Walt Disney and Mickey show us the way OUT of Magic Kingdom, and back into reality

Well, this is our first day back into the reality of NOT being on vacation. Vacation was great -- one of the interesting things about living in Alaska is that you appreciate things more. Waking up in the Caribbean and being able to walk outside without any thought for frostbite is a total pleasure. Feeling sun on your face, even with the threat of sunburn, is completely enjoyable. Most importantly, spending time with family just means so much more when you don't get to see them as often.

At home, we are slowly getting back to reality. Vacation to me is not officially over until everything that was accumulated during the vacation is put away, and judging by the piles of stuff on the stairs and all available flat surfaces, it will take a while :).

Galileo's resolution this year is to take a walk every day, so we bundled up to explore our walking route this afternoon. The landscape is cold and pastel-colored, except for the icky khaki color of the driven snow. Galileo could barely get across the street, which shows you how slippery it was. I fell only once on my wrist but wound up with only a dull ache and a bit of snow in my shoe.

Anyways, the sun is going down, and it's a good day in the frozen north.