Alaskan Chat for MAY! ~

[roadfamily6now]

Everyone busy for May Day?

[Pinoikoi]

Hey Tammy! I went by the baby fair around noonish and found the booth... I mentioned that it was advertised on mdc, and both the ladies there gave me a bewildered look... apparently you weren't either one?

[dislocator3972]

:

[Pure_AK_Crystal]

Hello, AK! Hello, May! Hurry up, June, so I can have this baby! And please please PLEASE let me get my VBA2C!!!

[liza-s]

I can't believe it is May.

I also can't believe how busy I am this month. I think I might pop. I'm bummed that I'm not going to Homer or Cordova for the shorebird festival - but no way could I be on the road again with the kids this weekend. Driving to Delta Junction from Anchorage definitely was the max distance to travel for us with a 5 month old and 2 year old. We learned that DD will scream after 160 mile, without fail. Doesn't matter if you stop to nurse and snuggle. She must be out of the car for at least 1 hour or she will scream. We unfortunately learned this 30 miles from Glennallen on the way up. That was a miserable 45 minutes (we stopped a couple of times to check on her/nurse/diaper etc, something head to be wrong....)

Now my project manager is wondering if I can go to Napakiak or Chevak later this month or June. Haven't yet discussed with DH. I would mean being gone 1-2 nights. Career wise and adventure wise, I want to go. Not that public meetings are adventurous - but it gets me out of the office. I really don't want to leave the babes, but she's also in a tight spot with childcare. Although her's is 10 - its more a matter of supervision. I think DD would do okay - she really settles for DH. He has a calming effect on her. DS would be more upset - but he can get tag teamed by cousins. Anybody been to these villages? If so, would you bring your 5 month old if $$ worked out?

Liza

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by Pure_AK_Crystal

Hello, AK! Hello, May! Hurry up, June, so I can have this baby!

Ditto!

[spruce]

subbing

[brightonwoman]

subbing

[katiesk]

Now my project manager is wondering if I can go to Napakiak or Chevak later this month or June. Haven't yet discussed with DH. I would mean being gone 1-2 nights. Career wise and adventure wise, I want to go. Not that public meetings are adventurous - but it gets me out of the office. I really don't want to leave the babes, but she's also in a tight spot with childcare. Although her's is 10 - its more a matter of supervision. I think DD would do okay - she really settles for DH. He has a calming effect on her. DS would be more upset - but he can get tag teamed by cousins. Anybody been to these villages? If so, would you bring your 5 month old if $$ worked out?

i've been to both napakiak and chevak. i would certainly bring a baby with me. i have only ever stayed on the floor in the school, which is never a comfortable option, although its not terrible either, but maybe you have alternate arrangements.

[happyblessedmama]

I've been to Napakiak, and think you'd be fine bringing the baby with you. Babies live there after all

Haven't been to Chevak, but I think it'd be the more interesting place to visit being near the coast and all. I'd try to find out about food arrangements (you may wish to bring your own) and if you are not nursing bring your own water - I'm not sure what the village water is like in different places, I know in some of them it's advised that you not drink the water w/o boiling it and all that at times. Also assuming you are OK with (very) small plane travel.

[blizzard_babe]

Originally Posted by liza-s

Now my project manager is wondering if I can go to Napakiak or Chevak later this month or June. Haven't yet discussed with DH. I would mean being gone 1-2 nights. Career wise and adventure wise, I want to go. Not that public meetings are adventurous - but it gets me out of the office. I really don't want to leave the babes, but she's also in a tight spot with childcare. Although her's is 10 - its more a matter of supervision. I think DD would do okay - she really settles for DH. He has a calming effect on her. DS would be more upset - but he can get tag teamed by cousins. Anybody been to these villages? If so, would you bring your 5 month old if $$ worked out?

Liza

Never been up to Chevak, but have been to Napakiak.

Most people who visit villages over this way during the school year end up crashing at the school if they stay overnight (though Chevak is bigger... they might have other lodgings???). So... bring an airbed if that's the case, though school will technically be out of session by then, so it might not be.

You don't get charged on the little air carriers (Grant, Yute, Hageland are the big three out of Bethel) for any kids under 2. HOWEVER, childcare in the villages can be hit-or-miss even if you know a lot of people, so unless you brought someone along to babysit, you'd have to have your kid with you the entire time. I'd offer to babysit if you were staying overnight in Bethel and boating out, but I'll be working . I was SUPPOSED to have the last two weeks of May off, but am now working right up until I leave town on the 7th of June (well, not the weekend before I leave, but you know what I mean).

ETA: But SAFETY-wise and all that, 5 month-olds are fine in villages. Ladies will try to smell her... people out here LOVE that natural baby smell. Small children will try to hold her and touch her and will want to look at her and ask questions about her and may very well ask if they can "have her."

DS spent the first year of his life in a village very similar to Napakiak. If you're FFing, bring your own water (though I can find out the status of the water situation in Napakiak if you want)... and bring water for yourself. Some villages, the water is completely SAFE, but contains high concentrations of (non-toxic) minerals which, while they don't hurt you, can give you the runs until you get used to them . Other villages, the water is great. And in others... you distill. Not just boil, not just filter... distill.

[Icequeen_in_ak]

My niece is a teacher in Chevak, but she comes back to Anchorage once school is out. It's a very family friendly village (at least it seems so from talking with her).

Does anybody know where one could get organic soil either in the Valley or Anchorage? I want to start 2 raised beds (4'x8'x16") so I will need at least a couple of pick up trucks of soil, or a dump truck... but I want good clean soil. It won't do me any good to plant all these organic veggies if the dirt is full of nasty stuff... y/k?

[roadfamily6now]

Originally Posted by Pinoikoi

Hey Tammy! I went by the baby fair around noonish and found the booth... I mentioned that it was advertised on mdc, and both the ladies there gave me a bewildered look... apparently you weren't either one?

OMGosh! Is that what you said? LOL, both J* and I were unclear about what you had said and were wondering what group was at the fair that pointed you in our direction!
So, that was me, in the brown Shirt, J* is the thin lady.

I'm sorry I did not understand you clearly. I feel so foolish now.

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by roadfamily6now

OMGosh! Is that what you said? LOL, both J* and I were unclear about what you had said and were wondering what group was at the fair that pointed you in our direction!
So, that was me, in the brown Shirt, J* is the thin lady.

I'm sorry I did not understand you clearly. I feel so foolish now.

Well, you know what I look like now.. he he.. and some of my little munchkins..

[blizzard_babe]

Breaking news ('k, not really): For the second time this year, Bethel has voted to become/remain a non-Local-Option community. DH can keep homebrewing as a non-outlaw .

[brightonwoman]

DH has an interview with Chugiak tomorrow. It's only a .8 position, but it would have benefits (and the pay cut would qualify us for some aid which would help us make the bills). They emailed and asked if he'd be interested, and he said sure, so then they scheduled the interview...I'm guessing that a lot of people are not interested because it's not full time. Anyway, that's a ray of sunshine for me today. A .8 job with benefits is a long shot better than no job, or than subbing.
Thanks MamaToni for the link. DH said he's checking them all every day still, so we'll just see what turns up.

I feel like I'm carrying on my own conversation here and not really responding to anybody. Sorry, I'm reading, I just haven't had much to say about the topics...

I DO have a question for folks though!!
We want to take our family summer road trip up the center of the state this year. We'll probably leave about as soon as school gets out (last of may or first of june). We're thinking a couple of weeks, though it's flexible. We want to see Denali NP, Fairbanks, and it's my understanding that there's a visitor's center for Gates of the Arctic NP too, right? We don't want to do any heavy hiking with our littles, and we can't afford fly-overs or anything, but we'd at least like to hit the visitor's center. We were thinking it would be cool to see the midnight sun--can anyone tell me how long the 24hrs of daylight lasts there on the edge of the circle? As in, is it just on solstice? Or does it last a week either side? We have to be back here by the 21st, so we can't actually be there on solstice, although I imagine we could still be there on the 18th or 19th or so. We tend to be fast road-trippers though--we just get in the car and go and go. We tend to see things fast and then keep moving. We like to see lots of things en route and take detours too though. Our preference would be to do some kind of loop rather than go out and back on the same route.
Aside from the parks, I don't really have a good sense of what we should see/do up there--any recommendations of places to see (or places to skip)? What about places to camp/avoid? The kids will be 10, 3.5, and 8m.
tia

[brightonwoman]

Originally Posted by blizzard_babe

Breaking news ('k, not really): For the second time this year, Bethel has voted to become/remain a non-Local-Option community. DH can keep homebrewing as a non-outlaw .

I heard that on the radio this morning but it was kindof confusing. So the town isn't 'dry' it's just 'local wet only'?? That's kinda cool.

[spruce]

SNOW SNOW SNOW SNOW SNOW

Wow, we're getting dumped on!

My kids set out their science experiments (seed growing under different sun/water conditions) a few days ago...everything is frozen solid now.

I *love* Alaska!

love, p

[rabrog]

This snow needs to stop! I want the warm weather back. DH and his dad got over half the garden rows dug yesterday. We're hoping they can finish tomorrow since the ILs go back to Minnesota on Friday morning. If they can finish, then we just have to fertilize the rows before we plant and we're good.

I'm cleaning today while MIL entertains DS and my allergies are killing me every time I sweep!

Jenn

[spruce]

Originally Posted by brightonwoman

DH has an interview with Chugiak tomorrow. It's only a .8 position, but it would have benefits (and the pay cut would qualify us for some aid which would help us make the bills). They emailed and asked if he'd be interested, and he said sure, so then they scheduled the interview...I'm guessing that a lot of people are not interested because it's not full time. Anyway, that's a ray of sunshine for me today. A .8 job with benefits is a long shot better than no job, or than subbing.
Thanks MamaToni for the link. DH said he's checking them all every day still, so we'll just see what turns up.

I feel like I'm carrying on my own conversation here and not really responding to anybody. Sorry, I'm reading, I just haven't had much to say about the topics...

I DO have a question for folks though!!
We want to take our family summer road trip up the center of the state this year. We'll probably leave about as soon as school gets out (last of may or first of june). We're thinking a couple of weeks, though it's flexible. We want to see Denali NP, Fairbanks, and it's my understanding that there's a visitor's center for Gates of the Arctic NP too, right? We don't want to do any heavy hiking with our littles, and we can't afford fly-overs or anything, but we'd at least like to hit the visitor's center. We were thinking it would be cool to see the midnight sun--can anyone tell me how long the 24hrs of daylight lasts there on the edge of the circle? As in, is it just on solstice? Or does it last a week either side? We have to be back here by the 21st, so we can't actually be there on solstice, although I imagine we could still be there on the 18th or 19th or so. We tend to be fast road-trippers though--we just get in the car and go and go. We tend to see things fast and then keep moving. We like to see lots of things en route and take detours too though. Our preference would be to do some kind of loop rather than go out and back on the same route.
Aside from the parks, I don't really have a good sense of what we should see/do up there--any recommendations of places to see (or places to skip)? What about places to camp/avoid? The kids will be 10, 3.5, and 8m.
tia

Fingers crossed on the Chugiak interview!

I'm so psyched you're coming into the Interior this summer! I'm sure that between all of us Mamas, we'll come up with a zillion ideas.

Camping...we love Montana Creek. It's so clean and the portapotties are neat and maintained, the river is a lot of fun for all the different ages, too. We stay there a lot.

We also like Chatanika, but it's a non-maintained campsite from what I've read, so you even have to bring your own TP, I think. It's still a really fun place to stay (to me), with campsites and little fire pits and my kids love that river, as well.

We've stayed at Bird Creek on the recommendation of friends, and while a beautiful, beautiful spot, there is no water for the kids to play in (it was all gross and stagnant), and the flies were amazing. Plus there were several bear scares last summer that I remember. Still, it's very pretty and the sites are nice, as long as you don't go on an overcrowded weekend.

All the bluegrass festivals should be happening around your travel time. They're a lot of fun to go to, but they can be SO expensive. I graduated in Anderson and know most of the town, but I don't go to the Bluegrass festival there because it would cost the better part of $100 for our family. Ugh. (And I don't think that's counting their camping fees, either).

The RR up here does a kids' day where they can ride free...you might look that up on the AKRR website. They also do cheap railroad tickets from here to Denali Park and back for Alaskan Residents. It was a little hot and stuffy to me when I took one of the kids, but fun for her. Brad took the boys and they enjoyed it, as well, but it IS a long train ride for little ones.

There's a ton of stuff to do up here regarding solstice...but it sounds like you'll be travelling during all the festivities.

If you plan to go to church while you're vacationing, my best friend is always saying she doesn't know enough (or really any) LDS homeschoolers, and her husband is their bishop...I could introduce you!

I'm so excited for camping season myself!

love, p