Daybreak Donut Date

Scott reminded me at breakfast this morning that I promised we would get donuts today so since I backed out yesterday I knew we had to go today.  It's really a shame Scott couldn't go with us since he was the one that reminded me and all.  So it was just me, Sydney and Optimus Prime.  

Like the outfits--all orange for Optimus, star PJ shorts under Sydney's dress?  They selected their own clothes and BOTH put them on by themselves.  Sydney even ran back up stairs to brush her hair.  I'm impressed.  I've seen worse combos :o)

Dancing Days

I wanted to know just how old I was when I took ballet so I dug out an old photo.

Here's the ballet costume back in 1986.  

Yes, my 2 year old daughter can wear what I wore when I was 6!!

Oh to think I actually took 3 years of ballet.  I hope my daughter has more dancing bones in her body than I do because my dancing days are over.

Budding Ballerina

I'm pretty sure this little girl has a ballet class in her future.  

I pulled my old ballet tutus out of the attic and let Sydney try them on.  

Boy she was excited.  They are now permanently hanging in her closet.

I posted them in order that I wore them.

And this is her Halloween costume.  She's going to be sleeping beauty.  I thought perhaps she would be interested in wearing one of the other costumes but she is dead set on sleeping beauty and this particular sleeping beauty dress.  I'll let her win this one.  I do have to make up for last Halloween :o)

First day of preschool

The big day finally arrived.  Preschool.

We were up at 2am this morning again so it was a long wait until the start of school but he could not contain his excitement when I said it was time to get ready and take pictures.

Since it wasn't the official start of school (last Wednesday was) I felt silly taking a picture of Scott in the classroom so we stepped into the hall.  

We got there early to meet the teacher and see the room.  He was ready for me to go once he went through his morning routine.  He's got his ideas about how things should be and mommys don't stay at school :o)

Sydney was dying to pick him up.  She really hasn't spent long lengths of time away from him in her short (almost) 3 years.  In the parking lot she said, "Scottie, I just missed you so much!"  He just smiled.

End of summer

Well it doesn't officially feel like summer is over but today was the last day at the pool.

They must of refilled the pools because they were freezing and I didn't even get in.  The kids could only handle it for about 30 minutes.

Until next summer...

Moscow City Day

My first and probably last Moscow City Day. It celebrates the birthday of the city (864th this year) and is a pretty big deal here. The city pretty much shuts down and everyone goes out and walks the streets and has a good time. There are all kinds of booths and displays along the green spaces and they shut the Garden Ring down to cars and it becomes a big pedistrian walkway.

Some of the highlights for me were the big Chess display they had near Pushkin Square. There were several games going with some pretty fast and skilled players. Then there was this guy. He just paced back and forth playing 10 people all at one time. I didn't stay till the end but I am pretty sure he was 10-0 by the end of it.

After a full day of walking I headed back for some dinner and got ready to head back out again. This year there was a lights/fireworks/video/fire/sound display all with the Moscow University as the backdrop. It was designed by the person that did the closing ceremonies for a few of the last few Olympics. So I decided to get out amoung the Moscovites and enjoy... just didn't realize it would be 3 million of them.

It was absolute maddness. I should have known what I was in for when by the 2nd stop down from me on the Metro the train was already packed (and I live 9 stops away). By the time we got off the subway it was wall to wall people in the Metro stop. You just kind of waddled along until you got out of the Metro. At least at this point you had oxygen, but then it was another sea of people along the 1 mile walk to the university. It was busy enough but then once you got within 200 feet you realize that they are sending everyone through 5 metal detectors. You can paint your own mental picture of 100,000 people going through 5 metal detectors. At one point within 20 feet I just picked up my feet and didnt stayed put, the pack literally was so smashed together you didnt have to walk, its just carried you through.

Then you finally get within viewing distance of the University and the pushing continues. This is the point it became life threatening and we realized we better get out before we get hurt. So we fight through people another 20 feet after somehow not breaking ribs, then its completely open. I'll never understand this city. It was a solid block of humanity for 100 yards, then you go another 20 feet and there are bunch of militia around and plenty of open space with a great view. Who knows...

So we decided we'd stay after all and the show was awesome. This link has the video of the show: MGU display. It was projected onto the University and in a very hard to describe fashion told the story of the city through designs and computer renderings. Cool firework display at the end.



We went the other direction home and wasn't so bad. I'll take a longer walk over the prior alternative anyday. So it was a good, if not memorable, experiance. I had a great time enjoying City Day and also learned that I have zero interest in going to New Years in Times Square.

MAKS Airshow

Now that Jen and the kids have gone home I find my self with ample time on my hands so I guess I'll join in the fun blogging. A few weeks ago I was invited to attend the MAKS airshow in Moscow. Its one of the larger airshows in the world and was especially big this year as Russia unvieled its newest MiG fighter jet.



I had never been to an airshow so didn't know what to expect, but really had a good time. There had to have been over 100 different planes and helicopters on display from several different countries.

Russia had several planes from past and present on disaplay.

The US also had quite a display at the show. There must have been 20 different aircraft and hundreds of AirForce personnel there. They spent all day showing press and Russian dignitaries through the aircraft so when I walked up speaking english and just a normal person they lit up and gave me all kinds of behind the scenes tours. I must have talked to 20 members of the AirForce all more than happy to talk about their planes. Very cool.



Then came the flying demonstration. There were several great demonstrations but the highlights for me were watching the Airbus 380 and the new MiG. It was hard to believe he could even get the airbus off the ground let alone how he could manuvuer it over the airfield.


The MiG was incredible with the speed and precision they could fly with.

If Tom Cruise has taught us nothing else though its that the US could still take them if we needed to.