Fall 2008 and Winter 2009
Precious Kharkovian Princess

As is always the case, that mama of mine is way behind in updating... here is what I have been up to since Spring!!!

In April Papa went back to Russia and I started soccer.. I was so glad to be on Coach Kirks team again... many of my friends were back, Delany, Emily, Ashley, Carrington, Gabby and Taylor. We have so much fun kicking the ball around and truly became a team during this time. We had a win win win win record. Coach Kirk set a wonderful example for us. Many times we were getting way ahead and he made us kick the ball back and forth for at least 3 to 5 touches before we could attempt to score. It made us not only a better team but helped with our skills as players. It was a fun season.

Another fun thing... the weeds came in so Mama bought goats... and they are so much fun... we have goat 1 and goat 2. They are Nigerian Dwarf goats and just so cute...

At the end of May Papa came home. It is always so good to have him home. We miss him so much. Seven weeks is a LONG LONG time. Plus he brings us presents... yep, were spoiled till we smell real bad... VBEG!!!

After Papa came home we went to Grandma and Grandpa's for a really quick trip to help celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. Can you imagine knowing anyone for 50 years? 

I couldn't. But Grandma and Grandpa have known each other for that long and longer. They are still so very completely in love. It was evident when they danced. We had a lot of fun while we were there... Grandma, Aunt Arlene and Aunt Jill taught me how to knit and MaMa and I went to get our hair and nails done. Grandma bought me a really pretty dress and some real cute shoes to wear for it. I played with my cousin Madison and danced and danced with everyone. I can't wait to go back to visit and hope to go soon. Watch out Grandma!!!

 

After our world wind tour of half the country we came home and finished the end of year school testing... and did a bang up job. Summer started and we played hard, riding bikes and swimming with our puppies, playing with the horses, playing with friends and just having a real good time. But then the most dreaded thing that can happen to a kid over summer happened to me. SUMMER SCHOOL! Can you believe that they made me go? OMG... but it was okay, my buddy Kaitlin G went too and we had a pretty good time and learned a lot!!!  

At the end of July Mama and Papa had been talking about replacing the family van, and with the prices of Expeditions being so low we went car shopping and low and behold... they had just what we were looking for. The extra long model... we can put a whole squadron in there. It has a sun roof and 4 doors so now we can roll down our windows and enjoy the wind blowing in us when we are driving. We call it the Family Truckster! I love it. Ben can sit in the back and I can sit in the middle and we never have to see each other or touch each other. You know how boys can be!!!

In August we started sports again, I competed in the local Pepsi NFL Punt Pass and Kick (PPK) competition and won my age division for the girls and was looking forward to participating in the sectional. Unfortunately that fell on the same weekend we had a soccer tournament. Maybe next year.

We started school in September, and I got one really COOL teacher. She's so cool, my brother is jealous. But only because she was his teacher in 2nd grade and he wanted to be in her class again. Oh well. Ms. Minarski is one of the coolest teachers around. She's fun and understanding and not afraid to challenge me to do better. I am also in class with two of my good friends, Caitlen G. and Elise. I think sometimes we get taken over by the giggle monster and that gets us in hot water. So we work hard to not giggle so much. Pray for us, cause that is hard!!!!

 

For Halloween this year I was supposed to be a Storm Trooper from Star Wars, but the costume Papa bought was tooooooooooooooooooooooooooo small. Thankfully we were invited to Coach Kirks house for Halloween this year and Ms. Jennifer had a really cool Indian costume that she had made for her older daughter (another real fun friend) Jillian. So I went as that. We got LOADS and LOADS of candy. We will be eating it into (well into) the New Year. Which I have no problem with.
After that we had Thanksgiving which always brings a big meal of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and all the fixen's and we had a 4 day weekend. It was nice to just stay home and not do anything.

So now it's Christmas... and I have been a pretty darn good girl, and while I wanted one, I didn't get a computer or tv of my own, but I did get a DS and a portable DVD player, which I can take in my room or on the road. My Aunt Jill sent me a pair of silky pajamas. I love silky things, they are just so nice, and Aunt Noelle sent me a tea set...so Tally Ho mates, shall we have a cup - o - tea? Aunt Rosie sent me a digital camera.. and I am busily taking pictures every where I go... So I really had a pretty good Christmas. During the Christmas break, Papa and Mama took us to the hotel so we could swim some and have a good time. Then it was New Years, we got to stay up really late and ate crab legs and

steak and fried shrimp. We had a lot of fun during the Christmas break, including our annual burning of the Christmas trees... eerrr... ummmm... paraments... people bring all kinds of things to burn and wonderful soups and desserts to eat... so we eat and drink and roast marshmallows and stuff on the fire and it's so much fun... but then..it was time to go back to school.

 

So now we are back in school but guess what.... my Papa is in Russia again... hmpf! One day he will stay home... but only time will tell when that will be.

 

Benjamin turned 9 a while back. He got to go to Medieval Times for his birthday party and I went to a friends house. Which was fine. I did NOT want to spend the afternoon in the company of all those boys. YUCK!!!
Just Call me the HAMMA SLAMMA JAMMA!

That's me...

the Hammer...

yep... don't mess with me, because - YOU WILL GO DOWN!!!

 

In March, I started playing flag football, I played for the Grizzlies, and had a good time. But flag is not my favorite... the Papa was gone for most of Spring, but we had our Kentucky Derby Party without him. This year we added a bonfire and camp out... so we had friends over night. It was pretty cool. You know that I like fire... we did get in a bit of trouble when we took the kids by the pond and wella... MUD FIGHT... Mama was SO not happy with us.... not one bit.


When Papa came home I was so glad to see him... as always he brought us home presents, which is always nice, but it is always the best to have my Papa home. about a week later we all loaded up into Papa's car Guido and headed to Illinois for Grandma and Grandpas 50th wedding anniversary. It was a whirlwind trip... and we had a great time. It is so nice to see people so happy and having such a good time. I can't believe that they have known each other for 50 years. That's like forever, I guess they met back in the olden days... way back when. It was a lot of fun... we ate, we danced, we played... oh and I got to go play golf on the golf course with my Grandpa and

Papa... and the rest of the boys. That was the bomb. I hope to do so again in the future. When all was said and done we came home and finished the school year.

 

I love summer break... LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. Mama says they sang a song at the end of school every year, that went like this: "NO MORE  SCHOOL NO MORE BOOKS NO MORE TEACHERS DIRTY LOOKS WATER TASTES LIKE IODINE TEACHER LOOKS LIKE FRANKENSTIEN." Well... to me it's more about no more school no more home work... but less time with my friends... so I had a lot of play dates this summer. It was a lot of fun.

School started as well, and I have a new teacher this year. Her name is Ms. Gipson and she's pretty cool. Very with it and a lot of fun. She has taught me so much already this year and made me a home work star for several weeks. Now that is cool. I have also made new friends at school and we play football when they let us outside.

 

For Halloween this year I was that scream guy. Thankfully it didn't scare Anya to badly and we went trick or treating with Anya's soccer coaches daughter and some friends. It was a lot of fun and as always, I got way to much candy. We are still eating it, if you can believe that...

 

Thanksgiving came and we had the traditional turkey... even though Mama had had surgery the month before, she did her normal bang up job. It was delicious. They talk a lot about going out for the holidays, but it is always much better when we stay home and Mama cooks. YUMMO!!! 

  

We were a week late in getting our tree up this year, and it was a nice one. Big and full and smelled all piney... Papa let me help saw it down, and we all drug it in this year. So much fun. The Tuesday before Christmas we went to see the National Christmas tree, and Mama and Papa let us bring some friends, and again it was a sight to behold. I am still quite enamored of the Yule log. We need a fire pit that deep and big with logs that big to burn. that would ROCK.

 

I worked hard in 2008 to be a good boy and asked Santa for some cool things, and again... he came through. I got a DS, and a skateboard and ramp, a portable dvd player, a marble game and much more. It sure pays off to be a good boy! My Aunt Jill sent me a super pair of pajamas with footballs and basket balls on them. Perfect since our house is not well insulated. Aunt Noelle sent me a football and Aunt Rosie sent me a neato remote control car. I have really enjoyed playing with that.

During the holiday, we got to go spend the night in a hotel so that Anya and I could go swimming. It was a lot of fun. We are water babies after all and truly enjoy playing in the pool. We stayed home for New Years and watched the ball drop on Times Square. They say that is so cool, but it's just a ball for crying in a bucket... ah well maybe when I am older...

 

We had our Annual bonfire, my buddy from Maryland, Alex got to come.. Mama hadn't told me he was coming so it was a wonderful surprise to see him pull into the drive way. We had a great time and I got to meet his new baby brother Matthew. He is good looking for a baby... Did I say fire is good? Love it...

 

So we went back to school and Papa went back to Russia, but before he went, he bought me a new bike for my birthday, it has umpteen million speeds... it's a lot of fun. I have been riding it when it is above 30 out. Then I also got to have my birthday party. Mama took me and my 5 BFF's to Medieval Times. It was so cool. We got our picture taken and sat in the front row and ate chicken with our fingers and drank soda from a tankard. They even called out my name as a celebrant. It was so cool to see the knights joust and play knight kinda games and then they fought with swords and stuff... I just want to go back... maybe when Papa comes home... we will see.

So life is getting back to normal. School is in and Papa is gone, but will be home soon... and I can't complain...