The year on rewind: November 2012

Here's the thing about me, I love organization--as long as it's mixed up.  After years of despising the institutionality (yes, I like to invent words) of personality tests, I've coined myself a random concrete thinker (notice the emphasis on random), my husband on the other hand, is concrete sequential (which is so much more efficient!)  Hence, November, we'll get back to December at a different time, but with travel to three countries over Christmas, I'm putting it on the back burner until I can dedicate more time to properly documenting our travel adventures.  I don't recall how the month started off, October and November were such a blur...But highlights included my first "real" concert, a last minute Visa trip to Berlin, the city of bikes, Rawly's birthday, and Thanksgivings.

Oksana joined us too! 

Our seats were top quality row, but that didn't stop us from shakin' our groove thing.  I came out of the concert with a  grapefruit sized raised bruise from dancing against the impermeable seats.  We were secretly hoping that we could meet JLo based on our ability to speak the same language, unfortunately to no avail, hey it was worth the dream. We loved our time with the "Jennyfur Lopez".

This hardly reflects the masses of metro riders, but here's one of the sweet mosaics in the Kyiv underground

To Berlin, to Berlin, to become official! 

Spot on 11.4 kilos, we accidentally left the stroller at school as we were leaving in a rush.  Packing her and him in the bitter cold was quite demanding on the old biceps, and back, and everything else you can think of.

One of Rawly's favorite shots

Where East meets West, Berlin above ground gas pipes that separated the two sides

We found both Dad and Zoya warm winter coats to fight off the freezing temperatures and bitter winds.  After searching high and low, the train station really is the only place to exchange money.  As Ken was exchanging money, Rawly frantically shouted that dreaded word when you're in an unknown locale, "POTTY!"  Yes the trip was right in the height of potty training.  So we ran following the signs to the WC, only to be stopped by a gate.  A Euro to go pee, I'd have given five, if I had any.  Luckily a nice attendant reluctantly gave in amidst my cordial "Gutten tag" and frantic motioning/broken Russian that the little boy had desperately to go pee and I didn't have any money.  I later went back to pay her, but she didn't notice, only to go yet again when Rawly decided that he need to use the loo again, for a different reason.

To our Sports Fan

Rawly's orange cake (he helped make)...tasty though homely....and pumpkin cupcakes

Make a wish, or three! 

He had been practicing the pinkie hold

In years past, we've had the upwards of four Thanksgiving gathering...this year was a little mellow and only included two, plus Skyping home to Kennewick.  Getting ready for Thanksgiving #2

Just like Dad

How handsome are they?  Shh, don't tell, I even miss the "No shave November" face ;)

Playing with Uncle Jesse #2 (JT, you'll always be #1!)

Puker up Riley

Now this is good (with Auntie Ira)

Future musicians in action

He know's the good stuff when he sees it

Family gathering

Too cute not to put in

We  I hosted a flower party for a Ukrainian entrepreneur   

Now that's a tasty burrito

Auntie Michelle's favorite student 

Not even Jacob can keep Zoya's attention, sorry!

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!

Strike One

Well, it's back to the drawing board for the Chapman crew.  After two weeks of applications, positive emails, and three stressful Skype interviews (that kept cutting out), we didn't make the cut.  We're at a quandary...do we stay here in Ukraine for a future carreer move (Ken in admin role and me as librarian)?  I thought I'd ask Rawly over our Saturday pancakes.

Here are his thoughts:
--Me, "Rawly, where do you think we should live next year?"
Him, "Boise."
--"Oh really, are you pretty sure about that?
"Yep."
--"Why's that?"
"There are cities and cars, stores, and cars and ice cream, and stores and boats and cars and meat and water and fish and tunnels and trains and church and bikes and soccer and basketball.  No France, there's no ice cream there."
--"What about staying here and having Mom work in the library?"
"Umm, no thank you."

Pretty convincing argument if I do say so myself.