Exchange Student

This past week we had the priveledge of hosting a cultural exchange student in our home. He came from the far away land of Anchorage. "But they're from the SAME state!" you might be thinking. This is true, however we live in an extremely diverse state. There is a significant difference between the culture(s) of Anchorage and the culture(s) that exist in rural Alaska.

16-year-old Ambrose came as part of the Rose Urban Rural Exchange program. Five students from West High in Anchorage along with their teacher Mandy Morell, traveled to Brevig Mission to attend school and learn more about the lifestyle of bush Alaska. In exchange, five students from Brevig will be traveling to Anchorage to stay with the families of these students to find out more about city life. It is an amazing opportunity for both parties.

*Please excuse Harold's face. All the kids were doing it.

Angie Alston was behind getting Brevig involved with this program. She did a wonderful job of finding cultural experiences for the Anchorage students. To be honest we hardly saw Ambrose, he was busy going from event to event. He saw Eskimo dance, ivory carving, went sledding down the mountainside, ate traditional Eskimo food and attended open gym each evening. The girls in the group even tackled a kuspuk making project.

This morning while Ambrose was packing up, he secretly wished the plane would be weathered out so that they could stay "just one more night". A good sign of a successful program.

~AnnMarie

How to dress for stormy weather :: A morning workout

I posted this a few years ago but it's worth sharing again.

Gearing Up from AnnMarie Rudstrom on Vimeo.

I secretly love stormy weather and being bundled up to protect against the elements.

~AnnMarie

Eskimo Kisses: They're Real

Eskimo Kisses: They're Real from AnnMarie Rudstrom on Vimeo.

Click, Clack, Giggle: Kids On Skis

Kindergarten Skiing from AnnMarie Rudstrom on Vimeo.

. . . click, click, TEACHER!, click, click, I'M COLD, poof, laugh, AHHHH, click, click, TEACHER HELP ME UP, click, click, giggle, giggle . . . 

The sound of eleven kindergarten students skiing for the first time.

=D

Ages 4 and Up

  

On Tuesday we celebrated Harold's 4th birthday.  It was a day that opened up many new possibilities for Harold.  On Monday he could not have played with his new tent or attempted his new puzzle.   We pointed out the age "restrictions" on his toys and he very seriously assured us he's four now and able to use them.

 We decided age four was just the right age for a pair of skis as well.

 

Mom and Dad had some pretty serious preparations to do before the big day.  Preparations included baking three forms of chocolate cake, making a donkey for a party game and blowing up balloons.  Harold had a total of three parties, one at school, one with kids and one with adults.  Phew!  Between the parties, phone calls from grandparents, awesome gifts and the outpouring of love on Facebook,

 

Harold had a pretty amazing day.

Happy Birthday Son!

Go Baby Go!

For the week falling between Christmas day and New Year's Eve there are daily races, games and raffles sponsored by the city of Brevig Mission and the traditional council.  The great part is that there's a little something for everyone.  There are numerous types of races and categories for all ages.  Can't walk yet?  No worries, you can still join in.

  "The Carrot"

Even baby's proud of himself.  =D
 

~AnnMarie

We Like Meat

We never completely finished processing all the meat from the musk ox C.O. shot last fall.  Dealing with the meat and the hide all at once can be a daunting task.  So we threw some big chunks of meat in the freezer to process at a later time. Christmas break allowed us the time we needed to make our final meat treats.  

Homemade Musk Ox Jerky.

 

Step 1: Grind Meat

Step 2: Add seasoning

Step 3: Extrude

Step 4: Dehydrate / Cook

Harold's cheeks get bigger when he's concentrating.

The rest, we canned.  We're big fans of canned meat.  We save the toughest, less choice cuts of meat for canning.  Cooking under pressure breaks down the fibers leaving it ultra tender.  Also, the meat is thoroughly cooked, so it makes a good last minute meal.  Just throw it in the microwave or in a stew and heat. 

 

First pack the meat and add some seasoning of your choice.  

Be sure to add at least one tsp of canning salt per pint.

 

Then cook in a water bath until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 170 degrees.

 

Wipe the rims clean before adding the lids.

 

Cover in the pressure cooker and bring to 11 pounds of pressure.

Cook for 90 minutes.

 

The final product!  The house smells delicious.  

It's best to wait a few weeks before eating. 

It takes a while for the flavors to peek.

Our go to resources for projects such as this.

~AnnMarie