FEBRUARY CELEBRATIONS

Seems like all we have been doing is celebrating one thing or another the past couple of months.

Krasnoarmesky Branch held Масленитса (pancake week) celebration the middle of the month on a Saturday. 

 We had no idea until we walked into the parking lot and saw this scene that it was an activity that was being held outside.  It was bitter cold that day, although thankfully, sunny!  

There was hot chai and pancakes and other treats.  The neighborhood was invited and everything disappeared fast!  (Notice no gloves.....I was enjoying my handwarmers inside of gloves, but gave them up so some gloveless friends could put them in their pockets...luckily I also had a few extra with me that day).

There was singing and dancing and poetry and games......

accordian music added a festive air......

and a favorite game, besides the tug of war, was tossing the boot to knock down plastic bowling pins.

The event ended with burning old man winter and thus saying "good-bye to winter".  (The next day it snowed!)

We helped Masha celebrate her 5th birthday which was on Valentine's Day.  She liked the birthday cake I made for her.

Volzhkey Branch held a Men's Day celebration (Men's Day was Feb. 23).  This was the food set on each table.
How many paper airplanes can they make in 3 minutes?

John is drawing a picture of my face and then I had to put a mark on the back of the picture, without looking at the picture, and then we had to look through the picture and see where the mark was and he had to kiss me on that spot.  I got a kiss on the nose!

They sang traditional Russian songs.

Niel's family singing "Happy Birthday" to John.
The mission office staff also sang "С Днем Рождения" to John.  ( Pres. Nechiporov in foreground, Sis. Nechiporova in hat, office elders and Elder & Sister Jeppson....John's sister).

We celebrated John's birthday with the Sviridov family.  I learned how to make thin Russian pancakes (блины).

Ready to have our pancake week feast.  The rolled up ones have cottage cheese inside.  We ate them all with sour cream and frozen raspberry jam.  Scrumptious!

Wait.....there aren't 67 candles on that cake!!!!

Tatiana could not get her balloon to pop between her legs.   John succeeded.
What a memorable birthday party with our adopted Russian family!!