March 2016

March was full of fun and memories! Samantha got to see a local ballet and opera with some friends. We took a family weekend trip to the mountains. Samantha and a friend of hers visited a restaurant for the first time for her friend's birthday and ate sushi. Uncle Josh and Mr. Springer came for a visit during which time we took them to the mountains, toured our city, hung out with other families who live near us, and they went to see another ancient city, Khiva. Samantha went to a ladies get together that was fabulous, some people who work in our neighborhood invited us over for dinner for Women's Day, and we celebrated completing our 17th month in Central Asia.  Tashkent is becoming more and more like home each month for us.  The kids are really enjoying their new preschool and we are doing better as we learn the language and as Jeremy learns more about the business world here.  On to the photos:

These guys were so excited and thankful to see Uncle Josh!

Breathtaking!

Uncle Josh and his favorite niece :) 

The explorers

Cool pic in Khiva

Making this lady's day

Just a camel

Fortress on a hill

Natural bridge

Looking through the bazaar

Uncle Josh with his oldest nephew

So happy!

We took a short trip to the local zoo

Welcome to Uzbekistan!

Posted inside a bathroom...just can't help but share some of this stuff.

The reservoir where the snow goes when it melts

These guys were a great encouragement to my hubby and we are all so thankful they came to visit us on this side of the world!

Apparently Dots Donuts has arrived in the mall.

4 and 3 and cute as can be...some days :) 

Real fortress

looking out on the fortress city

some kids who tagged along for the exploring for a bit

Kaitlynn was so excited when spring arrived and the playground outside her school "popped out of the bag".  They had it covered in plastic when she first started going but then as the the weather warmed up a bit, they too the plastic off!

A week or so into going to school for the first time at her first celebration. 

William's first Program at school.  He was the Cupcake in the Very Hungry Caterpillar 

Art at school

attempt at a cheesecake (well the recipe said it was a cheesecake)...we liked it

Got to sit at the opera with the wife of the artist who painted all the wall decor of the building we were in!

Friends after ballet and opera at a coffee shop we like

Best of buddies

Got to participate in the coming of Spring celebration and make sumalak! 

Kaitlynn is even eating food at her schooL!

She enjoys painting each day. 

lounging in the mountains

Got some sunglasses for the sunny day at the mountains

kite flying with friends

we rode the chair lift up the mountain...I was the most scared I've probably ever been. 

Everyone else loved it lol

some gifts from Gramm

Dr and nurse orlich checking on Uncle J

Jeremy was wearing short sleeves when he arrived in Khiva....to find the weather much colder than in our city....thus the need to buy these awesome local hats. 

Yes, they are playing in some nasty water with a friend

William's first field trip was to a local pottery studio. It was awesome!

William made a "jungle with a snake coming out of his home"

holding her first turtle

A friend shared a new recipe with me "Chick-Fil-A copycat chicken sandwich"....

I also attempted to make Chick-Fil-A sauce....none of the meal tasted like Chick-Fil-A, of course, but it was good and worth the try...:) do you blame me for trying to bring a little Chick-Fil-A back into our lives?

Really great sand box at the kids' new school. 

Kaitlynn in her gymnastics class at school

William's class

Friends who invited us over

making new friends at the mountains 

William went on an exploring trip with Daddy and climbed up a mountain

Doing patternables with a friend

Snow in the mountains

brothers

Just exploring a fortress, that's all.