the Life of Olena

ok so I need a hair cut really bad. I go through this every 4-6 months when my hair is beyond help and I am nearly in tears...but way to cheap to go get a hair cut. Around here the base price for a cut is $40 - I am sorry but that is just absurd to me. I have done much damage by trying to save a buck and going to Great Clips, Borics , etc. but EVERY single time this has lead to disaster and has landed me back in the $40 chair anyhow. With that being said I have just given up on taking risks. Well today on my way to work there is a Salon that I have been to a few times. (Last time was probably around this time last year and I have never had the same girl twice.) They had a huge sign out front that said $20 wash, cut and style. SWEET!!!! I was so excited. We are attempting our shot at a family photograph on Wednesday and with the Holidays this couldn't be a better deal for me. When I get to work I call and I ask about the $20 deal. She says "Oh yes, that is our new ...

I wish I had something exciting to post but unfortunately that is not the case and I don't even have any new pictures - :( but I do have a little story I thought I would share... I woke up last Sunday morning and looked outside, it was chilly, damp and gloomy - all I could think to myself and how much the day reminded me of Ukraine. All week, strangely, I had been having several thoughts of Ukraine, our time there and how much I would love to go back. I was just telling Jason about it a few days earlier. so I was sitting at the kitchen table looking through the paper when the sleeping beauty decided to wake up. She stumbled into the kitchen, gave me hug and looked up at me - all of a sudden it hit me - there I was looking into those huge brown eyes, the ones that melted my heart exactly 3 years ago. Yep, it was our "family day". I had completely forgotten about it. November 15th. The day that I walked into the room of the desky dom and was blessed with the most pe...

I am highly considering milling my own flour. Tonya gave me this idea back on our trip to GA, and I recently have done some research on it and I am thrilled at what I learned. Anyone else do this? I would love to hear some ideas and comments about what kind of mills you use. I don't have the money to spend on something fancy and I am perfectly fine with using a hand mill - but do they do the job? The wheat from which most bread is made has proven to be one of nature's most perfect foods, full of vitamins, minerals, and many trace elements. The seed of wheat is made up of many parts consisting of three basic categories: The bran, made up of many layers of vitamins, minerals, and rich proteins, forms the tough outer covering. This part of the wheat also provides valuable roughage which acts like a sponge to absorb and remove unwanted poisons and toxins from our digestive sytem. The germ is the life-giving part of the seed. It's packed with vitamins B and E, but once milled...

I'm BACK! Sorry but no Internet connection for a few weeks :( but I have a few things to post and of course a few pictures. We had a trip up North with my cousin and his family. It was beautiful, relaxing and a great time. We took a River Boat ride, had the perfect bonfire and the kids had a ton of fun. Olena is doing great. We couldn't be happier with the way things are going. We struggle a bit with behavior and attitude issues but we are trying different parenting techniques - trial and error, and trying find what works best. We have been pretty successful and you can see that she is now trying too and putting in a bit more effort to behave and do what we ask the first time and doing it happily. It makes for a great home life and all of us are really enjoying each other right now. She is getting much more confident on the bike. She finally has the brakes figured out and doesn't have much trouble at all if any. She has had a few spills but handles herself gre...

Oh I forgot to mention that I chopped her hair - hey it all grows back. I get a TON of compliments on it. It is a bit messy in these pics but when done nicely the short cut is adorable on her :) Milking a cow on the Farm! Feeding the sheep. Our River Boat ride, which was so much fun! and Jason enjoyed the $3 mixed drinks that grandma was making at the bar. A glass of Jack with a splash of Coke. (keep in mind this was a 2 hour trip) The leaves looked like Gold. We went to this great petting farm in Gladwin . The kids got a bucket full of stuff and a check list of chores that they had to do on the farm. They had a baby bottle that they feed the goats and sheep with. She milked a cow. Sorted the baby chicks. Feed the billy goats and big sheep corn. Feed the horse and donkeys hay. Fed some ducks and chickens. They had to collect eggs from the hen house and take them to the "general store" where the clerk bought the eggs from and paid with candy. Feed carrots to t...