Friday Night Leftovers (trips & visitors edition)

• I'm excited because after being in Alaska for 6.5 months (4 of which have been snow covered), we are planning our first family trip out of Alaska for next month and to a destination that is far warmer, drier and filled with family.  California or Bust!
• Compliments of the US military, we will be attempting to fly Space-A down to Travis AFB which is just a hop-skip-and-a-jump from my aunt(s), uncle(s) and cousins!  If you aren't familiar with Space Available Flight, better known as Space-A or military hops, it is a unique privilege provided to service members, retirees and their families. Under the Space-A program, eligible passengers can fill unused seats on DoD-owned or controlled aircraft once all the space-required (duty) passengers and cargo have been accommodated.  Which means that we get to fly on a C-17 or similar military plane.  Oh did I mention... for FREE!
• On a related note, our summer guests list is filling up, most have booked airline tickets, and (hopefully) all are anxious to visit the Northern Frontier & the Hecks.  I know we are just as happy to have the summertime filled with loved ones up here with us.
• As of now... summer guests visiting = 44 days
• As of now... summer guests visiting = 7 loved ones
• Daylight hours report for summertime visits... 18-19 hours of straight sunlight... and then there is twilight where it just seems like the sun is up but it is actually the middle of the night.
• Weather report for summertime visits... averages are low of 39 degrees & high of 65 degrees.
• I can't wait for people to experience what we have already been lucky enough to since we arrived in August.
• In other news, last night after the kids went to bed, the Mama & baby moose who visited our backyard yesterday returned to rest in the snow & nibble on some tree brances MUCH closer than they did earlier in the day when the kids & I were watching.  Unbelievably cool.