once upon a time... in alaska

one would think that i've been really busy...
thus the bloggy absence.
not true.
i've merely been sleep walking since returning home.
trying to adjust to this time change.
three hours, west to east is exhausting.
jet-lag ages me in dog years.
but i'm catching up.

thankfully, hubs has been understanding.
helping me load the dishwasher.
taking us out to dinner.
ignoring the laundry pile.
he's sweet like that.
 

we drove to granny's house.
spent the night.
presented daddy with his father's day gift the next morning.
a picture book of many memories made.
between a dad and his girlies.
they grow too fast.

granny and the girlies dropped us off at the aiport.
tearful goodbyes.
*sigh*
tsa pointed me to the older metal detectors.
hubby to the 'newer' machines.
he doesn't opt out.
i'm not a fan of radiation inducing machines.
maybe that's just me.

after {finally} landing in houston for a plane change, we rushed to our next gate.
delays make me nervous.
we landed again in washington, but stayed on the same plane.
one can feel cramped even in first class on long rides.
and in airplane bathrooms.
i feel bad for anyone taking this flight in coach.

but the views...
oh, the views make it all worth it.



mountains.
i love them.
and cooler summers.
we're deprived of both where we live.
we hope to one day remedy this.
convincing our girls and an employer might prove difficult.

it was around 3:00 a.m. our time, yet around midnight alaskan time when we arrived in anchorage.
outside, it was light, cool, and misty.
we were not in kansas anymore, toto.
it felt good.

we settled into our hotel.
obviously, the alaskan taxidermists isn't hurting in today's economy.
hgtv has not influenced the decor of alaska.
but i like the lodge-y feel, too.
room darkening curtains line the windows of every hotel...
and home, i'm sure.

on monday morning, we made our way to wally-world and REI.
we were on the hunt for jackets.
when it's 102 degrees where you're from, you may forget to grab your jacket from the coat closet due to the crazy to-do list that's been whirling in your head.

i noticed many people walking with backpacks.
homeless?  you decide.
there seems to be more of a hippie mentality in alaska.
if there's any pioneer in you, alaska will bring it to the surface.

and we were told that one can get in trouble with authorities for giving money to homeless.
they have programs they prefer to use.



time for our road trip up to denali state park.
a friend let us borrow his car.
very sweet and generous, huh?
so grateful.



alaska brought out the pioneer woman in me.
i admit it.
but i'm not looking to backpack this long trip.
or any other.
if i can help it.



there really are igloos near the north pole.
or retired hotels??

the scenery was breathtaking.
clouds covering the highest mountain tops.

we kept trying to snap pictures of the numerous mountainsides along the way.
little did we know, we'd soon be completely enveloped by their beauty.

we made it.  so peaceful.




exploring the river running behind our bed for the evening.



before driving to the local {and ever popular} cabin nite dinner.
it was more of a dinner theater.

hubs was spared.
he has a few connections, you know.
when his ticket to the dinner said 'teresa' instead of... his real name, we thought we were in for an interesting evening.
come to find out, he was supposed to get called out...
hubs was relieved he didn't.
and i was camera ready, too.
*sigh*

and the food...
oh, the food.
i want to move there for the fish alone.

day 2 coming soon...