Alaska

Kevin and I took an extended weekend trip up to Alaska for Father's Day. Kevin's maternal family lives up in Anchorage and I had never met them. One day we'll go back up for a site-seeing trip (hopefully a cruise), but for now, this was just a trip to visit people.

Here is where we spent most of our time. Kevin and I were on the couch and Grandma and Papa were in their chairs. Sometimes there was a ball game on, but we mostly just sat and talked. Grandma reminds me a lot of Kevin's mom; she just wants to ask questions about who you are and what you were about. It was very relaxing. No agenda.

Downstairs where we slept, the walls were covered in old photographs (and genealogy charts). Here is Kevin and his two sisters. Isn't he a cutie? Who wouldn't want a little boy with blond hair and blue eyes that looks just like that?

Kevin got Papa talking about their genealogy hobby, and he was so excited to show Kevin his software and all he had discovered. I took pictures with my phone from the corner; I don't think Papa had any idea what I was doing.

Kevin's uncle took us for a drive to see the water and the mountains. While is was in the low 90's in Riverside, it was a beautiful 62 degrees in Anchorage. Here I am at 30 weeks, even if I am hiding the belly a little.

More of the view from the drive.

We went down to see the glacier . . . but it isn't there anymore. Kevin saw it as a kid, but over time, it has moved back into the valley. Here are some chunks or ice that have broken off the glacier and floated down toward the visitor center. We sat through video about glaciers and at the end they pull back the curtains to show you the glacier . . . but it's gone. It was a beautiful area, though.

I made Kevin take this picture with Smokey. Poor guy always has to take random pictures.

I couldn't find a way to prove that it was still light outside in the middle of the night. The clock is showing 10:35 pm and it is as bright as it was at 4:00. We were there for summer solstice where the longest day is about 21 hours of day light. I brought along my little eye mask and slept fine.

A plane taking off from the water. In the winter, they switch to skis for the plane.

Kevin and I took a walk around the neighborhood one afternoon and came across this small female moose. She looked big enough that I wasn't going any closer, but she was small for a moose. Grandma and Papa have had multiple moose in their backyard next to the little creek that runs through it. The just step right over the four and a half foot gate.

She started to follow us down the path as we were leaving trying not to disturb her, but she got distracted and went to peek in the apartment window.

Overall we had a wonderfully relaxing time and got to see a moose!