The Great Land of the North - Alaska!!

I just spent four days in Alaska... and it was wonderful. I got a lot of questions about what it looks like up there, why in the world I would ever go up there in the middle of the winter... etc, etc, etc. So, here are a bunch of pics I took with my phone (more pics from Chauri's camera will be coming in the near future... hopefully! Send the pics Chauri!).

I started off in Salt Lake with sitting in the plane for three hours before we got all of our passengers from connecting flights, got de-iced and the runways got plowed so we could take off. Finally we started our five hour flight and I landed in Anchorage at 3 am. My ride had to go back home (due to the late hour and weather) so this is the terminal that I slept in for seven hours till Ryan (Chauri's husband) came to the rescue.

Every time I would wake up I would see this POSTER on the wall that seriously looked like two ladies staring at me. It kept freaking me out.

I was sleeping on one end of the chairs and on the other end there was this guy. I know he looks like a pile of clothes, but its a guy.... trust me, he snored. LOUD.

This is the reason I am so connected to Alaska. Jaxon was the motivation for me becoming so close to the Logan family. I love being up there and feeling the love that abounds in their home. They truly are like family; a second set of parents and more brothers and sisters. Of course we talk about Jaxon a lot and pictures of him are EVERYWHERE. Chauri and I went to visit him at the cemetery and trudged through knee-high snow in our skirts and high heels so that we could give his headstone a little rub. Love you, Jax!

This is the Logan's house, it is a perfect house for Alaska.... Its completely surrounded by trees and at the end of a long driveway. I love this house.

About 10 feet outside the garage door is this cabin that they just put up a couple years ago. It is mostly Mike's office, but there is a ladder that leads to a little loft where there is a table, lamp and a little bed. That is my FAVORITE PLACE TO SLEEP!! Especially now that Chauri is married and I can't have her as a bed mate anymore.

This trip the wind was blowing A LOT. At night I would lay in bed and listen to the wind whip against the cabin, it was awesome. The wind would make these growling noises, it lulled me to sleep every time.

After the big party (I was up there for the Logan parent's suprise 30 year anniversary party) Chauri, Ryan and I were returning things to the rental center. While Chauri was talking to her old coworkers Ryan and I were exploring in the costume section. This pink plastic wig caught my eye. haha.

Everyone asked a lot about the lack of light (since it is December in Alaska). It really isn't that bad. The sun comes up at about 10 am and sets at about 2 pm. Its completely dark by about 4 pm.

This is a shot of the Logan's driveway at 10 am, it looks lighter than it really is... this is just barely dawn.

This is sunset on Hatcher Pass (behind the Logan's house) at about 3:30 pm on our way home from Church... Mountains like this SURROUND the valley. It is absolutely gorgeous.

After four days of being with the Logans, partying for the anniversary, running errands, visiting with everyone... it was time to go home. I knew the Logan's had made a million trips into the airport in the past week, so I asked my good friend Chris if he would come get me, entertain me for the evening and get me to the airport that night. It worked out wonderfully, especially since I was able to spend some good time with Chris.

Chris came and got me, we went to his place for a bit while he worked on the tile in his parents bathroom (he is remodeling it during his time home this Christmas) and I worked on a puzzle with his mom and sister. After the puzzle was done Chris and I went out for a bit before he rushed me to the airport at 1 am. I loved getting to spend time with him, hear his laugh and soak up the presence of "Kobelnyk." I must admit, I'm impressed when a man can be telling a story and not even break a sentence as his truck fishtails, he corrects, reaches down and slips it into 4 wheel drive, keeps us safely hurdling down the road and gets me to the airport on time. Thanks Chris, it was great to see you and spend the evening with you!

So folks, that was my trip to Alaska... incredibly short but very very worth it. I love it up there, it's always very theraputic and calming. The weather was below zero most of the time... When I left Alaska it was 20 degrees below WITHOUT windchill... I arrived in Utah to 50 degrees warmer.... and still below freezing. haha. The only disappointment of the trip is that I STILL haven't seen the Northern Lights. They keep eluding me!! Maybe next time....