Our Alaska Vacation-Denali

Sorry for the delay in posting.  I'll just claim ADD and move on from there!  R and I decided to take a family camping trip before he left for JRTC in Louisiana. It was a tough decision but we ended up going back up to Denali and then to Fairbanks.

 Our campsite in Denali was really fun great and much better than I imagined!

 My little ham!  I'm so glad one of my children don't mind getting their picture taken.

Photo by surprise!  The only way to get one with Ian actually looking at the camera!  Stinker!

 My little National Park Rangers getting sworn in!  They love this stuff!  

 D didn't want to give the hat back!  He's such a character.

 Mama and a baby moose.  I love those things!

 R and his boys!  I just love these guys!

 My little goofballs and I.  It's so peaceful out there, even with the boys!

 D looks like he's wrestling this tree down!  He's so tough looking with that hair cut!  And he likes it that way!

 It's amazing how fast they grow!

I love it when my husband takes pictures when I'm annoyed or frustrated, it's so faltering!  

Finally got to see something other than moose in Denali!  You would have thought I was a kid at Christmas!  Very cool caribou!

Hiking Mt. Baldy with the boys

So Ryan and I have been dying to get out and hike Baldy (a little info about it is at the bottom). This is a local mountain that is very popular and a fun hike. We decided that we would see how far we could get with the boys in tow. I really didn't think we would get all the way to the top but once again those boys surprised me! The start was a little rocky with lots of whining and tears, keep in mind that this was about 200 yards from the car! But Ryan and I pushed them on and they really got into it!

This was about half way up and they were doing awesome! After all, Ian was "born to climb", or so he claims.

Almost there and complete with M&M stops!

They boys and I above Eagle River! Amazing and kinda chilly!

Cutie boys!

My guys! Love them!

Amazing views and great family time! One the way back down it was harder on us then going up the mountain. Toward the bottom of the mountain Declan was hitting his legs and saying that his legs were "cranky". Their poor little muscles probably never worked that hard. They were such troopers!

When we got home they wanted to play outside for a little bit and they both hobbled across the cul-de-sac. They are awesome and they continue to amaze me!

Trail Statistics & Information

Activity Type:	Hiking
Nearby City:	Eagle River
Length:	7 total miles
Elevation Gain:	2,700 feet
Trail Type:	Out-and-back
Skill Level:	Moderate; rough trail, alpine tundra
Duration:	4 to 6 hours
Season:	Best in the summer months
Top Elevation:	4,446 feet
Local Contacts:	Chugach State Park

Alyeska with the family

Before Grandma and Grandpa left we wanted to get them out to Alyeska to hike on the Winner Creek Trail (which we love) and take advantage of the Groupon (also love) we got for the tram. It was a very rainy day but still fun and we learned that gummy bears and mini marshmallows help our boys move on the trail when they start to get tired! It was a 5 mile hike and the boys were champs! I love my little hiker boys!

Diane, Declan, and I up on the mountain in the avalanche zone...yep, it's June!

Ryan's parents in the misty mountains.

My super hiker boys!

The Dall sheep we saw on our way home! So close and so cool!

And this is were we ended our day and ate dinner! Yummy southern BBQ, fried okra, sweet tea, and banana pudding! OH MY!

The 2011 Iditarod in Willow, AK

Yesterday we decided to check out the start of the Iditarod in Willow, AK for the first time since we got here. It is quite an event and something we just had to experience! I'm so glad it was an amazingly beautiful day and warm for this time of year (27 degrees!).

It was quite a hike from the car to the starting point of the race so we opted for the sled for the boys. They loved it! Made for much less whining!

The characters there were fun to watch! Check out the guy behind me with the fur hat! I'm sure the anti-fur people would have had a nervous break down here! And check out the next picture! That is what I thought was Chewbacca but it's just some guy in a fur suit! Oh Alaska!

Of course...the dogs!

Riding in style. The limo of snow machines.

This was the only musher I could get a good picture of. It's #3 Ray Redington Jr. from Wasilla AK. He's currently in 6th place.

They boys squeezed a spot to watch the mushers go by.

Did I mention that this is all taking place on a giant frozen lake! I think that's so cool!

Nothing like some hot dogs to make the day even better for the boys!

The mountains of snow in the parking lot were totally irresistible to the boys!

Gorgeous mountain view on the amazingly clear day! BEAUTIFUL!

Skiing Kincaid and Russian Jack

So, I found these on our other camera this morning. This was our second attempt at taking the boys our skiing. Keep in mind that it was maybe 7 degrees outside without the wind chill and we should have just found something inside to do. But we so wanted to take advantage of Ryan's day off!

It was beautifully clear, check out Sleeping Lady! So gorgeous!

Declan was his normal self, pushing through the cold and skiing with daddy!

Ian on the other hand was not that easy going! Thank God only one of them have a meltdown at a time! But this is how Ian spent most of this outing and then continued to have a fit in the van. Talk about trying my patience!

Yesterday was very, very different and quite a success if I do say so myself. First off, the temperature was about 27, which is significantly warmer than the past two ski outings with the boys. Secondly, we did snacks before we went out rather than after. Last but not least, the promise of sledding after we were done skiing was rather a good one! Thank goodness!

Declan was a trooper as usual. I think he skies better than I do with no poles! But when he's done, he really enjoys falling on purpose and trying to teach them to get up on their own is trying, to say the least!

Ian's still trying to get the hang of getting up on his own, but at least he's happy doing it this time!

Even if we stop for a minute, Declan will just keep going. This time he was waiting for us. Such a sweet boy.

Since I got a good video of Declan the first time I figured I'd try to get one of Ian this time. He was in such a good mood and enjoying himself! Of course, Declan has to ask his usual question of every place we go! Enjoy!

Bee Hunters and Other Fun Stuff

Declan is definitely more into pretending than I remember Ian being into and his favorite accessories are straight from the kitchen. This day he was a "bee hunter"! To see how his brain works would be amazing and probably frightening at the same time! Nothing like trying to clean and be productive when you have such a creative child to distract you.

After he was done he decided to help me clean! If only I could get this much cooperation with the picking up of their toys!

Ian saw us having "so much fun" cleaning that he needed to be a part of it too! I'm telling you, this is such a freak act of cleanliness that I am so glad that I took pictures to prove it actually happened and it wasn't just a dream I had!

And this is the scene when it's time to put jammies on! Any given day it varies who is doing what but this particular night it was Ian the muscle man and Declan as Mr. Whiney Pants.