Gates of the Mountain Boat tour

Last week Paul and I went on the boat tour at Gates of the Mountain. I first heard about it last year and was very excited to do it, but over the last year things have just not allowed us the time to do this. Paul has been super busy, I've been super busy, when we do have time, we don't feel like it, or it slips my mind. 

But we got around to it last week, and it was so cool! 

(click for larger images)

The canyon is made up of primarily limestone.  

It has been filled about 16ft above it's natural water line due to Hauser Dam.

 Bald Eagle 

Canyon Monster 

Cave Drawings from ancient Indians, dated to be over 1200 years old!

Site of the Mann Gulch Fire 

 

The boat we rode on

First day of my 3rd Trimester! 

- Alana

27 weeks preggo

How far along?  27 weeks 5 days

Size? A head of cauliflower 

Weight gain? I'm holding steady at about 181. I think that's about an 18 pound gain.  

Sleep?  comes and goes, some nights suck, some are great.  

Best Moment of the Week? Baby E has been kicking up a storm. One night a few nights ago Paul and I laid in bed and watched my stomach jump, it sort of grossed him out. 

Miss anything? Mostly Beer. I really really want an ice cold beer, or three.  

Movement? lots

Food Cravings? Sushi, but I think it's because I can't have it, and I can't have it because there is no where to get it here, not even the super fake stuff. Also coffee, yea, still craving coffee. Oh and I've been eating the shit outta some jalapeño jellybeans that Paul brought me back from his trip to Texas. 

Anything make you queasy or sick? The cat was projectile vomiting the other night. Paul almost had to clean up cat puke and alana puke. 

Gender? Still a girl, as far as we know. 

Symptoms? I've started in with the pretty regular heartburn. Also I have been having Braxton Hicks like a mo-fo. My doctor says it's because I need to drink more water. Another side effect of my constant dehydration is swelling, I am as bloated as a dead cow. Oh and I am seriously cranky, and often just mean to poor Paul. 

Belly button in or out? Still an innie, although it gets shallower every day. 

Looking forward to? naps, and weekends when Paul is home.  

I don't think feet belong on the internet but here is a gross shot of what used to be a cute little foot, that is now twice it's original size, and no longer fits in most normal shoes because this foot (and it's partner) have decided to get wider as well as constant bloating. So i wear flip flops and slipper shoes. Soon though I can pull out my Hello Kitty Uggs and just live in them. 

daily.

I also failed my 1 hour Gestational Diabetes test and have to go in tomorrow for the three hour test. 

Fingers Crossed! 

I really don't want to deal with

- Alana

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AIKO!!!

Happy Birthday to the cutest little pig dog that there ever was! 

Happy 5th Birthday Aiko, and heres to many more!

(these are not in any order, because despite my best efforts, blogger hates me today, and wont even upload half the pictures I wanted)

- Alana

Blog Awards!

I have been nominated by Holly over at The Morrow

Go Check her out, she's pretty awesome. 

The Liebster Blog Award is given to upcoming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome.

The Rules:

- Each person must post 11 things about themselves.

- Answer the questions that the tagger set for you PLUS create 11 questions for the people you've tagged to answer.

- Choose 11 people and link them in your post.

- Go to their page and tell them.

So 11 things about me: 
1. I almost always have nail polish on my nails
2. but it's usually a week old or more and half chipped off. 
3. I am a very untidy person
4. but I am also a bit of a germ-a-phobe
5. I don't put socks away after washing them, they go into the sock basket. 
6. I really suck at putting most laundry away actually. 
7. Well it's not just laundry, I suck at putting anything away. I tend to leave groceries out because of this lazy habit. 
8. I love to read but have a hard time finding time to do so. 
9. I am mildly Hello Kitty obsessed. 
10. I often loose things, because of my habit mentioned in #7. Like my Hello Kitty Flip Camera, I can't find that bitch anywhere. 
11. I cuss, a lot. If you know me in RL I drop the F-bomb ALL THE TIME. 


1) To you, who is the most inspiring person ever? 
I am very inspired by John Muir, He is a Naturalist who did most of his work in the late 1800's. He's an awesome guy that made many geological discoveries, as well as worked to create programs to preserve and protect the environment. He did what he thought was right, and did everything he could to support a cause he believed in. His cause was not just for his personal gain but for the future. I have several books containing his short stories and essays. He is a very smart guy with lots to say, much of it is still relevant today. 

2) What is the one thing you are most passionate about?
Okay this makes me sad. I don't think I am passionate about anything. I am very lazy. Paul calls me a 'starter' I have bazillions of projects, crafts, books, etc. around the house that I have started. Many of which have never been even close to finished. 

3) What is your favorite book of all time?
Harry Potter. 

4) What is the scariest thing to ever have happened to you?
I have been in a pretty scary car accident or two. But never anything serious. My life is pretty un-scary. 

5) Do you know how to use a gun/would you carry one? Why/why not?
I don't know how to use one, and for that reason I would not carry one, because it would be unsafe. I have nothing against guns, I grew up in an environment with hunters and guns, my husband has a gun, (he's a Marine, I'm surprised he doesn't have a bunch of guns). But due to my lack of knowledge I do not personally handle any guns. 

6) What is the best advice (in few words) that you can give to younger people?
It's not the end of the world. Things you think are life altering when you are 17, 18, 19 are usually not. 

7) When did you really know yourself?
I don't think this came about until I was in my mid to late 20's, So fairly recently. Before I had always tried to be someone else, someone I thought everyone would like. Now I just don't give a damn. I know who I am, I like who I am, and my true friends like who I am, that's all I need. 

8) Do you think body builders are attractive?
Sorry but no, not really. Especially the extreme ones. The guy on the left, has a very nice body, but sort of a dumb look on his face. The guy on the right has a very nice smile and I like his face, but not his body.

9) Worst injury so far?
A broken heart. Hahaha. Okay no seriously. For someone as clumsy and accident prone as I am, you'd be surprised to hear that I have never broken a bone in my life. I don't think I have ever been to the hospital due to injury (in my adult life, as I kid I had a tendency to make a mountain out of a molehill and think I was dying when I merely twisted my ankle) . I have only had stitches once, and it was when I had a mole on my side boob removed. So all I've got is nasty shaving accidents as a pre-teen, and the occasional trip down the stairs, where I've had some serious bruising. 

10) If you could go back and live at any time period, which one would you pick and why?
I am currently reading a historical book about the Tudors. And I would love to have lived around that time. But only if I could be a nobel, or maybe a lady in waiting at court. 

11) What is your greatest talent?
I can put both my legs behind me head. Haha! 

Wow, Holly, these were some hard questions. 

And the nominees are: 

1. Jess @ bleu dress and dress blues (Living in Mainland Japan!)
2. Mrs K @ Mrs K and Captain J  (she's also my due date buddy)  
3. Brandy @ A little bit of Brandy
4. Sara @ This = my experience 
5. Cassidy @ I'll follow you anywhere 
6. Katie @ Married to Red, White, and Blue
7. Amelia @ Hastings in Hawaii
8. Liz @ Try on Life
9. Sarah @ 90 percent blonde


Okay I hope she doesn't mind but I am going to recycle her questions, because they are really good ones and totally made me think. Which is a good thing on a Monday morning. 

1) To you, who is the most inspiring person ever?
2) What is the one thing you are most passionate about?
3) What is your favorite book of all time?
4) What is the scariest thing to ever have happened to you?
5) Do you know how to use a gun/would you carry one? Why/why not?
6) What is the best advice (in few words) that you can give to younger people?
7) When did you really know yourself?
8) Do you think body builders are attractive?
9) Worst injury so far?
10) If you could go back and live at any time period, which one would you pick and why?
11) What is your greatest talent?

- Alana

Blog Star!

(woo I found a legit reason to procrastinate housework, blogging!)

Well hello there! 

My name is Alana, I think this is my first time linking up to Mrs Monologues Blog Star, so if you found me from there, Welcome! I hope you like what you see! You can find me on Facebook and occasionally on Twitter. 

I am a Marine Wife, currently living in Helena, Montana. My husband is stationed here on Recruiting Duty, Which we both dislike. Mostly because its monotonous, and kids are flaky. In my opinion RD should be a two year tour, we are almost at two years and Hubby is really getting burned out on it. It's high stress, and hard on families. 

My family consists of Paul the Marine, Me, two Boston Terriers (Aiko & Renji) a cat Taco, and we have a human baby expected to arrive in early December. 

I was born and raised in Tucson, Az. Then we lived for almost 3 years in Chicopee, Ma where Paul was on I&I duty. From there we went to Okinawa, Jp. Okinawa is where my heart is. We are hoping that we will get return orders after RD, so in one year hopefully we'll be about to move there. I talk about Japan A LOT mostly because I miss it A LOT! If Okinawa were a person, I would be a stalker. Okinawa would have to take out a restraining order on me, and I would still stalk her. I follow many Oki blogs, youtube channels and facebook pages. It's a bit of an unhealthy obsession.


So that's my story. Follow my blog to join the ride!


and for anyone who's been following along, my google reader is now up to 503 unread blogs. I am trying to catch up but I'm about to give up and just mark them all as read. I clearly follow too many blogs and need to weed out a few....dozen.


- Alana

I feel like I know you

Hey Bestie!
Okay maybe you're not my bestie. But you may feel like it, I hope at least some of you read this and think to yourself "yeah, that Alana chick is pretty cool, I feel like I know her"
There are several blogs I read out there that give me this feeling, not all of them, but I can think of a handfull that I look forward to their blogs, and I feel like they are my friend sharing with me a story. These are some of the bloggers I would totally love to meet in RL. I wont list them because one of my biggest fears is rejection and I don't want them to read my blog and think "wow, that's kind of creepy"
I have never met another blogger, that I met through bloggy land first. I have a handful of friends that I knew prior to them (or me) being bloggers and now we continue to follow each other that way.
Anyone else feel that way? It doesn't have to be about me, just any fellow bloggers.
I really hope to meet some other bloggers someday, even though in RL I am pretty shy, I think it would be fun.

- Alana

Lets blog about not blogging!

I've been MIA still, despite my best efforts I've really not been online at all much the last few weeks. I have over 350 (it was 400 this am) blogs to catch up on in Google Reader. I have barely been on facebook except to stalk a few people. And I clearly haven't been blogging.

What do I have to show for it?

A clean house?
no
Laundry all put away?
no
Is the laundry even done?
no
How about the bathroom? That's been on your to-do list of cleaning for two weeks now.
nope.
Dishes, you've at least done dishes right?
only when I ran out of knives to cream cheese my bagel.

But I should have a decent paycheck headed my way because I worked a few extra days this week. And sadly I physically paid for that. I had some uncomfortable contractions off and on this week, plus some really sexy feet/cankle swelling. I have a friend who has never really in her life been on the internet, and she has barely used a computer beyond simple work stuff. So Paul and I visited her to set up her internet and get her iPad online so she can join in on all the social networking and stalk ex's like the rest of us.

Today I was super productive though, I got up and got my newspaper, which to my dismay had no coupons. But the Target ad was nice, and I may go buy a crib this week. I also worked on a project that Paul and I have been working on during our spare time for over a month now. We should finish this week and I'll post lots of pictures then but for now here's a sneak peek.

I also did the dishes (even the hand wash!) and made myself dinner. I need to get back off the computer though and finish some chores, I'm off work for the next week but I have an epic list of things that need to get done ASAP if I want to buy a crib and work on Baby E's room later this week.


Oh and I've been working on Time-Lapse photography.


I have a sunset that's a little better but I haven't put it all together yet.

- Alana