More in Alaska

We began the next day with a helicopter ride out to a glacier!  One of the highlights of the trip for all of us!

It was the first helicopter ride for Greg and the kids and I thought about how much my dad would have enjoyed seeing the kids going up in a helicopter!

Stunning views out the windows!  Greg and I took a cruise to Alaska in 2002 and have seen more of the world since then, but I still truly believe that Alaska is one of the most beautiful places God created.  It is just amazing!

We were out here about 40 minutes-the helicopters dropped us off-about 5 helicopters each trip-and went back to pick up the next groups of people.  When they returned the pilots dropped off the new crowd and took us back.

It was COLD!  I thought it felt great!  Ashley was almost in tears by the time we left but I wanted to join the glacier guides who were planning to spend the night out on the glacier the next week!

We had boots and walking sticks, which Scott and Ryan would have spent days out there poking at the ice on the glacier!

The guides were very careful about safety instructions-here is one holding tightly to Scott as he leaned over looking into a crevass that was about 300 feet deep and you could hear the water rushing below us!

Just beautiful!

The blue flag behind us is the state flag of Alaska

A snow blower on the front of a train in Skagway-our first port.  They still use this sometimes.

We walked around town just a little and went back to the ship for a short nap before lunch and the afternoon excursion.

Our afternoon excursion was a dog musher's camp

We were taken for a ride in their summer sled and got to meet and pet the dogs!  The kids all LOVED it and are even more excited now than they were before about getting a dog when we move home to stay.

This was the 4 wheel drive vehicle that we rode in to the upper part of the musher's camp where the dogs train. 

In the lower part of the camp, we learned a little about the Iditarod race, had hot chocolate, and got to meet some puppies!

Ashley is fascinated with dandelions since they don't grow here in Manila!

Just like a hamster wheel!

That night we got to meet Captain Jack Sparrow!  He was great-had down all the mannerisms from the movies!

Dinner was at a fun restaurant where everything started out all in black and white

then Mickey the sorcerer came out partway through and added color!

boys enjoying dessert!

The next day we enjoyed whale watching on a boat and walking through a rainforest.  Our guides told us to look for a golf ball on a brown fence post and we would find a bald eagle!  It was a great hint!  The kids had a scavenger hunt that was lots of fun.

On the boat was a notebook with all the whale tails that had been seen and names for them.  They are individual just like our fingerprints!  It was a great trip!  We even got to see a mommy and baby whale out for a swim.

We saw seals too!

on the beach after our walk through the rainforest

We had an amazing lunch in a local sandwich shop recommended by our tour guides

We could have taken a tram car up Mount Roberts but it was cloudy and foggy at the top so we didn't think we'd be able to see much.

We met Mike W. Buzz, and Woody that night!