Challenge, Day 15 Part 2

A picture of something you want to do before you die.

People call me crafty. I can sew. I can craft. I can draw. I can paint.



I can cut and glue and color and create just about anything I see on TV, blogs, magazines, etc.



But I. JUST. CAN'T. KNIT.



And I am so, so sad about that.



I really want to knit my own socks before I die.

Challenge, Day 15 Part 1

A picture of something you want to do before you die.

I sure...



would love...



to visit...



Greece before I die.

And not cause it rhymes with my baby's name (Reese) but because I've already been to Finland, France, England and I think Greece is the bomb. Dot com.

Storming Flooding and Blowing

You gotta love Alaskan Weather. One day its 54 below zero and freezing your breath as it escapes your nose. So cold you feel it in your lungs.


My aana visits Nina Ahkpuk, the Tribal Doctor over at the Senior Center.

The next day its 45 above and melting the sea ice in soft pillowy forms and causing the entire City to go into Disaster mode.

Today was a disaster mode day.

Fire Department personnel stood guard on each cross section of Front Street not because of flooding, but because the super-duper-awesome lights that went up this summer as a part of the "New and Improved Front Street" can not withstand the high winds we are all accustomed to experiencing in the winter.



Come on. It's windy in Kotzebue. That's not news. But residents on Front Street either were stuck in their homes, or shuttled over to the hospital or Senior Center "just in case." Like my aana, we took her over to the Senior Center to hang out while the winds blew and blew.



The warm weather and wind only compounded the "disaster" in Kotzebue when representatives from all over town met at the Fire Hall at noon to be prepared for the worst.

The corner of the Alaska Technical Center was experiencing flooding, so they closed down for the rest of the day. Their fire escape driveway was completely waterlogged when I drove by earlier.



Several yards on the outskirts of town were also experiencing flooding, although this photo is my next door neighbors yard and due to a Loader operator trying to catch up with the snow drifts and knocking down fire hydrants. (We were without water for like 18 hours. City officials and employees stayed up all night trying to stop the water from flooding through the road. I'm happy to say we DO have water again! Yay for City workers!)



The very end of the street where the Airport begins was also pretty close to seeing water come up onto the road. About 2:00 p.m. or so the wind switched and the water started to recede.



So, now I'm going to go pick up my aana and bring her back home. Hopefully she had a nice visit over at the Senior Center.

Read more HERE and HERE .

Storm Birthdays...

29 years ago my sister was born in a storm. My mom and dad left me alone at home because it was storming so bad that they couldn't see. But she was in labor and my dad can handle all things animal, no things human! He wasn't gonna deliver that baby. No way, No how.

Mom and Saima in the Baby Contest 28 years ago.

So they ventured out with a snowmachine and sled behind. They got stuck. My dad gunned it and my mom pushed them out. Then a few minutes later she pushed Saima out.

She's tough.

See how tough she is. This is how she shovels.

For the past 29 years it has been stormy on her birthday. Here is the view from my open window....

When its nice out there is a huge maintenance shop with four large garage doors right there. Squint your eyes, you can see the doors. Go ahead...look REALLY closely. See. A maintenance shop! Right there!

In honor of her birthday, I'm gonna go out on a limb and write her a poem:

Ode to a Chicken Mama.

Oh Chicken Mama,
with your Tundra Chickens so warm
In their bed of imported hay,
Even in the birthday storm.

I remember when you were born,
Cause I was not a happy girl.
Why did we need another baby?
You made me want to hurl.

But eventually we got along,
Even if it took twenty five years.
I'll still never forget the time
You tried to kill me in tears.

But Oh Chicken mama,
You're almost thirty now.
And its time to listen to your big sister,
I'll even show you how!



Happy 29th Birthday Saima!

Seriously?

OK. I live in Alaska. There's snow in Alaska. Duh. I get it. We have snow.

OK we can be done with snow now thank you. We have enough. You can take it ALL to the ski slopes and dessert!


Front door. Living room window (part of it).

We have been ravaged by storm after storm. This morning my kids, husband and I went to school driving about 6 MPH because even with ZERO visibility, they still had school. Only they didn't.

Even after I called to confirm, they canceled school. So now my kids are stuck at my office waiting the storm out. Again.

*This is my SECOND story window. Covered in snow...because the drift goes that high. And my house is on stilts.

Mother Nature must really have the Flu.

Here is the extended forcast for the past of days through the next few days:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
435 AM AKST WED FEB 23 2011

AKZ209-240000-
/X.CON.PAFG.WS.W.0024.000000T0000Z-110224T0600Z/
BALDWIN PENINSULA AND SELAWIK VALLEY-
INCLUDING...KOTZEBUE...SELAWIK...NOORVIK
435 AM AKST WED FEB 23 2011

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM AKST THIS
EVENING...

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM AKST THIS
EVENING.

SOUTHEAST WINDS 30 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH AND NEW FALLING
SNOW WILL PRODUCE VERY LOW VISIBILITIES.

ADDITIONALLY...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12 INCHES ARE EXPECTED
THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE SNOW COULD MIX
WITH RAIN AT TIMES LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT WINTER WEATHER HAZARDS
ARE EXPECTED.  THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITY VERY
HAZARDOUS.

The car is not quite at ground level... It's still up a couple of feet. (2.5 story house in the background...on stilts)

My husband is tired of shoveling. I'm tired of walking down a snow path out my front door. My kids are playing on the roof, because well, the snow is so high you just walk right up past the roof and play!


Regulation height basketball rim, bent due to heavy snow...

The ONLY good thing about snow days is that I can sew. And I've been doing just that. Sewing up a storm.


Girly mukluks for a newborn.


Scrap quilt for a baby shower.


6-12 mo. size mukluks for my Niece.


Lunchbox for Kaisa.


Purse for ME!

Eskimo Couture.

Let's talk about Eskimo Couture.

And then I'll tell you how to get your own!

You can tell Alaskan Girls by several different things. Eskimo's, Indian's and the sort are almost easy to figure out.

These Muktuk Earrings are good enough to EAT!

We tend to wear certain "things" that make us stand out and while walking around Wal-Mart you can tell who's what. I do love wearing Indian earrings, but even if I'm wearing that, you'll still see that I'm Eskimo.

See, we Eskimo's wear a lot of Ivory and Baleen, sealskin and Caribou Antler, whereas the Interior Indians wear a lot of beadwork, moosehide and leather. (mmmm, smoked moosehide!) I love me some smoked moosehide!

My sister married a Gwitch'in Indian from Fort Yukon and now knows how to bead on moose leather. I'm jealous.

If you're ever in "America" and see a woman wearing Dansko's, a down vest, Ivory/Baleen/Leather/Beaded earrings and driving a Subaru, you'll know she's from Alaska. Stop and ask her for help in changing your tire, she can help!

And if you ever want your own chance to be as Eskimo Couture as I am (hahah) now's your chance. I've FINALLY opened an Etsy store where I'll just post things that I finish there.

CLICK HERE to check it out!

Here's your chance to be Eskimo Chic! Own your own little Eskimo heaven in the form of some beautiful earrings made with Walrus Ivory and Baleen.

Go on, get a pair for your friend too, you know she wants to be an Eskimo.

Challenge, Day 14

A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without.

Well. I'm a mom. And a wife. So how can you ask a mom and a wife to choose between her children and her husband?

You can't. So you get all the photos! :)

My sonny boy, who grounded me and my wings that wanted nothing more to do then get away from this podunk horrible small town with nothing in my future. I came crawling back humbled on my hands and keens with my son because as much as I tried, I could not imagine raising my son anywhere but here. I could not imagine an Eskimo boy in a city.

I could not imagine his memories of growing up without shooting guns, going hunting, going to Kotzebue High School, playing basketball, Wrestling, running around in the dark cold winter with his friends, or taking the snowmachines to hunt ptarmigan for his aana.

I could not imagine his memories being that of riding in cars and seat belts and streetlights. Being home not because its late, but because someone might grab him and worrying about his whereabouts in a city. I couldn't imagine him not being at camp, in a small plane, and on a snowmachine. Just as I couldn't imagine my life without my fourteen year old son.

My daughter who is nothing more than a firecracker with a temper as long as mine. And mine is nonexistent. My girly girl who loves Justin Bieber as much as she loves Queen and Journey. My singing, dancing, crying, laughing, dramatic little girl who I watch in awe of because her mind is going, going, going, going... The energizer bunny has nothing on this kid.

She likes to ride on snowmachines and shoot guns with her pink polish and purple hat. She loves fishing more than I do and will sit for HOURS fishing to catch more than me. She's as competitive as I am and will fight until tears roll down SOMEONE's face and they give in.

My smarty pants girl who has after school activities every day after school; Library Club, Cookie Club, Girl Scouts, Piano lessons, Basketball Practice, Self-Managers Club, etc. She actually asked a teacher if she would have her "club" at four thirty because she couldn't fit "it into her schedule" and was denied. She said, "OK then I'm going to have to make a priority list and figure it out from there. I'll let you know."

She's seven, my mini-me! And I would be bored to death without her constant jabber in my life!

My step-kids. Children, not goats! They come for the best part of the year, when its sunny 24 hours a day and the lazy days of summer are among us. They arrive excited and wonder what's in store for them with their friends who pick up like they've never left.

Max who is in his dad's back pocket 24 hours a day, and loves to hunt, will fish for HOURS and hours without a single bite and who likes to ride his bike to the store for a candy bar!

And Maddie who will babysit anything from a puppy to a frog to a baby. She will get her hands dirty gutting seals and cutting blubber. She loves to bake and sing and dance and play. Their lives forever touched mine.

And my husband. The one I chose to love and who chose me, despite my minuscule temper, and my constant crazy life. The one who says I gave him wings. (How do you give wings to someone who knows how to fly?) I knew he'd soar above us watching like an eagle striking those who try to hurt us.

My husband who I am constantly amazed at because every day he has a new project. Earrings, Knives, Cabinets, Shelves, Walls, Snowmachines, Airplanes, Traps, etc. He is always creating something wonderful. And I love that I am the one who he shows first.



My husband who allowed me to love my small town, my camp and allowed me to see through his eyes just how wonderful it is. Only he knew I'd be miserable anywhere but here.

There you go. The people I can't imagine my life without. Ahh...

Winner Winner, Mukluk Dinner!

Well, I hope no one eats mukluk's for dinner. Although I know a dumb little dog who likes to chew on our mukluks, but that's another story.

Congratulations to basebell6 who said:

Who won the Baby Boy Mukluks!

Please email me and I'll send your mukluks out ASAP! (which is tomorrow as long as its not stormy!)

Challenge, Day 13

A picture of your favorite band or artist.

Eh, this isn't one I was really looking forward to. I don't have a "favorite" band or artist. I'll pretty much listen to anyone. Except heavy metal. That stuff is crap. (Right Dean?!)

Although I find myself listening to a lot of Joss Stone on Pandora while at work.

So, I decided to ask my daughter instead.

Mom: "Ahlu, Who is your favorite band or musical artist?"

KK: "Duh, Justin Beiber."

Mom: "Oh yeah, sorry. Anyone but him though, OK?"

KK: "OK then I like the song that goes like this, 'Mama, I just killed a man, put a gun against his head pulled the trigger now he's dead'..."

Mom: "WHAT?! OMG, you like QUEEN?!"

KK: "Yeah, YOU asked."

Mom: "NOT Queen, and you're not listening to that song anymore."

KK: "OK then my next one is the one that goes like this, 'Don't STOP Believing, hold on to that FEEELING.'..."

Mom: "Oh, you like Glee. Me too."

KK: "Yeah, their songs. But mostly the one that blond lady sings, 'I see you drive round town with that boy I love, and I'm like, FORGET you...."

There you go. Musical interest by a 7 year old. A 7 year old who needs some better music choices besides killing guys and feelings and "forget" you!

Sew Day!

Or Snow day, whatever you want to call it.

Yay, we FINALLY had a snow day here. Zero visibility, whiteout conditions and they finally canceled school! And work. And the store. And every other place of business in town. So, basically we were all stuck in our houses, even the loaders gave up until the storm subsided.

I do have a garage can you see it!?

Which was around 2 pm today! And it is SO beautiful after a storm. Aside from the five feet of snow we have to SHOVEL to get out, its great. Powder riding, warm temperatures, sunny. Mother Nature's sorry letter for making us live in the north!

I don't know what other people do when its Snow Day, but over here, we SEW.

Calfskin, Beaver, Mouton and Leather with Fleece lining.

A lot.

So, in keeping with the "Celebrate the Boy" month theme, I'm going to give away the boy mukluks. (I made the purple calfskin ones specifically for my niece...ain't she ADORABLE!?)

I made these with Leather (contrasting brown leathers), blue felt and Beaver Trim with a yellow fleece lining. They will fit a chubby 2 month old to a skinny 6 month old! And they're WARM.

Before the Beaver Trim was sewn on.

If you HAVE a Boy, WANT a Boy, NEED a Boy, KNOW a Boy, or have ever SEEN a Boy...you qualify to enter.

Simply leave a comment on my blog letting me know what the BEST THING ABOUT BOY'S ARE!

Here's my BEST thing: Boy's are NOT DRAMATIC. And my boy is just that. Not Dramatic. And I sure do love that!

OK, you have until Saturday the 19th at Midnight ALASKA time to comment to enter. One entry per person, but feel free to comment however many times you want. Oh, and feel free to let people who have babies with cold feet know!