Too long, I know....

So I check out the family blogs and nothing, nothing, nothing. And I'm wondering what's happened that no one is blogging. (Yes, SM did post recently, but it had been awhile) And then it hits me, yes the light bulb flashed...I'm not blogging either. How can I be disappointed with no news from anyone when I'm not sharing or at least posting something? So here is something.....

Beginning of October - Vegas was great. That goes without saying - Vegas is always great. The 90 degree weather was desperately needed. Especially when Alaska was experiencing the first real winter weather while I was in Vegas. Nope, I didn't empty my wallet in the slots. I only lost about $25 to those monsters! I did shake out my wallet at the local outlet malls. Lord, it was fun shopping in a wide variety of stores. Thankfully there were several of us from Alaska down there shopping so I didn't look like a complete idiot wandering the stores as if I never been shopping before. But really, you have to admit there is something lacking when we up here in the upper one (compared to the lower 48) get giddy/ mark our calendars / count the months, weeks, days / plan our schedules around a Target opening! It's nerve racking at times to go to the same stores and wander around as if something new and exciting is going to miraculously appear on the shelves. It's the same stuff on the same shelves as last week and last month. Have I whined enough about shopping? Ok, I'll move on.

Halloween is coming and that's cool. SM and the grandkids stopped in last Saturday on their way to a Halloween party and I have to tell you, those grandkids were adorable. I can't share a picture right now because the battery is dead (yep, DEAD) on my camera. It's charging so I'll share soon. But I ask you, where did the time go? I started thinking about my first Halloween here in Alaska. D was "Bear in the Big Blue House". As tiny as she was at 2 yrs old the costume was so bulky we had a hard time carrying her around but we couldn't pull her in the wagon cause the snow was so deep it was buried. And little R - he would go to 2 or 3 houses and was done with it all - he was too cold. Perfectly content to come back home and be warm & cozy. And the year the poor little guy was just plain too sick to even leave the house. Memory lane - I do love to travel that road.

The exciting news...............................R and I are going on our first road trip! We're headed to the North Pole! 2 yrs ago D and I made the trip to visit Santa and now R and I are going. He's getting pretty excited and I have to admit I can hardly wait. While he's a bit younger than when I took D, he's hearing rumblings at school that the big guy might not be real. I want him to see it all through the eyes of one who still believes. Now that D is 'so much older' and knows the whole story she thinks it's so cute that R still 'believes'. We leave on 11/20, it's a Thursday evening and we'll return Sunday evening.

In case anyone is interested, winter has officially landed in Alaska. We're in single digit temps at night. Daytime temps manage to make it in the low 20's. No, I'm not complaining, it's Alaska. While we do have snow, don't tell SM - I'm hoping for some more real soon. I'm anxious to take the snowmachines out again!
Well, enough for now. Hugs and kisses to Ohio. Miss you all so much!