Alaska Vacation - Arrival and Day 1!!

My 20 year high school reunion was last week!!  My family hasn't been to Alaska (where I was born and raised) since 2011.  Tim hasn't been back since we moved from there back in 2003, 2 months after we were married!

Friday:

In the car and ready to go for the hour and a half drive to the Atlanta Airport!

On the tram to our terminal!

Waiting to board our plane!

I've never had an issue with seat assignments when purchasing through Travelocity.  But the tickets I chose on Delta through them gave all of us middle seats.  The lady at the counter told us that it was because we purchased "economy basic" those ALWAYS get middle seats.  They couldn't move us around because the flight was full and the passengers that were in the aisle and window seats paid extra money for them.  We were hoping someone might offer to switch with at least Cale so he could sit near one of us but it ended up not being too huge of an issue.

Kennedie was right behind me!

The lady in the window seat offered to switch with Cale so he could look out the window.

Kennedie hates take off and landing so usually she will hold either Tim's or my hand (whoever she is sitting with) but since she was behind me I had to break my arm through the seat to hold it!

We used the Delta GoGo entertainment app again and I watched "Sound of Music" during the flight.

Cale refused to sleep on the flight into Seattle.  So he crashed and burned on the hour long layover in Seattle.

Finally got to sit together on the flight to Anchorage.  Tim sat across the aisle!

Saturday:

We got into Anchorage at 130am Saturday morning (which was 530am Atlanta time!) so we took a quick powernap and woke up at 530ish.  While we were waiting for our baggage the night before I picked up some of the tourism magazines to make sure that we hit all the new fun stuff that has popped up that I don't know about!  So Cale begrudgingly woke up and was circling stuff that looked interesting to him.

Then he went right back to sleep on the couch.

We went to pick my mom up down the road (we stayed at a family friends house that had room for all of us) and went to Denny's for breakfast.  Kennedie ordered grits - but they came out with mashed potato consistency.  #southerngirlproblems

I refused to eat out every night we were in town (mostly because Alaska is a tourist trap in the summer so everything is EXPENSIVE!).  So we went to the commissary and got a couple nights worth of dinners, lunches, breakfasts, case of water and some veggie drinks for Tim.

We came back to the house I grew up in, I should note that I haven't been back to this house since 2011 and my dad was still alive.  I found this note that he left when I was still living there, made me smile.

My mom was dog sitting my niece's dog so Tim was snuggling with her.

We went to the famous "Moose's Tooth" pizza.  This place is delicious and ALWAYS busy!

Apparently my mom had no clue to smile when I said "1,2,3 cheese!"

He said the pizza was delicious!!!

Then we went to Dave and Busters for dinner and met with my nephews.  It was in the mall where I used to work at this Gap Kids.

Cale said he has never been to a Dave and Busters - so he was PUMPED!

Sunday:

Sunday we went to Church with my mom.

Outside the church.

We went to Alaska Wild Berry products so Kennedie could see the chocolate waterfall.

Cale had a friend move away recently and her nickname is "Moose" so he took every picture of every moose he could to send to her!

Time change was kicking her butt!

Grandma offered to buy them each an Alaska shirt and he wanted a hat instead.  He wore this almost every day of the trip!

He loves helping my mom, always opening the door for her to get in, getting her scooter walker in and out of the car when she needs it...she'll miss his red carpet treatment when he is gone!

This is a "Rock Man" - the Eskimos used for hunting and navigating purposes.

Then I just started driving around.  We drove toward the place where Tim and me met 17 years ago.  Yes we met in a bar - I never thought I would say I met my husband in a BAR, but yes that's my story and I'm proud of it.

This is the actual dance floor where I motioned for him to come and dance with me, apparently my "come hither" eyes weren't working and I was frustrated so I pointed at him and told him to come to me.

Months later on the second floor of the bar on this corner is where he told me he loved me for the first time!

Then he wanted to check a box on his "Alaska Bucket List" - a beer and salmon spread from Humpy's.

The salmon spread is SO GOOD!

We went back to my mom's house and I showed Cale the creek that flows between our street, and that I used to play around it in the summer time with my friends.  Also I did a lot of "thinking" on a rock that sits right there.

Of course these goobers had to get in and see just how cold it was.  They said it's so cold it stings and is WAY colder than the springs they get into!  (It's over grown but the "thinking rock" is what Tim is holding on to)

My house is right behind me and the creek is right where the white van is parked.  ALOT of our summers were focused around that creek.  We even fished in the creek and caught little minnow's.

The house I grew up in.  When I was growing up there were two HUGE trees that covered the house - so it was strange to see them gone.

My niece finally got back from her fishing trip and came over, her daughter is 7 and is the same height as Cale.  They became FAST friends and it was great for them to get to know each other!

Visit to San Antonio

 Unfortunately the reason for the visit was not a happy one.  My Grandma  lived to 99 and she passed about 3 weeks ago.  Most of our family is military/civilian workers so they planned the memorial over Veterans day weekend because most of our family had Monday off already.  I loved living in Texas for the 3 years the army had us there.  My sister only lived about 2 hours from us so we went into San Antonio frequently.  So I was excited to see some of my favorite places!!!

 This guy laid the guilt on strong Thursday morning.  I was able to go to work for part of the day so they knew they wouldn't see me after school until I came home Monday night.

Sulkingly taking my bag to the car for me.

I left work around 2 because Atlanta traffic in the afternoon can be horrendous!  It ended up not being bad AT ALL.

 I have NEVER noticed these wildflowers along the highway, and especially not in November!

 I always take a picture of where I park my car,

 and what door I enter the airport through.  Helps me get back to my car quicker when I return.

Somehow I got in the wrong security line, got to the front and she said "uh you are in TSA pre-check, you need to be in the other line" so I waited in another security line, thank god I got there as early as I did.

I read in a blog once that the way to get around bringing your own water into places was to bring an empty water bottle (security won't flag it either!) and fill it up at a water fountain.  I've done that at every airport I've been too since and it helps me avoid $5 water bottles once I get through security! I was able to find a restaurant in the airport that I could stick to my Keto diet with.  I had Asian seamed vegetables and bourbon chicken for my dinner.  I ate it while I was waiting to board.

 The weather stayed like this in Georgia and Texas all weekend.  I didn't think I would need anything more than my light hoodie as a jacket, and I was WAY wrong in that assumption.  The wind killed me!

 Found out ATL airport had free WiFi - logged in and downloaded two Netflix movies to watch on my 2 hour flight.

 I didn't bring a regular iPhone charger cord and box.  I brought two of these external chargers and it's usb-c charging cord.  This charger (bought at Walmart for $10 gives my iPhone two full charges before it dies)  So while one was re-charging one portable, I was using the other to charge my phone and I didn't have to worry about sitting near a plug in. We have like 7 of these things, they are GREAT!

 Remembered I forgot to do the kids schedule before I left for the airport so I quickly did it before I boarded the plane.  Monday was his day to logistically plan getting the kids places - but it was cut off.

 

Yay I'm finally able to board!  I paid the extra $15 with frontier to be able to ensure that I was sitting in an aisle seat.  If you are ok with them choosing or aren't traveling with anyone else you can skip paying the fee.  (you can also pay $30-$35 to have extra leg room - I have long legs and had no problem with my leg room) 

My first stop friday morning was Taco Cabana - my favorite place to get breakfast taco's in Texas.  SO worth my cheat with that tortilla!!!!

 

We headed out for some shopping after breakfast and stopped at California Pizza kitchen.  My sister is doing a form of Keto - but it's a little different.  She told me I wasn't allowed to leave without trying the cauliflower crusted pizza.  I won't lie - I don't eat cauliflower - but this was DELICIOUS and had she not told me i would have thought it was a thin crusted pizza.

 

 The waitress was really sweet and gave us a free slice of pumpkin cheesecake!  It was SO GOOD!  I made everyone eggroll skillet for dinner and we just chilled at the house the rest of the night.

 Saturday my niece had a volleyball practice so they left my brother in laws car for us to take.  We went to Chili's for lunch and I got to watch my Fort Benning Team put on a great NFL on Fox show!!

 Saturday was the day of my grandmas memorial. I think 1990 was the last time all of us cousins were together.  My grandma had 3 girls that resulted in 8 grandchildren (2 of my sisters passed before I was born).  This might be the only time we get a picture like this.  The sibling sets are on the ends of the group and the bearded guy in the middle is an only child.  I should point out that I am considerably younger than my sisters/cousins.  I was totally an oops and my mom had me when she was 39 and my dad 49, my sisters were 13 and 18 when i was born.  I'm totally ok with it, UNTIL it means they get more time with family because they are older.  I won't lie when I was 31 and my dad passed away I was angry because they got more time with him than I did.  My mom is super lucky she is 76 and her mom was still alive!!

This is all the grandkids and the great grandkids that were able to come.

All of these people were directly related to my grandma.  (there is a picture of my sisters, me and my mom but no one knows who's phone it's on!)

 Ya'll my grandma and grandpa were so cute!!!

 I believe this is their wedding photo!

These two pictures were from my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary party in San Diego.  I'm in the top picture - obviously the little girl in the white dress in the front!

 

This was at dinner after the memorial.  All the family gathered at this restaurant.

 

Ya'll these tortillas get me everytime.  I only ate one but it was SO WORTH it!

We came home and played that game where you have to talk with these things in your mouth, I can't remember what it's called!!  It was hilarious and we had a TON of laughs!!!

 Sunday afternoon we made my dad's christmas cookies.  My dad was well known in our community for these cookies.  I used to come to my older sisters house to make them when I was living in Texas.  It was awesome that all three of us could honor him and make them together.  I'm holding the actual scoop he used when he made them, that my middle sister brought with her.

 Ready to go in the oven!!!

We had some time Sunday afternoon and I found out that my sister had a Clothes Mentor .8 miles from her house!!  It was a tiny one but I was able to get two dresses for $10.  We went to dinner at Pluckers Sunday night and there was another one and I told her that it looked bigger and it would probably be worth a peek when she was in the area!

 Monday we all were getting ready to leave.  I went to HEB to get my tortillas because nothing beats Texas home-style tortillas.

 My niece and nephew!

 My flight left at 6 and my mom's and sisters (back to Alaska) left at 655 so since I didn't have to check my bag we got to the airport at around 430.  Thanks to my mom needing wheelchair service we all got to go through the quicker line!  Here is all our stuff about to go through the x-ray.  There is one more bag on the floor just out of the picture.  We were definitely a production getting everything into the correct bins!!  I should note.  My tortilla's got flagged.  When they pulled it to the inspection area - I said "it's probably my tortilla's I have in there" sure enough the image came up and showed three round packages.  He inspected and told me to enjoy them!

In ATL they only have wall chargers and you really have to scope them out and rush to them before someone else sees them.  In SAT they had these right under the waiting room seats!  I sat with my mom and sister for about 30 minutes before it was about to be time to board my flight then I walked from their A6 gate to my A2.  It really worked out great!

 On the plane ready to take off.  Ya'll this flight was the most turbulent flight I have EVER been on.  Like not just a little jiggle - full on throwing me side to side.  Normally turbulence doesn't bug me, I won't lie it was getting a little nervous!

Looked up my pictures on where I was to get out and found my way to my car.  This is the rideshare waiting area.  The bright yellow lights are warmers!  How nice is that, that you can wait and be somewhat warm!!!  Because when I was walking outside I could see my breath!!!

Excited to be warm in my car - and headed home!!!

It was hard waking up and getting ready for work today.