The Great Alaskan Roundup

My Alaska album currently has 625 pictures in it, so understand that we're going to just sip from a firehose, and quickly. Shay already gave you the trip out, so here's what happened after we touched down, in miniature:

Day 1 was rough. Jet-lag and a stomach bug were hard on the guy, but we opened with breakfast at my favorite Seattle diner, the Athenian at Pike Place, which is where I have breakfast every time I'm out there. Here we are in the booth I normally share with SLL, Monika, and BJ.

We met up with my work-wife, Catherine, and her lovely daughter Eliza, who's just Cody's age. They got on as well as Catherine and I do. Here they are on the monorail over to the Space Needle that first afternoon. Note the circles under both kids' eyes. This is at 1:00 p.m.

And here we are up at the top, with a view of Lake Union.

After we boarded the Celebrity Solstice, our first stop was Ketchikan, where we walked two miles to church, wandered the streets of Old Town Ketchikan, and went kayaking with Catherine and Eliza and the rest of their family, Christian and Carter. (Carter became Cody's Lego buddy. Whenever the two of them convened Lego Club, I'd sit listening to them as every single exchange began with "Dude!" It was like have 15-year-old boys.

One of the highlights of the trip was passage through the Tracy Arm Fjord, which really was like something out of Middle Earth. The only problem is that it was cold. Really cold. Like 30 degrees. So we alternated time out on the deck in weather gear, then bundled in blankets, and then watching from inside in the make-shift campsite Cody constructed for himself by the veranda door. Note the new stuffie: That's Wolfie, who joined us in Ketchikan.

In Juneau, we went on a whale watch and saw humpback whales this. Close. Really. This is not shot with a telephoto lens. He went crazy.

Also, we went to see the Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls with all of our Weekly Standard buddies. Behold the children of the Standard:

Our next port, Skagway, got cancelled because of weather, leaving us with two sea days. But fortunately, Cody had a gaggle of friends in the Lowes, the Hayes kids, and the Hemingway girls. Shannon was kind of mystified when I brought back laundry and Cody's pants all had grass stains on the knees. How could that be possible? Because the ship had an acre of live grass on the top deck, which was perfect for the kids to play on.

Is that Cody having a kung-fu fight with Fox News Channel's Steve Hayes? Why yes. Yes it is.

And here's Cody having some solo-play time with play clay on our balcony:

Our last day was in Victoria, which was so beautiful that I wanted to move there. Like tomorrow. We went on an orca whale watch with the Standard contingent, which was amazing. (Saw a group of three transients out hunting; that's Cody and Eliza again.) We walked around the city. And we had a grown-up dinner at a fancy restaurant with Vic and Kate Matus, Andy and Denise Ferguson, and John and Lauren McCormack. And Cody was the most mature and charming he's ever been, ever.

On Friday morning we docked back in Seattle and then had a day with Uncle BJ and Aunt Julia, which is another post in itself. We had a great time on our ship; hopefully the first of many cruises.

Here, by the way, is Cody on stage with a microphone before one of the panel discussions. Clearly, he's ready.

Emerald Isle 2016

Will caption later, but a few highlights from our vacation so far. 

Pretty Little Liar, Again

Alaska is coming soon. I promise. In the meantime:

Yesterday morning Cordelia and I are walking down to the beach with me carrying my surfboards over my shoulder. The strap to one of them unhooked and the board dropped to the ground with a thud, leaving me, obviously, concerned. This is the exchange that followed:

JVL: I hope my board isn't broken.

CML: It isn't. I promise.

JVL: Well, we won't know until we get to the beach and take it out of the bag.

CML: Dad, I promise it's not broken. And have I ever broken a promise to you?

JVL: Actually, I'm afraid you have broken some promises in the past.

CML: Well sometimes I have to break my promises to you. And sometimes I have to lie to you. But this isn't one of those times. This time, you can trust me.

It was all so believable and earnest. But then, the best sociopaths always are.

Summer Sibling Revelry

Just a few pics from the summer…which has completely gotten away from me.

Not sure what's going on here, but they called themselves "Team C!"

 True to form (just like her rolling over, sitting, crawling, walking, and toilet training) Cordelia woke up one day and decided to ride a two-wheeler. So...

 Morning movie on a rainy day, under Granny's quilts.

 First day of a week-long summer camp, with their buddy Evan.

 Reading stories at night...

 …before tucking Emma in.

 Cody's first theater experience — Peter Pan in Manassas. HUGE hit!

 Here they are having Intermission Pretzels, as they are now known.

 She looks eight. It kills me.

 Early morning at the playground.

 Painting nails on the deck.

Tired after a birthday party with bounce house.

 CJP has the full-on Richie Tenenbaum here.

 Best part of the whole day.

More to come!