Family & the 4th!

It's been so great to spend time with Anissa's cousin's family and aunt & uncle (on the Buerge side) who live just outside of Anchorage in the Matanuska Valley. We had a cookout for 4th of July together at Eklutna Lake.

Anissa has a male cousin on each side that is her same age/graduating class...this is the one on the Buerge side that lived in Oregon growing up. Now he is a doctor in Palmer, Alaska and we were blessed to visit their beautiful home and family!

Alea & their daughter are both ballerinas and we promised Alea's ballet teacher she would get "en point" as much as possible throughout the summer, so it was great to have someone to practice with! 

It's been so fun for the kids to get to know their second cousins on this trip. They really formed a special bond! 

And of course Jonas & the boys had a blast together!

After some surprise 4th of July fireworks at midnight (this is as light as it gets), we enjoyed a delicious breakfast the next morning with Anissa's aunt (her dad's baby sister) & uncle before heading out for a month of traveling & camping around the state!

As much as we love all this state has to offer, spending time with family & friends is the greatest "gold treasure" we've discovered in the Last Frontier!!