HHHHHeeeelllloo!

Just a quick note - we all made it safe-and-sound. Long trip from Moscow!! 1 hour to the Airport, 11 hrs to NewYork (where Maria exclaimed "everything is in English here!"), 5 hours waiting in NY, they 6 hours to Portland.

I told my mom, and Leo when I called to tell him we arrived, it is like labor, focus on the result - we got here, not worth mentioning the process.

We did meet a nice young recently adopted russian fellow on the flight to NY. He is 7, so sweet. Very friendly, exclaimed "HHHHHeloo!" to everyone. Came and sat with P and M a good chunk of the flight. Natasha started crying and he waltzed over, scooped her up, walked around with her. He tried to give his deck of cards to P, gave his M&Ms to M. (saying in Russian, "do you want a gift? here- take mine, it is for you!"). I really wish them well.

We arrived in Portland to 50 F, and light rain. Didnt even put coats on the kids leaving the airport.

OK, it is 4am and everyone is up, including my parents, bless them, Hoping to pick up a SIM for my cell phone today, finish a little christmas shopping, wrap presents, get ready for Ns birthday tomorrow, and oh yeah, maybe get a little sleep!

Take care and wish you all a wonderful holiday season and very New Year. I will probably take a break from blogging (focusing on the fam and all) and will post back, live from Moscow, Jan 1!

Sunshine Makes me HAPPY!

Cold today - seriously cold - 3 F this morning at 7:30, then -5 F later in the morning. Since when does it get colder as the day progresses?

BUT - I am not complaining! The sun is out, there is blue sky - I am happy!

I took Natasha out in the stroller because I HAD to go outside and see the sun, get some vitamin D! And I needed to go to the grocery store and pick up some airplane snacks for the kids, and P has to turn in an "edible solar system" (does anyone else think that is weird - I guess it is to get them thinking about relative size of planets or something) and I needed something "earth sized" somehow, we found things to represent the other planets (a lentil for Pluto, hard candy I found in the halloween remnants for Neptune, Circle teether biscuit for Uranus, etc etc . . . )- found some circle cookies that should work.

Off we went.

Enjoy the sun! (all photos taken between 2 and 3 in the afternoon).

this and that

Typical Sunday afternoon. Leo took the big kids to the gym - we bought them a membership so they can participate in any number of classes at no additional charge. Sundays they have Karate and then Swim lessons right after. Both give Leo enough time to do his work out. He drops them at karate and then meets them in the hot tub after their swim lesson and then they hit the showers and come home. Gives me about 3 hours with just baby. She usually takes a nap for about an hour (although today 15 min!) giving me time to clean up breakfast dishes (sun we usually have pancakes) and - well, go on the computer!

We have been getting ready for our big trip to the US. Our first time back since arriving here in April. It goes without saying we are all excited. We leave Weds morning. I found out this morning Leo had planned on having a taxi take the kids and me to the airport - sans him. yeah, I changed that plan. If it were just me, or even me and the older kids I would say ok, but with all three- no stroller, our luggage, and carry on, and natashas carseat which for some reason is REALLY heavy . . I told him I needed help - so there you go, he is coming with us to the airport.

So what are we packing to bring to the US? (ok, this list is for me because I havent started packing yet)

few pair pants few long sleeve tees, undies, socks, for P (he doesnt wear pjs)

2 pair pants, 2 long sleeve tees, and a few dresses, dress shoes, 1 pj, socks, undies for M

pjs, few pants, few long sleeve onsies, sweater, socks, some diapers N

pants, few tees, dress up outfit/shoes (not sure yet what I will bring, gotta try some things on) pjs, socks, undies, me

trying not to pack too many clothes for myself, because, well frankly, I need to buy some new clothes. I have 1 pair of pants that fit me - they rest are all too big (N was 4 months when we arrived, and I used to go to the gym everyday, so I lost some weight while here).

goodies for Ns birthday party

a few souvenirs, although not many - sent some home with my parents when they were here.

a few matroyshka travel mugs

need to get a gift for my MIL

plan on packing suitcases/carry ons inside of suitcases so we have plenty of empties to fill for the trip back.

OK - what I hope to buy and bring back:

I need pants - I am a jeans and tshirt gal, so jeans and a few long sleeve tshirts

clothes for N size 12-18month and 18-24month

1 size bigger shoes for N

PJs for N

socks for N

Ice skates for Leo and kids (I might wait a year before getting some for me)

2 bags to carry skates (kids need them for school, and need a bag to carry them)

new running shoes for leo

pantry items -food coloring, baking powder, molasses, vanilla, popcorn (I can only find microwave here), cocoa powder, whater I can find at trader joes that looks good!

books all around (I ordered so many - still debating on the kindle - maybe after this trip I will decide to get one!)

vitamins for everyone

leos prescription refilled

OTC meds - chidren's motrin, chewable tylenol, kid cough syrup, etc

2 pair cords for P - his size 8s fit in the waist, but too short, 10s too long - I need to learn how to hem!

knitting needles and some yarn (although I heard good things about a yarn factory here in moscow, but I havent been yet)

I need to pick up starbucks seattle and portland collectors mugs for Ps class (they are auctioning a basket of the mugs from around the world at the school fund raiser) - and I want one each for myself :-)

Ns birthday gifts

xmas gifts -including the "what was I thinking" wooden kitchen santa is bringing N - which was only $99 when I ordered it - strange how prices go up closer to christmas! OK - I know what I was thinking - it was the expat mom guilt - P and M had things N will never have because they are too expensive or not available here. I do try and remind myself that one of the things I looked forward to moving here was cutting down on the things, and living a more simple life, but the wooden kitchen is so cute - she can play with it for years - I think even the big kids will play with it with N - I contacted the company, and even the biggest pieces *should* fit in my suitcase, and fit the weight limit. We will see. If not I can bring it next trip.

thats it so far - - I am sure I will think of more!

We plan on going back to the US over the summer, so the main thing I think is clothes for N because she grows so fast - and they are so expensive here. Next trip I will try and bring back some of my more decorative things I left, maybe some photo albums, things like that.

Happy Hanukkah!

just some photos

OK - so there is snow in Moscow. So far not tooo cold, though (colder in seattle/portland!).

7:15 am this morning - museum of architecture

4:15 pm yesterday looking down (toward Kremlin) on Bolshaya Nikitskaya

taken at 4 pm yesterday -

7:30 am yesterday - facing Kremlin and Lenin Library - can you see the tree they are putting up? the kids were disappointed it was a metal frame which is then decorated with branches and lights, instead of a real tree.

same shot later in the day

yesterday afternoon- this is the entrance to the underground street crossing - Novy Arbat to Arbat. There is often a group of men and a few women standing around drinking here, maybe homeless? or at least unemployed? See the guy with the bottle and plastic cup? He was refilling and passing the cup.

same street crossing facing other way - see the woman with the long fur coat?

Matryoshka everywhere!

Thanksgiving turned out great! thanks for all the well wishes - and I even had a minor disaster - my refrigerator and freezer quit working on Friday!! yikes! I almost cancelled! I was afraid all the food would spoil! But - I called trusty husband - who asked around and came up with a plan. We packed the fridge and freezer with dry ice. Yep - you can have dry ice delivered in a huge foam cooler (90 pounds!!). So, it arrived and we frantically packed ziplock bags with ice and packed the fridge. Unfortunately, the next morning we discouvered we were a little over zealous and everything froze!!

But - alls well that ends well. everything turned out fine. After defrosting the refrigerator, we plugged it back in and voila! it works!

Yesterday the kids missed the bus - long story short we were a few minutes late out the door and that was that. So, instead of sending the kids to school in a taxi - which would take an hour to arrive - and I felt weird putting my kids in a car with a stranger - and paying for it - I decided to let them stay home.

We ended up having a nice day. We went to the matryoshka museum to pick up some party supplies - Natasha is turning 1 and we are having a "matryoshka" party at my parents house.

check out my loot- all together cost me about $65

(click to see larger)

I bought 9 "blank" wood matryoshka for the older kids at the birthday to paint

2 sets of little wood painted ornaments based on russian folk tales

1 set of the little matryoshka (they only had the 1 set - otherwise I would have bought more)

and an ornament for a friend.

I also bought these from a bakery on Novy Arbat. Aren't they pretty? 3 flavors (translated by leo)" some kind of nut" "sunshine flavor" and "raisin" I am curious what sunshine flavor is! maybe citrus?

After the museum we stopped by mac cafe for a treat and what was next door?

the dark side!! (this photo was taken a few nights before - it is not quite that dark during the day!)

a new toy store on tverskaya. It is huge! 4 floors! After a storm trooper helped carry the stroller up the entry steps, Look what greeted us as we walked in:

She is made of entirely of Legos!

throughout the store there were other fun Lego creations:

The store is great! Lots of hands on toys - they had a bunch of FurReal pets out available for kids to touch and play with (natasha went nuts for the big dog and cat!), a big train table, one sales clerk gave the kids remote controlled cars and encouraged them to drive various cars around the store, rc robots out, blow pens and paper out. We had a really nice time exploring and playing!I kins of felt bad not buying anything, we really stayed a long time and the kids played a lot! but oh well! I am passing the info on - free advertising is worth something, right? Go to the toystore on tverskaya, next to mcdonalds near Kremlin!