Walk up-date

So, every race has to have a loser, and apparently team SHREK took that role for this one. Although I think some walkers weren't really walking, because I've never met anyone who can walk 6.5 miles in 30 minutes. I'm still proud of us for all of our hard work. Yay walking!

Thanksgiving weekend

Thanksgiving weekend was great! It was fun seeing little Banjo (I'm pretty sure he grew during the short time that I was there.) And traveling over to Spokane on Saturday to see Jimmy and Mary's wedding. It was a really fun reception--complete with the filipino national dance---the electric slide.

Then we rushed home for the big race on Sunday. We had perfect weather for the event. And it was fun to explore the city on foot. I'd have to say I've never walked 13 miles around seattle before. And I think team SHREK won the prize for being the slowest half marathoners of the event. While we were walking through the I-90 tunnel the police and another car were right on our tail making sure the road was clear so that they could open up the road to traffic. They were packing up the water station and the sanicans as we walked past. Nonetheless we had a great time. Next year I think I'll try to run it.

RIP Yuniesky

So, I recant my previous statement about Banjo being our first child. I forgot about our dwarf hamster Yuniesky. It seems that Neil also had forgotten about him, because when I went home for Thanksgiving I discovered him dead in his cage (the hamster that is). No one knows how long he'd been dead, but he was pretty cold and stiff and smelled bad. Poor little hamster. We got Yuniesky one night while we were walking along eastlake. He was sitting out in his cage in front of a restaurant with a sign that said he was free to a good home. His owner no longer wanted him. He was a cute little guy and liked running in his ball. Hopefully we have more luck with Banjo. (By the way he is the cutest dog ever!!! and quite smart too.)

We're Parents!!

Yesterday Neil chose the newest member of our family! He's a golden doodle, and just about the cutest puppy I've ever seen (although I may be a little biased). He's currently still living with the breeder, but as of Sunday he'll get to come home, just in time for me to come home. Does anyone have any name suggestions? We're currently calling him Banjo, although Jasmine, his breeder mother previously called him Sugs.

Winter's here!

It's been snowing up a storm here! I took Rio for a walk yesterday along the trail and she had accumulated tons of snow balls in her fur. There were already a few people out skiing along the trail. It made me excited to get some skis!

Refugee Nation

This Saturday I went to a play that a coworker was recruiting people to see. It was about the Lao-American community in the US, and their stories. Apparently there are around 2,000 Hmong in Anchorage. So these three people have been working on developing this project where they travel around and talk to Lao refugees and incorporate their stories into the play. It was somewhat interesting, but I thought the stories seemed pretty typical of immigrant groups. And they painted a picture that made it seem as though no one in America knows that Laos is a country or where it is. Maybe I was too critical, because everyone in the audience really liked the show and gave it a standing ovation.

Sledding fun

Neil visited this weekend. We took a trip to Flattop to play in the snow. Even though it dips into the 20's each night Anchorage still hasn't seen much snow since the first snowfall that melted a week or so ago. We bought our first snow gear (the plastic sleds) and headed up the hill for some sledding fun.

Moose in the driveway

Note to self: When there are two moose in the driveway, stay in the car until they leave. Getting out of the car only causes the moose to charge.

These pictures aren't the greatest quality. But if you look closely you can see one of the moose that was in my front yard.