Salazar Update and Happy Easter!

So sorry it's been a while since I've updated the blog. Life here in AK has been pretty uneventful the past month. William's work is pretty much the same and I'm still working on getting my Initial Dental Hygiene license in WA. I went to get fingerprinted a couple of weeks ago all to find out that I have almost no ridges on my fingers and that they will prob. decline my background checks and request new fingerprints because they look like smudges. My next and last step for the initial license is to take the WA State Drug and Law exam on April 29th. Once I pass and obtain the initial license there is a lot more I have to do within the next 18 months to get my permanent license in WA. I am definitely not looking forward to that but am so ready to start working again!

We did start our SCUBA diving lessons this past week and are hoping to take some underwater pictures while diving in the pool. Stay tuned, we shall see :-)

As for today...let's all remember the real reason we celebrate this day! Christ is risen! Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice for each and every one of our sins. We all have so much to be thankful for in just this one gift, the greatest gift of all, the gift of eternal life!


As I was headed out of the bedroom I noticed that the "Easter Bunny" left a trail of eggs leading to a hidden surprise in the living room. The eggs were all filled with Starburst jelly beans, yum! However, the "Easter Bunny's" wife failed this year and didn't get him anything for Easter :-( The past 2 years I have mailed him Easter baskets to Alaska and Iraq. This was our first Easter actually being together!














We were still tired even though we woke up at 11 AM. We stayed up until 3 AM watching movies and cooking.

The Easter bunny brought an egg dying kit! I have been begging for one for weeks and William seemed very disinterested...now I know why :-) He's so sneaky! He bought all of my Easter goodies when we went to Wasilla last month to pick up Sunny.







The beginning of Sunny's Easter photoshoot. She loves parsley!















When it's playtime Sunny loves to just lay down and look at us instead of actually playing.

Sunny at 8 Weeks

This is Sunny in her crate on the way home from Wasilla to Fairbanks.

Sunny loves to lay in her litter box which she is using part of the time. Thank goodness they make litter boxes with wire grates so she doesn't lay in her poop and pee.

Sunny in her playpen.


We block off the hallway everyday on one end with a piece of fir wood and let her run around while we watch her. We discovered she likes to hide behind our curtains in the living room so we let her hide under the bunny blanket. SHE DOES NOT HAVE BLANKETS IN HER CAGE NOR IS SHE ALLOWED TO ROAM THE APT. UNATTENDED. SHE LOVES TO CHEW...and poop for that matter!

Weekend Trip to Anchorage and Wasilla

Friday night. Sitting in the line at McDonald's in Fairbanks trying to leave town. We finally headed out at about 5:30 PM and made it to the hotel in Anchorage by midnight.


William had already been driving for about 30 min. at this point.



The frozen Nenana River.


Saturday morning in downtown Anchorage.

We got to see the start of the Iditarod for the first time ever! It was awesome...freezing cold, packed with people, the sound of all of the dogs barking and the announcers, and finally seeing the dogs run with their mushers! I don't think we will ever have that opportunity again. The still pictures below are of the first 2 teams and the video is of the 3rd team from Scotland...notice the kilts on the mushers :-) They race delay starts the teams 2 min. apart.




I love this picture of William!











This man's hat was amazing. He's from AK but did not make the hat himself. We want one!

We had to have our picture taken with him!


Our hotel...the best we've found in Anchorage to date.

The story of our lives these days: waiting on the ice to melt off of the windshield. So, while we wait we make good use of our time...

:-)

Sunny's Bunny Barn

I (Natalie)was not very happy this morning with the Fed Ex delivery man. He knocked on the door while I was washing my hands so I said, "Just a minute." He proceeded to tell me that he was leaving the package at the door. Seriously, a 70 lb. awkward box left outside the door while William is in Anchorage until Thurs. Geez, I'm so glad my parents taught me how to have patience! Thanks Marm and Dad! I managed to scoot the box inside the door and took out all of the pieces from there.

Lots of pieces but it was fairly simple to put together.



We only wish we had a house this nice but in our size. Someday, a very long time from now, we will :-)


The second floor. We will probably remove the partition so Sunny has more room to hop around.

The first floor. It's an indoor/outdoor hutch so we still have to go buy some flooring Thurs. night to cover the carpet since we are using it inside.