So, Josh, the kids, and I recently all loaded up and flew to Alaska for a 2-week vacation! Josh's family organized it, and we've all been talking about it for what seems like a year and a half now! The whole family went! It was awesome! I decided to finally try to start shooting in manual mode and also shot RAW files for the first time. It was a challenge, and I missed a few shots because the camera settings weren't quite right, but I think it was good for me, and I think the results are pretty nice! :)

We decided to head up to Alaska a week ahead of the rest of the family to visit some good friends who moved up to Anchorage last year. I've been wanting to see their house, and also see what made this place so special that all of my friends seem to be ready to just drop everything and move there.

Probably the one thing I didn't love about Alaska was the 9 or so hours of travel time it took to get there. "/ It probably wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have a 1-year-old to try to keep content in my lap on a plane.

The kids really loved the airports...just not so much riding in the planes...

So, apparently nearly every flight to and from Alaska arrives or takes off around midnight. When we got there we thought for sure that the airport would be totally deserted, and instead it was hopping and jam-packed. Crazy Alaskans!

One of the first places we visited in Alaska was the zoo!  It's literally like 5 minutes from Brittney and Duncan's house!  Brittney had to work that Monday after we arrived, but Duncan went along with us. — One of the first places we visited in Alaska was the zoo! It's literally like 5 minutes from Brittney and Duncan's house! Brittney had to work that Monday after we arrived, but Duncan went along with us.

Poor Duncan took the week off to spend with us, but due to some issues at work, he spent a good deal of his time on the phone trying to put out fires...

Anna was totally bummed we wouldn't let her go off and join this random class of kids...

Brittney was a little concerned that the kids and I were getting bored sitting around the house after the guys left for their fishing trip, so she found an awesome little park for us all to go play at one evening.

And, of course, she couldn't help but get in on the fun herself!  :) — And, of course, she couldn't help but get in on the fun herself! :)

We couldn't have asked for better timing...all of the dandelions in Alaska were fruiting!  Anna's favorite flower!  I'm pretty sure she picked thousands of them! — We couldn't have asked for better timing...all of the dandelions in Alaska were fruiting! Anna's favorite flower! I'm pretty sure she picked thousands of them!

The next day we drove to Seward to meet up with the guys and go to the Sea Life Center.

Anna never did stick her hand in there.  "/ — Anna never did stick her hand in there. "/

Seward was beautiful!  As was most of what we saw of Alaska. — Seward was beautiful! As was most of what we saw of Alaska.

Brittney wasn't afraid to touch my camera, and so I got some pics with me actually in them!  :) — Brittney wasn't afraid to touch my camera, and so I got some pics with me actually in them! :)

I'm pretty sure I have the cutest little boy ever!

So, Alaska is apparently full of super healthy people who like to hike while they can.  So...when in Rome!  :)  We ended up buying all this hiking gear...Josh and I need to find some places to use it all in Texas!  Oh yeah...this… — So, Alaska is apparently full of super healthy people who like to hike while they can. So...when in Rome! :) We ended up buying all this hiking gear...Josh and I need to find some places to use it all in Texas! Oh yeah...this picture was taken close to 8:30pm! It never really got dark while we were there.

By far, one of the coolest things we did in Alaska was a boat tour to see glaciers!  And Anna slept through nearly half of it... — By far, one of the coolest things we did in Alaska was a boat tour to see glaciers! And Anna slept through nearly half of it...

Anna's always a little slow to wake up....

I bought an ergobaby carrier when Wallace was really little because he never wanted to be put down, and I have probably only seen 3 others out and about in Texas.  Oddly enough I saw 5 in just one day in Alaska!  Josh always made me feel l… — I bought an ergobaby carrier when Wallace was really little because he never wanted to be put down, and I have probably only seen 3 others out and about in Texas. Oddly enough I saw 5 in just one day in Alaska! Josh always made me feel like it was kind of an overkill carrier...I was finally vindicated! In fact, we ended up buying a second one since Anna didn't feel like walking much while we were in Alaska.

So after she snapped about a hundred pics of me and my family, Brittney managed to get Duncan out on the deck for pictures!

...just in time for the boat to take off again!  Haha! — ...just in time for the boat to take off again! Haha!

Since Josh needed a race for June/July anyway, we went ahead and signed him and Brittney up for a mud run in Alaska!

I'm kind of bummed I didn't do it too...it looked like a lot of fun!

The kids, Duncan, and I made a great cheering section though!  :) — The kids, Duncan, and I made a great cheering section though! :)

The day before Josh's family arrived, we found time for one more hike.  JoeJoe had already gotten there with Bodie (they drove the Alaska HIghway), so we left the kids with him and Josh, Brittney and I set out to conquer Flat Top! — The day before Josh's family arrived, we found time for one more hike. JoeJoe had already gotten there with Bodie (they drove the Alaska HIghway), so we left the kids with him and Josh, Brittney and I set out to conquer Flat Top!

Brittney had really talked this hike up and made it sounds pretty awesome...she was right.  We had a blast! — Brittney had really talked this hike up and made it sounds pretty awesome...she was right. We had a blast!

And since there were a ton of people hiking it, there wasn't much of a chance of encountering a bear...always a bonus in my book!

We spent the second half of the trip with Josh's family!

And as usual, Anna was super excited to get to spend time with all of her cousins!!

JoeJoe and Bodie drove all the way from Texas so they could bring all of the bikes up for us!

We did a nice ride around Lake Eklutna, and stopped for a little while so the kids could try to fill the lake up with rocks.   :) — We did a nice ride around Lake Eklutna, and stopped for a little while so the kids could try to fill the lake up with rocks. :)

Bodie tried teaching Sadie how to skip one.

Josh's cousin Erica came along too!  Although, I'm sure she probably wishes she'd gotten a different RV assignment since my kids didn't sleep so great the whole time we were there...  "/ — Josh's cousin Erica came along too! Although, I'm sure she probably wishes she'd gotten a different RV assignment since my kids didn't sleep so great the whole time we were there... "/

The kids loved the RV's!  We did a lot of coloring! — The kids loved the RV's! We did a lot of coloring!

Wallace tried to learn to drive, but only managed to succeed in honking the RV horn with his chest and driving everyone crazy!  :) — Wallace tried to learn to drive, but only managed to succeed in honking the RV horn with his chest and driving everyone crazy! :)

A bunch of the kids decided to play in this tree the last day we were at this camp site, and it was overcast, which made for some really great pictures!

Still can't believe I managed to get pictures of Cy smiling!  :) — Still can't believe I managed to get pictures of Cy smiling! :)

Sadie even got in on the climbing action.

Anna had such a good time playing with Dillon!

We spent one last night with Brittney and Duncan before our flight out, which was great because it gave the kids more time to play in Maddy's kennel.  :) — We spent one last night with Brittney and Duncan before our flight out, which was great because it gave the kids more time to play in Maddy's kennel. :)

Good thing Maddy liked them!  :)  I was so impressed with her.  At one point I caught Wallace with a super tight grip on her face, and she was just sitting there looking at me like "get this kid off me!!!"  I rewarded her with so… — Good thing Maddy liked them! :) I was so impressed with her. At one point I caught Wallace with a super tight grip on her face, and she was just sitting there looking at me like "get this kid off me!!!" I rewarded her with some Poptart!

We loved out Alaska visit, but I can honestly say it felt good to get home.  :) — We loved out Alaska visit, but I can honestly say it felt good to get home. :)

Just a few other random pics...

Josh and Wallace, waiting on the glacier tour boat.

Anna helping me make tortillas our last night in Alaska.  What a bittersweet evening....so glad to be headed home, but so bummed to be saying goodbye to Brittney and Duncan...  :( — Anna helping me make tortillas our last night in Alaska. What a bittersweet evening....so glad to be headed home, but so bummed to be saying goodbye to Brittney and Duncan... :(

The amazing creamy banana pie that Josh and I had at a restaurant in Hope...that Wallace would actually eat!  So, we bought the recipe and Brittney and I made it! — The amazing creamy banana pie that Josh and I had at a restaurant in Hope...that Wallace would actually eat! So, we bought the recipe and Brittney and I made it!

I'm pretty sure Dillon hates my camera.  He usually scowls at me when he notices I'm trying to take a picture of him.  "/ — I'm pretty sure Dillon hates my camera. He usually scowls at me when he notices I'm trying to take a picture of him. "/

Anna met this big guy at the mud run.  She loved him! — Anna met this big guy at the mud run. She loved him!

Thanks so much for the trip Big Momma and JoeJoe!  It was awesome!!! — Thanks so much for the trip Big Momma and JoeJoe! It was awesome!!!