It will be a Texas Christmas

A couple of weeks ago we told Alyosha that we are going to Texas for Christmas. He is very excited about that, but I have to share the very first question and the resulting thought process he had after realizing that we are going to be away from home on Christmas morn. The obvious question is how will Santa Claus know where we are. That is easy, just write a letter, right? But, think about it, if we don’t write a letter and Santa leaves our Christmas wished presents at our home in Portland, then he sees some extra kids in Texas, he will have to leave presents there too—as long as there are cookies and milk set out— we will all get double presents! So, Alyosha asked if we could make cookies before we leave for Texas and put them in the window.

Although, he informed me today that he has way too many toys and he does not want any for Christmas. He only wants real science equipment-like a tele-microscope to look at fossils and he wants a dinosaur claw and/or tooth (real). Alyosha made sure that we know that LUKA wants a racecar with a track and extra train tracks. But, no toys for Alyosha. In fact he wants to go ask the homeless people who have built a camp a couple of blocks away if they have any kids so he can give his extra toys to them. (We ride our bikes by the camp every day-no kids though)

Other than just scheming for Christmas presents we have been busy little bees. Luka and Niki and I did the fall Polish the Pearl, picking up what little trash there was laying around our Tanner Springs and Jamison Parks. Roma and Alyosha were at Emanuel donating blood-we get the good citizen of the day award for that Saturday. (Alyosha doesn’t donate blood, by the way. He just goes with Roman once a month as support.)

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We also attended the Portland Art Museum’s free Family day that showcased the China Design Now exhibition. There was Chinese dance, music, food, art-making, and cultural activities. The kids really did have a good time, despite the looks on their face in the picture!

Luka and Claudia enjoying a walk on a beautiful Saturday morning. This was how we chose to wear the kids out before going to the Symphony in the evening. It worked for Luka, but Alyosha is too old for resting and naps now.

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Here we are walking to the Portland Youth Philharmonic. Yes, we walked all the way to the Schnitzer (basically across downtown) pushing the kids in strollers. Classy! I love living downtown! The kids earned the tickets from the library during summer reading—No parking, no problem! But, speaking of Luka’s nap earlier-he fell asleep during the performance. The sleeping part would have been ok, but he snores. Not just a cute baby snore; Luka snores a full blown hipposnore. Alyosha always tries to fall asleep first so he isn’t bothered by our little hippo. When Roma stepped out with Luka so we didn’t disturb the adagio, Alyosha said that it was ok because it was boring anyway. “Not the whole thing, just the music part” We thought about our time leading up to the symphony: reading this summer and talking the kids into taking symphony tickets rather than another water squirt gun as a prize; waking early for a full breakfast so we could hike just enough to wear them out for a good nap; cleaning up and dressing up for a fancy night out; walk across the whole town (in heels); patience waiting for the thing to start; snoring during the performance; the kids waiting in lines during intermission to try out each instrument (Alyosha has perfect ‘mouth pucker’ for the French horn and Luka rocks on the harp); 10 pm pizza because everyone is starving; bed at 11 only to still wake up at 7am the next day….is this cultural experience worth it? 110 percent.

We had a pre-visit from Cheryl. She is coming to have Thanksgiving with us next week, fun! She doesn’t give small kisses—only really, really big ones.

P.S. on this post….Roma has an interview! Yeah! I don’t believe in bad luck sharing this before it happens. In fact I believe in good luck because now all of you will pray and think positive things for Roma and if he is meant to get this job he will and if not, we will wait for the right one to come along! (Don’t bother him with questions though-it is an interview for a job he will like and that is enough for you nosey people. We will share more at the right time- patience is a virtue :-))

Lemonade Stand

The kids had a lemonade stand fundraiser for Isobel's Clubhouse. They earned about $100 in 4 hours to donate it to CHAP and Isobel's Clubhouse. They had a lot of fun--it was such a hot day!

Picnic in the shade...guess who is running the stand while the kids are resting?

CHAP

Alyosha and Luka got volunteer jobs at CHAP after a wonderful party we were invited to. An 'Angel' donated $400 for Isobel's Clubhouse to give the kids a party at the CHAP Art Factory. CHAP is an acronym for Children's Healing Art Project. CHAP brings the healing power of art to children in crisis and their families with a mobile team of teaching artists working in Portland's children's hospitals. In 2009, CHAP will work with over 10,000 children and their families. The Art Factory is one way for CHAP to raise money for the project. They usually charge $5 an hour per kid to allow them to do whatever they want with paint, collage and creativity.

We chatted and chatted with Frank, the head guy, and he was great. He said that if our kids come in and 'work' an hour they can then play an hour. We are making garlands that they will sell or give to donors at Christmas time. It has been fun so far...we will see how it goes.

The kids are painting the cardboard box castle from the inside. There are hidden buckets of paint everywhere--it is a kids world there.

Luka made a painting of a bear. He is into bears in all of his artwork right now. He made poke strokes on the cardboard castle.

Alyosha got a little too encouraged and started thinking that every stroke of his brush was creating a piece of gold. He turned into one of those cartoon scenes where the character takes a brush in each hand with the whimsical music going on in the background and with 3 strokes paints the Mona Lisa. He had a lot of fun though and now he really is creating a masterpiece : River with Salmon--it is a work in progress so more on that later.

Niki enjoyed his post as observer of all activities.

Art Museum

We had a special tour of the Portland Art Museum and it was GREAT. What a wonderful place for children and the art is amazing. As you will see soon enough, we are getting into the art mode for now--the kids are loving painting and drawing and telling stories. I think we are doing a great job this summer inspiring little minds with our little summer group; it shows in so many ways.

This is an original Monet painting. One of his 250 Water Lilies that he painted during and after the First World War. The museum guide told us that he painted them for as relaxing encouragement for soldiers returning from the front.

Romka sneaked photos as we were going through the galleries. We had approval, but the various museum security people didn't know it so we were discreet and quick.

My photo wasn't as good as Annie Lebovitz, but I think that Luka is surely a character like Steve Martin.

My little artists creating their own masterpieces. Alyosha made an exploding volcano and Luka had a happy bear.

The Portland Art Museum will be our next membership--only $50 and so much to see!

Making our Neighborhood beautiful

Today was an Oregon state wide day organized to clean up the neighborhoods. We live in a great neighborhood with wonderful maintenance workers who sweep the curbs every day-so luckily there wasn't too much to clean up. But the kids spotted every cigarette butt or stray gum wrapper and picked it up with their extended arms. Here is the group-Luka didn't want to wear the orange safety vest-OR his sun hat. He was a true pirate.

Luka is helping his brother make his Bobo feel better. Alyosha got a big scratch on his chin-you will see in future pictures how we decorated it with Zelonkia.

We also planted wild flowers in the field in front of our bridge. Hopefully they will all sprout-it will be beautiful.

I (Jen) carried Niki most of the time because Roma was carrying the big trash bag, but in the end I was releived by Roma and the Baby Bjorn--Niki isn't really supposed to face forward yet, but he likes to see the world.

In the afternoon we trecked over to Wallace Park beside the elementary school Alyosha will go to in September-It was a beautiful day. You can see where the scratch is hidden by the green paint.

Luka is a monkey robot. For some reason, he decided to talk like a robot all afternoon.

Alyosha thinks he never goes to sleep because he just lays down and then the sun comes up-like the night is only a minute long. When he got into bed he said that this was a really great day and he wanted to do it all again tomorrow!

Fifth Disease

From somewhere, Luka picked up fifth disease...or the slapped cheek disease. It is mostly harmless but highly contagious so here we go with the rounds of illness again! His little cheeks or bright red. I thought that he was just wiping his snots on his cheek and they were getting chapped, but no! Well, at least he doesn't feel too bad--but he is getting annoyed with skin rashes! He said "spots, spots, spots like chicken pox!"

Here comes the bride and there runs the groom! Run, Run Alyosha! I heard the girl say that she was going to have the most perfect princess wedding that is so beautiful, EVER. And she is going to marry Tom, if Alyosha isn't Tom then she will just change his name to Tom--there you go. I think it is time we start training Alyosha which girls are acceptable and which ones are to be avoided!

Niki isn't worried about fifth disease, he is under the immune protection of Mama's Milk. It's funny that these little infants are so vulnerable yet they have such a veil of protection.

It's a good thing that Niki has some special protection, because with two brothers that love him as much as Alyosha and Luka do--there is no way to prevent germ sharing!

Busy Kids

The kids had a Jackson Pollock art class today--an American artist famous for his action painting. Action painting is the best style for the 5 and under artists--and can even be fun for the adult artist! Alyosha is pointing to their section of the canvas--the brown back ground was created by 'skiing' with brown toes and feet--then the splatters are the ones that were lucky enough to land on the canvas rather than the ceiling, walls, my hair etc...



Luka is a good big brother





Luka is a monkey on the bunk beds.





Thank you Gala and Ded for the welcome gift for Nikolai!



The kids concentrate when there is any kind of important work to do--like coloring frogs and dogs.

Getting out and about

This fine construction is the very first huge project the two successfully completed without a huge knock down disaster. If you can't tell, it is a speed boat.

We made it over to Isobel's Clubhouse to decorate cupcakes this afternoon. Alyosha sat on the opposite side of the table from Luka and I, so he was on his own decorating his cupcakes--he did a good job and managed to get more icing on the cupcakes rather than in his mouth. Luka, on the other had gave a spatula of icing to the top of his cupcake and the next spatula went straight for a taste test. Every other 'spread' had to be tasted.

This big cupcake decorating trip wore Nikolai plum out. Well, just having his eyes open for 30 minutes wears him out right now. He is such a sweet sleeper.