Framily

Happy Holidays, Farmgirls!

Hope you are all doing well during this busy and cheerful season. We’ve had an eventful few weeks up here in the North. It started with a girls’ trip that Ava and I took to Seattle to visit Ava’s cousin and have some sister-free fun!

On the plane, ready for take off!

On the plane, ready for take off!

When we got back to Alaska we promptly were involved in a car accident. It was scary and unfortunate, but luckily we were all totally okay. It was very slow—our mini van slid for many yards on an icy road into the side of a state snow plow. We were going less than ten miles per hour and the girls were still happily coloring in their car seats after it happened. While we were physically okay, the car was not! I was also an emotional wreck for several days. Luckily, we were being followed by several friends (it was on the way home from Ava’s school) and it happened right next to my good friend’s house. My wonderful friend picked up the girls and brought them to her house while I dealt with the police reports, insurance and tow truck. They also gave me wonderful, reassuring hugs and commiserated with me.

Kid craft table at Thanksgiving.  Love the buffalo plaid!

Kid craft table at Thanksgiving. Love the buffalo plaid!

The following week was Thanksgiving and we had the pleasure to celebrate TWO Thanksgivings with big groups of friends—A celebration on Thursday and our annual “Friendsgiving” on Saturday. The food was so good, music was played, games were shared, stories were told and new friends were made! I haven’t celebrated Thanksgiving with my family for years, and I miss it terribly. However, if I can’t be with my family, these groups of friends are the next best thing.

Prepping food for our sixth (I think?) annual Friendsgiving

Prepping food for our sixth (I think?) annual Friendsgiving

After all of our celebrating…we got sick. Like really, really sick. It was a mystery illness that covered everything—sore throats, fatigue, headaches, nausea and vomiting, fevers, coughs, sinus issues, painful ears, mouth sores, EVERYTHING! Aside from Evan we were all laid out in bed for more than five days, including my birthday. Luckily, I convinced the girls to cuddle up and watch Christmas movies in bed with me, which is kind of an ideal birthday in my book. Although, we weren’t well enough to eat cake—that was a bummer. One of the best surprises on my birthday was going downstairs to replenish our supplies to find a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a big jar of homemade and home grown applesauce on the counter. My lovely friend Louisa had snuck it in without a peep!

At least they are super cute when sick...

At least they are super cute when sick…

So that brings us to last week. Last week we were moving! I know…maybe it’s been too eventful of a month. After almost two decades of renting, Evan and I bought a house. It is a nice two story traditional on 2.5 acres on the side of a mountain. We are so excited to start a new chapter in our very own place. I can’t wait to decorate and make it a bit funkier than it is now, but that will have to wait for warmer weather when we can open up windows and complete some projects in the outdoors. But don’t let me get ahead of myself, first we have to finish moving! Yet again, we have amazing friends who have come to help us through it all. They have helped pack up boxes, move furniture, pack up the moving van and entertain antsy children (and the kids are much more willing to help out my girlfriends with packing than me!). One of my friends even offered to collect money to hire a house cleaner to clean our rental after we have all of the stuff out!

Our New Home!

Our New Home!

Ava's box of her special, prized things.  She packed them so tenderly in this box and immediately unpacked them onto a high shelf in her room that her sisters cannot reach.

Ava’s box of her special, prized things. She packed them so tenderly in this box and immediately unpacked them onto a high shelf in her room that her sisters cannot reach.

This past week we’ve been down to one car because we are still waiting on the minivan to be repaired and its getting pushed back day after day.  We returned the rental because the van was supposed to be done a week ago!  That has left us high and dry a few days…I am not willing to pack up all of the kids at 5:30 a.m. to drop Evan at the bus stop.  We’ve mostly enjoyed time in our new home, slowly getting it organized.  However, yet again–I’ve had friends come and pick all of us up for some fun times away from home.

Opal preparing lefse for Thanksgiving

Opal preparing lefse for Thanksgiving

Ava rolling out lefse.

Ava rolling out lefse.

Fern is a big helper, too.

Fern is a big helper, too.

All of this is to say that friends are pretty amazing. Living far away from any family support can be very difficult, especially with young children. I often lament the fact that my kids don’t get to spend a lot of time with their grandparents and cousins, as that was a very important part of my childhood. We are so fortunate to have found an amazing community of friends up here in relatively remote Alaska. Many of us are up here far away from family, so the importance of having friends who are like family is an integral part of survival. Us humans need the support—it takes a village to do nearly everything. We help friends clean their homes, build fences, set up for parties, watch children, dog sit, get to and from the airport, pick up kids from school, swap clothes. To sum it up—we keep each other sane! Also, thanks to technology, my family is just a phone call or FaceTime call away…because sometimes you just need to talk to your mom, brother or papa.

Post-birthday picnic in the new house.  The first thing we brought to the house was my trusty #8 cast-iron pan that has rented apartments with me for 16+ years!

Post-birthday picnic in the new house. The first thing we brought to the house was my trusty #8 cast-iron pan that has rented apartments with me for 16+ years!

As this holiday season comes into full swing and with it some of the stresses of making it as merry as possible for our little families, the love and support of loving and supportive friends makes all the difference. I hope you all have support systems in whatever part of the world you’ve settled in whether it be from friends, family or a hybrid of both!

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Here’s to an uneventful, but merry season to you all!

Until Next Time,

Sending Peace and Love from Alaska,

Alex, the Rural Farmgirl

  1. Carol says:

    I hate to hear of your wreck, but thankful that you and the girls are fine. I am also glad that the vehicle can be fixed as well. I am happy to hear you have a new home, but sorry that you are so far from family.

  2. Laurel Pries says:

    I so enjoy your posts and read it as soon as it comes. Wishing you and your little family a wonderful, happy, and healthy New Year!

  3. Karen Pennebaker says:

    It’s wonderful that you can spend Christmas in your new home! Enjoy it! I am sure it is hard to be away from family but modern technology makes communication so much easier than it was when long distance calls cost a fortune and there was no internet!! Merry Christmas from West Virginia!

  4. Bonnie Ellis says:

    You have had quite the season. So glad you are ok and everyone is well! I live in your home state of Minnesota so we have snow for Christmas too. Happy Holidays and may your new year be calm.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thank you for the calm wishes, Bonnie! Please say hi to Minnesota and the snow for us. Since we took that picture the temperature warmed up to the forties for almost a week and it hasn’t snowed again since the temperatures dropped back down…no snow in the forecast either. However, we’ve had some pretty good frost, so it might be a whitish Christmas around here!

  5. Kathy says:

    So fun to read your blog. We, too, celebrated with friends lots of holidays, birthdays, etc. in Cordova, Alaska with our little girl for quite a few years. I really have missed the huge bonds of friendship there. (We now live outside and am blessed to have family nearby.). The memories you are stockpiling now will be treasured by your girls forever! Merry Christmas! Love your new house!

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks, Kathy! I’ve never been to Cordova but I know some really amazing people from there. What memories you must have from those years!

  6. Sandi King says:

    Alex, what an exciting time you and the girls have had. So many wonderful friends and places you have gone and a new home too. So happy for you and your family. Glad no one was hurt in the accident but ice is so hard to drive on anywhere. And getting sick with some mysterious ailment to boot after celebrating; I wonder what it was, and happy you all survived it and watching Christmas movies is always fun too. I would say as a memory it will be considered an exciting and eventful few weeks for you all. Thanks for sharing with us. Have a Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year and God Bless You All.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thank you, Sandi! You are right–it will all be pretty fun as memories :). Happy to have this platform to record it all. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

  7. Marlene Capelle says:

    Congratulation on your new house. What a marvelous Christmas present for you all. Hope you’re all well by now and safe and warm. Happy holidays.

  8. Marilyn says:

    Thank God you and the girls are fine. Sorry about the car. Hope you are all feeling better. Happy Belated Birthday. Wishing you and yours a Blessed and Merry Christmas. Have a Happy and Healthy 2020.
    Marilyn and family

  9. Susan says:

    Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah.

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