Shan Shan and Phil go shopping

Quin went around shopping with her cart and then she went over to Phil and he checked her out and helped her bag her groceries.

It is all happening here

Phil and I are buying a house!! Our landlords are moving back to Seward so we have to move by May. Phil and I had been eying a house for months and this was the prodding we needed to make an offer. There was another offer on the house, but ours was just accepted!!

The house is two block from my school on the end of a quiet dead end street. It has a big grassy yard and will get lots of light. The views of the mountains from there are spectacular. Plus, we will now have amply water and be able to take baths and do laundry and all that fun stuff. Also, no icy hill!

We are working on a loan now--it looks like we'll get 5%, which is good. If all goes according to plan, we'll close by April 1st and be moved in by May 1st. The inspection is Tuesday--I am not too worried about that as the house looks to be in good order (Phil went underneath it last week to check the foundation and construction).

We are very happy.

The Penny War continues

Check out this write up I did for our local online news website. I estimate we have raised about $1500 so far! The picture is of me and my advisory class (we're spearheading the fund raising).

The SWMS Penny War continues

Phil and Shan Shan cooking

Quin and Phil were cooking the other day. Quin likes raw tomatoes and peppers, but not cooked, and she loves cooked mushrooms, but not raw.

They were making a chicken stew in the crock pot. Shan Shan helped Phil add the spices.

Overwhelming Joy

I have been quite sadden by the devastation in Haiti, but in that despair I have found joy in the generosity and compassion of my students and this community. One of my students, a young girl who used to live in a poor, sad orphanage in Eastern Europe and was adopted at age nine, took it upon herself to go door to door and ask neighbors for donations for our fund raising. In one night, she brought in $389. I was so moved. She is not what people would consider an especially good or bright student and yet what she did, on her own, was so selfless, so kind. I am truly touched and really proud that our students have responded as they have. It is great to be able to find joy in these sad events.

Our landlord called this afternoon to say that they are moving back to Seward and we have to be out by May 31st. We do have a long lead time, but Seward is not an easy place to find a rental and the housing market is not very flush.

I guess the good side is that our next place will most likely have an ample supply of water (bath night every night for Quin, she will be so happy) and a lot less dangerous driveway. The thought of having to box everything and move, though, is depressing.

Getting students involved

I talked to my advisory class at school today and we have decided to raise money as a school for aid to Haiti. My students really want to help them get clean water. I am glad they actually care and want to do something. Here is a link to the Seward City News website where I posted what we are doing and asked the community for help.

SWMS helps!

Helping Haiti

In 1964 Alaska was hit with a 9.2 earthquake (click here to see image), which more than 100 time stronger than the quake that hit Haiti. Seward was devastated by the quake. The ground shook for over 4 minutes and a series of seven tsunami hit the town. I have friends who were here then and they have told me about the fear and trauma and chaos. Haiti has always been a sad place and now I can't believe there is a sadder place on earth. I want my students to know that just because these people look different, speak a different language and live far away, they aren't that different than us and we could easily be (and have been) in their place. I want to instill in then a sense of compassion and appreciation for humanity in all it's shapes, forms, religions and nationalities.

Phil and I are donating money to Doctors Without Borders to help with the staggering medical needs, which will grow in the coming days with the lack of clean water and the spread of disease.

Click on image below to learn about how you can help.

The Jumpoff

Phil had to work day shift all day yesterday (12.5 hours) and then is back for a shift tonight. I am sure it is not healthy for him to work so many hours in such stressful conditions. I am looking forward to the day (4-6 years from now) when he retires (or at least goes to part time).

This weekend is the Polar Bear Jump Off, (click on the words to go to the Seward.com website and learn more) which is in it's 24th year. People from all over come in jump in the bay as a fundraiser for cancer. This year it will be pretty warm (around 35 degrees). My first year here it was close to zero and windy and it must have been brutal to jump in (I watched all bundled up from the top of the boardwalk).

Check out this youtube video of from last year to get an idea of what it is all about 2009 (click on 2009).

"The History of the Jumpoff

The first Seward Polar Bear Jump was held in 1986. Individuals dressed in costumes jumped into Resurrection Bay. Sponsors were acquired by the jumpers in order to raise money for the Alaska Division of the American Cancer Society. The event was so popular that buses were provided for a Anchorage-Seward-Anchorage trip on the day of the jump, with advance tickets selling out. Today, crowds continue to flock to Seward on the third weekend of January to join in the fun."

Driveway update

We were able to get gravel put on our driveway on Monday, so now we can drive up and down the hill. We were supposed to get snow last night, but that didn't happen, so right now everything is okay.

Let there be light!

I am so proud of myself.

My headlight went out and tonight I replaced it by myself. This wasn't an easy task. First, it was 28 degrees out. Second it was dark, so I had to use my headlamp to see. Third, Phil has taken my car manual to read (since his Forester didn't come with one), so I didn't have any directions. I looked under the hood and it wasn't obvious what to do, so I got on the internet, did a search and found some basic advice.

Unfortunately, for me, it was the driver's side headlight so I first had to remove the battery. I wrenched something in my back this morning, so lifting out the battery was not fun. Once that was out I couldn't figure out how to get the light clasp unhooked. There was a rubber sleeve over the light casing and I didn't know I could just peal it off (I subsequently found that out). I finally managed to get the light in and then the really struggle began--getting the battery back in, seated properly and clamped down correctly. It took three attempts (but no swearing, since Quin was out with me), but I finally got everything reconnected and viola, there was light!

I am very proud that I was able to accomplish this on my own (Phil was going to do it, but he is such a procrastinator that I figured it would be summer before he would get to it and by then I wouldn't need the headlights any more). I know it is a small thing, but I feel empowered.

Quin and I admiring our rings

Of course mine is from Phil, in white gold, and has 3/4K in diamonds, while Quin's is from Aunt Jo Ann and tends to the plastic heart, fake jewel style that is so popular with the up and coming three year old set.

We each love our rings and are both clearly loved and do dearly love the giver. Thank you both. I really hope we can swing a wedding with my aunt and twin sister and family coming up and Phil's family coming up. We don't want a big elaborate do, but we do want our family and closest friends to be able to share with us and amaze in the fact that Phil, the self-identified hermit, is now in love and is getting married to love of his life and the mother of his most beloved little girl, who simply adores her Baba. Today she told him he was a most splendid friend.

The hill claims another victim

Today is errand day and Phil is off work (he's actually on-call, but at least he is at home). We have to haul our own trash to the dump (really it is just a transfer station) and Phil decided to drive my car up our icy driveway in order to load the bags. Apparently he only got half way up before he slid back down. It was warm all day yesterday and above freezing this morning and the hill is even slicker than before.

So Phil parks my car at the bottom off to the side and decided to drive the trash down in his car. Quin and I were going to meet him at the bottom, but when I went out the door I noticed he was turned sideways, mid hill and then he turned around all the way backwards (like me on Thursday morning). I walked down and was able to push on the nose of his car in order to keep it straight while he slid the rest of the way down and managed to slide backwards out of the driveway.I put Quin in her toddler sled (with back support, strapped in) and we slowly went down the drive with me taking a few steps in my ice cleats and then lowering her down a few feet at a time. What a nightmare. We do have someone to gravel the drive, but he is out of town until Monday. Both Phil and I have studded winter tires, but they are no match for our hill and this ice. So for now we are lugging the groceries up via sled and Quin up via my shoulder (fireman carry) and hoping for either rain or snow, either of which will make the driveway passable again.Quin watching me through the widow as I am outside snapping pics. It is too slippery in the driveway for her to be out with me.

A year gone by

It was one year ago today that I got the referral for Quin. The second we saw her file and her sweet face, we fell in love. I knew right away that we were supposed to be a family. I just can't imagine my life without her. Yes, the wait (over 3 years) was agonizing, but she was worth all that angst.

Here are two of her referral photos. What a joy she is!

We want our cold back

It was 48 degrees today! 48! We want our cold back.

Last night is rained and our driveway became a rain slicked sheet of ice. The driveway is a steep hill with a curve onto the road at the bottom. This morning when Quin and I went to school the car started sliding right away. Halfway down the hill the car turned, sliding sideways and then finally totally backwards. Luckily I was able to stop us from hitting the berm at the bottom and we turned and slid our way out on to the road. I then proceeded to hyperventilate. Ugh, I hate the ice and I hate our driveway.

After school today I parked at the bottom of the driveway and Quin and I walked up to the house. I had on my ice cleats, but we don't have any kid sized cleats, so I basically had to hold Quin up as she kept slipping and slipping. Tomorrow morning we'll slowly make our way down in the dark, lit only by my headlamp. I am not looking forward to going down as it is was that exact thing that caused me to fall and fracture two vertebrae in my back a couple of years ago--I wasn't wearing ice grips then, though, and they really do help.

pictures of our driveway (from last winter and summer)

We need some snow and we need our cold.

I think it is so funny that schools in the Lower 48 are being called off due to temperatures in the teens. In Fairbanks the schools don't even consider calling off school until it is 50 below. I use to ride my bike to school at 20 and 30 below zero. And in King Cove (in the Aleutians) school wasn't called unless the winds were over 100 mph, which they often approached. We did have a one hour delay once when the winds ran about 90 mph and the roads were pure ice. I walked to school then.

I like the cold, but I hate this wet ice! This is the curse of living on the coast.

I hope all of you are staying warm and safe. Please send cold thoughts our way :)

Quin counts to 30

Pants Head

Quin is wearing both a pair of pants and a pair of shorts on her head.
She thinks it is the funniest thing to have pants hats.

It is snowing today--beautiful, light fluffy flakes. Yesterday it was in the teens, but today, with the snow, it warmed to the upper twenties. Everything was starting to look a little dingy, so the new snow is welcome.

Quin and I go back to school tomorrow. I guess I am okay with going back, but right now I don't really feel like doing anything--which I supposed is fine on the last day of vacation. We had a nice break and really enjoyed Christmas.

Quin tells me she loves me all the time. She is very expressive. Yesterday, at lunch, she told me that I made her heart happy. How sweet is that!

I am happy.

Quin loves running to me

Christmas morning

Quin really loved her dress up clothes--thanks Aunt Jo Ann! She didn't actually know there were earrings and a ring in the bag until right at this picture when she noticed there was something in her purse.

Quin was very excited to open her presents!