Step One: Plan ahead. You will not be able to purchase quality meat on demand in Shishmaref on the day of your anniversary, so it it imperative that you bring steaks with you from Seattle after Christmas.

Step Two: Find this biscuit recipe on Amateur Gourmet.
(Steve told me that these biscuits were better than KFC's. As a full-time lover of KFC biscuits, I took this to be a supreme compliment.)

Step Three: Find this steak recipe (also on Amateur Gourmet) and follow it to make some pretty good meat. Be so involved in the searing process that you are unable to take a picture. 🙁

Step Four: Eat the above food in addition to salad, cinnamon sugar carrots, and Guava juice.

Step Five: Take obligatory anniversary photo:

Third Anniversary

Blast from the past:

2nd Anniversary

1st Anniversary

Wedding!!!

Our favorite game to play with these pictures is "Spot the Weight Gain." You will notice a distinct difference in face shapes from the beginning of the pictures... You will also notice for the third anniversary picture that I failed to bother with makeup or even lip gloss. (You will also notice that Steve has a slightly stupefied look in each picture, although each year it is a slightly different stupefied look...)

The cutest part of the evening was reading the cards from Steve's third graders. I am going to share a few of my favorites. Be prepared for major cuteness...

"Sup Happy Cupul" or "What's Up Happy Couple." This gives you a good idea of slang and spelling in Shishmaref...

The same student offered us a nice compliment. It's good to know people around here think we are a nice couple, as opposed to a mean couple, an ugly couple, or a nightmarish couple.

This one cracks me up. Apparently, Steve's kiddos didn't make these cards of their own free will. This little guy gives us an insight into the instructions Steve gave his class. I love that he wrote it down. My favorite part: I don't care what you draw.

The kids are absolutely obsessed with my maiden name. They are fascinated by the idea that I used to have a different name. They call me Angie Busch all the time.

Some good advice for an anniversary evening.

Most teachers in Shishmaref go by their first names. Steve has his kids call him Mr. Alston. I think it's funny that this little girl addressed the card to "Mr. Alston and Angie," as opposed to "Steve and Angie, " or "Mr. and Mrs. Alston."

Here's my favorite:

Okay, Sarah. We will.