June 21 2025

Today I had coffee with my two dearest Kodiak friends Jami and Kim, who each have birthdays this week (Kim yesterday, Jami the day before). I took them out to Bean and Bloom, an adorable coffee shop right on the water underneath the Near Island bridge. We had coffee (obviously) and Jami made a Reese’s PB and Oreo cheesecake which she brought with. We stayed there a good three hours and just chatted. 

I got home and played Final Fantasy for a bit, then we headed to the base movie theater with our bonus child (Cam’s best buddy Gibson) and saw the Kodiak premier of the new live action Lilo and Stitch movie. It will never compare to the original animated film, but it was still very well done and cute.

We came home and Brad and the three boys started playing Minecraft together, and I tucked into the garage to play Diablo III. About an hour in I had a thought - I should work out. But I really didn’t want to, since it was my day off. BUT I really should, because I had cheesecake for lunch and pizza for dinner. And then I had another thought.

The exercise bike is here in the garage. Diablo is a hack and slash that requires button mashing and little dexterity. So, I hopped on the bike and played Diablo at the same time.

Work smarter. And maybe a little harder too in this case.

June 18 2025

Going to the beach is different than it used to be with little kids.

It USED to be, we’d have to pack for an entire expedition. Endless supplies - umbrellas, lunch, snacks, drinks, more snacks, sunscreen, a change of clothes, towels, beach toys, buckets, floaties, boogie boards, sweatshirts, and who the hell knows what else. And a wagon to haul it all, if it all even fits.

The beach would be an all day excursion, and the kids would never want to go home. The adults would take turns building sand castles or wading in the water with them. It was an entire to do.

The beach with teenagers is SO different. Even just convincing them to actually GO is the biggest challenge of it all these days. They’re not really into sand castles and whatnot anymore, and Kodiak beaches especially are challenging when water games, boogie boarding and swimming aren’t really an option.

However, it’s also easier, in many ways.

Now, we pack a best friend for each of them (in lieu of toys), lunch, a blanket, and whatever they “feel” like bringing. In today’s case, they armed themselves with airsoft guns, a ball and a baseball bat. 

And that was all they needed. They even hauled it all to the beach without me.

Then, I plopped myself on the blanket, opened a book, and completely ignored the boys for two hours. No worrying about water rescues, or even being out of sight. They wandered up and down the beach, shooting rocks, running in and out of the water, and tidepooling and screaming like little girls when little baby halibuts nibbled at their toes. 

It’s certainly not as fun an exciting as when they were little, but it’s WAY less stressful, they carry all their own stuff, and there’s no over-tired post-beach meltdowns.

I approve of teenage beach days.

A Few Of My Favorite Things (Summer Edition)

Today was a great day. It was one of those days where the weather was perfect, none of us had to work, we had quality time together AND I hit almost every favorite hobby of mine all in one day.

We started the day with summer school, which is really just Science Fiction/Creative Writing Class. We (almost) finished War of the Worlds, which we finish tomorrow (and then watch the movie). I had my morning coffee outside on the back porch (checkbox favorite hobby #1), because it was already warm and sunny. Which is rare here, I might add.

Also rare are mid-week days off for both Brad and myself, and since the weather was so spectacular, we dropped everything and the four of us went on an outdoor adventure (checkbox favorite hobby #2). Since it was WARM and the wind was nonexistent, we opted to take the kayaks out to Buskin Lake, which we crossed and had a picnic lunch on the far shore, one of our favorite places to go. The boys climbed trees and skipped rocks while Brad and I lay on the sand and chatted.

Once we got back, I plopped in my favorite swing on the sunny back porch and read a chapter of my book (favorite hobby #3), then went inside and played some video games (favorite hobby #4). Currently I’m playing Final Fantasy X on the Xbox, and when the Xbox is occupied, I go in the garage and play Diablo III.

Dinner tonight is taco potato, and we are watching a family Disney movie (favorite hobby #5): Pirates of the Caribbean. 

Since it’s the land of the midnight sun, after dinner I went on a walk around the peninsula, listening to my audiobook (tandem read of Tower of Dawn and Empire of Storms - Throne of Glass series) while Brad and the boys play Minecraft. 

The absolute perfect day. 

The Day You Turned 14

Gosh, we have been doing these birthday blog posts for a WHILE now. I started this blog about a month before Calen’s 3rd birthday. Which means, this blog has been active (more or less, there are some missing chunks in there where I abandoned it for a few years) for THIRTEEN YEARS. And as much as I hate to do it some days, I’m so thankful to look back into these little windows of my life. Especially when they were little.

Today is Camden’s 14th birthday. Fourteen. FOURTEEN-UHHHH!!!

Can you effing believe it because I can’t.

I feel like birthdays were so much more exciting when we lived in the Lower 48, because it was. We always went out to dinner of their choice, and then had a family fun day adventure, like mini golf or a baseball game or something. But there’s certainly no such entertainment at our doorstep here on this island in the middle of the Bering Sea. So, we make it as fun and exciting as we can, even though there isn’t much to do.

Birthday breakfast has been the one tradition that hasn’t changed over the course of the last fourteen years - Dad’s pancakes! I have no shame: I suck at making pancakes. I know how to make them, but they never turn out round, or unlumpy, or weird. The kids never say anything, but we all know Dad makes better pancakes. No hate. I’ll just sit and drink my coffee in peace. Cam requested chocolate chips in his pancakes this year. And then of course traditional whipped cream, sprinkles, and number candles. The best way to start your birthday.

After that, Cam was in charge of the day. And much as I predicted he would, he elected to play video games all. Day. Long. Fine by me, that’s easy entertainment, and let’s face it, I’m EXHAUSTED after Cake Day yesterday. So I just hung out while he and Calen gamed all morning.

Cam’s lunch of choice was Tostitos pizza bites in the air fryer to go with the snack board of his snacks of choice - Nerds gummy clusters, Whopper eggs (since Easter was two days ago), red vines, and Sweet/Spicy Doritos, with Orange Crush to drink. Easy, easy, easy.

Brad came home for lunch hour, which means it was time for the scavenger hunt for presents! The last couple years we’ve done as many clues (and presents) as their age, since we aren’t spending that money on fun events or doing out to eat. So, 14 (smaller) gifts for the 14 year old! To go with his cake and current enthusiasm for Dungeons and Dragons, we made the hunt/clues DND themed. Gifts included a lot of DND figures (many that I had painted over the last couple months), two new video games, two video game controllers, a new shirt, and some dinosaur figures that he collects.

Then, back to video games! I didn’t mind because by that point I was so tired I just wanted to lay on my bed and watch true crime (and so I did). His best friend Gibson came over for a bit too to join in the fun.

Dinner of choice was the same as Calen’s - spam masubi, made by dad. It’s a labor of love, and it takes a long time to make, but it’s soooo worth it. With dinner we watched Camden’s all time favorite movie - Wall-E. And how fitting is it that the Earth Day Birthday boy, who wants to be a garbage man when he grows up, loves nothing more than a Disney movie about a trash compacting robot that saves the earth? I love it.

Gibson came back over for cake and ice cream, and then they played Roblox until bed while I walked a quick 2.5 miles around the neighborhood to round off my daily 5 mile goal.

Yes, I was so busy today, I clocked 2.5 miles worth of steps before even trying.

As for Cam, I think he had a great day. He said it was “the best birthday ever.” That’s all I wanted to hear.

Day 310: Hockey Saturdays

 It was freakishly cold this morning. 

With the wind chill, it was a balmy 18 degrees. 

I found Camden outside, hanging out on the back deck. Upon asking "what in the world are you doing out there in the cold?!" to which Camden said:

"It feels AMAZING out here. It's too hot in the house and I was ROASTING."

If he isn't a true hockey player, I don't know what is. 

Day 309: A Lovely Cheese Pizza Just For Me

 We declared tonight Home Alone night!

Luckily the boys still fit in their Home Alone shirts from last year, and, paired with new pajama pants, made for "newish" Christmas pajamas for the occassion. 

Calen had a moment and launched himself off the couch as soon as the scene from his shirt came up. 

Day 308: Sliding Into Thursday

 It was cold today. 

Finally, because usually by now we have snow on the ground or something, and it's been unseasonably warm as of late. 

For biology today we were talking about photosynthesis and today's "lab" was to go outside and find a leaf on a tree in the sunshine. 

This of course caused an impromptu "ice skating session" on the sidewalk. 

That was the excitement of the day, but at least it got us out of the house for a moment. 

Day 307: Dinner at 3:45pm

 Mondays and Wednesdays are suddenly absolutely ridiculous. 

Swim team for Calen is from 5:15 until 6:30.

Hockey for Camden is from 6:30 to 8. 

I mean, it's outrageous. 

My mom sent the boys a Subway gift card in their Halloween card, and we cashed in today!

So, we declared dinner at 3:45pm for both boys today, before we ran an errand or two before dropping the kids off at all their practices. 

Footlongs are the best for such nights. Half a sub now, half a sub after. 

Day 306: You Can't Take Him Anywhere

 Before hockey practice tonight, Cam and I stepped into Walmart to grab a few more boxes of red lights, because you can never have enough Christmas lights, you know. Cam didn't really want to go in, but reluctantly agreed. 

And good thing he did, because he spent the next twenty minutes showing me literally every single Christmas decoration and how we need this, no we really really need this. And pretty soon it was me dragging him along, telling him it was time to go. 

When you take a young Griswold into Walmart, can you expect anything less?

Day 305: A Boy Called Christmas

 I'm on borrowed time and I know this. 

The boys are still delighted (or at least pretend to be) that I read a chapter of a story of some sort most nights. Obviously earlier in the fall we finished the extensive 7-book Harry Potter series, and I kind of thought that was that, to be honest. 

But, as the Christmas season has come around and the amount of chapter books available for the young adults is neverending, I thought maybe I could convince them to read another. 

And they were, surprisingly, very enthusiastic about it. 

So this evening we put on Christmas pajamas, sat around the tree and started a new book: A Boy Called Christmas. 

This is one of my favorite newer Christmas movies on Netflix, and the book, so far, is just as good, and the boys are loving it. 

Borrowed time, I'm telling you. I'm appreciating every moment.