Land of the Midnight Sun

I spent this last week in Alaska. When we left Portland, it was dark, but when we landed in Anchorage, the sun was already coming up even though it was still night time. Mommy, Daddy and I only got a couple hours of sleep once we got to the hotel. The next day we explored downtown Anchorage. There are a lot of buses where we were. We went to the Farmer's Market. Later that night, Mommy went out with some friends to something called a Bachelorette party while Daddy and I hung out together. We had sandwiches for dinner. Mommy came home really late that night, and I wanted to cuddle with her a lot before she went to sleep. By the time we fell back asleep, the sun was already rising.

The sun is a funny thing in Alaska. It is out almost all the time. It's in the sky when I go to sleep. It's still in the sky when I wake up in the middle of the night, and it's still up when I get up in the morning. Doesn't the sun get tired? Maybe it should let the moon out to play every once in a while.

Mommy's good friend Kari took us to a place called Big Game Alaska so we could see wild animals up close. I saw deer, moose, reindeer, musk ox, bears, owls, a fox, a porcupine, and an eagle. We also saw some eagles flying around in the sky while we drove around Alaska.

I took my very first bicycle ride on Monday. Daddy and Mommy rode a funny looking bicycle. It was longer than a regular bike and they both fit on it. I rode in a trailer on the back of the bike. It was much faster than the jogging stroller Daddy pushes me in when we run. We rode down the coast. Daddy says we went about 20 miles. He and Mommy were all sweaty after the ride, but it was so easy for me, I fell asleep.

We took a long drive to a huge mountain called Mt. McKinley, though the locals call it Denali, which means the Great One. It's really big. There were lots of other mountains around too. We hiked up one called Mt. Healy. We almost made it to the top but then a lightning and thunder storm started on the mountain top and Mommy decided it wouldn't be a good idea to go where the lightning is.

Another long drive led us down to Seward on the Kenai Penninsula. We hiked out to Exit Glacier, which was no small feat, even for Daddy's big feet. We had to cross a lot of melted glacial waters. It was very cold. Mommy thought her feet were going to freeze off. She said she couldn't feel her toes, but I don't know what she meant by that because I saw her hands touch them. The final pass through one of the streams had a strong current that almost knocked Mommy over. It's a good thing Daddy held me. He's much more stable. We touched the glacier. It was cold, like an ice cube.

Mommy's friend Kari got married to a nice boy named Eric. Their wedding was in Moose Pass. They got married at the edge of a lake and Eric's plane was floating in the water next to them. I have no idea how a plane stands on water. I can't even figure out how a plane gets in the air. Every time I get in water I sink, and every time I try to jump in the air I fall down. There are so many mysteries in this world.

Kari and Eric had a nice wedding. Kari looked like a princess. Eric looked very handsome. The ring bearer ran into the lake during the ceremony. It looked like fun. I wanted to join him, but Daddy wouldn't let me. I really liked the watermelon and the sparkling cider at the reception.

On our last day in Alaska we take another hike to another glacier. We didn't venture far enough to touch this one, but we played a little on the run-off stream nearby. The water was very cold. We also drove through the longest tunnel in North America on our way to a little town called Wittier. It was dark in the tunnel.

We also drove up to Flattop Mountain. There was a great view of Anchorage and some mountains and lots of water. The wind was strong so we didn't stay out long.

Then we went bowling. Bowling is a funny game. First you take your shoes off and put on a special pair of shoes that is only for bowling. Then you take a really heavy ball with three holes in it. You walk up to this long wood floor and roll the ball on the ground. If you are good you knock over these white stick things that are at the end of the wooden path. If you are like me you roll your ball... very slowly... into what bowlers call "the gutter." Then the ball disappears at the end and then pops up where you started and the white stick things stand back up again. Magic!

Finally, at the airport, Mommy and Daddy try very hard to get me to sleep. I try even harder to stay awake. We stayed at the airport for a long time. Then we were stuck on the plane for a long time before it took off. But eventually we made it back home to Portland. Now all I have to do is catch up on my sleep for my next vacation. I leave Saturday and I'll be in Arizona, Southern California, and Las Vegas.

Meanies

Today Mommy, Daddy, and I hosted a baby shower for our neighbors Brandon and Marisa. I did not see any showers or their baby. They keep telling me that the baby is in Marisa's belly, but I don't understand why a baby would stay in there when there is so much fun stuff to do outside.

Earlier today, Mommy and Daddy bought a large cardboard turtle. They said it was a "pin-ya-tah." I made good friends with the turtle. Later, at the baby shower, Daddy hung up the turtle on the large tree in our front yard. Then people started hitting the turtle with a stick. I cried, "NO!!!" But they kept on hitting my friend, the turtle. I tried to rescue him when he fell, but Daddy hung him up again. Marisa whacked off one of the legs. Then another leg fell off. Then Daddy hit him really hard and the entire body flew off. I screamed. My buddy was dead.

But I suppose all was not lost. Instead of bleeding red stuff, candy came out of him. I ate a candy bar. Daddy said it was the turtle's spleen. Whatever it was it sure tasted good.