Amazing Alaska Part 2

 

 There's nothing like waking up to a beautiful glacier in Tracy Arm fjord Alaska in the morning!  I took this photo from the balcony of our cabin, we even witnessed the glacier calving, truly a once in a lifetime experience!

  Our next port was Alaska's capital Juneau. With Juneau being the capital of Alaska, I expected I to be a "big city" but it much more quaint, had more of a small town feel.

 

While my brother and dad explored a few bars and shops in Juneau, my mom and I boarded a bus for an expedition to the Mendenhall glacier in Mendenhall Valley, besides seeing the glacier, we both really wanted to see bears.  We had been told by people in town that we were there at the perfect time to see bears due to the salmon spawning and the bears preparing for hibernation.  My mom and I got as close to the glacier as we were permitted and took a few shots.

 

We did see two bear cubs, but they ran across the road too fast to get a picture.  I got a couple of shots of this cute little porcupine though!  So sweet!

 

 

With our sight seeing in Juneau done we headed back to our ship for a great dinner, wonderful entertainment, a good night sleep and on to Skagway!

Amazing Alaska Part 1!

  Last August my parents took my older brother and I on a "once in a lifetime trip" on a 7 day cruise to Alaska!  Yes, my brother and left our significant others behind to spend an awesome week with our parents.  There hadn't been a vacation with just the four of us in over 30 years.  
  I flew from Ohio to Seattle Washington on August 17th, I got very excited when I saw  cruise ships from my airline seat window.

View of cruise ships from my window seat.

 

I spent a relaxing night at a hotel near the airport, the next morning I met my family, and we took an airport shuttle to the cruise ship!  Once we got on board our ship none of us could resist taking in the Seattle skyline.

 

The view on our way out to sea was just as amazing!

Our first full day on the cruise was spent at sea, we passed the time by going to the on board spa, walking around the ship, dining and enjoying the entertainment offered.  The first port we visited was Ketchikan, Alaska.  I awoke to the sight of pontoon planes landing on the water not far from our balcony, I couldn't stop watching them take off and land.  After watching the pontoon planes and eating breakfast, we set out to see Ketchikan.  My first order of business was to get a picture of my family with our cruise ship in the background.

 

I loved the character and feeling of the city of Ketchikan, and the beauty that surrounds it.

 

 

 And of course we had to get in a little zip lining while in Ketchikan!

 My 72 year old dad zip lining!

There goes my mom!

 

All four of us loved Ketchikan, and we definitely want to return for another visit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday Big Brother!

  Happy birthday to the one who picked out my first teddy bear for me when I was less than a day old (by the way, I still have it!), the one who pushed my stroller around the block on sunny afternoons.  Happy birthday to "my protector" when kids were making fun of me on my way home from school one day (tackling one of them and pinning them down to the ground sent a pretty strong message), you always looked out for me even though you're the same one who drew a mustache on my face with permanent black marker while I was asleep (mom scrubbed my upper lip so hard I'm surprised I still have an upper lip!)  Even after you grew and got married, I could always count on you to be there for me.  Everytime my car broke down you dropped everything to pick me up from where ever I was stranded without hesitation.  I will never forget when you asked me to be in the delivery room with you when your first child (my awesome nephew) was born!  I will also never forget when you walked into my dressing room right before my wedding, and you saw me standing there in my wedding dress, and this wonderfully big smile came across your face and you said "you're beautiful!"
  I know there were times growing up when we fought and I wanted to "put you up for rent, cheap" especailly when you accidentally shot me in the arm with your bb gun!  But then I also remember the time when you were shot in a hunting accident and we almost lost you!  I couldn't imagine not having you in our lives!  Especially my life!
  You were and you still are the best big brother anyone could have!  I talked to you earlier today and wished you Happy birthday but I didn't get the chance to tell you how much you mean to me.  I love you!  Happy Birthday!!!!

Fun diversion from the "norm"

 Today I've been in the total "web designer" mode, as that is one of my titles within my brother's company.  I've spent most of my day playing around with images making his web page a lot more user friendly and appealing than it was.

  I thought I'd do something to some images and post them on here, since I can't do them on his site (he'd get mad, and have some pretty confused customers I think). 

  So here's some image madness:

New Territory

I am embarking on a new frontier. No, I'm not talking about outer space, I'm talking about my new job. As I mentioned in a previous post, I am the newest employee of my brother's company. A few weeks ago I became just his "web designer/webmaster", I've designed a few pages already but am not done by far.
Yesterday my brother/boss called me all excited about his "potentially big, new idea!" He was so excited! After I said "hello" a voice that sounded as excited as a child on Christmas morning said "I have this potentially big new idea and just have to run it by you!" My response: "okay... what is it?" My brother said "Other than working on the website, I am developing a new product, and once it is developed, I want to ship the product and boxes for it to your house. Once you receive them, you put the boxes together and ship the product to fulfill orders. Oh, and also I need you to design another website when your done with the first one! Okay?"
A part of me wanted to say "are you crazy?!" But I didn't say it, instaead I said "You want me to design another website, and turn my house into a shipping center?" He said "yes, because I'm in California and will do western U.S. shipping. I want you to do the midwest and eastern U.S. shipping on top of being my webmaster." I jokingly asked him if he was going to install a conveyor belt in my family room and send me a forklift. He said "funny...no".
My brother's company has been successful since 1981, and I trust his business sense (I question his sanity at times, but he has good business sense!). I love my brother and am thankful that he gave me a job so I can work from home, which is perfect for me!
I like to take on new challenges so I'll see how this goes, I'm sure it will be fine. I know there's a "method to his madness"!

Working hard

  I've been gone the past couple of days, but for good reason.  I've mentioned my older brother Mark in past posts, and he is the reason I have been absent.  No, he isn't here visiting (he says not even a sister can bring a "California boy" to some place named "Ohio"!), unfortunatle he'll probably never "grace" me with his presence out here, I love him though! 
  My brother has given me a gift.  The gift is a job!  He has owned his own company since 1981 (he works out of his house), anyway he has just hired me as his "executive officer"/ "webmaster" of sorts.  My first order of business is to completely redisign his company's website!
  I have absolutely no experience in web design, yet when he offered me the position I jumped at it and said "yes" immediately without realizing what I got myself into! OMG!
  In a way it's the perfect situation for me, I can work from home and set my own hours.  I get paid for the time I spend building and maintaining the site, and get a portion of profits made from the site.  Sounds great!
  The past 2 days, visions of colors, codes, templates, fonts, logos, products etc... have been swimming around in my head like fish in an aquarium.  My head is spinning!  I am making head way though! Yeah!
  I just keep thinking that working from home is perfect for me, and who knows, maybe I can start my own web design business!  It definitely doesn't hurt to learn a new skill, and I always like a challenge.  But, right now the sun is shining and while the day is young, I'm going to take advantage!  The computer will be waiting for me when Lilly and I get back from the dog park!