in the air, so they can plant flowers on top. Pretty neat.

Wednesday was our big adventure of the week. It was forecasted to be a perfectly sunny day, so we planned a big loop on some mountain ridges near Juneau. We started with the Blackerby Ridge, summited Cairn Peak, descended and summited Observation Peak, descended again and traversed the Salmon Ridge, and then joined the Granite Creek Basin trail at the top of the Mount Juneau Ridge and hiked into town. We fell in love with hiking ridgelines on this trail -- it was awesome to hike in the rainforest, ascend through the alpine, scramble to the top of two peaks, and be able to see endless mountains and glaciers in every direction. We couldn't have asked for better weather either. These are the same mountains that most times we can't see the tops of through the clouds for days on end. It was 16 miles, over 9,000 feet of elevation gain and loss, and coming down Observation Peak was the scariest descent I've ever experienced in my life. This trail was beautiful but it was not for the faint of heart.

Started at the north trailhead, up Blackerby ridge, west up Cairn and Observation, south across the Salmon ridge,
zig-zagged on the Mt. Juneau ridge, and then dropped down into Granite Creek Basin.

Hiking into the alpine

Cairn Peak is on the far left, and Observation is just to it's right.

Cairn Peak overlooking Douglas Island, the channel, and beyond.

Lemon Creek Glacier between Cairn and Observation Peak.

At the top of the world! Elevation 4610 ft

Mountains as far as the eye can see.

The descent from Observation - this facial expression says it all, this was NOT our favorite part

Granite Creek Basin

Huckleberries

Thursday and Friday we stayed home and cuddled, not because Blackerby Ridge took it out of us (this is a half truth), but because the harsh rains and winds definitely necessitated such activities.

On Saturday Chris had the opportunity to go fishing with the rescheduled Elder's Quorum trip. The bishop's boat was leaving early enough in the morning that Chris would get back in time for work. He had a great time on the water, and though he didn't get lucky enough to catch a halibut he did catch some Coho salmon.

Sunday evening we had our friends Ben and Camille over for dinner. We cooked up the fish that Chris had caught the day prior and it was great just talking to them! They are surely friends cut from the same mold as us, and we love getting together with them because of all we have in common.

Since it was the fifth Sunday this month we had the opportunity to go to a combined adult class instead of sitting with our nine year olds during Sharing Time this week. The counselors in the bishopric gave an amazing lesson on the importance of marriage and family, and highlighted the relationship that a husband and wife have. I am so grateful to have a husband who loves our Heavenly Father and me completely. The sealing powers of the temple are real. But so is the adversity of life. I know that when we stay rooted in the Gospel of Christ that we can overcome all challenges. We can love deeper and we can be the light that we all want to see in the world. I know that when a family prioritizes church attendance, personal and family scripture study and prayer, and Family Home Evening they will be blessed.

Remember to pray and remember to play,

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew

Our First Full Week as Eskimos

Our first week up in Alaska has been amazing! *Side note - our first week in Alaska also marked one year since we met each other. Whaaaaaat?! Have we really just known each other a year?! What a year it's been!!!* I'll start with the boring mundane things that our parents probably want to know about - work and our apartment - but if you want to just scroll through the pictures a little farther down and read about our adventures we understand, and approve of that choice. 

We started training at Grandma's Feather Bed on Monday. We had three days of training with Jeremy (who was actually a friend of mine from when I was up here the first time), and then were on our own from Thursday on. We do everything in the restaurant for dinner shy of cooking and dishes, and we also run the front desk. Right now they have us working Monday-Saturday 2pm-10pm. Once they get a few more employees trained we are hoping to work just 5 days a week, at least through the summer, so we can get in some good backpacking and camping trips. For now we're focusing on the positive - overtime hours equates to more money. 

On Tuesday we were able to move out of the hotel room and into our apartment. It's really nice! We loved our basement apartment in Logan, but this apartment is great because it's a lot newer, and we love being on the second story and having all the light from the big windows. Our first night there we couldn't help but laugh at how large our room was compared to our last apartment. Our new bedroom alone could have fit our last bedroom, bathroom, and hallway storage closet combined! Though they had quickly cleaned the apartment before we moved in, I convinced Chris to put in some good time really deep cleaning the place with me. It's one thing to make some messes of your own, but I really just can't handle living in dirt - especially when you don't know where the dirt came from. We're hoping (ok I'm hoping) to get to the store soon to print off a few pictures to decorate the place and make it feel more homey. We'll be here at least eight months, so I think it's well worth the investment to fully transform the apartment into a home. And bonus: we were thrilled to see that our apartment has a washer and dryer! It's really nice to be able to do laundry at our own convenience. 

Unfortunately we don't have a car right now, but we have been doing just fine getting around on foot. Our lives are blessed with many tender mercies and things have just had a way of working out. We aren't too worried about it, but we are trying to track down some bikes. Luckily our apartment is less than a five minute walk away from work. 

Now for the ADVENTURES! 

We wake up each morning and ask ourselves "how much can we get done before 2pm?", and honestly we aren't doing a half bad job at getting a lot done....

We went on a run to Mendenhall Glacier and hiked the East Glacier Trail.

We had grown close to one of the guests at the B&B as he stayed with us a few nights on business. He knew we were new to town and didn't have a car so he asked us if we wanted to go out and adventure with him his last morning in town. Of course we said yes! He drove us out to the Shrine of St. Therese.

Merciful Love Labyrinth

The shore at low tide

After exploring around the island that the shrine was on we hiked to Nugget Falls near Mendenhall Glacier.

Another morning we hiked up Mount Roberts in the Tongass National Forest (the largest temperate rainforest in the world). At the top we had a chance to check out the visitors center and were told that if we spent $10 each we could ride the tram down for free. Well that was enough motivation for us to buy some fresh fish caught from the ocean below and enjoy a delicious lunch with a view!

Tram overlooking Tongass Nat'l Forest and Gastineau Channel

On Saturday a coworker covered the beginning of our shift so we were able to go on the Tracy Arm tour that went from 7:30am-6pm. Amazing! (Not pictured because the wildlife was just too quick and our phones ran out of battery on the way back to Juneau: whales, sea lions lounging on icebergs, and soaring eagles).

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Sunday we were able to go to our ward for the first time and were overwhelmed with the acceptance we felt. We have definitely been welcomed in with open arms. Everybody was incredibly kind and we are excited to get involved and get to know the members better. We told the bishop that we are ready for some callings, and we are excited for the prospect of opportunities we have to serve in a small ward. 

Sunday evening we were invited to dinner by a couple from the ward and then went out to a beach for a bonfire. It was a beautiful private beach with an alcove of giant pine trees and the coolest part was hearing whales spout out water in the ocean we were overlooking.

Needless to say we're loving everything about Juneau!

Remember to pray and remember to play,

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew

Exciting News

Well guys, we've sure enjoyed the first couple months of marital bliss. It's been really great being just the two of us and having time to grow as husband and wife. And, as we all know, life loves to throw twists and turns at you and our newlywed just-the-two-of-us-here-in-Logan lifestyle is about to change. This blogpost is dedicated to the exciting news that we wanted to share with our family and loved ones. We are proud to announce to you all that coming this summer......

well, rather than tell you here's a picture,

after all a picture is worth a thousand words, 

(and so is an ultrasound):

We're moving to Alaska!!!

Chris and I have the opportunity to spend the full summer working in Juneau side-by-side. We will be running the front desk and small restaurant at Grandma's Featherbed - the cutest little bed and breakfast - between all our hiking adventures and camping trips. After much prayer and deliberation, as well as a much needed conversation with the all-knowing Aunt Julie, we have decided that this is the best decision for us. We are so excited for this once in a lifetime opportunity to live in a beautiful place and work together for 4 months. We will be back in Logan for Chris to be in school fall semester, and are sure that the Lord has great plans for my future employment upon our return as well. We will keep you updated with the details as we continue to iron them out and as it gets closer to our summer time adventure. 

Remember to pray and remember to play,

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew

Chris's Birthday

This update is from me this week... sorry 'bout it.

Tuesday was my birthday and Dani made sure it was the best one yet. Monday night after her training shift at Texas Roadhouse and my evening class, we headed down to Grandpa and Grandma Hall's to stay the night. We were able to pick up our vacuum and bedsheets (the last wedding gift stragglers), grab a bookshelf for Naomi, and then we headed to SLC to go to the climbing gym. After last week's freeze-out while attempting to climb outside, Dani decided to get us day passes at Momentum so we could climb to our heart's content. How did I get such an awesome wife?

We drove back to Logan that night so I could get to my EMT class, but after class Dani surprised me with my favorite Texas sheet cake (and all 23 candles!), some climbing gear, and the best: a coupon book of massages. Did I mention how awesome Dani is?

Anyways, other than that we've been busy with work and school. Classes for me are going great, and Dani just finished her training at Texas Roadhouse! She's loving it so far and is looking forward to having a consistent schedule and making some good friends.

- Chris

Dani's Birthday!

Well, this week was a whole lot of the same old same old with going to school, working, and the ever lingering process of trying to legally change my name (apparently it gets to be extra hard for me to switch over all my I.D.'s because I'm from Wisconsin and married that Utah boy IN Utah - the horror!). So if anybody has an extra copy of a drivers study guide from their 15 year old learning how to drive let me know, because luckily I get to take that test! How fun! I mean, I've been driving for 8 years now, 5 1/2 of those years I've lived in Utah, how much should I prioritize studying before going back to the DMV? I guess I just have a fear of those trick questions, purposely designed to trick anyone who didn't take drivers ed from that state. Maybe I'm overreacting....

Anyways, alongside our usual everyday activities the day that stood out this week was my birthday on Friday. First off, thanks to all who called, texted, emailed, snail mailed, snapchatted, wrote on facebook, or otherwise wished me a happy birthday (my family is the greatest between all the parents, siblings, cousins, grandparents and aunts I think I was wished a happy birthday in every possible way shy of morse code and carrier pigeon)! I love you all!

And secondly, let's just all take a moment to remember how wonderful Chris is. Now, I try not to get all mushy and gushy all the time and brag about how I have the most wonderful and perfect husband ever, but the truth is simply that I get all mushy and gushy and want to brag about how I have the most wonderful and perfect husband ever. And he made sure I knew that on my birthday. Not only was I spoiled silly the whole day - I didn't have to do anything myself - but he had planned out an epic surprise date. He had to work in the afternoon but as soon as he was off our adventure started with a delicious Olive Garden dinner. Chris drove us to Idaho - yup, we left the state for my birthday - and we went to Lava Hot Springs. These are the coolest natural hot springs turned swimming pools either of us have ever been to.

Needless to say it was a perfect day and a magical night! I am continually reminded how blessed I am and how loved I am. I really couldn't ask for more.

Remember to pray and remember to play,

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew