When They Are Quiet

Too busy chatting away with Grandma and look what happens.  I should have realized that I hadn't heard Oliver ina while so he must be up to something.  Mascara . . . . 

 It turns out Mascara isn't the easiest stuff to get off and I don't even use waterproof.

Finally he's back - just a few remains on the rims of his eyelids.

Grandma and Grandpa's Visit Pt. 2

We went to Sergev Posad which is a little way outside of Moscow.  In the town is a monastary built by St. Sergev.  His relics are there and many people kiss them, but we did not.  You can also collect holy water there from a well.  Some Russians drink a little holy water every morning so that would explain why some were there with large or many water bottles.  I can never remember the terminology right, but it is the main monastery for Russia as far as I understand.

 Outside waiting for our tour guide.  It was the same guide we had when we took Aunt Dani there.

 Oliver was not super interested in the story of the founder.

 Maybe because it was right before Christmas, but this was the line of people waiting to touch the relics.  The little building in front of the large church with blue and gold domes is the building for collecting the holy water.

 Inside one of the churches.  It was dark and my Dad asked why and she said that it was part of the church services to turn on some of the lights, but only a priest could do that, not her.

 Daddy had to keep Oliver entertained while the rest of us listened to information about the churches.

 Afterwards we went out for borscht and shashlik.  Unfortunately, once again, my parents did not get the best that Russia had to offer. The borscht was not that good - way too much dill and kind of watery.  We should have taken them to MyMy's.  Much better.

 Oliver in his cowboy boots.

Not sure how this one got down here, but another Sergev Posad one.

I don't know why we don't have pictures of other things that we did, but this is all we have.  It was not horrendously cold, but still it was cold, so we did spend a lot of time inside.

Other things that were fun - my Mom and I went to see the Nutcracker, but not at the Bolshoi because I can't afford that, but it was really fun for me.  Levin took them to the World War II museum.  We watched the movie Archangel  . . hmm . . we went to BDNX where they were having a big fur expo or something.  I tried on a fur coat that costs . . only . . $7000 or something.  We asked for the cheap ones and I tried one on that was $1700.  No furs for me. But I swear I have seen way more fur coats this winter than last winter and now I wonder, did they really pay that much???

Also, not pictured is the doll clothes my Mom made for Leah and the diapers she brought over for Baby Alive.  I will try to take pictures of them sometime because they were tons of fun and I am so glad I have a talented Mom.  Maybe someday I can be that cool.  

I can easily end this post with "a fun time was had by all."

Grandma and Grandpa's Visit

So . . I know this is more than a month late, but at least it's not a year late like my Israel pictures I posted the other day.  Russians celebrate Christmas on January 7th, but the big party is New Years when Ded Meroz and his grandaughter Snegurochka visit and bring all the presents.  The trees are not Christmas trees they are New Years trees.  Anyway, so they take off the entire first week of January.  The perk of being at an Embassy is  you get US and local holidays off so Levin had that whole week off.  Last year I was morning sick and we watch obscene amounts of TV.  I did not want to do that this year.  When it didn't work out for my mom to fly back with me after Autumn was born we cooked up this plan, partially selfishly, to get my Mom and Dad to come this week.  It worked out well that we wouldn't be bored on short winter days, and they could be here when Levin was off work and could be more of a tour guide.  It was so much fun to have them here and over a month later I still miss them.

 They came bearing gifts.  This is Autumn's Elmo doll.

 Oliver got some cowboy boots which he has started wearing more now than he did then.

 Here are all the cowboys (and girl)

 Somehow this got out of order, but the next day or was it their first day . . . hmm . . we saw the changing of the guard at their equivalent of the tomb of the unknown soldier at the Kremlin.  It was the first time I'd seen it.  I think I'll post a video later.

 Grandma also made the kids aprons.  Oliver wasn't cooperating for pictures that night - it was too late.

 The other changing of the guard picture.

 At Red Square.

 By the ice skating rink at Red Square.

 St. Basils.

 The department store/mall GUM.  Unfortunately, we've learned since then.  I have heard how good the cafeterias are at the top of GUM.  We got there at the tail end of breakfast so it was sparse and not so tasty.  We went again this past week and got much better food - so much better.

 Bolshoi theater.

Back at the Embassy.  They built a little ice rink and we were working with Leah on skating.  She has gotten pretty darn good.  Last time we tried it desperately needed zambonied (how would you say/spell that?) and it wasn't very good, but typing this reminds me we need to take her again.

Cute Sayings

Last night during Leah's prayer:
"Please bless that we can always get new coloring books when our old ones pages are all colored.  Please bless that Autumn won't have any more blow out diapers."
Side note:  Autumn had two blow out diapers that day.  :)

Israel - A Year Late

So I am making a picture book for Oliver - the year he was 1 (yeah, it's only 8 months late) and I remembered I had no Israel pictures saved.  We had some from Levin's brother and I finally got around to moving to our computer.  Here are some random ones.  I don't even remember where we were in some.

 That is Oliver in there.  Sometimes Lincoln packed Oliver so that one of his kids could ride in our double stroller.

 I put the one above in so that I could remember how not stroller friendly it is.

 Leah loved the little - hmm . . I want to say bungalow - we stayed in near Galilee.  I didn't get a picture of the little red play house, but she asked for a very long time if we could go back there.  This toy above was there too.  You can see we don't often stay in 5 star hotels while traveling.  Leah's hair was so short!  And she looks so little in these pictures.  It makes me realize I often expect too much out of her and forget she's just a little girl.  And she's big for her age so sometimes I expect her to act her looks, not her age.

 We had a lot of issues with Oliver and his socks.  Unfortunately our junky apartment was up hill so every day we ended with our tired legs pushing kids uphill.  Misery.

 The wailing wall.  I packed Oliver there.  He seems so baby-ish to me in these pictures, but I remember him feeling pretty heavy!  But the picture reminds me also, how pretty it was and what a neat experience it was to be there.

Cute Sayings

Me:  Oliver, don't grow up, can you stay little forever.
Oliver:  Yes, let's pray I stay little forever.


Oliver:  I want to go poop on the potty.  (sits the for a while and starts to whine)
Me:  Oliver are you not going to go?
Oliver:  Yes, I'm IS going poop.
(He never went and got off one minute later)

Leah:  How come Daddy gets two pieces of bread for dinner?
Me:  Daddy's bigger than you, so he gets more food.
Later when Family Home Evening is about to start.
Leah: (raising her hand) Daddy did you know you get two pieces of bread because you're fat?
Daddy:  Leah that's not a very nice thing to say.
The next day.
Me:  Autumn, hey, fat baby!
Leah: (whispering) Mommy it's not good to say fat.
Me:  I stand corrected.