sound the alert.

so I am busy packing - P, M and I are done. Yes, mom, I remembered my drivers license. yeah - I forgot it over xmas, but thankfully Leo brought it when he came. sigh.

So I have Natasha left and guess what? Coco is missing. If you have seen coco the bear - he is brown, and well, a bear. Let me know! Tell him to get his furry rear home! At least I have baby, which is second best. Although baby took a couple terrible tumbles from the stroller at the zoo the other day and well, needs a bath.

I have been trying to get organized before I go. I cleaned out and organized the shkaf....one of the words we like in russian more than in english. It is a wardrobe thing from Ikea. It is huge with sliding doors. One side houses Leos suits, the other is shelves and a few drawers. Anything the kids need, it is in the shkaf. Mom! where is the tape? In the shkaf! I need batteries! Check the shkaf! One drawer is sewing stuff. I recycled all the glass peanut butter jars P wouldnt let me toss because glass takes a bazillion years to decompose - to hold all my assorted thingys. One for pins, sewing needles, buttons, elastic, velcro bits. etc. Next drawer tools - jars neatly lined up tacks, screws, nails, washers, assorted "left over" ikea parts. Yay me for being organized. We will see how long it lasts. I also have a little cupboard in the kitchen i used as my go to spot for hiding whatever mess was in the counter or windowsill when guests came over. Usually some kind of half done art project. Anyway I cleaned it out - top shelf is art supplies, bottom toys for tushi to play with when i am in the kitchen. I have dreams of her playing nicely in the kitchen, kids doing homework at the table, while I prepare a delicious, healthy dinner we will all enjoy together - including Leo - - well, I can dream.

I also have the kitchen pretty stocked with the food Leo needs while I am gone. All the stuff I never buy, but he can fix himself - jarred spaghetti sauce, dry pasta, cans of assorted meats and fish in assorted oil (bleh), cans of heinz chili (actually pretty good), frozen dumplings (ok we eat these once every 2 weeks or so for dinner), etc. Tomorrow I will pick up some more milk and yogurt drinks for him - and some snacks for kids to take on the plane, because for some reason the airline didnt let me select kid meals for them - oh well.

well, I need to get tushi packed and her and my carry ons ready.

Otherwise, we are pretty much ready to rock and roll.

I added a few things to my ever growing list of what I want to get in the US - Halloween stuff - I want to host a halloween party! and a pattern and materials to make natasha a raggedy ann and andy doll. We went to a party at a friends and she had her old Andy and Ann and Natasha played and played with them.

** yeah - coco was found behind the curtain - phew!