A Day in Provo

Last week the girls and I took a trip to Provo to visit some friends.  First stop was my friend, Kerry.  She recently had back surgery and I wanted to visit her.  She'd drugged herself up the night before so she could actually be out of bed and go to her dr's appointment that afternoon so I got to see her up and about.  It was a very nice visit and I only wish it could have been longer.  Well, that and I wish I'd actually taken a picture.  She and I visited while Little One played with her boys and Ira and her newly adopted daughter, Vika, sat and didn't interact much with each other. LOL  I was impressed with Vika's English.  It's gotten lots better since I'd seen her last.  It was so funny to listen to Ira try and interpret when Vika wouldn't understand either Kerry or me.  At one point Ira turns to me and starts going off in Russian.  I was going to wait until she was done before I told her she might want to try English, but she caught herself before that.  Then she started in Russian again. LOL  She finally got the English out eventually. :)

After Kerry's house, we headed to a park to meet my friend, Laurie Ann.  Now, Laurie Ann and I have been friends since I was about 14.  I lived in Michigan and she lived here.  I found her name in a pen pal section of a homeschooling magazine and wrote to her.  We've been friends ever since. :)  The last time I saw her was right before we left for Ukraine and right after she'd had her 2nd little boy.  We had a very nice picnic lunch together and visited for a little while.  We were pretty boring though because her oldest kept asking when they could go home. LOL  It was very good to see her!

Ira and Little One on the swings

Ira, me, Laurie Ann, Luke and Peter. :)  Little One was photographer.

Next, we headed off to BYU to see my cute interpreter friend, Yulya. :)  We Skyped with her a couple of times while we were in Ukraine so she and Ira had "met" there, but never in person.  It took me almost 4 months to make it down there, but I'm so glad we finally did!  She made us borscht and some breadsticks and crapes.  Yummy!  Well, Little One didn't really think so. LOL  She didn't like borscht when Eva made it for us in Ukraine either though.  I thought it was awesome!

Borscht

Breadsticks

Crapes

After we ate we went for a walk.  It was a very warm, but beautiful day.  She showed Ira where all her classes are and we just enjoyed visiting.  Ira spoke almost all in English, even with Yulya.  As a matter of fact, Yulya said it would take a second for Ira to switch to Russian and she was a little slow with it a lot of the time.  I need to speed up my Russian learning.  Well, if she wants to forget it, that's fine, but if not, I'd like to help her remember it.

We had a wonderful day!

Ira, Yulya, me, Little One

Since then we've had a few things going on.  We saw some awesome fireworks for the 24th.  We sit right by where they shoot them off.  It was beautiful!

We also have some more major attitude about Ira's glasses.  The girl wants contacts but is in no way responsible enough for them.  Especially when her vanity won't allow her to wear the glasses so she can actually see.  While I can't force the vanity out of her, I certainly don't have to cater to it.  So, for everyday that she wears her glasses from waking up until going to bed she gets a dollar.  When she has earned enough for contacts, she may have them.  When she was told this she flipped out, started crying and saying how much she wants to go back to Ukraine and ya de ya da.  She was mad and had a majorly bad attitude the rest of the night.  When she woke up yesterday morning I told her if she wants her dollar for the day then she puts them on.  If she didn't want the dollar, she didn't have to put them on.  With an attitude, she sticks her nose up in the air (literally) and says, "No."  Whatever, child.  I did my part in getting you the glasses.  As much as I'd like to superglue them to your head, if you're so vain that you'd rather be blind that's your own problem.  What you don't get, is the privilege of taking drivers ed if you don't have the contacts completely earned by then.  It's going to be a major wake-up call when all your friends are learning how to drive and you have to do something else for almost a whole year.  Okay, so I really hope she realizes it's better to see before then and starts wearing them, but I have my doubts.  And it's not that I have a problem with her driving with glasses on.  It's that she's not responsible enough yet to be trusted behind a wheel.  Hopefully that will change by the time she gets there though.  Granted, she is only 13 (almost.)

So, last night she had to put non-matching pj bottoms on because her matching ones are in the mending pile.  She refused.  I told her I didn't care if she just came out for scriptures in her underwear with a blanket over her, but she was joining us, and she would be ready for bed.  After many tears and lots more wanting Ukraine she finally put the other pj bottoms on.  Then when she was trying to do her hair (who knew you needed your hair done to sleep in??) and she couldn't get an exact mirror image, she flipped out again.  Holy moly.  What am I going to do with her??  Is this just major hormones, or what?  I didn't do this kind of thing.  I've even asked my mom.

Miscellaneous

I found some random pictures on my iPod that I thought I'd put up here.

This is me with the awesome lady from the Center Branch in Dnepro.  I couldn't understand a word she said, but we had a fun connection anyway.  The Spirit can do that. ;) She is the one that told me she knew I was LDS from seeing me walk to church.

This was a  display in one of the Chilintano's (sp??) in Dnepro as well.  I miss that place!  I've been craving one of their pizzas.

Nathan and Little One dying Easter eggs after we got home. Obviously.

Ira and Lexi dying eggs

My FAVORITE juice.  There were a couple brands, but this is the one I brought home.  SO YUMMY.  THIS I've been craving even more.

We had to introduce Ira to smores before she headed to camp this week. 

She liked them. :)

As did Little One. :)

Speaking of camp, Ira came home this afternoon.  I guess she had a great time.  She's had lots of stories to tell. :)  She got some really cute stuff from her secret sister and lots of super nice notes from all the girls and leaders that went.  That's something she'll treasure for years.  She won the "cutest accent" award. LOL

Little One spent most of the week sick.  Just a random fever that wouldn't go away.  She started saying her throat hurt too so I took her in (I used to get strep a LOT) but it was negative.  It was fun to have the one on one time with her, but we missed Ira while she was gone as well.

4th of July

Last week was the 4th of July.  Big surprise there, I know.  We actually did most of our celebrations the Friday/Saturday before.  The girls wanted to go to the parade, but ended up not really enjoying it.  I forgot to bring water and they were both hot and thirsty.  They might have enjoyed it more if I'd had water.  I didn't particularly enjoy it, but the only parades I do are Disney Park parades.  THOSE, I like. :)  Ones that are nothing but advertisements for someone's store don't exactly do much for me.  It made me miss Disney World.

This is what I got when I asked her to smile.

I told them they could do a silly one if they smiled nice.

And here is the silly one.  I'm not sure what the thrill with the tongue is.

Here we were with Mom and Dad waiting for the parade to start.  Since we were on the sunny side of the street they'd all turned around while we waited.

THIS was a cool car.  It's even my favorite color.  Well, a version of my favorite color anyway. :)

This float was the only one I really liked.  It goes from the boat to the pioneers to the temple.  Way cool. :)

We spend most of the day at Cherry Hill.  All of us got fried.  I felt bad.  We had fun though.  Later that night the girls did some sparklers and pop-its.  We'd done a few fountains the night before.  It was dark though so my pictures from Saturday night turned out better. :)

Cute. :)

I LOVED this one of Little One.

Dropping Pop-its

Little One liked to step on them. :)

Sparklers!

Then no smile. *rolls eyes*

 Cheesy smile.

Mostly nice smile.  I'm persistent. 

She likes to conduct music. LOL

We've been having a fun summer all in all though.  I just sent Ira off on her first Girl's Camp this morning.  She's been VERY excited to go for weeks.  I really hope she has fun.  I worry about her.  I don't think she's inclined to be homesick, but I would hate to think she is.

Ah, Memories

A few days ago the girls came to me, asking if they could use Little One's sleeping bag to go down the stairs.  Sure.  Why not?  I remember doing the same thing with my brother when we were little.  It was hilarious watching them and even more fun listening to them laugh and laugh together.  They entertained themselves for a very long time doing this.  After the second day of it though, I noticed that her sleeping bag was getting very worn so we had to put an end to the fun before she didn't HAVE a sleeping bag anymore.

Little One Down Stairs

Ira Down Stairs

We've been gearing up for Ira's first 4th of July holiday.  The awesome thing here in Utah is that there are fireworks for days so we get to see lots.  Yesterday us girls all painted our finger/toe nails so we're all pretty.  We also watched 1776.  I love the music in it, but the film itself leaves a little to be desired.  The girls weren't too into it. LOL  I'll have to take them to a play of it.  That's a much better way to go about it, in my opinion.

Pretty sunset Ira took a picture of the other night.

Ira got to chat with her godmother a couple of times this week.  The second time was especially awesome because she'd brought Kristina to her house so the girls could talk.  It was SO good to see her again!  I think Ira was getting a little too much of the "annoying little sister" attitude toward Little One that she'd had in Ukraine though.  If I could have truly understood what was being said and been able to communicate back myself, I would have had Ira tell her that they are getting along much better now.  Alas.  It was really cool listening to Ira try and interpret though.  I would tell her something and she'd put it into Russian, or Kristina (or one of the other people there) would want her to ask/tell me something so she'd try.  It was awesome!  She's still got a long way to go, but she is doing amazing considering we've only been here 3 months.

Skyping with Kristina

The other news we heard was that the orphanage is closing in September.  That breaks my heart.  I want so much to go get every one of those kids and bring them over here.  Who knows what will happen to them all.  Some will probably end up in foster care, other scattered to other orphanages.  Darn.  I wish there was something I could do.