Paris

  

After we got back from Alaska, Bryan flew to Paris. He met a friend and they spent a few days seeing some of the sights of Paris.

 

In addition to seeing some of the city, they also went out to Versailles and Disneyland.

This weekend, Jennifer and a friend headed down to Disneyland to celebrate her birthday. They enjoyed meeting characters, their favorite attractions, and seeing the decorations for Disneyland’s 60th anniversary.

They also enjoyed the new fireworks show, Disneyland Forever, and the new parade, Paint the Night.

Alaska Part 3: Kenai Fjords

On Sunday, our last full day in Alaska, we drove out to Seward to visit Kenai Fjords National Park. On the way we stopped and hiked out to Exit Glacier.  

When we got to Seward we looked around, had some lunch, and stopped at the Kenai Fjords visitor center, where the kids earned their Junior Ranger badges.

We then headed back to Anchorage. It's about two and a half hours from Seward to Anchorage. We enjoyed seeing wildlife, including moose, on our drives around Alaska. That night we flew home.

Alaska Part 2: Denali

At around four hours one way, the drive to and from Denali was long but beautiful. We enjoyed seeing the Alaska countryside and the small towns along the way.

We weren't able to see McKinley when we arrived at the park, as it was too overcast, as it often is in the summer, but we enjoyed looking around the visitor's center and driving into the park.  

We had dinner at the cafe next to the visitor center.

We stayed the night outside the park, then headed back in Friday morning to see a presentation on the sled dogs, and so the kids could earn their Junior Ranger Badges. If I had it to do over, I would have spent two nights near Denali; one wasn't enough.

Alaska Part 1: Anchorage

On Tuesday we flew up to Anchorage, Alaska. We spent Wednesday looking around the city, driving up into the hills above the town and around the campus of the University.

We also checked out the Costco, the mall, and downtown, where we had dinner at Benihana's and celebrated Jennifer's birthday.

 

Thursday morning we headed up to Denali National Park, stopping at the Ulu Knife Factory on the way.

When we got back to Anchorage Friday evening, we had dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe downtown.

Today we ate lunch at the Moose's Tooth Pub and Pizzeria, which was really good, and spent some time at the Alaska Zoo. We met members of the local Rainbow Assembly for dinner.

Rainbow activities

Last weekend, Jennifer spent a day at Oaks Park in southeast Portland with members of Cherry Assembly.

This weekend we went up to Yakima for Washington's Grand Assembly.  We took a couple of girls from Cherry Assembly with us, and since it was 7/11 on the drive up, made a few stops.

 

While there Jennifer enjoyed visiting with some of the Rainbow Grand Officers from California, as well as Washington.

Around Portland

 

This week we had friends from Wisconsin come out for a visit. We took them around Portland, and out to Multnomah Falls.

 

We also went up to Vista House, located above the Columbia Gorge.

  

There's not much up there, but the views are great. 

 

Finally, we took them to Voodoo Doughnuts.