I learned something new

I love it when I learn something new. I love it when people have free tutorials on their blogs. I love it when people recommend cool sites. The thing I learned today was how to make my pictures look bigger on my blog. I have wanted to do this for a while now and I learned how tonight. What to do when my kids are in bed, I've napped and Shane is hanging out with a friend tonight? Well, I'm so excited I know how to do this now. I had to get rid of my cute template but I like the plain just as well. Anyway, here's a  few pictures I was playing with as I was trying out the new size. It's so easy. This is where I found it, if anyone is interested. Click here 

Pretty Valentine's!

I am not much of a crafty person even though I think if I had more time I would enjoy it and do it more. Yesterday I remembered that for Dacian's preschool Valentine's party we had to do 23 cards. I could've bought them but the store bought ones seem so dumb so I decided for FHE we would do this fun craft tonight. Last year my friend Jessica made these with her kids and I couldn't wait until Dacian was a little older and he could do them with me. Plus last year he didn't go to school so I didn't need to make any.

I think they are so cute. Apparently you could tie them up with pretty thread and I am sure you could use all sorts of papers but I like the brown one. Dacian had fun embellishing them with these cute heart stickers and he also wrote his name on quite a few of them. They have been practicing writing their names at preschool and I was glad to see he can almost remember how do it it all. He kept looking at the ones that were done to copy and write his name on new ones. I thought that was pretty smart. He even got to write the C and N the right way since earlier they were totally backwards. Lavinia participated too and she liked playing with all the sticker and she put them on the hearts only they were't sticking since I didn't peel them off for her. She made a mess and then cleaned it up and gathered all the little pieces.

Anyway I guess that's all for now. I'm going to bed.

More sadness!

We recently got back from Shane's cousin's funeral. I still cannot believe that she is gone. It was so hard getting the news and also so hard to see her parents and brother completely heartbroken. I was completely emotionally drained by the end of the funeral.

My husband is a quarter native american and his cousin was born and grew up on an Indian reservation up in Canada. She was only 23 and left behind a beautiful 1 year old. She had this autoimmune disease that she discovered having about three years ago. She was able to carry the pregnancy and had a wonderful little boy whom she loved and mother so well.

She was beautiful, kind, smart and all around a wonderful person loved dearly by so many.

The funeral lasted 3 whole days. First the family got together and sang songs, cried and told stories about Meagan and then the next day they moved the body from the parents' house to a bigger building. There friends and family gathered and had pretty much done a wake like the one for just family. The next day, Monday was the funeral. It was packed, and more than 100 people I think stood for almost 4 hours. There was aboriginal drumming, a flutist and songs and dances and stories. Her mom talked about her daughter and that just touched me so much. I can't imagine anything worse than losing a child. At the same time I loved how full of faith they were, truly believing that they would see her again and that she was reunited with other lost family members. I felt peace in knowing that that was true. After the funeral we went up to the family land an hour away on dirt roads up in the mountains to bury her. I am so glad it didn't snow as I don't think we would've made it. It was pretty muddy. At one point the car line stopped for quite a while. Soon I saw a bunch of people on horses. They led the way after that. I think that's another Indian custom but most like it was because Meagan loved horses.

Afterwards we went back and were fed a wonderful meal with delicious fry bread and other goodies. It is truly touching to me how their community is so tightly nit together. They do take care of each other and grieve together and help each other out.

God rest her soul and I pray that her family will be able to go beyond this very difficult time.

Pixel

Meet Pixel. No, we didn't get another ferret. We only had her for a week. Dacian was in love with this new pet that he could hold and carry everywhere. I think he played a little too much with her. She was very gentle and just an easy pet. She stayed in her cage most of the time. I love ferrets because they are very personable, they are easily potty trained, they are smart and mischievous. It made me miss our old ferret. However, I will not get any other pets and I am determined to not have any other pets after Tomi, our dog dies. He's in good shape for 14 and I think he might still have 2 good years in him. Now that I have kids and I am so busy and tired I don't want the responsibility of going for walks even when it's so cold and rainy and also the fact that whenever you go somewhere you have to have someone take care of your animal. Of course, now I know why for the longest time my parents would not let me have a dog. Cats, parrots or other birds, fish was OK.

Anyway, we had fun with this little pet for a week. Our friends came and got her today. Dacian told me all week that she is his pet and we can't give her back but today he had no problem with it. I guess I talked about it enough to give him a heads up.

Isn't she so cute? I love her pure white coat. Pixel is deaf but still very cute and playful.
I love this boy.
And this girl. I couldn't get a picture with the ferret and Lavinia. She kept laughing the whole time so here she is anyway.

Anniversary and New Year's

My Romanian potato salad. It's so good. I make it every holiday.

Dacian was rather scared when we had our party popers going off. I think it was more that he was so tired and just lost it. He is not the happiest in this picture but I don't have any other good ones.

My nice vacation is coming to an end so soon. I had a wonderful time off and had a quiet, relaxing Christmas. I enjoyed playing with my kids, cooked less and tried to nap some.

On the 29th my husband and I celebrated 8 years of marriage. Can't believe it's been this long. Shane surprised me with a night's stay at a fancy downtown Seattle hotel. It was so nice to be in the city. We had the kids with us first to go swimming with us. The pool was at the top floor and it was so cool to see all the other tall buildings and the Puget Sound so close by. Beautiful view. Later we dropped off the kids with my parents and then had Raclette ( a Swiss cheese that you melt and pour over potatoes and eat with bacon or other meats and pickles, super yummy) in the room (almost set off the fire alarm) and then had desert at Cheecake Factory. Also we slept in and what a treat that was. I felt like I hadn't done that in years. We then went to Pike Market and walked around and had lunch and desert at a very yummy French Pastry. I love the city. We don't go very often so when we go it's quite a treat. It was so fun to be together just the two of us. Love you Shane, thanks for 8 great years and thank you for a lovely day.

On to New Year's now. We spent it with the whole family at Patrick's house. Taylor, our good friend came too. It was so rad. It was what I think all New Year's parties should be like. We were there until almost 4am. It reminded me of Romania when we stayed up eating, dancing and watching TV all night. It is a night like no other there and I was so glad we got to do that here. They had really good food and music and a projector that was projecting the image on a huge wall. They even had Romanian music manele and I was dancing like a maniac at that point. I really miss Romania especially this time of the year.

I brought deviled eggs and a Romanian potato salad that I shaped into a Christmas tree. It was fun to make and I got this idea from a Romanian food blog.

Our friend, Patrick married this cool girl from Kenya and I just thinks she is the coolest and can't be happier for him. Congrats guys.

Well, that's my latest for now. I wish you all a Happy, prosperous, filled with blessings New Year!

Holiday fun

Well, Santa did come. Dacian got a chance to see his favorite Santa at our church celebration. I have to crop the other picture with the two kids but it's hilarious. We handed Lavinia over to Santa and she started screaming. Santa laughed so hard and I got it on camera.

We had a great Christmas eve with my parents and we opened presents from them to us and from us to them. It was so fun to see my mom get her long wished for jewelry box. Dinner was great, simple but good. I had fun setting the table and I do like any chance I get to use my china mom gave me for our wedding. It's a special set because it's very old, German and given to our family from mom's aunt.

Dacian couldn't wait for the next day though. We made cookies and left Santa two cookies on a plate and milk.

The next morning both kids slept late which was nice and only because they went to bed super late the night before.

Love, love our tree and mostly that it smells so great. I love waking up and coming downstairs to smell the nice pine tree smell.
The table decoration this year was this German candle holder. I couldn't believe it when this lady from my work gave it to me. It's quiet an expensive gift but she was getting rid of a lot of stuff and gave this one to me. Anyway, I'm excited about it.

Dacian loved his car set we gave him. It has a big ramp and he now plays with it constantly. He got lots of other presents and we thank the grandparents, family and friends for all of them.
Lavinia got this cute baby doll and a little stroller for it and even though she plays with Dacian's car a lot she does like this doll and kisses it a lot and puts in in the stroller and goes around the table. Also she sits herself in that little stroller. She is so little and fits right in. So cute!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! This would've been the picture we would have sent as a Christmas card had I gotten my stuff in order in time. I will still send some cards late. It was no easy task taking this picture and I wish it looked better but it will have to do.

We hope you all are having a wonderful time with family and/or friends.

Love, The Sanders