Row, Row, Row Your Boat

We had scheduled a kayaking trip for Thursday of our vacation, but had to reschedule for the following day because I realized 30 minutes before we needed to leave to go to the Landing for our trip, that I had lost my license, credit cards and some cash the day before - after we returned from our Gilligan Tour...Abnormal amounts of stress and anxiety consumed me because all I was thinking about was how the heck was I gonna get through security at the airport without my ID?  Thankfully Andy grabbed the envelope with the kids birth certificates in them, which also contained mine, as well as both of my social security cards!  But what a pain!  Retracing steps, visiting the dock stores, harbormaster, police station all in hopes that someone had turned it in.  Then calls to the credit card companies to cancel the cards and get replacements.  Calls to TSA to find out if and how I could get back home in just a few more days.  I'm grateful to my husband who just took charge of the situation while I wallowed in my own anxiety.

So to take a kayaking trip, just the two of us, after all the craziness was dealt with, was such a great reward.  It was wonderful traveling with my parents because they were willing babysitters!  We took a water taxi across the bay to Humpy Cove.  It was such a beautiful morning.  The sun was shining and it was actually pretty warm (for Alaska standards) in the cove.  

The scenery would have been enough to relax this stressed out mom, but we were blessed with the opportunity to see lots of incredible wildlife as well!

This is the direction we started in - towards Orca Island

There are these cute little yurts where you can book overnight kayaking trips - if we get to go back to Seward, this is on our list of things to do, along with kayaking to some of the glaciers

Lots of little ducks around without a momma in sight

Getting closer to the yurts - it was so nice, quiet and peaceful there.  I could picture myself on the deck of one of the yurts while enjoying a morning cup of tea

To my surprise, there were starfish on the reefs in this little cove!  We also saw a few jellyfish floating around and came across some harbor porpoise while we were there!

 My handsome kayaking partner - we booked a tandem so it would be easier for me to take pictures

Here's the little harbor seal we came across in our adventure.  He was so cute!

Isn't this just incredible scenery?  We were headed to a waterfall that our tour group was getting out to hike back to, but Andy and I decided we'd rather just paddle around than go see a waterfall, and luckily we did because we came across 4 little river otters playing!

These guys were so cute and much more fun to watch than seeing a waterfall!

They were so playful!  Otters are one of my favorite animals (along with dolphins)!

One actually swam under our kayak and popped up to take a closer look at us!

Such curious little guys

I think I could have watched them all day!

The water was so calm and the view so breathtaking!

I was sad to see our time come to an end

We then paddled back to shore just in time for the water taxi to pick us up and take us back across the bay.  If you ever get the chance to get to Alaska and have the time for a kayaking trip, the Humpy Cove/Orca Island trip via Miller's Landing is one to consider!  I think this was my most favorite thing to do while in Alaska!

Invaded By Princesses

We finally had a friend birthday party for Kendall this year.  Last year we just celebrated with our Utah family but this year we decided it was time to invite all her little friends over to the house.  She decided she wanted a princess themed party, big surprise there, huh?  We started a list of friends she wanted to invite and once we started writing down all the names, the list was quite long.  We didn't realize how blessed we are to have so many friends (because the mommies of her friends are my dear friends, so we both won!)

She talked about her birthday party the entire week as I was busy preparing for it.  I only had 3 days after we returned from Alaska to get it all ready, but thankfully it all came together in time!

We started off her party with everyone playing dress up and playing in our playroom.  Afterwards we moved the party into the kitchen where we had some crafts to work on.  We decorated princess mirrors and created beautiful beaded bracelets for the girls to wear.  I also made felt crowns for all the girls to wear at the party which you will notice in the pictures below.

Decorating our princess mirrors

Coloring and foam stickers

Thankful for helpful Mommas

Eating our princess food - heart shaped finger sandwiches, chocolate covered strawberries, fruit kabobs, pretzels, bugles and raspberry lemonade to drink

Fruit kabobs are always a favorite of Kendall's

Brooklyn is such a natural in front of the camera

Kendall requested pink princess cupcakes.  Whew!  I thought I was going to end up having to make another doll cake like last year! 

 Trying to come up with a birthday wish

Blowing out the candle - love Natalie's enthusiasm in the background!

Such a happy little princess!

LET THEM EAT CAKE!

Yum!

Bailey loved showing off her icing mustache!

Avery eating her cupcake like a little princess

Princess Katelyn didn't like the paparazzi

The princess throne

Adelyn enjoyed the icing

Finally time to open presents!

Noelle was a helpful friend

She just opened a princess card - check out that smile!

Princess Katelyn didn't realize I was taking her picture!

Our little princess in training

Each of the girls took home a bag of goodies with wands, ring pops and earrings as well as a homemade princess picture frame and their mirrors, bracelets, and crowns.  Kendall was thrilled that all of her little friends could come to her party.  It was great seeing her smile all morning and having such a good time.  I'm so happy that her first friend birthday party went so well.  We are both so blessed to have such great friends here in Utah!

What Is A Little Girl?

She's a bundle of sweetness,

Brightness and fun

The beauty of springtime,
The warmth of the sun

She's innocence covered with mud,
Sand and soot

She's motherhood
Dragging a doll by the foot

She's the composite picture
Of giggles and tears

Of trantrums, excitement,
Amusement and fears

A bundle of michief
And often a tease

A creature of moods,
Not easy to please

Who'll capture your heart
With her pixie-like grin

Or chatter and beg
Till your patience wears thin

But obedient, naughty,
Mischievous or coy

She's Mom's little darling
And Dad's pride and joy

Happy 3rd Birthday Sissy!

A New Car For Me Because I'm 3!

Kendall's third birthday fell over our Alaska trip so we celebrated there with some cake and with my family.  It was fun to see her get so excited over a Ballerina Barbie cake from the local grocery store!  My parents gave her a "Birthday Girl" shirt that she insisted on wearing the entire day!  

Look at that smile!

Thinking about what to wish for

When we arrived home her present was waiting to be picked up at our local Wally World.  To say she was excited when she saw me get it out of the box would be an understatement.  The girl was beyond happy to finally get her Barbie car.  It's a pink convertible Ford Mustang - I would have loved the same thing at her age, but maybe in red and without all the Barbie stickers on it!

Here we are trying assemble all the pieces

Riley contemplating the directions

Both of them trying to help Momma work

Getting closer

Just waiting for stickers and the battery to be charged

Ready to roll!

Thank you to all who helped contribute to this birthday gift for Kendall.  She loves it but I've requested Andy give her driving lessons.  She drives like she walks - she looks down at her hub cabs instead of at the road!  When she walks around in "pretty" shoes, she looks over her shoulder down at them so she can see herself walk in the shoes!  She's already run her car into the neighbor's garage door!  I'm not ready to teach a 3 yr. old how to drive so since I had to assemble the car, Dad can teach her how to drive it!