It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas!

Everyone in Twin Hills, Alaska celebrates Christmas which means we have the freedom to celebrate it in school too! We have a Christmas tree, sing Christmas songs, watch Christmas movies, do Christmas crafts, etc. We have been practicing for our Christmas show for the past two weeks, singing our songs and reciting our poems. We've all been having a lot of fun with the holiday in school since after Thanksgiving. Meghan had a Christmas ornament making fundraiser at school last Thursday. There was a great turn out and everyone had a lot of fun!

Our school Christmas tree

Ornament making night

My parents sent me a Christmas tree so our house is festive too! Then family and friends gave my mom unwanted ornaments to send to me so every ornament on my tree is from someone back home. I love my tree and it makes me feel like everyone is with me for the holidays. Piper and I will be spending Christmas here in Twin Hills with Meghan, Andy, Ash, and Piper. We are off school from 12/21 until 1/7 and then have inservice days from the 8th to the 10th which means I won't be teaching until the 13th of January! Long Christmas break….I am already missing home and wishing I could be there for the holidays but I'm sure I will find ways to keep busy during break. 

We had a week of very warm weather while it was snowing in PA. All of the snow here melted, even on the mountain tops, and we got used to the temperature being in the 40s. On Thursday it dropped to zero and had been around there ever since with a wind chill making it feel like -20. Piper of course doesn't mind the cold and takes her good old time outside. We still have no snow but the plants on the tundra are frozen and very pretty. 

One of our paraprofessionals, Agnes, took me to Mary Cleveland's house last week. Mary Cleveland is one of the elders here and speaks mostly Yupik. I bought two dark seal skin hats from her. These hats are waterproof and the best way to stay warm in Alaska! I got a seal/otter hat and a seal/beaver hat. She was working on more hats, mittens, and slippers while I was there. 

 Seal/beaver

 Seal/otter

 Seal/beaver

seal/otter

My students had pen pals from Kutztown University where I went to college. The project was for the college student to write to their pen pal and find out their likes and needs and then make them a game based off of that. The games came this week and they are BEAUTIFUL! My kids were so excited! Each bag came with three books and then a game based on those three books. They were all in personalized bags and some even sent extra toys and books for the kids. We read all of the books together and then played the games as a class. I wish the college kids could have been here to see their faces! 

Maddy is officially home safely from Spain! I wish I could have been there to get her and be there with my family but I know it will be my turn to come home soon enough. This picture of Mom picking her up is priceless. :)