Perfect Day for a Whittier Trip

Jake and I enjoying some great seafood
Not sure why I didn't hop in this one, but it's Mom, Dad, and Squirt (aka Muriel)
Jake and I with his parents
Right before the fight broke out...
Bored in the back seat

We decided late Saturday night we wanted to be heathens and miss church on Sunday to drive South and see the sights. Jake's parents are in town with his older brother for the next month helping us with the remodel, and my little sister Muriel came to visit for the weekend. In any case, Muriel's favorite Alaskan town is Whittier, and she wanted to see it again before she left Tuesday.

Whittier is one of the most 'Alaskan' towns one could visit. Not only do you get to enjoy the beautiful fourty mile stretch of road that follows the Cook Inlet with views of mountain, ocean, waterfalls, glaciers, occasional beluga whales, and sheep on the mountains, but when you reach the Whittier tunnel you get to experience driving through the longest tunnel in North America. No kidding! As you can tell from the map below (Whittier is the green arrow) it is only accessed through this tunnel or by boat. It's the closest port from Anchorage, so it's a popular spot for boat-owners, but for us it is just a cute little port town that visit when we have a craving for the Swiftwater Seafood chowder. It will change your life. In any case, enjoy the pictures, we had a wonderful time excluding the racially charged fight that broke out in the restaraunt, but that's for another post.


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Still Recovering

Ok I know there is nothing worse than reading (or hearing) somebody else talk about a show you don't watch, but I can't help it today. For all you non-Desperate Housewives watchers...sorry...and go to abc.com and watch the past episodes so you can get in the loop because this season was c-r-a-z-y. If you do watch and were unlucky to miss last night don't read on because it's a spoiler.

Last night was the season finale. It wrapped up all the loose ends of each woman's story pretty nicely...and just when you thought you had actually watched a finale that didn't have the typical cliff-hanger tease ending where you were so irritated that you'd have to wait another four months to see what happens but yet at the same time so delighted that there was a twist, they fast forward the series 5 YEARS!!! Just like that!!! And all you got was a tiny preview in what's happening in everybody's lives. My favorite was Gabby all un-make-up'd and ugly with the twin Chinese girls (I'm not sure if she adopted or what...I'm sure we'll find out next season) and my LEAST FAVORITE was that Suzan isn't with Mike Delfino! What a tramp...

In any case, I'd have to rank that as seriously the best season finale episode I've ever watched...I knew there was a reason I loved this show!

Never a Dull Moment

There is never a dull moment in our house! Jake was sitting in the living room last night when he heard metal clanging around. Since we are in the construction phase of the remodel, at first he assumed it was some loose material getting caught by the wind. Then he looked outside and saw this right in front of the house! I guess an older lady was in the right-hand lane turning left onto a side street, but didn't have her turn signal on, and a younger man was impatient and pulled into the lane on the left to pass her as she was turning left...and since the young man was going too fast to begin with he ran over her hood and it flipped him over on the top. This guy had his 5 year old boy with him (they were headed to little league) and they must have been late because he was speeding and passing in a no passing zone.

In any case, nobody (thankfully) was hurt, Jake ran out and took this picture while calling 911 (he's the ultimate multi-tasker with his iPhone now) and it turned out to be quite the event of the evening.

McDUDnalds

Ok...maybe it's because I personally feel as though I have been a BIG contributor to the McDonalds organization via my daily McChickens in high school, my Big Macs through college and now my McFlurries, but I expect when I go to my local McDonalds franchise I will get what I want. I know "Have it Your Way" is coined by Burger King, but deep down aren't all fast food chains made equal?

Today I was craving my daily ice cream fix, and asked Jake to swing by the drive-thru on our way back to the office. I was in the back seat because my Dad was with us, and I was chatting away with my big brother shooting the breeze as Jake was ordering, so I didn't really catch all the confusion that the cashier had when Jake was explaining to her that no, we didn't want 6 McFlurries we just wanted 3 with an additional topping for each. We've already accepted that it's an extra 46 cents, and have mastered the ordering of them so there aren't any questions...'I want ONE Oreo McFlurry with ONE additional topping of M&Ms please' should suffice, right?

Well, it didn't, the lady went back and forth, first assuming we wanted a truckload of one topping ice cream treats, then mixing the Reese's with Oreo and the M&Ms with the Butterfinger, but Jake was quick to straighten her out and it looked like we were good to pick up our delectable desserts...that is until Jake pulled up to the window to pay and the cashier rudely said, "Um...just so you know we aren't going to mix the toppings any more." I was still on the phone talking so as I listened to Jake laugh in her face and ask why she would ever say something so silly, she very shortly replied "The head honcho here said that mixing the toppings causes cross contamination".

Are you serious McDonalds? Cross contamination of ice cream toppings?? Jake argued with her a little longer while even my brother Mark was getting fired up and threatening to tear her head off through my cell phone while I gratefully accepted that this might be my last Orea/M&M McFlurry...at least from that store.

Moral of the story is that sometimes, even for an extra charge, McDonalds doesn't always Love to See You Smile.

Finally Splurged

For over a year now, I have been hearing my friends who are more fashionable and 'up with the times' than I could ever hope to be tell me how fabulous the Chi brand hair flat irons work. My best friend Erin says it changed her life; some old clients of mine used their co-workers on a business trip and each of them ran out to purchase one the day after they returned home. So, after using my own cheaper straightener yesterday and experiencing all the hair snagging a girl can stand, I broke down and called Kelly.

Because Kelly has her beautician's license (is that what it's called?) she can purchase hair product/supplies at cost. However, it had to be a covert operation, because technically she isn't allowed to purchase items for the non-cosmetologist likes of me. So, internet, please don't reveal my true identity (or Kelly's) to any beauty supply store in the greater area of Anchorage so that she can help me work the system and I can maintain my hair with the best of the best products for cheaper, k?

In any case, she was kind enough to take me on her supply shopping trip today and I splurged on the coveted Chi straightener, hopped in the shower as soon as I got home even though I'd already taken one this morning, and whipped that baby out to work it's magic on my locks. AND...it...was...AWESOME! I have never bought into a lot of the hype that seems to go with all the expensive brand name clothes, shoes, purses, hair product, etc. because I figure my $8 shoes at payless look just as cute as your coach pumps; like Mom always said it's not what you're wearing it's wearing it with confidence.

So, to all those skeptics out there, borrow one if you must test it, but if you're in the market for a flat iron, save those pennies and splurge--it's worth it!

Now for those of you with any idea how to justify the purchase to Jake, please comment or e-mail me before I see him tonight to ensure the safety of my marriage.