Cookout with the Swedish, Indian, and Israeli families

After our wild and crazy times at the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby we made our way to the Swedish Embassy to enjoy and evening with some families from all over the world that we have had the privilege of getting to know while here in Moscow.  Tonight we had the Swedish, Indian, Israeli and ourselves.  So fun to see the kids play and enjoy each others company... a nice change from the adults gathering alone.  Yael and Maria have been my shopping buddies and tonight to get a picture of us together it was very apparent how SHORT I am.  So what do good friends do, but lift you up!  Thanks friends!!  This was actually planned as a sort of farewell for Marie as she is headed back to Swedan to go back to work.  What a brilliant women!!  I will miss her so much.  Thanks so much for the great times!  And until we see each other again (either in Kyiv, Sweden or the US!!!) Marie we wish you the very very best!

Pinewood Derby

Big Cub Scout event of the year John decided to go for the most creativity award and designed and painted a Ticonderoga  Pencil car.  We love Ticonderoga pencils in this house so it was a fun project! This picture is with John's best friends Oliver and Jacob.  

Again, well done!!

Watchin TV

These girls crack me up everyday!!

Sea Life Club

John's favorite after school activity was Sea Life Club.  They did some really neat things and even went on a field trip one time to an aquarium in the city.  I was amazed and impressed at the detail that he was able to put into this projext here labeled so carefully and neatly. Not many teachers can motivate to get such nice work!  Well done John!  The Puffer Fish on the bottom right is my favorite.  Second favorite is the treasure chest in the back left corner.  So creative!

Responsibilty

Shortly after my sign on the desk this little sign appeared on the cabinet into where the cat food and cat litter box was kept.  This also after a lecture of how the cats really are her responsibility.  But I guess it is hard for her to learn responsibility if we're always picking up the slack.  Bless her heart, she's trying!

CLEAN DESK

My desk is rarely clean and I'd like to blame everyone else but in truth I know often it is my fault!  However putting this sign on the desk did greatly improve things for the last few months we were in Moscow so maybe I am not the problem.  You gotta see the kittens on the top of my desk.  Their favorite napping place.  I know they are gonna miss this cozy messy little half bedroom!  But I won't!

Pushkin Art Museum

Taking my art lover Clara to the Pushkin Art Museum! I had been with Mary and Aunt Jenny and was impressed so impressed  with the collection I knew I had to take her before our departure.  In my search online here is a little of what I found about the museum.  We really did enjoy our time together!

Tsvetaev's dream was realised in May 1912, when the museum opened its doors to the public. The museum was originally named after Alexander III, although the government provided only 200,000 rubles toward its construction, in comparison with over 2 million from Nechaev-Maltsev. Its first exhibits were copies of ancient statuary, thought indispensable for the education of art students. The only genuinely ancient items - Moscow Mathematical Papyrus and Story of Wenamun - had been contributed by Vladimir Golenishchev three years earlier.

After the Russian capital was moved to Moscow in 1918, the Soviet government decided to transfer thousands of works from St Petersburg's Hermitage Museum to the new capital. The entire collection of Western art from the Museum Roumjantsev was added too. These paintings formed a nucleus of the Pushkin museum's collections of Western art. But the most important paintings were added later from the State Museum of New Western Art. These comprised Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artwork, including top works by Van Gogh, Gauguin, Picasso, Dufrénoy andMatisse. Among them, Van Gogh's "La Vigne Rouge", apparently the only painting sold during the artist's lifetime.^[1] In 1937, Pushkin's name was appended to the museum, because the Soviet Union marked the centenary of the poet's death that year.

Easter Eggs

Easter time - my favorite time of year!  

MGY

Jenny and I take a tour of Moscow State University which is located in one of the seven sisters of Moscow.  These Seven Sisters or Stalins Skyscapers were build from 1947- 1953 are easily seen throughout the city as they tower high above the rest of the landscape.  It is quite usual to get a tour of the top dome of this building but today we were fortunate to see it!  The elevator was small so only 2 or 3 could ride at a time.  On the top floors below the dome is the home of a large geological collection of rocks and fossils which we enjoyed seeing and hearing about as well.

Manueala from Romania and myself

Aunt Jenny in front of Gorky Park

After the tour we ate lunch in the basement at the school cafeteria.  From here Jenny and I decided to go to Gorky Park to look for art.  It was a beautiful day.  But we didn't find any art we liked or could afford there.  So off we go to the Starry Arbat to look for art there.  And we found it.  Great day!

Ringing the Bells

Jenny and I get to go on a bell ringing tour and give the bells a try ourselves.  We learn a little bit about the history of the bell and how they are made.  This is taught like any other instrument and can be quite difficult to master.  It was fun to see and good preparation for the Easter holiday when the bells are traditionally rung.