Our First January in Sakhalin

I'm We are in the thick of this new winter for our family. Can I say it is brrrr cold out there. The kids play in the front and side yard but not more than an hour. At school they get 20 minutes a day but usually not if it's snowing. Some days it's 4 degrees on our short walk to school other days it's 10 to 19 degrees. It is 4am, I just woke up and it's snowing. I checked all the humidifiers and they are all empty so I filled all 3 . We need 2 more so I hope to get them this weekend. 

This our porch that has stairs to the middle floor. He felt the need to clear the stairs and walk up to clear some of the porch.

She needs her baclava (ski mask) but she refused it today. 

She climbed to the top of our sand + snow mountain in front. She is smiling and proud. 

Yesterday I started my Russian lessons here on campus. It's a 4 month course only once a week on Fridays from 10-11:30. The teacher is superb and loves, loves her job. There are only 9 in my class. I know it's difficult but I am excited to hear and speak the language here. She is teaching us common phrases, the alphabet, correct usage of the language and incorrect. I am the only American in my class.