Alaskaaaaaaaa

You need to say my title like Sandra Bullock on The Proposal. ;) This week seemed like a great time to talk about where we are stationed! There was an article in Spousebuzz (military online mag), the Yukon Quest was today and I get questions from friends and even other service families that find out we are up here and contact myself or the hubs on FB or ask in FB threads. Seemed like a good time to blog.
Alaska has "been in the family" since I can remember. My uncle lives on the Kenai Peninsula and my grandpa would come up here and hunt with him all the time. We always knew when he went hunting because the next trip to the grandparents house in California was ...... you guessed it moose roast. BLAH! My grandma could cook anything, but moose. I don't think anyone can cook moose well. I don't like it. It's not a good meat to me. I can do the sausage, but not the actual moose steak or roast. GROSS! My point is when we got orders to come up here in 2008 I wasn't shocked about Alaska. I was surprised we got this place as an assignment, but Alaska itself wasn't scary or mystical like it is to a lot of others. This is our 2nd tour. We were here from 2008-2011 and now again 2013 until further notice which will probably be 2016.
I get a lot of questions about Alaska. I'll chat about my most common ones.
How bad is the darkness? I don't mind it. I don't suffer from seasonal depression so it really doesn't bother me, but I do have happy lights in the kids rooms and in the main living area. I do think it messes with my kids so they turn them on.
How do you sleep during the summer with the sun? We have blackout curtains, but really all that time in the winter with the short days you will see kids http://st8frommars.blogspot.com/2014/02/alaskaaaaaaaa.html?m=1 at midnight playing trying to make up for lost time. The land of the midnight sun is what it's called and Alaskans celebrate it!  I do have a watch and I really recommend wearing one if you come up here. Time gets lost here whether you're in the dark or in the light you can't tell what time it is just by looking outside like in other states. And it gets so cold here that your cell will just shut off if it gets too cold so I say wear a watch.
where do you shop? We have Walmart, Sams Club, Fred Myers, several sporting goods stores. Anchorage has way more stuff. Online ordering is key. Some place don't ship up here and those places have lost my business and I will tell you why. We didn't choose to come up here. We are up here because my husband is in the Army, if a big bad company can't swallow the shipping or even charge a little extra for shipping because its too much trouble then I don't buy. You don't support me when I'm far away I don't support you when I'm close.  There's my spill lol
How BIG are moose, really? The largest moose I have seen with my own 2 eyes had a rack wider than my Ford Expedition and it's chin was taller than the top of my Expedition. Not taller than my ski rack, but for sure taller than the truck. They get really big and they are really mean! The moose I am talking about charged our moving vehicle. They are no joke! I believe that Alaskan moose are the largest. Don't quote me, but I think so.
How do you deal with the cold? Just like you deal with hot, humid or dry climates. You get used to it. If you hate the cold all you need to do is make it to your 1st January because everything after January will feel warm. Anything above 0 will feel ok. I've lived next to the hottest place, Death Valley, being stations at Fort Irwin and now one of the coldest places. You DO get used to it. It's not bad.
What do you wear? What is always wear. I have a large wardrobe anyway. We move to such drastic places I might as well just keep everything because you just never know. The key is good outerwear! If you have good boots, mittens, snow pants and ear covers you'll be good to go.
How beautiful are the northern lights? Beautiful!!! Have you seen Memoirs of a Geisha? There's a part that shows them washing the dye out of silk strips in the water. The cloth just flows in the water as the dye swirls around the fabric then down the stream. That's what it looks like only in the sky in the dead of winter.
It's a different way up here. I think things go slower, the people appreciate their state and what it offers, they keep with tradition. Today was the start of the Yukon Quest. It's a 1000 mile dog sled race from Fairbanks, AK to Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory. They still mush up here and it was a great thing to see! The dogs were ready! Jumping and pulling at the sled. One musher had all Siberian Huskies! They were beautiful! I hope he wins because he has all the same breed of dog and it looked like how you would imagine a mushers sled would look. I also hope one of the women come close. There's a special education teacher mushing so you know I want her to be at the top. It was a great morning watching them start on their journey. Great watching the tradition of the race! Although, it has been so warm up here they had to start downtown when they usually start on the Chena river.  They also drove in the snow and dumped it on the street so the sleds could glide. 2nd street had about 2 feet of trucked in snow. They didn't have to go far to get the snow, but it was pretty crazy to see one street downtown full of snow.
At the risk of having a crazy long blog today I will say this, I don't want to make Alaska seem too fantastic because that could contribute to people coming up here which will ruin the core of what this state is about. I think Alaska likes being the forgotten state because they are left alone. This state is everything America stands for. They love their state, their people and the biggest thing I notice is how much they try to give back. They either try to live off the land or try to keep Alaska goods being sold in the stores. Last time we were up here my hubs friend gave us about 30 lbs of salmon. Just gave it to us! He could've sold it and make some good money on that 30 lbs. That's how they are up here. I really do love it up here even if people think I'm crazy. There's a stillness to this place when other places have this underlying buzz to it. It's almost like when you walk into your home and you can feel a TV on verses when you walk in and there's no TV on. If you don't know what I'm talking about try it. You don't have to hear the TV you can feel the TV. That's what it's like up here for me, like I've come home to a nice clean house with every turned off. =)
Here's some photos from The Yukon Quest ... Sorry so long, but people ask me and wonder about this place so I thought I'd do one long blog.

This is a painted vent. Most cities just have them flush on the sidewalks, but because of the snow ours look like this. It's fireweeds =)

The boys by a team getting ready

Notice the shoes on the dogs

The start line

Reces Pieces was cheering so loud fir this guy he turned and waved at him.

 How I'd like to compete =)

IEP Day ... Dun Dun Duuuun

Today was the dreaded IEP meeting for Mak. For those who don't know that means individual education plan oooor make you feel like you're an inch tall meeting. The teachers are ALWAYS very nice.  She wouldn't be receiving services from anyone not understanding and patient and nice! BUT I don't care how nice you are, when charts, graphs and numbers come out that say your child is not mainstream and needs all this extra help you feel small. You didn't produce a stand alone child. You don't have a child that is capable of mainsteam education.  That's a blow, it's a punch to the gut. No amount of Starbucks, wine, chili cheese fries covers the blow. No amount of "she's a sweet child" makes it better. Every IEP is a reminder. Now ... NOT every child with an IEP is severe. You need an IEP for speech or OT anything extra so many kids have them. Even if it is for a small moment in time for your kid to have an IEP it's still a reminder that your kid needs extra help. To me that suuuuucks! I'm glad she can get these services, but it's still not a meeting I'm counting down the days too. For the record I'm not claiming this is how all parents feel ... This is how I feel. I don't don't even bother putting makeup on OR a decent outfit on for these things.  I like hearing how nice she is, but the nuts and bults of it is she's intellectually disabled and that still hurts my heart no matter how you slice it.
Ok so todays IEP was on the better side of the spectrum.  Mak is doing really good in her new program.  She's even used as a manners example in a 5th grade class! Yes!! I said manners and Yes!! I said 5th grade.  She also is a mediator.  The 5th grade teacher and speech teacher said she has settled many arguments between fellow students! Bottom line that's why we have kids ... To be good human beings.  At 10 she's a better human being than most adults I have come across. She also took charge of a science experiment (in the mainstream 5th grade) and successfully completed it. Amazing! She was in a group and the group as a whole couldn't figure it out until Mak says "this is what we need to do" That's my girl! They always start with the good stuff then they say "The Goals". The same stuff ... subtraction, vocab, articulation and so on. Still not on track for high school diploma and that's Ok because at the end of it all I'd take Mak not being college bound and being a generous/shining light over college educated and ugly hearted any day of the week.
In short IEPs suck! They take up your day, they're a reminder your kid isn't mainstream, BUT I wouldn't trade her or my clan of kidlets for any other. I know many parents are really focused on school (as you should) and reaching that excellence mark. Take a step back, marvel at what your kid CAN do! It's amazing! Many may never reach that mark so if anyone reads this (besides my mom. Hi Mom) then I hope that's what you take away from my day today.  They said she probably won't read ... She read me 2 books this week. They said she might not be able to tie her shoes ... masters it. So hug 'em. Love 'em and be thankful they're here.

I'm Baaaaack

So I decided to go back to blogging.  I have a lot of things planned and let's be honest ... If I don't write it down then I probably won't go through with it.
So an update ... We have moved back to Alaska! The same place we were 3 years ago. So I've decided to bust out the sewing machine and see what type of things I can whip up. There's an awesome fashion blogger, Mimi G, that revamps those not so cute, but could be cute, but you have no idea how to make it cute patterns. I got some today at Joanns so be on the look out for my pieces.
My kids are still insane it's mermaid craft day! Clothes pins, foam sheets and glitter! BAM!
I will be blogging often about my oldest. She was diagnosed as intellectually disabled this past August. She and I think it's extremely important and part of her purpose to bring awareness and change the minds of those who thing mental retardation means less than. When for my Makiyla it means fabulous!

Ok we did the mermaids and they are CUTE! But the girls don't really know what to with them now that they are all done decorating ... my son took some and ran around like they were airplanes though.  Good craft to use up things I already had ... foam sheets, sequins, glitter and paint. I just bought the clothes pens. Soooo if we get another long weekend because of the weather we might make them again ... or maybe try airplanes ;)

Glitter Wall

I saw on Pinterest that you could do a glitter accent wall with glue & glitter. I wasn't sure about the glue. I have put glue on walls PLENTY O TIMES & it peals off easily. So I looked for a clear paint. It does exists, but I only found 5 gallon tubs & it was mainly for sealing in projects. I kept looking because I wasn't too sure about it. Then I found a Faux Glaze by Behr. It was $27 for a gallon (a little pricey) they also sell a pint for &14. You're supposed to mix it with a color for sponging & such on walls. It looks white, but dries clear. It's to lighten a color or make it milky. Sooo I just added glitter! I made the mistake of buying the chunky glitter. What you need is the dusty glitter. I used silver & the cream color I already had of the dust type glitter. A pint would've covered the wall & then some, but I'm going to use the full gallon for other walls in the house (without glitter lol).

Milk in the trash

I am a PROUD Starbucks gold card member.  I recharge that thing every pay day and then on outings we go by there.  The Madd Hatter either likes a Double Chocolaty ship OR a Hot Chocolaty Chip (hot chocolate) Bubba gets a chocolate milk in the carton. Today I asked MH what she wanted "I want the milk in the trash!" I had NO IDEA what this was so instead of the drive thru we went in.  She grabs the carton milk ... Technically she is correct, the carton ends up in the trash so logically it is milk in trash, right?  So I pay and Bubba is having a holy FIT! There was a guy there joking saying "Give that kid some milk! He needs his milk!" LOL It was insanity, but funny.  I told the guy he was a milkaholic and he is getting treatment. LOL
The drive home was interesting.  MH asked if cows jump over the moon. I told her only in fairytales and if we waited for a cow that we see daily to jump over the moon we'd be waiting a really long time.  THEN I got a milk from a cow lesson from my 3 year old.  According to her people in a factory make the milk and they take it to the cows and put it in their bellies.  THEN a farmer comes and squeezes their bellies and the milk comes out.  While all this is going on the cow is saying "Moooooo". That is how we get the milk we buy at the store.  I'm not sure why we just don't cut out the middle man.  Seems like an awful lot of work for some milk.  She also schooled me on aliens.  I told her they like to make pictures in corn fields.  Apparently aliens HATE corn! They only drink milk from cows. 
I DO have a craft, but it is going to take me several days. I KNOW you all are soooo disappointed LOL BUT I wanted to tell you all about where milk comes from.  I thought you all needed the knowledge.  

Creamy Tomato Soup

This is a really good soup! I made it too thick and I know where I went wrong.  

What you need 2 cans of tomatoes (I used petite diced tomatoes)

                         4 cups chicken broth

                         1 cup carrots

                         1 cup celery

                         1 cup onions

                         basil (I put in about 1/4 cup fresh basil)

                         oregano (I did 3-4 shakes)

                         bay leaf

                         1/2 cup butter (I think this is too much)

                         1/2 flour (I think this is too much)

                          1 cup parm cheese

                         2 cups half and half

                         salt and pepper to taste

What you need to do is put the first 8 items in either a crock pot for 6 hours on low OR in a pot and simmer until veggies are tender.  Once it's all tender, melt the butter in another pot and add the flour.  Like you're going to make a gravy.  The reason why I say this is too much is because you will add about 1 cup of your HOT soup to this and it will INSTANTLY become thick.  My advice would be less butter/flour mixture OR don't put in that initial 1 cup to the mixture and just dump the entire soup in there and simmer to get it a little thick.  Then you add the half and half and the parm cheese. I do not buy butter with salt anymore and I bought fat free half and half ... I can't even tell! SO Bubba didn't like it AT ALL and Big Mak just got seconds.  It's a really good soup I just wish I didn't put that initial cup of hot soup into the butter/flour mixture.  That's why mine is so thick!

Where I got the recipe -

http://utah.todaysmama.com/2012/03/20/tomato-basil-parmesan-soup-in-the-slow-cooker-or-on-the-stove-top/                      

I did the crock pot version

The flour/butter mixture

Everything poured in lastly the parm

The "Cooker" serious

The "Cooker" smiling

A "fancier" pillow case dress

Ok Soooo I got the idea to make a pillow sack SHIRT for myself from a redeployment photo a friend posted of FB.  Her daughter had a pillow case (or are the potato sack dresses well whatever) dress on as a top.  I thought HOW CUTE! It's flowy, you can wear leggings under it.  ANYWAY,  I made myself the top all I needed to do was hem it and guess who comes home from school ... twirling it, commenting on how she LOVES purple and how my top is purple and how she LOVES purple dresses.  Like every mom on a guilt trip put on by their daughter would do.  I slimmed the top down and now it's her dress.  
I used that jersey fabric I bought several days ago at 54 inches.  I folded the 54 inches in half and then estimated how wide I am (or how wide the person you are making it for.  I then cut the arm section.  Just a little triangle on each side.  Sew the the 2 sides together.  NOT the arm section.  After that hem the shoulder section so the rough edge isn't showing.  I then hemmed the neck section.  I did a huge section about 2 - 2 1/2 inches because you're going to put a ribbon though it.  I made the ribbon like I made the ribbon to the dress yesterday. And that is it! What makes this dress "fancier" then the other pillow cases dresses is this one has a cute bow and it's tad bit more form fitting. =)

What I have to put up with when I sew at a time OTHER then nap or bed time

Again with the little man standing on my project

The dress cut and the sides sewn

The arm section hemmed

The neck line hemmed

And the dress on

The bow =)