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Cheers to 2011! Welcome 2012!

Posted on December 31, 2011
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Less than seven hours left of year 2011 here in Alaska. When looking back this year, I can only wonder how fast the time can fly by. 2011 has been a wonderful year with full of extraordinary events. We lived an adventurous life – skied, snowboarded, went halibut fishing… We traveled, had fun, were busier than beavers with our careers, tied the knot, … what else could one ask for one year?

Back in March we got engaged – Jason popped the question under the starry Hawaiian skies. Maui will always have a special meaning in my heart. Fast-forwarding to July, we said I Do’s at Fort Richardson chapel in Alaska.

Besides traveling to Maui in March, we were honeymooning on O’ahu in September, checked out San Francisco in May, and San Diego in September. And then in Chicago area in December. And in the middle of all this, I have been jet setting all over Alaska from Barrow to southeastern tips of this giant state – spending time on the plane nearly every week.

Work-wise … well, I don’t even know how we have been managed to juggle with all the tasks we both have. Maybe the love for our duties is what keeps us going. Jason has been busy with his new unit – being in charge of the troops and running the daily stuff make his days constantly longer, and sometimes weekends shorter. Despite all the travels, I couldn’t be happier with my daily job. I am working with the best people people ever who are motivating and supporting – always thriving the excellence. One of my life-long dreams came true just a couple of months ago when KominiakPhoto opened an online Fine Art Gallery. The gallery is one of the 2012 Projects that I am hoping to concentrate more.

It has been such a busy but awesome, wonderful 2011. The bar is set very high for 2012, and I can’t wait to see what the new adventures will be.

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day” –Edith Lovejoy Pierce

 

So the opportunities …. I do have some goals and plans for the New Year – stop by tomorrow, January 1, to read about Top 5 goals for 2012!

Meanwhile, here is a review of 2011 New Year’s Resolutions, last years goals worked out pretty good.

Resolution 1: Cherish every day. I think I have done pretty good job at that.

Resolution 2: Dedicate more time for the photography. Fine Art gallery is up and running – can check this one off too!

Resolution 3: Keep up with the school stuff, maintaining the existing GPA. Straight A’s the whole year of 2011!

Resolution 4: Run a full marathon in 2011. While I have been running 20+ miles runs, I didn’t do any long-distance running races in 2011. Mainly because Alaska is not the best location for running, and a couple of marathons I had on my mind were overlapping with some of our travels. So mileage done, races not. 2011 is a new year!

Resolution 5: Add a short yoga practice to be a part of my daily workouts. Got it covered – I am doing yoga practices nearly every day, and my flexibility has gotten so much better.

 

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MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #65

Posted on December 2, 2011
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It’s time for another MilSpouse Friday Fill-In, thanks to Wife of A Sailor for putting this together again!

Hard to believe it’s December already. Less than 30 days left of 2011. While it is not time to review this year yet, I have to say this year has been full of adventures, and oh boy how fast it has flown by. But now to the questions of the week.

1. If I could be on any reality TV show, I’d want to be on Amazing Race. I love to travel, enjoy the adventures – more excitement, the better… And besides, I have been traveling extensively all over the world, speak fluently seven languages, and know all the tricks what comes to using any transportation method in the world. Yep, I think I would totally rock it with my hubby.
2. This past Thanksgiving was absolutely awesome. Hubby and I had a wonderful, relaxing time together. And cookings were delicious.
3. I’m looking forward to December because of all the upcoming travels, and because I simply love holiday season.
4. One thing I’d like to accomplish this month is to finish some crafts projects that I really would like to have done for the holidays.
5. To me, winter is another season full of adventures. Time for skiing, snowboarding and all other good stuff! 

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MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #63

Posted on October 28, 2011
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And another weekend is here. Time really, really does fly by! Hard to believe that it’s Halloween this weekend. Or well, Monday. Pumpkins are still uncarved so guess what’s going on in our house this weekend. Something orange – for sure!

Before starting the weekend, it is time to get into Friday Fill-In. Thanks to Wife of A Sailor, new questions are here again! If you want to participate, check her site.

1. The best part of October was first snow this Wednesday, getting our race skis waxed, and in general – it has been such a great month.
2. The worst part of October was the craziness with studies, and a million deadlines being at the same time.
3. For Halloween, I’ll be carving pumpkins, baking something orange and stocking up the candies for Trick ‘r Treaters. Can’t wait to see kids stopping by in cool costumes!
4. I hope that in November I won’t be super busy, and we can make it to northern Alaska to photograph polar bears. Planning in progress, so will see how it all works out.
5. Wifey has posted MilSpouse Secret Santa. I will be participating. I would not miss it!!!

P.S. The Anniversary Giveaway is open until the 29th of October!

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MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #62

Posted on October 21, 2011
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I couldn’t be happier that it’s Friday again. Although the plans for this weekend are not terribly exciting – reading for exams, getting motivated to write more papers. Also, I just found out that the first ski trail is open already, 5.3K of groomed Nordic ski trails ….. so I may have to take the skis out.

But now to the Friday Fill-In. Wife of A Sailor has kindly put together the weekly questionnaire: if you want to participate, check her site.

1. I want ….
to photograph polar bears in northern Alaska. I want to travel to Galapagos Islands. I want to finish an Ironman race in Kona, Hawaii. I want to have a long, happy life with my wonderful husband. I want to get my PhD and become a psychologist….. I seem to want lots of things …… but that’s what the dreams and hopes are for.

2. I have ….
a wonderful life: the best, most awesome, loving husband, a beautiful home that is filled with love, goals that I love to work for. I have great friends, and a super cool job.

3. I wish ….
I had started volunteering earlier – but better late than never: I am really enjoying the social setting with other military spouses.

4. I hope ….
to have a nice, peaceful holiday season. And I hope we are able to spend holidays next year with my family overseas.

5. I wonder ….
what I’m getting this Christmas. Hubby has already(!) started shopping gifts for me. He is way, way too early. I have hardly even thought about Christmas yet.

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Love For Alaska

Posted on May 14, 2011
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Why I run…

There are times days when I complain about Alaska, and weather up here. The winter is long and dark, and once the spring finally starts to get up here, the break-up season limits outdoors adventures. Yes, break-up is a season for sure. Elsewhere it is called spring but here it is break-up because everything gets ugly, grey, and slushy. No skiing, no hiking, no biking…. nothing. Luckily this phase doesn’t last too long, and is finally followed by real spring when days are getting longer, sunnier, and warmer, trees start to get their green leaves back. It is also the time when Alaskans start to crawl out of their hibernation hide-outs.

Last couple of weeks have been gorgeous up here. We have already more than 15 hours of daylight – the sun got up at 5:19 this

Mountain biking

morning, and sunset won’t happen until at 22:33. It is amazing how this extra light and vitamin D impact on us. Despite being rather active throughout the year, this time of the year makes me even more active. Jason thinks that I am hyperactive, and some people call me PowerBunny for all my extra energy. I enjoy running or otherwise working out (at least) twice a day… And every day I still feel refreshed, ready to do more than yesterday.

The bike ride was fun – mud tells it all!

Last weekend we hit the bike trails, and had a great, muddy ride! It felt awesome to be on the bike without a need to worry about snow or ice. We were just flying on the path, enjoying the Big Wild Life in Alaska. This week I have been running quite a bit on top of my regular Crossfit workouts. Friday was an exceptionally beautiful day so I snapped a couple of pictures along the way.

Even though life in the Last Frontier is quite a bit different compared to Lower 48, this is some wonderful, beautiful country. In its unique, rugged way. This is home for adventurous souls who want to explore the unknown. For ones who try not to change the wilderness but want to be part of it. That being said, we truly look forward to our adventures in Alaska this summer – whether it is about hanging out with the bears in the woods, paddling sea kayaks and looking for whales & sea otters, or pushing our limits on steep, big mountains ….

“To the lover of wilderness, Alaska is one of the most wonderful countries in the world.” –John Muir

P.S. We also found a Japanese steakhouse in Anchorage, thanks to a Hail and Farewell party that we went on Friday night. It has been a few years since my last Japanese steakhouse excursion so it was a nice experience. And always enjoyable to see someone else cooking.

Cooking veggies at Japanese steakhouse

Need to be fast

…or even faster

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chop chop

 

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