Last few days in Utah

On our two last trips to the Bean museum we fed Otis, a tortoise Sonia's lunch and saw a frog that feasts on mice. Otis was super happy to discover world of bananas and raisins. Sonia still talks about it because it was her banana and I held it while Otis gobbled it up. Slow tortoises are very fast eaters! The frog was big and old, about nine years. He ate mice once a week and because of his age, baby mice only. He looked rather healthy ;-) Mice are good for you!

We went back on our bikes to the Nun's park and threw some more rocks in the Provo river. Sonia will miss this activity. She is really good at it.

Sonia climbed her favorite slide and proved once again that a two-year-old girl is good at all things ;-)

I finished Sonia's super soft blanket for her new bed. Sonia helped me pin it and was so excited when it was done; now I just need to finish her bed skirt and curtains for her room. She loves to cuddle in her new blankie; it made all work absolutely worth every stitch of it!

We celebrated my birthday at Gateway with grandma and grandpa Lamb, Mike and my mom. We are missing everyone already.

Mischa patiently awaited us in Sonia's seat.

Then we packed all day Tuesday and if my mom didn't tell me Happy Birthday, I would have all forgotten about it. Sonia and Babulya had way too much fun on the trampoline for the last time.

Jeremy and some not so young men in our ward loaded the truck; to my surprise all our stuff fit inside. Jeremy took of with Mischa as his only companion. On they went.

The truck says "Moving up..." and I would add "in the world" at least for us! Mischa is on top of everything and that is how he would get to Virginia, with his nose next to windshield.

I went to Kid to Kid and Sonia found a yellow car bed for herself. She wanted to get it and even took a piece of a car with her to a check out. She loves zheltue machinu; we always note them on the freeway.

Hello Alexandria ;-)

We signed a lease and are on the way to Alexandria, Virginia. We shall get there the first week of June and I will become a southerner in a cute town home with beautiful patio looking onto a park ;-)

with french doors

and very little fridge that "might" be upgrated in the next two weeks, according to our new landlord, Joe. As already usual for us... we have not seen this place in person so it is going to be a surprise. Adding to it; I have never been to DC or Virginia but know the place by heart with the help of Gmaps.

For now we are getting furniture off ksl (local craigslist) and packing up. So far we accomplished to find a nice white leather couch, chair and an ottoman for our new living room. A cute blue leather recliner for Sonia ($5 special ;) A new bedroom set for Sonia and soon to be here child was delivered to our door all the way from St. George and I absolutely love it.

I am also busy finishing up Sonia's bedding for her new room. Here is a sneak peak at the colorful quilt that is almost finished. I am about to quilt it and a nice lady from our ward is going to help me with pinning it up tomorrow morning... I decided to save $100 and try quilting it with my machine. I hope it works ;-) Baby project is on hold for now... since there is just not enough time ;-) I might just have to buy crib bedding later. I sitll hope to get to it sometime this summer.

Oh my... mooving again

We have been planning to move to DC in July. But three days ago the lady who is renting us her downstairs basement told us that she needs it for the summer and we need to move... how i wish we would have signed a contract. I guess just as much as I wished not to have one when we were in New york ;-) I have been looking everywhere and wishing I did so five months ago. Every place in Orem/Provo is asking for at least six months contract. So far I have not found any one willing to lease us anything for a month and a half.
Well, we will be out of here in two weeks but i am not sure where we are going so if you know anyone in this area who could rent us something for that short of a time, please let me know ;-) I would so much appreciate it!!!!!!

We graduated!!!!

It was a long road ;-) For all of us. Jeremy put a lot of work into learning about Shar Peis and their dominating behavior. Luckily I've had plenty of great Dane and other type of stubborn type pf a dog experience growing up. Sonia loved watching dogs, learning about fish, birds, mice, kittens. She got to sleep in all big dogie beds, climbed onto cat beds, sat in kennels, touched a sick dragon and did much more. It was also getting to know our puppy better class.

Mischa's buddies for eight weeks.

Here is what Mischa A'ced:

- Come here

- Sit

- Down

- Stay (he can sit the longest out of any dog and not being distracted)

- He is potty trained and on the way to becoming perhaps a show dog. He just needs some more training and committed owners. The later might not happen ;-)

Here is complete failures:

-Fetch (Mischa just gives you a look like... why don't you go and get it yourself since you've got legs too ;) It gives Sonia great disappointment. She always tries to find another dog at a dog run that would fetch for her.

-Paw (He is not treat motivated so he doesn't care for tricks)

-High five and roll

So far he turned into a great companion and comes with us to all play grounds, runs well on the leash besides the bike and loves playing with Sonia. His main flaws are snoring!!!! He is as loud as... many people I know ;-) He also chases grass mowers whenever he gets a chance and he has hard time being left by himself even when we go to church. So he comes along with us practically everywhere.

Today we went to our favourite playground. I love it because it feels secluded with beautiful pine trees and birds singing. Mischa loves chasing birds and running mad off leash. Sonia enjoys building homes out of wood chips, swinging, and going up and down this zheltuj tunnel.

We play peek-a-boo

She could simply play here whole day!

Mother's Day

Thank you my dears for today ;-) It is a great blessing to be your wife, Jeremy and your mama, Sonia and your daughter, mom! I enjoyed it all today. Seventeen weeks along ;-)

Jeremy worked hard trying to make a big industrial thread work for my sawing machine. Thank you, honey!!!! I suppose I am quite a bit in a nesting mode because I just started two huge sawing projects. One for Sonia and another one for our new little one.

We had a lovely morning with delicious scallop breakfast then a great church meeting. This ward is amazing! We will most definitely miss everyone very much. Sonia loves going to nursery here and she loves everyone there.

Then we went for a picnic with my mom. Mike, Jeff. Irina and all the kids. Kids climbed the tree and we snapped a shot with all of them sitting on the branch.

Then with mamas ;-)

Kids walked and kept together all the way to a play ground. Even the little ones wanted to walk.

Sonia attempted climbing a tree.

She begged me for help. But we have a rule that if you can't climb somewhere, it means you've got to grow a little bigger. It helps with learning about strength limits and prevents falls.

She persevered and at the end was victorious! Way to go my little one!!

Then we had a real feast with stuffed crapes, salads, Dutch oven sausages and veggies and with two deserts.

Strawberry angel cake, yummy!

And arbuz or better known as watermelon. Papa was good at cutting it up. I guess, Jeremy learned how over the years because I am a huge watermelon eater and on the good day I can eat the whole thing by myself!

Then we feasted upon it. Kids just loved it.

Who needs ice cream really?! Arbuz is Sonia fave food and she says it only in Russian.

Sonia was so into it that she got cold and her lips turned blue so it was a time to go home for us. Happy Mother's Day!!!

At a Provo lake

We just got a bike trailer on craigslist for super cheap. It holds two kids but we have just one for now; still it works great and makes us much more mobile. We headed for a lake and Mischa made it there and back, about thirteen miles round trip. What a trouper!

Sonia discovered boats and even a yellow boat going back to a harbor. She really wanted to try one. Then we looked for ducks but they were hard to come by. There were a few hiding in the bushes.

Then we saw more ducks on the way home and had to stop for more pictures.

Utah ducks are wild. They stay away and don't come close to you even if you've got bread. Silly creatures.

At a dog park last week Sonia climbed rocks and went for little adventures. She liked going with mama better but I only have a picture with papa.

Lindon and papa

While we waited for papa, Sonia found some flowers on our way to a play ground.

Pretty Lindon mountains created a perfect backdrop for these shots.

Mischa ran into someones back yard and got yelled for it. Then we found a play ground and went down a colorful slide about dozen times.

It all turned even more fun with papa.

Little snuggles on the way to a car.

Big news in our lives!

We are expecting an addition to our little family!! A new baby should be here at the end of October. Sonia and I have been having baby conversations lately so we hope to be somewhat ready for the new arrival ;-) Today we watched a mother duck with ten little ducklings braving Spring Provo river on our walk at the River Parkway Trail. So we hope to just have one, healthy one and not ten!