Summertime

Greetings to all. I am enjoying the first few weeks of my summer break. It has been a wonderful, relaxing period of time since the return from Alaska. I finished the school year OK, got moved out, and will eventually get my things down to my new classroom later this month!

Audrey and I have been having a blast playing and snacking and walking and napping since I've been on break. We had a quiet Father's Day and enjoyed some quality time as a family.

Not too much else to report on. Audrey just finished her 9-month check-up at the doctor. She is doing very well and the doctor was very impressed with her balance and attitude! Other than that, it has really been low-key around the Orelove household. Kim has roped me into a New Kids on the Block concert this weekend, so I am sure I will have much more to report then. I hope all else is going well with folks.

Happy Father's Day to those of you out there who are dads!

-a

Alaska

(Audrey & Mt. McKinley)

We’ve been back from Alaska for about five days now, and I am just getting around to posting on the blog. It has been an amazing trip with many wonderful moments. Audrey was a champ on the airplane, never fussing about the altitude change or anything. Sure, a few moments of boredom, but then again, who DOESN’T get bored on a 6 ½ hour flight? Anyway, she found ways to entertain herself with the little snack bags the attendants handed out! :-) (See end of post)

Arriving in Anchorage, we were treated to a beautiful showing of the landscape of mountains and deltas in the area as the plane landed.

(The view from our plane while landing)

My best friend, Louis, was kind enough to pick us up and give us a tour around briefly before dropping us off at the hotel for the night. It was shocking how light it was for 11:00pm! The hotel was very nice, and Kim landed it for $75 when it was normally $230/night! Thank you HotWire.com!

The next morning, my dad flew in from Juneau and rented a car and met us at the hotel. From there we visited the local TARGET store for some supplies and snacks, and then we hit the road to Fairbanks! While there isn’t a whole lot in between Anchorage and Fairbanks, the entire trip is very majestic with endless vistas of mountains and country! Also, the weather was about 75 degrees and perfectly sunny! We were VERY lucky and got to view Mt. McKinley. My dad told us that he’d driven past this point about 25 different times and the mountain had NEVER been uncovered due to bad weather or clouds! A good sign for the trip!

(The Fam and Mt. McKinley)

(Zadie and Audrey and Mt. McKinley)

We made a stop in Denali National Park. It is absolutely breathtaking! We hit-up the museum and had a tasty lunch at the local grill. I enjoyed caribou stew! YUM!

(Dad and Audrey at the Denali Mooseum and a bowl of Caribou Stew!)

Once in Fairbanks, we checked-in to our hotel, PIKES LANDING! The front desk lady was very nice and upgraded us to log cabins! So, we had our own individual little cabins to stay in. Apparently this was a good break because they were much cooler than the regular hotel rooms! Over the course of the trip, I was in constant amazement about how light it was. I have lived in Alaska for most of my life, but I had forgotten how LIGHT it was in the summer! About 22 hours of light overall! And when the sun “set”, it was still basically dusk!

The next day was the wedding rehearsal and things went pretty smoothly. There were a total of 17 groomsmen and ushers! Some of the groomsmen hadn’t arrived yet, so we had to pretend they were there. We were each assigned a “wingman” whom we’d teach when they arrived! Marcus (the groom) was cool and confident. After the rehearsal, a grill and a few kegs were set-up outside the church, and general merriment was had by all. It was very special to be able to look in any direction and see my best friends. Some had children, and Audrey (of course) was a scene stealer!

(Wedding Rehearsal and Audrey Orelove meets Solar Wilson)

The post wedding rehearsal party was held at the house of the groom. Beer Pong and Rock Band ruled the evening! Much fun was had by all. It was a treat to catch-up with friends and meet a few people, as well.

Friday was our “Tourist Day”. We helped set-up for the wedding party a little, then drove off to meet our dear friend, Bridget Smith for lunch. Bridget was in Fairbanks on work-related business, so it was a wonderful opportunity to see her. Thanks for lunch Bridget!

(Chris at the Post-Rehearsal Party and Bridget and Audrey)

After that, we headed downtown and caught a short film at the Ice Sculpting Museum about the annual Sculpting events and competitions. Then, we were allowed to move around the museum and get up close and personal with actual ice sculptures! Finally the tour guide carved a flower design into a block of ice for the spectators! Audrey was fascinated by the cold blocks of ice!

(At the Ice Sculpture Museum in Fairbanks, AK)

The wedding followed the next day. It was beautiful. While 14 groomsmen and ushers seemed complex, the ceremony itself felt simple and pure. I am so proud and happy for Marcus and his wife, Jodie. They are both beautiful people with a wonderful future ahead of them. With all the death and tragedies in the past few years, this wedding was a strong beacon of hope and perseverance for everyone. I am proud and honored to have been a part of it.

(Final "Dry Run" with all the Groomsmen)

The wedding party was a blast! The hall was set-up beautifully! The DJ rocked and the food was excellent! Audrey was a rockstar and outlasted everyone else! She loved being passed around and held by everyone! We danced the night away and had many excellent conversations with friends and family! At the end of the night, we excused ourselves. Even thugh the party raged on, it was time for us to leave. It is always strange saying goodbye in the middle of a party, but at the same time, it was the right time.

(Marcus and Jodie at the reception. Love)

The next morning we packed-up and drove back to Anchorage. On the way, Kim got her final wish and spotted both a wolf and a mother moose and her baby calf. I got a speeding ticket, which was NOT my wish!

(Momma Moose)

(Mustang Abel...)

We finished the day with a nice dinner and tour around Anchorage. Kim is now open to the possibility of buying a place in Anchorage or outside of Anchorage so we can spend the summers here. What a lovely thought!

It was a very special trip for me. I know in my last post I wrote how I am on the outside, but after this trip, I know that I will always be on the inside with this group of friends.

-a