The End of Summer and an Exchange Student

The leaves are falling and the weather is wet, wet, wet.  Looks like the end of summer is here.  We managed to fit in 2 more camping trips: one to Spencer Glacier and one to Denali National Park.  Federico, our Italian exchange student has arrived for the year, was able to join us for both trips.  Here he is at Spencer Glacier getting his feet wet for the first time in Alaska.

 Here is Kaya collecting some fresh glacier water.

 The kids had a lot of fun flying kites with the almost constant wind coming off the glacier. Leo.

 Kaya.

 Federico is a kicker for the high school football team.  He never wasted a moment practicing his kicks.

 The whole gang with the glacier in the background.

 Federico showing off his new American life: Football, soccer, skiing, dog mushing, and card playing.

 Enjoying the fire at Denali.

 Leo communing with one of the Denali sled dogs.

Unfortunately for Federico, the kids have really warmed up to him.  Fortunately for me, he is their new jungle gym.

There is snow on the mountain tops and in the next couple of months we'll hopefully have skis on our feet and dogs pulling us down the trail.  In the mean time we have lots of house projects, to finish puzzles to make. and football games to watch.