Sunday at home

"Look outside! All cars are covered with snow!"

Magically old world disappeared in the three feet of heavy white snow. Our stake authorized us to hold a sacrament meeting at our homes... it was so sweet to gather at the kitchen table with my husband and two children ;-)

Then Jeremy took Sonia and Mischa for a walk and they were gone for more than an hour. Sonia my little toddler wanted to go on and on leaving her little footprints in the snow.

Jeremy sored himself with digging our car out... it took a while and we all had to come out and help him.

Nice hot chocolate after good dinner finished our Sunday.

I spoke with a friend on her way to Bahamas. I told her how excited I was for her and she laughed saying "have fun being stuck in the snow." The truth of the matter is that I would much rather be in my little home covered with snow and nowhere to go than bake in the hot sun. Well, it is just how I am.

We wished to see a Blue Jay this morning. We have not seen one at our feeder for a long time. Voila, at dinner this beautiful blue bird came to eat with us.

Agency

Love the snow... missed it whole time we lived in Southern Cali. In my perfect Heaven there will be snow and thunder storms ;-) Heavy snow quiets the noise making everything clean and white. Even dirty Mischa who can't be washed since it is too cold to hose him outside, got his snow bath today.

Sonia found her sun hat and matching trousers and refused to put on much more. I suggested she would venture in the snow so she added one shoe to her outfit. She went out ;-) I love that she will have a picture of herself "doing something hard" and braving one of the all times three heavy snow falls in DC area.

Jeremy went to feed the birds, then shoveled the thigh-deep snow. We huddled together and enjoyed being stuck under one roof. Naps, balloon fight, hot chocolate and memories that can't be tarnished away.
Last week:

We celebrated Jeremy's birthday with Gershwin at the National Art Museum and NYC Opera. It was a free performance during lunch time where Sonia and Feo could come with us. Then we had a surprise party with good friends, dinner and a yummy torte.

We played with clay and Sonia made a butterfly. Sonia wanted to hols it and play with it. I told her about the clay and that we would need a very hot fire to make it stronger. She asked for fire... I told her her Babulya used to have an oven with that kind of fire but I don't. So the butterfly didn't last.

My two darlings on the stairway at home.Sonia and her bunny.

After a long day at work resting by the fire

Making an apple pie for dinner.

Hard working pin and hands

Snow is on the way

Well, such is life... poor Feo won't be blessed this Sunday in Utah. We loaded our car last night with all the luggage only to find out our flight has been cancelled and there will be no flights until Monday. I wanted to cry and so I did ;-) here is a quick update:

Sonia still fits in the laundry bascket....Feo is growing quick.He plays with old Sonia's cow reaching and grabbing with his liitle hands.

We made some cute pinguins at the library.

Three-day weekend

We love having papa for three days to ourselves. We found Mischa a dog sitter for when we fly to Utah next month. Then we played at a Sparkle Lab in the American History Museum.We went shopping at TJ Max and got some cool stuff ;-) for cheap... a dress for me, running shoes for papa, Curious George books for Sonia and additional train tracks for Feo. Plus tried on hats... I have to say trying on hats was my fave activity when I was a kid shopping with my mom. Then on Monday it was warm and sunny so we went to see our friends a the National Zoo.

Baby panda was up and eating his lunch. Too bad he is going to China soon (all US born panda babies belong to China. They are here on a loan for a few years after they birth then they are shipped away)... I hope they treat him well there.

We saw not a hedgehog. It is a look alike from Madagascar, a small tenrec. It has no needles. Sonia wanted to pet him.

An older lady stood right behind us. She smiled at me and told me my son was flirting with her... he is quite a cooer and will try huge smiles, laughing and giggles if you are close by.

Feo's crib

Last week we put together Feo's bed. He is not ready to sleep on his own yet neither am I but here it is... The mattress frame went up, a quilted bumper was neatly tied up and two jolly kids gazed at my finished work... a joyful moment.

This little quilt and a bumper are designed by me. I also made a big quilt in red with the same large squares that came from a book. It is too big for Feo but I am thinking to put it up on the wall.Sonia's baby Dear also has a matching quilt.

It is perfect for Sonia's baby ;-)

We are flying to Utah soon and I can't wait to find new fabrics for my summer projects! When I went shopping for my first quilt for Sonia's new bed Jeremy about had a heart attack... he didn't think I could finish putting all the little scraps of fabric together but I somehow managed it. Now I am much more confident and even make my own designs ;-)

Today at the library we made fun walkie-talkies out of plastic cups. Sonia and I played with it whole day long and when papa came home, he also tried them out. So simple and it works!

Right before bedtime I caught Sonia reading Feo a new book from the library. Feo intently listens to every word of Sonia's story ;-)

Sister and brother...

Feo fell asleep in the bouncy chair while I was making a dinner the other night .

"Mama, Feo would like some lovies," Sonia said and then she went to work. By the time Feo woke up, he was swaddled in many blankets and surrounded by little friends ;-)

I know what Pediatrics recommend: do not cover babies with blankets and do not put any stuffed toys next to them... but that would be so boring!

All aboard... Norwegian Christmas trains

To finish our New Year's celebration we went to see a Norwegian train winding its way through the mountains and fjords at the Union Station.

A wooden church reminded me of Russian Kizhi on the North

there were trolls and everything to Sonia's delight.