Our Christmas Trip to Utah - Part 1

For the second time in the six years (at least going on six) that we have lived in Kazakhstan, we decided to travel during winter break back home to Utah.  The University will pay for two trips a year, but we liked staying in Astana and celebrating New Year with Babushka on the quiet campus. We also love our family and we had the need for Nika to take exams for her BYU online high school, so we braved the winter weather again.  We also took advantage of the extra trip to bring back things that we won't need so we have less to bring back when we come home to move to Texas in the summer of 2020. (Well, Yulia took advantage and packed a bunch of stuff.)

Our trip changed from the time we booked the travel in September to when we were flying out.  We were supposed to fly Astana-Frankfurt-Chicago-Salt Lake City.  The itinerary was changed (we suspect because of changes to flight schedules from Chicago to SLC) to include a stop in Denver after we landed in Chicago.  In both itineraries we had tight connections (1 hour in Frankfurt and just under 2 hours in Chicago).

We started early in the morning - leaving for the airport at 2:30 a.m. on 11 December).  We were worried once we checked in because the flight tracker showed that the flight from Almaty (Lufthansa flies from Frankfurt-Astana-Almaty-Astana-Frankfurt) was late.  We were happy when we learned that the flight had left on time.  It landed in Astana on time and we boarded with no problem.... and then the auxiliary power unit (APU) went out and we were plunged into darkness.  Long story, short, our flight was delayed by about 40 minutes taking off.  We resigned ourselves to a rough adventure of missed flights and delays.

We made up time in the air, though and landed only about twenty minutes late in Frankfurt.  We also arrived at the Z terminal - the same one our flight was out of.  Joy! They made us completely exit the security zone and re-enter security during shift change. Misery!  By the time we got through security, the boarding time for the flight was at its end.  We ran (literally) from security through the duty free and down the concourse.   The doors on our flight had been closed, but they opened up boarding because our family of six plus one other family arrived just then.

United had already begun the process of re-booking, so they broke me and the families itinerary up and gave us new seats.  We were told we could sit in our original economy plus seats, though, so we boarded.  We had to kick out some opportunistic passengers who had moved into our empty two rows of seats. They were unhappy, but they were our seats and we were not going to back down....

Our flight to Chicago left a few minutes late, but we landed in Chicago on schedule.  At the same time as four or five other international flights.  The immigration and customs lines were all understaffed and we were herded into one mega line that it took us 90 minutes to get through.  When we got through to the baggage carousel, we were missing one bag - the one bag that had all of mine and Yulia's clothes.  We went through and went to recheck our bags and we were told to go directly to customer service.  We had missed our connection to Denver.

It took about twenty minutes to re-book us on a flight to San Francisco and from there to SLC.  We went to our next terminal and through security (with a few adventures) and then picked up some lunch/dinner to eat as we waited 2.5 hours for our flight to San Francisco.  Long story short - we made it to Salt Lake 7 hours late and our bag and our rides (my mom and sister in law, Shellee) were there waiting.  All's well that ends well.  We were in Utah.

At Astana Airport waiting for the first flight.

In Chicago.... looking loopy after 24 hours of travel.

The Mountains of Utah.  It was warm and snowless in the valley mostly, but the mountains are awesome.

After resting for a couple of days, Nika started her testing at the BYU distance learning testing center.  She got A- on most of her exams (in Algebra 2 and English she got As on the exams), but earned As in all of her classes.  While she was taking exams, I was working at the BYU library.  There were some books I needed for a paper I am working on - so I got the books and used the scanners there to scan the chapters I needed.  I also did some writing.

In summer 2018 we met with some of my high school friends.  Nika and Dan's son, London correspond via gmail still and they told us we should all get together.  Dan and I arranged to meet up before his family went to California for Christmas.  We went to their house for Sunday dinner - delicious tacos and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.  We had a great time visiting and catching up.  Dan gave us a signed copy of his latest book - The Star Shepherd.  I am looking forward to reading it still - I haven't been able to get it away from the girls yet.

The kids trying to pose (one of Dan's girls is missing from the picture because she was down with flu that day)

The grown ups (in my hands is a signed copy of Dan's book)

On Tuesday, December 17 we went to Salt Lake City in the afternoon after Nika had finished her tests for the day.  Last time we went to the US we went to see a Jazz game.  The girls really liked it.  Rather than doing presents - since we are trying to avoid accumulating more stuff - we offered the Jazz game for a Christmas present this year.  The kids jumped at the chance.  We got tickets in the second row of the second level in a really nice location on the court.  We also wanted to go and see Temple Square.  It wasn't really "Christmas feel" when we walked through since it was still light and there was no snow.  We did make it to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and saw the big Christmas tree, some carolers, and the "Light the World" service vending machines.  It was a nice little visit.

Then we went across the street and had lunch before walking down to the Vivint Smart Home Center to watch the game.  The kids and I all got through security and were scanning our tickets and I looked around and Yulia was missing.  She was stuck at security.  She wasn't allowed to bring her big camera in with her.  Our car was parked half a mile away.  I ran it to the car while Yulia and the girls browsed in the team store.  When I got back, we all picked our Jazz gear, paid for it, and then found our seats for the game.

The Jazz were playing Orlando.  The team won - in an exciting and fun game.  Last time we watched, they also won.  But Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell didn't play in that game.  In this one they did, and we had a great time.  The experience was worth it.

Salt Lake Temple

Watching the carolers

Alexandra

Polina and Veronika

The whole family

We had fun buying some vaccines!

Temple after we ate and were walking to Jazz game.

Beautiful night view of Temple Square.

Walking to the Jazz game.

Comparing foot size with Rudy Gobert!  Rudy wins!!!

Jazz Uniforms through the ages.

Tip off!

Girls watching the action.

Yulia and I in our Jazz gear having a fantastic time.

Our Summer Trip to Utah - Part 3

Every year in the summer when we come to Utah, the kids take swimming lessons. They are all very good swimmers but I want them to learn proper techniques and solid water survival skills, so we make them take swimming. Most of them love it. The one that doesn't still has to do. Yep, we are mean parents. And we are good at it!

Lexa making her breast stroke.

Sophie is making her way to the other side of the pool.

Twins were the only ones in their class who would dive head first and they took every opportunity to do so and then some more!

Nika and Lina waiting for their class to begin.

Payson where we mostly spend our time in the summer has Scottish Festival at the beginning of July. This year it took place just a few days after our arrival. People from many different states come to compete in Highland Games. Our favorite event was when they had to throw this haystack weighing 16 lb for men and 12 lb for women up over a raised bar. There were some very impressive throws!

This guy was over 60 years old and a champion in his age category.

A log throwing by women is happening in the back.

Kids watching intently and cheering for their favorite contestant.

While in Utah we also took the kids to the Payson Temple and to Temple Square in Salt Lake City. At Temple Square we visited our favorite place - the Family Search Center. It is a lot of fun for all ages plus you end up learning something about your family. For example, we found out that Spencer (and our girls) are related to a few famous people including a couple of US Presidents. My family on the other hand is a mystery since we all come from Eastern Europe and Russia.

It was Lina's first time going inside the temple.

At Temple Square in Salt Lake City.

Reflection pool

This is one of my favorite pictures of the Salt Lake Temple.

Spencer at the Family Search Center is finding people he is related to.

All of the places his ancestors came from.

Girls are leaving a recording for posterity.

It is funny how when you live in a place, you often do not explore much around it. Since we moved out from Utah, we keep finding these little gems that we didn't know about while we lived there. Or maybe it is just that we are at a different point in our life now and have different interests. I love hiking but there are no mountains in Astana where we currently live. And so I try to find some fun hikes whenever we happen to be around the mountains. Donut Falls up in Big Cottonwood Canyon was such find! I heard about it on one of the blogs I read sometimes so we decided to try it out. It was sprinkling a little the day we went there but it didn't stop us. The area was just beautiful. The hike was easy and led to a nice waterfall.

Twins and Spencer are crossing a little stream.

Two partners in crime.

Mika and Lina trying to get back down from a rock. The rocks were wet, and it was quite an ordeal.

Nika

Lina

Beautiful!

While in Utah we visited some of our dear friends and family... unfortunately, I didn't take pictures with each one of them.

One night we had a dinner with the Stices at their Provo home.  They've been home from Kazakhstan for a year now, and it was fun to see them again.

We saw Mary and Jerry Busenbark who we haven't seen in a few years.

And one evening we met up with Spencer's two high-school friends, Mike Hansen and Dan Haring and their families at Payson Park. We all have kids about the same ages and they all ran together and got along great!

We made a couple of trips up to Logan and ran into Aunt Laura at the Farmer's Market! Of course, later we gathered for a big get together at her house with some of our family.

Twins being twins at her house.

We also stopped at Suzie's house for a couple of days, and the girls had a great time playing with their cousins and Jade the dog.

We are a pretty good team!

Every great vacation comes to an end at some point. We loved seeing our family and friends and having all of the great experiences but it was time to go home. We are now back in Astana having other kinds of adventures.

Lexa walking through the airport in Houston.

When a crew member saw the way I put our luggage in the overhead compartment, he was in awe. He was also a German which makes his awe even more impressive!