North Pole and other fun things

This past week Jon had a few days off so we drove up to the North Pole for some adventures. We figure we will never get any closer and what is 352 miles? On the drive up we stopped in Denali National Park for a picnic lunch and got to see the ice sculptures from Winterfest 2010. While in Fairbanks (where we stayed 10 miles away from the North Pole) we went to the World Championship Ice Sculpture Contest and drove 50 miles to an Ice Museum/Hotel and hot springs. The theme as you might have guessed is ICE! You have to make do with what God gives you and up here that is cold weather and ice. I laughed just the other day when watching a tv show and it said the spring season finale was coming - had to think and realize that yes it is spring even if we are getting 3-8 inches of snow today!!
Denali before our picnic (indoors)
The North Pole. We were geocaching - but yes all the poles where painted this way and the street names? Donner, Blitzen, Mistletoe, etc.
Ice slides!!! These were so much fun!!!!
Jon going with Molly and a smaller slide
Me getting stuck in an ice bowl. It was in the kids park - you climb over the side and slide in. The tricky part is getting out - it took me awhile with a few falls. I was laughing so hard especially when a little kid came over to give me advice on how to get out!
Eating at 1 of the 3 places that Guy F from Diners, Drive-ins and Dives told us to. If you ever go to the North Pole make a stop over at Elf's Den - the other 2 we went were not our favorites.
Jon preaching in the coldest place on earth. It is a real chapel inside the Ice Hotel. A lot of people get married here so they tell us.
Taking a moment to relax on the ice bed. I don't know why someone would want to sleep in the cold!
Molly enjoying the swing and nice warm weather.
All of us at Chena Springs - it is a natural hot spring with water that is 80 degrees. We didn't pay to swim in it instead we just stuck our hands in the water flowing out from the bouldered up swimming area.
I told Jon I want to ride a snow machine before we leave - this was his compromise.

Here starts other fun things- last weekend I ran with some friends in the Running of the Reindeer. You run with a bunch of people as reindeer chase you 3 blocks - once again you have to make do with what God gives you. He gave us plenty of cold weather, reindeer and people in need of entertainment. I was happy to entertain!
Molly with Tina getting some hot chocolate while they waited for my group to run.
Army Wives FUR Real - Me, Dana, Ashley, Kama and Valerie. We all wore our husbands combat boots - made for some fun times running on snow/ice in shoes that do not fit.
Post running celebration. We had a fry night. We made crab ran-goon and hot wings while celebrating the fact we all survived the run and only two got touched by reindeer and survived.
Molly playing with one of her many new toys! She is starting to warm up to Jon and has even reached out for him a few times now.