Halloween and El Dia De Los Muertos

Ksenia went out for "Beggar's Night" as it is called here in Des Moines. (BTW, I was raised in Iowa, but not Des Moines--and I had never heard of "Beggar's Night" until I moved here).
Anyway..She went out with friends while we stayed home and answered the doors and handed out candy at home.
I loved her glasses!

We all went to the Art Center together to celebrate/take in El Dia de Los Muertos.   I was hoping to see more of that art, but we actually got to make some!  It was actually a lot of fun.  Once again, having Ksenia is making me do things in Des Moines I wouldn't otherwise do. It's fantastic.

The Color Run!!

27,000 runners showed up on a freezing cold Des Moines morning to run through clouds of colored chalk dust. (Well, its not really chalk dust--it's actually made up of something ingestible and non-harmful, but I don't feel like researching what it really is--so, chalk dust.) We were actually some of the first runners to arrive and spent a couple of hours watching the other runners show up. It is quite the sight to see a never-ending stream of people dressed in all white clothing. And that's just the beginning.

One of the "color stations"

Dancing in the dust of our own color packets

My Birthday

What is cooler than getting a beautiful and artistic handmade birthday card from your talented Russian host-daughter?

Getting one that shows that she understands you and speaks your language. And I don't mean English.

"There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of the people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age."

~Sofia Loren

4 More Years!

Well, we already had the election (so this post is outdated!)....and we will be getting to see what else Obama can do in the next 4 years.  I'm not about to talk politics on this blog, but let's just say we are happy with the outcome in this household.  

What has been interesting is having Ksenia here in an election year, and she is taking a government class in high school right now too.  I think it has given her good exposure to the whole process (good and bad) here in the U.S.
We missed Obama being here the night before the election (we were ALL feeling under the weather that night), which looked to be quite an amazing night.  So, that's disappointing, BUT we did get out to see John (Jon?) Bon Jovi and Ashley Judd when they were in town supporting Obama. (There's a possibility that Tyler was as excited to see Ashley Judd as he would have been to see Obama.) :-)

Here are a couple photos from that night.

NYC by bus

Day 3 we covered a lot of ground by double-decker bus. A big thanks to all the people who told us this was a great way to see NYC-you were right! We got off the bus in Soho, the 9/11 Memorial Area, and were going to get off around the Statue of Liberty but ran out of time for that last stop.

Thank you for a fantastic time, NYC.  You and your residents are truly beautiful.

We are all thinking of you.

Ksenia and Empire State Building

I just found the sign-painting very interesting

Flat Iron Building and annoying bus tour guide

9/11 Memorial site

I hope this church also survived Sandy. It's been through so much. I love it here.

Potent

One photo from Soho. 9/11 Memorial building in the distance.

Ahh, politics.

Brooklyn Bridge

This and the next few are just things I found beautiful along our route

I don't like Trump, but his tower makes a cool photo

Top of our hotel in the spinning restaurant. 360 degree view of the city, if you sat there long enough. We did.

Chrysler building in the background. Oh yeah-that's Tyler drinking a Manhattan, in Manhattan.

All dressed up for our JACK WHITE SHOW AT RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL!  

Waiting for Jack, RCMH

And there he is.....

Leaving Radio City

Top of our hotel, late, tired, happy from seeing Jack

NYE ball, viewed from our room

And one more awesome reminder from our stay in Times Square