Congrats Karen and Jimmy!

My mom came into Chi-town this week and we spent most of it preparing for a bridal shower that we threw at my place on Sat 7/12. My cousin is marrying a lovely girl named Karen next month and we threw a 'gettin hitched' shindig for her so she could get some cool stuff. Congrats Karen and Jimmy!

1 am in Anchorage

Valdez 7/1-7/2

Tuesday and Wednesday we drove to Valdez. It was the most beautiful drive, I highly recommend it if you ever get the chance. The further you drive the more beautiful it gets...it was amazing really. We spent the night in Valdez, had a great hamburger at a local dive, and walked around the town. The next day we took the ferry to Whittier AK, where 50 families reside, and there is one tunnel out of town that only allows traffic to travel one direction at a time, and you share it with a train!

Monday 6/30

Ginger's friend Brian took us out on a private white water rafting tour down the Mat-Su river at the beginning of the week. All was going well, he even let me guide the raft for awhile because it was a pretty calm day. However, just after I gave him back the reigns we hit a couple of wicked currents that nearly knocked us out of the raft and tipped over the raft. Brian stuck the metal ore so hard into the bottom of the river it bent! The raft turned and we straighted out at the last secong, but Brian said it was the closest he's ever come to flipping the boat. Whew!

Alaska!

I spent the week before the 4th of July in Alaska! My aunt Ginger has lived there for the last 25 years, and always wanted me to visit. It's so beautiful...she kept me on the move and took me everywhere! Thanks Ginge!