Fun in the Sun

An apology to all of our faithful readers, but J put the responsibility on me to do this blog and since I procrastinate in everything else I couldn't disappoint in this assignment. But here I am with nothing to write about.

We have now been in the US for about two weeks. We're still doing our Russian lessons via Skype (an internet videoconference program) with our teacher in Moscow which works most of the time. However, our commitment to doing full-time Russian study is difficult to maintain here. I (B) usually can do about 1-2 hours in the morning but by the afternoon usually will need a nice long nap.

Our evenings are usually booked with dinners or just hanging out with friends which has been very nice. I can't do too much anymore since I feel like I'm carrying around an elephant but we have been able to do several things we have missed doing while in Moscow. The biggest new thing for me has been going to yard sales:

For our non-American readers, this is where a person collects all the unwanted items in their house, places them in their yard, and tries to sell them. The prices can range from 10 cents to $20. I love buying things there because everything is so cheap but you usually have to drive around to find them which can take some time. Since I enjoy it so much I don't mind.

The other thing we have been catching up on is eating our favorite foods. We have been to several restaurants stacking on the weight in order to stay warm for the next winter (yeah, I don't really believe it either but it sounds good). For those of you who know me (B), knows how much I love to eat. Unfortunately, I can't eat much these days since my stomach is the size of a pea. So watch out Cracker Barrel, Bojangles, and Fiesta Mexicana - once I have this baby I coming to clean you out!

My family met at one of my favorite restaurants, Cracker Barrel, soon after we got here. Not only do I love the food but the atmosphere is fun and unique. They have a lot of antiques (American country-style stuff) hanging on the walls and a country store with all kinds of goodies in the front of the restaurant. Here are some pictures from that night:

We have also been enjoying some beautiful weather. When we first got here everyone commented on how yellow we looked. Since then we have been trying to get outside as much as possible. The scenery is so beautiful here. After living in an apartment and not being around a lot of nature, I have to say that it's easier on the eyes.

Well, that is about it. Hopefully the next post will include our new baby. I have 1 1/2 more weeks to go. We will keep you updated. Here's a little video of Steven enjoying some of the sunshine and warmth in a local park to leave you with:

OK, so this is J, and I'm adding a What Is It™, but with the caveat that anyone from the southern US is not eligible. The below picture is one of the foods B mentioned earlier in the post, and if you're not from the south, you might not know what it is. If you can guess the name of this vegetable, and you are from somewhere north of the Mason-Dixon line or outside the US, enter your guess in the comments. For you Southerners, you'll have to just comment about something else, or I won't publish your comments!

Для наших дорогих русских читателей, мы приглашаем вас также угадать, чем называют этот овощ. Напишите ваши догадки в секции комментариев. Я надеюсь, что я написал этому правильно, чтобы наша учительница не рассердилась на меня! :)