Kathryn went to Primary (for kids ages 3-11) instead of nursery (for kids ages 18 months -3) for the first time at church today.  We’ve been talking about it for weeks.  Yesterday when I told her she would go to primary at church, she reminded me that first she would go to Sacrament Meeting.  Unfortunately Amelia was sick, so I stayed home with her.  However, Darryl was able to take a picture of Kathryn before primary started, and when they got home Kathryn burst in the door and said, “I went to primary!”  She was so excited and so am I! 

 

There are 8 kids in the primary, one if them is a new sunbeam with Kathryn.  The other kids are 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9.

Kathryn | 3 Comments »

Darryl and I are still in a stage (which I’m sure won’t last long) where we wake up before the kids on Christmas morning.  We’re so excited and can’t wait for them to wake up!

Here are a few pictures from the festivities.  Kathryn was impressed that Santa knew the kind of orange she liked for her stocking.  The rest of us got mandarins.

 

I love Amelia’s expression when Kathryn opened this present (it was Amelia’s present but Kathryn wanted to help).  Also, a picture of us doing webcam with Darryl’s family.  We did the same with mine.

The markets are full of fancy dresses for girls young and old this time of year.  Last year I resisted, but this year I decided to get one for each of the girls.  They love dressing up in their “princess dresses” and I’m hopeful at least one will use it for a Halloween costume this year.  Amelia and Kathryn also both love the Little People Palace.

 

And, of course, the boxes are a highlight.

 

Family | 1 Comment »

Amelia’s cute cousin Sarah had so many Christmas dresses, she sent one all the way here to Amelia.  Thank you Sarah and Aunt Heidi!  We got it after church on the Sunday before Christmas, so Amelia wore it this past Sunday with a picture in front of the Christmas tree for documentation, to go along with my sister’s documentation of Sarah’s dresses.

 

I don’t know the history of the dress, but here it is on Amelia!  She is wearing a Christmas bear hair holder given to her by Aunt Bobbi.  We got the picture before she insisted on wearing a blue bow in her hair.  This girl LOVES blue!

Amelia | 2 Comments »

On Christmas Eve we acted out the first Christmas.  Kathryn was Mary, she even helped make some hay to put in the manger, and her doll was baby Jesus.  Darryl played Joseph, he’s really the only option since he is the only male in the house. 

   

Amelia was the angel, and she is just so cute!  We used the “program” from the Family Home Evening manual that my mom used for our Christmas Eve’s for years and years.  I asked the girls ahead of time what songs they wanted to sing, so we included “Picture a Christmas”, “The Shepherd’s Carol”, and the primary songbook version of “Away in a Manger”.  Amelia was a great angel, as she was very into the songs, holding her songbook up and singing like an angel.

 

I was shepherd, at Kathryn’s request.  It was a wonderful night, and I tried to just enjoy it as a family Christmas memory.

Family | 2 Comments »

Our branch had a talent show earlier this month.  It was a great activity, with lots of entertainment.  Kathryn and Amelia liked clapping after each act, and were pretty well entertained for the entire show.  The promise of ice cream afterwards also helped.  Here are several pictures from the event.

 

Below is the mission president and his family doing a really cool talent:  playing a song by hitting various sized wrapping paper tubes on their heads.

Then here I am with my orange hair.  I played in a trio.  Sister Olsen is playing my viola, isn’t it beautiful?  I was on the violin.  I’ve now played in the talent show and in Sacrament Meeting, but both times on the violin and not my new viola.  Next time I will make sure I am the one playing the viola!

Kathryn and Amelia recited a Snowman poem, which was really cute.  I didn’t know if Kathryn would really go up in front of everyone, or actually say the poem.  But she did!  I was so proud.  Unfortunately, the video Darryl took is sideways, and we haven’t figured out how to fix that yet.  But any Harrisons will see another performance in “The Best Christmas Eve Program Ever” video.  Hopefully we can get the talent show video up soon.  Instead, I put this other picture of the girls in.  This is them sitting at a little table for dinner.

Family | 1 Comment »

Amanda has had a tough few days.  Perhaps it’s a full moon.  Perhaps it’s the extra sugar coursing through our girls veins (though on BBC last night, they proved that sugar does NOT make kids hyper).   I suspect that her days are usually like this and I just happened to call at the “right” time this week.  These are a few of the things I heard over the last couple of days:

“Kathryn, yes, I know Amelia drew on my arm.”

“Amelia, I told you not to put that in your mouth.”

“Aw…now there’s milk all over the floor.”

(We had a little party last week and had some left over chips.  Apparently the girls have been wanting them all week, because I overheard)…”Oh, you want a snack Amelia?  Do you want crackers,,,uh…milk…carrots?  Amelia responds: CHIIIPPPPS!  Amanda continues: Chips?  Oh noooo, I’ve created a monster!  I hear Amelia in the background:  Chips.  Chips.  Chips.  Chips.  Chips….

(On another day): “After you write your name, I’ll give you a LOOONG chip….<pause>.  I though that WAS a long one.  Oh, I’m sorry.  I guess they’re all broken…..hmmm….Is THIS a long one?”

 ”Amelia just loves these pens….no, no…and just DREW on the chair!  Amelia nap time.  OK fine, just read a book.”

But the best (or worst) was this one (I’m talking to Kathryn and hear a loud THUD in the background):

“Aahhh!  There’s blood everywhere!  I told you not to jump on the bed!   Why don’t you girls listen to me?  Kathryn, tell Daddy to get home as soon as possible!” (Amelia had jumped partly off the bed and cut her lip).

Family | 5 Comments »

I was going to wait until after the baby is born to tell my adventures, but I figured labor and delivery would be enough of an adventure that I could write some other things before that.

Yesterday I went to the hospital to sign the contract and pay for the labor and delivery.  Yes, we have to pay before the actual delivery, and I had to sign a contract.  I didn’t really want to sign that I had no reservations about their medical care, but I also don’t want a home birth.  I signed my name more times than when we purchased our home.  On every page of the contract, both the English translation part and the Russian part, which means twice on every page.  Then two copies of the contract.  It was kind of fun to take bundles of cash to the hospital, rubberbanded together in groups of thousands. 

Not fun is feeling really stupid because I can’t communicate with most people there.  At least at the American Medical Center (AMC) all the employees speak English.  The day before I had gone for several tests - they required it before signing the contract, even though I had had all of these tests done at the AMC already.  I just went wherever led me, but come to find out on Thursday one of the tests hadn’t gotten done.  How was I supposed to know?  Its a little humorous, except for the fact that getting to this hospital is a major trial.  Another thing I was told is that if Darryl happens to be coughing or sneezing when I am in labor, he cannot come into the delivery room.  I’m trying to think how I will handle that, should the situation arise.  I don’t want to make a scene like an “Ugly American”, but the thought of not having Darryl there might be worse.

Amanda, Kyiv Adventures | 2 Comments »

Kids are so clever.  Kathryn is really starting to use her imagination.  One day she used a spatula all day for her violin.  Yesterday this box was a boat.  They had a great time rowing the boat, and of course putting all the stuffed animals in the boat.  Santa even got in the boat!

Amelia, Kathryn | 2 Comments »

Thursday night when I went to do the dishes (by hand, of course, as we have no dishwasher) there was no hot water.  Not the worst thing.  But the next morning we still had no hot water.  We have something that heats water when this happens (which is not often), but that thing is broken. 

Friday night Darryl asked the building lady downstairs about the water.  She showed him a newspaper article that said the city turned off hot water in many areas to fix something, and it was unknown how long it would need to be off. 

So coming from the faucet was not just water that is not hot.  It was ice cold!  We were thinking this could last quite awhile, but luckily on Sunday night the hot water came back!  We only had to heat water on the stove a couple times for baths and dishes.  Still, I think we’ll try to get our water heater thing fixed as soon as possible.

Kyiv Adventures | 4 Comments »

 

I made apple pie for the first time on Thanksgiving.  We actually celebrated Thanksgiving on Saturday, since Darryl had to work Thursday.  A family in our branch invited us over for Saturday, since their children had school on Thursday.  So on Thursday, in honor of Thanksgiving, I made an apple pie. 

We’d had an enrichment a few weeks earlier where someone taught us about making apple pie.  Everyone was talking about how they love pie, and how they do their crust, and such and such.  Most people know that I am not a fan of cooked fruit, so that kind of means that pie is not my thing.  I’ve made a couple of strawberry pies (fruesh fruit, of course), and a chocolate cream pie last year for Darryl’s birthday.  Of course there are lemon meringue pies, and cream pies and such.  But it seems that “pie people” really like cooked fruit in their pie.  So I had never made an apple pie, or any cooked fruit kind of pie.  And I’ve only forced myself to eat them a few times.

But Darryl loves pie, and I thought since I learned about making apple pie, I should make one for him.  He did say that peach pie is his favorite, so perhaps next summer I will attempt that.  Of all the cooked fruit out there, apple is the one that I can handle in moderation.  Probably because we had apple trees growing up and so my mom made lots of apple pies and sometimes I didn’t want to miss out on a treat so I would try to eat some.  And now that I am a mature adult, I am starting to come around to cooked apple things.  Sometimes.

So this is getting really long, but I still need to finish my apple pie story.  People that make pie crust make it look so easy.  I knew it wouldn’t be easy for me, but I saw a picture of this pressed down edge instead of a decorated bumpy thing, which I  always saw my mom do.  It of course doesn’t look perfect, or as nice as Amanda’s cherry pie, but I was pleased.

Now when it comes to eating apple pie, I have come to realize that not everyone does it the way I was taught to.  Which is warm, and with ice cream.  The warm part, well, the only thing worse than cooked fruit is cold cooked fruit.  And anything is better with ice cream, right? 

So back to my apple pie.  I made it, but I wasn’t sure how it would taste.  After the girls went to bed (not that I don’t want them to like apple pie, but Darryl got home from work late and I wanted him to see the finished product before it was cut up).  Well, it was DELICIOUS!!  It was warm, of course, and with ice cream.  But I daresay I could have eaten a piece even without ice cream.  Darryl even said it was yummy.  I’m quite excited at the success.  Perhaps I will make another apple pie next fall.

Amanda | 2 Comments »

This is for my sister, Heidi.  She may not remember this, but I think about it all the time.  Once before I was married and had children, I was visiting and was enamored with her two darling little girls.  I said something like, “They are so cute, how do you stand it everyday?”  Heid smiled politely and said, “Sometimes I can’t,” and laughed.

Well, Heidi, now I get it!  Sometimes they are just so cute I can’t stand it.  Like yesterday morning they were dancing around to Abba songs, and when Amelia also wanted to dress up like a bride so I pinned a blanket around her and she got so excited.  But most of the rest of the time, well, sometimes I can hardly stand it!! 

Lately, though, I am trying (and its going pretty well) to recognize and enjoy the really cute moments.

Family | 1 Comment »

 

I have a favorite cereal here, that we have only found at one store - Megamarket.  Incidentally, on an episode of “Monk”, there is a store called “Megamarket”, which I think is hilarious because it is a fake name, but here we really have that store.  We also have Citycom, and the logo looks exactly like Circuit City.

Anyway, it is a granola-y cereal, and so much better than the cheerios and cornflakes that the other members of the household eat.  However, it is not cheap.  And prices have really gone up here in recent months.  There was 30% inflation in a year.  Our bread went from 1.40 to 2.50.  A ride on the metro or bus went to .50 to 2.00.  Of course these are still quite cheap (and good thing), but just examples.  The cereal went from 11 to 17, and I decided I just couldn’t buy it anymore.

True love to the rescue!  Darryl decided to make granola, and made several batches so that he could match the taste of my cereal - it has coconut in it.  Last week he achieved the perfect taste.  Now that’s true love.  I never would have thought to just make my own granola, or would have been able to tweak the recipe to find the right taste.

Family | 2 Comments »

Darryl made my birthday so special!  Thanks!  He surprised me with these flowers.  They were on the table when I got up in the morning.  Unfortunately, that was in the wee hours of the morning when Amelia woke up.  But it was still a surprise, and they are so beautiful!  Kathryn and Amelia were very excited in the morning, I’m not sure if it was for my birthday or not, but they were cute.

       

On Wednesday, Darryl stayed home from work to help me clean the house while Katya watched Kathryn and Amelia.  I considered that a birthday present because I really wanted a clean house.  We got twice as much work done (obviously).  Actually it was probably more than that because Darryl is such a great worker and cleaner. 

Back to Friday, my real birthday.  Katya came again to babysit so I could meet Darryl for lunch.  I picked TGI Fridays.  It doesn’t sound that exciting, but American food sounded really yummy.  And it was.

The card that came with my flowers said for my birthday I was treated to a “shopping spree” at a department store here.  I could check the box for three out of six items listed in the card (presents from Kathryn, Amelia, and Darryl).  I checked cake baking stuff, socks, and smelly bath stuff.   Those are the exact words from the card.  I don’t make it to real stores very often (except the grocery store), so just being in a department store was pretty exciting!

 

I got a cooling rack, which we have lived without for the past year.  I already used it today!  And I found a few new pairs of socks, which I was desperately in need of.  Interestingly enough, women’s socks are not so easy to find around here.  In the winter, most women wear nylons  under their pants, and so they don’t need socks. 

We also went for gelato.  Now that stuff is so heavenly!  What a great afternoon!  Darryl took the afternoon off and made dinner when we got home.  He also called and invited some friends over.  Kathryn wouldn’t go to bed until I unwrapped my presents.  I tried to explain that I had just bought them, but in the end Darryl hastily wrapped, and then Kathryn helped me open them!

Amanda | 4 Comments »

Amelia recently started saying her own name which she says “Mia”, and Kathryn’s name, “Kaffin”.  It’s really cute.  I love seeing the two of them play together.  For some reason bedtime always sparks some sisterly bonding of running around the house so they don’t have to put their pajamas on.  Sometimes they just giggle at each other and it is hard not to join in.

The other day Amelia woke up from her nap.  Kathryn was still watching a video and I wanted her to keep watching and “resting”, so I left her in my room.  When Amelia got to the living room she looked all around and finally said, “Kaffin?”  She was quite upset until I took her in to watch the video with Kathryn.

Amelia, Kathryn | 2 Comments »

I probably think this blog is about me. I know its really about Kathryn and Amelia, and I regret posting again so that those cute pictures of Amelia aren’t the first thing you see. However, I feel the need to explain my hair. It just drives me crazy, I guess because I am vain.

This isn’t a very good picture, but that’s because there aren’t any good pictures of me currently.  Darryl takes pictures by the hundreds these days (not an exaggeration), but I try to avoid being in them.  And when I am I often ask him to delete them because I look so lumpy or something.

So that is the picture you get and it doesn’t even do justice to my hair issue.  The first issue is that my hair is orange.  And my hair should not be orange!  My hair is brown, and I like it like that.  The problem is, some of my hairs are also turning gray, and I don’t really like that.  So several months ago I decided to dye my hair.  Dye it to its regular color, so there wouldn’t be so much gray. 

Being inexperienced with hair dye, and also cheap, I discovered that there was really cheap hair dye in Ukraine and purchased some.  Well, it turned my hair bright orange (which I admit did explained a little about fashion here).  I wouldn’t even let Darryl take a picture of it.  And the next day we went together to buy some better hair dye to cover the orange and make my hair normal again.  It looked much better, but after a few days it was fading back to orange.  And when it started growing out, it looked terrible with my regualr brown hair.

By this time I knew I was pregnant, and maybe that had something to do with the hair disaster.  Anyway, we made a trip home during the summer and I decided to go to an actual hair salon (recommended by a friend) to get my hair re-dyed to its normal color.  I paid some good money and my hair seemed back to normal.  Unfortunately it didn’t last.  Again, maybe this is due to pregnancy - I have always heard you shouldn’t dye your hair when pregnant.  The dye faded back to orange again.  So now I am growing it out again, and there is an inch and a half of my regular hair (complete with gray), then the orange. 

I really hate to look at it, and I assume other people do, too.  So I just wanted to get that out of me.  Now I am prepared to accept the consequences of my vanity.  I’ll just have to live with it for a few more months until I can cut all the orange off.  I thought about getting a flat top, but Darryl isn’t too keen on the idea.

Amanda | 5 Comments »

 

On the 16th Amelia officially turned 18 months!  She is so big and has been walking so long and now talks so much, that I sometimes forget she is only 1 year old.  But now she is 18 months.

The past couple of weeks her talking has exploded.  She repeats just about everything we say, and I’m always discovering new words she says.  Even putting 2 words together.  Like “hold it”, when she wants something, or “baby sleeping”, or “read it”. 

She is crazy about yogurt, eating up to 4 yogurt containers in one day.  No wonder on SUnday she wore a dress to church that Kathryn wore just one month ago.  Amelia’s feet are just about the same size as Kathryn’s, too.  I’m a little disappointed for what that means as far as hand-me-down shoes.  She loves walking around in my shoes, like a typical one year old.

Amelia has become quite the dancer, and recently she discovered stuffed animals and dolls.  She loves to have some in her crib, and carries them around.  She usually has something in her hands.  Measuring spoons and measuring cups are some of her favorite things to hold. 

      

She also loves to hide.  And climb.  She loves to climb, pushing chairs around so she can climb where she wants.  She climbs up and goes down the slide by herself, even sliding down on her tummy.  Oh, and she also loves her belly button.

Amelia | 1 Comment »

My girls love to color.  Especially Amelia!  I have always been afraid to let her color, because it would get everywhere.  But we tried it at the table with me supervising, and it has gone quite well.  Amelia asks to color several times each day, and the first time they both spent almost an hour coloring.  That is a long time on one activity for Amelia!  She is also learning some colors.  Blue is her favorite, she always knows when it is blue.  If I tell her what color it is, she will repeat it.  She is talking up a storm!

  

Kathryn likes to draw/color also.  The other day she drew a world or a bulldozer.  It was both, she said.  She is really into bulldozers for some reason, I’m not sure where she got that.  So we did coloring for our Family Home Evening activity this week to make some Thanksgiving decorations.  Amelia colored the turkey and Kathryn did the pilgrim.

 

Family | 2 Comments »

Any guesses as to what this is for?

коли под наем

Family | 8 Comments »

Over the years I’ve really become interested in photography and have enjoyed taking and looking at other’s photos.  A good friend of ours started a photo-a-day blog a couple years ago and I always thought this would be fun to do.  So, I’ve made the committment to take at least one photo a day and post it to Darryl’s Photo-a-Day Blog (with Amanda’s permission as some of “her” time will be eaten up with this hobby). 

Feel free to take a look and leave comments, if you’d like.

Darryl | 6 Comments »

This week I had a new mother experience!  I sent Kathryn off to preschool, while I stayed home with Amelia.  I had been going with her, but it wasn’t working as well as I wanted, so now our beloved babysitter Katya is taking her for me.  (Why don’t I just hop her over by myself in the car in 10 minutes, you ask?  Ha!  It doesn’t really work that way here.)

I thought it would be so easy to take just Amelia to the grocery store.  I unwittingly let her get out of the stroller and she promptly dropped some raw eggs on the floor.  I’m sure they LOVE me at that store.  They see me on average 3 times a week with double stroller, 2 kids, and I have been known to rant and rave about the lack of grocery baskets, peanut butter, chicken, milk, or whatever I needed that day that they didn’t have.

Anyway, Kathryn came home from preschool in good spirits and as I asked her about it, I realized I would probably never know what goes on at preschool!  A few things came out during the day, like she didn’t want to play with shaving cream.  Apparently they were finger painting with it, but Kathryn refused.  She said it wasn’t for little girls. 

I keep getting off subject.  The point is that I was sending my daughter out into the world!  Leaving kids at home with a babysitter is not the same for me, I know (generally) what can go on in my home.  But outside, that’s a different story!  I was really quite excited and didn’t expect to feel alarmed that I didn’t know what Kathryn was doing for a whole morning.  I guess I will be a basket case when she goes to kindergarten, but I’m counting the days anyway.  Okay, years.

Amanda | 5 Comments »