Iditarod 2010

I have been meaning to post about Iditarod, but I hadn't uploaded my pictures to my computer yet. The post would not be complete without photos. I finally uploaded so enjoy!

The Iditarod Ceremonial start in Anchorage was Saturday, March 6th. The actual start was Sunday, March 7th in Willow Lake. Lance Mackey won his 4th straight Iditarod on Tuesday, March 16th around 3 PM. 

Shishmaref got off early from school on Wednesday, March 17th and we had no school on Thursday or Friday that week (some spring break, huh?). So Wednesday evening I headed into Nome. 23 mushers made it into the finish line before we arrived.

I stayed with 2 other teachers, Bea and Sue. We stayed at the Polar Arms in a suite. Let's say that it is a little less than classy, but it was cheap! Haha! It actually wasn't as bad as I was expecting, but I definitely wasn't going to take a soak in the bathtub like I would've if I was staying at the Aurora. 

Front Street runs parallel to the ocean and is basically the main street in Nome. The finish line is on Front Street. The mushers are out on the ice and then once they pass Subway, they come up onto the street and into the shoot. They have a big wooden arch in the middle of the street. During non-Iditarod time, it just sits all lonely in on the side of the street.

Our room at the Polar Arms looked right over Front Street. We could see mushers come in from our window. It was kind of nice. Here is the Jamaican musher coming down Front Street. This photo was taken from our window.

There are lots of fun things about Iditarod weeks in Nome that make it fun. Obviously, Iditarod. Mushers coming in, seeing the dogs, meeting the mushers, etc.. Also, a huge basketball tournament at the rec center. There were several Shishmaref teams entered and a huge Shish cheering section, so it was fun to go to the games. Also, bars and restaurants expect lots of extra people in town, so they have special events, extended hours, and other stuff. It's always a treat to be in Nome (2 grocery stores with things you expect your average grocery store to have, restaurants, adult beverages), but during Iditarod, it's even better.

Thursday night, the Polar Bar had a "Make Your Own Bikini Contest". No, I did not enter, but I did watch. One of the judges was Lance Mackey himself. I got my picture taken with him!

I went to lots of basketball games too. I spent a lot of my time playing with two and a half year old Loretta.

She used to cry when she saw me. A lot of small children are scared of white people because their experiences with them are people who come to the village to give them shots, or when they are really sick and need to go to Nome to be poked and prodded by white people. So, at the beginning of the year, Loretta would scream when she saw me. By November, she was starting to warm up to me. Would let me hold her and such. By February, we were good friends. About that time, we decided that she thought Amy meant "white person". Usually after we had been with her awhile, at a birthday party or something, she would call Colleen and me both Amy. Now she loves me and knows me and my name. She'll see me from across the gym and giggle and say "AMY!!!!". So cute. I just love her. Her brother Landon will be in my class next year. Anyway, pretty much all of my pictures of the basketball games were taken by Loretta.

Not bad for being 2, huh? Maybe a future photographer!


I didn't get to go to the musher meet and greet because of when my plane was leaving, but I did get to see some mushers and dog teams come in.

Jim Lanier and his team just came into the shoot.

One of Jim Lanier's dogs, anxious to get going again!

Lanier's dogs chillin' out.

Lanier being interviewed.

Tamara Rose just onto Front Street.

Tamara Rose's lead dog may take a detour at the Chinese restaurant.

Rose down Front St. to the finish line.

Tamara Rose is almost there!

Art Church, Jr. stopped right before coming on to Front Street.

Church rearranging dogs before the straightaway.

Art Church, Jr. setting up the dogs to head to the finish.

I really have no idea why he was rearranging the team now, with (probably) less than a 1/2 mile to go. But, I am not a musher, so who am I to judge?

Getting the dogs ready to go.

Art Church, Jr. and his team, almost ready to head down Front Street.

Church and his team headed down the street - finally!

 Me, waiting for one of the mushers to come into the chute. They announce over a loudspeaker when there is someone coming soon. There is also an Iditarod hotline that you can call to find out when the next musher is expected in and who it is.

Dave DeCaro and his team coming into the chute. 

DeCaro finishing.

Dave DeCaro at the arch.

One of DeCaro's dogs.

Another one of DeCaro's dogs, taking a rest after a long trip.

Dave DeCaro's team resting up while he is interviewed.

Not a good photo, but this is one of the booties from one of the paws of one of Dave DeCaro's dogs! The mushers usually pass them out the the crowd and I got one!

So, this may be the longest post ever, but it was (hopefully) worth it!

For more information about the Iditarod, visit the website: www.iditarod.com

Funny Kids

I would hate to forget some of the hilarious things that kiddos have said at school. So, I figured I should share them.

Dramatic play is one of those places that funny things happen all of the time. I think what I say in response to the children's actions kind of sum up the hilariousness.
* "Girls! We don't put babies in the oven!"
* "Frank! We don't throw bacon!"

Ida is so cute and so serious - 95% of the time. I think that is why the things that she says are so funny.

One day she was wearing animal print pants.
Here is the conversation:
Me: "Ida, I love your pants. Is that leopard print, or cheetah print."
Ida: "Cheeto kind."

Whenever the kids miss school I tell the other kids "Gee, I sure miss Nathaniel. I hope that he comes to school soon." Or I tell the kids to go to bed early so that they don't miss school, because I would miss them too much.
There was one day that my throat was getting sore, and strep throat was going around. Wilsa and I were talking about it while we were drawing with the kids. I said that I was hoping it wasn't strep because I didn't want to miss school. So Ida then said "You might miss all the friends, huh Amy?"

Abigail was sitting on my lap one day during one of our really cold spells. I said "I am tired of all of this cold." - meaning, "Can't we get some warm weather soon!!??"
Abigail looked at me and said "Well Amy, you better get yourself a warm sweater and ski pants and scarf."

I love my job.

Buckeye Necklaces

"Beat Michigan Week" is important for any Ohio State fan. It is the week before the Ohio State vs. Michigan football game. This past November, my class made Buckeye necklaces. Each kid got 3 buckeyes, 20 red beads, and six black or gray beads - they got to pick. They counted each bead out and then laced it onto their necklaces.

I took a lot of pictures, but all on the Head Start camera. I finally downloaded the pictures to my computer today.

Carter modeling his necklace.

 

Katie with her necklace.

  

Miss Madison

 

Vivian a.k.a Schmivian

 

Frank the tank

 

Nathaniel

 

Ida-Bug

 

Abigail a.k.a Babygail

 

Autumn

 

 Alicia

  

Victoria

 

Class picture! (missing lots of kiddos that day)

Here comes the best part!!

O!

 

H!

 

I!

 

O!

 

The kids even learned how to do it all together! So cute!

Also, I made 101 Buckeye Candies and shared them with my class and all of the other school employees! And I HATE peanut butter - so it was kind of a big deal for me to do that.

A delayed post - but I think worth it!

Signed and Mail

I signed and mailed my contract today. It is now en route to the district office in Unalakleet. I will be coming back to Shishmaref next year!

I'm taking it year by year. At this point, I feel like I still have a lot to discover and I enjoy my job and the people around me. So, I am coming back. Plus, it cost me a small fortune to move here, so another year makes it more worth it.

Maybe next year will be 2 of 2, 2 of 10, or maybe even more. Only time will tell.

My future

This morning, I was called into Steve's office. He is the principal. This isn't an often occasion, so I didn't know what was going on.

Turns out, I have been offered a contract to teach here in Shishmaref next year. I had to sign that I had received it.

I was surprised - I thought teachers who were not tenured didn't get contracts until March or so. 

I have a month to sign it and mail it to the district office in Unalakleet. I guess that is why I was thinking March - I don't have to decide until then.

I haven't signed it yet, but I am planning on it! I figure it wouldn't hurt anything to wait a week or so, right? I decided awhile ago that I was planning on coming back next year, but now that I have the contract in my hand, I don't want to be too hasty.

So, that is the news for the day, I guess.

File Folder Games

In in college, during Senior Block, all Early Childhood Education majors take a class for  each of the different content areas that we will be teaching. In the math class, we made math file folder games. We had to make five, and they had to be of one common theme. We could theme them like I did, farm, or other people did something like multiplication. They are really low cost, and an easy resource for any grade in elementary school.

However, they take forever. First you have to find the images you want to use. Then copy those images. Color them. Cut them. Glue the pieces onto the file folder. Laminate the folder and playing pieces. Then cut out the pieces - again.  In college, I had my Delta Zeta sisters to sit in the suite with me and color and cut turkeys, pigs, and corn with me.

I found some pre-made file folder games online that were already colored. So, one less step. But the cutting is still tedious. I have enlisted help from the junior high cheerleaders. Play Lady Gaga on my iPod and I can get them to help me with just about anything. I am sure that I could get my class and the kindergarten class to help also, but my OCD doesn't allow them to cut my file folder games. I am all about them cutting all kinds of projects, but not these.

So, I love these girls.

 

The group - enthused, of course. They all have a brother or sister either in my class now, or that will be next year - except for Lori. She is the 2nd youngest in her family, and Dara is in 4th grade. Mamie has a sister in my class now, and a brother that will be in my class next year. Nellie's brother is in my class now. Tammy and Jecca each have a little brother who will be in my class next year. So, I reminded them all that they are doing this not only for me, but for the tiny ones of their families. Lori is cool enough to still help, even though she has no tiny ones left in her family.

 

Tammy Jean with a snowflake.

 

Mamie with a bumblebee.

Lori with a bumblebee.

 

Jessica (aka Jecca) with some letters.

 

Nellie cutting some letters.

 

One of the finished products. This is called "Achy-Breaky Hearts". See how they are broken in the middle? The kiddos have to match the color AND the break pattern. Those white dots are velcro. The matching pieces are in a pocket in the back.

Notice the band-aid on my finger? File Folder Game battle wound. I am so used to using preschool scissors, that when I get an adult pair in my hands, things get a little out of control. 

So, this is how I spent my Saturday night. The life of a teacher, right?