Ben And Emily Are Here!

We affectionately call them, "Bemily"

They are enjoying the fun and we are enjoying having them here.  Young adults make vacationing fun!

Turtles!

The resort we are staying at had a fun, environmentally friendly activity that we were able to participate in...they work in cooperation with an aquarium that specializes in turtle conservation and they let the guests release baby turtles to the wild.

First we all stood in a circle and listened to a long presentation and learned lots of interesting things about turtles....then we stood in a line facing the ocean......

...and then they handed us each a turtle...

They were SO CUTE!!!  Each and every one was flipping their flippers trying to make their way to the ocean...

Levi LOVED the baby turtles.....

Maybe too much....

 Levi!!!!

Stop it Levi!!

Quit it!!!!!!!!!

That's better...

Look at this darling family enjoying their turtles...

And then, because there were more turtles than people, some of us were given a 2nd one!

Here's my niece, Rebecca, with hers

It's a turtle conference!

At the count of one, two, three, we all released the turtles.  Without exception they all headed directly for the sea.  How do they know where to go?  Who tells them?

 

 Some of them got really tired because the surf kept pushing them back, but eventually all of them made it into the sea.

Baby turtles...how fun!!

 

Fun In The Sun

Felíz Navidad!!

It's strange to celebrate Christmas in such a warm climate.....

But we are making the most of it!

Look, Mom!!  No survival suit!!

Our Vacation Has Begun!

Our first stop is Portland, Oregon....everyone from my family gathered at my niece and nephews house for a little Christmas celebration!

There was great food....

...gifts were exchanged....

Levi got a computer!!!

And just in case you were worried about the ducks....they are in good hands.....we have a house sitter....

You don't have to worry about them!

Insanity

The day started out normal enough....for breakfast I made Levi and Chris some snowflake pancakes...

...dusted with powdered sugar and swimming in butter and syrup of course...

Then the boys went to pick up Ryan...... and that's when the insanity started.  They had decided that they were going to participate in this year's annual polar dip. Being sane people, Mr. Adams and I headed over to watch...

Everyone who is anyone was there....kids....

...dogs...

....the media...

Some people even dressed up in crazy costumes....it was a very bright, colorful, laughing crowd.

The Sitka High School National Honor Society was giving out hot chocolate....

And emergency personnel were on hand (they even had a diver in the water)....just in case....

As the clock approached noon everyone started to migrate down toward the water's edge....

Everyone was full of confidence and bravado.....

And then the horn went off and they all raced into the water, screaming....

A true dipper must go completely under the water before they can come back out again....

And just as quickly as they ran in, they all started running back out again....screaming even louder....

...while people like me took pictures

Then everyone shivered violently while they compared notes on how cold it was!!

It was completely insane!