Mo money, mo money, mo money...

This is Katie holding the first of many checks we will be sending to Bemidji State University over the next four years. This one reserves her spot in the freshman class this fall, where she plans to study elementary education. Very exciting times and we couldn’t be prouder. Katie will be a wonderful teacher.

Next step on our college odyssey is advisee and parent weekend at BSU. We’ll be heading up nort’ in a few weeks for parent orientation and a chance for Katie to meet her academic advisor and scope out her new campus. We’ll be posting pix and blogging from the road, so keep an eye out.

Note the special senior class party T-shirt Katie is sporting. Laurie designed the logo for the Eastview High parents who are planning the post-graduation all-night party. Laurie has been very active on the decoration committee with Jeni Terzich, our next-door neighbor.

Retro is in....

The young people from the ISD 196 Ojibwe language class shot video and worked with teacher James Vukelich to make Ojibwe-immersion teaching aids for youth at our last Saturday session. Above are some photos from the class.

With my hero, Famous Dave Anderson

Spent the last five days or so in Las Vegas sharing booth space with Turtle Island PTAC at the Reservation Economic Summit, also known as RES2010. The summit drew several thousand Indian-owned businesses, tribal enterprises, government agencies and large corporations together for business development in Indian Country. I participated in the one-day procurement fair, which was like the business version of speed dating. Made some great contacts and anticipate signing up a couple as new clients. These are companies and organizations from around the U.S. that I would never have met without RES2010 (special thanks to newsletter client Turtle Island PTAC for letting me share their booth and for helping me get signed up for the procurement fair).

Had a chance to visit with my favorite entertainer (and fellow Cherokee) Litefoot and his wife, Carmen. Litefoot emceed the summit and spoke to attendees after the screening of a documentary about his Reach the Rez tour. Also had a blast hanging out with the PTAC folks and Paul Glass, who gave us the “locals” tour of Vegas till the wee hours of the morning. Every night. We had a blast, but man do I need a nap.

Think you have a lot of snow in D.C., Sis? Check out this shiznow. Laurie took these pictures the other day. The drifts in the front yard are as deep as Katie is tall. And we’re getting more snow as we speak. Enjoy your days off, Sis. I know it’s tough to get around Northern Va. these days. Just so you know, we don’t call many snow days ’round here. We have these newfangled things they call “plows.” You use ‘em to clear the roads after it snows. Seems to work pretty well. Heh.

View out our front window. OK, not really. Originally posted by Emmanuel Boutet

From the Star Tribune, here in snow country:

Time to batten down — again. As much as 14 inches of snow could fall across the Twin Cities and the rest of Minnesota thanks to a storm that begins Sunday and and extends into Tuesday morning.

This is on top of the 3+ feet we’ve had piled in the front yard since November… Guess we’re just trying to keep up with my sister in D.C.