Skagway Hall of Fame

I found this to be really interesting when I got off and on the boat in Skagway. On the side of the mountain there, different crews from the different ships had left their mark. If the crews really liked their captain, they would climb to the highest area and paint their ships name and captains name. The higher the artwork, the more they appreciated their captain. There was also a skull painted to represent Soapy Smith...an individual that made a huge mark on the history of Skagway.

Liarsville Salmon Bake

Part of our Yukon excursion was a stop in Liarsville for a delicious salmon bake. The history of Liarsville is really quite interesting. There were a few journalists who had come to see the gold rush in Alaska. They went back to the states claiming that there was a ton of gold to be found in that particular area. Well, when the gold rushers came through, they found nothing. As a result, the area was names Liarsville.

The Yukon Suspension Bridge

One of our excursions in Skagway was the Yukon Suspension Bridge. It was pretty cool to go through the Yukon Pass and on into Canada. This was the route that many of the gold rushers followed when they were searching for gold. It was cold but SO beautiful here! It was also lots of fun to cross the Yukon Suspension Bridge.

Our Second Port: Skagway, Alaska

Our second stop was in Skagway, Alaska. I have a former student of mine, Michelle Hicks, who is working in Skagway this summer. I was lucky enough for her to be my personal tour guide. She showed me all of the beautiful sites in Skagway including Reed Falls. She also took me to the deserted town of Dyea. Dyea was originally set up when the gold rush occurred. However, it was too far inland and so the gold rush town was then moved to Skagway. There are only a few things left of Dyea...a store front, a basement of a court house and a pile of wood from a warehouse. Michelle was super cute and studied up on the history of Skagway before I got there so that she could give me a full history of the place. Supposedly, there was a guy who was a big gangster that came to Skagway and reaped havoc. His name was Soapy Smith. A picture of his grave is in the collage. I also saw the largest gold nugget in the world! SWEET!!! :)

Our First Port: Juneau, Alaska

We left Seattle on Saturday afternoon and traveled towards our first stop, Juneau. We were at sea for a day and a half on our journey towards Alaska. In this time, we spent some quality time together on the boat enjoying some of the different types of entertainment that the ship offered...we went to an art auction and also enjoyed the entertainment of a comedian as well as some singers and dancers. On Sunday, we also took some time out to have a gospel discussion and to share our testimonies with one another. It was a pretty special way to stop and reflect upon the Sabbath day. On Monday, we arrived in beautiful Juneau, Alaska. This was a special stop because the Hoffenreichs lived in Juneau. In fact, Zech was born in Juneau. They have family there and so their cousin, Mariah, came and picked us up and toured us around all day...which was very nice of her. We saw some pretty amazing sights...the Mendenhall Glacier, Eagle River, the Shrine of St. Therese, Water Wheel Plaza (Pops actually constructed this building), and even saw where the first missionaries came to open up the land of Alaska for the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a great day...I even got to pick up and hold a piece from the glacier! :)

North To Alaska!

On June 26th at approximately 4 in the afternoon, I embarked on a journey of a lifetime (with the amazing Hoffenreich Family). It was my first cruise EVER and my first time to travel to Alaska, the last frontier. Can we just say that I was beyond excited for what was going to happen? I seriously felt like a kid at Disneyland when I got to the port, went through customs and got on the ship. I just knew that I had struck gold! You will see through the posts that follow that I did just that...perhaps it wasn't real gold but instead treasured moments and memories that will last a lifetime! :)

Mini Family Reunion

The Breakfast Bunch...

Mom, Shauna, Elena, Joaquin, Me and Scott

While I was in Utah for Diana's wedding, I was also lucky enough to see some of my family. On Saturday morning before the wedding, Mom, Scott and I met up with Shauna, Joaquin and Elena for breakfast. It was so much fun to be with them...even if it was for just a short moment. My cousin, Stewart, also returned from serving in the Texas, McAllen mission and gave his homecoming report on Sunday and so I got to see some more of my awesome Ludwig family. It was great to hear Stewart's report. I am positive that he was a great missionary. Jeff, Ashley, Ty and Charlie were in Utah at the time and so I was able to see them, too. I am very grateful that I got these moments with my family in the midst of a crazy, fun-filled wedding weekend! :)

Wedding Bells: June 19, 2010

On June 19, 2010, I had the blessing of attending the wedding of my dear friend Diana Hughes and her sweetheart, Brad Howell. On the 18th, there was a beautiful wedding dinner held in their honor at the Joseph Smith Building. They had a buffet of several delicious foods and they also had a fun little program. Diana's sister-in-laws made up a dance and song to "Dancing Queen" but instead changed it to, "Diana Queen." They equipped it with crazy disco costumes and huge hair wigs. It was pretty hilarious. There was also a dance for everyone that followed the program. I had a great time at the wedding dinner catching up with my awesome friends Nate and Heidi. I have missed not seeing them and so it was for sure a bonus to be able to reconnect with them. They have a darling little girl and are also expecting another little girl in November. So fun! The wedding ceremony was beautiful and was performed in the Salt Lake Temple. That evening they had their reception at This is the Place Monument Park. It was very simple but very elegant and beautiful. Perhaps the funnest connection made this weekend was to find out that Brad's grandma was my kindergarten teacher...it's a small world after all! It was so fun to see her...after SO many years! :) Overall, it was a very special weekend and I am grateful I was able to be in attendance. I love you, Diana and Brad! Congratulations!!! :)

Dancing The Night Away!

One of the things that I look forward to every year is chaperoning the Senior Prom. I feel that this is a fun opportunity to celebrate with the students and to enjoy a night out on the town with fun dancing and delicious treats. I have to be honest and say that I got some good dance time in, too. My students might have been a little surprised to see that Miss Knight does know a little about dancing...but, let's be honest...when there is a good beat, you have gotta move to the music. Right? :) For the second year in a row, I did not get to attend my kids graduation because I was in Utah for a wedding. So, I feel that Prom was a good opportunity for me to congratulate my students and to let them know how proud I am of each of them. I got some good pics with some of my awesome students on Prom night...fun memories for sure! I love these kids!!! :)

Jeanette's UW Graduation: June 12, 2010

My cousin, Jeanette Ludwig Hughes, graduated with her Master's Degree in Special Education from the University of Washington on June 12, 2010. Huge accomplishment! All of the hours of hard work finally paid off. We are all so proud of Jeanette! Way to go girl! :)

NEWS FLASH: UPDATE ON THE WAY!

Just want to give everyone the heads up...I have a ton of posts that will be coming your way in the next few days. I have so much to blog about!!! So, hold on tight and get ready to join me on some crazy and fun adventures! :)