Where has the time gone ....

I can't believe that it is December and Christmas is a little over the week. I have seriously slacked in keeping up the blog and posting about Roman and Maxim!!! We had an exciting October with our SNOWTOBER storm and I can't remember the last time we did trick or treating in the snow or had a snow day for school but this year will definitely be remembered for some time!!!

Pumpkins ... Trick or Treating and Snow!!!










November came and went just as fast as October and this year we got celebrate our 2nd GOTCHA day with the boys and our 2nd Family day outing!!! We are trying to mark every GOTCHA day with a family activity and this year we decided to travel to Brighton Beach, NY ... also known at "Little Russia by the Sea". We had a great day and for a short time felt like we were back in Russia ... the smells, the language and the food were so reminiscent of our time in Yekaterinburgh while we waited to bring the boys home!!! We ate in a "true" Russian restaurant and when our waitress brought our soup, Stephen and I were both transported back to our baby home visits and the smells that would greet us as we walked in to the building to visit with the boys!!! We walked in and out of the little shops and smiled as we heard all the people speaking Russian ... we still remember the basics and people seemed genuinely pleased with our attempts to say "hello" or "thank you" in Russian! We stocked up on our favorite pelmini's and at the end of our trip we had a great Family Day with our own two exhausted Russians!

GOTCHA DAY 2011



December arrived and this year the boys are very excited for Santa to arrive! We began a new tradition on Thanksgiving eve ... Our Elf on the Shelf arrived from the North Pole! After much deliberation the boys named their Elf, "Jake" and each morning they excitedly look to see where Jake has landed that day! Maxim was very excited to see Santa this year and for the first time both boys agreed to visit with him and take a picture with Santa! Stephen commented while we watched, he didn't know who was more excited for this .. me or the boys!! ME ... I've waited for this day ... to take my boys to visit Santa and have them tell their wishes and tales to the jolly man in red!!! Roman and Max told Santa all about Jake and Santa promised to look for Jake that night when he returned to the North Pole .... he also requested a few cookies for him and carrots for his reindeer on Christmas Eve and both boys happily agreed to leave them out for him!!



VERY, VERY Excited to speak with Santa!!!



It's been a busy Fall and even busier Christmas season for all of us!! Roman and Max are getting so big and continue to surprise, amaze and make us laugh on a daily basis!!!

I recently made the decision to close the blog at the end of the year! Life with the boys is certainly and adventure and doesn't leave much free time for posting! I will post some of our holiday happenings over the next few weeks and on December
31st I will close the blog with one final letter to the boys who have blessed our lives and bring us so much joy! Thank you all for following our journey to Roman and Maxim and for being a part of our life over the last 2 years as we have become a family!! We have loved all the comments left for the boys and hopefully one day when this blog becomes a book for them to read they will feel all the love that has been shared with us over the past few years!!!

I will post about Christmas and I'm sure there will be lots and lots of pictures to share so keep checking back to see how Roman and Max enjoy Christmas this year!!