tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59378367779557749622012-02-14T09:19:16.816+04:00Our adventures as singles, a couple, family of three and family of four in Armenia, Chicago, Afghanistan, Washington, Russia and ...Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.comBlogger3411100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-15948712872560460322012-02-14T09:19:00.001+04:002012-02-14T09:19:16.837+04:00

We've hit that point of winter during which the cold (-18F yesterday), just really gets old and you start dreaming of spring and summer, or at the very least, temperatures in which you can step outside without the snot literally freezing in your nose. Since I know we've got a couple months of winter remaining, I am dealing with the mid-season funk by sewing a summer wardrobe for Natasha.  Z will

Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15848416114955446958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-76604880648365587322012-02-12T22:59:00.002+04:002012-02-12T22:59:56.370+04:00

The blog has not been silent for lack of things to blog about.  I just haven't had the time.  I lost three pounds last week because I was obsessively sewing and skipped lunch most days in order to spend those few minutes at my machine (stay tuned for pictures of the finished product).  I'm not even exaggerating.  Between baking and cooking, refereeing arguments - who knew they would start

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-549036834689203612012-02-11T16:28:00.003+04:002012-02-11T16:28:19.272+04:00

Friday night (two Fridays ago, now ... that is how long it has taken me to write this post) we went out.  It's worth noting, as it doesn't happen that often. One of Jeremy's colleagues had a birthday and invited a bunch of folks to a newly opened Mexican restaurant to celebrate.  This particular celebration happened to coincide with a huge private party run by a local club promoter (or

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-38170525210767412372012-01-29T09:41:00.001+04:002012-01-29T09:41:30.396+04:00

Life continues to kick our butts.  Jeremy and I signed up for an Embassy triathlon challenge.  Basically we have two weeks to finish an Ironman Triathlon - a 26.2-mile run, 2.4-mile swim (127 laps in the Embassy pool) and 112-mile bike ride.  We signed up to do it as a team, but then Jeremy got injured in broomball and hasn't been able to exercise as much as he had planned.  Today is day 8 of the

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-12412193323517167702012-01-19T21:26:00.002+04:002012-01-19T21:26:25.311+04:00

I think about blogging most days - I was doing so well - but lately I have no time for anything.  Part of this is because my oldest seems to be on her way to dropping her only nap.  Lately we get 20-40 minutes out of her per day.  I'm trying to transition her to quiet reading time in her room, but so far, she will only do it if I am sitting in plain sight in the hallway, reading myself.

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-75598808387264576882012-01-12T21:03:00.001+04:002012-01-12T21:03:05.054+04:00

 I've been getting lots of ideas for kid activities off Pinterest lately.  The latest is coloring snow with "paint" made of water and food coloring.  I feel like this is an idea I should have come up with on my own - maybe I watched too much TV as a kid.  Anyway, thank goodness for Pinterest and creative mommy bloggers.  I had bought these squeeze bottles at AC Moore during our last

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-10927829379395945052012-01-10T14:13:00.002+04:002012-01-10T14:13:37.927+04:00

Yesterday was the last day of the Russian administrative holiday that lasts from New Year's Day through January 9.  We didn't make it out as much this year, mostly because the weather was slushy and rainy.  But we got a pretty snow fall on Sunday night, and decided to check out Sokolniki park.   Right as we pulled up to the park, Natasha vomited cheese all over herself.  We thought about

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-30879646364447991702012-01-09T20:52:00.002+04:002012-01-09T20:52:53.583+04:00

The sign in front of Gorky Park this winter says "Winter at the Park," and so far, we've been taking advantage of it.  We have been there three times this winter, mostly because Moscow hasn't had much snow and some of the places we had planned to visit, like the snow village at Luzhniki, were closed due to clement weather. I crack myself up. Anyway, Jeremy and I left the girls with the nanny

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-2518495247495862822012-01-07T23:23:00.000+04:002012-01-07T23:23:00.693+04:00

So the children are tucked into bed after a long Christmas Day.  Last night we tried to attend the early evening services at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, just like last year.  Right as we were walking up the stairs to enter the church, the policemen shut the door and told people trying to get in that the church museum was closed.  I pointed out that we were there for religious

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-71719703501874400872012-01-06T23:15:00.002+04:002012-01-06T23:16:12.881+04:00

And to all a good night.

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-91797910988028223172012-01-04T23:31:00.002+04:002012-01-04T23:31:50.609+04:00

We recently visited Ded Moroz' Moscow estate.  Ded Moroz, whose name means "Grandfather Frost," is the Russian (actually, Soviet) counterpart to Santa Claus.  He lives in Veliky Ustiug, a town about 1000 km from Moscow, but has an estate on the outskirts of the city.  This is the view of the gate to the estate.  Upon seeing it, my heart sank and I wondered whether we'd just squandered a day's

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-6355506356965521182012-01-02T10:10:00.002+04:002012-01-02T10:10:37.304+04:00

Obviously we didn't do anything crazy on New Year's Eve.  We have a 1-year-old and a 2-year-old.  Why would you even ask? We watched Captain America and drank some wine.  I realized that this was a pretty rare New Year's Eve, as it was the first since Dec. 31, 2006, that I was not pregnant or nursing.  So yay for that.  After the movie was over (a very lame 10:30 p.m.), we went to bed. 

Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15848416114955446958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-42610633399267537782011-12-28T12:05:00.000+04:002011-12-28T12:05:37.381+04:00

I have begun writing this post several times over the last few days, but I keep starting over because it just gets too long and unwieldy.  I've been thinking a lot lately about making some changes to our family's diet.  I'm not talking about low-carbing to lose weight or anything like that (though I would like to know how it is that I've been following the Couch-to-5K program for the last six

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-35568605716886924512011-12-23T14:48:00.002+04:002011-12-23T14:48:25.543+04:00

We got some real snow this week - about 10 inches' worth.  I've been taking the girls out in it every day.  As pretty as it is, it appears Z is not a fan.  She spends most of her outdoor time crying.  We shoveled a large pile of snow onto our back patio, though, and I'm hoping that maybe once we get it hollowed out into a little cave, she might like to sit there.  The cave in the bottom photo

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-26165616909222578832011-12-19T19:27:00.001+04:002011-12-19T19:27:23.846+04:00

It has been unseasonably warm in Moscow lately.  We've had snow nearly every day for the last couple of weeks, but the flakes have mostly been of the sort that just kind of drift aimlessly in the air and never actually land.  When we have had fat, purposeful flakes, the ground has been too warm for accumulation, and so they just become insta-slush when they hit the pavement.  The warm(er)

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-2701653064717975662011-12-17T21:45:00.005+04:002011-12-17T21:45:40.644+04:00

Having read in a local weekly that there would be a Christmas bazaar every weekend in December at Gorky Park, we headed down there this morning.  I was a bit confused by the GAP-logo-emblazoned yarn-bombed lamp post.  More on that in a minute.  The sign - which is a bit GAP-like too, right? - says "Winter in the park."  The bazaar itself was nothing too interesting - most of the kiosks

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-73202616749815303502011-12-12T15:02:00.000+04:002011-12-13T08:57:13.145+04:00

We've all been very tired lately, and I am sure the weather and the sheer darkness has something to do with that.  I took these photos last Saturday morning, whilst clutching tightly to my take-along coffee cup. 8:17 a.m. 8:47 a.m. 10:06 a.m.

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-78218319795887179432011-12-12T14:58:00.004+04:002011-12-13T08:58:23.526+04:00

This weekend was the big community holiday party at Spaso House, the U.S. ambassador's residence.  It's a huge get-together with Santa Claus and Ded Moroz, several enormous Christmas trees, lots of cookies and music.  This year it was scheduled for naptime, but we decided to go anyway.  The girls had a good time AND we still got a nap out of them when we got home at 3 p.m.  Then in the evening,

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-43161312795459053722011-12-09T22:53:00.001+04:002011-12-09T22:58:18.721+04:00

Twelve nights later, we are over the jet lag.  Hooray!  Last night we moved the girls back into the same room, and they both slept through the night for the first time since our return.  I think Natasha had been a bit lonely with Zoia in the other bedroom.  They both slept until 8:30, which was pretty awesome.  J and I are happy to have our bed back, too, as we had been sleeping on the fold-out

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-57049469421223934722011-12-07T15:42:00.001+04:002011-12-07T16:14:43.683+04:00

It might surprise you to learn that I am one of those people who is paranoid about the Internet.  I'm obviously not quite ready to hide out in a cabin in the mountains, but I hate Facebook and am always wagging my finger at certain siblings for revealing too much in their photo albums.  Etc. But that said, I recognize there is a lot of good on the Internet.  It certainly enables me to keep

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-72486750588568873852011-12-06T19:40:00.001+04:002011-12-06T20:20:57.088+04:00

We decorated our tree on Friday night.  We knew we wouldn't have a lot of space in our Moscow apartment, so we bought a pre-lit 4.5-footer at Target after Zoia was born.  It's a good size for this place, but Jeremy definitely misses having a taller tree.  I don't know whether you can get nice live trees in Georgia, but if not, we'll probably be shopping for a 7-footer after the

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-55948197629275344122011-12-05T12:19:00.001+04:002011-12-05T12:25:04.079+04:00

On Friday Natasha and I decided to make a winter twig tree while Zoia napped. First we gathered the twigs outside. Then we put them into an empty wine carafe alone with a string of pearl beads that didn't make it onto the Christmas tree.  I think we needed more beads, though.  Then Natasha hung some ornaments on it.  We used old glass ornaments that it would not break my heart to lose;

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-69116705927155048592011-12-04T02:56:00.001+04:002011-12-04T03:13:32.450+04:00

Hello from jet lag hell.  It's the middle of the seventh night and I want to jump out the window.  When is this going to end? This morning we roused the girls and decided to take a long walk after breakfast to get that natural light that is supposed to be so good for resetting our clocks.  Of course, Moscow winters are gray, gray, gray, and there was no sun to be seen today.  Instead,

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-5220569046479101662011-12-02T20:09:00.000+04:002011-12-02T08:55:45.206+04:00

We are on day six in Moscow and, as I have complained recently, the jet lag is murder.  I don't have the brain power to think of a more interesting or witty title for this post.  Also, I don't want to get on a plane again until they are at least 10 and 11. I know you are wondering why we are crafting when we are so freaking tired?  Well, we're also battling a nasty phlegmy coughy cold thing, so

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-20632248140643634332011-12-01T09:02:00.001+04:002011-12-01T12:44:00.247+04:00

Oh, sleep, how I miss you. We're hating life here right now.  Yesterday I reverted back to plan A (get them out of bed and limit nap time), after plan B (let them sleep in and take a long nap) didn't work after plan A didn't work.  I don't think I'm being unrealistic.  I don't expect them to sleep through the night.  But I was figuring that, by night four (last night)

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-40679864460722838182011-11-30T02:05:00.000+04:002011-11-30T09:23:33.026+04:00

Yesterday Natasha and I made bird feeders while Zoia napped.  I got the idea online at Unschool Preschool - if you have young kids, you need to add this brilliance to your bookmarks tab; she's a toddler-mothering genius.  Anyway, the project is super-easy.  You just give the kid a pipe cleaner and some Cheerios and let them go nuts.  I don't know whether stringing cereal on a pipe cleaner is

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-68567302148734511322011-11-29T14:09:00.001+04:002011-11-30T09:23:54.504+04:00

Just two hours before we had to leave the house for Dulles Airport to catch our flight home, I was racing up and down the aisles of AC Moore, frantically trying to determine what items I needed to round out my holiday crafting supplies.  The girls were home napping, but needed to be roused, fed and changed.  Clothing needed to make its way out of the dryer and into our suitcases.  Beds had to be

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-79322692248485010272011-11-28T16:48:00.001+04:002011-12-02T08:56:11.910+04:00

Well, we're back in Moscow after a great vacation filled with family, food and shopping (stay tuned for a post about the expat phenomenon of panic buying).  But all good things must end, and, in their place, we have jet lag. I've flown internationally with babies five times now.  And I have come to the conclusion that I am either incredibly dense, or that there is really not much you can do

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-41456715021133083292011-11-13T04:01:00.001+04:002011-11-13T04:15:58.759+04:00

Last Monday we took a trip out to the Henry Doorly Zoo here in Omaha.  My husband has been talking about this zoo forever.  Apparently it's the "best zoo ever."  I was skeptical.  After all, I was raised on the National Zoo in Washington, which is a pretty awesome zoo.  Plus, it's free. So we went to the zoo.  These pictures are of the indoor jungle.  That was pretty cool.  The National Zoo

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-81316449150586376732011-11-09T20:45:00.000+04:002011-11-30T09:25:21.876+04:00

We arrived in the U.S. six days ago, but I've only now summoned the energy to blog about it.  Miles traveled: 5,200 Hours in flight: 13. Hours in airports: 7. Hours in transit to and from airports: 1.5 Hours slept by Z: 3 Minutes slept by N: 45 Minutes slept by M: 8 Minutes slept by J: 15 Diapers changed: 14 Cups of coffee drunk by M: 6 Toys packed in the carry-on: roughly 78 Varieties of

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-27732826906142531612011-11-01T16:14:00.001+04:002011-11-30T09:26:27.583+04:00

Having been at this for two years now, I am definitely not an expert.  But I have learned a few things.  Secrets.  Dirty, dirty secrets that no one tells you when you are pregnant.  I don't know whether they are taboo, or what, but I'm going to share them. 1) The terrible twos don't actually start at 2.  Around here, they begin at 15 months or so.  Just FYI, so you're not caught off guard like

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-19330965841324278092011-10-30T17:09:00.001+04:002011-10-30T17:17:03.353+04:00

Last night Jeremy and I went out for a belated celebration of our fourth wedding anniversary.  We decided to hit Cafe Pushkin.  We sat in the library. Let me tell ya - that place is fancy.  You can tell by the service.  We don't eat out that much on account of, you know, kids. Also everything here is a bit spendy.  But we've eaten out enough to know that expressions of

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-45233292267764053802011-10-23T13:15:00.001+04:002011-10-23T13:15:20.962+04:00

Yesterday we went to the All-Russia Exhibition Center.  It is known more popularly here as VDNKh, its Soviet-era name, which stands for the "Exhibition of National Economic Achievements."  The center houses exhibits year-round.  This weekend, among other things, you could check out an aquarium filled with poisonous Red Sea dwellers, or an exhibit of cats, or live butterflies (I assume the cats

Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15848416114955446958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-79136544292234316112011-10-22T22:21:00.002+04:002011-10-22T22:21:54.334+04:00

Last night was girls' night out.  A bunch of moms from the playgroup donned their least mom-like clothes (some to greater effect than others; my style was for sure on the low end), grabbed purses instead of diaper bags and hit the town.  I felt old.  When a few of us ventured out onto the dance floor (where the DJ was spinning a mix that would be aptly titled, "Greatest Hits of WBAIS

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-57973740033032023372011-10-20T22:17:00.000+04:002011-10-20T22:17:14.216+04:00

Seriously.  I'm glad I'm not that guy.

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-84392762017804034122011-10-17T15:59:00.001+04:002011-10-17T15:59:19.735+04:00

Food poisoning is a fact of life when you live overseas.  Bodily functions become an accepted topic of conversation.  In that way, moving overseas is kind of like having a baby. Thing is, though, that the food poisoning is supposed to happen outside your home.  Not in your own kitchen.  And certainly not in conjunction with a meal that you slaved over. We bought a turkey last year during the

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-19818427664539301582011-10-16T16:36:00.001+04:002011-10-17T08:07:40.122+04:00

There was a yard sale here at the Embassy yesterday. These sales tend to be well attended by Russian staff in search of high-quality American goods for a bargain. Baby gear tends to go over particularly well, since stroller and swings and the like are insanely expensive here. Insanely.We don't know whether we are done having children, but the plan is to cool it with the babies for the next

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-13122514194844678722011-10-11T23:10:00.003+04:002011-10-11T23:11:20.305+04:00

Little Z is one year old today, and I am sad.  No longer my little baby, she is saying "Mama," fighting with her sister, and becoming more toddler-like every day.  But she still finds time in her busy schedule of playing, defending her toys (or trying to; N still wins every time) and getting into the cabinets to crawl into my arms for a brief cuddle before scooting off again to explore.  These

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-53104690440689640612011-10-09T19:01:00.001+04:002011-10-09T19:01:45.083+04:00

We haven't been getting a lot of sleep around here lately, and had plan to spend Saturday relaxing at home.   But the day dawned sunny and warm - about 65 degrees.  In the morning we took a walk to a part of town we hadn't visited before, and after naptime, we played outside, enjoying a beautiful golden afternoon.  Today was cold and rainy, so I'm now doubly glad we took advantage of the weather

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-30435247884111025492011-10-07T20:08:00.001+04:002011-10-07T20:08:04.405+04:00

Today was a beautiful day.  Sunny, temperature in the mid-to-high 60s.  Everyone was outside.  The girls woke early from their nap, around 2 p.m.  I decided we were going to go check out a yarn store I had just discovered.  It was about a 45-minute walk from the compound, so I decided we'd save some time by driving, then hit the playground before dinner. You may recall my last attempt at

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-57935593125660284882011-10-02T14:20:00.000+04:002011-10-02T14:20:05.788+04:00

Yesterday was the girls' joint birthday party and although I am glad we did it, I have to say that the experience confirmed my conviction that birthday parties for babies and toddlers are entirely for the benefit of the parents.  (Also, yes, we threw them a joint party.  Their birthdays are 2.5 weeks apart and we plan to double up as long as we can get away with it - I think we have several years

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-22612361959877731762011-09-25T22:17:00.000+04:002011-09-25T22:17:46.923+04:00

Sometimes that's what Moscow feels like. Prices on most items here include a value-added tax - either 10 or 18 percent, depending.  As diplomats, we are supposed to get that tax back, but it doesn't always happen.  With so many familiar establishments here (IKEA, Starbucks, McDonald's H&M, and the newly arrived GAP and Banana Republic, etc.), the price mark-up is pretty evident. Today we

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-10348638009206751972011-09-23T16:14:00.002+04:002011-09-23T16:19:52.190+04:00

I have plans.  Lots of plans.  They always seem small, like, I'm going to sew this, or I'm going to cook that.  Sometimes they take a bit more time and energy than I had anticipated.  But that is not the problem.  The problem is my inability to quit when things get too difficult.  Case in point: I found a recipe for butternut squash gnocchi.  I'd never made gnocchi before, but I recently

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-87058559199967163002011-09-22T23:25:00.000+04:002011-09-23T16:23:07.753+04:00

... I was in early labor with Natasha.  My sister was hanging out with me while we waited.  We went to Marshall's where I bought a green dutch oven.  I cooked dinner in it tonight and thought about the anticipation of that day.  When was the baby going to arrive?  Would it be a boy (as I had long thought, so much for mother's intuition)?  What would the baby look like?  I had to wait another 27

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-76893115590980438722011-09-18T10:26:00.000+04:002011-09-20T19:20:09.670+04:00

So, the jarring realization that we have seen basically nothing of this country spurred us to drive out of town yesterday.  We chose for our destination Sergiev Posad, whose monastery is considered the spiritual heart of Russia.  It is named for St. Sergius of Radonezh, who became Russia's patron saint in the 14th century, and is about 70 kilometers outside of Moscow.  Google Maps, taking into

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-59658566735244924862011-09-16T13:23:00.001+04:002011-09-16T13:25:57.833+04:00

I know farmers' markets are a summer thing, but for me, they are inextricably linked to fall.  I don't know why.  I will occasionally stumble upon a market in summer and buy a few things, but it's when the weather gets crisp and slightly overcast and the hats and scarves come out that I start going regularly.  (And then, at the end of October, I lament not having gone sooner - you'd think I would

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-59349892791631727802011-09-12T09:27:00.001+04:002011-09-12T09:29:29.790+04:00

When my inlaws returned home after visiting us this summer, they left behind their Lonely Planet Russia guide.  A few weeks ago, before bed, I began flipping through it.  Man, was that depressing. We have seen nothing of this enormous, diverse country.  I mean nothing.  We've tried to explore parts of the city every weekend, but after a solid start, band practice and softball games and

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-40488041206848283692011-09-11T13:13:00.000+04:002011-09-11T17:53:50.144+04:00

Do you ever have days where you feel like you just failed at that day? Where, though nothing earth-shatteringly horrible happened, you feel like you completely wasted an opportunity to do good things, better yourself and enjoy life? I have had a lot of days like that over the last month.  A lot.  Days where I am short with people, I gossip too much, my kids eat frozen meatballs and vareniki (

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-52263321116267739682011-08-26T14:15:00.001+04:002011-09-11T17:58:48.264+04:00

I took these pictures over a month ago but forgot to post them.  Sorry about that. Anyway, sometime in July the powers that be decided to re-brick all the sidewalks in the vicinity of the Embassy.  Maybe they're doing it all around the city, but as I only walk about a three-mile radius from home, I couldn't really tell you. So, the new sidewalks that have finally been completed look great. 

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-67808426424266949252011-08-25T13:55:00.000+04:002011-08-25T13:55:13.635+04:00

We recently acquired a much-coveted parking spot on the compound.  Before, our car was in the parking lot adjacent to the compound, with access through a narrow turnstile.  Because it is physically impossible to get through that turnstile with two babies and a stroller, I had never driven alone with the kids.  Until yesterday.  I needed a homeopathic remedy, and the pharmacy is a little too far

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-16376426807645378862011-08-21T20:03:00.000+04:002011-08-21T20:03:42.346+04:00

I've spent the last couple weeks moping about the weather and the fact that I'm not at the beach (thus the blogging hiatus; I'm boring when I sulk).  But there's no getting around it any longer: It's truly fall.  It has been raining all weekend, and yesterday morning I curled up under a fleece blanket with a pot of hot tea while Jeremy took Natasha out to stomp in the puddles and Zoia napped. 

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-57023203985158772112011-08-11T13:29:00.000+04:002011-08-11T13:29:12.345+04:00

This week is the start of my family's annual vacation to the Outer Banks, North Carolina (known on the East Coast as "OBX").  We have been going for years - I think the first time was when I was three or four, and we were going regularly by the time I was a teenager.  In a life where we had to make new friends, decorate a new room, learn new customs and get used to new foods every three years,

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-75763110421586737782011-08-02T21:10:00.000+04:002011-08-02T21:10:45.034+04:00

A new soft drink recently popped up in the snack kiosks around Moscow.  I first noticed it while dying of thirst during a long walk on a humid morning.  Cracking open the can, I thought it would probably be overly carbonated and sweet like many of the other local beverages.  I was wrong.  Meet Laimon Fresh. It's a lemon, lime and mint soda that isn't too sweet and actually tastes like lemon,

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-80506220614083283202011-08-01T14:13:00.000+04:002011-08-01T14:13:36.794+04:00

Muscovites love sushi.  There are Japanese restaurants on every corner, but you can find sushi on menus at coffee shops and sidewalk cafes, too.  Last week we had lunch at a real Russian stolovaya (cafeteria).  And even there, they had sushi.  And wasn't bad, except that every roll had cream cheese in it.  Blech.  Raw fish and cream cheese don't mix well, in my book.  I've never been to Japan,

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-31006846593218911772011-07-31T13:49:00.005+04:002011-07-31T14:02:48.707+04:00

Last Friday, Jeremy and I and the inlaws went to see Swan Lake. I fully admit I was not expecting to enjoy it - not least because I was just really tired. But it was really lovely. I might even venture to say that, in general, I enjoyed it more than the opera. I feel kind of guilty saying that, since singing is my thing, but Jeremy agreed with me. Perhaps if there were more dancing in opera.

Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15848416114955446958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-66168729969398242292011-07-30T16:58:00.000+04:002011-07-30T16:58:52.485+04:00

Jeremy's parents are visiting, so we decided this was a perfect time to take a boat ride down the Moscow River.  Yachts leave twice a day from the Radisson/Hotel Ukraine.  Jeremy checked an hour before we left, and the web site said that there were more than 100 seats remaining.  Predictably, however, when we arrived, the very polite (no sarcasm this time - they were actually really pleasant

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-70792335328612321392011-07-26T18:15:00.000+04:002011-07-26T18:15:13.653+04:00

I made this top last week.  I used a peasant blouse pattern I found online, but when finished, it was frumptastic.  So I added the band on the bottom, which I think makes it wearable.  It is a bit too baggy, and perhaps at some point I'll get the motivation to fix that problem.  Even so, I'm pretty proud of myself.

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-31466521286699003122011-07-25T14:07:00.002+04:002011-07-25T14:16:08.092+04:00

Being at loose ends this Saturday, we decided to people-watch at Victory Park.  Though I maintain that the monuments themselves are superlatively unattractive, it's really a pleasant place to spend a summer afternoon.  Bonus, on Saturdays the park fills with wedding parties come to take some commemorative photographs in front of the aforementioned ugly statues.  Hoop skirts and corsets are big

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-34064403724096526622011-07-21T20:54:00.000+04:002011-07-21T20:54:11.180+04:00

... the ants are supposedly gone.  Three guys from maintenance showed up today with a vacuum, ripped out the floor boards under our window, and sucked a huge, creepy, crawly, disgusting ant colony clean out of our walls.  Shudder. I am assured that any ants I spy in the coming days are merely refugees from the massacre.  Hopefully the war is over.

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-77815629822811535722011-07-20T16:11:00.001+04:002011-07-20T16:14:09.504+04:00

N is in the middle of a marathon nap at the moment, and Z and I have been spending some quality time for the last hour.  We were sitting on the floor playing with a puzzle when I heard mewing coming from outside our back door.  (Some might have characterized the mewing as "piteous," however, not having a soft spot for cats, it sounded more menacing to me). As soon as Z caught sight of the cat,

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-25739342918461612152011-07-19T15:15:00.000+04:002011-07-19T15:15:21.749+04:00

One really amazing thing about this lifestyle is the opportunity to live amongst monuments that, even for those who manage to visit them, are of the once-in-a-lifetime variety.  In Yerevan, I never tired of the view of Mt. Ararat.  In Jerusalem, my family lived about a six-minute walk from the walled Old City.  And here in Moscow, the Kremlin and Red Square are only about a 30-minute walk from my

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-78714602545444546282011-07-14T15:19:00.001+04:002011-07-14T15:20:35.239+04:00

My brother- and sister-in-law are visiting from Germany, so we've been doing the tourist thing the last couple of days.  Yesterday we hit up the Kremlin and Red Square, and saw two famous people - one expected, and the other, not so much. The expected celebrity was Lenin, or at least his waxy corpse.  I lived in Russia for two years in the 80s, was here for five days in 2006, and have been here

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-41926654106911347672011-07-12T07:26:00.000+04:002011-07-12T07:26:13.672+04:00

For those of you wondering: I Googled "how to kill winged ants," and came across an article that suggested a spray bottle of soapy water if you didn't want to use aerosol ant poison.  The same article also suggested that time was of the essence when dealing with winged ants (like, to the point that you shouldn't even leave the room after discovering them).  So I grabbed the nearest spray bottle,

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-56694353835903404882011-07-11T19:24:00.001+04:002011-07-11T19:25:10.669+04:00

If you are a Foreign Service mom, or perhaps the mother in some other brand of expatriate family, it's probably safe to say that you have seen your fair share of bugs.  I'd also like to think that these insects have at one point or another driven you to tears.  Otherwise, it's just me that's neurotic. Here on the Embassy compound, there is a bit of an ant problem.  A couple months ago, they

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-29914122288371753222011-07-08T23:04:00.000+04:002011-07-08T23:04:50.568+04:00

I have had a few complaints (ok, one complaint) that this blog is getting too crafty.  So I figured I'd share some thoughts I've been having lately before I post the photos of my new project. I recently started working part-time.  It's a dream situation, actually - good pay; very short and flexible hours; and a two-minute commute.  I figured that I wouldn't be spending any more time away from

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-83873764461623463942011-07-07T09:23:00.001+04:002011-07-07T09:27:23.529+04:00

I made N a crayon roll during nap time yesterday, using this tutorial.  She had long since decimated the cardboard box the crayons came in. They were living in a plastic baggie which she enjoyed playing with, but which I was tired of picking up off the floor to ensure Z didn't choke on it.  I made the roll to fit 4-inch fat crayons, so I cut my smaller piece 7" by 21" and ended up with 3" pockets

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-25968642574124113202011-07-06T08:33:00.000+04:002011-07-06T08:33:07.848+04:00

I despise ironing with a passion, but I've had to learn to get over that, somewhat, since I've become serious about sewing.  As every tutorial you ever read on the Internet tells you, ironing fabric and seams makes the difference between lumpy, obviously homemade projects, and the stuff you are proud to show off.  This is what my ironing board cover looked like at 7 p.m. last night. And this

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-77242704694905305542011-07-05T09:11:00.001+04:002011-07-05T09:11:38.225+04:00

We have a bunch of visitors on the way starting next week, and my craft room needs to morph into the spare room for the rest of July.  This was good motivation for me to get the piles and piles of fabric scraps off the floor and sorted.  I also needed to clean a couple of the drawers out of the dresser I had been keeping fabric and notions in.  So I took a look online at other people's craft

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-71192739330645361142011-07-03T18:50:00.000+04:002011-07-03T18:50:47.148+04:00

As most of the Embassy staff will be working the official 4th of July reception tomorrow, the compound community party took place yesterday.  Last year's was a pretty sad affair, so this year a few folks decided to take matters into their own hands and try to make things a bit more festive.  We had a children's parade, a chili cook-off, and a barbecue outside the Marine House.  I made cupcakes (

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-35690904169719935932011-07-01T15:01:00.000+04:002011-07-01T15:01:01.978+04:00

N's little friend S is turning two next week, so I made her a chef's hat and apron.  I love the lemon print, which I originally bought for dresses for my daughters.  I have a lot of it, so you'll be seeing more citrusy projects in the future!  I couldn't decide which fabric I wanted for the main portion of the apron, and which for the pocket, so I made it reversible.  Now the pressure's off me to

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-57020906109511069852011-06-30T19:06:00.001+04:002011-06-30T19:06:23.485+04:00

Way back in April, I blogged about a skirt I shortened.  I used the leftover fabric to make a dress for Natasha, and today I finally got some action shots.  

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-25896761051411283502011-06-26T09:58:00.000+04:002011-06-26T09:58:23.991+04:00

These guys are about to fly off to become baby gifts for T, A and L.  I don't think any of the recipients read this blog, so I'm safe to show them now.  Two of the ladies are having surprises, and one is having a boy.  The purple owl is for A's daughter S, who is going to be a big sister!  The pattern is here.  I left out the strip of fabric that should separate the front and the back pieces,

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-60321827909944947452011-06-25T11:49:00.001+04:002011-06-25T16:22:24.413+04:00

Actually, don't.  It's such a mess that Irina is itching to get in there and clean it, but I have a bunch of gifts yet to finish before the craft room becomes the guest room for our visitors next month!  Here is what I finished this week. First, a birthday present for M, who is turning one year.  I made some play food out of fleece and a little drawstring bag to keep it in.  I guess people

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-52957074568953966442011-06-19T17:31:00.000+04:002011-06-19T17:31:27.551+04:00

This morning I let Jeremy sleep in, and when he made his way downstairs (after a leisurely shower), there was cinnamon French toast with sliced peaches and a Magic Bullet frappe waiting for him.  We had planned to go out to eat after church, but Natasha has been sick and was getting kind of cranky.  So instead, we made burgers and fries after the kids went down for a nap.  That way we could eat

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-11266054894527262752011-06-17T14:40:00.000+04:002011-06-17T14:40:25.494+04:00

I wonder what kind of weirdo hits I'm going to get on this post title. Anyway, the last week has been very busy.  I have been sewing a few things, but wanted to wait until I was finished to post a group shot.  We spent Saturday prepping for a barbecue we threw on Sunday, and then used Monday (a local holiday) to recover.  On Tuesday, Jeremy began his year-long stint in the political section.  I

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-22155842079245728602011-06-09T08:35:00.001+04:002011-06-09T08:49:22.297+04:00

So, if you keep up with the all the mundane happenings here at Where to Next?, you'll know that Jeremy and I had a difference of opinion about the Magic Bullet on garage sale day.  I won, and we kept it.  I think Jeremy was pretty happy about that this morning when I sent him off to work with a mocha frappe in a lidded plastic cup. Gotta say, this thing is so convenient.  I have been making

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-74978359286226631842011-06-08T14:28:00.003+04:002011-06-08T14:36:12.564+04:00

Last week, I ruined our teakettle by failing to take it off the stove before all the water had evaporated. So I picked up a new one on Saturday morning during my grocery run. The box promised that it was a whistling kettle (this is important to avoid any future over-boiling incidents). I was a bit upset, then, when it failed to whistle on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday mornings.And then, today,

Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15848416114955446958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-73874906156284520632011-06-06T09:28:00.001+04:002011-06-06T09:29:40.844+04:00

After a long, cold winter, and snow in April (and nightmares of snow in June - like the one I had last night), I think you really, REALLY appreciate summer.  I am not sure I've ever been as excited about summer as I am this year. So we are making the most of it. We're running around outside in our swimsuits and playing with water. We're picnicking. We even just got a huge load of wood

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-5945116557499631552011-06-04T16:08:00.000+04:002011-06-04T16:08:57.510+04:00

I was raised in a frugal household.  With five kids and one salary, you learn the value of a dollar pretty quick.  We packed our lunches, picked out our clothes from the clearance racks at TJ Maxx, went to the mall to walk around rather than to shop, and were taught to finish the food on our plates.  Though, so far, money isn't as tight around these parts as it was when I was in school, I plan to

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-90335672118135566052011-06-03T20:36:00.001+04:002011-06-03T20:39:58.606+04:00

I can't believe that I didn't take a picture of the cake I made today.  I always take pictures of my cakes.  Today I didn't. And today, my cake won 1st prize in the Embassy bake-off. For real. I can't believe I didn't take a picture. However, I will give you the recipe.  It is Lemon Yogurt Cake with Lemon-Mint Syrup, adapted from several different recipes. You need: Cake 1 stick of butter

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-39938798870135874432011-06-01T15:17:00.002+04:002011-06-01T15:27:22.736+04:00

  Sunday morning, we got the kids up at 5:15 a.m. (ugh) to catch the high-speed train from Moscow to St. Petersburg.  Neither kid slept on the train (ugh).  Natasha passed the time on the train by playing with the automatic doors separating the cars.   We arrived after four hours on the train and checked into our hotel, the Pushka Inn, around the corner from the Hermitage. Then we took the

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-63770808241887217652011-05-30T16:44:00.002+04:002011-05-30T21:56:10.507+04:00

Take breaks to chase pigeons.Wash poop out of baby clothes with hand soap in your hotel room's bathroom sink.Return to the room mid-day for nap time.Skip a long day trip to accommodate said nap time.Recognize that it's no longer about seeing as much as possible in the time you have.Understand that, no matter how many new toys you pack in your bag for the train journey, your child will spend an

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-38389521437053268822011-05-28T16:03:00.000+04:002011-05-28T16:03:32.493+04:00

Convent, that is.  We spent an hour walking around Novodevichy (New Maiden's) Convent this morning.  The walled convent is a UNESCO Heritage site, and it's just a 10-minute drive from us - or a 20-minute trolley commute - or a 45-minute walk.  When we leave Moscow, I will really miss both the city living and the proximity to so many beautiful places. 

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-81493965857718312642011-05-26T19:37:00.003+04:002011-05-26T19:54:07.734+04:00

Some of you are going to think I'm really nuts after reading this post.  Not only does this girl voluntarily reuse poopy diapers, but she actually makes them herself. I sewed my first pocket diaper this week.  Z just wore it for two hours and it did the job.  My pattern does need some work.  For example, I realized after uploading these photos that I totally put the pocket on the wrong end. 

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-58414377498287053032011-05-24T15:09:00.001+04:002011-05-24T15:57:45.686+04:00

Today we took the trolley to the Pushkin Museum to see an exhibit of Dior gowns. We made quite a sight - three disheveled and sweaty mommas, two (myself included) with babies strapped to their chests, and three toddlers.  Also, it was so hot.  It even smelled like a sauna.  We guessed those conditions were necessary for the gown preservation, but it was pretty uncomfortable. We also got

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-57885537985068442322011-05-22T20:03:00.000+04:002011-05-22T20:03:13.818+04:00

I've recently become intrigued with duck, perhaps because it's readily available at the local grocery stores.  I don't remember seeing duck at DC-area Giants and Safeways.  I made duck for the first time this past Christmas.  It was pretty tasty.  Today I made it again.  I bought two half-ducks and used a combination of recipes I found online (seriously, I don't know why I even own so many

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-40990346104283433892011-05-20T13:45:00.001+04:002011-05-20T13:50:12.224+04:00

This morning Natasha and I took a short walk, more or less around the block.  It was about 40 minutes, door-to-door. We left the Embassy compound and walked towards the large bridge crossing over to Kutuzovsky Prospekt, past the White House, a Russian government building.  From there, we hung a left up Bolshoi Devyatinskiy Pereulok and made our way up the alley, past a piece of pukh

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-56733104982820672502011-05-18T13:17:00.000+04:002011-05-18T13:17:56.804+04:00

Sunday after church, as Jeremy was making brunch, he called to me from the kitchen "Honey, I think we're having a baby."  Come again? "Yeah, I think we're having twins." Turns out he had just cracked six eggs into a bowl, and all of them were double-yolked.  That evening, I used #7 to bind chicken burgers.  One egg.  Two yolks. Monday morning, I ate #8 and #9 for breakfast.  Both

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-48884601195123328842011-05-17T15:42:00.002+04:002011-05-24T15:58:02.532+04:00

Today we hopped on the trolley with E and A and headed to Victory Park.  The forecast had promised no rain until the afternoon, but a few minutes after we disembarked, it started to drizzle.  This was an improvement over the last time we went to Victory Park (in early January, when the windchill was somewhere around 7 degrees F).  But even the fountains and tulips can't conceal that this park,

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-48623831012840497452011-05-15T15:13:00.000+04:002011-05-15T15:13:01.793+04:00

Last week I finally bound off a silk lace shawl I'd been knitting for over a year.  Well, I only really worked on it for about two months, but then got to the point where knitting a single row took a couple hours.  Lace is very finicky, and I really need to be able to complete an entire row in a sitting.  Two uninterrupted hours have been few and far between for me the last year or so.  So the

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-68685378450544052912011-05-10T15:28:00.001+04:002011-05-10T15:29:43.045+04:00

Yesterday was Victory Day, the commemoration of the day that the German Instrument of Surrender in WWII entered into force (if you are a history nerd, you may know that this date is documented as May 8 - however, as it was 11:01 p.m. in Germany, it was already May 9 in the USSR).  We went to see the parade - well, actually, since the real parade takes place only on Red Square, we went to watch

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-32326852612825261392011-05-06T19:09:00.000+04:002011-05-06T19:09:54.519+04:00

One of the things you learn to do in Russia is to hoard change like a miser.  It takes a bit of getting used to if, like me, you're used to counting out exact change at the gas station to get rid of all those pesky pennies and nickels. But here, when you're trying to buy 287 rubles' worth of groceries, and you only have a 1000-ruble note in your wallet, chances are pretty good that the cashier

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-56597076316144956172011-05-05T08:07:00.000+04:002011-05-05T08:07:52.500+04:00

April 2: May 3: We bought the patio furniture at IKEA this weekend.  I fully intend to spend every sunny afternoon sitting outside with the girls.  So I didn't even cringe (as much as I usually would have) when a quick check on the IKEA web site revealed that, in the States, the exact same set would have cost us about $300.  We paid nearly twice that much.  Yes, summer is short here, but

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-74483042665714763282011-05-04T08:29:00.006+04:002011-05-24T15:58:22.097+04:00

It seems we are not meant to actually make it into the convent. Last Tuesday, E and I pushed our strollers up to the bus stop to catch the 64 bus to the convent, only to find that the bus only runs once an hour, and we had just missed the last one. So we walked to a nearby playground instead. This week, we got to the stop on time, and had a nice ride to the convent. We walked up to the gate,

Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15848416114955446958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-61907288963273233962011-05-02T15:30:00.006+04:002011-05-03T08:02:57.513+04:00

Two different kinds of bells tolled this weekend. Westminster Abbey bells:  I totally got goosebumps and a lump in my throat while watching the royal wedding.  I admit it.  I'm a sap.  She looked amazing.  He was beaming.  Monarchy is kind of cool.  I know it's totally the opposite of American, but I dig it.  (Also, don't tell me that Hollywood celebrities are like our royalty unless you would

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-68321866758027360112011-04-30T20:58:00.000+04:002011-04-30T20:58:14.744+04:00

This morning we offloaded a bunch of stuff at the community yard sale.  My old camera, a bunch of baby gear, some books, several pairs of shoes (yes, I finally admitted to myself that there are some shoes I will never wear/will never fit me again), some clothes, a picture frame, a bunch of candles, a tea pot, some stuffed animals and a few small kitchen appliances.  Jeremy wanted to sell the

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-91504934956349280162011-04-29T13:54:00.002+04:002011-04-30T08:14:30.167+04:00

I have been pregnant a lot recently.  And though the end result is so very worth it, I can't say there is much about actual pregnancy that I enjoy.  I don't glow so much as glower.  And more than six months after Z's birth, I still revel in my current, non-gestating state. I was particularly looking forward to shedding all my baby weight.  When I became pregnant with Natasha, I was at my lowest

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-31535665760962955422011-04-27T22:11:00.001+04:002011-04-27T22:12:15.727+04:00

Farewell, shapeless, stretched-out, stained Target tshirt! Hail, reasonably cute spring shrug! Also, so long makeshift Moby wrap! And hello cute toddler peasant top! (And probably something for Mama too - I've got six yards of the stuff!)

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-61457790169827220012011-04-25T08:26:00.005+04:002011-04-26T16:13:56.864+04:00

Yesterday was lovely. The weather was sunny and beautiful, and we spent most of our time outside. And bonus, Jeremy's birthday cake did not fall apart. I have much work to do on making cakes look appetizing, however, I have the taste part down pat! The bottom tier was vanilla bean white cake (my favorite) with raspberry filling made from berries I froze last summer. The top layer was devil's

Jeremyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15848416114955446958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937836777955774962.post-9297152717459204252011-04-24T14:12:00.001+04:002011-04-24T14:13:48.978+04:00

Or, "Christos Voskrese," which means "Christ is Risen!"  This is how we greet each other on Pascha and for the 39 days thereafter.  The proper response is ""Voistinu Voskrese," or "Truly He is Risen!" We got the babies up for the midnight procession last night.  Poor Zoia wasn't very happy, so we did not stay for the rest of the service.  And she did not make the rest of the night easy for us.

Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270192854227188723noreply@blogger.com0