I know

I KNOW!

It has been forever!

What have I been DOING?

I dont even know! Busy doing nothing I guess.

Lets see.......

M got a kitty for her birthday - a scottish fold names Ashley (I pushed for a russian name, but I lost). We should have named her Zippy, because she darts and zips all over the place, like her human siblings. yep, she is one of us.

we went to kiev to renew our registration. we have to leave and come back into the country once per year - not too shabby as I know some expats who have to renew every three months! that is a lot of travel!

Kiev was great! we really enjoyed it. Quick first impressions:

much older, more history than moscow

very european looking (even more than moscow, which is more asian I think - yeah I said it, more european than moscow!)

not as many police/security as Moscow

very pedestrian friendly - wider sidewalks, crosswalks instead of the underground perihods, less traffic, cars stopped to let you cross

hills (moscow is pretty flat) although an expat friend who formerly lived in Kiev pointed out that the hills are killer when it freezes, making it not so pedestrian friendly.

Seemed to be more trees, fresher air, more open in terms of space - but I think the hills give that impression.

here are a few pics:

Anyway, good times had by all.

just a funny side, how do you know your 2nd grader who refuses to lear Russian is actually learning? She sees a sign and says "what is that building?" "Which building?" "the one that says n-oo-at?" pause . . . "you mean the hyatt?" (if you dont know your Russian alphabet, the H makes the N sound, the Y makes the oo sound). haha. at least she is reading in russian now.

what else,

oh, I am the 2nd grade Brownie leader at the kids school. I have been busy with that, a lot of planning, with limited craft supplies. When we go back to the states in dec michaels will be my friend. It is fun, we had a pumpkin sale, are working on a few badges, I plan on hosting a sleepover and taking the girls to the zoological museum. I am also in charge of planning World Thinking Day for all the troops and helping plan a Father Daughter event. Fun! I love tht kind of stuff though - not the planning, but leading kids in craft and activities. I started a blog for the troop so parents can see (I assign a photographer each meeting) what we are working on. bus, sorry, that one is private for parents only!

I am thinking about what I am going to do here long term.

Maybe after Tushi is 2 looking at getting a job at a preschool (many are looking for native english speakers) - where she can attend too, or maybe getting my teaching cert online. I worked as a preschool teacher before we came here and I really enjoy the 2, 3, and 4 year old set. So much fun!

I guess ultimate ideal goal is to get a job at the kids school when Tushi is in 1st grade so we can all come and go together (and maybe get some tuition covered!!). but who knows - that is a ways off, and I hope to send Natasha to a russian school at least until 1st grade, maybe, if I find a really good one, I will want to keep her there . . . hmm.

Live for today, focus on the now.

So that is about it.

promise I will try and post more often!