As taken from my journal, and pictures added...
June 9, 2010
Yesterday was the first day of our family road trip to Alaska. We've been saving and working extra hard for the last 6 months so we'd have enough money to not go in debt for our vacation. It feels good to have actually earned this trip.
We drove from Pocatello to Seattle in one day, stopping only 3 times for bathroom, gas and food breaks. We couldn't believe how good the kids were. Nathan sat in his car seat and drew all day as happy as could be. He almost filled up a 100-page doodle pad. The kids watched movies, we played a game of virtual hide and seek and sang some obnoxious travel songs. We had a fun and very happy day, considering how long we were driving. We stopped in Auburn, just east of Seattle.
Today we're going to see the Space Needle and up to Vancouver. We saw some beautiful country across Oregon and Washington. Some of the mountain passes in Oregon were absolutely gorgeous. Northern Washington, like near Auburn and Seattle, were so green...waterfalls on the freeway. It is so beautiful here. So green...
June 10, 2010
In the last day and a half, we've ridden to the top of the Space Needle in Seattle, crossed the Canadian border, ridden a ferry to Victoria, slept in a hotel by the ocean, visited a famous 100 year-old Victorian castle, had lunch with some local totem poles, and barely missed the ferry back to Vancouver by 5 minutes and had to wait 2 hours for the next one--first in line.
The kids are still doing well. Most of them (everyone but Sarah) have a runny nose and various stages of some viral thing--coughs and runny eyes... but they're such good kids.
The Space Needle was a fun stop. We have tow kids very afraid of heights--Sarah and Josh. Sarah actually considered staying at ground level--until she realized she'd be all alone for about an hour and Steve insisted she come. She
loved it up there and felt very good about "conquering" her fears. Josh was totally fine, after seeing on the way up that the construction of it was solid and sound, until I suddenly lifted him up to see over the bar. He grabbed my neck and started to cry when he buried his face in my neck. I felt so terrible scaring him like that. Not sure what he thought I was going to do, but I guess his security was gone the moment his feet left the "ground". Nate was so excited to see the Space "Meedle". Little Einsteins went there in one of his movies and he couldn't wait to go there himself. It was so cute!
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| Boys exploring the straw maze we found at the Seattle Center |
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| Playing in the fountain at the Seattle Center |
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| A view from the top |
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Joshua felt a lot better by the back wall, just "facing" North
instead looking down over it! |
The border crossing was an interesting event. They pulled us out of line and made us go inside where yet a 3rd officer asked questions about us and our travels, looked over our paperwork (passports and birth certificates) yet again, and made us sit and wait about 10 minutes. Then he called us over and told us to have a good trip and gave back the papers. And just like that, we were back on the road--in Canada. One thing we learned through that experience...Canadian border patrol officers are very serious. Not even a smile cracked with Steve's light tone...like when they asked if any of us were traveling with over $10,000 in cash and he said, "No, but that would be nice...." Stone face... It was weird. The kids were a little nervous about being in trouble or arrested, but we decided it was either a routine random pull-out, they didn't like Steve's tone, or they couldn't believe all 5 kids really belonged to us! :)
The hotel was a welcome rest that night after the ferry ride across the ocean to Victoria. We made macaroni and cheese and little smokies in the kitchenette in our room and went to bed early. The next morning, we got ready, had breakfast, and went to see Craigdarroch Castle. It was really cool. The kids like museums and the house was restored beautifully....incredible woodwork and stained glass. It was so pretty.
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| Rachel playing the antique Steinway |
We stopped at a park (I think it was Liberty Park) and Steve took the kids to see the totem poles while I made sandwiches. Then we got back in the car and headed to the ferry port... and missed it by 5 minutes. We passed the next 2 hours watching a movie and Steve and I tried to rethink our steps to make up for lost time and figure out how far to drive today.
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A view of the Parliament Building from the park
(Victoria is British Columbia's Capitol) |
The second ferry ride was much better on the way back. We learned about the play area on deck 6, got there early enough to sit together and by the windows, and took a walk outside on the deck to see the water below us. It was much more fun and went a lot faster. The very cool thing about the first ride, though, was the group of orcas, or killer whales (don't know which) that we accidentally saw surface on the trip over to Victoria. That was really cool. After dinner, we hit the road again for another 5-hour stretch to Williams Lake, BC.
The road is windy through the mountains--such beautiful country...tall, tall mountains, tunnels through them, trees--all kinds everywhere--and waterfalls down the side of the mountains. I hope the rest of Canada looks like this. What a beautiful place God's world is. How blessed we are!
June 16, 2010
We arrived in Houston, Alaska on Monday, the 14th. Our last 3 days to Alaska we pushed hard, drove fast and spent whole days in the car. Because of all the rain, we stopped each night to sleep at a hotel. The pickin's were pretty slim in a few of those little towns. Williams Lake had a hotel with only 1 non-smoking room left. It was old and run down ("junky" as the girls called it) that smelled like stale Indian food. There was a restaurant in the hotel. But it was a place to lay our heads that had a shower and a flush potty. The next day we traveled to Fort Nelson--about another 12 hours in the car--and got in about 12:30 or 1:00 a.m. The hotel we picked that night was really nice and the last 2 rooms they had available were adjoining rooms. We wish we'd had more time to enjoy that hotel. It was really nice. The next night we stayed in Whitehorse--the capitol of Yukon. We stayed at an economy hotel that was nice and clean, but older, and they only had 1 non-smoking room available. The boys slept on the floor in sleeping bags there, too. We drove through so fast, we didn't really get to see the towns or anything, arrived late, slept in, left and drove all day. Some of the roads were pretty windy, but after Watson Lake, the Alaska Highway was pretty straight for awhile and so beautifully groomed. It was an amazing drive. Can't even describe how beautiful, and the pictures we took really don't do justice to the scenery.
We also saw a lot of wildlife those 4 days: bears... black and maybe a grizzly, moms and baby cubs (they were so cute!), two wild horses, moose (and 1 baby with a mommy) elk, bison (buffalo, also with calves), sheep (dall sheep with large round horns) deer, and a ptarmigan (arctic grouse) among other birds, lots of seagulls, geese and... (of course) mosquitoes!
The last stretch of our driving was after we stayed Sunday night in Tok, Alaska. The Westmark hotel there was really nice, too. There was lots of room for the boys to run--and run they did. I called Shaunna (our phones finally started working again, now that we were back in the US) and sat in a porch swing enjoying the fresh air. The kids slept in our room with us--it was big enough they brought in 2 roll-aways the girls used. We made dinner in the room and watched a movie together before we fell asleep.
Oh! Sunday it rained most of the day. We had decided to stop and set up the camp stove and eat hot food we already had so we wouldn't have to buy anything but gas along the way. Well, it rained and rained, and finally we saw a rest stop and Steve said he'd cook (warm the chili) in the rain. When we stopped, the rain slowed to a sprinkle, and by the time we had all the stuff out, it had stopped completely. IT stayed away until we had cleaned up and started back on the road again. Thais trip has been full of little miracles like that--the only rooms left at midnight being adjoined rooms or non-smoking, rain stopping while we explored Seattle or made lunch, seeing orca whales when such a thing is very rare on the ferry. We have been abundantly blessed on this trip. Safe arrival after 6 days and 3,000+ miles of highway and no problems--with the car or the kids. They passed around a snotty nose and hoarse voice but are all mostly better now.
We had a very warm welcome by the Lees ("Welcome to Alaska" posters and everything) and are so happy to be here playing with them. Their house--the log home they built--is absolutely gorgeous and it's hard to not be just a little bit jealous. There is enough room for an extra family when you put boys and little ones on the floors and couches. I went on an incredible 4-mile walk with Shaunna yesterday to the river and back. The cool air was invigorating and it was fun to have such conversation and fast pace. I could really get used to doing that in the mornings, and being in this beautiful piece of Heaven.
Today we're headed to the Kenai Peninsula to camp. We're going clamming and to see Exit Glacier, take the kids to the Sea Life Center and Steve and I are going deep sea halibut fishing on Friday. I'm really excited, but a little nervous, too. It's wet and rainy today, so I hope the sun will shine down on us soon and will enjoy our stay near the ocean so much more. Landon (my nephew) asked Heavenly Father to bless us that the sun would come out so we wouldn't be so miserable. Hopefully that's part of His will today. :)
June28, 2010
It happened. The rain stopped all while we went clamming, walked to Exit Glacier, through most of our fishing charter, and on through the week. It has amazed me this whole trip that the rain has stayed away just where or when we really wanted or need it to. With the exception of a rainy camping trip--rained most of the night, both nights--our every hope and wish has been granted. It's like Heavenly Father has blessed our trip and wants us to have the best time we can--it's been so amazing!
Well, my journal was in the car all while w were at Shaunna's and I was so busy having fun and playing that I didn't write while we were there. So, here's a recap of what we've been up to at Shaunna's house (hopefully I'll write more someday and fill in the gaps)...
Monday: arrived in late afternoon, kids were bounding off walls, so excited. Grand tour of Lees house... so beautiful!
Tuesday: Stayed home and played all day, slept late, lots of resting, washed and repacked for Seward trip
Wednesday: Left at 7am to Ninilchik to go clamming, Nathan got cold, Josh got stuck in wet sand and soaked, and so did Sarah (fell in helping Landon get unstuck), Bryson came in cold, and Rachel stayed out for the long haul. We had a great time, though, and I was surprised they all touched the clams and played as long as they did--it was really cold. Luckily, Shaunna had boots and waders to take care of everyone in both families. Bless her! Drove to Seward in rain. Camp set up, no rain again til after dinner.
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| We called Rachel our "Gap Girl" | |
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Thursday: Hike to Exit Glacier and Alaska Sea Life Center
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| Branson, Landon, Rachel and Sarah / Carston, Joshua, LaKell, Bryson and Nathan |
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| Nathan and Carston were "bad scouts" and kept leaving the trail |
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| Tickling the anemones and starfish |
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| Nathan was so excited to see real jellyfish. He watched them forever! |
Friday: Kids camped in rain with Lees, Steve and I went on halibut fishing charter. So fun! Caught my limit of halibut, 3 rock fish and 1 silver salmon--I was the only one on the boat that caught a salmon--felt pretty proud of that one! Such a great time and beautiful, calm ocean. Saw orcas, dolphins, puffins, and sea lions, all in their natural habitats--definite bonus. Cleaned up camp in rain and drive home. Home late.
Saturday: Recovered, cleaned up, played, took 4-mile hike (around the block) with Eric and all the boys, rode tiny train--Nathan and the other boys loved it!
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| Rachel, Branson, Sarah, Bryson, Josh, Carston, LaKell and Nathan - Missing Landon |
Sunday: Church and Father's day. Treasure hunt for dads with matching ties, clues and "X marks the spot". Moose backstrap steak for dinner and pies for dessert. Nice day. Incredible husband. Love him SO much!
Monday - Reindeer farm, "Snotty" kept sneezing on us...yuck! Kids were much less timid than expected--especially Nathan. He was so cute petting the babies and feeding those huge mouths from his hand.
Tuesday: H2Oasis water park in Anchorage, fun double seated tube water slide--Rachel and I loved this! Pirate ship, shallow pool, lazy river, etc. Our kids were done way before the Lees, but we all had fun. Introduced the Lees to "Dippin Dots" ice cream (one of Steve's favorites) and went to see Toy Story 3--cute movie, just a little intense for little ones in one part. Laughed a lot, loved it! Movie theater gave us all coupons for free popcorn and small drinks--fun to each have our own! :)
Wednesday: Steve and Eric took the boys fishing at the Johnson's in teh Lees' ward, nice ptople--let the kids ride the paddle boats and they caught tiny fish--first one for Josh. Girls went shopping in Anchorage, souvenir shops downtown and the mall.
Thursday: Independence mine--explored old mining camp. Hatcher's pass--beautiful. In the morning Steve and I went to Wasilla. He got the car serviced, vacuumed and washed for our trip home while I went to visit Sarah Noel--nice visit, she seems happy in Alaska. Washed clothes, bought groceries and packed.
Friday: Loaded the car and crammed in a canoe trip at the lake down the road, and roasted hot dogs and s'mores for lunch that we wanted to do all week, just before we left. Always came home too late, to bed too late, slept in too late. That Alaskan midnight sun is pretty crazy on the body.
Oh! I forgot...Sunday night, late (10:30pm to 4:00am), Eric and his friend, Rod, took me and Steve salmon fishing on some rivers and creeks to get our kings. It was a slow night, no bites, but beautiful, peaceful, incredible, and I became a great caster! :)
Headed home now. Sad, but anxious. I just can't believe it's over already!
Friday night, we stayed in Tok, Saturday night in Teslin, and last night in Fort Nelson. Sarah and Bryson got coughs while we were at the Lees, so they've been feeling yucky--Sarah's been throwing up the last 3 days (with the coughs). Now Steve and Josh are coughing, and Josh and Rachel have both had earaches. It appears it's time for us to return home and get ourselves back together again. Kids are still doing well, considering the long days of driving and not feeling very well. To Edmonton tonight (seeing the largest mall in North America tomorrow morning), stopping at the Sign Post Forest and for a dip at Liard Hot Springs along the way, and then to Kalispell, Montana the next day, and home the next, if all goes according to plan.
...and that's where my journaling ended. I'm really not a very good journal writer. Obviously, we returned home safely, were really glad to be in our own beds again, and everyone got well again. You can tell by the pictures we had a good time on the way home, too. We had such a fun time together, and still laugh when someone mentions some of the funny little things that happened on our trip. The time we spent playing in the car was among some of our favorite memories, and everybody's been a little different since we got home. The kids became very aware of the little miracles that seemed to happen every day, sometimes several a day. It was definitely one of the best things we've ever done for our family, second to being sealed together forever and starting this family in the first place!
