Happy Monday

I am not feeling great today, mainly because of the headache that will not be conquered even by the second dose of Motrin for Migraines and Headaches. Oh well, certain things never change and my headaches are just one of those things.

We had an incredibly beautiful weekend with more books, more sun and a trip to the lighthouse. My daughter was so excited to go hiking that she didn't even once complain about not going to the beach. But there were so many other wonderful things over the weekend.

Over two days we must have picked about a dozen of alpine strawberries from our little deck garden:

We got really excited about the books:

We rode the horses: 

Indulged in Beard Papa's Cream Puffs

Climbed some fences in the sunset:

Finally learned what color is robin egg blue:

 Enjoyed some incredible views:

And reached the lighthouse! 

Savoring the summer

Another weekend over - and the summer is almost at the mid mark. My tomatoes are now actually looking like tomatoes, though the same comment cannot me made towards my strawberries - they are looking pretty miserable. but flowers are pretty, my lavender smells amazing and drinking beer on the deck while reading a book has never sounded so pleasant (that is until mosquitoes show up and eat me alive).

We are still reading every day, and I am still updating my blog - so there is some consistency to our routine :) I have been fairly bad at doing my evening chores and putting lunches together in the mornings, which makes me possibly a little more late for work than would be necessary. I promise to try harder...

Another area of neglect is my aquarium - it needs to have its filter cleaned, and the lamp scrubbed clean from algae. I will have to put that on my to do immediately list. Right after finishing the book I'm reading. And putting those lunches together in the evening.. And mopping the kitchen floor.

Summer is wonderful, but how does it pass so quickly? I want to stretch every moment in the sun, every berry and every splash in the water...

Summer dealings

Both my teenager and my preschooler are in the Summer Reading Club and therefore are very motivated to do their daily reading. We have a mandatory Saturday morning visit to the library and leave loaded with new books. It's just getting to the middle of the summer, and therefore the year but I already have used 25 out of my 30 free holds in the library. Soon we will be moving on to using my husband's holds to get the rest of our coveted books. Trips to the library are awesome due to the huge wonderful green lawn and shaded benches. It happens to be the best place to run around and learn to do cartwheels.

When at home, choosing a book to read before bedtime is a process.

Sometimes it's a point and shoot, sometimes it's a game of hopscotch. End result is always a book, and there is something for everyone in the family.

Last weekend it was very hot and one of the mandatory requirements was..... yes, icecream. My girl chose a (toxic) blue bubblegum flavored icecream with sprinkles...Oh well.

In other news - our deck garden is looking splendid, Tomatoes are now taller than the person on sprinkler duty :)

Hope the summer will last a loooong time :)

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There are things in my life that I may not do as often as I'd like, but I love them non the less and keep meaning to get back into those things. This blog, sewing, baking... So this is me - trying. Not many people visit this space so this is not out of sense of obligation, but more because I like having this little corner of me in here.

What we up to in a few pictures:

Gymnastic and meditation:

Soccer:

Drawing:

Gardening:

 Celebrating Birthdays while playing soccer and getting ready for skating:

Visitning the Beasts at the Aquarium:

And hatching moths on our own balcony!

Remember that pretty green caterpillar? This is who he always wanted to be :)

Winter activities

My morning was spent registering kids for activities, and let me tell you - it's frustrating! Not getting into details, but trying to fit two kids' activities into a certain time frame is not easy on its own. Add to that the fact that apparently this year there are no full day skiing camps for teens, add to that that only other options require twice as long drive and twice as much money, *and* will mean that my younger one will have to miss her naps (still much needed for everyone's peace)... Ugh.

So far between the two kids we have swimming, soccer, gymnastics, dance, rugby and skating, once the swimming level is completed.

And, by the way, how is that Christmas shopping going? 1/5th completed, the rest to go....

Never easy

We are still here :)

Touching the bugs:

Riding a bike (into the sunset)

Touching more bugs:

I have had no inspiration to write, as perhaps writing in turn inspires introspection. This year a read over a hundred books, baked only a couple of times and made a trip to Ukraine. Since September we have swimming classes, gymnastics and a dance class. Life is busy and, often, absolutely wonderful. Here is hoping that I can get back into blogging a little more and plan ahead a little better. On that note, have you started you Christmas shopping yet? :)

Ukrainian Christmas Eve

Tomorrow is our Ukrainian Christmas Eve and I'm feeling melancholy. Back home, New Years is all about gifts and joy and new beginning, and Christmas is a family affair when you gather together and remember why we celebrate the Birth of Christ. We do not exchange gifts in the morning and Christmas for me remains untainted by the commercialized-must-buy-more-stuff affair of December 25th.... Although we give gifts on the 25th, those are from Santa Claus aka Saint Nicholas and have little to do with Christ.

So why the melancholy? Ukrainian Christmas has a tradition of a twelve-dish supper. However, for a family of four, one of us being a three year old such amount of food is impossible to eat. The joy of cooking for the big family for a big Christmas celebration, when all the nieces and nephews, grandmas and grandpas come together under one roof is incredible. And today, as I put together my menu for our small Christmas supper I feel more sharply than ever how alone we are here, across the ocean from my parents, my mother in law, my brother in law and his family.... I miss our Christmases together. I miss them. I miss having 5 people in the kitchen that can really only fit three. I miss cooking together with someone. I miss being able to ask a question if I don't know how to cook something (as opposed to Google search).

I will cook tomorrow for my kids and my husband. I will put my soul into making it special. I will do what I can and carry on a tradition, so that when my kids grow up and bring their own families to my house we can cook together and love the crowded kitchen and eat together.

And finally the menu:

- Kutia

- Holubci (cabbage rolls)

- Mashed potatoes

- Trout patties

- Herring under fur coat (Shuba)

- Salmon deviled eggs

- Pickled mushrooms

- Uzvar (compote from dried fruit)

- Poppy-seed roll

- Medyanyk (honey cake)

- Dark rye bread

- Apple cider

The last two items are on the list to make it twelve ;) Wish me luck....