Let the chips fall where they may!

Well, when I looked it up, the line is actually referring to chopping wood, but...

We have started a little experiment, the poker chip game. Good job, the old ata boy/girl, you get a blue Chip. You can guess that the red chips serve as the Ahhh Sh*t chip. It amazes me what a 8 year old will do to get a blue chip or avoid the dreaded red chip.

We have already established a Monday change over on chores and seat assignments in the car. So Sunday night is the final tally for the week. Sasha and Tanya ended up with one more blue than red ones. Christina had her own economy going with Heidi, so we did not have a accurate exchange rate to compare. We shall see how this behavior modification/economics lesson will go.

And what a weekend it was. This weekend was Heidi's trip to the Minnesota with Christina for Gam's Birthday (Heidi's grandmother). A group photo shows the get together with Ben, Heidi's Brother Harry's son; Stephine, Heidi's Brother Jerry's Daughter; Dawn, Heidi's Mom; Mellisa, Heidi's late brother Ed's daughter; in the front row Ed (EJ) Mellisa's brother; Christina our Daughter; Gam, and Maxim Jerry and Karen's new son.

Christina and Maxim had a great time exploring the Minnesota at the lake shore with an afternoon of canoes, paddle boats, jet skis and party games. of course there was the cake part, always a plus. Their parting was a good one, their second time together since their arrival in the States. This was a great opportunity to meet more family than they have had in the last three years. maxim returned to his new home with Jerry and Karen. Christina returned with Mama to Minneapolis to her Grandmothers house (Not Babushka as much these days).

Now us here in DC, the rest of us have to keep ourselves busy, so it was off to the new "National Harbor" development. think a mall/hotel with a place to park your 50 foot yacht. Today we packed Masha into the car after church and headed off to Baltimore to explore Pory Discovery on Market street including a three story climbing playground. We wrapped up the day with a Dragon Paddle Cruise of the inner harbor. Pedal, pedal pedal (by the way, 30 min is plenty of time with kids aboard, matey)

In bed by 1000, and Heidi is due Monday night, thank God!

Love to all,

Papa, pedal, Papa!