Free is a very good price

Call me one of those who"takes advantage" i.e. when you go to a place where they have the neverending pasta bowl? Better believe my last bowl is going to be "to-go". So growing up we kept the saying of "Free is a very good price" (compliments of the late? Tom Petersen-and Gloria too! guys) saying as a sort of motto in our home. If it was free (and yes, such a thing still exists) you get it...two if you can.


It was in this spirit that when asked if we wanted to go to our friends Company Picnic at the Canby Fairgrounds where everything (from the food, to the rides, to the entertainment) was FREE. Well, you did not have to ask us twice. Here are a few highlights (pics stolen from Sare's blog as my camera is still holding mine hostage).


What was the price of all this freeness? The wait. We must have waited 45+ minutes for these ponies to let us have our turn to ride. We kept on having to drag Sofia back as each time the tiny gate would open, sh ewas using those arms (blockers courtesy of her Russian DNA) to get through to the front. Good thing she is cute. I think that is what saved her...

She was a might happy camper when it was her turn. I think she was gloating to all the other kids in the line. Check out the yawner in the background...yeah, it was somthing like that.



Ella would have gone on this by herself, but it was the Mom when was a bit shy about it. Maybe if they could have duct taped her to the saddle...but I did not mind going with her. It gave me a front seat to her grins and giggles for her very first pony ride.




When lunch time rolled around, we had to beg, bribe and threaten Sofia to eat. I'm told one day she will find eating more enjoyable and not find it to be such a chore anymore. This pic was caught when I told her she had to finish her hamburger THEN we would go on the pony rides...She in turn stuffed the entire thing into her mouth. Were talking a full sized hamburger here. (she stuffed about 1/2 of one in). All I could do was pray she did not choke and kept on repeating- Chew Maka, Chew!!




Ella on the other hand...
This girl WENT TO TOWN on her corn on the cob. I did not even have enough time to put on a bib before she was gnarling at it with her few teeth she has. I think I even heard a growl escape her lips as I managed to put the bib on (midway through the devouring). Girlfriend can eat...Now if I can only figure out where it all goes. 90% for height ...10% for weight. I DO feed her! Really I do!!



Moral of the memory: Stand clear when you utter the word "Free" around the Martushev's...We tend to get our money's worth.

NOT impressed with Mr. Chuck

Sofia has had so many little friend birthday parties lately! There are just alot of kids born about the same time as her. She cracks me up in that just about every other day, asks who's birthday it is. She will go through her list of friends and more often than not, there is one more that has a birthday party we will be attending.


More than a few weeks ago (Sept. I am a BIT behind ok?) we went to her buddy's Luke and Stevie's combined birthday party at Chuck E. Cheeses. So call me a mom, but I was giddy with excitement to see her first meeting with the 2nd place mouse (behind the big guy himself...y'all know which mouse I am referring...) Anyway. We started off great!

We had some cake...


Sofia helped open the boys presents from us- I had to think back to what I got for my birthdays to figure out what to get them...they are after all boys and not into the barrettes so much.

We played some games...

Then HE came out. I was so excited for Sofia to see him and get a picture with THE Mouse. Instead what I got was a TERRIFIED Sofia running for the hills and as far away from Chuck as possible. Stevie (the younger of the two boys) hid underneath the table and Sofia was a close second. This is where I am a horrible mom. I was laughing hysterically!! With Sofia in my arms with a death grip, I was trying my best to soothe her in between the laughs. Finally Chuck took a break and it was back to playing games....Until....

Break time over. I tried my best to prepare Sofia by crouching down and calmly telling her that I did not want her to get upset but Chuck E. Cheese was back out. She barely heard the last word and RAN screaming in to the first open (and furthest away) pair of arms she could find.

This time I let her be soothed by another Baba as I grabbed the camera. I could not get Sofia to look at me. Her face was BURIED in that soothing, yet leathal shoulder only a Russian Grandma can have (years of using it as a blocking mechanism to get on the bus...) Notice the other little boy? Yeah. That is Stevie trying to pry Sofia's death grip from HIS Baba so he can have a turn (hes the one who hid underneath the table the first go around.

Needless to say it was NOT the scenario I had expected. Here is how the conversation went on the way home.

Us: "Sofia- how did you like Chuck E. Cheeses?"

Sof: "Mama, I do NOT like Chuck E. Cheese"

Us: "But did you have fun at the party?"

Sof: "Yes, but Mama, I do NOT like Chuck E. Cheese, Im scared of him"

Us: "Ella- how did you like Chuck E. Cheese?"

Ella: (insert big ole grin here) "Cheese!"

She had no problem with him at all....

I guess Disneyland (even if we could afford it) is out of the question for a few years....

A taste to tempt your palate...

First off, how the heck do you spell palate? I hope it came across correctly...palate (as in mouth, tastebuds, etc.) and not pallet (like freight).

Anyhoo, since I cannot seem to figure out why my camera will not let me download the gizzilion pics that I have waiting to be posted...I have chosen to steal, er borrow some that Sare took while we were up there and has graciously posted on her blog. Here is just one of the many memories we made while up at Grandpa's house. Ill get some more posted here soon...

The ever gorgeous Multnomah Falls~

Sofia was into pinching cheeks this entire trip. Is she trying to tell me something?!

They had this little concession stand and the ice cream is a fave of the girls (especially on sore gums while you are teething). This is Ella when we gave her a bit of the cookie. (if you have met our Ella, you know that she LOVES her food).

This is Ella when we took the cookie away to wipe all the mess off her face...NOT happy.

The girls. They love thier Aunt Sarah. I'm tellin ya. Both girls went directly to Sare the second they met her. I really believe kids see inside people. They know thier peeps when they meet one.

I will never, ever in a million years grow tired of seeing the Red Flame with one of our kids (however many there will be) on his shoulders. There is just something about seeing a Papa carry his child. Call it pioneerish irony, but I love it.

I quit trying to get Sofia to not do acrobatics on the railing when other people started taking pictures of her as well as us. This girl has no fear... Flexible little pixie isnt she?

Such a small number to descibe such a big girl...

You're three Sofia. Today you are three years old. Many of my friends are relishing the fact that they have thier youngest who has already surpassed this landmark and yet I am staring it in the face. Will I be a young enough mom to be "cool" when you are older? Will you keep me young? Will you always need me?

Remembering when you were born is not hard to do.

• You came 11 days early, much similar to your personality now, in that you JUST CANT WAIT!
• Although I could not see it (which was probley a good thing) you had been so excited to take your first breath, that you wrapped yourself around the umbilical cord and Dr. Tanner literally had to unravel you before you could cry.
  
• They took you so quick to make sure you were ok, Papa was the first face you saw, but I knew you when I saw you. YOU were mine.
  

And today as you turn three, you may only remember it as just another day, but here are a few things that have happened so far.

• You have noticed that Mama has exceeded the number of kisses that normally get laid on you.
  
• Extra hugs have been given every time you pass by and I love yous are abounding.
  
• When asked what you wanted as your "Birthday Breakfast" you said Kasha- like Baba (your Russian Grandma). Which means made with a whole lotta love and a bit too much sugar.
  
• You keep on singing Happy Birthday to yourself, although I wonder if you comprehend what a special day this is for you and our family. This was the day 3 years ago that I first felt like we were a start to a family.
  

Happy Birthday my sweets. You do make things interesting! I love your energy, I love your spunk, I love you!

HAPPY THIRD BIRTHDAY SOFIA!

I heart Maka...

This is a teaser of sorts as it was taken at the Oregon Coast (another place I heart....).
Yes, I still need to post the trip.
Yes, I know I have been taking forever (or it seems so).
Yes, it is because I am busier than all get out...and no, I am not exaggerating.
No, I have not forgotten.

For those of you who are wondering why we would call Sofia- Maka. Ask Artyom. He said that in one of the cities he served his mission in that is what they would call the little kids.

He started it...I continued it. And it stuck. Yes, you guessed it. I heart her as well.

So does anyone else think the girls had a great time while we were out on a date? I found these pics of the girl's on THIER "Lara's" facebook page. And play they did!