As our family trip this summer, we went to Kenai to visit Uncle Bob and Curtis/Nikki Berry. They live in Moose Pass, Alaska. We got to see a lot of the area while we werethere. We visited a Wildlife Conservation Center and the kids got to see all the big mammals of Alaska like bears, wolves, moose, caribou, musk ox, and reindeer. We panned for gold, hiked, picked berries, and went on a day cruise in the Kenai Fjords. On our cruise we saw seals, sea lions, puffins, and orcas. We got to see Beluga's while were driving along the Turnagain Arm. Several times when we stopped at a visitor center, the kids completed activities to earn their Junior Ranger badges. They even took a pact to try to protect and preserve nature. We saw a lot of beautiful landscape and also were able to see the Swan Lake fire burning just outside the city next to Moose Pass. The kids got to learn about how the fire helps the forest regenerate and were impressed but how much it changed the land.
Curtis, Bob, and Nikki were so kind to let us stay in their home. Abby got especially attached to Curtis and just wanted to stay at the house each morning to be with him (even though he was going to have to leave for work). He made a deal with her everyday that at the end of the day they would compare how much fun they had and whoever had the most fun would get a quarter. She loved it and felt very special that he took the time to talk about her day with her everyday. Nikki showed the kids the land behind their house and took them on adventures through the woods. Bob showed them how to drive the four wheeler and told them jokes. We all loved being with them and are so happy we could go up and spend time with their family. We'll always remember it.
Finally on the last day before we went home, we went back into Anchorage a little early so that Andy and I could attend the temple. When Andy was headed in he ran into his mission president! It turns out he is a sealer now at the Anchorage Alaska temple. Andy sent someone in to get me so we could attend a sealing session with him :). Afterwards, he asked if we could stay extra and showed up some unique things about that particular sealing room and asked if he could meet our children and Andy's parents. We invited them into the waiting room and all of us got to visit for a bit. It was special experience for us each to get to meet Elder and Sister McGary and reconnect Andy and them together again.
