Alaska...With Your Skies So Blue... (sing with me now)

July 28th-August 6th 2019

We booked a siblings cruise way back in September 2018, which gave us nearly a year to plan. I live my life from one event to the next so it wasn't till our other summer excursions were over that I even read the emails from the cruise line. Luckily, Matt was on top of it and had already checked us in and everything. Ashley was a gem to spearhead it all.

Packing for an unknown trip was a bit of a doozy. The weather was either going to be lovely or freezing. There would be casual outings, dress-up nights and extreme sightseeing adventures. I was shopping in Ross when I saw a beautiful rose-gold suit case. Ironically, that same day Matt said he wanted to buy a new piece of luggage for our trip. I told him Ross had a great selection. He came home with a big black suitcase the next day. It was so boring I could hardly even look at it. I said, "Wasn't that rose-gold suitcase still there??" He exchanged the suitcase the next day;) Matt's concern is that maybe Grayson won't want to take a rose gold suitcase on his mission (if it ends up being needed for that). The next day Grayson came in my room, saw the suitcase and said, "I like this silver suitcase!" The new "metallic colored" suitcase is so big that Callie can fit in it - should she decide to stowaway.  Believe it or not though...it was STILL not big enough for our stuff. Will I need seven pairs of shoes? No doubt! I bought Space Bags and was able to condense my things down enough that Matt could also fit the bulk of his items in with mine. That way, we only had one carry on to deal with.

I should have looked into Delta's weight requirements! The gal at the counter overlooked the fact that it was overweight, but would we be so lucky the rest of the time? The suit

case was quickly named "the cabinet" by my siblings.

We got up at the crack of dawn on the morning of July 28th to be at the airport. I guess if I had my druthers on what flight we should take, it was too late to make a suggestion. We flew into Seattle and then caught a teeny tiny plane to Vancouver. One of the stewardesses loved trying to guess which of us on the plane were siblings. There were ten of us in all.

This was going to be a party!!!

Pictured L to R: Abby, Matt, Ashley, Cade, Lindsey, Jon, Brent, Sadie, Lindsey and Shafer.

Before boarding our plane to Vancouver Canada

Matt secured us adjoining rooms at the Westin in Vancouver, which included as many trips as we wanted to the VIP lounge. We were all in need of some refreshment. We had the lounge to ourselves and a good view of the city. I still have the image in my mind of Ashley standing at the snack bar with fistfuls of licorice throwing them to anyone and everyone, "There is something for you, and there is something for me..." accompanied by a little dance. We were later joined by a father and son that were as nice as can be.

With something in our bellies, we were now ready to hit the town.  It was such a lovely day; the weather was perfect for walking around.  We first toured old town on foot, which included the steam clock and the gas light district.

 We rested our bones on a delightful sectional in a swanky furniture store. Cade asked the saleslady, "What can you tell us about this sectional?" Well, a lot it turns out.

What is better than tacos for lunch? Tacos in Vancouver before leaving on a cruise with your siblings- that's what!

After lunch we all agreed that Shafer's suggestion of taking a bike ride around the city was the best choice.

We were each given a bike and a helmet. I didn't like putting on a helmet that had no doubt just come off someone else's sweaty head but what choice did I have?

Biking the city was absolutely glorious I must say. We even passed the father and son duo we met at the Hotel. We all shook hands warmly. We rode clear around the island. There was so much to see. I think my favorite thing was just seeing how much the locals were enjoying their day. Big cities have an energy you just can't recreate anywhere else.

We found it interesting to watch the sea planes take off and land. We saw a cruise ship pass under the bridge, barely clearing it. We passed landmarks like the scuba girl statue, people picnicking and flying kites, a nude beach, a water park, and a forrest. We took a wrong turn and rode on some pretty busy city streets at one point. We had the bikes for a couple of hours and, thanks to the marked bike path, it really was the best way to see the city.

I cringed as I handed my sweaty helmet back (I shouldn't have been surprised when I woke up with a blemish the next day). Boy, we sure had a heck of a time getting out of the terminal. We went down stairs, through tunnels and back up, only to find that we were back where we started!

We eventually did find our way back to the train station. Outside our hotel there were wild bunnies everywhere! Ashley found it perplexing, Lindsey found it charming.

Cade tried desperately to get one of us to walk to the swap meet with him but after all the walking we had already done and the lateness of the hour, he ended up going by himself. The next day we asked if we had missed out. He said, "Not really." He showed us pictures of what looked like booth after booth of Chinese plastic.

Waiting for us in our room that evening was a big tin of beers and wines - compliments of the hotel. When the bellboy learned that we were all celebrating milestones, he wanted to be kind.
I left a note thanking him for such a kind gesture and explained why we don't drink. Basically, we let him know that we are riding high from family and Jesus.

2019 Milestones:
Shafter and Lindsey: Celebrating their 17th wedding Anniversary while ON the cruise!
Brent: FIFTY August 10th
Matt and Abby: 25 years August 26th
Jon and Lindsey: 20 years September 2nd
Brent and Sadie: 25 years November 22nd
Shafer: FOURTY Dec 5th
Cade and Ashley: No milestone, they just celebrate LIFE

We had a twin bed brought to each of the rooms, which meant Cade and Ashley had to split up for the night. The next morning Cade sat on his bed in our room watching the cranes out the window. His interest and commentary soon brought the other guys to the window. He was like a kid on Christmas morning.

Ashley had to remind him that he needed to get going! I was glad she could help me with my hair in the meantime.

We enjoyed a delicious breakfast in the VIP lounge, just as we had enjoyed dinner the night before. The staff really was so so great.

We had to pull our luggage to the train station. Everyone wondered how I would fare with the cabinet. I wasn't about to let my schtuff become someone else's burden, "I got it!"

Look at everyone with their sissy luggage.

We spoke to the Elders on the train. So many different languages are represented in their mission that sometimes they even wear foreign name tags. Vancouver is quite the melting pot it seems.

Where the cruise ships dock is an impressive building in and of itself. There were long lines for the different ships. This was to be a novice cruise for me and Matt, yet we were the only ones who had our luggage tags pre-printed. We skipped the line and went right to the ship. We stood and watched as food and drink were loaded pallet after pallet.

People were either wearing their swimwear under their clothes or they changed lickety-split because the second we were on the boat the pool was full, the crew was dancing, and food was hot!

"BON VOYAGE!" (I've always wanted to say that) Monday July 29, 2019

While the room assignments were being sorted out, we ate lunch on the ship. Order what you want, eat and leave! That is how it is done a cruise ship. In fact, it was a big disappointment to go out to eat after the trip and be handed a bill at the end.

Cade wasted no time in finding the ice cream machine. He is a cruise expert. He even had on his cabana wear.

I didn't want eating to get the best of me. Not because I am fanatic about my figure, I just don't feel good when I over eat. I took advantage of the gym the next morning. I watched a sea lion as I walked on the treadmill. Thankfully, the view was stunning because I really dislike treadmills. My intention was to go to a workout class that morning but I couldn't find it in time. After the treadmill I went over to the mats and was doing some crunches when a gal, who looked to be from India, approached me with a big smile, "How many you did???"

I got my tail up earlier the next day to get to class on time. They shut the door with not a minute of forgiveness, so if you weren't already inside, forget about it! Shafer and Lindsey also made it in. It is a little awkward to have someone knocking on the glass door behind you. Since the instructor paid them no mind, neither did we. There wasn't a spare spot for another yoga mat anyway.

Tuesday July 23, 2019

Tuesday was a sea day. We poked around the gift shop. Cade really wanted to get a gold chain at some point during the trip. There was one in the case that he was especially interested in, at least I was convinced he was seriously considering it. I asked him, "How much is it?" He said, "$1,500." Whoa! So, then I asked, "What is your price range?" He said, "I don't want to go over twenty bucks."

He wore the chain all around the store. I was surprised at how freely they let him walk around with it. Ashley pointed out, "Well, where is he going to go?"

Cade showed just as much interest in the art gallery that we passed through. He was given a VIP invite to the auction that would be held the last day of the cruise. We were all admiring a painting of an animal when the dealer pointed out the cheetah was actually painted on a woman's body. Out of nowhere a 9-year-old kid sidled up. He must have ears like a bat. I really didn't see all that many kids on the ship. They must have either been in the arcade...or the art gallery. While we were in the gift shop, we sampled ALL of the perfume and cologne. The Antonio Banderas scent aint bad! Though we had become accustomed to our smell, we have reason to believe others had not. As we browsed the art gallery, a guy passing through observed, "Someone has been hitting the fragrance counter pretty hard." Hey, we had a lot of time to kill that day, okay?

Some of us spent the afternoon in a private room off the lounge (no need to bother others with our strong scent) watching Aquaman. How could we not, being at sea and all?

Nearly a years' worth of training led to the brother's ping pong tournament, and I missed it.

That evening was the first formal night of the cruise, complete with a professional photographer. She was a daaaarling gal from South Africa.

We dined again at what became our favorite restaurant on the ship, Tsars. The food wasn't Russian, but the theme of the restaurant was and it was lovely. They had delicious fresh fruit, creme brulee, a pear salad with champagne vinaigrette and seafood. They had many other things as well, but those were the highlights for me. Our waiter was a little Tom Cruise look-a-like (as Sadie quickly noticed) with a great personality. He was also our waiter the second night and he appreciated how gussied up we were.

It worked out perfectly that Shafer and Lindsey were celebrating their anniversary that very day!

I think they got a free dessert, har har.

Other days we enjoyed lunch at Tsars while also enjoying a view of the water.

KETCHIKAN -Wednesday July 31, 2019

We could see land at all times from the ship—glorious green hills. Waking up in quaint Ketchikan was a real treat. The colors! I wondered what the town might be thinking when they see a cruise ship dock. I guess I wondered this out loud because the guy next to me said, "They love it, it's dollar signs to them."

We stopped at the first gift shop after getting off the boat and we all found several treasures. Just doing our job.

The rest of the day was spent hiking and sightseeing.  We took a free shuttle around the town. Oh boy, the driver! She kept pointing real nonchalantly, "There is a hill, there is a store, there is a restaurant..." Yeah, we can see out the window. I found myself separated from the group at one point on Creek Street. As I passed an old-time brothel, a feathered-up gal asked if I wanted to take the tour. I said, "I've got to find the rest of my group." She mumbled, "That's what everybody says."

Oh my word, we went into a store that sells real fur. Though they of course were having and amazing sale, items were still thousands of dollars. Like 15,000-35, 000+. Beaver fur is surprisingly soft. The saleslady was gracious to let us try on. She said we made her day. Usually people just walk by and yell at her.

Cade happened to find a gold chain in Ketchikan at a pawn shop for only five bucks. I'm surprised he didn't buy three more.

There was a couple who were High School sweethearts that got married during our stop in Ketchikan. The entire wedding party was cruising with us. We cheered for them as they re-boarded that afternoon and again when they came onto the deck for lunch.

We saw loads of salmon in Ketchikan, the salmon capital of the world.

We had such a late lunch there was no way we were ready for a Chinese dinner that night. Matt and I sat it out. According to Lindsey we made the right choice.

JUNEAU - Thursday August 1, 2019

I think this was my favorite stop of all. The scenery was downright breathtaking, and I don't say that lightly! I realize that we were very fortunate with the great weather we had. A friend of mine has taken this cruise and she said the wind and rain were wiping around so badly when they got off in Juneau that they got right back on the boat. They really missed out!

We rode the tram to the top of the mountain to get a better view and to do some hiking.

We stopped at the lookout and then separated a little bit. Ashley wasn't sure how far Cade had gone ahead on the trail so I started up with her. Out of the forest came, "ROARRRRRR!" She screamed just as we saw Cade come out of the bushes. Her response was, "I don't like that!" The thing is, he got her again later on the trail, she didn't like it a second time either. Bahahaha. Truth is, the tour guides all did a good job of getting us pretty spooked about bears (and my pack was full of snacks!)

The main attraction in Juneau is the Mendenhall Glacier.

After riding the tram down, we boarded a bus to Mendenhall Glacier. We watched a film in the visitor's center before starting up the trail. The chairs were plastic but super bouncy. You could really recline back if you wanted to. Just as Jon sat down next to me, I reclined his back as far as it would go. He panicked, thinking he was going to fall over. How could I pass up the opportunity to tease him? I learned a lot of new things about Glaciers as we watched the film, like as how dangerous they can be. Jon informed me, "We won't actually be walking ON the glacier." "Oh maaaaaaaan, really? I wore my duck boots for nuthin."

The Mendenhall Glacier is a sight to behold, even in the distance.

 Equally as impressive is the massive waterfall, not in the distance. It was tempting for Cade and soon he was climbing up the rocks next to it. As he sat perched waaaaay up on the mountain, Lindsey said, "What would Mommy say if she could see her bay-bay right now?" Probably the same as Ashley was saying, "Time to come down Cade!"

To chronicle where we've been since 1994!

Cade sure likes to take his chances. We were waiting for the bus to take us back to town, when Cade spotted a pair of sunglasses over the edge of the boardwalk. Nearby was a sign warning of a very recent bear sighting, "Please stay on the path." Next thing you know, "ROARRRRRR!"It was Cade...again. He came out from under the deck to retrieve the sunglasses. They were pretty good looking on him even though they were women's glasses. Nevertheless, we were all shouting, "Cade, get out of there!"

The amount of people in line for the bus was ridiculous. There was NO way we were all going to fit and there was only one more bus going back to town. We tried to stay orderly while also gently pushing our way to the front of the crowd. Another shuttle driver wised up and let people pile into his bus as well. Cade, as the bus approached, "Back up everyone. Back up."

The bus ride back was very scenic. One thing we learned about Alaska is  if they say you'll see salmon, you'll see salmon; if they say you'll see eagles, you'll see eagles! Twenty-five in as many minutes in fact. It was blowing Boc's mind.

There was an eagle perched in the tree so we rode the tram again to get a better look. We pointed it out to a grateful family who would've missed it otherwise. We loaded them our binoculars for a closer look.

We teared up that day while watching videos of Sophie's return home from her mission just the day before! YES, her actual 18-month mission to Ukraine. We were off cruising instead of being at the airport...yes, including her parents:/

We tried a different restaurant for dinner that night. We didn't like the menu as much but we loved that we could sit at one big round table. Oh my goodness, I got laughing so hard at the story Brent was telling. It made me hate to eat and run. There was an encore performance just starting in the theatre and so Matt and I busted a move to get there. The shows on the ship were all very well done.

After the show there was dancing in lounge. Oh boy. When I walked in, I saw only one employee trying to get the party started by dancing with a guy in a wheelchair. As soon as our group hit the dance floor others joined in - but not many. There was a live band with a singer who was really giving it her all. We didn't feel like we could leave. We danced the.whole.time. Matt had not accompanied us into the lounge, instead he went back to the room. He said he peeked in after filling his water bottle, and decided he wanted no part of it. Neither did Jon and Lindsey.

Matt was back in our room watching an Alaskan movie no doubt. All the movies they were showing had something to do with Alaska. Also, there was a channel that you could turn to that had a live camera showing a view from the front of the boat with pop music playing. The night of dancing in the lounge had put some kind of hoax on me because whenever I heard music after that, I started up with the dancing again. Music was also always playing on the back deck. There I went with the dancing again. The ship had a totally different vibe at night. Shafer pulled out his best MJ moves while on the dance floor.

SKAGWAY - Friday - August 2, 2019

I had a nice swim on Friday morning. I knew I needed to get out and get myself together but the water felt so good. There was a teenage boy in the pool who was from England. This cruise was his very first time in America. In his accent he said, "It's very different than I expected." Yeah, I bet.

Different couples were in charge of each day's itinerary. Matt and I were assigned the last day so we hadn't researched anything else. This left me totally at the mercy of the plan already in place, and not really knowing what that plan was. I was totally good with this. Ignorance is bliss. In Skagway we boarded a bus that had a pretty funny driver making comments along the way. He liked that we laughed at his jokes. We got the best of him and in turn he got the best of us (the shuttle driver in Ketchikan could take note).

Our first stop was at a GOLD RUSH cemetery. I wasn't even sure if the driver was letting us off for good or not. This outing was much like the name on the tombstone: Unknown.

However, our guide joined us on our hike to some nearby falls giving more commentary along the way.

Cade was so funny to watch! He found mischief anywhere and everywhere. He will forever be the adored baby brother.

Me and Lindsey hiking to who knows where...
 

The boys hiked up further than we did. There is no stopping them.

Boc stayed with me.

Our guide then drove us to an amazing lake that was just over the border into Canada. The lake was amazing because of the color of the water. The back drop it gave to the wildflowers was picturesque.  

Off went the brothers again!

Their long legs led them from rock to rock till they were pin drops in the distance. Our cheerful guide seemed to be getting a little nervous we would delay him and he wouldn't be able to make his next tour on time. But just as fast as those legs bound off into the distance, they bounded back.

We even had time to stop for a photo op:

That is not a sign you see every day! This is Brent's 50th State. His goal was to hit all 50 states before turning 50. When Cade and I were in the hot tub with a family from Florida, they said they too have been to all 50 states. We asked what their favorite was. The guy said, "It's a tie between California, and Utah." Woot woot!

We stopped at more falls along the way that were not even as impressive at Bridal Veil falls in Provo Canyon. If I learned anything on this trip it is that Alaska is not short on waterfalls.

Our tour guide pointed out all the great pubs, just as all the tour guides did. We responded the same as before, "We don't drink. We are members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." He knew exactly who the missionaries in Skagway are, "One has red hair, you can't miss him." He was right! Our friend's son is serving in Alaska and he was one of their trainers.

The first thing I noticed about the town of Skagway is that it looks like a facade - like a town that you would see at Universal Studios. This observation isn't far from the truth. Just like the other ports, the town relies heavily on consumerism from the ships to keep the economy running so the "town" really was catered to us! This made me feel equal parts special and stupid. Anyhoo, we fell into the touristy traps and bought trinkets and ice-cream. 

Matt and Cade spotted a sign that must have been accompanied by an angelic choir, "MOTORCYCLE RENTALS." There were only two motorcycles though so Jon and Lindsey were a no go. I was neutral "Eh. Sure, why not?"

Ironically, one of the shop owners was from American Fork, Ut.

Matt on a motorcycle is Matt in his happy place. It was like he was back in touch with an old friend. We saw some incredible scenery and more glaciers, of course. 

We came to a river that was the end of the salmon run. It was where the salmon come to spawn and die.
One of the fish had a big bloody chunk taken out of it. I thought it was from fighting with the other salmon. Later someone asked me, "Do you think it could have been from a bear?" Yeah, I do!
As we watched the salmon, we heard some commotion up stream. We looked up to see Cade holding a giant salmon! It was thrashing wildly his fist. Ashley wondered aloud, "What is happening right now?" There was an older man watching from the bank. I was certain we would hear, "You aren't supposed to do that." Instead, he also reached in and grabbed a salmon with his bare hands.

I asked the man if he has done that before. He said, "Nope. I've never even gone fishing. I don't see what the big deal is, it's not that hard."
As we laughed about the two of them catching fish in Alaska with their bare hands Ashley stated, "This is Cade's life." The couple that we met was celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and had driven to Alaska...from FLORIDA! They deserve a tub of booze for sure.

After dinner we goofed off on the boat a bit. Most of the activities were up on the top deck but our rooms were like four tiers underground. You could either take the elevator...or the stairs! As we all approached the elevator, I said, "Race ya!" As the others waited for the elevator, I hurried down the multiple flights of stairs. When I got to the bottom, I was surprised to see they hadn't gotten off the elevator yet. As I rounded the corner, "ROARRRRRR!" I jumped out of my skin and screamed. "Bear number three!" They got me. No doubt the whole thing was instigated by Cade.
Have you ever been cozy in your room while a group of ruckus people are in the hall laughing and carrying on? Well, we were the ruckus group this time. I had much to report to Matt when I got back to our room.

MARGERIE GLACIER, GLACIER NATIONAL PARK - 

Saturday, August 3, 2019

We turned the TV on first thing Friday morning to see how close we were to the glacier.. During the night we had entered the inside passages and were now at Glacier National Park. The urgency of the narrator made us get outside as quickly as possible, "Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity." "If you have teenagers still sleeping, wake them up, they will not get this opportunity again." (The glaciers change so often that even if you come back, the landscape will be different.) We hustled outside. Cade and Sadie were already at the pool. "Get out! You're gonna miss it!" We went from side to side and deck to deck trying to secure a good viewing point.
Cade and Sadie joined us in their swimwear. Talk about coming as you are. Some people were dressed for subzero weather while others weren't dressed at all.

Cade getting a good stretch on the deck cracked me up. Best picture.

I couldn't help but notice the similarities of the narrator's voice to Jimmy Fallon's voice. They were the same! Ashley said, "I have to see a picture of this guy. If he doesn't look like Jimmy, I am going to be so disappointed."

The calving of the glacier really has people wringing their hands. I didn't think it was a good time to say, "Isn't it cool to see the earth being prepared to receive its paradisiacal glory?" Instead Cade just said over the crowd, "That Obama," with an air of disappointment.

The view from Tsars at lunchtime was delightful. After lunch we went to a nature presentation in the grand theater being presented by none other than Jimmy's fiancé. They seem perfect for each other; both are soft spoken and kind, both are concerned with the environment. The best part was that she had a picture of her fiancé, and he does in deed look like Jimmy!

A day at sea is nice on a cruise. I thought I'd shower up for the last formal night but relaxing took the gumption out of me. We got dressed up for our last night and again had professional photos taken. 

Cade was able to complete his formal look now since he had his gold chain. He really hammed it up.

The hamming up didn't end there. After dinner we hit the karaoke lounge. Brent started off with Hey Jude. We all know he sings so we were not surprised that he sounded great. Later, Shafer treated us to Hey there Delilah. To that I said, "Shafer, you have been holding back on us!" He said, "Thank you!"

Lastly, Ashley got up and said, "I'd like to dedicate this song to my four babies back at home." She then broke into Gangsters Paradise, word. for. word. Gah!!!!

There was a trio at the bar having a great time. They each took turns at the mic so we soon learned their names. The girl was Penny and one of the guys was Reggie. As the other guy sang, I wish that I had Jessi's Girl. Lindsey said, "More like, I wish that I had Reggie's girl." I still can hear the MC announcing the names of the songs with her strong Asian accent, Lindsey could do it perfectly.

HUBBARD GLACIER -Sunday August 4, 2019

We awoke the next morning in much the same way as the day before except now we were at Hubbard Glacier. This glacier was even bigger and more active. We watched from the boat with eager eyes for calving. It is spectacular to see. You hear it before you see it. In fact, if you hear it without seeing it, you are too late. The chunks falling off the glacier are equivalent to 10-story buildings we were told. The ship didn't get too close because there are also icebergs under the water that can shoot up like missiles (my term, not theirs). We were also told that the weather we had experienced during our trip made for ideal conditions to see the glaciers. It was warm enough that the glaciers were active and the skies were clear so we got a good view. The inside passages were lovely. The scenery kept changing all day long.

At one point we took a walk to view the Captain's quarters.

The entertainment the last night was a great finale to the trip. It was a cirque du soleil type show. We innocently sat in the very center of the theatre. The gymnast falling from the ceiling was literally right over our heads, as he jetted towards the crowd, we had to tip our heads all the way back to see him. It looked like he was going to touch noses with Matt. It was intense. Others in our group received unwelcome drops of sweat.

The show ended with all the feels to make you only want to sale on the Norwegian Jewel forever. They brought out the crew. They brought the crew out to take a bow. The "washy-washy happy-happy" guy got the biggest applause. Then the Cruise Director Dan (we only called him Lieutenant Dan the whole time though) introduced the Captain and his crew. At about that time the ship gave a lurch and we all tipped to one side, which left us wondering, "Who's driving the boat??

SEWARD (Sea-ward? Sew-ard?) Monday August 5, 2019

We really lingered at breakfast the next morning. I don't think any of us wanted to get off the boat because this time it was for good. An impressive Viking ship docked next to us and it was a treat to see.

The crew was bustling around getting ready for the next batch of guests, which were no doubt chomping at the bit to get on the boat in a few hours. After all, that had been us just a week before. We passed Lieutenant Dan and asked him, "When do the next passengers board?" He said, "As soon as you get off!" In other words, "Here is your hat, what's your hurry." Or in even simpler terms, "Get your cabinet and get out of here!"

That morning had been all about packing up the cabinet and getting off the boat.  Some of the siblings set their stuff out the night before. That seemed like too much trouble, so I didn't' bother. We were able to check our luggage at the bus station right after exiting the boat.

We had all day to kill since our flight didn't leave till mid-night. We took a shuttle to downtown Seward. We saw several of the entertainment crew catching some freedom before they had to board the boat again. Seeing their lives in that light made me glad I was only there for a vacation. I overheard one of them talking on the phone and he seemed so burnt out with it all and was so happy to just go get a burger on his own. We were waited on hand and foot on the trip and I felt so appreciative to all of the staff. Whenever I could I caught their eye to tell them thanks. That must be hard to be away from family for so long. Matt compared it to war. I wouldn't go that far!

There wasn't a ton to see in downtown Seward, so headed to a wooded area to get a small hike in. It was more like a nature walk really.

The beauty of Two Lakes Trail really speaks for itself.

Instead of taking the free shuttle back to the bus station we decided to walk. We stopped at a convenient store for snacks before boarding the bus to Anchorage, which was hours away. The cashier tried to talk us out of everything we were buying because it was so expensive. The prices weren't well marked so if I asked what something cost she'd roll her eyes, "FOUR dollars."  Like I would be crazy to pay that much. It was the only shop around though so what choice did we have?
As we waited for the bus Lindsey G noted that Shafer was in yet another snazzy outfit. She gave him the BEST DRESSED award. She said, "Every day you just seemed comfortable and looked great."

Happy Pappy?

Shafer making the Van Buren sign. Cracked. me. up! The brothers! They are the best. 

I told Ashley that after writing this post I sound like I am Cade's proud Grandma with all the stories I had of him. He'll always be the bay-bay.

If we are handing out awards... I give the MOST PHOTOGENIC to Jon. It seemed like he was born to be in the Alaskan landscape.

I was glad that the guy on our bus ride to Anchorage didn't feel the need to narrate the entire way. Well, maybe he did. And maybe it was a girl. I zonked off for a good chunk of it. It was such a long day! We were ready to eat a real meal when we got to Anchorage. I saw a rooftop restaurant that looked inviting and we all agreed to give it a try. It looked fun, with an eclectic crown and vibrant atmosphere. However, we were never even able to place our order! We tried to get some information from our server but it was her first day apparently. She said the cook should be arriving soon. That meant our appetizer hadn't even been started. We were outta there.

Before dinner while we still had high hopes.

 We found the wait time at our first-choice restaurant to now be down and were once again seated outside. I was disappointed in my meal. How do you mess up a fish sandwich in Alaska?

Still, it seemed meant to be that we ate there. The restaurant was founded in 1994 just like us.

We also saw Penny, Reggie and the other guy from karaoke night.

We still had time to kill after dinner so we walked down to the water and witnessed a spectacular sun set. It was spectacular in the fact that it was after 10 pm!

Cade showed us how to do some sweet editing on my phone.

We kept forgetting it was almost 11 pm as we neared the airport because the sun was barely setting. Cade encouraged us all to sing our Alaska song for our driver. The thing is though that we don't have an Alaskan song. He started a made-up song, "Alaska....with your skies so blue..." We all joined in randomly. I think it could pass as an actual song.

Oh boy, the cabinet proved trouble at the airport in Anchorage. It was too heavy to even fly! Shafer was a gem and put my lotions/potions bag in his suitcase, Matt ditched some shoes in someone else's and we got the weight down. Good grief. I don't think I will fly with it again. The airport was packed. Leaving from a vacation definitely does not have the same excitement as leaving on a vacation. We were trying to gear ourselves up for the red-eye. Matt has never taken a red eye flight before. He can't sleep on a plane so it was a very long night! I at least can get myself into a zen state where my body counts my rest as sleep.

Mallerie and Ava were there to pick us at the curb bright and early Tuesday morning. Mallerie flew back from Ukraine the day after Sophie! Though she had only been gone three months, it was great to see her. When we arrived in Heber it felt like it was time for bed! It was a pretty wasted day and it was hard to get back into the swing of things.

The way we were able to work it out to all be there as siblings is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I am so glad we went. It was a long year leading up to the cruise. I still wonder if I could have enjoyed the trip even more if I was clear-headed. But you take these opportunities as they come right? One thing I know for certain,

Alaska is incredible and cruises are a lot of fun! 

I know, I know, "That's what everybody says."