Remont!

 
 
 
We weren't planning on redoing our kitchen walls but the wallpaper just keeps falling off everywhere. The kids seem to be good at pulling the wallpaper off (part of the reason it is coming off:) so I let them really go at it and we almost have it all off. The walls are in better shape then most of the walls in our apartment though a lot of the concrete is crumbling or cracked. But we may attempt to paint! Or wallpaper. The walls are blue and pink or just unfinished concrete under the paper. It won't be easy but I'm glad we are tackling this job because it is probably something we will be doing a lot of when we move to Tuva so why not learn now while we are near an OBI (like home depot). The kids really enjoyed working away all day. Emma was excellent at getting the wallpaper off- she'd wet it good and then get big pieces. 

Back with our Russian Friends

  

Huddy with the Cuban Guitar

 
 
I love Huddy's expressions. He loves music and did a great job trying to play the guitar. Thanks for the cuban instruments Uncle Pete and Auntie Kate! 

Huddy at Sara's Place

 
Hudson taking a rest from jumping on the trampoline. His hair needed a rest for sure. 

A Russian Wedding

 
 
 
When we were at the park last week we got to see a russian wedding. I am sure this is not your typical russian wedding though. They had a pirate running the show:) The pirate rowed up and did some funny stuff (I think it was funny) and then helped them dig up a treasure chest out of the water which contained a dove that they threw into the air together. Not sure what it all means etc. but it was great to be there to watch and take pictures for our culture file. Emma was very excited to see a bride, especially in a pink dress! They had a little white tent set up where they would have wine and some special food but we didn't stay, not that we were invited:) 

Back at home

 
 
 
  

What does it say????

  

Airplane Fun

 
 
The kids did pretty good on the plane though they didn't sleep hardly at all which was hard on us, but they enjoyed the tv's, music and safety cards. It was hard with the baggage restrictions because they didn't have drinks or many toys to keep them busy. But they are pretty great travellers- 3 different flights without a break! 

Back in Russia!!!!!

 
As soon as these two babushkas passed me I had to pull out my camera and take their picture before they got too far away. They are great. 

Huddy's Jet Lag

We could not keep Huddy awake in the day time...food wouldn't work, toys wouldn't work...
 
 
 
  

more jet lag

 
 
  

Back to Work!

 
Yay! I'm Posting!!!! It has been very hard to be without internet. It shouldn't be that hard. But anyway. We are back to work so to speak and so is our computer. It isn't completely back to normal but enough to check email and blog and that is all I need:) I like this picture cause it shows a bit of what it is like for us here. David is really good at getting the stroller up the stairs and down the stairs. We weren't even going on the metro but to get across the intersection you must go into the metro.... not so easy with strollers and all but probably safer than crossing the road:)
It is good to be back. I wasn't sure how I'd feel but really I am enjoying it here again. It is home now and it is quite comfortable and still adventurous enough. Though the adventure will fade over the years but I'll worry about that later. The kids are still waking early but it is bearable now and we did get our missing bag which was very good to get. It had the winter boots and jackets and cool kids clothes that would have been greatly missed indeed. But all is well now, thanks for thinking about us.
Language is going pretty good we think. we forgot a little but it comes back quick and things have solidified or whatever so we are more confident about what we already knew. We have been going to class and will soon add in our language helpers too. The kids are enjoying being in our playground again and are thrilled to see that grass is being planted!!!! Yay!! The pidgeons seem to be eating the grass seed but we hope that they leave some of it...
I'll see if this works and then put some more pictures on. I have lots from Canada still to put on but I'll stick to russia for a little while. Thanks for checking on us! 

Don't give up on us. We are still dealing with our missing Windows xp recovery cd problem. Maybe another week or so until we are back online. In the meantime here is a little update: We are just about full time back into our language studies. Classes are in full swing and we start up with our language helpers again on Sept. 1st.
The kids are still adjusting to the time change... waking up at 4am and taking long naps in the day (we really need to wake them up but it is just so peacefull when they are all sleeping).
We had our Russian friends over last night for dinner. They said we hardly forgot anything (language)... well it is coming back quickly anyway.
Remember Erin. She is really missing her computer and blogging ministry:)

We are in Moscow!

We made it. It was a rough journey due to the new security checks and the kids not sleeping on the plane and 1 lost bag but we made it easily so to speak and with no real problems. The kids woke up early this morning 4am! The apartment looks much smaller than I remembered it being but it is good to be home. we had some beet salad and mayonaise and black sour bread last night...yum. Our computer is out of order, we have a new hard drive but can't find our windows cd so may need to buy one here. so I am using the one at the office.
I'll hopefully be on again, but thanks for thinking about us and keep on thinking about us as we figure out our sleep and get adjusted again.

1 more sleep!

We are just enjoying our last family dinner/evening tonight and packing up the last of our things. Hudson is a little out of sorts today, perhaps he notices that something is happening. We have heard we can bring a little bit of carry-on luggage which is good news. Even electronics though I think our laptop is toooo big unfortunately. Anyway, it isn't working but we do have the new hard drive. we will do the installing when we get to russia. And then we will be back in the blogging business. One bad thing is that we will lose a lot of our pictures etc. that are on our broken hard drive but at least most of my good pics are on the blog:)
Anyway, enough about that:) We are feeling ready I think and a little excited maybe. BUt last time we went it was more of a mysterious exciting adventure and now it is more just like going to work.... but I guess it is normal to work. WE have had toooo easy of a life so far perhaps:) Now we know what it is like (not totally of course) and don't have the thrill of going through customs in russia for the first time or flagging down a cab or figuring out which one is shampoo or how to work the elevator. BUt we are priviledged to be doing what we are doing and it is pretty interesting work indeed.
Thanks so much for all the help this summer and all the fun. We will miss you all and the comforts of Canada...
Back to Moscow!:)

3 days left!

Sorry for all of you wondering what has happened to us. Our computer is in being fixed so no pictures and less frequent blogging:) We are enjoying our last few days and our encouraged by so many generous helpful people. Thanks especially to the Inch family who put on a fabulous filipino feast for us at Chestermere Fellowship today and the $ all went to us:) Now our plane tickets are paid for and even a little extra for some tim hortons coffee to pack or something! Yay!
It is getting hard though realizing that we won't see any of you for quite some time. I could use another visit to Thunder Bay already:)
We have a few more things now than when I last wrote so now we will have 5 or 6 bags. almost as much as when we first went! But now I know that clothes are much easier and cheaper to get here, especially when they are just given to us! Better go, but I will write again soon, maybe even with pictures....

6 days left!

 
 
 
We leave for russia in 6 days now...I've started packing, 3 bags full already! We will probably have 5 bags though we are allowed 10. We got our visa's yesterday- I was beginning to wonder if we were going:) The visa's are only good till mid october so we will have to get new ones once we are in Russia.
David and Emma are helping get Sara and John's place ready for Pete and Kate's Wedding Party this weekend. The boys and I are just packing and taking fun breaks like a walk and swing. 

Beautiful backyard

 
 
 
 
We just got back from having a wonderful lunch with a sweet lady we know. The kids (and Grandma Charlotte) loved her yard, dock and beach. They picked some apples and just enjoyed being together.
For those of you wondering about david's teeth- he needed new ones as his front two were killed in a broom accident when he was younger. He has been needing new ones for a long time and they are finally here! I don't know if he'll let me take a picture of them. Not many of us would want a picture of our teeth:) But I may get one somehow... 

nice grass eh?!

  

8 days left to explore....

 
We are trying to get as much in as we can in this last week. We will miss the great canadian outdoors badly I'm sure. We went camping as a family yesterday in the mountains as Huddy and Emma and I hadn't been tenting yet this summer. We got very dirty and had tons of fun. We left David in the mountains for one last climb with matt. We saw lots of wildlife and ate lots of marshmallows and hotdogs.
David has his new teeth and we are all getting used to them. They sure seemed big at first but they do look good. They are even paid for! Big Thankyou to the Lillo family! David spoke Sunday morning and you could notice the lisp a little (I could anyway) but I'm sure that will fade as he gets used to them more. They aren't painful though which is very good. I wonder if it will affect his russian??