A White Christmas

This was our year to celebrate Christmas in the last frontier...Alaska. We hopped on the plane painfully early in the morning, and started our adventure.

 

Makenna was thrilled to have a tea party with Daddy (using his Diet Coke!) on the plane. She'll never want to go back to regular water tea parties again! Despite the early departure, the kids did really great. Auntie Kellie and Uncle Al sat with Grayson, and Makenna was with Adam and I. 

 

Jaw dropping views as we flew into Anchorage. 

 

The first gift I gave Adam for Christmas was the gift of playing Risk. Ha! It's not my favorite game, but he REALLY wanted to play. He loves the game. Like it's the highlight of Christmas vacation loves it, so I caved. Unfortunately he also loves to trash talk the entire game, and in the end it backfired on him. Kellie and I made an alliance and kicked his armies off the board.

 

My kids love Starbucks! One hot vanilla steamer to go for this little girl.

 

There wasn't a ton of snow in Alaska, and it actually wasn't too cold, but we still had to bundle this girl up. She looked and walked just like the little brother from The Christmas Story...but all in pink with a sparkly scarf of course.

 

We visited a reindeer farm one afternoon. They had games for the kids, a wagon ride, a big bonfire, awkward pictures with Santa...

 

and there was also sleds, rescue horses and then we were able to pet and feed the reindeer.

 

 

 

The whole crew.

 

He loved feeding the reindeer.

 

 

 

Auntie Kellie made Christmas dessert, and the kids got to help.

 

Mini Betty Crocker.

 

We went sledding at the school across the street. Grayson had no fear and took off like a wild child down the hill. It was slick and fast! Adam pulled Makenna down in the toddler sled a few times, but she was content to watch.

 

 

Christmas Eve service. The kids did really well in the service with us. At one point Makenna yelled "Sheep!!" when she heard the sounds of sheep in the background music. People around us got a good chuckle. 

 

Grayson was allowed to hold his own candle for the first time this year. He took it very seriously and was very careful not to spill the wax. I was a little nervous about the nylon coat hanging on the chair in front of him!

 

My boy asked me to build a snowman with him, and of course I said yes!

 

Out for a walk with my hubby.

 

Christmas morning breakfast complete with reindeer antlers! Can you tell he was excited!

 

Unfortunately I got a migraine that morning (of all the days!), so the rest of the morning and afternoon were a bit of a blur. We had a great time opening gifts and the kids were on cloud nine.

 

At dinner on Christmas Day Alex started talking to Grayson about a "battle", and somehow it turned into a real thing! Before I knew what was going on, Adam had wrapped Grayson in packaging bubbles, armed him with "weapons" and was giving him a pep talk.

The light went out and in walked Alex dressed as a box robot. An epic battle ensued. In the end Grayson won and was given an old trophy from Adam's high school basketball days. Grayson will tell you that the battle was the highlight of his Christmas vacation in Alaska!

 

The Christmas dessert with Kellie and Queen Elsa.

 

On our last evening in Alaska, Stan decided to give G his first woodworking class. He showed him the tools he has and taught him to hammer a nail. I told him that I want to sign up for the next class!

What a wonderful time we had in Alaska. I'm so thankful we were able to spend Christmas surrounded by family!