Family Glimpses

     I was looking through the pictures on my phone and realized that there are so many little things that have happened the past weeks that I've captured and don't want to forget.  So I'll put them together in this blog.  We heard about this family that came to Ulan Ude for a few months to live.  They decided very suddenly to come and have seven kids with them (plus three back in the States).  It was very fun to meet them and special for Ike to have a couple of English-speaking boys to play with!

     During rest time and before bed, our kids like to draw and make beds for their dolls and create things out of modeling clay- all while listening to Adventures in Odyssey.  I peeked in one afternoon and snapped this picture. =)

     One of the popular methods for a lot of teachers here, unfortunately, is to yell at students.  Ike and Ella have been going to the school of arts, but the dance teacher yells so much that Ike began getting an upset stomach just thinking about the class.  =(  He's so active, so we tried putting him in this boxing class.  Since the girls were within the age range, they tried it out, too.  It was great (the teacher was really kind), but it was super late.  We didn't get home until 10:00pm on a school night, so we decided to check out other options.

     One of the best things about spring is snow that packs!  Our kids just love making snowballs and snowmen.  They had to wait all winter for it!

    One night our friends invited us to a jazz concert.  The singer was an African American artist, and it was SO FUN to hear songs we knew in English!  I was so glad we went.

     In honor of Matthew's 10th birthday, the kids got to go on a sleigh ride.

It was as beautiful as a fairy tale!

That same day we went sledding.

     Ike was delighted by everything.  The weather was right at freezing, and he exclaimed, "Mama!  It's like summer with snow in it!"

And, of course, the kids had to make a snowman!

In art class, the kids made a puppet theatre.  They've had fun since them making up stories for us.

     Preschool dance is very serious business here in Russia.  The kids have had extra Saturday practices for a couple of months now!  Ike likes Saturday practices okay because they are in the mornings.  He told me that he can take yelling better when he's not so tired.  The funny thing is that it's probably true!  We did recently pull Ike out of the school of arts for another kindergarten option, but his teacher told us she didn't know what she'd do without Ike dancing in the performance.  She asked if we could just bring him once a week for practices.  We're thinking about it.  ;)

Now the snow is gone and the mud is here.  Ella and Ike made a sand cat.

    Everyone is butchering their cows these days.  My friend Sveta's aunt was selling her beef, so I went to pick up my bundle.  It was so interesting how people were practically diving for the best meat!

     To celebrate the nice weather, we had our first family picnic of the year.  We're so happy winter is officially over!!!

     Our pastor's wife, Lena, has been teaching Anneka how to sew.  Anneka loves it and has a knack for it.

She made this purse last week.  It's so cute!!

     After lessons last week Lena invited us for sweet rolls and tea.

     Ella and I have been getting special one-on-one time together the past couple of weeks, as Ike is in kindergarten now.  One morning we babysat this little guy for a friend.

Another morning, we did a sewing project together.  She made a pencil case.  

Ike with little friends at church

The kids went to the trampoline place with Matthew for his birthday.  Such fun!