I've been home for 3 days now and I'm still reeling with excitement from my trip! When I got to the Anchorage airport it was snowing...softly falling from the sky these beautiful little flakes from heaven! I was in awe of how beautiful the snow there was...it just glittered in the lights! I was at the airport for 7 hours, so I walked around where I could and took pictures of the poor stuffed (and I mean taxidermy, not kids toys) animals that were displayed all over the airport, several different brown bears, a wolf, bald eagle, polar bears. I also read Water For Elephants (great book...I highly recommend it!) to stay awake because I was so afraid I would fall asleep and get my luggage stolen or miss my next flight.
I got to Fairbanks and my hubby was there waiting for me. It was so great to see him and his smile just warmed my heart! He had to work, so he brought me back to the apartment so I could get some sleep, I'd been up for about 36 hours by then, but I was just so excited to be there that I couldn't sleep even though I was completely exhausted. We just relaxed that night and snuggled up together watching movies, I was way too tired to go anywhere or do anything and I got a little ticked off when he asked me to go get him a pillow, but little did I know he had hidden my anniversary present under it. I didn't even see it when I snatched the pillow off the bed and threw it at him, so he told me to go back and look on the bed where the pillow had been, and there was my necklace... a black & white diamond teardrop with the shared hearts. I LOVE this design, and what makes it even better is that part of the proceeds go to the Autism Speaks foundation!
The next day was our 7 year anniversary, and we went to Chena Hot Springs, which was amazing. The natural spring runs about 105 degrees and is nestled in between some of the most beautiful mountains I had ever seen! That night we went to the Silver Gulch for appetizers, then to the Turtle Club for our anniversary dinner. Nothing like prime rib and Alaskan king crab legs to celebrate 7 years of not killing each other! (he says I just haven't found the poison yet LOL)
The rest of the week was very laid back and relaxed, which is exactly what I needed. He would go to work and I would just chill out and watch movies or walk around a bit, and when he came home we would go out for dinner at some of his favorite spots up there and drive around and see the beautiful scenery. Geraldo's was unbelievable...the best Italian food I've had since I left NY! Another place I loved was this bar/restaurant in the middle of the mountains with nothing else around. I walked in and the owners dog was just laying by the front door. The bar stools were tree stumps with a cushion on top, and there were dollar bills all over the ceiling (not an inch of uncovered space) and on the walls with people's names & the date they were there written on them. There was a room in the back with an antique car in it, and moose heads and bear skins hanging on the walls, there was even a wood burning stove in the corner of one of the rooms. The bartender/waitress was hysterical and had us laughing the whole time we were there. She was the only one working because everyone else was setting up for the outhouse races they were having the next day...no shit...outhouse races! (pun intended) Of course we put our dollar bill up on the wall...had to leave our mark ;)
One day he brought me to work with him so I could see what exactly it was that he does. It was interesting, and I got to drive a military hummer which was cool. Another day I took a cab to see the world Ice Sculpting contest...that was just beautiful! I didn't get to see any being made as the contest had ended the week before, but the sculptures were simply amazing! They even had an entire playground sculpted from ice for kids to play on, along with an ice maze, and ice slides! Afterward I went to Barnes & Noble and they had a huge fireplace in the middle of the store with big fluffy chairs all around it. I nearly fell asleep in the chair while reading there. He picked me up after work and we went to a sporting goods store there. We had been talking about home security, and even though our darling Bolt is intimidating at first, it only takes a second to realize he is a big goof ball and the only thing he would do to someone is lick them to death! So needless to say my second anniversary gift was a 12 gauge shotgun! (how romantic) I wanted the pretty pink handgun, but you have to live there 3 months before you can buy a handgun, so I got a shotgun and told him I was gonna bedazzle it!
My last weekend there we went to Denali National Park. All I can say is O M G !!!!!!! The drive there was jaw droppingly beautiful! He definitely saved the best for last! I was in awe of how beautiful the mountains were...like nothing I've ever seen in my life! We could only go so far into the park because the roads were covered in snow, but we went into the Learning Center, and got there just before they were about to go on a snowshoe hike! Talk about lucking out, our timing was perfect! The hike was amazing, and the guide was great! I learned all about how the different animals survive the 40 below weather up there while walking through the most beautiful forest I'd ever seen.
In short (ha ha...a little late for that) I got to see the snow fall (3 days), I saw dog sled races, ice sculptures, chena hot springs, and Mt. McKinley(at Denali). Almost all of the things I wanted to see and do I did! The only things that I didn't get to see were the Northern Lights (they weren't bright enough to see while I was there) and a moose. I guess I'll just have to go back! :D
Oh, and so I don't forget...the Layout above was done with Butterflies & Buttercups by Fishbowl Designs. I have so many more pictures I can't wait to scrap them all!!!!
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