Fishing at the Pond.

Last month, we house-sat for Dragon Fighter’s parents in Washougal. We were excited to take advantage of their fish-filled pond in their backyard.

On the first day we wanted to fish, we surveyed the pond to have rough idea for the right place to fish. Dragon Fighter and the girls saw lots of fish jumping up and down, so they decided that was their place. But it was not the day to fish...

Next day Melanie practiced her fishing skills...yet it was still not the day to fish...

Finally on the third day, Dragon Fighter decided that it was the
day, indeed, for a great fishing.






Melanie used training fishing rod. And she could not have enjoyed it more. This was the day to fish!



Small fish went right back to the pond...





Large fish, we sure enjoyed for dinner...

As for Alina, she invited herself for a cup of tea on the patio...

And in her world, at that very moment, nothing beats a nice cup of tea on a quiet afternoon.

Let's Play a Doctor..

Melanie was on a Field Trip with her class to visit the Adventist Medical Center. I jumped on this opportunity as well.

They had this costume that doctors, who preforms knee and other bone surgeries, wear during the surgery. Kids could not wait to try it on as well. It was hot inside so the room keeps low tempeture.

Here they demonstrate microscope and other medical staff that cost lots of money. This particular surgery room is for head surgery.

Another dress up station, this one is for pictures...

Melanie cannot decide, at this point of her life, who she would like to be: a doctor, a veterinary doctor, a ballerina, or a mom, who has a purse, goes shopping and works on her computer...hmm..tuff choice.

Alina decided to be a mom when she is grown up (I hope she goes to school first and graduate before she takes on this job:)...

Another surgery...this patient had a very bad stomachache so a doctor wanted to look inside to find out why the patient is hurting...

By using all that expensive equipment, they saw that that a patient had too much candy..and they stuck inside his tummy.

Now somebody had to take those candies out so that the poor soul can become better. Melanie jumped to help. Here she is picking up candy with special equipment.

I'll say this has been a long day with all of that costume changing and surgery preforming...take a little rest...

Monday Beach Getaway

We are at that point of our life where Dragon Fighter and I would take a day trip with no kids and consider it a romantic one. We try to do one day-long getaways every month, sometimes it take us two months to take one. Just to get away and have an interrupted adult conversation - priceless...

So last Monday we did just that- shipped kids to our beloved Natasha for 12 hours and took off to the beach...

First, we drove to Astoria, OR..



We visited The Historic Flavel House, this is a historic home, built in 1885 for Captain George Flavel and his family. He was a powerful man and this is what he left behind...

Then we went though Seaside to our final destination of Cannon Beach..

Then Dragon Fighter made me climb up this tree. It took me a while and then I thought- if I fall, he'll carry me to the car and then NEVER ask me again to climb any more trees. I was terrified.



I made it back Ok in my flip flops, risky business.

There were handful of nice people to take our picture.

This road leads to...

this view...

And in the background of this view is where Dragon Fighter proposed to me 11 years ago.

We came back to this view again last Monday, where Dragon Fighter proposed to me the second time, after 10 years of marriage.

I said "yes"... he said "you better"...

After decade together, we are still alive and kicking...

Do not neglect your dates together ;)
Sometimes your precious memories might just come alive!

House-sitting in Washugal

We did house-sitting during the week of May 5-12 for Dragon Fighter Parents' house in Washugal, WA.

We welcomed the opportunity to get the feel of country living on a 5 acre property (with chickens, fish in a pond, and acreage cats) in a 5,000 sq ft house. So we left our little house and drove some 50 min to Washugal to rule the 5 acre estate.

Our primary responsibility was to take care of the chickensand do not let them die in a weeks time, and we did just that.

I was not there with my camera to see Dragon Fighter wake up every morning at 5:30 AM to let the chickens out from the chicken house. But I was at the chicken house for all other activities.

Since chickens are such a big part of life (at least for us) at the acreage, it was only natural that the first thing Melanie did when she came back from school (and yes we did have to drive her to school every morning for one hour trip) was to run over to the chicken house to see how they were doing.

Dragon Fighter and I would follow them to gather 49-55 eggs daily...

Surprisingly, I did enjoy the whole experience of chicken business – feeding, egg gathering, egg cleaning, egg selling, etc... it makes you more in touch with nature.. and a big part of this enjoyment came from Dragon Fighter waking up at 5:30AM to open and feed the chickens and me... sleeping in ;)

The Wedding Reception

Center piece on bride and groom table...

After Official Part of the Wedding, we had about a 40 min break so servants can have enough time to bring out appetizers and refreshments to the 13 tables for guests (each sitted 10 people)


The bride is getting ready to take her place at the wedding table..

The bridal party consisted of 6 people (and 4 flower girls).

Our own second -Pastor Badey helped at the wedding by telling stories and asking answers for riddles.

He was sure prepared with thick stack of papers in hand...

Our dad served as a gift-giver to those who had had words of wisdom to say..or sing a song..or say a poem..

Katya, Dragon Fighter's niece and a flower girl, had couple of songs under her belt that she earnestly sang out!

Here is my dad is action...

And here is our beautiful mom...

My dad's younger sisters, Nina and Olga...

Our babushka Galya...

From a distance, I stole a picture of Dragon Fighter, who was very engaged in what was happening.

We had a chocolate fountain at the wedding that lots of people enjoyed with some cream puffs and fresh strawberries and fresh pineapple.

Dina and Inna have a sweet tooth...

Almost all kids looked like this at some point at the wedding, to the horror of their mothers, who magically got a handkerchief in a records time to make their kids presentable again.

Our little sis Zoonia with her husband Kris...

A must have family picture with a bride..too bad that after so many photos, the bride seemed little distract...well at lest Dragon Fighter and Lesha, Melanie and I look alert ;)

Our Mama had a lovely conversation about the bridesmaid bouquet with Estli...I could not help myself and take this picture...

Another must-take sibling picture...We always try to take a picture on special occasions in the order we appeared in this world.

Mingling after a wedding...a girls talk.

A stolen moment...I feel like a paparazzi...I guess when you point a camera at somebody long enough, they turn over..

A Wedding Bouquet on a Wedding Table...ahh..such a nice and clean look...