Iditarod 2015 Manley Hot Springs Checkpoint

This year the Iditarod sled dog race came right through the little village of Manley Hot Springs. With retired racing legends in and around Manley setting up a checkpoint here seemed to come naturally. The community pulled together with a large number of volunteers that worked around the clock for several days before, during and after the event. While working in the hospitality center that was set up in the community hall I received nothing but compliments on the set up and hospitality of the Manley checkpoint.

I got to work shifts both inside the hall and outside as an assistant checker. Lisa got to 'work' with the communications ladies keeping her own running tally of arrivals and departures. She also got to help feed and care for the dropped dogs. She also got to spend a little time with her best buddy Tori who was also helping her mom at the checkpoint. 

We were very upset to hear about the unjust disqualification of our favorite musher Brent Sass of Wild and Free Mushing. I could say a TON on this matter and why I disagree with the officials chosen disciplinary action but that would probably turn into a soap box rant so I'll just keep it at: we are very upset with the disqualification of Brent for a petty oversight when there are mushers who are putting their and other teams in danger and they are not even reprimanded at all. 

Some volunteers, iditarod staff  and handlers getting ready for the first teams to start comming in.

Bent Sass & Team Wild & Free

http://wildandfreealaska.com/

Lisa working at the Communications desk

Adding the latest musher to come into the checkpoint.

Volunteers, Staff and mushers warming up and getting a bite to eat.

Checkpoint parking/camping area for the dog teams

Dog teams lines up in their resting areas.

The following pictures were all taken by Lisa.

Isabelle Travadon

 http://www.isabelle-travadon.com/

Alan Stevens

 http://www.buserdog.com/

Lisbet Norris

http://lisbetnorris.blogspot.com/

www.remotealaska.le-vel.com

OK so here is my THRIVE experience update:

Ken and I are both happy with our THRIVE experience so far for me the benefits so far have been as follows:

Sleeping Better

Since day 1 I have not needed a cup of coffee and had no withdrawal head ache after going cold turkey.

No headaches at all

My digestive system is in better shape then it has been in a very long time.

My skin looks healthier.

My joints are not as stiff. 

My energy is more leveled out, I don't have that afternoon crash.

I have noticed that with Ken his moods seem to be more leveled out as well. 

So far so good! 

Psalms 128:1-4 A Song of degrees. Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. 

New Year Means New Beginings

Hello All and Welcome to 2015 :) 

When I think of the new year I always think of the upcoming spring and all the new things that will come with it. Goat babies, chicks and baby Turkeys are some of my favorites. This year will see some new upgrades to our farming set up with help from the USDA NRCS EQUIP program. They are helping us to insure that as we grow we do it in a way that is both good for us and good for the environment. We have already started by putting up a bat house and some bird houses. Next we will be putting up a large high tunnel. 

BAT HOUSE

JANUARY

January ushered in the new year with warmer than usual temps for our annual funky flames bonfire. We only had about two weeks of really cold temps.

Lisa likes to put hair in front of her face while playing outside so she can make ice crystals on it with her breath.

Flying kites outside in the snow.

I love doing Art with the kids. Here is my Blue Rover and my 3 Bears Porridge Bowls.

Rover Livestock Guardian Dog by day warm fluffy pillow by night. 

FEBRUARY

Other than Birthdays the highlight of our February was getting watch our friend and neighbor Brent Sass WIN the 2015 Yukon Quest 1000 mile sled dog race. You can check out Brent and his amazing dogs at http://wildandfreealaska.com

The boys had their birthday and turned 6. This year we made a trip to Fairbanks just before their birthdays and they picked out a cake from Sam's club. Then we added Monster trucks for Oak and Cowboys for Wyatt.

Boys Cake

Eating birthday pancakes

New shirts and sweaters from Nonie

Coon hats and Bowie knives from Grandma and Grand Pappy

Lisa had her birthday and turned 8. Man how time flies my sweet little baby girl is now a young lady.

 Lisa wanted a vanilla cake with Cherry frosting. It was interesting trying to make the cherry frosting green to go with the horses that she wanted lol... It's one of my classic ugly cakes and some of the horses looked like they were sinking in the mud.

Lisa's Cake

The animals are all doing good this winter enjoying the warmer temps. Even the chickens will venture outside when it gets above 10*f.

We didn't breed Petunia this year only Lilly and Iris. This will be Lilly's 3rd freshening and Iris' 1st.

Petunia and Lilly

 Iris was more interested in getting some cuddling than getting her picture taken. She's definitely a mama's goat.

Iris

 Rover is doing really great with his goat girls. He is never far from them during the day.

Iris and Rover

 Rover says what mom I thought you wanted me to get into everything I could find and tear it up on the back porch. The goats were playing on the porch I wanted to play too. 

Rover

We all got the flu bug that's been going around after a trip to Fairbanks to get our taxes done. Luckily Ken seems to have been spared but it hit the kids and I really hard. At least it waited until after their birthdays.

Cuddled on the couch watching a movie

The last day of the month brought a nice snow storm with around 4+ inches of fresh powder.

MARCH

 So far March has brought some beautiful Sunny days! We're on the upswing from this flu bug but still stuffy and coughing a lot. Our favorite musher Brent Sass of Wild and Free Mushing will be taking on the Iditarod this month and we are looking forward to cheering him along the way. This year they had to re-route the race and it will be comming through Manley Hot Springs. I'm hoping to work at the checkpoint.

Lisa helped her Aunti Becca design this Let Love Grow hat. You can find the pattern at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/103---let-love-grow-hat and see her other pre made hats and patterns at http://www.ravelry.com/designers/desert-diamond-crochet The kids love getting new hats from Aunti Becca and like to use the animal hats to play make believe. 

NOW Let me tell you about my newest venture. Those of you that have been following me for a while know that I am not one to try to sell things on my page. My page is for information and keeping in touch with friends and family. I sometimes post cool stuff that my sister makes because she is just awesome and her stuff is awesome like the above hat. 

I have signed up as a Le-Vel THRIVE promoter. I'm currently doing the 8 week THRIVE experience. 1st let me explain why I have decided to THRIVE. I don't talk about this much because I don't want to use it as an excuse but I have Fibromyalgia. I was diagnosed about 12 years ago, but have been suffering from it my entire life. To be honest I don't remember a time even when I was little were I didn't have the chronic pain and fatigue. I started seeing a chiropractor and going to physical therapy for a deformity in my right ankle (that I was born with) when I was in high school. Before that we had tried things like orthodics and I was in casts as a baby. The issue with my ankle affects the entire alignment of my skeleton which adds to the chronic pain especially in my back. I have tried MANY prescription drugs that they are now using to treat Fibromyalgia as well as many over the counter supplements. Nothing has ever worked for me. When I started looking into THRIVE which was recommended to me by a friend, I was amazed at all the people with Fibro that were getting great results with THRIVE. Not just feeling better, but sleeping better, having sustained energy and having their Fibro Fog lifted. For me after trying so many things this is a welcome option as it is natural raw vitamins, minerals and probiotics that work with your body and help your body to function as it was meant to. 

As I go along on my THRIVE experience I hope to post updates as to how it is working for me and hope that maybe some of you would join me. I should also mention that I'm not going on this journey alone. Ken and I will be THRIVE ing together. 

www.remotealaska.le-vel.com

1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 
Blessings to you all in this beautiful new year,

Sarah