Day 2 of hosting

Jonathan with his new guitar. My MIL got him this for his birthday because he always wants to play guitar hero with the big kids.... now he has his own! And the big kids want to play with it!
Kolya playing Jonathan's guitar. This pic Reminds me of Tom Cruise dancing to that song in his boxers! Kolya was sliding around on our hardwood floors with his socks on singing in Russian. It was hilarious!
The boys playing the Wii!
Me and Valya, my Russian princess!
Both of my girls! Valya is wearing her dress from Russia.

Josh had his annual Christmas Breakfast at the office so he left bright and early! I got up, got dressed and went to wake everyone up, but Kolya and Valya were already dressed and waiting for me. For breakfast I made homemade blueberry muffins and scrambled eggs. Everyone seemed to like them - they ate them! Then they started asking to go ride bikes! So I quickly cleaned the kitchen and went outside. Valya is a little dare devil! She speeds up and down the road on her bike! She could give Jackson a run for his money!
My nephew, Tyler had come by yesterday and the kids fell in love with him. He plays college basket ball and football. We told the kids about that and immediately Kolya was his best friend! He even asked Tyler to sign his basket ball - he kept saying "autograph, autograph, professional Basket Ball" - too funny! So this morning Kolya asked me for professional. I had no clue what he wanted! I pointed at everything I could think of, then finally he got the basket ball we gave him at the airport and he said "professional come play" and it dawned on me that he was asking for Tyler! Alexis called Ty and asked him to come over asap! When Ty pulled in the driveway I thought Kolya was going to jump out of his skin! Ty is LOVED! Valya has a little thing for Ty too! She likes to pick on him! I think she has a little crush!
While Ty and I were playing outside with the kids Sveta (one of the Translators) called to check in. Each host child has to talk to one of the translators every couple of days to make sure things are still going well and that the kids are happy. Sergey spoke first. He said he was very happy, but he hopes that Ms Holly doesn't make those CAKES for breakfast again! I had to explain to Sveta that I am not feeding my children Cake for breakfast - it was muffins! :)
She laughed! I promised Sergey that he doesn't have to eat if he doesn't like what I have cooked! Bless his heart - he ate those "cakes" like he loved them! I had no clue that he didn't like them.
Then I put Kolya on the phone - He said he loved everything and was VERY happy - he just wanted to get off the phone and back to playing basket ball!
Next was Valya. She also said that she loved everything. She loves MAMA! She loves CATS. She loves fingernail polish. Too cute!
I got back on the phone. Sveta and I talked a little about the boys not wanting to take showers, not allowing me to wash their clothes, and not wearing the new clothes that we bought for them. Then I put Sergey back on the phone, so Sveta could explain to him that he needs to agree to this. He smiled at me and said "da" but then he told Sveta that Ms Holly can only wash his socks and under ware when HE says so! I still say if it stinks - it gets washed, but we will see! :)

I made beef stroganoff for lunch and the kids LOVED it - at least I think they did. They asked for more, more, more! When I was cleaning the kitchen Kolya came in and took the broom from me and said "no mama - you sit" and he started sweeping for me. Ok - this one can stay! What a kind and considerate child! Nobody ever tells me to sit. I love him! But I didn't sit for long and I didn't let him sweep the whole kitchen - I sent him off to play. But it still made my day!
Once Josh came home and Ty left I asked the kids if they would like to go shopping. They said YES! SO I went to change clothes... I came out a few minutes later with my makeup on and clean clothes. Kolya looked at me and said something in Russian - then said "wow mama... nice" - ok this kid is defiantly MINE! He then smelled the bath and body works lotion I put on and he said "good" and pointed to his noise. What-a-guy!
So we took the kids to Target (Kids called it Market). Good lord it was like 3 wild animals and 3 semi-tame animals had been set free (actually Jonathan was with his grandmother). Note to self, never go to the store with all 6 children! Anyway, once the kids saw the clothing department - it was on! The buggy was full in a matter of seconds - all I could here was "Mama - OK?" The problem was that they would not wait for me to approve items - they would just throw them into the buggy! At one point Kolya was determined that it did not matter that the shoes were 3 sizes too small - he liked the picture of the HULK and he was going to get those shoes no matter what! I had to break his heart by saying NO! But I did promise to check another Target to see if we can find his size! They were all so funny in the store. Kolya was ready to strip down to nothing in the store to put on the PJ's that he fell in love with! Sergey just stood back and allowed his siblings to buy, buy, buy! We had to remind him that HE needs clothes too! He is such a mature young man! Valya was touching everything and her eyes were so big with the excitement of everything. She LOVED the cards... I guess she was having a "Hallmark moment" - hahaha... (the lack of sleep is getting to me). I am also happy to report that Jackson and Alexis didn't ask for anything!... At least I didn't hear them ask for anything... all I could hear was little Russian voices!
I had Josh walk the kids out to the car while I checked out so I could put a few things back! As soon as I got into the car, Kolya asked "what time is it?" Then he asked for the check. Again, I had no idea what he was talking about, but through hand gestures I figured out he wanted the receipt! So I promised to make a copy of it for him. He is obsessed with details like that! He thanked me and Josh over and over! What a sweet heart!
We ran home, changed clothes and picked up Jonathan so that we could go to a little Christmas celebration here in our small town. They have carriage rides with Santa around our town square. The kids really enjoyed this. Valya kept pulling on Santa's beard! She sang Jingle Bells in Russian - at least that is what I think she was singing! At one point during the ride she held Santa's hand - then Jonathan pushed her out of the way and proceeded to rattle off his Christmas list! Alexis and Sergey rode up front with the driver. It turns out that the carriage driver knows a Little Russian because she has traveled there several times! I had someone in the crowd take a picture of us, but it is very blurry! Oh well! I need a New Camera - Santa, are you listening????
We came home and ate dinner. this time I typed up a note in Russian saying "if you do not like what we are eating, please tell me and I will cook something else for you!" I made Chicken pot pie. Sergey and Kolya didn't liek it, so I asked to make them something else and they asked for "Chicken NUUUggets, Fresh and Hot!" I cracked up! You just have to hear them say that!
I VERY rarely feed my children chicken nuggets, but thank goodness my MIL had bought a HUGE bag of them at SAMS for me! Those boys can put away the chicken nuggets!
After dinner, they worked off those nuggets by playing Wii tennis and bowling!

I then forced everyone to take showers before bedtime! YEAH!!! Everyone smells nice! Then I was REALLY brave and I asked to wash their clothes! I must have done something right because my wish was granted! They followed me downstairs and watched me put their clothes into the washer... like I am going to hurt the clothes or something. I showed them that Jack and Alexis' clothes were going into the washer - Mama/Ms. Holly will give them back in the morning! So I am up late waiting for that dryer to turn off so I can fold those clothes and have them sitting here waiting in the morning! I dare not loose that trust this early in the game!

Oh, I almost forgot...
when I was cleaning the boys room tonight I found a little picture frame next to Sergey's bed. I has a picture of a very handsome young man in it. I asked Sergey who it was and he said something I didn't understand - then the word Father... I nearly fell over! So I brought him downstairs so we could communicate over the Internet. He was able to explain that it is his soccer coach who lives at the orphanage. He is very close to this young man - he is like a father to Sergey! He is his best friend/brother/father. He misses him! He wishes he could be here. Oh this broke my heart! He is a young, very handsome man. He has taught Sergey very good manners and wow, that kids can play soccer like you would not believe!

I guess I should go fold those clothes so I can get some sleep.
Tomorrow is another big day! Jackson and Kolya are having a birthday party tomorrow afternoon. I think I will also have to take Jack to the DR - it looks like he might have broke/fractured/whatever to his ankle and bone just above his ankle... he fell out of a tree and landed on that foot. It just started swelling tonight and he didn't complain about it until bedtime - of course! This is the same kid that sat in class all day at school after falling on the playground and breaking his arm in 3 places! Life at the Trawick's... Always crazy!


My little princess sleeping