Mother's Day_May-June Birthdays 2014

Since we were on our Alaskan Cruise on Mother's Day we had a late gathering this year that also combined birthdays for Sarah and Jordan (5-31) and Sydney (6-1).  This was on Memorial Day holiday Monday, 5-26, which was also highlighted as the most rainy day in the Houston area that I can remember in a long time, and we had to drive home in the downpour.  But the rain started late enough in the day that the grilled chicken and food prepared was excellent and we had a good gathering that included Sarah and Jordan, Tom and Marcielle, Mike and Sydney, Tammy and myself.  Then on Saturday, 5-31, we had an actual birthday gathering for Sarah and Jordan at Zio's Italian Restaurant in Webster with Sarah's sister, Bridget and husband Tim, daughter Emily, and their mom, Margie, joining us.  We gave Sarah and Jordan a luggage set for their birthday gift.  Pictures.   VIDEO

Seattle - Alaska Cruise 2014

We finally made it to Seattle for a few days and then Alaska and Canada on our seven day cruise.  It was fun while being fast and furious.  In Seattle we walked the famous Pike's Place Market sampling foods and taking in all the sights. Then on to the Space Needle via the 1962 built Monorail and also a tour through the famous Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit next door.  On Saturday we left our wonderful Paramount Hotel, with Wi-Fi, and set sail on the Golden Princess ship to Juneau, Alaska with the Mendenhall Glacier Tour, followed by Skagway and the White Pass Summit Tour, Glacier Bay National Park to see the glaciers, Ketchikan to view Totem Bight park, and then Victoria, BC, to see the acclaimed Butchart Gardens before heading back to Seattle.  So much to see and do, but the weather for us was perfect, with some cold days and some warm enough that I sunned on deck several times and swam in the pools and soaked in hot tubs.  The most rain we had was some in Seattle, naturally, and some in Glacier Bay where it is coldest on the north end.  Pictures are Here!  VIDEOS:  SEATTLE   JUNEAU  SKAGWAY   KETCHICAN & VICTORIA