Goin' to Alaska! (long post, accept my apology)

Get this...we just returned from ALASKA.  No big deal, right?  These are the things that happen to you when you live in Seattle...or when you have in laws that plan an Alaskan Cruise WHILE you live in Seattle, either way.  

We had lots of stops in places I had only heard about in Twilight books, and did some amazing things...such as zipline through a rain forest in Ketchikan, AK.

I am so hardcore

I would like to add that I received an award for MVZ (most valuable zipliner,) and though it MAY or may not have been made up by me, and I MAY or may not have forced our guides to give me an extra medal with MVZ written on the back, it counted.  I DO NOT HAVE ISSUES.

We also did a Bike and Brew in Juneau.  We biked 9 miles to the Mendenhall Glacier (no big deal, right?) and then tasted some Alaskan beers.  I didn't want to say anything, but living in Seattle means you can get these beers at the local gas station but, not everywhere.  So, for the girls, it was a first.  

The college boy taking this picture decided to get artsy...rule of thirds, I like it!

Multiple photo ops here.

Aunt Bear + glacier = totally normal

Danny, Ruthie and I had a little excursion in Scagway.  We took a train up a mountain to the White Pass...we ended up in Canada.  I know, why go there, right?  Don't worry, as soon as you pass the line to get in there, the people get lame and the jokes get lamer.* 

ahhhh, Canada?  Whyyyyy???

This was why mommy was making the same face shown above...scary heights.  Why would anyone WANT to get a train this high?

Entering Canada, notice, fun people on the left, lame people on the right.

Ruthie had a blast as well.  She did so many fun things - she went on a sea plane, fed reindeer, walked through a rain forest, took a train up a mountain.  Her favorite thing?  Blue (or as she calls it "Bwlu")  Nana brought this toy for her to play with on the boat.  She learned a few colors (not making this up here,) she now knows "lellello" (yellow,) "oooonge" (orange,) "gweeee," (green,) and of course "Bwlu."  (hence the name of the toy)  I can't promise how generalizable her colors are, but she knows them with this sorter!

She also swam, until they found out she wasn't potty trained.  Makes sense, due to diseases, contained boat, yada yada, but she had so much fun until they stopped her!

I dunno about this here new policy, people

 All in all, we had a wonderful trip with family, she got to know Bear, Kristin (now known as Ti Ti or Tin Tin depending on mood,) Nana and Dadaw.  Plus we saw WHALES...comeon people, BREACHING, HUMPBACK, WHALES...A HUMPBACK CALF WAS INVOLVED.  Jaci's.dreamland.  Ruthie's, too - due to the fact that she was spoiled rotten.

Just looking at glaciers at 16.5 months.  She's well traveled.

TI TI!

See the ice chunks behind here?  From the glacier...no big deal

*Please note, not all Canadians are lame...just most.  Okay, they probably all are.  I would like to quote uncle David "Canadians are ridiculous, I mean, they aren't real people."**
**Please note, making fun of Canadians is fun, if offended, please turn the other cheek.  Let's be honest, I'm a Hoosier, make fun of me, I can take it.