Christmas and Winter Solstice Events

I just can't resist the sunrise photos. We have been blessed with sunny or 'high cloud' days for more than a week now. I don't mind having less than six hours of daylight as long as it's SUNLIGHT!

A few poor quality images of our church's Christmas play. Danya (as Joseph) is tallest, Tima (as wise man) is next. Ella is the little lamb with ears.

Danya as Joseph and Monica as Mary.

Ella as the little lamb, and Aglaya as ?

Danya has learned to play "Joy to the World" on the piano. The kids had a good attempt of singing the first verse.

Our sunrise is right after 11am these days. And it's amazing!

Ella's Dance Recital

Today, Ella enjoyed dancing on the stage! Although she has missed almost all of the last month of practice, her teacher let her join in the 'concert'.  She even got to stand in the front, and her teacher said she did very well.

Here is a very amateur video of the first 30 seconds, from the back of the auditorium. Turn your volume low before you start--the audio quality is as bad as the video!

Ella is the child under the moon, wearing a pink hat and orange outfit:

Milestones

Ella had an exciting month.

She started kindergarten.


She learned to ride a bike.




And, she grew her first adult tooth.
 (We'll refrain from the over-exposed mouth shot. But note that sadly, this event was not preceded by first losing a baby tooth. It seems that there are orthodontics in her future.)


Our little one is growing up fast. We are very aware of being in the season of life when time flies. It helps that we haven't moved in more than three years... they start to blend together, when you live in the same country, city, and even apartment.

First Week of (Home) School!

Monday morning, Tima was feverish, vomiting and complaining that his feet 'didn't work right'. Not a great beginning.  I was so thankful to not have to deal with the big problem of a child missing the first day of 'real' school. Instead, he stayed home, slept, and even got a few subjects done in his better hours.

By Tuesday, Tima was feeling better, but Danya and Ella both developed fevers and sore throats. However, it didn't stop them from getting their work done. In fact, I think it was easier for me than when they are all healthy and full of energy!

By Thursday, Tima was back to 100% and Danya and Ella dragging with high fevers and voluminous tonsils. We even had an impromptu health/biochemistry lesson when we pulled out the rapid-strep kit! I let Tima do everything except actually swab Danya's throat. (He was begging to do that too, but I wasn't sure Danya would appreciated it.) To everyone's disappointment, the tests were negative. (The kit is 10 years old, so who knows if it's still accurate. The control line still works. But, with such a short duration of fever, I would have been a little surprised to see a positive result.)

Today, everyone is feeling better. We finished our schoolwork in record time. After lunch and playtime, they are doing their Friday chores. 

Overall, I've been surprised at how easy homeschooling is. There are a number of factors that help. 

1) We did summer school three days a week for the months that we were home, so the kids are already 3-5 weeks into most subjects. I think the staggered start helps a lot in the "What do I do here?" factor. 

2) We have always done English and history homeschool after the morning of Russian school. So now, we have 4 extra hours, and all we're adding is math, Bible study, and a little more history/geography and science.

3) Not everything has started yet. Baseball practice is supposed to be four days a week... and the boys are in separate groups! But so far, Tima's together with the older team, and we only went once due to everyone's sickness. That will put time pressure on our days, as we'll have to finish by lunch to make it to practice. Ella will start dance two days a week, and we will have Russian lessons (with homework) to add to our schedule. Of course, I'd love to add piano, swimming, theatre... well, I've realized my desires are a bit unrealistic!

4) It really is easier, when everyone has a fever! Today, I've dealt with a lot more of the kids pestering each other, bouncing tennis balls off the walls, and just driving me crazy.

And speaking of which, we have to get outside!

A view of our lives in [a type of] 3D

View Larger Map

I just found the 3D function on google maps for directions. So you can see how we'll drive to the coffee shop tomorrow on the way to our friendly ex-pat baseball gathering. The buildings are all flattened, but it's pretty weird to see our city reproduced. Now, if only our car can zoom along without traffic jams like the little blue dot on the map!

(I can't get the blue dot zooming along on the embedded map. If you want to pretend you're driving with us, try this link, and click on the 3D button on the left-side menu.

or this one? 

Colorado for June

We were blessed to have the energy, time and money to make an off-year trip to Colorado. It was the shortest trip we've done since having kids--exactly four weeks. The hardest thing was not seeing a lot of friends and family who we usually get to see in the States. But we were so grateful for the time we had with those we did get to spend time with! Our time was refreshing, and though we tried not to exhaust ourselves, our time was well-filled.

Our kids and two of their cousins, Adi and Mae, enjoyed a quick meal after we landed. It was the first time they had a table all to themselves.

Mady entertained our three kids for endless hours in the yard.

Mama Coe and Papa Coes' porch swing--the best place for sticky snacks like cotton candy.

Ella, Adi and Mae enjoyed biking and exploring around Dani and Dave's house.

Seeing Nate and Nick twice was a special highlight!

Our church in Boulder had a camping trip that led to a lot of fun adventures, including climbing out of old mine pits.

As a child, my dad vacationed with his family at Glenwood Springs. And most years of my childhood we went there as well. Now, we have so much fun taking our kids there when we are in Colorado. The best times are when my parents come, along with Dani and Dave and their three girls!

It was so fun to watch the kids develop over the two days they were in the pool. And for the first time, all the kids could touch the bottom in the shallow end (except the baby, of course!) A new day of parenting in the pool has dawned, as the boys spend most of there time in the diving well by themselves, and the girls no longer need constant carrying!

Eric had as much fun as the boys playing this game

Ella and Adi

My dad and Mae

My mom and Mae

The boys experienced not one, but two Rockies games--and both happened to be high-scoring, grand-slam games!

Ella showing her throwing form with cousin Mady

Cambridge with the Richardsons- late May

We basked in the glory of Cambridge, biking and walking with our 'tour guides' as we were immersed in the beauty and history.

After a wonderful church service, the kids played in the yard.... did you 

notice on what?

Lunch at a pub--Eric enjoyed his fish and chips... I was disappointed to not find the veggie plate with Stilton that I remember from my year in Devon.

The Richardsons treated us to some very delicious ice cream.

After too short of a time, it was time for us to move on. Inna and Anna bid us goodbye, for now.

До свидания, Школа. До свидания, Детский Сад.

It's been an emotional week.

Tuesday, Ella had her 'Spring Holiday' to finish the year of preschool. Today was her last day.

 Thursday, Tima performed songs and recited his poem for their end of the year celebration. After doing 'firework' confetti, his teacher released them early, and most of the parents and kids went to a nearby cafe for ice cream.

And today, Danya's class received their awards, with parents in attendance.

 It's been especially emotional, because this was the last week of Russian school for our kids. Next fall, we are going to try homeschooling all three. The decision was made with much prayer and thought, ongoing since the difficult autumn that both boys had. Thankfully, many of the hard situations improved. But some remained, and we decided that it was best for both boys to switch to English-based schooling. Ella will be starting kindergarten, and we decided not to try to squeeze it in after Russian preschool. So, we are undergoing a huge transition, with all the emotions of loss and celebration.

For three years, we have taken at least one boy to school. For two years, we've walked to the preschool every day to drop someone off. And though we're not moving away, we feel the loss of community for each of us. Saying goodbye to three sets of teachers and classmates and parents was not easy. Maybe it was the champagne that the mothers enjoyed mid-morning at the cafe, but I almost cried saying goodbye to the parents from Tima's class.

Today, Danya presented his teacher with a gift that he himself had chosen for her--a clock. There is no wall clock in the room. Danya always took a watch so that he could tell her what time it was when she asked.

Thankfully, we're not moving. Though we won't see these kids and parents and teachers every day, it's not really goodbye. Danya's teacher was so sad that he will be leaving the class, that she invited him to come back not only for field trips, but also every day for Russian. We are considering him going a few days a week back to his class, instead of hiring a tutor. After three years with this class, and teacher, he really enjoys the social atmosphere. And while he's disappointed in his consistent 'C's in Russian, he's actually understanding and learning a lot.

Tima finished the year with some decent Russian skills, some friends, and had a great attitude as he persevered through a hard situation. He won't miss going to Russian school, but he hopes to stay connected to friends like Marat.

 And Ella is done with preschool of all sorts. Next fall, she starts American kindergarten. She enjoyed her friends at preschool, and we hope to drop by as they play outside every afternoon, so she can see them occasionally!

So, goodbye, Litsei 150, goodbye Sadik 103.

Happy 10th Birthday Danya!

Is it really possible? That the baby we held is now 10 years old? Double digits. He's very excited about that, and tells everyone that now he's 'a double digit'.

We celebrated as a family on his birthday--the first time he didn't ask for LEGOs in ? years. He got a basketball hoop. Since Danya watched the Slam Dunk Contest (a yearly tradition already) the boys re-hung the upside-down step-stool on the upper rail of the bunk bed. Eventually, I upgraded it to a cardboard hoop with a net (from a bag of apples) taped on. Needless to say, neither construction was ideal for really playing. Eric searched for some kind of nerf ball and hoop, but couldn't find anything. However, he did find a full size hoop and backboard. I was shocked how big it was! And even more shocked that we actually made a space for it and hung it from a wall. Now, the kids love playing all kinds of H-O-R-S-E and one-on-one basketball. It's been great.

For a party, we invited five kids from Danya's class over Saturday afternoon. Though Russian kids usually don't have birthday parties at home, we decided we could handle five kids with the help of our Wii. And between the basketball hoop and Wii, we did manage to avoid the usual wrestling/shooting/attacking each other games that the boys (just here?) prefer. Ella even enjoyed playing with two of the girls invited!

for a few more photos, check out our facebook album:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150579417231916.371841.593736915&type=3&l=7ca37452b8

Happy 5th Birthday, Ella!

Pink and Marshmallows were the only requests for her cake.

 

 

 

A small gathering this year, with Joyelle and Silas. Memory was the quietest game we played...

I'm having trouble believing that our youngest is five years old today. When she was born, Danya was almost five, and I couldn't believe we were starting over again. It seemed like it would be forever until she was at that magical age. And truthfully, her first two years did not fly by. She wanted us to count every minute, I think. But since then, instead of clingy she became affectionate, and instead of demanding, ... well, I guess that hasn't changed.

But we love her sweetness, her unrestrained excitement for everything, and her affection. Ella loves to have 'tickle massages' which means I just trace my fingers as lightly as possible over her tummy, and back, and arms, and armpits, and legs, and feet, and toes. She loves to be held--even when I decide to not be the first to let go, I can't out hug her!  She loves to kiss us over and over again. And her favorite game with Eric is, "I love you more than..." in which her usual line goes like this: "I love you all the way to the moon and back and to the sun and all around the universe and to pluto and to detskiy sad and to school and back." Hard to beat that.

She is quite ready for kindergarten. We are planning to do homeschool American kindergarten, and she has loved to get her own books. She loves to write her name, ELLA RAE COE everywhere, or make up words with the letters she knows, or to fill countless pieces of paper with lines of loops. She loves to sing the alphabet song, and find letters that she knows. She can recognize the names of her family, and in Russian, also can read the names of her classmates. And the other day, she insisted on reading me a book--one of the Fancy Nancy books that is her favorite. She has memorized most of it, and we all were amazed.

Four has been a delightful age, and I am truly sad that it's already time for her to move on. For the first time, I understand what my own mom has said, that every year she didn't want us to grow older, because it had been the perfect age. And I'm trusting in her experience that each next year really was even better.

So this is Ella, age five.