Good morning and happy Tuesday! Hope your week is going well! I’ve got a cold – Wayne just got over it – but…that’s sorta to be expected after spending a week on a cruise with a couple thousand folks, right?! I mean…washy washy is all well and good but…c’mon. It sort of seems inevitable!
I did think this would be a good day to share a few highlights from our trip! I mean – it was because of y’all that we got to go!! And I don’t have enough words to say THANK YOU!! It was a blessing to be able to do my fave thing – cruise – thru one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world – Alaska!
I love even the start of trips to Alaska – we always go a little ahead to spend some time in the area. Port Ludlow was our destination this time around and we spent a lovely week at The Resort at Port Ludlow.
We did a lot of exploring – back to Sequim, Port Gamble, Poulsbo, Port Townsend, Kingston and more! So we spent a few hours on the Washington State Ferry System – that was fun! When we chose our rental car at SEATAC – we found a brand new – new car smell and everything! – Honda Odyssey! It was like coming home! And – WAAAY easier to handle on the ferry than our truck would have been! 😳
We got lucky on several days! Mt. Rainier – one of the most beautiful mountains (IMHO) made a few appearances including on our day in Seattle while we were having a great lunch with LeAnne and Carole!!
And we saw him again from our cabin on embarkation day, too. Score!
I took our traditional first-day-in-the-cabin selfie! That’s Wayne checking our the chocolate covered strawberries that Amy sent to us and to Karen and Gene to welcome us aboard. We sure did miss her! But – the strawberries were…BERRY yummy! 🙂
Our first port was Sitka – and we did what I’d call our best excursion! It was an “expedition” boat – and we all wore cold weather gear and life vests. AND we got a picture with Capt Cameron – our skipper for the journey and a most wonderful young lady! That’s her on the left – then me, Wayne, Karen K and Karen’s husband, Gene!
And….Captain…there be WHALES!!
We sat and watched the two gray whales for about 20 minutes. Jesse – our naturalist/guide for the trip…
…told us that gray whales can be identified by their spout – it’s sort of short and heart shaped! See it?!?
We made a fast run over to Fin Island…
…for a good meal and a fire with S’mores! So fun.
Even the eagles said hello!
That was hands-down our fave excursion of the whole trip!
We did a cool train ride in Skagway – the White Pass Train rolls up to the Canadian border and then back down to town! Stampin’ Up! gifted us all this cool – and pretty! – ride!
Such gorgeous views! We could see all the way back to the water – I do believe that’s the Anthem sitting there!
On our way to Juneau, we transited the Endicott Arm…low hanging clouds added a surreal feel to the amazing landscapes!
..and then we got to the end of the arm and there was the Dawes Glacier! The captain did a masterful job of pivoting the massive Anthem 270 degrees – giving everyone a stunning view!!
Unfortunately, those same cool clouds resulted in the cancellation of our Float Plane glacier tour in Juneau. I mean, it was a good call, but…boo!
We had a day and half of cruising down to Victoria, BC and Wayne and Gene played a little ping pong!
They were pretty well matched and they had fun!
And – we went (twice!) to see the We Will Rock You Show. This is the same show we saw on Anthem two years ago and it was just as good this time! They really do a good job. And, really. Who DOESN’T love them a little Queen!?
I got one of my fave pictures from our cabin the next morning as we steamed south to British Columbia. Sunrise on a ship – I could get very very used to seeing that every day! Or sunset. That would work, too!
Our final stop in Victoria had us visiting the spectacular Butchart Gardens. Y’all. If you EVER have a chance to go there – DO! It. Is. Stunning!
On the way back to the Anthem for the last time – we stopped in at the Butterfly Garden! Wayne and Karen BOTH got a visitor!!
Our walk back to the cabin was sobering…. worst part of the cruise – everyone setting their bags out in preparation for the next day’s disembarkation.
Monday dawned – there was no stopping it! – over the Seattle skyline. Final sunrise. Last Day.
Even Mt. Rainer was a little sad.
But we made it home – tired but happy! Ready to pick up the kids the next day and start to transition BACK to reality!
This is such a small sampling of the photos I took – I’ll upload more on my Stamps-N-Lingers FB page so be watching for them! I hope you’ve enjoyed the quick glimpse into another AMAZING trip that we were able to take thanks to YOU ALL! 🙂
All the hugs!
Oh – before I go….Stampin’ Up! needs me to say that earning the incentive trip is something very few Stampin’ Up! demonstrators achieve—less than 1%, in fact! It takes a ton of hard work and tons of support from my amazing team and my amazing customers! Done! 🙂
TTFN
M
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Finn Fan Fix 
It is SOOO much easier to sleep on the sofa when you don’t have to wear that stinkin’ donut and cone!
And WHY would hoomans call that a DONUT!?
Donuts should be yummy treats to share with your dog!
NOT torture devices!
Even if it DOES make me look super cute!
TTFN
M
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Such a Great Trip you take is along today in your photos! Thanks, your the best Team Leader Mary.
I’m off to work early, but I’ll be looking more, later at these pics
Yay🎉🎉🎉 for Finn he’s dropped the “donut” Cone!! A cone-less dog is a Happy dog!!!!
Yep – cone-LESS is best! Unless it has ice cream in it!! LOL! Thanks, Heidi – glad you enjoyed the pictures! 🙂
What an amazing trip. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed them – it was wonderful! 🙂
Beautiful photos of your Pacific Northwest and Alaska adventures, Mary! Thank you for sharing
Thank you – I’m so glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Congratulations on earning that trip!! So glad that you enjoyed it, the scenery is spectacular!! Thanks for sharing the photos. 🙂 Yay!! So happy that cone is finally gone!! 🙂
He sure is, too! Prolly more than either of us!! LOL. Thanks, Amy! 🙂
I am so glad you got to go on the trip. Your photos are gorgeous. Thank you for sharing–I look forward to seeing more.
Thanks Sandi – I’ll get them uploaded soon! 🙂
Mary,
Thanks for sharing your videos with us. Loved all the pictures. that’s the only way
I will see Alaska.
I hope that’s not true, Birdie but…if it is – I’m glad I could share it! 🙂
Thank you for all the beautiful pics and always enjoy your humorous commentary 😁Glad you had a great time and sorry you have a cold. Praying for quick recovery.
Thanks – I appreciate that, Linda! 🙂
Finn looks so happy now, he’s home
Thank you for sharing the beautiful pictures of you well earned trip.
He IS glad to be home – and so is his sister!! Glad you enjoyed them, Mary Katherine! 🙂
Thank you so much for posting your photos. So fun!
Glad you liked them! 🙂
Absolutely stunning photos. Thanks for sharing. I’ll be watching for more.
Not doubt fin is adreable with or without his “donut”.
Yep – he’s always handsome as can be! Thanks, Karen – glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Hi Mary, This is Jan Stutzman. I have subscribed to your emails and have followed you for several yrs. I am just a cardmaker who loves sitting in her “Jan Cave” (make`shift craft room from storage closet)making cards and enjoying tutorials for new ideas. I loved seeing your photos from your Alaska trip. We are planning an Alaskan Cruise next June (kids arranging) and I wondered what you found to be the most valuable things to take and ideas on clothing choices. I’m at a loss. I love your tutorials and always feel so at home in your craft room. Thanks for sharing yourself, and that great sense of humor. Jan
Hey Jan! WHOOO-HOOO! An Alaskan cruise is going to be wonderful! Clothes – I had my SU gray zip up jacket – sort of a heavy wool-feel thing (no hood). My down vest and a light down jacket. And a raincoat/windbreaker thingy. Also, I took several merino wool short sleeve t-shirts. We put our jackets in my backpack and then had them if we needed them. Depending on what you’re doing – you’ll be cold, then hot, then cold – so layers will be your friend. We were cold on a few days cuz it was drizzly/raining. And we were cold on the expedition boat because of the wind. On the cruise – I wore mostly short sleeves and light pants – but I almost always wore a sweater. On the excursions – I wore the short sleeves and pants – and had the layers to go on/off as needed.
If you can find magnetic clips – attach them to the walls (most cruise ship walls/ceilings are metal) and they’re great for holding excursion tickets – lanyards (with your sea pass or equivalent) – daily schedules, etc. And we also take an over-the-door shoe organizer – with mesh pockets. We hang it on the inside of the bathroom door and it holds ALL the things!!
Have the BEST time – and thank you so much for the kind words!
Mary, thank you for sharing your pics with us. I’ve always wanted to go on a cruise but never had the finances or opportunity. Now I’m too old and not physically/healthy enough to go. Your pictures are stunning to see part of the world I’ll never see for myself. Thank you again.
Oh Patricia – I think you’d be surprised how well a cruise can be suited to you! And it is so wonderful – I hope that you’ll get a chance to do it! So happy you enjoyed the pics! M
Enjoyed all your pics on your Alaska trip!
I noticed in your picture with Finn on the couch, that you ride English. Do you ride – pleasure or show your Saddlebred? Are they a solid color or Spotted?
Hey Lily! I started my riding life on Saddlebreds – five gaited, three gaited, saddle seat equitation! We had a pinto National Show Horse much later in my life. He was a big ole baby. He’s gone now and all we have is our one Halflinger mare. I don’t really ride anymore – and Cady doesn’t seem to have any quarrel with that!! 🙂
Fab pics and many congrats on earning the trip! I did am Alaskan cruise 2 years ago (we sailed.from Vancouver) and it was amazing!
Your pics brought back some wonderful memories!
Glad you enjoyed it, Deb – hope you get to make another trip soon! 🙂