The undocumented year, part 2

June was a real highlight with a family RV trip to Humbolt County. We had an amazing time visiting Henry, Katie, and Cyrus in their new house, and then in the giant redwoods with the cousins and Aunt Julie:
 

 Then back home

 

A very fun first-ever family reunion on "the land" outside Rochester, and a nostalgia trip to Chicago, including haunting our old neighborhood of Andersonville:

 

Louis brought his kilt because he knew Mary's family was Scottish:

 Louis brought his kilt as he knew Mary's family was Scottish

And then, Alaska with the Peach-Leungs! This was truly a life-changing trip I think for the kids. Louis still talks about it constantly. Alaska really delivers -- we saw humpback whales bubble net feeding (like six at a time would surface), we saw (several) bears catch salmons, each kid caught a giant salmon (and then some), we hiked an hiked (even in the pouring rain), and had glorious views from the ferries. Truly special -- and especially for me to be be there with Dolly.

 Louis "lost" his first tooth the first day in Juneau -- really I'd say yanked out on purpose his barely-loose tooth 10 minutes after Sadie lost a tooth, in I guess a competitive move (Annabel the tooth fairy did bring him a small pocket knife -- she always shops local):

 I have sooo many more bear pictures, but this guy was up close near the viewing platform:

 James and Louis spent a day in Wrangell hiking and catching these beautiful Dolly Vardens -- apparently James almost fell in a giant hole trying retrieve these  fish (which they then took to the beach and grilled and ate):

 We went on a hike instead:

 The overnight ferry rides were in-and-of-themselves an adventure:

 So much fish, so much cooking fish:

 

After a very expensive charter fishing day for kings that was only of moderate success (Eli caught a salmon), James discovered (thanks to me) where the locals go, and they caught like six salmon:

Then it was home, time to say goodbye to Nani and Nana, and back to school! Louis started kindergarten, which was pretty exciting at first (on the very first day, he asked Mrs. Thomson after lunch, "So, when are we going to start learning?" and bought his lunch -- instead of eating the one I packed -- "on credit"), thought turned out to be a fairly rough transition.

  

This has to be at least the fourth year of back-to-school pictures on the Barker's front wall (note Rosemary is wearing sequins on the first day of second grade):

 Looking fairly worried: