Playing in Alaska

SUMMER. UGH. Gotta love it, gotta hate it.I often feel like each day is a race. It is a race to wake up on time, get the kids dressed, fed, and off to Daycare. It is a rush to make it through the day, get emails answered, humor tourists, get items priced, displayed, and sold, etc. Then it is a rush to clean the bathrooms in the courtyard (an extra job I picked up to make some extra money), pick up the kids from daycare, rush them home so I can cook dinner, give them a bath, and then finally put them into bed. THEN…I breathe again…until I pass out, and repeat it all the next day.

The other day we left work early and drove to Dyea (the next mountain valley over), and took with us a “picnic” dinner. It was very, very windy, so we ended up having the picnic in the back of our van. Still an awesome view, and great company 🙂

Who can resist these baby blues?

A next day was the 4th of July, and we took the WHOLE DAY OFF!! WOHOOO!!! Maiya walked with her buddy, Sierra, in the kiddie parade (before the larger parade), and Ella rode her bike that we decorated at the lat minute. She was very excited!

The temperature was soaring…we were in the 80’s, which is a VERY hot day in Alaska!

Here’s a photo of Ella on her bike with her friend, Lexi, who is living in Skagway for the summer. We are trying to convince her wonderful parents that they ought to choose Skagway over Ketchikan for their permanent destination. We are loosing the battle…but I’d like to believe it is only because Lexi’s Nana & Papa live in Ketchikan.

Ella and Maiya watching the adult parade. Here come the Canadian Mounties…

And sled dog team…

When Ella saw this character, she announced to me: “Mommy, that guy is an ‘American'” Yes, yes he is, sweetie.

A fourth of July in Skagway is unlike any other. We don’t do things the right way, or the wrong way–we just do them the SKAG-WAY. Here is our non-traditional “dump tank”:

In case you can’t tell, this event done by the local Fire Station features a skeleton sitting on a toilet. When someone hits the target (on the left hand side), the toilet flushes ice-cold glacier water onto the person seated below. Oh, Skagway.

We took the girls to the kiddie carnival, and let them wipe us out of $8.00. Yeah, it was a crazy splurge for us, but we’ve gotta live sometime…right?!

Afterwards, we returned home for a nap (intended for Maiya, but enjoyed by all) , and later set up the kid’s swimming pool in our front yard! (I must note that we did not break this out even once last summer, since it was a dreadfully cold and dreary summer)

And we even took them to the park later. I loooove this photo…

To keep on our mean-streak of having fun, we played hooky yesterday, and didn’t show up for work. Instead we slept in, and went on a few hikes with the girls.

We also decided (at the very last possible moment) to jump on a dog mushing tour. We took a bus over to Dyea, and the girls especially enjoyed the dog sled ride:

Maiya is in love with any moving animal, but Ella is a little more cautious.

Perhaps our girls have a future in dog mushing? Animals have this incredible way of connecting with us — whether it’s through adventurous outings like our dog mushing tour or the quiet companionship they offer at home. Seeing those energetic sled dogs in action also made us reflect on the importance of caring for our own furry companions.

After all, while these working dogs thrive in the cold and live for the excitement of racing, our own pets rely on us for warmth, comfort, and compassionate care in their daily lives. That’s why ensuring our pets receive the best care possible is so important. Whether it’s keeping up with routine check-ups, addressing sudden health concerns, or seeking advice on their well-being, services like Mobile Vets Sydney make caring for pets incredibly convenient.

Instead of stressing about transporting an anxious cat or a senior dog to the clinic, having a veterinarian visit your home allows for a calmer experience for both pet and owner. It’s this kind of thoughtful care that ensures our pets stay healthy and happy — whether they’re cuddled up on the couch or exploring new trails with us.

Let’s hope not…running the Iditarod typically costs a musher $30,000…