New Year's Eve At Red Square Moscow

 Nothin' like Red Square... and I never tire of it, day or night!

we love the favorite family feet pic!

 The gangs all here! and a few more

 Countdown to midnight and the fireworks began!

Check the clock out upper right hand!!  Happy NEW Year!!

Last year we didn't feel up to a Red Square adventure but had it on the bucket list for this year!  We walked from the Embassy, encountered 3 checkpoints, and some typical pushing and cutting line before we reached our goal Red Square. But once there it wasn't too crowded and was a very fun tame crowd.  Dancing and singing and chatting we ran into some others from the Embassy (Champbliss family and Yushak girls) and just enjoyed the atmosphere bringing in the New Year together with the festive crowd.  The walk home was another adventure as the party had just begun with concerts set up all over the city streets and you just walked from one to another.  That scene was enough for us and we headed home to our warm beds and sweet memories of a New Year's eve celebrated on Red Square, Moscow, Russia 2011

Christmas Day

A special Christmas morning where the stocking were stuffed and the kids full of anticipation!  

Dad's childhood memory... watching A Christmas story!

A NOOK !! She loves to read!

A swimmer can't have enough goggles!

Money for an iPhone... will she call home??

a train... his favorite pastime 

love a cool dude!

... and a train crash.  Actually she crashed (fell asleep) after watching the train go in circles 

around the tree for so an hour!!  When we found her we staged the train around for fun!  

Merry Christmas everyone!!! 

Hanukkah

 What a special evening for us to light a Hanukkah candle with our friends the Haviv's.  We so enjoy spending time with this family and tonight celebrated with them how God provides for our needs in miraculous ways!  Then we eat!  Thanks Kobi and Yael (and Yehonaton, Yoav, Yuval, Yiftach!!) for sharing your time here in Moscow with us.  We look forward to more celebrations and sharing many memories with you!

Chocolate Factory Tour

Russian Chocolate is very dark and bitter so the kids are not too fond, but they did enjoy this tour! Like walking through Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory we saw all the workings of how the chocolate is made all the way from the beginning to the packaging.  And we tasted much along the way.  So much we were told to bring a little bag to put the extra in our pocket and I came home with alot of chocolate!

Attache Gala 2011

Upon entering the ball we climbed this elegant staircase and greeted those who were hosting.

 This Gala was the brain child of our friend from Swedan Hakan Anderson.  I was so thankful to work with him and a handful of others and alongside some key Russian servicemen to plan and work through the goings on of this ball.  It was a huge success and is a great memory!

... and we
danced.

 Silly father and daughter-

 Sweet Hiroko!

 The Russian planners -

A great picture with our friends the Haviv's!

And our beautiful baby girl Mary!

Snow Photos - A Night Walk

again Seth's photos