We have had a sort of debate going on concerning what constitutes the beginning of winter here.  Some people say Nov. 1 here.  Others say Dec. 1.  My husband says Dec. 21 at the winter solstice, and others say "When you can go outside without a hat on and not freeze, it is not yet winter.".   Well, whatever the correct answer is, it is cold here. The temperatures are consistently 10-15 below in Celcius, which translates to roughly 10 and below in Farenheit.  When dressed properly, however, it is a kind of winter wonderland.  Our Alabama barefoot loving children have remarkably adjusted to the cold, and so far seem to endure it longer than their parents or most Russian kids for that matter. 

Snow and ice cover the roads and walkways.  Men are always out shoveling the sidewalks to prevent the snow from packing down and turning into an ice-skating rink.   Instead of strollers, you will see mothers pushing or pulling their babies on sleds.  Children have these plastic shovel-looking things that they carry around and can sit down on whenever there is a hill for sledding.  

This past week has been busy.  The kids & I have been sledding on inner tubes and sleds.  We visited an Orthodox church and were allowed to view a "miraculous icon" of Mary and Jesus.  Interestingly enough they say it continuously flows myrhh.  My Russian orthodox friend, who invited us, picked up 2 of the children and told them to kiss the icon.  This is what the Russian Orthodox do to icons. Complying and not realizing what they were doing, they did.  I have to say that is something I have never done.  Also, C9 began playing soccer and went to a Russian school for the first time.  Here are a few pics:

Going to School with Daddy

A view from inside; in back an Orthodox monastery

"Otkritie" Elementary school