Team Tully: ALASKA - tears in your eyes Beautiful!

(Nothing is in order. I've had this blog for how many years? Sometimes it does exactly what I want. Sometimes it does exactly what it wants. It will be a non-chronological photo trip. Deep breaths. "You get what you get....." )

ALASKA!!!!! One of my very favorite, if not my very favorite (struggling to come up with a more favorite), place that I have ever been. The beauty alone puts it at the top of my list. Alaska. Truly the last frontier. L and Luke tease me because I often talk about my love for "wide open spaces" (Melanie has already cued the Dixie Chicks). There is something about wide open spaces that thrills me, amazes me, pulls me in without any resistance. Alaska is full of wide open spaces. The introvert (yes, it is in there) in me loves the concept of solitude and a vastness. BEAUTIFUL. We have a million pictures (only a slight exaggeration). These are just a handful (a big handful). There will be another post with another handful. You're welcome OR I'm sorry - however you want to look at it. We explored Alaska (and a day in Canada) for 7 days aboard a beautiful cruise ship, on foot, by train, by shuttle, and by plane. We wandered and we wondered and those things matter so very much to Team Tully. And even better, even more amazing, was that we got to wander and wonder with FAMILY! L and I always talk about how our families really are amazing! We are so grateful to come from such loving backgrounds and we are incredibly thankful to have the life stories that we do! Our wish is always to be able to provide Luke with a life story of his own that he values, loves, and is proud of. Thank you, Alaska for bringing a family together to be a part of your wide open spacious beauty! We made memories to last a lifetime. Our life stories are truly incredible!! LOVE!!

Ima and Sheshy. This trip would not be possible without them. They are kind, generous, loving, and beautiful human beings. They always say that J, L, and H are their Joy, Love, and Happiness but it is really them that give all of that to us! We love you!

J = 10

L = 9

H = 7.5

An Alaskan Sunrise. This was on Day 1 because the time difference meant that Team Tully was up around 3am which worked out well to catch the sunrise, at 3am!!! Sunset was around 10pm daily.

Ketchikan, AK

The Ketchikan Lumberjack show....full of humor and kitsch and just perfect for the kids, and L! HA!!!

Breakfast Buddies. There was always an amazing view to greet us!

Ketchikan

Fresh salmon for the daily win!!

Making our way up the Tracy Arm Fjord

Icebergs!

The crew

This is on the cruise ship!! Real grass! These cruise ships never cease to amaze me.

Waterfall adjacent to Mendenhall Glacier outside of Juneau, AK

Trying to hit the iceberg with pebbles. See the outfits? Icebergs floating by while we were in shorts and t-shirts. The weather on the entire trip was phenomenal! Blue skies and not a drop of rain. We were so lucky!

Mendenhall Glacier

Morning mist. Eerie and Gorgeous

On the train in Skagway to travel the White Pass through the Yukon Territory

What an amazing trip. The scenery was unbelievable and the history of the gold rush amazed the kids and adults alike. We talked a lot about risk. Would you risk your livelihood at the CHANCE of finding gold? Those who did make that risk traveled this very route (on foot) and it was a true honor to hear their stories and to see the topography that they crossed in hopes of striking it rich. History lessons are so much more valuable when you can put yourself in the explorers shoes. Amazing!

White Pass

We are at the top of the White Pass, in Canada.

Sunset - around 10pm

H and L on a ship wide scavenger hunt!

The ship had a paper airplane contest. L got third place!

Deck 14 wind!!!

Mit, L, and I did a galley tour. These stacked plate covers made my organizational heart so happy!

Ketchikan

Mendenhall Glacier in the background

Mit and the kids checking out the explorers table at Mendenhall. One of the best purchases we have ever made for Luke is the National Park passport. He was able to get quite a few new stamps on our trip and we hope he will continue to fill those pages with stamps and stories and memories.

Back to the White Pass train ride (seriously out of order). This is the border between the US and Canada. There is the US flag, Alaska flag, Yukon Territory flag, British Columbia flag, and the Canadian flag. Beautiful!! Harmonious!

White Pass scenery

Skagway lessons with Ima :-)

Silent Disco on the ship. A GENIUS and hilarious idea!!!!

J and L working on their selfie scavenger hunt! HA!

Luke turned 9 on this cruise! Nothing like turning 9 in Alaska, right? Lucky kid! Speaking of lucky...on the menu on his birthday....lobster!! This seafood loving kid was in heaven! His meal...2 shrimp cocktail appetizers, 2 lobster tail entrees, creme brûlée, and a surprise birthday treat from the waitstaff. LUCKY

My favorite (not so) little guy! Happy Birthday, Luke!

REWIND....Our trip started in Seattle, that is where we all flew to and where we all met up. We walked around the city with trips to Pike Place market, the gum wall, and we took a mini detour to get this gem of a photo...Tully's Coffee. Luke acting like he had something to do with its existence. HA!

The always fun and more than slightly gross Wall of Gum! We all took part in leaving our mark so to speak. LOVE these kids!!!

A rooftop scene in Seattle. Some of my very favorite people all lined up.

Cruise Day! The excitement is palpable.

Seattle souvenirs in hand and ready to make our way to the ship!

We just arrived on the ship and obviously a embarkation selfie was in order. You know you are living the high life when you are handed champagne when you get on! LOVE this crew!

Initial tour of the ship. A stop on the pool deck hammocks. These kids have no idea how fortunate they are!

Bye, Seattle

Luke's view each morning. Sunrise. (we weren't up everyday at 3am)

The pool attendant is in a hat and gloves. L and J are swimming.

My favorite duo.

As one of my friends said...its is SO obvious that they share DNA. :-) The kids were so well behaved and so appreciative on this cruise. They were polite and respectful and I think they had an amazing time being together.

Team Tully

Shesh and Luke. Two peas in a pod

Ketchikan

Tracy Arm Fjord...approaching a deadend. The glacier at the end of this fjord is where the ship stopped and proceeded to do "donuts" (360 degree turns) so the we could all see the massive glacier up close and in detail. A few pieces even calved off while we were there. The trip up the fjord alone was breathtaking but to be this close to a glacier was absolutely amazing. Views I will never forget!

Sheshy won a free glass making class! (his good luck with winning things is uncanny). Ima and H made this gorgeous glass starfish! How awesome is that?! Such a cool experience