Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Our Mini-Vacation


So you think that you will do good while your father is visiting and plan a little stress-free vacation down south. Well stress free doesn't exist when you have a toddler and an infant and you have to travel in the car for more than 30 min at a time. We left Friday morning behind schedule. I wanted to leave at 6 am to make it to Anchorage by noon so we could bum around the city and explore and eat and relax and play in a near by park. Well that was nixed due to kiddos not sleeping very well which caused the parental units to get little sleep. And we all know that you need sleep to drive a car! Well, our departure time was then delayed to 9am. Took a little longer to pack up the back of the jeep with the new double jogger (which is the best buy ever!) and the luggage.

So we start our trip....We brought the dvd player so Ian could watch some movies in between nap time so we wouldn't drive us bonkers during the drive. That went well. Actually the drive down was really beautiful and the boys did outstanding. My body didn't do outstanding! I was smooshed in the middle of two car seats with Jeff driving and Dad in the front passenger seat. Oh the things you do for the ones you love.On to Anchorage, we bum around- eat at Mooses' Tooth (http://www.moosestooth.net/) a great place recommended by every nurse I talked to that had ever been to Anchorage. Its a Pizza/Brewery Joint. FABULOUS pizza, great beer. Go to the two shops that I had been to the previous trip to Anchorage to pick up some pieces to my moose collection and back in the car to Girwood, AK where we check in at Hotel Alyeska. (http://www.alyeskaresort.com/

This hotel is supposed to be a resort. The pictures looked better online (Don't they always do?) Well, it is a pretty hotel and I go to check in. They tell me that my room ready. Great! Check in was easy...until she says we have one King. HA! I say no, I wanted 2 Queens and a crib for the infant. They say the 2 queens will be a different rate and a different room and would be $150 more dollars a night. Im like fine - b/c all of us can't sleep in a King and nobody is sleeping on the floor. Well, they say they have the room - wait it just has one KING - ARGH. This time Im pissed. They then tell me they can give me 2 double beds and the crib will be $30 a night. I say Im not paying that money for the crib because they didn't tell me it was an extra charge on the phone when I specifically asked if there was a charge (if not I would crammed my own pack-n-play in the back of the jeep for free). Then I ask for extra linen because I'll make a bed for my toddler on the floor. And they suggest a cot and I say "Yea what charge is that, $50 a night?". Needless to say that I didn't get charged for the crib or the cot! So we check in, do the kids baths, and relax in the hotel room.

The next day we wake up early eat an expensive breakfast and drive down to Seward, AK to do a glacier cruise. That was awesome. Despite some parking issues and Jeff wanting to strangle the teenage chick giving us directions. It was a pleasant day. Ian loved the boat, was so excited to see 2 humpback whales and birds and sea lions. Blake did well and fell asleep halfway thru it. We only did the three hour tour because we weren't sure how the kids would react. Ate dinner at this awesome restaurant with the view of the Bay and drove back to the hotel.

Our plans were for the next day to take the tram up the mountain and eat lunch at the top. The package for the hotel included 2 lunches and 2 tram tickets. I went to go and get the vouchers and the guy at the front desk messed up and gave us 4 tickets and 4 lunches. SCORE! So we had a nice lunch complimentary of Hotel Alyeska. :) The weather was overcast and actually on top of the mountain it was snowing. Ian was so excited to see snow. You would think that living in Fairbanks and having snow about 8 months out of the year he would enjoy no snow. Nope he liked the snow. (Fast forward when we get home: He was asking for his snow boots and snow jacket because he wanted to play in the snow!! ) We get eat our lunch and hope for it to clear up so we can do some hiking - it doesn't so we decide to check out early and head back to Anchorage to go to the Mall. A girl has to go shopping doesn't she?

Well we went to Gymoboree because Blake is in dire need some some PJs since he is a growing weed. Hes growing to fast and all of Ians 18 month clothes are fall and I needed 18 months summer. (Fast Forward: esp since in Aug we are going to Vegas for a week YIPPE) So I hit up the clearance rack. Do a browse through JC Penny and the boys have just about had it. So no shopping trip for the mommy. So sad!!!

The trip home was ok. I snoozed on and off and so did the boys. We arrived home at midnight.

So in summary. Trip went well minus a few mishaps, but honestly, when does a vacation go off without a slight speed bump?!

This was a trial run to when we actually leave the state and go to Vegas...lord help me! :)





The Harmons on the Boat. So hard to get everyone to look at the Camera!

Humpback Whales Tale

Us on top of Alyeska Mountain

Great shot of Seward - by the Water

Blake having some fun in the Hotel Room


2 comments:

Unknown said...

Sounds like so much fun! And, of course, the kids always throw an element or two into it! I love the glacier cruises. Been on three of them and loved them all!

Good you stood you ground at the hotel!

House Dad said...

The Moose's Tooth is our favorite restaurant in Anchorage. Totally kid friendly, better than average pizza and cold beer.