FREEZING!!!

It is soooo cold this week. Yesterday I was listening to my mix of Jason Mraz music and his Christmas song Winter Wonderland was in there. It was so perfect because at that moment I was walking in a winter wonderland. Which by the way, I definately prefer over the ice from last week. It is so much easier to walk in.

So yesterday after I got out of the metro and crossed the street, I looked up for the time and temp. It said -16! That is the first time I have seen that this school year and I only saw it once last year. So I came to school and got on the computer to convert it to F. It is only 3*F! And the shower is just showering down! It is actually really beautiful.

So I brought my camera with me today and I will get some pics to post up here.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Hawaii!!!!!

Well I am back in Russia and it is soooo dreadfully cold. I am having an extremely hard time adjusting to the time. I have never had jet lag like this before. Just to give you an idea yesterday I got home at 4 from work, fell asleep sitting up with my computer on my lap at about 5.30, woke up at 9 not very happy about missing Bible study, went back to sleep at 10, woke up at 12.3o, went back to sleep within about 10 minutes until 2.30 am, was awake until 4am and then slept till 5.30 am. At that point I was so tired of being in and out of sleep that I just called Cliff and then got ready for work. Crazy!

But on with Hawaii. I spent 10 amazing days with my love in Maui. This is where Cliff was born and raised and is currently living now. It was so breathtakingly beautiful, extremely relaxing and I loved the quality time I had with him.

So instead of telling you countless stories, which I would love to do if you ask, I will just try and show you my favorite pictures from the trip.

Beware: there will still be a lot even though I narrowed them down!

Cliff and I infront of this huge tree, it has roots coming down from the branches back into the ground!

Cliff and I out on the beach about to dance in the sand on New Year's Eve!
Cliff and I on our way to Bubba Gumps for a date!
Cliff laughed at me but I like the pic of our feet!
Our first day on the beach, pre sun burn or tan for that matter
Yep, us again. On our way to Hard Rock, my fav!
Sunset walking down the sidewalk to Hard Rock

Sunset looking from our table at Hard Rock

Here is a little bit of sun burn setting in after we spent about 5 hours in the water snorkeling and swimming.

These were on my breakfast in bed tray my last morning there. So sweet!

Finally about Christmas!

I'm so sorry it has been forever since I have updated. I had an amazing 1 month vacation from my life in Moscow. Each day was such a blessing it is hard to describe. I had a great time just spending time with my family, friends, working on the house, running errands, sleeping, everything was great. The only problem with me being home and around the people I love is that I don't want to "waste" that little bit of cherished time with them by spending forever on the computer. So you will have to settle for my delayed updates.

Christmas was wonderful. We drove in Christmas Eve and went straight to my Memaw and Papaws for Christmas over there. I am extremely blessed, my because they bought me a new comforter set that I really wanted for my "new room" (since the whole house it pretty new now). That was wonderful because right now I wouldn't have been able to get it for myself. We had a great time just hanging out over there and listening to my Memaw tell old stories. I love that. Those are really some of my favorite times is when I get to hear about the 'good 'ol days'.

Christmas day we spent at my Aunt Tammy's house with my dad's side of the family. That was wonderful as usual. I enjoy getting caught up on all the new drama with each family. I got to see two aunts with preggo babies and that was exciting. Food was amazing as usual.

The rest of my time in Houston was just spent hanging out with the Tacconi's and Niki and Ashley. I really just love hanging out. Oh and this was the first time for a trip to Houston that my brother hung around the family the whole time. He is usually with his friends, which is completely understandable. But he said this time he just didn't feel like calling and telling them he was in town. Well this was really special for me because I got to spend a lot of good time with him that I usually don't.

Ok well here are some pics from Christmas!

My Bub and me.

Here is my beautiful Aunt Christie and I. Yes she is my aunt, a whole year and 8 months older than me.
Sara and Taylor, same age cousins

The younger girl cousins: top 3: Kryslyn, 5, Kristin, 7, Hannah, 5, Bottom 4: Madelyn, 7, Bailey, 7, Gwendolyn, 3, and Abigayle, 5.
Dad and baby Elise

The O'Farrell family: Jarred, Noah, 5, Christie and baby Ella on the way!
The Hollis girls
me with my Papaw and Mamaw Hollis
My forever life long BFF's and dearest and oldest friends Ashley and Niki
Ash and her wonderful hubby Josh
Bub and Niki

so long!

I know it has been way too long since I have updated! Sorry. Christmas was wonderful and I have been in Hawaii for 8 days now spending wonderful quality time with my honey. I will update on all and post lots of pics later! Sorry, I just can't spend my little time with him being on the computer. Promise an update later!

I'm Home

I'm home! I have been here almost a week but have been soooo busy! Of course most of my time has revolved around Sara, no surprise. So here are some cute pics of her Christmas shows I've seen this week!



Sara's Christmas ballet dance

Sara's Jazz dance

Sara's pointe dance

Sara's solo this year

Christmas is coming!

Well Christmas is coming fast! I cannot wait! Though I absolutely love the summer, I think this is my favorite time of year. I am so excited that I will be home in 2 days! The last few weeks have been crazy busy getting ready to leave. Work has been so busy and I had to get all of next terms plans in (9 weeks worth!) before I could leave. Plus there has been Christmas parties and Christmas shopping etc. So here are a few fun pics from the festivities with other Americans before we all leave for the States.

Here is me, Doug, Polina and Truc getting different cookie doughs ready

Kathryn and Masha making Post Toasties
Truc and Lydia at our American Teacher Secret Santa dinner

Me and Kathryn at our Christmas dinner which was at the Tibetin Kitchen, go figure


Adam, me and Kat
Sweet couple. New American Teachers this year. Lydia works with me and Truc, and Adam works with Kat.
Tanslation: Happy New Year 2009! They don't do Christmas here, it is all about the new year

St. Basil's at night. so pretty

The entrance to Red Square. Quite nice I think.

These last to are in Red Square. The lit up building was first a palace, then a governement building, then the building where you went to stand in endless lines with you stamps for food and clothing during the Soviet days, now it is an amazingly nice shopping mall. Its called (translated from Russian letters to Latin letters) GUM (pronounced goom). Its pretty! And they have ice skating there in the winter.

Coming Home!

In exactly 1 week I will be in the wonderful USA! I am really excited, if you couldn't tell! Of course I am really enjoying my time here but I love to be with my family for the holidays. It has been 5 months (to the day when I arrive home) and I am ready for a visit.

Here is a list of things I am really excited to do when I'm at home: (in no specific order)

1. see the fam
2. go shopping with mom
3. see sara dance
4. watch the CMA's (thanks mom for the dvr!)
5. see the house almost finished!
6. eat mexican food
7. have lots of Diet Dr. Peppers
8. go shopping/ grocery shopping and put it in a car and drive it home
9. See TWILIGHT!
10.Spend some quality time with mom, dad, sara and bub each seperately
11. go to Hawaii to see my honey!
12. get a great tan in Hawaii in January!
13. eat more good food
14. have a lot of fun seeing the people I love!

Things I will miss while I am gone:
1. work, haha not! Who misses work while they are on vacation, not me! (But I do love my job)
2. the snow, if it will ever fall again
3. Polina
4. New Years in Moscow
5. my super soft bed, haha
6. getting all my clothes really wet and muddy from walking everywhere in the melted snow. Oh wait, nope, not going to miss that either!
7. seeing my kids yell "Miss Dana!" and run to give me a hug. I do love that