Ivory Carving

Carving ivory is a longstanding native art form on St. Lawrence Island. The school recently received a grant to buy thousands of dollars worth of carvings from people in Savoonga to display in their showcase. It's wonderful to view the beautiful pieces and see the native people of Savoonga acknowledged and praised for their talent.


Charles Edwards is our neighbor and a very gifted carver. He recently finished this piece for the showcase and invited us over to see it. If you click on the image you can see the detail a little better when it is enlarged. The next picture is a closer up shot. The igloo at the base is carved out of whale bone with a tuft of polar bear fur in the doorway for the snow. The rest is carved out of ivory. All of the black (for eyes, seal spots, etc.) are inlaid baleen...he wasn't quite finished with this when we viewed it. And the black stuff in the middle that looks like hair, is also from the baleen.


This is a close-up of a seal that he carved.



I'm not sure how this photo ended up on the "Ivory Carving" post! I uploaded these awhle ago. Perhaps, I was just so excited to capture a photo with both boys looking at the camera, smiling, and with their eyes open...even if Owen is sitting in a box!:)

Christmas 2009

Owen, Logan, and Jacob after we decorated the tree.


Logan and Owen dressed up as shepherds before the Christmas Program. I wouldn't want to mess with these shepherds! Apparently, they took their job pretty seriously.


The Christmas Program. After noting the punching/wrestling older shepherds on the other side of the stage, I encouraged the boys to hang out on the side of the stage closer to me on the piano!:) The Christmas Program is always a riotous time here. A handful of kids show up for the "practices" and then 1 hour to 1 minute before the program starts, 40-50 kids show up asking for their costumes. For the sake of my sanity, I refused to lead it this year. Jacob ended up fulfilling that role and he really did a great job getting at least most of the angels to sing most of the songs while he tried to get the shepherds and wisemen to stop wrestling and follow along!


After the program, it is tradition here for people to exchange gifts with one another.


Logan, me, Owen, and Jacob in front of the Christmas tree (at least the bottom part of it!)

Grandpa's Boat

Our last vacation post!:) My mom and I went out one day and returned home to find my dad had built a wooden boat with the boys. They had so much fun that they built another the next day, so I photographed the process:)



Logan, Owen and Grandpa making the boat.


Logan, Gpa, and Owen showing off their final project.


Ready to sail!


In the water! It didn't quite sail, but the boys thought it was really neat how the paddlewheel splashed water into their faces.


Logan with his boat.

Back in Sequim

We did A LOT of traveling during our 1 1/2 month vacation! Here we are back at my parent's house.


Owen, Logan, and Gram playing with my brother Lance's old Tonka trucks. I hope my parents never decide to claim all of their dirt for flower beds:)...Maybe after the boys are teenagers.


My dad and I wanted to go for a walk one day, but the boys were tired and we didn't have our double stroller. Since having twins, I've learned to improvise when needed. Logan is in the front and Owen in the bottom. We gained a few curious looks from the neighbors, but we all enjoyed the fresh air:)

Whidbey Island

The boys and I travelled to my sister and brother-in-law's for a few days.


Our first challenge was fitting all of us in the car! We met our first challenge only to realize that fitting them all in the backseat was easy compared to keeping them from doing physical harm to one another during our long rides in the car! Ihhh!:)


We spent one day shopping for supplies to send back to Savoonga and getting side tracked along the way with fun stops (something my sister and I have always been good at doing). These photos are taken at a farm north of Bellingham. Here, Owen and Logan are enjoying the ducks.


Logan, Caleb, and Owen watching the goat.


Logan on a tractor.


Owen


Owen, Caleb, Logan

Sequim

We spent some time at my parents home in Sequim, WA. Michelle, Todd, and Caleb joined us for the weekend.


Owen and Logan showing off their favorite hats knit by Great Gma Roth.


Gram reading to Owen Caleb and Logan.


Owen, Logan, and Caleb playing with Grandpa. It appears that Owen and Caleb are challenging each other over the proper use of the ABC board puzzle! It was a constant question...should it be used to learn our ABC's(Caleb's preference) or should it be used as a ramp for our cars(Logan and Owen's preference):)


Owen "helping" Grandpa read the paper. (I remember doing the same thing when I was little!)



Owen and Logan helping Grandpa mix cement for his brick wall project. I think Grandpa got a little more help from the boys than he anticipated:)

border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421476732602408002" />
Logan and Owen helping Grandpa lay bricks.

Cousins

(The final day of vacation pictures!!)After returning to the Seattle area, we enjoyed spending time playing with our cousins. Wes, Pam, and Jeff are my first cousins...they are the kids I cared for at my grandparents house while we lived in Seattle. They've grown a bit since then! It's so fun to watch the boys with them. They love them sooo very much! Sadly, I just noticed I never got a picture of Jeff with them...next time. We also spent Halloween weekend with Caleb, my sister's son. He is a year younger than the boys. I think they all enjoyed each other more over this last visit...now that Caleb can walk away and defend himself from his rowdy older cousins...2 against 1! Poor kid:) We all had a great time together.

Logan pushing Caleb around on the popper. I'm not sure Caleb is quite as excited about this activity as Logan:)


Owen, Caleb, and Logan with a super long stick they found in Great Gma's backyard.


Owen and Logan on the tricycle that my brother, sister, and I used to ride when visiting Grandma and Grandpa while growing up. I love the frog covering his ears in the background. I told you our children are on the rowdy side!


Owen, Caleb, and Logan in their Halloween costumes.


Pamela reading to Owen and Logan.


The boys and I were able to spend a really fun day with Wesley. Of course, we had to go to "the farm" (Kelsey Creek Park). I went there growing up and then I took Wes, Pam, and Jeff there when they were little and now Wes and I are taking Owen and Logan. Wow...how old am I?:)


We all had fun on the teeter totter. Here's a photo of Logan, Wes, and Owen.