Who really needs an SUV anyway?

In Costume

The embassy had a Halloween gathering for locals and Americans.  Since Craig was going to be the face painter for the evening, we decided at the last minute that he should be in costume too.  The hat and beard were constructed on the way to the embassy.  Max stayed home for the evening since it was going to be crowded and a bit too late for him. 

A gnome, a knight, a Ninja Turtle

My Gnome

Max

Max is a red-headed sweetie... These days he loves to play peek-a-boo, dig in the dirt, and follow his brothers around trying his best to do as they do.

Shovel in hand

Digging up the grass seed Dad just laid

 

 

Playing peek-a-boo with the frisbee

Another game of peek-a-boo

Uzbek Food

While Safiya was out for her wedding Zuli helped me a bit.  She wanted to cook a traditional meal for Paka and Bebe before they left.  It was an all day affair, and a very yummy supper.

Making Pumpkin Dumplings ("manti")

Vic wanted to help roll out the dough

Our First Uzbek Wedding

The gal that helps me (and also when we lived her two plus years ago) got married in October.  We know her very, very well and her fiance pretty well too.  (Truthfully, we see him pretty often, but he only speaks Uzbek and we only speak Russian and English.  So, we gesture with him lots and speak really, really basic greetings.  He plays with the boys, especially chase with Max, and they think he is great.  Safiya thinks he is great too.  They are non-traditional, even a bit scandalous here, different ethnicities and ages, plus they have dated two years.  That is much, much longer than most couples.)  The wedding was loud! but fun.  It was completely non-religious and an interesting mix of east and west.

 

 

   

School Plays

So these plays are really more like serious productions... backdrops, costumes, songs, dances, and memorized speaking lines.  My kids enjoy doing the plays and seeing themselves in the videos later, but they do not enjoy all the extra practice beforehand, which they say takes away from playtime.

The first play had Seth and Victor and was, the best I could tell with my very elementary Russian, about welcoming fall.

 

 

Seth dancing with "fall"

 

 

 

  The second play only had the smaller kiddos.  They were all fruits and vegetables and absolutely adorable.

The carrot and the peas

Mama and her Sweet Pea... I'm pretty sure the teachers made this costume.. impressive

Back "Home"

After the travels, Paka and Bebe came back here for more sight seeing, adventures, and bits of daily life.

Celebrating Bebe's birthday

Saturday morning soccer

A visit to a madrasa here in town

Keeping up with the boys