Sitka, Alaska Feels Like Home

You know that feeling where you feel like you're home? Something so comforting and warm that a smile creeps up the corners of your mouth and your muscles relax. I feel that when I watch this movie.


There's something about Sitka, Alaska that will always feel like home to me. It was my home for over a decade, but I haven't had the chance to travel back since 2008. I'm sure if I were to fly there today, I would get that same "home" feeling just by watching out the windows as the plane landed and seeing the O'Connell bridge or Mt. Edgecombe in the distance.

You should go there sometime. See what you feel.

Save the Campus - Sitka Fine Arts Camp

When I was five years old, my family moved to Sitka. My dad's then new job at an Indian health hospital took us to this little island in Southeast Alaska. I attended grades 1-12 in the Sitka School District, my graduating class was a total of 89 students, and ever summer (almost) from 6th grade through high school, I attended the Sitka Fine Arts Camp which hosted students from around the Northwest in a couple weeks of art education. Yes, if you didn't know me then, I do have a dramatic side. Growing up, the camp changed locations from summer to summer, but it has recently found a new home at the oldest college campus in Alaska, Sheldon Jackson (known as SJ, to locals).

Sitka Fine Arts Camp is a magical event for teens (and even younger kiddos now) held in a very culturally diverse town. I always felt like Sitka more than supported and encouraged my artistic abilities and cultural awareness. It probably helped that my parents encourage all of our passions, as well.

To the point-

SJ couldn't survive as a small community college and the campus was gifted to the fine arts camp organization to preserve it's historic value and provide the grounds with a purpose. Now the community of Sitka, unsurprisingly unified by this arts education goal, is asking for support in their cause to revitalize this campus.
 



I am proud to be a product of this inspiring community!

Feel free to pass along this Alaskan story, as the exposure is bound to help the cause.

Goodbye Sitka, Hello Citrus!

We left our sleepy Sitka vacation Dec 30 on Alaska Airlines with our bags checked all the way to Sacramento. But the vacation didn't stop there! Oh no! Big Curt and Matt joined us as we drove from Sacramento to Visalia to meet the rest of the Chandler/Kartchner/Thornock/Radmachers for the New Years weekend.

Steve, Sara, and Addyson live on magical acreage of farmland where the fire burns warm in their home fireplace, citrus grows outside the front door ready for picking, and there is plenty of room for Scott to become obsessed with taking the dog out for a run by using a quad.



The other beauty of living in seclusion on a significant holiday weekend, is the ability to have a large bonfire in the backyard and light off fireworks the size of the cop car that would have been coming our way if we hadn't been so hidden in a field of walnut trees.

Visiting Visalia has confirmed my dreams of living on a farm and creating a little refuge from the world, with life providing enough lemons to make an awesome lemonade! Or fresh squeezed orange juice. Or boysenberry jam...

Bonding with the Sitkanese

"oh dear!" says Scott, when he sees this title. That's because he knows that I am going to include a picture of him in this post where he is partially clothed. So fair warning ladies (or Steve Chandler), if you wish to avert your eyes, the aforementioned picture will be at the end of this post. But first you must indulge me as I review our trip so far...

On Sunday we looked at the weather for our drive to Sacramento. We had to drive to Sacramento in order to fly Alaska Airlines to Sitka for Christmas. This is quite convenient as our return trip will allow us to spend New Years with Scott's family. Both families in not one, but two holiday breaks = perfect planning and no family feuds due to sharing. But I digress... the weather outlook for the drive wasn't pretty. Sunday was probably the best day to leave but we both had to stay for work, especially since BYU was monitoring my hours closely this vacation. Monday the storm was moving from the coast inland, and Tuesday, the day we were planning to leave, the snow was going to be upon us and the pass would be clearing up. We decided to leave Tuesday anyway and were lucky to only have poor conditions through Wendover. We flew to Alaska on Wednesday morning, thanks to Robby Bush who gave us a ride to the airport, even though we only woke up five minutes before he came to pick us up.

It is so fun for me to be home again. In Sitka almost everyone knows who I am and vice versa. A lot of people even know who Scott is too, but not vice versa. Scott was taken aback when, at a Christmas party, someone mentioned that they still have a picture of him on their fridge. Of course, I'm sure they meant our Thank You card from our wedding (which is timeless, btw). They didn't say that though... a picture of Scott. Maybe they cut me out? Well to that person, you may really enjoy the picture at the end of this post ;)

All of my family came up to celebrate Christmas this year in Sitka, as it is possibly the last Christmas we will have the opportunity to spend in Alaska. My parents are retiring this coming summer and contemplating a move to the lower 48 to be nearer to grandchildren. We were able to take a family picture during this momentus occasion. Unlike The Kartchners, our family is best captured only during the gag pictures.


Speaking of grandkiddos, my nieces are adorable. Meghan has acquired a Southern accent from living in North Carolina for a year. She keeps saying things like, "Aye caan make tha behad masaellf, Naahna" Translation - I can make the bed myself, Nana. Or "Aye maaye woant to borrowe thaet cuup" Translation - I may want to borrow that cup. It sounds cuter in person. Mackenzie has decided to fight for the title of drama queen, an award that Meghan held as a seasoned champion up until recently. Casey on the other hand is adorable and possibly my new favorite, if I'm allowed to have a favorite Cavanaugh niece.


First of all, she naturally has a hair do like my sexy cut and doesn't even need to try at it! She has a bottomless stomach, like I sometimes have. And she likes to make random poses and only changes her pose when someone notices. She and I are destined bosom buddies.

Today we took the girls to the Hames PE center in Sitka to swim. Scott played basketball while we swam. In fact, this is around the time when I explain the picture. When we went to the gym, we saw a poster saying that there are Saturday pick up bball games between 5 30 and 7 00 pm. This is exactly what would make Scott's Christmas vacation to Sitka a success. So he scoped it out and decided to pay the cover charge to enter the weekend tourney. They started out with only a few guys, so they decided to play shirts and skins. As you can imagine, this is a once in a post missionary lifetime opportunity for Scott to play skins, and so he did.

WARNING: here comes the picture. Scott finished the competitive games this evening and said to me, "I feel one with the people of Sitka now. I could live here." I'm glad, honey, that taking your shirt off with the young men of Mt. Edgecomb boarding school helped you to connect more to my roots. He'll feel much more at ease downtown, now that he's played some ball with the locals.

Sorry, it had to be documented. Merry Christmas from Alaska!

Jumping Into the Abyss

Well... The summer is coming to a close. I've really enjoyed the time in Sitka to remember my childhood and spend time with my family. I had a fantastic job teaching swimming lessons at the local pool, made new friends, enjoyed a couple vacations, and started to make plans for my jump into adulthood. I also had the privilege of watching my high school senior project come to life.


As a senior at Sitka High School, a requirement for graduation is to complete an approved project. I chose to research the possibilities of obtaining and auditorium for our high school. The idea had been brought to the city's attention once before in the 1980's, but was resurrected with new vigor by my senior project committee. After leaving for college at BYU-I, the idea of construction and funding was brought to a vote and PASSED. So today, four years plus after my graduation from Sitka High, the auditorium is under construction. The building should be finished in time for the graduation ceremonies of the Class of 2007.

With that chapter in my life coming to a grand finish, I am now beginning to make the necessary decisions of moving. After many frustrating months pondering what next steps I should take in life, I have decided to move to Utah in preparation for a Masters degree program. I've referred to this move as a leap into the abyss of adulthood, only to be told that Orem, UT is not exactly an abyss. I'm hoping, within the next few weeks, to find an apartment, make job connections, and purchase airline tickets to make the move in the end of September. I am excited and scared at the many possibilities that lie before me, and hope that I'll find some confirmation of my decisions.

Before I leave for Utah, I will be traveling with my dad to New England. Dad has a conference to attend in Maine and wanted to visit our extended family in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. With the knowledge that this may be my last chance to visit the East Coast for quite some time, and a $50 Alaska Airlines companion ticket to anywhere AA flies, I've decided to go along for the ride. We will be gone for about two weeks and return just before my expected departure to Salt Lake.

Thank you for all your encouragement and advise. I will post again soon with new updates and pictures as I plunge deeper.