Third annual Fucik/Gunning reunion...

Traveling is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.  And what better way to travel than with friends on a boat?!  Nate and I were so excited to go on our first cruise with Calli and Zac to Alaska!!!  We spent seven days making memories while cruising through the Pacific Ocean, and we have the pictures to show for it...

First Stop: Ketchikan, Alaska

We spent a few hours exploring this small town of 8,000 people.  We shopped, ate at an adorable hole in the wall called "Polar Treats", and explored a Tongass Historical Museum. There was native culture everywhere!  Ketchikan has the world's largest collection of standing totem poles sprinkled all through the town, we loved it!

 

Second Stop: Juneau, Alaska

The entire trip was breathtaking, but this town was beyond words.  We took a gondola to the top of Mount Juneau where we could do a little hiking and see the city from a different angle.  We didn't stay long at this port, but we loved every second of it.

Later that day, our boat took us to see a glacier!  The water was emerald green and the air was reverent and calm.  There were ice chunks floating in the water, and I thought I was on the movie Titanic!  This was my favorite part of the trip because it made me feel like we were really in Alaska.  The captain got us as close to the glacier as he could before he had to turn the boat around.  It was so peaceful.

Third Stop: Skagway, Alaska

This day was one of my favorites.  The weather was awesome, and I didn't even feel like we were in Alaska.  Skagway populates less than 1,000 people normally, but more than double that number come to Skagway during the summer to accommodate all the tourists.  We spent the day doing what we do best: simply exploring the town.  We went on tours, hikes, found a cute ice cream shop, went shopping, and enjoyed the day.

A little windy in the picture below... but the mountains in the background are pretty!!!

Last Stop: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

The stop in Canada is a blur.  All I remember is the delicious BBQ sandwich I ate and my feet hurting at the end of the day from walking around the city!  Too much fun!

When we weren't ported, we were busy eating, sitting in the hot tubs, getting ice cream cones, watching shows, ordering room service, playing cards, whale watching, and overall just eating.  It was an amazing trip, and we can't wait for our fourth annual Fucik/Gunning reunion :).

Escape to Pinetop...

We had only been in Clovis for 2 weeks, and we were ready for our first escape!  Pinetop, Arizona was calling our names for a weekend filled with Fourth of July memories to make.  We hit the road on Thursday, and made it just in time for dinner and fireworks.  The firework show was awesome, and so fun to be with family.

On Friday, the Workmans had a BBQ and all family was on deck... literally!  There were cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and so much more!  I think I met more extended family members at this BBQ than at our wedding reception in Arizona :).

By Saturday, I was in a food coma! But don't think for a second that I let that slow me down.  We had a big day planned of fishing, shopping, and eating more of Kathy's delicious food.  We went fishing down at a nearby lake, and unfortunately, this was the first year we didn't catch anything.  I still suspect that Nate gave me the bunk pole because he didn't want me to one-up him again this year ;).  I'll get him next summer!  

The rest of the day was filled with boutique shopping and visiting with the family.   

Later that night, we had a pool party at the hotel where Katie and Mark were staying.  Avery is only two, but was swimming circles around us.  My favorite part was when her and Nate were diving into the pool like they were Olympic swimmers.  She's such a doll!!!!

We had such a fun weekend.  It was worth every minute of that 8-hour drive to spend the weekend with family.  

We're back... and yet, we're gone...

Remember that time we got married, and we said we would blog about all the fun stuff we do?  Yea, there's really only two possibilities to explain why we haven't posted anything since February...

1. We aren't having any fun, so there's nothing to blog about.  Or..
2. We are having so much fun, we don't have enough time to blog about it!

I hope you guessed #2.  Well, there's good news.  Time seems to be in excess these days because we moved to Clovis, New Mexico, so I'll have plenty of time to blog!!!  Clovis is a small town in eastern New Mexico, described as a dusty, desert town.  It's not that small; populating about 35,000 people, and we're determined to explore every nook and cranny of this town and the surrounding ones!

Everyone helped us pack up a truck, then mom and dad helped us make the drive across the country... okay, just across the state line!

On Saturday morning, we unpacked the truck in a mere 45 minutes (thanks to the guys from church who came to help), and my mom and dad left Nate and me to do the fun stuff... unpack!!!

It was a fast goodbye, and I didn't feel the effects of them being gone until later that night.  Believe me, I cried like a little baby.  But it's time to face the facts.  We are New Mexicans now.  I don't live in the same apartment complex with two of my sisters and their families anymore.  I don't live 2 miles away from my parents and other sister.  I don't have the ability to see my brother, sister-in-law, and two babies (age 7 and 2... still my babies) whenever I want.  Homesick will be part my soul now.  Sounds depressing, right?!  Don't let me fool you... Nate and I couldn't be more excited about this new opportunity. 

Let the new adventures begin.  And this time I promise will probably blog more often so that our families and friends can keep up with our latest and greatest adventures.  The most current adventure we are embarking on is buying a home.  More pictures to come!