Who knew that right in my neighborhood, there were peaks to climb? Peaks that could satisfy the craving within that longs to summit Denali or Everest even though the possibility seems quite remote as you bounce your infant on your hip. I'm standing on Mt. Baldi in Eagle River. For the locals, it's not much of an accomplishment, since your car takes you up most of the way and then there's a steep hour or so long scramble to the top. Keilah, Katy, and I left at 9am and were back by noon. But it sure felt alive to inhale the chilly mountain air and see Denali, Anchorage downtown, Sleepy Mountain, and the valley that I live in.
Check out these slivers of ice standing straight like hair or grass at the top of Mt. Baldi. If I pick them up, they come loose. Does anyone know what it is?
Kyra donned her knight costume again, so she could practice sword fighting with Ethan the dragon. Little did she know that he was more interested in gnawing on her pet dragon than the sword Kyra kept jabbing into his very padded belly.
Our warmest Halloween so far, we decided to take the kid's to the Alaska Zoo Boo. No snow on the ground...see? 
But Thomas bundled himself and the kids in gloves and hats and by evening's end, I allowed him to drape an extra fleece he brought for me over my costume. The kids talked about this event for days....how the polar bear, mountain goats, and snow leopards gave them candy. The snow leopards normally sleep when we visit, but that night, they put on quite a show, leaping off cliffs and prancing easily up the steep mountain sides. Kyra talked about a whale giving her candy, but we have no idea what she meant because there are no whales at this zoo. Thomas and I hope the kids don't think trick-o-treating is all about being pushed around in strollers and having candy waterfall into their laps!
