Cross the Yukon

 The last Friday of Carol & Carl's visit, Josh was home and we were able to get out & do some exploring.  He wore Wyatt for the first time, on his back, which was a nice break for me.  I did worry, though, about how warm Wyatt was. 

 Luckily the weather was fantastic, thirty degrees, clear & sunny.

We were so happy to be out enjoying it.

 We walked the short distance from our house to the school so the twins could play on the piles of snow there.  We made some friends: Aaron, Cameron, Darren and Samuel (not pictured here).

 Our boys started out sliding down the snow, giggling the whole way.

 The group of adorable kindergartners we befriended soon upped the ante, yelling "Show you how!" and jumping off the drifts.  These kids had no fear!

 They loved to look at the pictures I took, seeing how high they got.  After a few minutes playing & jumping, they started pretending to be Logan as they jumped. "I"m Logan!" they'd shout as they jumped down.  I asked them to repeat themselves, to be sure I was hearing right and as Cameron repeated that he was Logan, he said to the snow, "I wish I was one of them."

I'm not sure what exactly made him feel this way, but we discussed it later, Carol, Carl, Josh and I, and we think it's as simple as having someone watch you as you play, delighting as you laugh, spending time with you.

Also notice, they have no snow pants!

So rugged they are!

 Logan slipping & sliding.

 After playing around there for a while, we decided to take advantage of the good weather and head down to the river...

Our motley crew included one set of parents, one set of grandparents, two three-year-olds, three five-year-olds and one adorable nine month old.

 Grandma & her boys at the top of the hill.  Straight down the hill & you hit the river.

 Aaron

 The frozen Yukon River

 Aaron

 Darren

 Logan asked Cameron to hold his hand, but Cameron said no.  

Darren volunteered that he would hold Logan's hand.

It was precious.

 The view downriver

 Shelly, Logan, Darren, Aaron & Jack

 Onward!

Grandma Carol

 Me

 It was seriously so gorgeous out. We all had sunglasses on because the sun glare off the snow is so intense.

The going was pretty easy except for a few icy spots where the wind had blown the layer of snow away.

 While we were walking, Cameron told Carl, "You should be my Papa."

It was sweet.

 Look at the sky!

 Marshall School from the river

 The village

 We live here!

 It was really neat to see Marshall from a different view.

 I just kept taking deep breaths,

enjoying every minute of this spectacular day.

"Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters.  They teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books."

-John Lubbock

 "Forests, lakes and rivers, clouds and winds, stars and flowers, stupendous glaciers and crystal snowflakes- every form of animate and inanimate existence, leaves it impress upon the soul of man."

-Orison Swett Marden

 We made it!

 Jack, Darren, Logan, Aaron, me, Cameron, Carl & Carol

 Josh's parents really enjoyed themselves.

 The village looked {so tiny} from across the river.

 After letting the boys play on the island, find some sticks & run around for a minute, we turned around to head home.

 Carol pulled Jack, and Josh pulled Logan.

 On the way to (and from) the river we saw dogs, like this one, eating moose legs.  It was so bizarre! There were just hunks of meat laid on the snow for the dogs to eat. 

And at one house, we saw a dead wolf, just laying on top of a guys' outside freezer.  We assume it was waiting to be skinned.

It was just another dose of Marshall reality.  Hunting happens here (duh!) and the animals they catch sustain not only the people, but also their pets. 

 Teamwork! Pulling Jack is no joke!

 Jack Jack, enjoying his ride home, courtesy of Grandma & Papa!

 Logan decided even sitting up was too much effort as Josh pulled him home.

It was a grand adventure & we were all so happy to have enjoyed it together!