the after 30 part...

I'm not a dog person.  Never have been.  In the last 20 years or so, my natural reaction to dogs is to pull away.  I'm allergic.  So to have a dog in my house still shocks me.  I'll be doing the dishes and see Max peak around the island in my kitchen, and I'm still surprised every time.  The 16th marked our first month together.  Just two days after I had him, I freaked out.  I actually called my Mom, while having a mild panic attack, even crying, because I felt overwhelmed and anxious about what I had "gotten myself into".  I felt like he was a ball and chain.  What if I wanted to travel for months at a time?  What if I forget to feed him?  Do I have to take him everywhere?  What if he gets sick and I can't afford to save him?  I don't want to think about anybody else but ME ME ME!  Selfish?  Yes.  True? Embarrassingly so. However, after one week, his cute floppy ears, silly looking under bite and his...

It's Mother's day today.  The day to celebrate how awesome and amazing our Mom's are.  And as much as my mother is pretty kick ass, I'm not going to be talking about her.  I'm going to talk about another mother, not a mother to me, but one that inspires me.  I hope that when I do finally become a Mom, I am as giving and loving as Christy McDonald (Parrott) .  Christy and I grew up in Ketchikan together.  We became very close in high school and have been friends ever since.  She graduated from college in Arkansas and then married Danny McDonald.  They soon had their first son, Taylor, and then a daughter named Bailey.  They are the cutest children ever and she is one lucky Momma. Bailey is a year and half now and has Downs Syndrome.  This doesn't define Bailey by any means, but it was something that Christy had to prepare for and educate herself about.  Since Bailey has been in her life, I have been reading her blog and watching Ba...

How in the heck did May already get here?  April flew by!!   Friday we get our first ship and start our 11th season at Skagway Mining Company.  11 springs of bringing in boxes, unloading, pricing items, and merchandising.  11 summers of customer service, stupid tourist questions, and long days.  11 falls of counting 800 of this and 1,001 of that for a physical inventory.  11 lovely ferry rides home.  I can't believe it's been ELEVEN years! This year, however, there has been a big change.  I had to say goodbye to my awesome leadership team, Jared, Katie, Willie, Brittany, and Jene, and welcome a new one.  I hired six new people this winter down in Seattle and it turned out to be a huge success.  Here are a few pictures of April. From left to right top row: Jamie, Kaeli, Nick, Kevin, Cole Bottom row: Adam, Sarah and Keri Meet Kaeli from Louisiana!  She is in charge of our jewelry and has a super cute style! ...