Little Baby Ania

Needful and a bit late on all things post... We had out little baby Ania last August. She was born smaller only 7.4 lbs but is quickly catching up.

Thank you everyone :) We wont be who we are if not for you.

So much to write but just few things are coming out.... How do you post pictures again :) ?? Have not done it for so long.... might never figure it out... also how to post a billion things we have done; dont know...We wish to see all of you and catch up on things... good night, gotta go... sleep

French food and a little bit of the past

Our little anniversary get away or I call it a honey moon in the South. This year Jeremy took me to our first French restaurant, Bastille in Old Town Alexandria. We were lucky to dine out during a restaurant week, the time when you can try a three-course meal at a pricey place on budget, a total for two $52 tax included.

I ordered sardines appetizer, Sautéed *Branzino Fillet “a la Grenobloise” with capers lemon brown butter and fingerlings potatoes & Summer vegetables. Jeremy tried beignet of Oysters with mignonette mayonnaise and crispy duck confit with summer berries, organic mesclun, citrus-olive oil vinaigrette. For desert I ordered trio of artisanal cheeses and he raspberry crème brûlée with Almond biscotti. It was delicious... as Julia Child would note... everything floated in butter and more butter. Jeremy's duck was excellent... he didn't skip a bite and then he felt it on our hike up to General Robert E. Lee Arlington house.

A striking view with the capitol and a Mall opens up from the porch, the birds eye view of the city. No wonder after General Lee decided to resign from the US army (cant believe they tried to get him to fight his own), the Union army occupied and took away his land. Once again I felt like a long time ago in Moscow learning about how Soviet army took away homes, land and lives... I was so enthralled with the history that there is no pictures...

My first four hours away from home in a long time. I was glad to come back... poor little Feo was struggling with where his mama go. Thanks to Justine (our bishops daughter) I felt they were safe and sound. Sonia had lots of fun and I think Justine read her all fifty library books that are checked out... plus Candy Land game.

catching up... busy summer

At the zoo we tried posing with a sloth bear that is not sloth by any means. They carry their young on the back; the only bear to do so. We watched a family of otters walk the balance beam, play in the grass and then swimSprinklers saved us from getting over heated in over 100 F.

Sonia's first hair cut... her little baby curls are now in my journal. Sonia sat patiently. She has been doing her long hair every day. I even had time to add some layers. After cutting Jeremy's hair for seven years, this job was done in about twenty minutes.

Feo said his first words this month... first mama even though I have been teaching him papa. Then the next day "ball." He only says them when he really needs one or the other. The biggest ball he could find while I was busy making dinner. We all enjoy "arbuz" but Feo loves to roll it around.

Building with papa while Sonia is taking her nap...
We have been swimming at a local pool for only $2 a day. It has a toddler pool that goes up to three and a half feet deep. Jeremy comes right after work and joins the fun.

My grandpa would have turned one hundred this summer. My mom sent us a plasma car to commemorate the event. Sonia loves it.

This summer we went to Italy at the National Museum of art. With studying painting, sculpture and doing some artwork. We went all five weeks and only once i had to park at the meters therefore cost $3. At the end Sonia got a gift bag with oil pastels; she draws everyday now.

Our Fourth Of July

July is here... Jeremy and Sonia put together a Styrofoam airplane. They flue it high up in the air. It glided, crashed and almost landed in a bush of poison ivy. The best dollar ever spent at a garage sale. ;-)

We went shopping and got some much needed new shoes for Sonia and Jeremy. Then we headed for the preview Saturday concert on the steps of the capitol. We heard life Lang Lang, David Archuletta and Reba McEntire.

On Sunday we drove to the Airforce Memorial, listened to the Airforce band and watched fireworks shot over the Potomac.

snakes and ice cream

We walked out of our friend's front door and I was looking at Sonia and going backward. She warned me and assertively pointed with her finger under my feet. If I have made that one step, I would have ultimately landed on this huge black water snake. Not a pretty sight but little girls enjoyed following it. Sonia was thrilled with it.

We also celebrated Solstice with our friends at one of the best ice cream party... Lindy is such a wonderful hostess. I fell to take pictures of girls rolling hula hoops down a huge hill. So here are a few joyful moments captured.

Father's day

Having two children makes you twice of a father or two times better at it, I think.

Last week Jeremy and Sonia got really bad poison ivy rash.Sonia had many red spot areas but only one blister developed on her leg.Jeremy's whole face was swollen, his eyes were shut and later it spread over his whole body. I was trying to be as nice as I could without erupting into a deep laughter every now and then. What is better? Crying or laughing. By hte way, his face is much better now. Anyways he's got more itchy red rush all over his body. It is not pretty or fun since he seems to be turning into one huge red blister...

Jeremy got a free My touch phone on Saturday and that seemed to make him happy. Then Sonia took her papa out for ice cream in Old Town. This ice cream parlor has a cute bear up front stirring a new batch of frozen goodness. They make ice cream right there so it is like or even better than home made.

On Sunday I treated Jeremy to a breakfast of his choice (whole wheat pancakes with berries and OJ), blueberry-raspberry muffins and then flounder-crab loaf for supper. The food made him happy ;-)

I take photos with things we do throughout the day and send them to Jeremy. Feo was taking a nap, exhausted at a pool.Bears picture for papa to sheer him up one day.Sonia and Feo love their nature class with miss Nancy. That day Sonia saw a frog eating crickets. After miss Nancy told everyone that frog eat crickets, Sonia raised her hand and shared with everyone that snakes eat frogs. Valerie and I through a shower for Mary Beth for her new little baby girl. We had so much fun getting ready and I enjoyed hosting at my home for the first time. Thanks to Heather who was visiting us, I felt everything was in its place!Feo in his new Sunday best. Even with cool matching socks. They only stayed on him for the picture...