May 1st - July 9th

Summary of the First 11 Weeks of Our 18 Week Alaskan Summer

My husband, Sean, is working for Vivint for his second summer. Last year we were in Lake Charles, Louisiana and this year we are in Anchorage, Alaska! This summer job has its ups and downs but one of the ups is that we get to travel around the country to places we probably wouldn't have traveled to otherwise.

Pros:

* Travel to diverse places

* If you can sell, you make great money

* Meet a lot of new people --> New friends!

* Improve our adapting skills... that sounds funny but it's a true statement! Especially in Alaska where it is LIGHT ALL DAY LONG...minus about 4 hours

* Makes for exciting journal and blog entries :)

* Learn more about each other as a couple

* Learn to pack light... sort of :P

Cons:

* Paid on commission. If Sean doesn't sell an account, then we don't get paid.

* Housing is expensive

* Away from family for the entire summer (missing birthdays, reunions, weddings, mission homecomings, etc.)

Getting to Alaska: 

Sean and I left Provo, Utah & drove to Washington to visit both of our families for a couple of days. 

WA Part 1: We were at Sean's home first in Covington. While there we played games, talked, did our nails (me, Kaile, and Corine), drove to Bainbridge Island then took the ferry over to Seattle then drove back to Covington. While in Bainbridge, we explored the island by car and had a picnic at a park (took quite a while to find a park to eat at, haha) then drove on to the ferry. SUCH A NEAT EXPERIENCE! It had been sooo long since I had been on a ferry. Cody wasn't able to come since he was still in school.

WA Part 2: Around 4pm Sean and I left his parent's home and we drove to Olympia and met up with my mom at Costco for some shopping, just like old times :) Went home to Elma. When we got home we played birdie golf and road the dirt bikes. Had dinner with my parents and got to spend time with them. The next day we went out to the lake and spent time with my grandparents, Nanny & Gucky. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH! They are just as cute as ever and the best examples of a loving husband and wife... of 60 years in November! On Friday May 1st, my dad drove us to the airport and off we went to Alaska!

Our apt for the summer

Week 1: (May 1-2)

* Went grocery shopping and got all the essential things -- microwave, fan, 3" foam mattress topper (these beds are as squeaky as ...cheese?... and you can feel the springs like no other so the mattress topper was a MUST have.)

* Sean is at 0 sales

Week 2: (May 3-9)

* Got a call from my aunt asking if I would be able to nanny for her daughter, my cousin (3 trips to Boston throughout the summer)

* Started my 1st BYU Online Independent Study class -- SFL 100, Strengthening Marriage and Family. (These courses are between 15-24 lessons long. Designed to have you complete 1 lesson per week and finish in 1 year. I am giving myself this summer and about a month per class. So I complete roughly 2 lessons per day so I can finish between 2-3 weeks!)

* Went out to dinner with Sean and the other Vivint guys -- they reached their dinner goal for the week & so we went to Chili's for dinner

* Sean is at 4 sales

Anchorage, Alaska Temple

Week 3: (May 10-16)

* (1st trip to Boston) -- Left on the 12th for BOSTON to nanny!

* Sean is at 10 sales

Ramen is a must have for these kids!

Looking for owls in the tree holes

Week 4: (May 17-23)

*Returned to ALASKA on the 20th

* Went out to dinner with Sean and the other Vivint guys -- they reached their dinner goal for the week & so we went to Chili's again for dinner

* Sean is at 13 sales

Week 5: (May 24-30)

* Took my SFL 100 tests

* Sean is at 17 sales

Week 6: (May 31-June 6)

* Finished my first Independent Study course!!!!!! Hallelujah!

* Sean is at 20 sales

Week 7: (June 7-13)

* (2nd trip to Boston) -- Left on the 7th, got in to Newark, New Jersey on the 8th. Drove with my cousin and her kids up to Stamford, Connecticut to visit Elder Tyson Nauman for a couple hours! We took him and his companion, Elder Matheson to Panda Express for lunch then over to 16 Handles for a little lunch dessert (frozen yogurt). The BEST time getting to see him and talk to him in person! It had been 1 whole year since I had last seen him in person... for his high school graduation and state track meet.

* Sean is at 21 sales

Almost to Stamford, CT to see Elder Nauman!

Elder Nauman & Natasha

16 Handles

I'm in LOVE with baby goats

Arija LOVED the snake!

Building homes with pipes

Long day at Davis Farmland wore them out!

The cutest pigs I ever did see!

Week 8: (June 14-20)

* Returned to ALASKA on the 18th

* Sean is at 26 sales

Week 9: (June 21-27)

* Took my 1st Biology test

* Sean is at 28 sales

Ki, Jaynie, & Henley

Byron Glacier, Alaska

Our rock tower

Week 10: (June 28-July 4)

* BBQ with the Vivint group at Oceanview Park

* Took my 2nd Biology test

* (July 1st) -- Saw my first MOOSE & baby moose!!!! Went on an 8 mile walk with Brooke (one of the Vivint wives). On our walk along the Campbell Creek Trail. 4 miles in we got to the lake and saw a baby beaver and 2 bald eagles! Beautiful. 

*Went to a BBQ with Jaynie & Henley on the 4th

*Made S'macos, ate ice cream, and watched the movie "Independence Day" on the 4th of July.

**Sean is at 31 sales

Week 11: (July 5-11)

* Watched the Women's World Cup with Ki and Jaynie

* Went to Texas Roadhouse

* Took my 3rd Biology test

* Procrastinating studying for my last biology test

* We decided on an apartment for Fall/Winter semesters back in Provo!

**Sean is at 32 sales