A New Hat

My dear husband has many roles to fill in his life. He is of course, my husband,

our children's father, his parents son, his siblings brother, his neices and nephew's uncle. He is Dr. Weaver at work and Captain Weaver in the National Guard. He now has a new hat to wear, at least temporarily. At church he is now known as President Weaver. Last Sunday he was sustained and set apart as the new branch president of the Talkeetna Alaska Branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. For those of you who are unfamiliar with our church this is similar in some ways to a pastor. (If you are interested in better understanding how our church is organized you can go here or here). Basically he is the one who presides over and has stewarship of our local congregation, although, thankfully, he has two wonderful men who serve with him as his counselors. This is the beginning of a new and I'm sure interesting and busy time in our lives.

New Camera

These are some pictures that Adam took the other night with his new camera. These were just point and shoot, nothing fancy. I was impressed how well they turned out (despite the double chins in the first picture; like mother, like daughter).

Thanks!

The last week or so has been a very interesting and busy time for us. Our branch president here passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack on 3rd of March. Our thoughts and prayers have been and will continue to be with his dear wife and his other family members. It was a blessing to know him and we're glad that we felt inspired to come here. I know I have learned from him, maybe not in the way that I would have expected to, but I did learn much from him.

The time since his passing has been a whirlwind of activity. It feels like a month or more has gone by. His wife is our relief society president and I'm her only counselor. Which meant that the relief society duties primarily fell to me. I have felt so blessed though as people have come out of the woodwork to assist me in my duties and to serve his widow. Because our branch here is so small we called on another nearby ward to help us prepare food for the dinner after the funeral and with other arraingements. It brings tears to my eyes when I think of how readily their services were offered. Truly I'm grateful for this gospel which units us all and teaches us to become like the Savior; to serve as he served and to love as he loved. I see His children, where ever I live, following His teachings. Thanks to all of you who read this, who at some time in your lives have reached out with a helping hand and followed the Savior's example.

Northern Lights

Adam took these pictures the other night. He's still practicing using his new camera but I thought the pictures turned out pretty darn good. Have I mentioned, I love Alaska!!!

Weavers Look-alike Meter

I did this with Maggie and Isaac a couple of years ago. I thought I'd try it with Ali too. I'm sure it's not super accurate, but it's fun anyway!

I also thought I'd see if it changed with age. Maggie looked more like Adam by 9% last time and Isaac looked equally like both of us. I guess that either shows how accurate this is or shows how much kids change.

Two years in a nutshell

This is for all my wonderful family who aren't as facebook friendly. I'll catch up on the last 2 years first then try to post updates of the little one's a little more often = ) Actually I'm only really catching up on about a year because I don't remember what happened between my graduation and Adams. I'll have to add that later if I remember.

So, first Adam graduated dental school!!!!!!!!!!!

WooHoo!!!

We're all so proud of him!

He's a real dentist now and loving it!

The day after graduation we left our home for the past 4 years and our amazing friends in Texas = ( on our 6 1/2 week long trek to the most beautiful and incredible place on earth!

But first we headed to Nana and Papa's house in Arizona (a 20+ hour drive, if I'm remembering correctly, which I might not be)...

Then a 16 hour drive to Utah to Aunt Gloria and Uncle Leonard's house..

And Grandma and Grandpa's house...

Eight more hours to Great Grandma and Grandpa's house in Idaho...

Then another 5 days and about 50 hours or so from Idaho through beautiful Canada and finally...

ALASKA!!!!

About 2 months later Maggie started Kindergarten!


And Isaac started Preschool!


On December 22 we welcomed our newest family member, Alison Rose Weaver!


Now we're just enjoying the wonderful weather (and believe it or not, I'm not being sarcastic!) and beautiful sights of our new home sweet home!!!

Graduation!

Of course I am so behind on blogging, again, and if I try to catch up I don't think I will ever get around to posting anything so I am starting with what is recent and then if I get time I will play catch up.
Well I finally graduated!! (You may think that now I will have time for keeping up on our blog but who knows. I have a long list of things to catch up on.) I now have my master's degree in social work. It is so nice to be done with classes but I still feel like I am just on a break and will be going back soon. I will probably miss it actually in a couple of months. I think Adam and the kids are happier I am done than I am actually. They have been wonderful though during the past two years while I was working on this. We didn't get too many pictures from graduation day but we did get some so here are a few.

These are the other social work graduates.

This is from the hooding ceremony.

Maggie made a friend during the two hour graduation that kept her entertained.

(We have no idea who this lady is, but Maggie and Isaac both liked her a lot)

I am so grateful that I had this opportunity to go back to school and advance my education. I really feel like "God" should be written above my name on the diploma though because I think it is more His degree than mine. My Father in Heaven gave me everything that I needed to be able to achieve this goal. I am blessed to be able to live in a country where I have had many opporutnities for educaiton throughout my life. He blessed me further with the opportunity and the means at this time to continue in my education. If that wasn't enough He also blessed me with and ability to learn and with strength, patience and persistance to continue working hard for the past two years. And of course he blessed me with my incredible supportive family. I guess this is just one more degree for our Heavenly Father : ) Now I have the responsibility to use this gift to help others so I guess I better figure out what he wants me to do now!

Needs

So I saw this on a friends blog tonight and thought it was pretty funny. So instead of going to bed like I should be I am posting this. Actually it is probably even funnier because I am so overly exhasted but oh well.

What you do is google your name with the word needs (i.e. Niki needs) and write down the first ten things that come up. Here it is:

1. Niki needs a lot of behavioral support (enough said)

2. Niki needs to get a job at MAC (don't know what that is but this phrase follows "look at that makeup job!" and I don't think it was a good one.)

3. Niki needs urgent prayers (don't we all)

4. Niki needs to provide us with the needed information

5. Niki needs a company

6. Niki needs your advice (feel free to give it anytime)

7. Niki needs a new home

8. Niki needs someone like Pete to show her that not everyone needs to be rich (Thanks Pete!)

9. Niki needs to continue to sing Karaoke type of songs (but no one else needs that)

10. Niki needs the power to speak directly to the voters in the expensive media market

1. Adam needs to Shower Petition (no idea what that is)

2. Adam needs someone to move into his apartment and become his new roommate (I'm definately going to have to argue against this one)

3. Adam needs help (ok, can't argue too much with this one : )

4. Adam needs a tour

5. Adam needs his Phone Back interview (again, no idea)

6. Adam needs a cookie (I'm sure he wouldn't argue with that one)

7. Adam needs to research his games before he reviews them

8. Adam needs more cowbell (what?)

9. Adam needs some new books to read (if he had time to read)

10. Adam needs to learn how to search

1. Maggie needs a home (her and I both I guess)

2. Maggie needs to be transferred to a facility where she can experience the love and friendship of other elephants (that one might be tough to come by)

3. Maggie needs to be near Mom (Oh, how sweet)

4. Maggie needs an alibi (oh whatever for?)

5. Maggie needs your help (not just any help, your help)

6. Maggie needs a nice home (she's upgraded from needing a home to a nice one)

7. Maggie needs some food (I promise we don't starve her)

8. Maggie needs glasses

9. Maggie needs advice

10. Maggie needs your attention (your help and attention)

1. Isaac needs a ride

2. Isaac needs help (wow, everyone in my family needs help but me, what does that tell you?)

3. Isaac needs prayers for health (thank God he is healthy)

4. Isaac needs home (and we all need a home except Adam, he's good with a tent)

5. Isaac needs a wife (but please not for another 25 years!)

6. Isaac needs a friend (that I'm okay with)

7. Isaac needs information about your home country

8. Isaac needs a new shirt (pants actually, shirts were okay on)

9. Isaac needs you to design a garden

10. Isaac needs a hospitable wife, who is humble and kind (that'll be good when the time comes)

Now I definatly NEED to get some sleep!!! And I don't need google to tell me that!

(PS I just couldn't get the spacing to work out on this so sorry it all looks so smooshed together)

It's about time!

Okay so I have totally neglected blogging for the last three months. I thought that in my week of after coming home from vacation I might have time to put up some posts but that didn't happen. School has been insane this semester and so I haven't had much time, or made much time since it got going. But it is spring break so I have a little down time. Plus Adam is in Arizona for a dental conference so we're not doing much around here. So, here is a bunch of catch up. I'll hopefully get to the more recent stuff soon. However if I don't get it done during spring break don't be suprised if you don't see anything else until May.

SNOW!!!

While we were in Arizona we went up to a cabin in the mountains for a few days over New Years with Adam's family. It was so wonderful to be in mountains and snow again! We had a good time and the kids liked the snow, some of the time at least. The weather was great! It was warm enough that a long sleeve shirt was plenty warm for being outside in the sun. It was great. I wish we could go back soon!

This is the cabin we stayed in. It was really nice. A little cozy for four families but it was still really nice.

The lodge up there had cross country skis and snowshoes that could be rented for free. So Adam and I got to go cross country skiing and we took Maggie snowshoeing. We weren't sure if Maggie would be able to do it but she did great and loved it. Of course it was hard and so for part of the way she rode in the sled while Daddy pulled her. It was fun.

We walked by this creek. It was so beautiful and peaceful. Even with Maggie there.

Isaac loved being outside even if he was just playing on the porch. We had to keep the door locked whenever we were inside so he wouldn't escape.

Maggie had lots of fun playing in this pit someone dug out on the side of the house. Isaac had fun in it for about 30 seconds and then he was done.

We all had fun building snowmen.

Adam and I did one in the front of the cabin on a park bench but someone knocked him down on New Years night.

First Maggie tried to save him but later she resorted to eating him.

Here's
Isaac all bundled up. He did have a hard time staying standing up with so many layers on.

We all went sledding. Even Nana gave it a go!

Maggie didn't really like it all that much but she did end up going down about half of the hill a couple of times. Isaac went down once with me and hated it. As a matter of fact he cried whenever he saw someone else on a sled.

Here's Mag with all her snow gear on.

And of course after all the play outside we all had to have plenty of time relaxing in the nice warm house.

Christmas, Finally!

So, now three months later I am finally posting some pictures from our Christmas vacation : )

Here are the kids in their matching striped Christmas PJs that I found for a couple bucks at the used baby clothes store.

Isaac's had a little hat that came with his, he looked super cute in it!

Despite having their own presents to open the kids still helped Nana and Papa open most of theirs.

Here's Mag all dressed up!

And Isaac with a new ball!

Of course even after all the presents were opened Isaac still had the most fun playing with the ornaments and crawling under the tree!

Later that day we actually ended up taking the tree down because Isaac was just having too much fun taking off every ornament and we were worried that he was going to pull the huge tree down onto him. It was a good Christmas.