СПб (SPb) and me: comic books, xbox, guinea pigs, dancing, & world cup futbol

I am so glad today if Friday! Or maybe I'm not so glad- b/c it means a weekend full of packing our house! We've decided to move a week earlier than we originally planned b/c Inna can't watch Gavin the last week of this month as that is the week they are moving... not to mention we couldn't both have moving trucks parked in the drive way at the same time. So, we have to get it in gear if we're going to get everything packed up by then! Right now JB is getting the keys from the landlord and we're praying that they cleaned the house up when they moved out...there's always the chance that it will need a good cleaning before we ever move it! Oh, forgot to mention one of the greatest benefits to our landlord selling our house... since they're going to demolish it when we move out- we don't have to clean a thing! This will be a first for us...it always seems like we're cleaning the carpets, washing blinds, cleaning the oven and filling nail holes in the walls at the very last minute- what a relief to not have to do that here!

Comic books. When are future teammate- Terri, came down a week or so ago, she brought us a little gift- a Donald Duck comic book! Yes, in Russian. I was never a comic book reader in the states and there had never looked for them here...but sure enough they sell Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Disney Princess, Spider Man, etc ! She was telling us that when she doesn't feel like studying she sits down with a comic book and a dictionary! So... I am reading my very first comic book ever!

Speaking of reading...I had a very eye-opening and humbling experience yesterday... Our neighbor boys came over to play with Gavin (and play xbox w/ JB after Gavin went to bed!)- often, when Zhenya is over playing with Gavin, I'll read books to them. He doesn't speak english, but he's always asking me to read to him. So, yesterday he picked up one of the childrens books we have in Russian and started reading to Gavin and I. How bumming to know that and 8 yr old boys reads better than I do! I know , I know...it's his language and he's been reading Russian much longer than I have...but to realize that he reads better than any of the students in my class... Ouch! So, now I really know that I must speak like a 6 year old and read like a kindergartener! Maybe this time next year I can read like a 3rd grader! lol.

Mr Nibbles the guinea pig. Okay, his name is really just "nibbles" but for some reason he's been "mr nibbles" lately...not sure why? Gavin has really been enjoying having him... He'll crawl up on the couch and sit with me and just watch him in his cage on the shelf. And he giggles endlessly when I give him carrot and cucumber sticks to feed Nibbles- too cute! We got a little video of that today- (look for it on the next dvd, mom & dad!). Elbrus, the cat, on the other hand isn't as thrilled with our guest. He doesn't seem like he wants to eat him anymore, he just stays close by in case he escapes from his cage! Elbrus doesn't care for Inna and usually stays upstairs most of the morning, but since Nibbles has been here, Inna says that he has barely left his 'look out' chair in the living room! Maybe by August Nibbles and Elbrus will be good friends!

Gavins latest fascination is with his newest set of wheels! He got a ride on toy from my brother and his wife for his birthday in April. He's enjoyed it, but has really become enthralled with it lately... He's figured out how to climb onto it (but can usually only get on backwards!) and can actually ride on it now that his legs are long enough! He sticks all his toys in the truck (the seat lifts us) and has a blast pressing all the buttons. They all do different things...play songs, make train noises, make bubbles blow, etc. But, his favorite is the little red star. He knows exactly which one to push to make music play- and then he DANCES! He will press the star and dance over and over and over again! Too cute!

Lastly, Futbol! After Gavin goes to bed, world cup comes on...and we've been losing sleep watching the games ever night till after 1 am! But we've definately been enjoying it!

I'll leave you with of few of my lastest LO's- Enjoy! Look for some Father's Day ones coming on Sunday!

(Beep Truck by Lauren Grier)
Love this kit! So boyish and adorable little trucks!