Alaska

I think I mentioned in a previous post that my wonderful hubby got paid to go to Alaska this past week for six days.  Yes, he got flight, hotel, and a rental car paid for (for the group he was with) as well as a nice chunk of change for per diem (how's that for a vacation!).  He and three other Air Force guys from our base flew the T-43 jet that they fly in up to Elmendorf AFB just north of Ankorage, Alaska to show the jet at the air show there.  While the air show was two days long, only two guys were needed each day, so two of them got the day off.  Along with Thursday and Friday.  They acually left to come home on Monday but stayed overnight in Whidbey Island, Washington and came home on Tuesday, so I guess they were actually in Alaska for five days (four nights) but whatever.  Can you tell I'm still a little jealous?  Hahaha.  I love that Chris gets to travel to neat places and have days off when he's there.  Even though it leaves me home alone with the kids, I would not want him to not go and have these awesome experiences.  London, Japan, Key West, Alaska...I'd just like to stow away and go with him. 

So anyways, he had some days off and went and saw the sights while he was there. Friday, all of the guys from his plane went on a fishing charter and caught a bunch of Halibut and Sea Bass. Just so you know, Chris caught the biggest and the one that tied for 2nd place too. :oD The big one was about 30 pounds, bigger than Leah. The fishing charter guy skinned the fish with the guys and deboned them or whatever it is that you do to fish, vacuum sealed all of the fish meat and the guys brought it home in dry iced coolers. We'll be having fish for a while. It's super yummy though, so I don't mind.

Chris and the guy from his squadron worked the air show on Sunday, so they took Saturday off and went hiking in the mountains.  They saw moose, otters, and puffins.  They actually saw a moose in the middle of town, which is funny, except that it had gotten hit by a car, so that part is sad.  No bears, seals or whales though.

We couldn't find the little digital camera before Chris left so the pictures we have are ones taken by his work buddies.  (I found the camera in the depths of my purse while Chris was gone.  Whoops.)

So Chris finally got to the 'work' part of his trip on Sunday.  He stood next to his airplane at the air show and talked to people about what it did.  Uh, that's what he and the boys do for fun when he's home!  Okay, I may still sound a bit jealous, but remember, I was back here in Texas in close to 100 degree weather with an air conditioner that kept freezing up, making our house get up to a toasty 85 degrees.  And I just don't think of things like changing the air filter; that's Chris' thing (the filter needing changed was the cause of our miserably hot nights).

So then he had to end his 'work-cation' and fly back.  But he had this beautiful view of Mount McKinley protruding up through the clouds to bid him farewell.

And we'll go there on a family vacation...one day.