Cruisin to Alaska

We just got back from our week long Alaska Cruise with all my siblings and spouses. We had a great week. We got up early (4:30 am) on Sunday and left at 5 am and drove with Patty and Hal to Seattle. We stopped for breakfast in LeGrande (yum, those Grandslamwiches are delish)and arrived in Seattle around noon. We got the car parked and were onboard the cruise ship by 1 pm. It was fun getting settled and reuniting with all my siblings. It was a beautiful day in Seattle and we had a gorgeous sailaway.
Monday was a day at sea so we relaxed and played trivia games (our family was determined to win so played every trivia game they offered, we finally won twice!)
and we ate, and ate, and ate. The food was delicious as usual. It was fun having dinner together every night in the formal dining room all seated together. We did lots of reminiscing.
Tuesday we spent in Ketchikan. The weather was a little rainy and cool, but it didn't stop us from sightseeing and shopping. We were even able to have our "rock picnic". I won a free facial from the spa drawing on the first day so I got back on board and had my facial. It was heavenly..
Wednesday morning we up at 6 am and cruised up Endicott arm and saw the glacier. It was really cold on deck so we put on everything we owned but it was beautiful.
Later that day we arrived in Juneau and we spent the afternoon going to the Mendenhall Glacier and then shopping. We saw a mama bear and her two bear cubs hidden up in the top of a tree and LOTS of salmon. It was so cool.
Thursday we were in Skaguay, Alaska. It was a little bit warmer day and Tom and I went to a museum and hiked up to a waterfall and had another picnic and then Tom went on another hike up to a lake and I shopped. Sister shopping is the BEST!!
Friday was another day at sea, so more relaxing and trivia playing. Saturday evening we arrived in Victoria, BC. We decided to go to Butchart Gardens, so half of us, John, Cindy, Pam and Roger and us, hired a taxi to take us out to the gardens.

It was so beautiful and so worth it! They have fireworks on Saturday nights so we stayed for the fireworks show. Even though it rained we could see the fireworks through our clear Butchart garden issued umbrellas. We got back to the cruise ship by 11 pm and sailed for Seattle at midnight. We, with Patty and Hal, were off the ship the next morning by 8 am and headed to church with John and Cindy at Ali and Justin's ward in Renton. After church Ali invited us over for chicken salad sandwiches. She was such a great hostess, having to prepare a meal for unexpected guests. It was fun seeing her and her cute family and their beautiful home.
We flew home Sunday afternoon. It was a wonderful and relaxing trip and such a nice way for me to take my mind off my missionary daughter ;)