Life is not so picture perfect

I know I always try to take pictures that reflect the best in life, cute kids, beautiful families, fun times so on and so forth. Perfect is how it looks a lot on the pictures. This post is not about that.

A lot of people I know (most of them are Ukrainian) think that "there are no cats in America and the streets are covered with cheese" that is if you were a cat. But I hope you know what I am saying.  A lot of people think that everything is perfect and beautiful ALL THE TIME  here in U.S. Sometimes when I tell my Mom that we have been sick with strep 3 times this winter she will have something new to tell those naive people who think American children don't get sick. Can you believe it? Well, that is what it looks like from far away. I wish, we wouldn't get sick, I wish my house and car was always spotlessly clean and children looked groomed and not snotty all the time. Well, maybe someone out there, you  have to be really OUT there who thinks that everything is BEAUTIFUL and Perfect but not in my house.

 Last week I felt like giving Tasia a haircut and this is how she looks on a good day, not every day

This is Quinn he is 4 months old now, and he is always that cute :)

I enjoy this baby a lot. He just today learned how to blow raspberries

Quinn loves taking baths, it is my favorite time with him too

We have this ritual that we do with our kids every day before bed. First we read books to them. Then we read scriptures, pray and then we sing their favorite songs to them. They can't go to bed without each of those things.

Now as I said before we got strep again. This is the third time this winter. Sometimes i wonder what i do wrong for us to be sick all the time. Today I come from showering and see this, watching a movie. She is suppose to be laying in bed sick and she does this?

After Holidays Catching up

Celebrations don't end after Christmas and New year. We had a blast party at Audra's house that we will never forget. Then after all the holidays are over we still spent weeks celebration Tasia's birthday many different ways.

First on the morning of her birthday we opened a present from grandma Lidiya

 then she opened a present from Mom and dad

then since we did not have any parties scheduled Tasia wanted to have a tea party with her friends

not all her girlfriends could come so we had to have another one next day

Tasia made some mini cupcakes with the set grandma Susan gave her for Christmas

On the New Year's Day we celebrated Tasia's birthday at grandparent's house. Grandma Susan made this beautiful cake for her.

Shu-Shu pet and a car from aunt Josie and uncle Mike

 Cute outfits from Grandma Susan

Then Just this last Saturday we had a Polar Express Birthday party for Tasia and her friends

 kids pretended to ride the homemade Polar Express

decorated gingerbread cookies

we had lots of fun. it was fun to see kids that were excited about Polar Express as my kids were. Fun Fun.

 Well, I think we are up to date now, almost

What a Great Christmas!!!

Nothing like our kids anticipating Christmas made it unforgettable!!! I admit I was not looking forward to upcoming winter. Last one (when Jim was in school) got me little bit depressed, so I was worried the same will happen this year. I thought Christmas will make it better but nothing more. Well, so far I have not been bored even for a minute. I love it when My friends keep me busy and my kids as well. Now it is kind of hard to be bored with three kids, Photography business and on the side job.

This Christmas was one of the more unforgettable ones. Tasia was getting us all excited. She asked me practically every day, is it Christmas yet? And when it came she definitely had ants in her pants. On Christmas Eve at the dinner table she keept asking me, "Mom, when did aunt Carolyn said Santa was going to come?" I said after you are asleep. "Can you wake me up then", I said of cores not!.

After kids were in their beds on Christmas Eve, Jim and I still had a TON of things to do. About 30 min later I was mopping the floors by Tasia's room and I hear her : "Who's there?" in hopes for A Fat Guy with a beard.

We took time to teach our kids more about True meaning of Christmas and it was amazing to see the changes in their attitudes. They loved giving Gifts for Jesus, by serving others.

Tasia and AJ with their ctockings

Quinn's First Christmas

This year for Christmas Jim and I decided to do symbolic percents for each other, since we are saving (paying off school debt) some cash to go to Jim's Myofascial release seminars in Hawaii. It is going to be our Anniversary and Christmas presents for each other. So I was looking forward to see kids open their toys and patiently waiting for April when we get to leave the kids and enjoy some son in Kauai. I used to looking forward to what I get for Christmas, but now since I have kids things have changed.

We loved when Grandparents come for breakfast on Christmas morning. It became our new tradition since last year.

AJ and his new Buzz

AJ was also very into Thomas the Train recently. Grandma and Grandpa gave him a cool set with trains and tracks. He absolutely loves them. I often hear him screaming Chaga- Chaga- ChOOO- CHOOO through the whole house

Christmas Toy Solder

It is exciting for me to see what dance Tasia's Ballet Class will do and what costumes they will come up with. This year she is a Christmas Solder. I loved the costume.

Quinn is 3 months old

Couple of weeks ago I had a Mom call to schedule an appointment for kid pics. She asked me a couple of questions and while we were talking she told me she get's her daughter's pictures taken by a professional photographer EVERY MONTH. I was amazed!!! No wonder why she needed to ask her husband if that was ok:). Anyways, there are some amazing parents out there that treasure their kid's every day of life. And all memories and pictures are Priceless, aren't they?

So now I am trying to not be too busy and take my kid's pics as much as I can, since it is mostly free for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arches Winter vacation Part I

For Jim's birthday this year we decided to save up some money and go to his favorite place in the world Arches National Park. Their average temperatures in the winter is 60 F, but of course not when we were there. At that time we all had a huge storm rolling in and it was in the 40 ies, still better then freezing Salt Lake Area. We booked an inexpensive hotel in advance and agreed on the conditions of not being able to cancel it to get the best price. That being said, right before we had to leave we found out that I had Strep and that there was a good chance that all of us would get it. In a haste to get antibiotics during the holidays and getting ready we still went on a 4 hour road trip to the arches. Despite of sickness which kids got too, we had fun. Arches still amazes us and impresses us with it's majestic beauty. We have to go there again when it is little bit warmer we said.

My favorite Sand Dune arch, so much fun for kids to play in.

Jim is gazing at his favorite....

Double arch on the picture here 

On the way to sand dune arch, it is in those narrow rocks

 Our Wild animals

 Quinn's first vacation

Sand Dune arch again

Tasia loving Sand dune arch