Why I Love Christmas

Last night I was finally consumed with the Christmas spirit. I was excited right before Thanksgiving when the music on the radio started and I started thinking about gifts for the boys. But then we travelled for Thanksgiving, (which was delightful in its own way) Eldon and I both got sick, and life became really busy. I was shopping a lot, but it felt more frantic than anything. Finally last night, even though Eldon had to go home teaching and be a judge for the neighborhood lights contest, it was a magical night. We came home from church starving. I was making my favorite, chicken lasagna. I hurried and threw it together and fed the kids, including my unborn child, while Eldon was out doing his stuff. Once he got home, it was like peace surrounded us. It was frigid outside but toasty warm inside. We put Jackson down for bed early due to the lack of nap during church. Max, Eldon and I just read the paper, made cookies, and wrapped presents all together and talked. We had some light Christmas music in the background, candles lit and just truly enjoyed ourselves. Even though I had to work today, I didn't feel the pressure to get everyone to bed. It was such a nice night with no TV, no phone calls, just us doing Christmas things.

Now I do feel bad that Jackson missed it all, but I have to say that if he were involved, the peace would have left us. When he gets tired, he runs from one thing to the next with no attention span. It is very difficult to keep up with him and to keep the house safe. His turn will come in a few years and his little sister will have to go to bed early.

I love just being with my little family. I love having the time to appreciate all our blessings. Each moment like that is wonderful. I have to write about it because it doesn't happen that often!

I have a Boooken Leg

So the Gale family has been experiencing some drama as of late. I guess it started with Eldon and I getting Strep throat the week after Thanksgiving. The next week I got a crazy cold and it knocked me out. Last Sunday, I heard a few loud thumps and a scream while I was on the phone with my sister. As I yelled out, "what happened?" I heard Max say, "Mom, I didn't push him." Jackson was crying and Max was intent on letting me know that it wasn't his fault. Bottom line, Jackson fell down the stairs. I asked him where it hurt and he said, "my head." I gave him a big hug and waited for the crying to stop. He did rather quickly. I didn't think much of it because it was only 5 stairs and he wasn't crying. Later that night, Eldon and I were eating dinner at my Sister's and we noticed Jack limping. He was dragging his foot and his balance was totally off. I was getting worried that maybe he actually hurt his head???

We decided to put him to bed and to see if it would be better in the morning. No such luck. He was trying to walk and kept running into the wall. I took him to my pediatrician that morning and she said give him some motrin and call me in a week if its still bad. I thought hmmm. That is pretty non aggressive. So we decided to watch him closely for another day and then we would decide if we needed to do something else. The kid had never complained of anything, but couldn't walk. It was very weird. So on Tuesday I was putting some pants on him over his shoes and he screamed as I bent his foot forward. Afterward, his limp was much worse. He said to me, "Mom I need to go to the Dr." So I decided to take him to the ER at Childrens. I just wanted to rule out a broken leg with an x-ray. We took him down there and everyone there was just as mystified as I was because of the no pain, but crazy limp. Finally the Dr. zeroed in on his hip. We took him to get x-rayed and nothing was broken. WHEW!! But they said that the break could appear later. They also thought he had sprained his hip. I can't give him any pain medicine because I have to watch for a fever incase he gets infection in his hip. I guess that is common. Overall, it wasn't as bad as it could have been, and we still have a limping kid. So if he is still limping in a few days, we take him back. Merry Christmas!! Jackson keeps walking around saying, " I have a booken leg." It's very cute.

The biggest lesson I have learned is, you need to come extra prepared with toys, snacks, games, movies, anything when you go to the ER. Especially when your kid is two, not sick and wanting to run around even with a limp. It was worse than church. You can only do Insy Weensy Spider so many times!!

It's A GIRL!!!

Hmmm

Mom: Jack why do you have lotion in your hair?

Jack: I need to go to work.

Mom: So why do you have lotion in your hair?

Jack: I need cute hair to go to work.

Tagged by Emilia

8 TV shows I love to watch:

1. The Office
2. Ugly Betty
3. 24
4. House
5. Law & Order - in all its varieties (Really this should be listed as number 1 because it's plays on every channel all hours of the day and whenever I can't watch anything else, I always revert to Law & Order)
6. Locked up abroad - It's on the national geographic channel and it's about people who think they are getting a free trip by being a drug mule. They always get caught and locked up in these third world countries. All the stories are true.
7. Without a Trace
8. NCIS

8 Favorite restaurants

1. CAFE RIO - Bar none this is my favorite place to eat. I could eat there everyday. In fact a few years ago, I went out to take care of my Grandma who has alzheimers. I took her there everyday because she couldn't remember that we had been there the day before and I got my fill. MMMMMMM
2. California Pizza Kitchen - I love their salads. Especially their Thai crunch and Barbecue Chicken
3. Joe's Deli - Cleveland restaurant where everything is AMAZING and it's cheap!
4. The cafeteria at Tamarack in West Virginia - This is at the West Virginia welcome center about 4 hours from Columbus. The chefs there are from the Greenbrier hotel and the food is amazing!! We stop anytime we are driving by because you have to.
5. The Pie Pizzeria - I have yet to find any type of pizza or place that even comes close. It is truly delicious.
6. Amul India - I only like this Indian restaurant because its right by my house. I order the same thing everytime but I love it.
7. Cafe at Nordstom - This is just plain yummy food that isn't a chain. Whenver we go to Easton, we make it a point to eat there.
8.Keiffers Steak house in Chicago- It's the best because it's not a chain and it has amazing steaks.

8 Things that happened yesterday
1. I awoke hammered after an all nighter with Jackson in my bed. We are staying with Eldon's sister in Augusta Georgia for Thanksgiving and Jackson was not familiar with his surroundings and therefore, not able to sleep.
2. I went to Fort Gordon for a massage. Very nice.
3. I played with my boys and two nephews.
4. I took a nap.
5. I read in my newest book Under & Alone about a California Under cover agent riding with the Mongol biker gang
6. I edited pictures I took for Natalie Clarke of little Annie B.
7. I ate taco pizza for dinner.
8. Gave my kids dranamine to make sure that we didn't have another restless night.

8 Things I'm looking forward to:
1. Having my baby
2. Buying a van
3. Quitting working
4. Being able to provide all the rides my children need myself.
5. Europe 2011 - Eldon has been saving lots of points for us to go.
6. Playing with my kids everyday.
7. Starting a business
8. Working on my body



8 Things on my wish list

1. Breast reduction surgery
2. Visiting my grandmas in Utah
3. Tan and beautiful body (beautiful is relative)
4. The ability to travel with Eldon all the time
5. A room solely dedicated to scrapbooking
6. Keeping my maid
7. Take the kids on a great vacation
8. To one day be able to drive a very fast sports car that doesn't make sense to own because no one else can drive in it.

My cute boys

They look so grown up!! I made them let me do their hair. Jack was willing, Max was not so happy about it.

Embarassing Moment(s)

One might wonder why I would post things like what I'm about to post. Well I ask, Why Not? Doesn't everyone have embarrasing things happen to them from time to time? If not, then I believe you are either boring or lying. So here goes:

Story #1.

A few weeks ago, I was going to visit a client at the Riffe Center. I had two consultants with me from another company and I needed to go to the restroom before we went into our meeting. So I quickly made my way to the only public option close by. I went in the first stall and after finishing realized there was no toilet paper. I sat there in a quandry. I had to have toilet paper. I was going into a meeting!! I was in a public restroom and I didn't know anyone else in there to ask for some. I immediately thought of the Seinfeld where Elaine asks if the lady next to her could "spare a square?" I sat there thinking maybe I could air dry, but then my meeting was going to start and there were two men waiting outside so I didn't have time to lolli-gag. So I made a bold decision. I listened for a few seconds to make sure I was alone, stood up, opened the stall door to walk into the next one where I prayed there was toiled paper. When I opened the door, there was a cleaning cart in front of me and the cleaning lady was right behind the wall (she couldn't see me) next to me. I slipped into the next stall and THANK HEAVENS there was toilet paper. But the funny thing was, I had flushed both toilets within seconds of eachother and she realized when I walked out that there was only one person coming so she then knew what I had done.

What would you have done?

Story #2
I had just gotten out of the shower and gotten partially dressed in my underwear. Jackson often likes to sneak out into the garage in the mornings for hopes that I have forgotten to lock the car and that he can get in and play without me knowing. I didn't see him and was worried because it was cold in the garage and I wanted to make sure he was inside. I quickly walked by Max's room to just peek down the stairs and I hear Max yell, "MOM put some pants on, you are embarassing me!!" I wasn't in the nude, but obviously we have come to that place where he knows and so there is only the fully clothed options now.

The scary Dementor and the really cute Thomas

Here are the kids right before Trick or Treating. Notice my adorable nephew as the Elephant.

Carving Pumpkins

I thought I would start the Halloween blogging with our Pumpkin Carving experience. I believe this is one of those obligatory things that is fun but when your kids are really little, not so fun. It was perfect for Max this year. He was so excited. Jack didn't get it, but he will next year. I was playing with my camera and found out how to take black and white pictures. I'm very excited. I know I should have shown the bright orange color of the pumpkins, but hey, I'm trying to be artistic here.

As Dad had to go home teaching, mom gets to decorate the pumpkins, but dad had to clean them out. Fair deal if you ask me. The mission, something simple for Jack and Max wanted a Dementor. HMMMMM......

Happy with the results.

Jack wanted to eat the pumpkin, so he took a bite out of the removed triangle eye. He just kept chewing util I told him he could spit it out.

Here is where everything began to fall apart. Jack is crying because I just yelled at him for slicing his brother's hand with the knife.


I think this says it all for how Max felt.

Ultimately, we had two finished pumpkins and a first aid kit.

The finished product. Later, Eldon put dry ice in the dementor so it would look like Harry Potter.

Eldon in Maui

So while I have been home with the kids, Eldon has been travelling to California and then onto Maui. He made it sound like he was going to be slaving away the entire time he was gone. Now I know that these trips are very busy. He tours locations all day, walking all over hotels, golf courses, spas and restaurants. He rarely gets to sit and has to listen to sales people all day try to sell him on their property.

Now I know that this sounds a little easier to take thinking that he really is working while he is gone. On Friday he was flying from LA to Maui with his flight leaving at 5:45 pacific time. The flight to Maui from LA is 5 1/2 hours. He called me from the airport before our ward Halloween party. He called me again right before bed and his flight was still delayed. He then called me when I woke up and he had just arrived in Maui and had been up all night. It was 2 am Maui time which is 6 hours earlier than here. He was also quite sick. I felt bad for him then. He called me a little later once he got to his hotel (The Ritz Carlton, Kapalua). He told me his ten hours in the airport and the 5 hours on the flight were worth every second because of how beautiful this hotel was. We had stayed there a few years ago and it was amazing. Apparently they have done an $80 million dollar renovation so it's ten times more amazing.

I did feel bad that he was sick and had to tour all day, UNTIL I heard about his afternoon. Apparently, these hotels don't think his tour is complete until he has had the most expensive spa treatment. So at the Ritz he started with a sugar scrub, outdoor swedish shower, and then a one hour massage. HMMMMM. Now if that was all, I would still be ok. But apparently he saw three hotels in Maui and all of them gave him spa treatments. The second one he decided for a pedicure because he didn't think it was healthy to have three massages in 36 hours. HMMMMM. The last hotel he was able to soak in the five mineral baths of joy (named by me) showered about 10 times in every shower known to man and then yes, another one hour massage.

So I try to be excited for him when he gets to go to these wonderful places, but it is hard when it's that good away from home. While he was gone, the boys and I had a great time. So I am not complaining, but just thought I should call a spade a spade.

It Finally Happened

I was finally released as RS President yesterday. I have been ready for a few months trying to hang on and not be burned out. It was really rewarding to spend the last few days thinking about everything that has happened and all that I have learned. It was also so sweet what people had to say yesterday. I do feel a huge burden removed, but I still think about people and wonder how they are doing etc. The thing I love about these callings in the church is that they are temporary. You are in the middle of it for a period of time and then just like that, you are done and doing something totally different. I remember this feeling from my mission where it was much more difficult to be released, but it was very much the same.

When Max heard I was going to be in Primary, he was SO excited. That is was what sealed it for me. They have sacrificed time with their mom over these past three years. He was so excited that I would be in Primary with him and not teaching the ladies as he put it. During dinner, Jackson said the prayer and in the middle he stopped and said, "mom do you have a meeting?" When I said no, he just grinned. The fact that a two year old even knows what a meeting is means it's time.

This has been a very challenging time for me over the past three years. When I was called, I was pregnant with Jackson, working, but from home and I thought it wouldn't get any busier. I then had some time at home and I actually felt like a real RS President. Then I had to go back to work and keep going. I think that was the lowest part for me. I now wouldn't have time for the Sisters and I was losing time with my kids. But it is amazing how it all works out over time.

Now I am looking forward at baby number three, Eldon has actually received the promotion we were hoping for three years ago and I am really going to quit. The Lord has blessed me with the abillity to prioritize, delegate, and to pray for help for those who I cannot physically be there for. I have seen amazing things happen through this time and look forward to the challenges and blessings of the future.

If I thought this was my last go at the RS President job, I would be seriously naive. But if it is, then I feel good about what I was able to accomplish, with of course a few regrets. I didn't have a newsletter, or a visiting teaching conference once in three years. But if anyone really feels deprived about it, I will pass that on to Emilia who I am sure will do a fabulous job.

Max

So for a very long time I thought that Max was exactly like his dad. It wasn't until yesterday that I realized that he does have an even share of us. He is still performing shows in the Shower and that can only be attributed to Eldon. But yesterday I was going to go get a birthday present for Ammon Washburn. For those of you who are not from around here, he is a boy who lives where they are babysat everyday. He is turning 9. Max explained to me that I needed to go to Costco and get the new Star wars video game for the play station 2. It was in the orange box, not the red one. I realized right away what he was doing. Every morning, Max and Jack are the only kids at home because all of Kristine's kids are in school. Max has free reign over the play station while they are gone. They have an older Star Wars game that he plays all the time, but he was very interested in the new one where Darth Vader has a new apprentice. He has been dreaming of becoming that role since he was 3. So the long story short, Max wanted to give a gift that would truly benefit himself. That all comes from his Mom.

Cute

Dad: Max, what do you want for Christmas?
Max: A Wii

Dad: Jack what do you want for Christmas?
Jack: A You

The water slide and my cool camera

This is using the "sport" feature on the camera where you hold the button down and it catches the scene in slow motion.

Left over summer pics

This was Max's first time ever going off the diving board. After this, he went about 1000 more times.


This is a very supportive, and hot little brother. You can see he is playing with my keys. He could care less about being in the water.

Feeling Yucky

I guess it is fate. I understand that most pregnant women feel yucky during the first tri-mester, but that has never been me. I always was a bit tired, but other than that, just fine. NOT ANYMORE!! Whew! This is insane! I am so much more tired, and I feel like I have had the flu for the last 3 weeks. Yesterday and today have been better, but OH MY GOODNESS!! So to all those who I may have not been as empathetic to in the past, my heart is with you! Let us pray that this is only a 1st trimester thing and that the 2nd is like the others!

Sad News

Today at work I went into a co-workers office that I have been working closely with for awhile. She is an amazing mom of 9 kids. Her oldest is 37 and her youngest is 18. When she had 7 kids, (6 boys and 1 girl) her husband left her and refused to pay child support. She was a single mom for 10 years and then met her second husband who married her with seven kids. What a cool guy!! They had two more girls together.

Last year she lost one son in Iraq. He was a marine and was killed in Baghdad by a roadside bomb.

This year her mom and her ex husband passed away. Not that she cared too much about her ex husband, but he was her kids father.

Today she just found out that her oldest child has Lou Gerigs disease and shouldn't make it more than five years. She is beside herself. She said, I don't know what is worse, losing a child suddenly or knowing it's going to happen and just having to sit by and watch.

She said, why is life so hard! I have been praying all day to know how to comfort her without pushing beliefs on her or not taking the time to listen. I know that the right time will come for me to share insights of the gospel with her. But for now, I am just so grateful for my blessings and the knowledge I have of the plan of salvation.

The Dementor Debacle

So for the last few months, Max has been obsessed with being a Dementor for Halloween. See picture above....A Dementor for all of you who are not into Harry Potter are these terribly scary wraith like things that float around turning the world around them into ice and they suck out all the happiness in your soul. Yes very enlightening. Max thinks they are awesome. Well at first I thought it was too scary and that Max is five. If we start with a dementor this year, what in the world will he be next year?

We went to the Halloween store last night to look for costumes. Jackson picked out a very cute Thomas costume and was very happy. Max could not find anything that would work. We tried to make a pirate look scary. It didn't work. We told him before we went in, NO MASKS. Eventually we got him to think that Malfoy from Harry Potter would be ok, but of course they didn't have any Slytherin costumes, only Harry Potter and Gryffandor.

Eldon even recommended that he be a nice Police Officer with a giant nail sticking out of his head. Not scary enough. So we learned about compromise. We found that the Dementor costume had a mask that you wear under the hood. See the costume above and note that the mask can be removed. If we removed the mask, he still got the scary outfit without looking too scary. So he won and we compromised. I still wonder why he has no heroes that are not evil?? It's a little troubling.

SO THE BIG NEWS IS???????

BABY # 3 IS ON IT'S WAY!!!
Yep, we are expecting! Around mid-April, the next little Gale will introduce itself to the world. We can't wait!

Yikes Ike

I know many of you have posted with pictures regarding the typhoon that swept through Columbus. I really have no desire to remember it. I especially have no desire to remember how I looked during it. I have special hair. It has to be washed and fixed everyday. That doesn't sound like much of a selling point on this hairstyle, but really it only takes 3 minutes to do. So I like it. You are probably wondering why I am talking about my hair while I am posting on Hurricane Ike. Well this was really all that I could think about over the last few days. " How am I supposed to do my hair?" We just got power back this afternoon (Tuesday). Luckily one by one people I knew were getting theirs back so I could do my hair at their home.

On Sunday I wasn't feeling well and so I was going to go home right after Sacrament Meeting. I was detained by some RS issues but got home about 3:15. I found within in me some energy to get the dishes in the dish washer and a load of laundry done. I had no idea the storm was tracking to be so awful. When Eldon got home, we put the dinner in the oven and started boiling the potatoes. We had power right up until the dinner was done. We ate, left an awful mess and then joined our neighbors in the street to see what was happening. We were very lucky to not lose any trees. I was told that our home lost lots of trees in storms from the past, so we had good sturdy ones left. The craziest thing was all of the flying acorns. There are 10000000's of them. If anyone has any kids who want or need acorns, we have TONS.

My sister and her family had come over for dinner and it was really fun to have them there to ride out the storm. We put the kids to bed and then sat out on the deck with a candle and some scotch - a - roos that my sister had made. It was fun, dark, and kind of weird.

The next morning, Eldon got up and went to work, and I stayed home with the kids. I went out into the panic looking for a way to charge my cell phone. I bought some bread and a few things and we just hung out all day. It was fun at times, and really not at others. But luckily we were able to escape to the park and play with friends. That night the kids were filthy and exhausted. Not my favorite combination while at a restaurant. But we went to Max and Erma's for dinner and then put the kids in a dark tub and to bed. Eldon and I watched some You Tube on his iPhone and that was about it.

Today was fine because my sister got power and I was able to do my hair. I did go through the Wendy's drive through with wet hair, but other than that I made it to work ok. When I got home, the power was back on and I did the happiest happy dance in the driveway. Now we are throwing away all of our food and I get to go to the store!

Thanks Ike for the Adventure!

Jack the shopper

This story was relayed to me by Kristine Washburn who watches my kids while I am at work. Yesterday she just had Jackson at home with her and so she took him shopping at Kohls with her. While she was trying on clothes, Jack would say..."ooooh Cute!" Eldon has always been a fantastic shopper. I would have to say if I have any clothes that have been successful, either he has helped me pick them out or has brought them home for me. In fact when Eldon and I were dating I took him shopping with me all the time to pick out new outfits for my job. He has a fantastic eye and is a good sport to help me.

So to Jackson, although most men don't enjoy shopping, I think it's wonderful if you do and you will one day make your wife very happy as your dad has me.

Victoria B.C.

We only had a few hours in Victoria but it was the most beautiful place. The flowers are unreal. We went to Buchart Gardens. I am just going to unload some pictures from the Gardens on here. I was very frustrated that I didn't have my tripod with me to help hold the camera still. We had perfect lighting, but it requires you to not move the camera on the special setting. I was not very successful so I had to just use the general setting which doesn't capture it as well.

Ketchikan Day 6

Ketchikan was Alaska's first city and is the Salmon capital of the world. We got there at 7 am and had to be back by 1pm. Way too short. Our trip for the day was the Jeep 4x4 trip with canoeing and nature hike. This was the funnest excursion by far. As you can see from the photos, it was raining. Big surprise.

Here is a creek that was right outside from where we parked our Jeeps. Very pretty.
The coolest part about this trip was that we were allowed to drive the Jeep's ourselves. I have never experienced such fun reckless abandoment. It was awesome. We went up these old mining trails in 4 wheel drive and just bounced the things all over the place. We went through huge puddles and over rocks at 15 miles an hour. I have never seen Eldon in this light. He loved it. We had two passengers with us, a mom and her teenage daughter that just wanted to ride, not drive. We all had a blast. It was great because we were dry and having a great time.
Here is the picture of us with our passengers. Of course my eyes are closed in both pictures.

After we got out of the Jeeps, they put Ponchos and life jackets on us and then we got into canoes, in the rain. I didn't get any pictures of us canoeing because it was raining and there were some very weak paddlers in our boat so Eldon and I had alot of the work to do to get us across the lake. It was pouring, and the wind was blowing but it was beautiful.

When we got across the lake, they had a shelter with hot chocolate, chowder and smoked salmon. It tasted so good. They had you put raspberry jam on a roll with some smoked salmon and it was delicious. I had a bowl of soup, a sandwich, and hot chocolate. They then took us on a nature hike. You can see the huge tree below. I do have on a sweater, parka, life jacket and poncho here. I know I look 1200 pounds. I have no idea who the lady is behind the tree.

Here is the typical outfit in Ketchikan. This is just some random man but I thought the outfit said more than what I could write.

Juneau

So when I woke up Tuesday morning I looked out the window and saw the town of Juneau. Notice I used the word town. It has a population of about 30,000 people and is the capital of Alaska. There was a mist coming down over the mountains that was really cool. Our excursion for the day was White Water Rafting at the Mendenhall Glacier. It was raining outside and you could see your breath in the air. Hmmmm. The only thing that we were told was that we would get wet and to bring extra socks. I decided to not take the big camera on this trip and just took our little one. Good decision. We had breakfast delivered to our room and then ran out the door. Here is Juneau from the view of my balcony on the cruise ship.

Here I am waiting for the bus that would take us out to the drop in point for the rafting trip. As you can tell it is quite balmy and that the style of clothing in Juneau is HOT!
When we got to the drop in point, they gave us fishing waders (one size fits most), boots, and a life jacket. I should have put my coat on the outside of the waders. I'll tell why in a few minutes. We were paired with 10 people we didn't know and a very talkative guide. The water was covered in mist and you could not see 20 feet in front of you. Eldon thought it was like in Lord of the Rings.
If you look closely, it's hard to see with all the mist, you can see Mendenhall Glacier. It's really cool. It is very, very blue in many places. Never in my life did I think I would be rafting next to a glacier.
Here is my handsome paddling partner . The lady behind him had a partner of the same gender. As luck would have it, they were on our next excursion with us in Ketchikan as well.
There is a beautiful waterfall off in the distance. This is still at the drop in point.

Here is what was floating in the water when we rafted by. Did I say that it was cold? While going down the river, a very large amount of freezing water went down my waders and provided a floating effect in my jeans. It was very cold. Hence the reason I should have put my coat on the outside. The water also filled up in the bottom of the boat where our feet were under about 6 inches of water. Although they were dry, freezing water does provide a perfect effect of what it would feel like to be standing in ice through the boots. When we got finished, I took the waders off and my pants were soaked through. I looked around and no one else had the same wet look that I did. Also it was raining through the whole thing so my hair was wet. All I wanted was a nice pair of warm sweatpants. Irony would show that my socks were completely dry and I didn't need the extra pair they had recommended. For future trips, I would recommend extra pants and underwear. Eldon was totally dry. I was so cold that I don't have a picture of the after effect. You will just have to believe me and create an image in your head. I was going to go back to the boat to change, but we only had a few hours before we were to set sail again and we had a lot of shopping to do as well as some King Crab legs and chowder to eat. I was already wet and the rain was not letting up so why go get another outfit wet I said? I bought a headband to cover my ears and offer some support to my ailing hair that says Alaska across the front of it. (Just in case I got lost, I would know where I was) I got a very cute fleece jacet thing, gifts for the boys and others, some wonderful fudge from the Alaksan Fudge Company (highly recommended by the Washburns who have lived there), and I would be remiss if I didn't mention the crab legs and chowder. MMMMMM........

When we got back onto the boat, we were allowed to go up to the bridge with the Captain and watch them sail away from Juneau. It was very cool. Everything is very computerized, but they do have the wheel that they use when they are not out at sea. While we were "pushing off" a small fishing boat kept approaching. We heard the crew radioing to them to move as we were going to win a fight if it came to that. Finally they called the coast guard because they were not responding. Their were sirens going off and everyone was gathering to check out what was going on. Very cool.

That night we ate the high end restaurant. We were not hungry. The crab legs had put me into a stooper of joy and I was not looking forward to eating again. This was my first meal where there was a cheese course. I don't like stinky cheese at all. I was a huge whimp and tried the cheese that had no flavor and it was great. That night was also the midnight buffet. I was absolutely not going to eat again, but Eldon wanted to at least see it so he would know what it was like. It was very cool with ice sculptures and it was mostly a dessert buffet. That night we had hit rough water and the boat was bouncing all over. We had to hold onto the wall almost to walk. I have no idea how the ice sculptures stayed standing when everything was moving like that. I was so ready for bed that night. It was cool to go out on the deck of our room and watch the storm. The waves were rough and it was cold, but it was amazing to see how the ship just ran right through it.

The Alaskan Cruise

Here is the first three days of the cruise. There are two days on a different camera due to the wet and wild nature of our excursions. This was a beautiful amazing experience. We started in Seattle and cruised up to Sitka Alaska, on to the Hubbard Glacier, on to Juneau, and then to Ketchikan Alaska. When we left there we ended the trip at Victoria Brittish Colombia. It was definitely not a trip for kids, all scenery and either wild trips down rapids or looking at beautiful things. The boat was fun, but the excursions and land time were the best. So here are the first three days. I will put the last three on later tonight.

The boat and accomodations at the start of a great trip.

A picture of our welcome in our ridiculously small room. We thought the champagne was a nice touch but disappointing that there wasn't something there that we could actually partake of. But as luck would have it, on the left there is an ice and water pitcher that was refilled regularly throughout the day. I brought on some contra-band diet coke as well.

For those of you who have cruised before, you know that it is regulation that the ship go through a "fire/sinking" drill before you cruise. Everyone has to go to their assigned locations with their life preservers on and stand in line for a pretend life boat. The life boats now days are much nicer than the ones on Titanic. They also have more than enough for all on board the ship. Here is Eldon doing the drill. It makes me wonder if this procedure was done before the Titanic sailed?

Here is a picture of our ship The Celebrity Infinity. We were on Deck 8 with a Balcony on the Port side. The Balcony was so nice as I spent a ton of time out there with my camera and my book while Eldon was in meetings.
Here we are in Seattle right before we sailed out. Everyone always thinks it's a great thing to have the wind blow through your hair for photos. I think we can all agree that this is not always the case.
Off our balcony on Monday night.

Sitka, Alaska

Sitka was our first day off of the ship and first day in Alaska. When I woke up and looked off my balcony, this is what I saw. Our excursion this day was going on a Sea Otter and Wildlife boat tour. It was the perfect situation for photography and it was a beautiful day. No rain. The water was so still I was dying to waterski on it even though it was 35 degrees and filled with whales. Waterfall, obviously. Very pretty .
I thought this picture showed some idea of scale. The boat out there is a yacht. If you look beyond that, it shows you how huge the mountain ranges are. Sitka only has 11 miles of paved road in their town.
Here are two little sea otters just hanging out. They are really cute up close.

This picture is too small to show how close we were to this Bald Eagle. They are so amazing.
WHALE!
More eagles.
This is a house constructed to look like a light house.