G-O Go Kaisa Go!

Yay, today was the long awaited Cheer Camp day for Kaisa, Clara and about 30 other girls (and one boy) at JNES. The high school cheer squad put on a Cheerleading camp for the elementary school girls. Kaisa, Clara, Emily, Jessa, Victoria and other girls were super excited to attend.



They broke into sections and did a 3 eight count dance routine, a cute little yelling cheer and some tumbling and stunts.



"Open up the barn door and kick out the hay! Cause we're the girls from the USA!"



"You gotta wash those dishes, and scrub the floor, what's the matter baby, don't you love me anymore?!



"Turn on the radio and what do you hear? Elvis Presley singing a cheer."



You gotta F-I-G-H-T, What's that spell? Fight, Fight on a Saturday Night!"



Yeah, I think we have some future cheerleaders in our midst!!!

Our Last day in Paradise...

Boo Hoo:

Weather for Kotzebue, AK:
-28°F
Current: Mostly CloudyWind: N at 0 mphHumidity: 73%

This is why Hawaii was SO appealing to us Northerners! We come back to find our house wasn't cleaned by the maid that comes daily at a hotel/resort, our food is not cooked in the morning for a continental breakfast, and the weather is so awful, our dogs don't even want to go outside to pee!

Ah well, the blissful vacation has ended. It was just what we needed though, so we are really happy to have been able to go.

We started the last day packing and taking a taxi to Wal-Mart to see if we could find an inexpensive carry on size suitcase, because we had doubled our clothing and supplies! You can't go to Hawaii and not come back with Macadamia nuts, chocolates, coffee and some souveniers from ABC Store! :)

We spent most of the last day walking around, nursing our blisters and sunburn, the sun was not out, but it was still warm out. We decided to hang at the Hilton Hawaiian Village for the day.

Waterfall at the Hawaiian Village


The Hilton Hawaiian Village is a resort area, timeshares (vacation homes) hotels and condos, along with a plethora of shops, and other fun such stuff. Dean and I had talked about getting a timeshare because he is an airline employee, so it would seem smart to do somethign like that. We briefly talked to a timeshare person on day one, but he was so pushy that he kind of got under Dean's skin. I was all for doing an hour for a free Hanauma Bay trip! I have to say, if anyone wants a vacation home, go with Hilton! We have to decide between Hilton and Marriot, but only because Marriot is the club I belong to, and I am a super Gold member! I'd have to say, Hilton is the place of choice right now.

Here's a shot of the "Hawaiian Village" from Waikiki Beach


They have their own beach, their own saltwater lagoon that is filtered, great for kids! Waterslides in the pool area, an aviary, and very deluxe 1 and 2 bedroom suites.


Dean wanted to walk faster than my blistery feet could handle, so I just stayed behind and took pictures. See him, he's waaaay further than me! Diamond Head is in the background there.

We talked about what we could afford, and what we needed, and whether or not we could pay in installments. It was just really different than any other timeshare place I have ever been to. I am kind of a cheap person, so when someone says, spend two hours listening to our speech and I'll give you free tickets to see Cirqe De Soleil, I'm all for it! Two hours of sitting, and saying NO THANKS, and free $100 tickets, of course! So, when they said, "whatever you want..." I was hooked. This is probably why they're so successful!

We are planning on taking the kids in June to Hawaii, when Dean has another week off...and if we make payments now, we can stay in a 2 bedroom suite (and its a SUITE!) with a full kitchen, three beds, and all the amenities for free basically, all the money we pay for the hotel stays goes toward our principal payment. I'm sold! :)


Here we are when Dean waited for me! :)

We had a nice dinner out together. The trip was just an absolute success!


Of course, the weather in Kotzebue wasn't as warm as we'd like it to be...(we're only asking for above zero) but getting from Kotzebue to Honolulu, and back again in five days was an accomplishment in itself. We had a beautiful sunset to watch on the flight from Anchorage to Kotzebue, and were greeted very happily by our dogs and kids!



Until next time... Maija

24 miles of sun...

Full day two: Hawaii Report: Lukins...



I have to tell you all, I love Hawaii. Of course, we're having such a laid back time, no plans, winging it, chilling on the beach, shopping at the Ala Moana mall. We walked for 6 hours today. SIX hours...at about (we figure) 4 miles per hour...24 miles!

Started the day checking out the Boat Harbor on the Ala Wai canal...


We browsed the Tuna and Marlin Boats...nothing like our little 18 foot Lund back home...but then again, we don't really live on the "ocean!"

Today, we decided we'd rather laze around on the Ala Moana State Recreation Park. A little more laid back, less touristy and that's exactly what we intended this vacation to be about. We, of course, walked from the hotel toward the beach. Both Dean and I are sunburnt on various parts of our bodies. Dean's damage is on his shoulders, and mine is on my back. In fact you can see EXACTLY where I sprayed the Coppertone Sport Spray on my back and where I didn't get it. I THOUGHT I had gotten the entire thing, but apparantly not. So, I'm aloe vera-ing my back. Dean, of course, doesn't care about his burn, he says it turns into a tan! I'll take his word for it. I didn't set out to burn myself. He did!



We walked the entire Ala Moana Mall checking things out...I think we ended up with a few things, gifts for the kids mostly. We did stop by Longs Drugs and (I) bought some spf FIFTY for my face and back. No more burns for me, or so I thought. We walked to the beach and promptly fell asleep with the sound of two lovers quarreling about who's military is worse, USA or Britain. I wanted to tell them to RELAX!! Ugh. I sprayed myself down all over my stupid body...and ended up burning the INSIDE OF MY THIGHS. I'd show you a picture, but I doubt anyone would appreciate the indecency!

So, I'll show you a picture of an Eskimo (ish) in Hawaii.

This is Dean representing NANA!

In addition to the sunscreen, we found a Spam Musubi form, some fake flowers for my hair and most importantly, Band-Aid Blister protection. I have some nasty blisters on my feet from all that walking. My cool new crocs aren't doing their job. Two per foot isn't bad I suppose, especially since we walked so much.

Dean went for a swim and we walked home to avoid the oncoming rain. And so we sit, in the hotel room, nursing our tans and feet. I think we'll eat outback tonight!

Aaaahhhh terminal relaxing allowed...

Let me just tell you this. Hawaii is the most relaxing place that I've been. I mean, sure, there are a lot of people...but if you just keep to yourself, NOT have a plan, and go with the flow...you'll have the BEST time, for sure!

Dean and I arrived very jet lagged but in great spirits Saturday night (coincidentally, the 2nd and last day of the Chinese New Year, darn) on this jet...


Northwest Airlines flight something or other, straight (in addition to a few bumps here and there, but basically straight!) from Seattle to Honolulu. It was 71 degrees when we arrived. We took the Roberts Hawaii hotel bus to the Aqua Palms, in Waikiki. It was late, so we simply went to the local ABC stores and picked up some spam musubi and mehana pale ale and headed back to the hotel for an early night.


Dean and I - 10:00 pm

We got up, with no plan in mind, deciding to head toward the beach and started our trek. On the way, we breathed in the perpetual ocean air and sweet smell of pineapple! Neither of us knew where to go, but we cound a guy with a surfboard and followed him. Who better to follow?!

We found the beach and decided to walk in the sand, sans flip flops. Dean, wearing a t-shirt and shorts, and myself, in capri's and a t-shirt eventually realized we needed to change. The trade winds kept us cool enough to endure the 85 degree temps. Dean stayed in the water for most of the morning and I simply sat on the towel and relaxed.



By the end of the day, we had experienced much of what we set out to do. Eat a Pukka Dog, swim in the ocean, sit on the beach, eat Spam Musubi, have a Mai Tai, buy a cover dress, eat some macadamia nuts, and walk the International Marketplace. We even picked our own oysters out of the water and found not one, not two and not three pearls, but FOUR pearls. We found one oyster with two pink pearls and two oysters with a black pearl each. We decided to give one black pearl to Maddie set in a white gold dolphin necklace. And momma got some new earrings!

Yay Hawaii, Yay us. Until something more exciting comes along, Aloha!

Missed me, missed me...

Now you gotta kiss me!

Ugh. Dean and I are stranded at the Seattle Airport. NOt that the Seattle airport is a bad place to be stranded at...but we were cut short by ONE SEAT on the Northwest Air flight to Honolulu. Ah well. We're here until 5pm now.

We started our day yesterday in Kotzebue...warmish temperatures, nice enough day. Dean left on the morning flight so he could make it in to pick up his brother and sister. I came on the afternoon flight, but only after I had a scare at the hospital.

I'm allergic to PCN, including ALL the cillins, all the lexins, etc, etc... The only thing I'm not allergic to is the Mycins...clinda, zithro, arithro-, etc. Anyway, I ASSUMED that the hospital prescribed me some Clindamycin (sp?) because that's what I always am prescribed when I end up with strep (and an ear infection, ugh). NOT THE CASE. Those (bleeppp, bleep) peple at MHC gave me Cephalexin (sp?). I did not notice, and only thought that my rash and difficulty breathing were caused by my persistant cold that I had been suffering through for the past few days. It was only when my my supervisor told me that I could not go in the sun when taking some antibiotics that I read the paperwork that comes with the medication...it stated in BOLD LETTERING. "do NOT take if you have an adverse reaction to Pennicilin, Keflex, etc, etc..." So, of course, now that I knew, I immediately thought I was wheezing heavily and passing out. A little dramatic, I know...but I was scared.

Here's why...


Bad Drug


adverse reaction...

Yeah...I have to admit, I was PISSED. Anyway, I always carry benadryl wherever I go, so I took a double dose, went back to the hospital and got me a Z-pack! Much better than taking drugs 4 times a day for 10 days! five days and I'm done. So, I'm better and stuck in Seattle.

Back to the airport story. So,remember I have an ear infection! I was worried, but my ears did OK on the flight thanks in large part to the sudafed I was prescribed. It was a noisy flight though and we were rocked when we landed in ANC. I was happy to be on the ground. Thank you to Beyonce and your music video (put a ring on it) because I watched and kind of moved back and forth to distract myself from the flexing wings and the drops in altitude.

Elsa picked me up in Anchorage and we drove out to Palmer to visit with the in-laws. My first meeting with Dean's oldest brother and sister. And Dean had Elsa's new phone. (Better NOT lose this one!) We'll have to take a trip to visit his bro & sis sometime. We have children around the same ages, so I'm sure they'd have fun.

Elsa, Dean and I drove back out to Anchorage and Dean and I caught the red eye (1:30am) flight to Seattle. I dont know if AK Air thinks those weird semi-neck pillow seats are comfortable, but I tell you what, it wasn't. At least we were able to sit next to each other though! I have to say, I love Erin Sotts (sorry if I spelled your last name wrong!) who turned me on to Afrin! I told Dean and her that I was worried about my ears and sinuses on the flights and she promptly smiled and said, "I HAVE AFRIN!" So, I had to take her advice, she's a DC-10 pilot now...Dean urged me to get some too, so I tried it, it burned my nose going up and after about five minutes, I was FREE AND CLEAR of the worst sinus problems I've had. Warning though...use for less than three days. :) If I can get to Hawaii without having my ears hurt, I'm golden.

We arrived in Seattle, and promptly went to the Northwest Counter. Bless their hearts, the ticket agents tried to get us onboard, and even said, "lets hope the Horizon flight doesn't make it in beacause of the fog!" But, alas, it did, and we were unable to get seats on the flight. The next flight looks wide open, so that should be a better flight anway.



That was me a few minutes ago...until I woke up!

Now this is how we lie. I'm awake now, and its around noonish in Seattle, so we really only have about three hours to wait. This is what Dean looks like at this VERY MOMENT:



SO...wish us luck as we try to get on the next flight!!!

P.S. the internet here at the airport ROCKS!!!

Piffed about the Polar Bear

So, I'm sure everyone heard that there was a polar bear wandering around these parts Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Well, it was caught. And I have to tell you, I'm glad.

I've heard many complaints about that "poor bear" and to tell you the truth, its fine and dandy to be pissing and moaning about a polar bear that's not walking around your back yard.

I've seen Noah Wylie's commercial to, "please save the poor polar bear..." but if you read the reson the bears were put on the "threatened list" you'd see that it was green house gasses and global "climate change," not Eskimo's hunting the bear when it get's too close to their kids playground. I'm sure Noah Wylie's extremely excessively large house for just two children emit's a carbon footprint larger than the entire town of Noatak does.

I can't take the endless actors and actresses soothing us in their soft voices (with Sarah McClachlan's stupid song behind them) on every channel possible to "just stop killing those POOR, INNOCENT polar bears..."

I'd bet that if a polar bear was in Noah Wylie's backyard, like it was in Noatak, that he'd have spent millions of dollars to have the national guard come in, protect his children, and family, and shot that bear, maybe with a dart gun, but shot it nonetheless. It is so easy to complain when you live in California, the land of the carbon emmissions, the land of the fake titties, and the land of the wineries (THANK YOU FOR THAT!). When you come up here Noah Wylie, and Sarah McClachlan and live among the "natives..." spend what we spend to heat our homes, and feed our families, then you can complain about what we do with unwanted strangers in our backyard.

HEY, maybe we should have called Noah's publicist and manager and asked HIM to spend the millions of dollars (or thousands at least, more than any of us Eskimo's have to spend) to gently put the bear to sleep, and airlift it out of this region and back up to the Arctic ice pack, because you know, the poor innocent polar bear couldn't have helped himself.

Well, just so you know, it was shot...and I'm happy about it. I give props and a high-five to the man who did it, and ask him in my nicest, most soothing, Sarah McLachlan voice (with the song, "Angel" in the background, no less) to please, PLEASE SAVE THE POLAR BEAR skin, so I can get a piece on my parky and make myself a ruff. Oh, and if possible, I'd like a little of the fat too, its great for other things.

Goodbye polar bear, good luck to the Hunters who go out to PROTECT us and our families...and if another bear comes-a-wandering, I'll be sure to be out there to get some great photo's of it and be the first to shoot at it.

I'll leave you with a word from Noah Wylie, "if you won't save the polar bears, who will?"
NOT me, NOT my family, and certainly NOT Noah Wylie.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

B-Ball Mania!

Once again, the time has come to partake in Kotzebues oldest tradition...Basketball games! Elementary, middle school, high school or city league, everyone loves themselves a good basketball game. SO..it was my son's first "real" middle school game.


Koy # 14...

Buckland was supposed to be here to play against the kids, but mother nature decided it would not be. So, the boys scrimmaged against each other instead.



Yay...



Whoo hooo...



Go Koy!



You can DO it!



Don't just stand there! Do something!!!



To the left, to the left!



Get off-a me!



G-O, Go Huskies Go!

Lukin Outdoors...

Yesterday, Dean, Koy and I went a-huntin`! We dressed warm (or so I thought) and warmed up the machines. Koy and Dean (lucky guys) have fur parkies, made by me, and I had to use Dean's old black pullover, over his old blue north face jacket. Doesn't this seem wrong?! Everyone in my house, including the kids who are here for less than a month in the winter, have parkies, but I don't! Momma needs some warmth!

OK, anyway, we went out LUKIN (har-de-har-har!) for some adventure. We found it in the likes of a few foxes (one of which made its way onto the back of my snowmachine), two caribou we harassed for a bit and tons of rabbit tracks, with none of those little white suckers in sight. Dean got stuck only once, and I got cold a few times.





Anyway, after we came home, we got an email saying that at the VERY place we had just been, there was a polar bear spotted. A POLAR BEAR! Ugh. I'm afraid of wolves, wolverines and black bears, and they're not even HALF the size of a polar bear!!! All Koy and I had was a stinky weeny little .17 mach 2. Dean had his AR-15, but he was darting here and there. So, now I'm terrified and I think someone needs to go get that Polar Bear out of my wilderness backyard!

Since we only caught ONE measily red fox, Dean and Koy decided to go out one more time around 9 pm...they came home with a Cross Fox. :) I'm excited...cause that means I get a cool hat or ruff for my parky that SOMEONE (me) is going to make me.





I still think the boys need to go out to get that Polar Bear...maybe a few wolves too, cause they're roaming around some camps up river... Plus, I want to make some more mittens and ruffs...

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

Come again when geese fly here this way...

So, one week ago, the temperature here in Kotzebue was -38 degrees below ZERO. Last night, whilst my husband and I were sound asleep, with only the sound of his snores making their way into my dreams...I noticed another sound I wasn't used to at this time of year...RAIN. Yep, it was raining, on my house, in the middle of JANUARY. Now, I have a metal roof, which WAS full of snow and I thought to myself, "this can't be..."
So, I shimmied off the bed, put a down jacket on, and my boots, and walked outside, only to get drenched in the nasty rainwater draning from my roof. So I took a step into it all, and was once again, drenched in rain. Real, for serious RAIN.
I checked the weather, and it was 41 degrees ABOVE Zero...I mean, it sometimes doesn't get that warm until JUNE sometimes! Its January Mother Nature, I'd still love to go fishing for sheefish, I'd still love to use the five dozen marten traps we bought recently, I'd still love to go to camp in the morning warm up the stove (or have Dean do it) and go back in the evening to stay overnight in a warm cabin, I'd still love to watch the Dog Races on front street.
So...if you can, lets work on making it the average of the two temperatures from now on ok?! Thanks.

Dear Kotzebue,

My Dear Kotzebue,
I love you. Go ahead and stick me in the side with your semi-famous photographers and published author of the wilderness, and then make a “TSK” noise at me for tying the same. Go ahead and walk in the middle of the road whilst drunk and yell at me to “BRING BACK YOUR JUG!”

I’ll simply smile and be on my way, what can I say, I love you, and you can’t stop that. Even your wretched winter weather can’t stop that, and if anything could, THAT surely would, with your teasingly hot summer days without a breeze in sight, to your snow in July and forty below in the dark, dark winter. Actually, I don’t mind the winter’s too much – especially since I’m married now, and can snuggle up to my hubby underneath my goosedown comforter and my grandmothers wool quilt. What I don’t like is how this winter makes you feel. SAD! Well, that and the softball politics draining every game until no one wants to play! Oh, and the Camo Clan arriving on the day of Hunting Season sprinkling their little white tents around our “pristine wilderness” just trying to get that trophy buck.

We both know you’re not one to let a little snow and ice get in your way, afterall, you ARE above the Arctic Circle. My Goodness, we have a blizzard warning at least once per week, and your trusty loaders pile all the snow next to my driveway, (and my mothers) so we can’t get out. But that’s you Kotzebue! You’d think we were in competition with Helsinki, Anchorage, Moscow, or Rekjavik, with the way you carry on about how winter’s on its way after only the first freeze in September. Hasn’t my undying love warmed you even a little?! I love you and want to see you smiling like you do when the Kattivik Trade Fair is here, and you give us 60 degree weather with no mosquitoes to enjoy our Qayaq races and Eskimo Dancing.

Go ahead, dump your snow on my porch a few more times, as I cuss and moan about cleaning it off. That won’t stop MY love. Hit me with your loader if you want to – I could use the money to pay for my heating fuel! Or wait, if you hit me, then I’ll have to disclose my physical and mental state and suffering, and even after that, I’d only get a predetermined sum, right? Well, I think you explained it once after a night of drinking and cards in the one of two garages here, so its kind of hazy. Anyway, did I mention that I love you?

Go ahead. Answer me in Inupiaq the simple questions I ask in English, your second language. The fact that I can’t understand even 60% of your messages on KOTZ is proof that the three decades I’ve been alive, trying to catch on to the language, wasn’t quite enough. I think you understand though, I do it all for you, because I love you, and this is why you allow me to live here. Thank you for that…I’ll do whatever it takes, so one day it will come as naturally to me as it does in the Upper Kobuk for women my age. I even love the new hunting rules that state that I need a hunting license to feed my family! Gee! I never knew that…to stand on the dock of the sound, you must have a fishing license as well. I still love you though. I even love your city laws, and all your other rules for that matter, because how am I supposed to do what is expected of me if I don’t know what that is?!

What gets me though is the sincere way underneath it all. You believe in yourself. I read online that 80% of people are from here, and of the other 20%, those are either people looking for adventure, or people looking for money. You don’t just give yourself away to the first person who asks! This is evidenced in so many ways! One, is the fact that those people looking for money are long gone…and those looking for adventure, are here to stay. If not stay, they’ll at least procreate and leave some new chromosomes to add to our plethora of genealogy. And I love it all.

I hope it doesn’t hurt you when I say this Kotzebue, but we both believe in being straightforward, so I’m going to just come out with it…a lot of your food is really bad here. I’d say about 90% if it anyway…and seriously, why charge me ten bucks for a gallon of milk from a cow? I mean, maybe a free range Appalachian goat herder who makes his living off walking the goats like a semi-Jesus and milking them by hand can get away with charging ten bucks a gallon…but plain old, manufactured, probably not even half milk, cow’s milk? Come on. Anyway, we all have our dreams and delusions, and the fact is, you charge too much to eat here. But, I still love you. I love your good subsistence food, it is absolutely exquisite and has to be patiently waited for, then taken care of so as to be magically discovered by those who want it. Kind of like true love! If you don’t care enough to try to find it, though, there are plenty of food traps within sight.

Together, though, lets feed the world a plate of Caribou Liver with camp onions (chives?) complete with lots of Johnny’s Seasoning Salt…or Pickled Beluga with jalapenos…or Eskimo salad, Fish Eyes, She-fish with mayo and parmesean topping, raw seal meat drenched in oil, and my favorite…boiled intestines with mustard. My treat. I have a big house, complete with a fake fireplace, and I’ve got a couple of bottles of wine chilling for the both of us. Because I love you…and I want to know where the Caribou herd is.

28 points per day...

So...my husband and I decided that we'd try to have a little contest to see who could lost the most weight by eating healthy and excerising. Here I thought just having an ellipical would work. Folks, it doesn't work if you just stare at it. That was a big disappointment.

Anyway, so instead of Hot Pockets and Burritos for lunch, I decided that I'd go to the store (AC - "Always Cost-more") and pick up a salad and soup for lunch. HA. I repeat, HA! I picked up a simple turkey salad (150 cal), a box of cup-o-soup (45 cal per serving) and a diet Dr. Pepper...my weakness...no calories though! Do you know how much it cost me?! I'll tell you! FIFTEEN FLIPPING DOLLARS...as in US dollars! Not pesos, or rubles, or yen! FIFTEEN DOLLARS.

So...my curiosity got the best of me... I called up Bison Street Store, and asked how much a cheeseburger, fries and a Dt. Dr. Pepper would cost me... NINE BUCKS.

I was complaining to said Hubby, when my five year old said to me..."Mom, you should have gotten a cheeseburger, cause you coulda give me the rest of the six bucks for a slushie!" Yeah, six dollars...doesn't seem like much, but if I were to get a cheeseburger a day all week, (and I'd have felt FULL AFTER THAT, unlike the turkey salad) I would save thirty bucks.

Is this what they mean when people say you have to be DEDICATED to stick to a diet?

Maybe I'll try plain tuna with celery, see how much THAT costs.

Aalapaa! Kii! Yee Hee, YEE he!

Aalapaa, we took the girls out to watch the dog races this weekend. From Buddo's awesome kick back, to Joanne being the only lady racer, it was a good race...but very effing COLD! Here are a few pictures...

she's pretty warm in her fur parky...but who can resist those cute little eyes!?


My uncle Cyrus with one of their teams


My aunt Joanne with the other team


I'm pretty sure this is Buddo. Our cousin.


And I'm pretty sure this is John, our other cousin...anyone notice a family theme going on?!


Kari, she's cold!


And Emily and Kaisa in front of John Baker's team. I think Heath was driving this team.

G-O go Huskies GO!

Little Ahlu has been working her hardest to perfect the ominous Handstand! She wants nothing in this world except to be a Husky Cheerleader! So...since the season is officially here, she's been working on her gymnastics skills.

Obviously, we don't have gymnastics, or dance, or even cheerleading for 5 year olds.


SO...that had me thinking that I miss my baby! Here are three photos of her...one from my aunt Fannie, she's exactly one month old...

And here she is again, after putting her own makeup on when she was 4 years old...

And of course, the famous Husky Cheerleader costume...which needs to be redone, because its too small for her this year. Ugh...

Grand-Pa-Pa!

So, my tatta's annual race is in February...I've decided to order t-shirts to commemorate the occasion. My grandfather, Doc Harris, was one of the first men to restart dog racing in Kotzebue. As a matter of fact, I remember being a child and still using a dog team to get back and forth to camp. He told me once, "well...you can't eat a snowgo if you get lost..." when I inquired about why he didn't just use a snow-go like everyone else. Plus, he was legally blind, so I guess with dogs who know their way, it was a lot easier for him to go to and from home!!!

Anyway, I'm sure you can find awesome photos of last year's race on www.tundratantrum.blogspot.com in her 2008 - February archives. :) Thanks Cathy!

Anyone want to order a t-shirt, they're going to be twelve bucks each!!! :)

My Hubby's Hobby...

Five little knives went out to play, over the hills and far away...Father Axe went hack, hack, hack, and only two little knives came shimmying back... So, we kept the two for ourselves!!! good luck little knives, wherever you are!

My hubby has found a new hobby... Knifemaking. He watched my dad, the knifemaking savant, and has decided that it's his new "thing!" So...here are some pictures of his latest creations.

As you can see, most of them are made from Finnish Curly Birch, and antler. He did add some ivory on one for his friend Tom's dad, who hadn't ever owned anything ivory. He does an OK job with the sheaths, but they get better every try. (I'm rooting for him!)

If you want a custom knife, handmade with whatever your heart desires...just call Dean 442-2499! The knives cost anywhere between $60 and $200...depending of course on materials and sheath skins. (We have cow leather sheaths and nalauq sealskin sheaths, and regular seal skin sheaths, even these are hand made!)

On another note, New year's was mighty cold. Here is a picture of the three oldest kids in their parky's. Kaisa spent New Year's with her dad in Selawik. She had a blast...but I didn't get a picture of her in her parky! (Thanks for the photo Cathy, I stole it for their background!!! :))