A few of our favorite things

Ok, after a week and a day, we are starting to get settled into things here.  It is really great that we started this adventure with the start of summer.  Gives us lots of things to do, and provides a whole playground outside.

So far, a few favorite things have come up.  Both kids love to play soccer (fotball to them).  This is very fun.  Rusic actually has a good amount of skill, if I say so myself.  Dad found him a pair of soccer shoes at a garage sale, and it's very hard to get him to take them off.   We tried to see if he wanted to play a scrimage with a group of kids that a friend is coaching, but that was a bit too much. However, we enjoyed watching the game, and I think he is getting closer to being ready to play on a team.

I think Anna would like a team as well, but she tends to lean towards doing gymastics and dance.  Our agency has helped us find a place that teaches a special type of Russia dance/gymnastics.  When they asked Anna about it, she got very excited.  Will update as we find out more.

So far favorite foods included pickles, ketchup, meat -any and all, apples, oranges, kiwi, bananas, strawberries, watermelon, cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese and did I mention pickles?  Do not like brocoli, and evidentally had enough potatoes to last a life time, as the only way that they will eat them is in the form of a french fry.    And, they like ice cream.  Imagine that.

Anna likes anything to do with princesses.  In particular she likes her new princess shoes from Kristin, and her new tiara from Denise.   She likes her heart blanket from Kelly and Paul, and refuses to sleep without it.  She likes to change clothes, sometimes up to 15 times a day.  She loves music and in particular likes Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga and Carol King.  This afternoon she looked at me and said "Tonight's going to be a good good night".    She likes to be carried by Janna and this would be her only mode of transportation if she could figure out how to make that happen.   And she like to both take pictures and to have her picture taken.  She also loves to take baths!

Rusic likes to ride his bike.  I mean he really likes to ride his bike.  He and his papa sometimes ride twice a day.   He has gotten very good, and knows not to ride in the street without his parents, and he knows not to ride down our steep driveway.    He loves to do anything with his papa, and is learning to mow the lawn - which he really likes.  He also likes to sit in the driver's seat of the machine, and pretend to be driving.   He is very mechanical and likes to tinker with and take things apart.  He really liked helping his grandpa take apart his bike and fix it.
He also likes to help his mama water the garden.  His favorite part of that - accidently spraying the mama.

They both like to swim, a lot!!  They are learning how to hold their breath, and have improved a lot since they got here.  Eileen and Jerry have been wonderful and letting the kids use their pool, which they really like to do.  And, they are going to get lessons from Liz, which will be great!

The best part of what they like....They really like to get massages from mama and papa before going to sleep.   Which mama and papa love to give them!

Huge progress made this week.  Kids are doing fantastic.  They have learned so much, and are really settling in.  They made their first friends, two little girls who live next store - Paige and Brenna.  They like to help around the house, and are starting to listen to mama and papa, and even anticipate what we are going to say before we say it.   We continue to learn more Russian and they continue to learn more English!   I'd like to say they fight a little less, but they are brother and sister, so no that has not stopped.  But sometimes they like each other in partiucular when they are watching Russia cartoons.  And they even sleep until 8 a.m. now.     Can't wait to see the changes as they continue to happen!!