2008 in review

I think 2008 deserves a look back. For me this year has been pretty damn amazing to say the least. I have done more traveling this year than ever, and I think the separation from loved ones has also hit me the hardest in 2008.

So I suppose now is the time to share my year in review.


To start things off Matthew and I traveled to Portland to visit friends and family. I don't seem to have any pictures of that trip readily available, but we went crabbing at Waldport and had a generally good time of it. We even met a woman from Anchorage in a small dive of a bar on the coast. Figures.

March I successfully organized a Harry and the Potters concert at UAF! It was fun!

These kids eat a TON, in case you were wondering. It was really quite amazing to watch.


April was sad, we lost one of our cats, Sage, to two dogs roaming the neighborhood. R.I.P. Sage!


Fast forward to May. I graduated! It only took me three years of community college and five years of my life at the University, but I finally did it. Go me.

Instead of taking the walk of graduation, I went to Venezuela instead to spend two weeks with the greatest woman in the world, Carolyn. Here are some of my fav photos from the trip.

C* and me out swimming in the ocean in Santa Fe, Venezuela. I had my 26th birthday here.


Me snorkeling in teh ocean.


My favorite town we visited, Caripe, Venezuela.


After my trip to Venezuela, I stopped back in Portland to visit family. My dad was up from Arizona to have back surgery. Luckily everything went well and Mom and him made it back safely to AZ. <3

It was back to Fairbanks, Alaska for me where I worked the summer for the State. I archived rocks...go me!


After my summer job was done, I zoomed off to Wisconsin to intern at a wildlife rehab center. But before I made my way there, I had another stop off in Portland. This time I got to meet my biological family for the first time. This was absolutely amazing. I fell right into step with everyone and felt so comfortable!


Aren't they cute? ^_^ <3

I quickly zipped off to Wisconsin for two months. I had a great time learning the trade of wildlife rehab. It was stressful but rewarding work. I miss it all and everyone there very much.


This is Candy a resident corn snake.


Tube feeding an eagle...my least favorite job.



I miss the squirrels the most.







After my time in WI was done, I went back through Portland for a night and met up with my bio brothers. It was late and we were all really tired.



Then it was back to Alaska! Sadly I had to pretty quickly say goodbye to my great friend Nicole who got a job in Montana.




I got a job at the University. Matthew had a birthday! We did Christmas...and now it is the end of the year!

I am excited to see what 2009 has in store for us. 2008 has been pretty crazy to say the least. A toast to new and exciting adventures!

Winter blues?

If you're feeling winter starting to drag just be glad you're not living in the interior of Alaska. The winter world of Fairbanks is a tough place to live.

Luckily I have a four day weekend coming up and I don't intend on leaving the house at all. I have a nice stash of tea to drink this weekend thanks to Sarah in Wisconsin so I should be staying quite warm.

Hopefully my car will start when the cold snap is over. ^_^

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas everyone! I love you and miss you all very much. I hope the season is filled with nothing but wonderful things.

Wisdom teeth, round 1.

I got one of my wisdom teeth pulled today. Ok pulled isn't quite the right word, it was cut out really. I didn't have enough money to get more than one out at a time, but she decided to take out the worst one because it was in the same area that two seals and a filling needed to be place. The appointment took two hours and wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Granted my face is still numb...but really I was thinking it would be a lot worse.

Apparently the tooth was impacted and growing at a 90 degree angle. The tooth had to be cut in four pieces to be removed and part of the bone in my jaw had to be cut away. The sound of the saws and the crunching of bone didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. It was the numbing shot I think that bothered me the most. It gave me horrible shakes and I got really cold right after the shots. As a result I found myself tensing up and had to actively make my body relax.

Now I am set up with a cold compress and some painkillers. I don't plan on going into work tomorrow, but I might a little in the afternoon if only to go to the office's holiday party. I want to make up the hours I missed sometime on Saturday or Sunday. I hope I can keep my brain about me through these painkillers. It shall be an interesting weekend indeed.