The year on rewind: January 2013

View of Paris from the Eiffel Tower January 1, 2013 

Either in leiu of writing a holiday letter or as a warm up...I think that I'll highlight at least the past six months... January came a went in a jiff!  It's just two more weeks until our next break.  We haven't a clue as to what we want to do. This is what our friends have termed "First World Problems."  Macedonia and northern Greece or Dubai and Abudabi?   Only time and ticket prices will tell.  As for January's highlights...we rang in the new year a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower with a bottle of champagne and plastic cups.  What were we thinking?  The kids had fallen asleep at the flat we were renting, so we packed them up in the handy dandy orange stroller and hit the PACKED metro. It was drizzling and very windy when we (Auntie Em, Chris, Sara, Ken and I plus two kids in stow) came above ground, so we found some quasi-shelter beside a big tour bus who apparently had the same idea that we had (close to the action, but away from the hoards of people.) To our dismay, there were no fireworks, but such is life, as the saying goes--you can't have cake and eat it too.

Outside our building back in Kyiv; our apartment is two floors higher than the picture.

Sledding down snow-covered ice banks outside the school gate

The flying pink marshmellow

Not so much teetering or tottering

Mr. Peek's Zoo with Chris and Cassie

Sled time

No such thing as snow days here!

Speedy snow slide

I couldn't corral the kiddos at the same time

Z Novum Rokom--Happy New Year from the Chapmans

Perfect fit!  (with Uncle Nick)

King(s) and Queen of the mountain--the huge pile that's taller than the school fence 

Rawly scouted Uncle Sam from atop the mountain

Our Ukrainian kids

Now Mamma's the only one without an Ukrainian outfit...but I'm holding out...

Zoya was a hit in her traditional Ukrainian dress at our school's International Night.  One of the Babas (concierge) whose name is also Zoya gave this to Z for her first birthday.  Both gyms were filled with tables representing the food and culture of various countries from our 52 nationality student body.  It was great to see my students dancing and playing traditional instruments; they're so talented!  There is always so much good food.  I really enjoyed some sweet-spicy ginger juice from the African table (a co-worker is from Senegal and his wife is from Congo) when I asked for the recipe, they were so sweet as to make me some as well as pass along the recipe--lucky us! The night after IN we celebrated Auntie Holly's birthday (Zoya's godmother).  Unfortunately Rawly was quite under the weather, so he and Ken stayed in, but she loved his birthday call and the cute art project that he and Zoya made especially for her.
On the note of gift giving, Rawly recieved quite the complement the other day...for being such a great gift receiver. Our friends commented on how great it was that whenever Rawly receives a gift (such as the books they just brought back from London) he loves to play, read, or wear it right away!  Here is his delighted face upon receiving a belated Christmas package from Mimi.

A super creative world map for our world travelers!

One of our favorite treats with "Auntie Number One" (Ukrainian Auntie #1 that is, our Idaho/Oregon Aunties are truly #1) Sorry I haven't found the Baliwood Music Video, but Rawly was singing (complete with shoulder shimmy) before bed tonight!

Excited face...I finished my first ever beer (it was apple), the exciting part is that we had just been in the square featured on the label...look for the picture with Santa when I post December travels.

And that's a wrap on January!