The land of the midnight sun

So it is past midnight here in good old Kotz, and it looks like it is about 7 out. I know I know I should be in bed and I will be going in a few minutes.

Well the last few days I have been starting to pack the apartment up. I would like to say that we have a lot of stuff but really we don't, but we have gained quite a bit in the past two -three years. Luke is home with his family. He has been working on a motorcycle that we bought.

Just another day....

Today was the first full day that Luke was gone. He got to his parent's place all safe and sound...which is good. I had a normal day at work. Worked with the kids. I picked up Qyanna from the babysitter, we went food shopping. She was so tired that she slept for a while. After she woke up and ate dinner we took a drive around the loop. There is one road in town that goes out on the tundra. It was made to encourage berry picking. At the top of one of the hills I took some pics.

This sign makes me laugh....to drive on the loop you have to drive across part of the runway for the airport....you have to stop and check for planes taking off or landing...only in the bush....

I am truely a slacker...lets hope I can get better

I have been soo bad at writing....I really will try to work on that. SOOO much has been happening. Qyanna had a group birthday party. There are three babies that were all born in April, so on the last Friday of April the lady that watches Qyanna had a group birthday party. They kids all had a good time.

Here are the birthday kidos...Qyanna, Conner, and Oakley.

Here is the cake...cute huh?

Here is Qyanna eatting all the frosting she could get her hands on.

All three kidos enjoying the cake.

And the damage that was done...not to bad for 3 babies.

Well today Luke got on his way home to Salem. He is going to pick up our truck and his son and drive back up here. He is going to spend two weeks or so with his family, then drive to Houston to help a friend move her things up here. Then the two of them will drive up to Anchorage together. Overall Luke will be gone for about a month. So I am single mommying it for that time.

And I am doing Extended School Year, so I am still teaching. ESY is three weeks working with our intensive students. So far I have one week down and two weeks to go. It hasn't been to bad.

I am slowly starting on packing the apartment. I have watched a lot of our things get sold and walk out the door. It is sad, but yet happy....I don't have to pack those items, so it saves me space and money in shipping. Qyanna and I will be moving into our summer apartment on June 2. We found a small place in Anchorage until we can get into our house in August. There was a lady I found on Craigslist who needed someone to stay in her apartment and take care of her cat for the summer. So it was perfect fit for us to take care of it for her! It just means that I have to be in Anchorage a few weeks earlier that I was originally planning, but such is life. I am very much looking forward to moving.

Qyanna is not walking on her own yet. But she is pulling herself up on EVERYTHING. She is walking if we hold her hands. She will be walking any day now. She does two things that are soo funny. She will walk on her knees, or she will crawl with her feet flat on the ground. Now some cute Qyanna pictures!!!!

She fell asleep eating her lunch....soo cute!

She worked herself into the pillow that way....I just had to take a picture.

She is hard at work trying how to mess up Mommy's laptop. We can't keep her away from our laptops.

As I had said early, I am now teaching extended school year. Up here we are out of school the first week of May. So it is summer here now....kinda. On the second to last day of school the third graders went sledding. We went down at a place called cemetery hill. The cemetery sits at the top of the hill and goes down into the lagoon, which is frozen solid still. It was fun and the kids had a blast.. I am going to miss this group of kids so much. I have been with them for three years. It is hard to believe that I have been with them for so long. They have grown up so much, and are such a wonderful class!

Ready...Set...Sled!!!!!

Up and down the hill they go.

My third graders on the last day of school.

Well I guess that is all for today. I will do more later.

4/25

Well Happy Easter....even though I am late! I have been soo bad about blogging. I have been so busy with work thing. Well I posted some Easter pictures of Qyanna in her Easter dress. I was asked to give a talk on Easter Sunday. The topic was on the Resurrection. A very fitting topic for the day. I guess it was a good talk. That afternoon our home teacher came over. Then that evening a friend came over and had dinner with us. I made honey glazed ham, mashed potatoes, rolls, and veggies. For desert I made a sunflower cake...I think it turned out cute....and it was supper yummy!

My yummy sunflower cake...cute huh?

Qyanna looking at her bunny!

I love my bunny....awww

Isn't she cute in her Easter dress?

This past week I went to Anchorage with the four deaf kids from the district. We went out this past week because the Alaska State School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing had a deaf comedian visiting. His name is CJ Jones. He is soooo funny. He worked with the kids at the school on Wend, Thurs, and Fri. My students had a blast and a half! We spent the rest of the days in the classes with the students. We also visited the Anchorage Museum. And the kids had a blast there as well. They just soaked up everything there is to do and see!

The students, parents and staff that was there to work with CJ Jones at the school.

My adorable students!

Students and teacher from the NWABSD

Also while I was out in Anchorage I had my screening interview with the school district on Wend. On Thursday I found out that passed my interview, and my application will be passed on to the principals for hiring.....hopefully soon I will have a new job!!!!

4/18

We today was a basic day at work. Tomorrow will start the craziness of my week. I am taking 4 deaf students, their parents and teachers to Anchorage to visit the Alaska State School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ASSDHH). The students, parents and teachers will come in from villages tomorrow morning, and we fly to Anchorage in the afternoon.

While we are there I will have my screening interview for the Anchorage School District. I hope all goes well with that. It is the first step to getting a job. I hope all goes well and I get a good job teaching there.

Well I got most everything packed for my 5 day adventure in Anchorage. I am going to miss my baby and hubby so much while I am gone.

We are down to three weeks left of school here. I have signed up to teach the extended school year. I am not sure what I will be doing or with what ages. But it is only three more weeks of work, and more money for moving.

3/15

So today was Qyanna's birthday party day. We had a few friends over and had cake, and just and a good time. Qyanna also got her 12 month shots....that was not the high light of the day. She is a brave little girl. She only cried when she is getting the shots. A few minutes after she was her happy self.

Here is baby girl playing with her new toys...a interactive kitchen and a wiggle cow.

Her birthday cake. I baked and decorated it, Luke cut it into shape. It is carrot cake with a cream cheese frosting.

She is just starting to eat her cake....

Look mom.....I'm covered in cake....

4/14

Last year on this day I spent all day in labor. Qyanna Belle was born at 10:40pm. We went to the hospital at 4:30am. So, yes it was ALL day. I love being a mommy!

Today was a fun day in Kotzebue. It was the beginning of the Kobuk 440. It is a dog sled race that starts here in Kotzebue, goes to Kubuk, and returns to Kotzebue. I took Qyanna out to see the start of the race. She loved it!

Then we came home and had dinner, then of course cake. Overall a pretty good day! Tomorrow we will have a few friends over and have another cake. I will post more pics tomorrow.