We had a great time celebrating Mom and Dad Kucera's 40th
anniversary and Mom and Dad Harris' 35th anniversary in Sanibel! What
great role models we have! Adam and the girls weren't able to make it,
nor Kati's family. Hopefully next time we can all get there together!
Again- no pics of the kiddos, checkout facebook or ask for an email!
We enjoyed a lightening show the first night!
Everyone hitting the beach!
Baby sand dollars
So small! The kids had fun scooping shells and creatures in the shell net
Adam
took fishing gear and got our dad's fishing licenses for Father's Day!
Dad fished sun up to sun down! He caught black tipped sharks, bonnet
head sharks (like a hammer head), and catfish!
He got a lot of attention from other beach goers with the sharks!
I think fishing gear will be a must on all future Sanibel trips!
The second night was full of starfish! The kids loved finding them with their feet!
Watching the dolphins!
A couple dolphins came in just a few yards from shore one night!
That's a dolphin popping up next to the boat!
Dolphins jumping and playing!
The Sanibel Thriller really gets the dolphins going!
Jessi
and Grant- such an amazing couple! Celebrated 5 years of marriage
while we were there! (they were married on Sanibel beach- by dad)
digging for "sand crabs"--- discovered a free and great bait!
The kids' catch of sand crabs
handstand contest in the pool!
Adam, Brookey, and Breanna?(can't tell by the butt and don't remember!) searching for shells!
Emma and Kane were a hoot--- best of buds yet sooooo competitive this trip. They had a great time together!
Manatee!
Just a baby manatee!
turtle tracks!
This turtle went right through another's nest area. It's cool to see all of the roped off nests down the beach!
Brand new nest!
This turtle must have been confused! zigzags!
A crab guarding it's home
Brandon
got a fishing license too! This was his first catch- a small cat! He
also caught a really pretty fish , which I don't think anyone got a
picture of and I can't remember the name of. also a sea
trout!...didn't get a pic of that one either :(
Bananas? Plantains? I don't know- but the flower hanging down was pretty!
I have never been bit up so bad in Alaska! Sand flies tried to eat me up!
Gator in the water that we crossed over each day to get to the beach!
Gator and manatee's home
Brandon had fun catching crabs! Sydney caught a few too!!
So
Adam, Brandon, Deanna, Syd, and I went out one night and walked the
beach a couple times hoping to see a turtle. Without any luck, we
headed back to our condos. Adam however, had drank too much and wasn't
ready to go to bed, so he went back out to the beach. Lucky him- he sat
with this turtle for two hours while she laid her eggs. He didn't take
these pictures until she was done and headed back to the water. Pretty
cool!
That's a lotta work for a big ol turtle!
Walking the beach and shelling with his mama!
Adam and Jeanettey
shells everywhere!
poor baby octopus!
One day was super calm, there were so many schools of minnows AND sting rays!
Brookey and I floating and naming clouds while waiting for the sunset!
Kaners getting more bait from the bait bucket for Granpa
stiiillll fishing!
Brandon using the throw net to catch more minnows for bait
Adam's bites! ...........maybe it was bedbugs since Adam and I were the only ones bit up so bad! Ick!
Adam fishin!
catfish!
Grant, Dad, Brookey, Syd, and I played the hottest "match" of tennis ever! We were terrible and so so sweaty, but it was fun!
baby manatee!
Kevin with his first cat!
Father's Day!!!!!!!!!!!!! Best father and father-in-law everrrrrrrrrrrr!
Daddio
At the Bubble Room for lunch!
Can you see mom and dad in this pic?!?! :)
Biggest and best deserts ever!
There
were TWO crabs hiding out in this "Kati" shell. We call these Kati
shells because they were Kati's favorite when she was little and picked
every single one up.
Grandpa with his only grandson!
Adam and his pretty mama!
OMGAWSH!
Grant was called up to do sound effects for the crab races! This is a
fun event in the first place, but funX100 when Grant is part of it! So
much fun!
Hermit Crab Races!
Brandon and Kevin's crabs won a prelim-- they won kazoos!
The
ginormous, gorrrrrrrrrrgeous shell Adam found buried in the sand under 4
feet of water! He is by far the best shell finder and this is his best
shell yet! Amazing!
Mom and Dad at the Bubble Room! Wow- 40 years!
So
Sanibel was amazing, as always. We hung out at the pool or beach all
day and took turns making dinner for all 16 people. Adam and I took a
cooler of Alaska meat so we didn't have to buy any down there. We
feasted! Can't wait to go back again!
Our buddy Shawn
ran the Mount Marathon race for the 3rd time over the 4th of July
weekend in Seward. We are usually scouting for a hunt over that
weekend, but due to Adam's hospital being up for review from Joint
Commission this summer, we couldn't pull off a 3 day weekend. We were
happy it worked that way because it was a fun event and so much fun
cheering him on! He ran up and down in 1 hour 7 minutes! WOW!
This is Shawn and Mount Marathon in front of him! YIKES!
Allie
Ostrander is an 18 year old girl who ROCKS! She won the junior's race
last year- the first girl ever! She came in 2nd in women's this year,
breaking the record! with a time of 50 minutes! The first place men and
women's were boyfriend and girlfriend from Europe. He made it down in
41 minutes. Insane!
"The
chute" where all the runners come out of. Some of them manage heel
kicks or silly jumps off the rock at the bottom--how in the world did
they have that much energy?!?
Cute
downtown Seward- the end of the race. It is absolutely amazing to
watch this and see all of the people racing. The juniors event is up
and down half the mountain. There are 70 and 80 year olds still running
this race- just crazy and inspiring.
Adam
and I hiked the mountain the next day. WOW! We have never hiked
anything like it--- the VERY FIRST part is literally climbing! Grabbing
on to tree branches and roots to pull you up through the trees. It is a
3, 022 ft climb to the top. The trail down is "scree"- which is loose
shale. This sounds and looks scary, but was actually fun. Adam and I
were smiling on the way down because you kind of ski it on your feet!
There are a couple of options for the bottom- one is the CLIFF. Which
is exactly as it sounds. You can see the crazies coming own it when you
look up from the chute- it is sliding down a steep rock cliff on your
butt. A couple years ago, a man hit his head and suffered brain damage
from doing this. He still runs the race- with a helmet! Just
unbelievable.
From
the top. I put my name in for the drawing last year and obviously
wasn't drawn. But each consecutive year you put in, they'll put that
many tickets in. So next year I will have two tickets in. IF I get
drawn, I will of course be safe and not go crazy trying to win it- just
completing it under an hour and a half would be an accomplishment!
There were 290 women runners this year and 320 men. (I believe 350 of
each get drawn) Oh- and they auction off spots the day before the race,
one man paid $3,000 to run it this year!
On
a hike to Symphany/Eagle Lakes with a friend and her guests. Looking
across to the valley to the mountain Adam and I hiked earlier this
summer.
Picture didn't capture it- but Denali is peaking through the valley!
There it is!
m
More Mount Marathon pics--- the chute!
A guy going down the cliff
Here comes Shawn! Woot woot!
This gentlemen is a doctor at Adam's hospital and still running the mountain! WOW!
More views from the top
We were as high as the airplane!
Tundy found snow!
GOAT! This is zoomed in from the next picture
My camera is amazing-- the goat is across this rock face near the green grass
Wildflowers!
So pretty
Adam "skiing" the scree
Picture from the beginning-- let the climbing begin
Sign
at the bottom showing the trail and body position recommendations for
climbing, sliding, hiking! ---NOT for recreational use or dogs (because
of the climbing)-- We looked at the sign AFTER the hike up. Tundy did
fine, slipped once, and then Adam stuck close to him to help if needed.
Next
up- we hike to Lost Lake one weekend. 7 miles from one trailhead to
the lake and then 8 miles from the lake to the next trailhead. It was
beautiful!!
Snack time
Group photo!
Jordan- my Thursday adventure buddy
The lake!
It's a big lake!
campsite
The boys immediately got out their binocs and started glassing-- goat, brown bear, and moose
Of course Adam tried some fishing for rainbow trout--- no luck
UGH--- the white socks were out and swarming ME!
view of the lake from the campsite
Jumping pics! Air high-5!
Peace from Jordan!
The white socks covering our tent the next morning!
Tundy's new buddy, Rocky. The grandpuppy of our neighbors
Ya
never know which animals will be around Adam's work-- bears, moose,
supposedly a wolf, and now-- families of geese! Traffic jam!
And
now for dipnetting! Boy oh boy- we had to work for them this year! We
took Jim out on Thursday and got 12 total. Friday only 3 in 4 hours
with wind and rain, so we left. And finally Saturday -- what we are use
to-- 27 red/sockeye salmon in 2 hours! So.... the last fish is always
the hardest one to get and seems to take forever. A boat of 6 guys
pulled up to us and were joking with us about leaving the ladies at home
because they always catch the most fish. Adam told them we were on our
last fish and that he was going to be the one to catch it, not me.
Well, he got a fish in his net and started to bring it out of the water,
yelling, "I win! I win!" and then- no joking- the fish jumped out of
the net! We were all laughing and wabam- he got another fish in the
net, to which he yelled again, "Now I win!" and IT JUMPED OUT AGAIN! So
of course- a fish hit my net and I got it in. The guys in the other
boat were laughing so hard and I took a bow! That's what Adam gets!
,l:)
zoo of boats
The seals!!!
They are fun to watch and listen to!
Making
our way up the "gauntlet" as Adam calls it! There is a video at the
bottom- but it plays upside down. !?!?!? I don't know how to fix it,
maybe Adam will have time to figure it out! But for now, you can kind
of get the idea!
Mount Redoubt-- a volcano from the launch.
Adam getting his line wet
Whew-- got our fish for the winter! I am currently working on smoking some of last years and the bellies from this year
Our softball team-- we are rocking it! Have only lost 1 game.
And drum roll please--- bum bum buuum buuuuuuuuuuuum.............................
Time
for more gear! We are ecstatic! We found out in Sanibel and
therefore-- told the family in Sanibel! The nieces keep asking about my
belly and wanting belly pictures--- they will be happy once I actually
get a belly!
8 weeks
a little belly starting
Like I said above--- sorry the video of the chaos called dipnetting is upside down. I don't know why, nor do I know how to fix it.
