It's very cliche-y but this by far my favorite time of the year. We have so much to be thankful for this year, it's nice to have a holiday to remind ourselves of that. Thanksgiving plans as of now are dinner at our friends Tara and Loren's house (Tara is a teacher in the Junior High and Loren is the president of the Wells Fargo). There will be a bunch of teachers there and should be a fun day. We may stop by another friends house for breakfast, but we will see how the cooking process is going. We are bringing the turkey and an assortment of gluten free goodies (which sort of seems like an oxymoron). It will be a short school week Monday -Wednesday, and then Wednesday after school, Andrew and I are chaparoning the Junior High Sadie Hawkins dance. It's bound to be a good time :)
Last night we went to a house warming party of a teacher, Erika and her boyfriend Tyler. Looking around the room at all the people there, it seemed that there would be very few places in the world that people would all be wearing their snow pants and boots, eating moose meat kabobs, playing with sled dogs, carrying babies in their jackets to keep them warm and quiet, and enjoying every minute of it. Outside there was a huge fire and people playing bean bag in the dark. The most unique part of the evening was that if you needed to use the restroom, you had two options. 1. find your favorite quiet place outside and become one with nature or 2. use the honey bucket inside which was a big 5 gallon bucket for you to squat on. There is running water in the house, but no sewer or septic tank.
Here is a short list of the things that we are thankful for this year, feel free to add your own:
Jobs in the same area that we both find challenging and enjoyable
a new baby on the way
safe and clean housing that is affordable
family
new friends that make living here worth while
old friends
our health, and the health of our families
a childhood that was 'functional' and stable
an education that allows us to experience new things
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone! We hope to talk to lots of you Thanksgiving day at the various celebrations.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Long week
Happy weekend! It feels that the closer you get to a holiday break, the longer the days go. One more full week and then a half week until Thanksgiving.
It was a stressful week at school. There was a bad stomach flu going around so lots of students and teachers out. There is an extreme subsitute shortage so other teachers have to fill in whenever possible. In addition, one teacher's wife had a baby, and another had to leave for a family emergency.
In the junior high we had 3 students arrested for distribution of marijuana which is really sad at such a young age.
Saturday we hung out with James and Amy. We went to a different resturant which I dubbed the Ding Dong of the extreme north. Very small town diner that had great food.
Andrew took his kids on a field trip on Thursday to a financial fitness seminar. He and the students said it was good information, but the lunch was the best part of the day. It was too much information in one day for them. There are so few options for field trips for kids up here that you have to jump at the opprortunity when possible.
Good news for our friends Caleb and Sarah. They have been moved out of the dorms that the school owns, and into the apartment building! No more shared bathroom and kitchen for them. They are both excited to have their own place and we are excited to have them as neighbors.
It's our week to cook dinner, and then our Sunday night assigned time to do laundry.
Hope everyone has an excellent week and is gearing up for Thanksgiving!
Erin
19 degrees
It was a stressful week at school. There was a bad stomach flu going around so lots of students and teachers out. There is an extreme subsitute shortage so other teachers have to fill in whenever possible. In addition, one teacher's wife had a baby, and another had to leave for a family emergency.
In the junior high we had 3 students arrested for distribution of marijuana which is really sad at such a young age.
Saturday we hung out with James and Amy. We went to a different resturant which I dubbed the Ding Dong of the extreme north. Very small town diner that had great food.
Andrew took his kids on a field trip on Thursday to a financial fitness seminar. He and the students said it was good information, but the lunch was the best part of the day. It was too much information in one day for them. There are so few options for field trips for kids up here that you have to jump at the opprortunity when possible.
Good news for our friends Caleb and Sarah. They have been moved out of the dorms that the school owns, and into the apartment building! No more shared bathroom and kitchen for them. They are both excited to have their own place and we are excited to have them as neighbors.
It's our week to cook dinner, and then our Sunday night assigned time to do laundry.
Hope everyone has an excellent week and is gearing up for Thanksgiving!
Erin
19 degrees
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Long Time No Post
Ok...it's been a long time since our last post and A LOT has happened in the last few weeks. To start with, we completed the Junior class carnival. It was a hell of a lot of work but we had a really good turn out. The students were able to raise about $3500 in one night! Between Erin and I we spent over 30 hours in four days setting up and tearing down all the booths.
We had our first conferences of the year. They went pretty well. I had about 25 out of my 80 students represented, which I was warned would be the case. And Erin had 36 out of her 58 students represented....Erin wins! The sad thing is that this was the highest turnout the school has ever seen.
I went hunting for Ptarmaigns today. What do you mean you haven't heard of them?!? They are the Alaska state bird, and the hunting season for them is 7 months long. They turn white once the snow hits, so they were very hard to see. I did hit one with the shot gun and our friend James hit one with the 22. The hunting laws are very strange up here. It seems that everybody shoots first and then decides if the animal is in season later. It was a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to going hunting for these chicken sized birds more this year and next.
We are very, VERY, excited to come home for Christmas and have bought our tickets for the 18th of December and will be home on the 19th! The flight down will be quick but on the flight back on the 3rd of January we will have a 14 hour layover in Seattle, ouch. Our list of things to do when we're home keeps getting longer and longer, as does our list of things to stock up on. Nome is expensive.
Oh, one more thing...I almost forgot. WE'RE PREGNANT! Erin is due on June 15th, which works out great for us as teachers. We've been to the doctor and everything looks good, we got to see the heart beat and everything. We are planning to come home in July to visit. Erin has been feeling like crap for the past month and a half. She is anxiously waiting for Thanksgiving so she can have a couple of days to rest.
Sarah Palin is back in Alaska and still making headlines. It appears that maybe she will run for the Senate position if Ted Stevens (don't even ask!) gets elected and booted from the Senate. One funny thing about the Presidential election was that the polls in Alaska were still open for another 1 1/2 hours when they announced Obama had won. Poor Alaskans.
Just over a month until we get to see everyone again. Good luck to the Wayzata Trojans football and volleyball teams at the State tournament. We will talk to everyone soon!
Andrew
Temp: 15 Degrees
We had our first conferences of the year. They went pretty well. I had about 25 out of my 80 students represented, which I was warned would be the case. And Erin had 36 out of her 58 students represented....Erin wins! The sad thing is that this was the highest turnout the school has ever seen.
I went hunting for Ptarmaigns today. What do you mean you haven't heard of them?!? They are the Alaska state bird, and the hunting season for them is 7 months long. They turn white once the snow hits, so they were very hard to see. I did hit one with the shot gun and our friend James hit one with the 22. The hunting laws are very strange up here. It seems that everybody shoots first and then decides if the animal is in season later. It was a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to going hunting for these chicken sized birds more this year and next.
We are very, VERY, excited to come home for Christmas and have bought our tickets for the 18th of December and will be home on the 19th! The flight down will be quick but on the flight back on the 3rd of January we will have a 14 hour layover in Seattle, ouch. Our list of things to do when we're home keeps getting longer and longer, as does our list of things to stock up on. Nome is expensive.
Oh, one more thing...I almost forgot. WE'RE PREGNANT! Erin is due on June 15th, which works out great for us as teachers. We've been to the doctor and everything looks good, we got to see the heart beat and everything. We are planning to come home in July to visit. Erin has been feeling like crap for the past month and a half. She is anxiously waiting for Thanksgiving so she can have a couple of days to rest.
Sarah Palin is back in Alaska and still making headlines. It appears that maybe she will run for the Senate position if Ted Stevens (don't even ask!) gets elected and booted from the Senate. One funny thing about the Presidential election was that the polls in Alaska were still open for another 1 1/2 hours when they announced Obama had won. Poor Alaskans.
Just over a month until we get to see everyone again. Good luck to the Wayzata Trojans football and volleyball teams at the State tournament. We will talk to everyone soon!
Andrew
Temp: 15 Degrees
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Fall weekend
It was so fun to talk to everyone at the lake on Saturday night! It sounded like everyone was having a great time and made me feel a little homesick! Saturday we went to an Art Walk were different artists in town were having their studios open to the public. There was a group of 8 of us that went and was lots of fun. We even bought a couple of Christmas gifts. Today we were busy doing school stuff and the Junior Class carnival stuff. For whatever reason Andrew and I thought it would be a good idea to sponsor the Jr. class. Hey, it'd be a great way to get to know the kids we thought. It has been fun and nice seeing the kids in a different setting, but lots of work. It's especially hard for us to plan this carnival as we have no idea what its supposed to look like or what exactly is supposed to happen. Its the big fundraiser for the kids for prom in May. We both will be happy when next weekend is over!
The week ahead will be tutoring Monday-Wednesday afterschool. We both have our first principal observations this week as well. Any extra time will be spent doing carnival stuff.
Still no snow yet :( It's been very cold, but no white stuff yet. In my opinion, if it's going to be cold it might as well snow. It would at least cover up the dust that is everywhere.
Hope everyone had an enjoyable and relaxing MEA weekend. Talk to you soon.
Erin
Current temp 25
The week ahead will be tutoring Monday-Wednesday afterschool. We both have our first principal observations this week as well. Any extra time will be spent doing carnival stuff.
Still no snow yet :( It's been very cold, but no white stuff yet. In my opinion, if it's going to be cold it might as well snow. It would at least cover up the dust that is everywhere.
Hope everyone had an enjoyable and relaxing MEA weekend. Talk to you soon.
Erin
Current temp 25
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Souper Bowl
Another fast week. I started doing tutoring after school for Nome Eskimo Community (a Native Corporation). It's tutoring after school at the school for junior high kids that the teachers work at (and get paid extra for). It's great for the kids as it doesn't give them an excuse not to get their homework done. Andrew is actually my boss, as he's the supervisor for all of the tutors (all 4 of us). The only reason that he got it is because he is a high school teacher and they are finished earlier than the jr. high so he can tutor both high school and Jr. high. I think it will be good for us and the kids.
Tonight we had some people over for a soup cook off which was really fun. We made Chicken Enchilada Soup which came in second place, but the winner was Moose Chirizo and Sweet Potato soup. All of them were super yummy and it was nice to get together with people.
Friday and Saturday nights were spent at the wrestling meet. It's the only home meet for Nome and it was fun so see a lot of people out to support the kids. Nome didn't win the tournament, but several of our students placed individually.
Still no snow yet, which they say is pretty unusual. It keeps getting foretasted, but nothing. The mountains have snow on them so it shouldn't be too long.
We will be thinking of everyone this MEA weekend, wishing we could be with both sides of the family, one in Park Rapids, the other in Aitkin/Duluth. Sorry we won't be there for the leaf raking and hauling! Have a bowl of soup over the fire for us.
Erin
Current Temp: 16 Degrees
Friday, October 3, 2008
Posting Comments
If you tried to post a comment the past couple of days, I'm sorry I must have done something with the setting last weekend when playing around with it. Now, all you should need is a Google Account and it you should be able to post. Please let either Andrew or I know if that doesn't work!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Open House vs. Palin-Biden Debates
Why oh why are there debates on the same night at the Open House?! While waiting for our to go order at Airport Pizza tonight, there was on the big screen TV the debates and for once, the place was silent. I only got to see the fist 20 minutes of the debates before we had to go to the Open House. Fortunatly I was able to watch it when I got home.
Open House was great. Last year the school had 11 parents total for the both jr. and sr. high come (out of about 300 students). I probably had 20 parents there tonight so a big improvement!
A big thank you to Mom, Dad and Mackenzie for the awesome package we got in the mail today. There are very few gluten free options in town and I am very thankful to have a few more options! A thank you to Charlotte and Grandpa for the mini Alaska coffee cup and to Anna for picking out the "Thank You for Freckles Amen" pillow.
I was just thinking today that we have been here for (almost) 2 months and it will be just a little over 2 months until we get to come home, or so I tell myself.
Happy Fall to everyone,
To Cassie: I hope you find your apple cider and enjoy it.
To Steve and Dar: Good luck to both of you tomorrow morning
To Lauren: Let's catch up this weekend?
To Mac Hanna: Still waiting to see pics of the braces!
To Anna: Going to the Bison game this weekend?
To Charlotte, Marty, G and G: Have a great last pontoon ride this week.
To Mom and Dad: Talk to you this weekend.
Current Temp: 32
Open House was great. Last year the school had 11 parents total for the both jr. and sr. high come (out of about 300 students). I probably had 20 parents there tonight so a big improvement!
A big thank you to Mom, Dad and Mackenzie for the awesome package we got in the mail today. There are very few gluten free options in town and I am very thankful to have a few more options! A thank you to Charlotte and Grandpa for the mini Alaska coffee cup and to Anna for picking out the "Thank You for Freckles Amen" pillow.
I was just thinking today that we have been here for (almost) 2 months and it will be just a little over 2 months until we get to come home, or so I tell myself.
Happy Fall to everyone,
To Cassie: I hope you find your apple cider and enjoy it.
To Steve and Dar: Good luck to both of you tomorrow morning
To Lauren: Let's catch up this weekend?
To Mac Hanna: Still waiting to see pics of the braces!
To Anna: Going to the Bison game this weekend?
To Charlotte, Marty, G and G: Have a great last pontoon ride this week.
To Mom and Dad: Talk to you this weekend.
Current Temp: 32
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