One Amazing Saturday in Juneau

After a great girls night this past Friday night, I woke up Saturday planning to do domestic stuff....until I looked out the window.  It was sunny and clear and gorgeous outside.  So, after a slew of text messages and phone calls between girlfriends, I ended up here:

West Glacier Trail (in August)

Oh wait, I meant here!  Same trail, just a little more bundled up this time :)

West Glacier Trail (in November)

I hiked with Megan and Allison.  Megan teaches Math at UAS and I also play volleyball with her.  Allison is the director of the Alaska Coastal Rainforest Center, and is a fellow Midwestern transplant.  They're both wicked smart (PhD's in Math and Biology) and thankfully very down to earth and still easy for me to talk to :)

Snow makes everything prettier :)

Megan & Allison hiked longer than I was able to because I had to work (a fully booked shift, yay!), so I turned around and headed back early, after a couple hours.  

When I got back to the house, I had a package waiting for me from Caroline!  And, I happened to be on the phone with her already, so I got to open it and share my reaction with her on the other line, which is pretty special because...

She had this bracelet custom made for me!  It is a string of cut-outs from vintage maps of Brian's and my "beginnings" (London, OH and Croswell, MI) and in between are all the cities I've lived in along the way.  

This is just one reason of many, why I love Caroline...

When the bracelet is clasped, Brian's and my beginnings are connected and no matter which direction you go down the line, it's like he was always there with me.  Um, can we say AMAZING GIFT?!?!?

The box also contained lots of random and lovely Fall goodies, and her amazing jewelry that she somehow just "throws together" with her incredible talent of jewelry making.

Beautiful stuff!  She is so creative and talented!

The special bracelet was made by Daisy Mae Designs.  Such a neat idea!

So, I headed to my work shift feeling on cloud nine after opening that lovely gift.  I had a great shift of massaging, and then went to a Thanksgiving dinner hosted and cooked by my new, good friend, Corinne!

Yes, those are pomegranate seeds in the bottom of the champagne glass.  Corinne is one classy lady.

Corinne and I have become fast friends.  We play volleyball together, and she is also a massage therapist (a really good one!)

Corinne, me, Megan - two awesome women I'm lucky to call friends :)  

Definitely feeling blessed and thankful for sunny hikes in the snow, thoughtful and unique gifts, and really good girlfriends :)