4th /birthdays

Andrew's homemade grill


I saved a few fireworks from the new year, to celebrate the fourth of July, the kids absolutely had a blast. Eugene got more pictures which I will try to get from him later.


The birthday girls, Veronica and Nastya


a singing birthday candle it serenaded us while we had cake, and then it wouldn't stop singing even after all the wax was burned. Then Eugene threw it on the ground and stomped on it, though injured the thing was still singing!

                               In Back Eugene and Ira, front: Veronica Alina and Lera.

          

Sorry. . .

It gets bad, when you have to start every post with, "Sorry, I haven't posted in awhile". . . Things have been a teensy bit hectic around here. I am staying afloat, but barely.  I don't know how all you people can have umpteen bazillion kids, and have time to do this, and have everything illustrated with photos!!!! 

       Benjamin has to work through the summer, so I am busy with him doing that. I forgot what it is like to live for the weekend. Although if it wasn't that, he would be bored, and then I would have to find other things for him to do. I am trying to teach him a little Russian. He has learned how to count to twenty and he knows his colors now. I am trying to figure out what the next step should be, We brought back a childrens picture dictionary, which he kind of enjoys pointing out the words I say, but he really needs to learn some sentence structure and grammer as he is learning vocabulary. I have made up a few little obstacle coarses for him. The process will probably be a very slow one, he was excited to learn, but I think it is starting to get a little old. I try to remember to speak Russian when I know how to say it. That is the other challenge, I am afraid I am teaching him incorrect grammer. Russian is next to Chinese for the most difficult langauge in the world, reason being, because of the grammer. Which if you read my blog at all probably know, that that isn't one of my strong points! My russian friends have been very supportive and are careful to speak with him in Russian. Adele just repeats everything, so as I teach Benjamin she will pick it up. Today I told her to take the 'maclo' (butter) to the table, and she goes "nope butter!" I am thankful, Julian is such a laid back baby.  He will usually just kind of 'hang out' till he is hungry. We will see how long that lasts, but while I am so busy with the other two, I am very grateful for his laid back disposition.

        So that is what is going on in the Green household for now. I will try hard to post more frequently. I enjoy reading everybody elses blogs, even though I don't comment all that much, I actually visit them quite often. 

back home

Avery Patrick's daughter

Tea and Benjamin


Adele' holding Zane







Grandpa Ted, my mom's dad, mom Julian and I

Benjamin in the emergency room with his broken arm


I think it is hilarious (and very nifty) that they make kids drinks in these little cups, so the kids don't have any idea they aren't having the exact same thing you are.

It was this. . . no, THIS big!


Adele wanted broken arms too.


Benjamin's 'blue belly' lizard

setting up camp with dad, we camped out a few times while we were traveling, for one, it is cheaper, for two the kids thought it was a blast.


Adele' setting up the sleeping bags. They got to be quite the experts, after setting up and tearing down a few times.


Julian after the cheese


We kind of mozeed up the coast while we were visiting some western churches taking the kids to see the ocean. And we saw a couple of light houses, amongst our travels. We were there during a kind of stormy time of year, which really made it scenic, the waves were huge!


This is called and octopus tree. Benjamin and Andrew took a potty break and this was outside the rest area, I never got to see it, because I stayed behind with the other two.




it is impossible to get a normal picture of a five year old


Julian had thrush, but I didn't want to get to the doctor, just to get a prescription, while we didn't have insurance, so we went with a natural rememdy called gentian voilet so Julian had purple lips for a few days


Back in Minnesota just before we left. Adele and Avery loved to sit on their little chairs on Patrick and Corinne's porch


The science museum is free of third Sunday, of the month so we took the kids. They had a blast! They run water through all these pipes and you put ping pong balls in it, and turning the valves you have to make the water go certain directions to get it to carry your ping pong ball where you want. Or this thing was for the little kids, in other places they had bubbles in the water. Who knew water could be so much fun?


Tea' 'working' in a factory. Its to bad they don't have these kids actually doing something, 30 kids running all over the place, could be powering a city!


Talking on the phone

     

  Sorry I haven't had a chance to blog since I got back. We are doing great,  just getting back into the groove here.  

           We had a great time traveling in the States. Although it is good to be home. Benjamin is back to his studies, which he is just thrilled about. He has to work through the summer, as we weren't able to do much while we were traveling in the States. Adele is being your average, aggravating little sister. And Julian is growing so fast! He has just this week started to hold toys in his hands. His favorite toys, of course, are his feet. He sits on a chair and his feet 'float' around in the air while he tries to catch them and eat them. 

           

The rest

Finally, I got a second to finish the post. Julian came Friday morning at 6:38 I went into labor at 4:00 I could have been in labor in my sleep, but the first I knew was at 4. I threw up and which woke up Andrew. We figured I was coming down with the flue that the kids had. But I wasn't sure if I was also feeling contractions. I told Andrew to start timing, but he kind of doubted I could be in labor yet. My due date wasn't till March 12. I hoped I might have the baby earlier though I didn't really expect to be so lucky. Julian is 7lbs 9 oz. Benjamin was the bigger of the other two and he was only 6lbs 9 oz so I guess Julian was on time, we just had the date wrong. I don't think I would have wanted to carry a bigger baby. I know people have huge babies, but wouldn't want to be one of them.

Julian Reese (post to be finished later)

all packed?

 Not really, and not really ready to go, whoever is? I'll be seeing you on your side of the ocean. I'll try to keep this updated, but I'm not promising anything. 

Christmas program

Its a little dark sorry. I started the song at the end of the third verse, but other then that the kids did pretty good.

Meet the cast

Eugene our photographer, with 'Mary'


My gingerbread house, It didn't really have anything to do with the play necessarily, but I have wanted to make one for a long time. It was really fun and the kids had a blast decorating it.


Mary and Joseph, the stars of the show. In my own very humble opinion


Our Angels Veronica and Alina


A sheperd, apparently caught up in the glamour of the moment


Joseph and the other sheperd, who apparently got confused, and thought he was supposed to part the red sea

mostly good

Things around here have been just a teensy bit hectic. The holiday season isn't over yet, Ukranians operate on a different calendar, there is the Gregorian and. . . Anyway, one of them celebrates, Christmas on the 7th of January. In a way, it is kind of nice, we can have our own christmas on the 25th and then we have the "church christmas" on the 7th. It kind of spreads the stress out a little. The kids have been working on a little christmas skit, so I have been busy with that. Andrew is to tired to lift a finger. He just returned from a hunt for a preacher to replace us while we are gone, He sort of found an solution, maybe. (Visit the church blog listed on the right, although, you should probably wait till tomorrow, I doubt he will be posting tonight) Then he managed to get a short nap, and we went out to visit some friends, Then this morning after church we had a baptism(wee!!!) Praise God! This young lady has some very serious health problems and there is a chance she won't be alive when we come back. Visit the church blog for details on that also. So Andrew has been exausted. The stress isn't going to slow down yet though. We are leaving in a week and a half. So we still have some things to wrap up here. Pray for the congregation here and for our youngest addition, her name is Lena.

 Then Andrew needs to be putting his tour together. He has not had a chance to look at it to much, I will be staying in Vermont the majority of the time, with my mom and dad, and the two kids, anticipating the birth of our child. Its a little uncomfortable, to travel for 3 weeks, 8 and 9 months pregnant)  and it is hard on the kids so Andrew is touring alone mostly. Which isn't easy on anyone. He will return for the birth and then go tour again. After the baby is born I will fly out to the west coast and tour with him for a couple of weeks there. So its a little crazy. Mostly good going on around here, but we won't be upset when things settle down.