Walk in the forest

This is the forest across the street from us.  (It is the same forest that has the blessed water.)  Dalton runs through here for cross country and wanted to show me some of the places he thought were cool.  He sure was right about that!

Chris estimates that the forest is approximately 15 square miles.  There are tons of paved paths and little play grounds that run throughout it.  Also, 3 ponds.  It is so beautiful and very enjoyable.

There is a rivine that runs through this picture.  It is not super huge but is a pretty good size.  The boys ride their bikes up and down the sides of it.  During the winter, they snowboard down it.

Seriously huge leaves

One serious birdhouse!  I wonder who made it.  It obviously took a lot of time.

Photo bombing Dalton

This is one of my favorites.

Also one of my favorites.

Dalton's Russian pose

Night Cruise on the Moscow River

This is a boat sort of like the one we were riding on.  The part inside was a restaurant and we could not go inside unless we checked our coats and hats.  So then if we wanted to go out and look at something or take pictures, we had to go get our coats from the coat check and then we had passed the thing we wanted to take pictures of.  Boo.  So, we stayed outside for most of the ride and then once we turned around to go back, we went inside.

Since there was no where to sit down, we layed down on a slanty part of the boat.  This was quite distressing to the other guests on the boat.  I'm certain we have all gone sterile.  

This was our launching spot.  It is one of the 7 sisters and is the Radisson hotel.  Directly across the river is the Russian White house.  This is not where Putin lives, it is where most of the government offices are housed.  To the right of the White House and left of the other tall building with a pink stripe down the side, is the US embassy.  You can see it, it is short, with no lights on and half of it is hidden by the right end of the White House.  

This is the Kremlin, the building on the left.  Thi is where Putin works, the other buildings are churches and museums.  People can go in and tour the grounds and churches and even go in parts of the Kremlin.   

St. Basil's

The Kremlin is on the left side of Red Square.  St. Basil's is in Red Square.

The crazy lit up building is the outlining of the GUM (super fancy mall).  They do this in the winter and it looks very festive.  

 

Moscow University, also one of the 7 sisters.

This is a very modern part of Moscow.  It has all you could want all in one spot.  You could live, work, shop, etc. etc... without ever leaving the same building.  Doesn't that sound fun???!!  (The tour of the fire station we went to, was located in Moscow City.)

Pano

 

Красный октябрь (Red October) chocolate factory.  Delicious and beautiful!!

Scout troop 500

Scout troop 500 Moscow, Russia

Originally we had decided to do Lone Scouting with the boys while we were here but, since I have been working, we have had to make some changes on our time restraints.  This was something that we felt like could help us out on freeing up some of our time.  

The meetings take place at the school.

Look at all the things Seth has earned!!  

Optical Illusion Museum

The boys and I had the week off of school, cause why wouldn't we?  So, we tried to go to a mirror maze but, it turns out it is inappropriate for anyone under 18 (and 43 for that matter!  The only entrance was through a store that sold things that I can't even imagine what they are used for...) The clerk pointed me in the direction of the optical illusions, this was a MUCH better choice.