Family Pictures

We had family pictures done at Whatcom Falls Park when we were in Washington last month. They turned out fabulous (at least I like to think so) and we owe a huge thank you to Amy, our photographer, for her talents and patience with a squirmy baby.

On to Alaska with the Millers

A number of years ago, I had the privilege of discovering the beauty and wonder of Southeast Alaska, in particular the historic town of Skagway. It was once a booming Gold Rush town, the beginning of many a prospector's journey towards the Yukon gold fields and potential prosperity, and is now a quaint little town of about 800, with the wonders of the Alaskan wilderness quite literally in your backyard. During the summer months, the population swells easily to over 10,000 people every day, as it is now a cruise ship port. The two summers I spent working there are forever etched in my heart, and I have spent a lot of time sharing my experiences and love of Alaska with my husband. So, this summer we decided to become one of the masses that sail through the Inside Passage and cruise to Alaska! We left our little one in the willing and capable hands of Nana and Papa, and spent a week alone together, a first since Jake was born. What an adventure! We visited the ports of Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway, sailed through Glacier Bay National Park and College Fjord, and saw many a tidewater and hanging glacier (it either touches the water or it doesn't, hence the differentiation in terms). We even saw a couple of glaciers calving (huge chunks breaking off the face and falling into the water...it was awesome!) We saw a humpback whale breaching in the water (he did it again and again and again!), bald eagles flying, and a hungry grizzly bear looking for dinner from about 30 feet away! The ship itself was a lot of fun, with evening shows, comedians, a formal evening (tuxedo and all), and, of course, wonderful food. We had halibut, lobster, humongous prawns, and filet mignon, just to name a few. If you asked us what our favorite food onboard was, I would bet both Brian and I would say the pineapple. It was delicioso, even better than the stuff we had in Hawaii on our honeymoon.
All in all, we had a wonderful trip, and I think I won't have to work so hard next time to convince my husband to take another trip to Alaska.

Glacier Bay National Park

Marjorie Glacier

Grizzly Bear in Dyea
Brian tasting glacier water on top of Meade Glacier
Riding the White Pass train with my sister Kristen
Mendenhall Glacier (Juneau)
Totem poles in Ketchikan
the handsome husband

And now for the rest of the story...

The vacation didn't stop with our cruise to Alaska. We spent some more time in Washington with my family, enjoyed the abundance of blueberries and raspberries in my parents' backyard, saw some dear friends who moved from the East to the West Coast shortly after I moved out here, had family pictures taken, and then flew to Utah for my niece Bailey's baptism. It was great to catch up with both Brian's and my families and friends while there, and we miss everyone already.

Our friends Lindsay & Eric--try getting 3 little boys to hold still for a picture. Yeah, right!

4 generations of Robinsons

Jake on Papa's new motorcycle.

Jake and Bailey

My Baby is One

One year ago today, a little, yet demanding, lump of flesh took his first breath of air. Though I'm still tired, sleepless nights, round the clock feedings, and lots of crying (for both of us, I'm sure) eventually gave way to a bright, active, happy baby who has never ceased to amaze us with all the things he continues to learn and do. When I was pregnant with Jake, he was such a busy-body, always moving around and kicking. He has definitely earned the nickename "monkey" because he still goes and goes and goes. A monkey he is and what a monkey we love.
So, Happy Birthday, Jacob Cole! Today we celebrate you, my sweet baby boy, and all that you have accomplished, and all the joy that you bring to our lives. And here's to the adventure we have only just begun!

Summer Vacation #1

Jake and I spent a week in Virginia (Brian came down on the weekend) with my family. Though I don't think it was planned as such, in all reality, it was a family reunion with my parents, brother and niece, all my cousins, aunts & uncles, and grandparents (we missed you Kristen & Tyler and Dave & Kate!). We did all the things that we do in Irvington in the summertime--catching and eating crabs, swimming in the pool, lazing in the hammock, fishing off the dock, sailing on the water, staying up way too late talking and enjoying every moment of it. It was the first meeting of the Robinson grandkids, and Jake and Bailey had a good time together. I think my son revelled in all the attention, and his mama took full advantage of many capable, willing babysitters all week long. :)
The fourth of July fireworks were great, though I think the most memorable sight of the week for me was watching my boy shove cake in his mouth with both hands, and smearing it all over his face. He seriously couldn't get it in his mouth fast enough! (We had an early, double birthday party for Jake and Bailey, their birthdays only a week apart.)
As always, the time passed too quickly. It was so good to spend time with everyone and we can't wait to see you again soon!!

I think I'm going to change his name to Dennis...

Dennis the Menace, that is!

(Of course, I let him get away with it solely for the photo op, but hey, what's a Mom to do? At least I can prove to him later on how much of a mess he created on a daily basis.)