It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!

Happy Halloween Internet!

Just thought I'd let you see how the fam rocked Halloween this year. Special Thanks to Aunt Jessie and mom for their amazing talents!

Think we went overboard?



The Northwestern from "Deadliest Catch"



A close up of the crab pots



A Bath Loofa and her faithful sidekick!



A Wii Remote!



She volunteered to clean a spot on the remote with her loofa. haha



Group shot!

That's me. Sue Sylvester from Glee, in between the Controller and the Loofa, behind the Northwestern!

Happy Halloween!!

HELP!

Hi internet,

Greetings from the campus library. Really should be writing my essay on cultural changes in Kaktovik, Alaska.... but I'm not.

I have a really great 1st paragraph written if anyone would like to write the last 2.5 pages for me... Eh? Eh???

Just thought you would like to know.

Plan Kick Trash!

Happy Weekend Internet!

What a long week. ugh.

So, I was reading this blog that I follow and it got me to thinking...

Tonight there was a fantastic cultural event held where I live. The tickets were quite reasonably priced. ($5 per person.) The show was amazing! Methinks a perfect opportunity to summon up some courage and ask a lady on a date. (Asking on dates is a boy job. Yes, I have no problem with Gender Roles. You ask me out because you're a man and that's what men do.) And LBH where else are you going to find a date that costs less than $10???

So, I'm at the event with my family, because apparently I am un-datable... and I see all these fly ladies at the performance, STAG. And then, I see all the fellas, STAG. Is it just me or is this a issue?

It seems that in our culture you can't just go on a date with someone. Because by going on a date that signifies that you want to have their babies or you need to buy a ring.

This is false.

It's a date.

And furthermore, I'm tired of watching the guys I know ask out the same 5 girls. I know so many amazing women. Women with talent, humor, education and ability. And these are not the girls being taken on dates. This blows my mind. I'm thinking go big or go home, right???

Here's what I say.

Ladies: Quit throwing yourselves at boys who don't deserve you. Live your life. All too often women feel it's either plan A. Be a wife and a mother, or Plan B. Have a career. I say, have a fantastic plan! Live! Become a better person. Live, serve, learn and grow and when the time is right, things will work out for marriage, and in the meantime you will have become an amazing person.

Fellas: Put on your brave pants and ask out a girl with substance. And be someone worth investing in. Be motivated in our career and education and life in general. Cut your hair, put on some clean clothes and go on a date. Just because a girl says yes doesn't mean she's getting towels monogrammed with your name on them. It means she wants to get to know you.

You are welcome in advance.

What we do at Recess

Hi Internet,

Have I told you lately I love my job??



Miley's got NOTHING on these ladies! :)

Happy Birthday to my friend formerly known as Kristel!

Man Internet,

This week is jam packed with birthdays! And today is no exception! Remember my friend Kristel? Today just so happens to be her birthday! And I felt that the most appropriate way to celebrate the birth of such a classy broad was to tell a few stories about how this lady has changed my life.



It all started with a brown dress...

One day at church, I was wearing my brown wrap dress, minding my own business and I felt like someone was talking about me... but I ignored the idea. Then, after the meeting I stood up and overheard "Oh my gosh! It looks even better when she's standing up!" I turned around and a short little Mexican looked at me and said "yes, we're talking about your dress, it's fabulous!" And from then on, we've been friends!

***

Kristel introduced me to Heels (cause short people HAVE to have them) and My So Called Life (I like to think that she is RayAnne to my Angela).

***

She encouraged me to become a better person, because it was 200-great and we were "trying to be like Jesus."

***
She is perhaps the most fantastic person to be around when she has her wisdom teeth pulled. Even if they took her hat off and "did her dirty."

***

Every time we drove together it was a near fatal accident.

***
And perhaps the most important thing I learned from Kristel, was how to be confident, to not worry about what other people say or do and just be yourself.




Yep. Pretty sure my life has been forever changed since I wore my brown dress!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Kristel and thanks for being you!!

I probably shouldn't do this....

Hey Internet,

SO, as you know I work in Kindergarten. And I love my class. All of them. And I probably shouldn't, Buuuuut, I a little bit have a favorite student. You remember, the LEGO girl? Yeah, her.

So, we had this convo last week on the playground when I was showing her my glove had a hole in it.

Me: My glove has a hole in it!
Favorite Student: Well, Teacher Krystal, you need to fix that! I bet if you brought it to one of our houses our mom's could sew it for you. We don't live very far from here. My house is the white one with numbers on it.




Buwahahahaha! That really narrows it down, huh? I love that kid!

Happy Birthday Hop!

Hey Internet,

Guess what?! Today is a pretty special day! Why you ask? Well, today is 10/10/10 AND more importantly, it just so happens to be my friend Ashlee's Birthday! I mean 10/10/10 only comes once every 100 years, and this time it's my friend's birthday!

Ashlee was the first person I met when I went to college. I came late and missed check-in at the dorms, but when I got there an RA was in the office. My mom and I walked in and told the RA who I was and she was so excited. "Hey! You're my roommate! We've been wondering when you were going to get here! We've been calling you Alaska!" And we've been friends ever since!

So, allow me to share with you the Top 10 reasons I love Ash!

10. She introduced me to Dashboard Confessional. I am forever indebted to her for that!



9. She is super crafty!



8. She LOVES a good prank!



7. Galley Time. Chicken Burritos.



6. She's always traveling to some fantastic destination!



5. She's a fantastic dancer!



4. She's one of the only people I know who can rock a mu-mu!



3. She's not afraid to pull the boy you like aside and tell him that if he hurts you she'll put his manhood in a blender...yep, that really happened.



2. Tie-Dye-Turtleneck-Tank-Top!



1. She's been an amazing friend for the past 8 years. If I even need anything, I know that Ash has got my back!



Happy Birthday Ashlee! Thanks for being born!

Last time I checked this was NOT ok...

Hey Internet,

So, I just survived a crazy week with 2 tests, 2 papers, work and about a billion other things going on all at the same time. Feeling pretty good about that accomplishment.

What I don't feel good about is something that I have been seeing at school.

I want you to know that I have seen this more than once. With more than one victim, and on different days.

As you are aware, I live in Alaska. Interior Alaska, which is virtually a cold desert. Not a lot of rain. And we just started getting a few snowflakes, but nothing to be overly concerned about. Which is why I'm quite disturbed when I see girls at school romping around in THESE...



Now, I know what you are thinking, they are being prepared for the elements, blah blah blah.

WRONG!

These ladies are wearing XTRATUFs, with their jeans tucked in....as a FASHION STATEMENT.

I'm pretty sure Tim Gunn would NOT be ok with this, because I certainly am not.

Rain boots are only acceptable in the following situations:

1. It is pouring rain.



2. You are 5 years old and splashing in puddles.



3. You are camping.



Yes, that is me, front and center. Camping AND wearing rain boots. Probably will never happen again, but it did happen once.

4. You own a pair of cute boots, such as these.


4. You are a fish monger.



5. You are a deck hand for one of the Deadliest Catch crews...



Which isn't a real excuse cause that show drives me CRAZY cause it's the same thing every week... do they catch crab, do they not catch crab? It will be one of the two endings, every time. Promise.

But by all means do NOT wear them to be stylish.

There you go. Now you know when you may wear your galoshes.