It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!

Seriously. Can you believe how HUGE this pumpkin is?! Betsy's husband Tanner grew this thing! Its bigger than Ella and I don't even want to know how much it weighs.

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!

Trunk or Treating with my little superhereos

I love Fall- Halloween, and all the holidays that go along with it. The girls and I went to a Trunk or Treat and had fun getting pictures, and candy of course. It was a good time. And we all got to dress up...the first of many times throughout the week. So fun! The girls decided they wanted to be spidergirl and batgirl...this only after they found out what Holden and Beckett were going to be. ") So here was our first "official" Halloween festivity! Trunk or Treating in the park!

Ella and her boy bestie Beckett are our Batgirl and Batman and Sofia and Holden are the Spider crew-Spiderman and Spidergirl. Just TRY and tell me these kids are not adorable! ;)

Nana's fight

This is my Aunt Nannette, my Dad's youngest sister...isnt she beautiful? She is a fighter of breast cancer.

This is her at her last radiation treatment. She has fought breast cancer and survived-the whole time with a smile on her face. The only other person I have ever seen go through such a trial and never let her get her down is my Mom. They remind me alot of one another. Strong. Graceful. Timeless.
So what to do when you are finally done beating cancer's toushee? You throw a surprise party of course! It was pulled off by my cousins (her kids) and they did a fabulous job. She had no clue and that was the best part. She was surrounded by people who love her and wanted to help in celebrating her victory.

The girls hiding getting ready to surpirse Nana. Maya was mad at Josh cause she thought he would ruin the suprise! Love that face!!

 

Ben got her out of the house and brought her home to a dark house full of people. ") . They were a little late because Aunt Nannette kept on talking to people. Yep. She is REALLY that nice.

 We had some scrapbook pages to write a note on. This is sweet Sofia's note to Nana.

 The "motto" of the evening....

Jenny made her Mom a scrapbook of ther journey...It was pretty awesome.

 The girls gave Nana a cashmere scarf for her to wear so her head would not get cold! Hehe. It was shades of pink ( of course) and they made her cards. They were SO excited to give it to her. I was one proud mama.

We know of trials in our family. We know of heartache, of loss, of disappointment. But we also know of the love of a Father in Heaven who knows what were going through each individually and will NOT, not ever leave us alone.  It was a wonderful evening full of alot of tears, alot of laughs and of course, alot of food and fun!

From sun to SNOW

There have been rumors...that the white stuff was coming. Remember me mentioning "Baba Leta?" That is usually comes right before it gets cold? Yep. The score is now

"Russian superstitions-1" vs. Charity trying to debunk said superstitions?-0"

So I got up this morning thinking it would be like any other Thursday in October...No. such. luck. I woke up to this....and it was worse the closer I got to the Wasatch Bench near my work. Sigh. I was really starting to enjoy our great Fall weather. Baba Leta-why don't you make a return visit for just a few weeks. I would rather not trick or treat in the snow...

Scarecrow Festival

The weather on Saturday was AMAZING. It was windy, but so warm. Artyom and I told the girls about Baba Leta or Grandma Summer. It was described to me back when I was in Russia as that time in the Fall right before the Winter when it gets really warm for a short time and then it gets COLD. We had one of those Saturdays and it made our trip to the Scarecrow Festival- just awesome. There were ALOT of people, but that was ok. We don't especially mind the crowds...as long as Ella stays close. She is definitely our "runner" between she and Sofia.

Big Thanks to the innocent bi-stander for offering to take a pic of all 4 of us! So nice! Its been awhile since we had one all together.

Ella's first ink-glitter style

We went to the Scarecrow Festival on Saturday. BEST. FALL FESTIVAL. EVER. This being because everything was FREE or course. It was awesome! The only things you had to pay for was food and...nope. just food if you wanted it. I was very impressed. It was put on by West Ridge Academy, a school that supports kids with some challenges they are working through. There were bouncy houses, bungy jumping over trampoline things, slides, face painting, props for pics, trains for the kids- ALL FREE. We had a blast and my wallet was cheering as well.
Ella decided on a spider for her first "glitter tattoo"

It has begun...

I was in my early 30's before I had the blissful experience of enjoying my first pedicure...Maka? She was the ripe old age of 6! It was what she wanted for her birthday and her wish came true when we had a Mommy-Daughter Date and got our toes painted. She loved it.

 The colors she picked out. Purple and sparkles for the top! She seemed a bit unsure when she first put her feet in, but that went away pretty quick!

 

 Someone commented when she saw Sofia looking at comfortable with her feet in bubbly water and a magazine, "now all she needs is a cell phone!" UGH. No. Were SO not there yet!

Our feet all nice and pretty. I got a BONUS hot towel wrap. Sofia was not sure about that part. We had to cool hers WAY down.

So fun my little Miss. We both agreed that we will definitely have to make this a Birthday tradition! And Sofia said Ella had to come next time. So cute! Those two are besties...whether they like to admit it or not.

Day One without Betsy...Ella meets pavement

Betsy is off to Boston with her sister to see family and her cutest newphew Emmett. If you have not heard of Emmett and his amazing journey, just check him out here. ourbravelittlelion.blogspot.com/ He is a staple in the girls' prayers and they act as if they have know him forever, although they have never met...or have they? ;)

SO. We have one of our Russian friends watching the girls, which is so fun, since we ask that she only speak Russian to them. Its fun to come home and hear them chatting with one another. I love it!
Ella must have been missing Betsy alot as she decided to "kiss the pavement" while they waited for Sof to get out of school in the playground. Poor girl. It  includes scratches a huge bump and the latest has been a bit of a black eye...It has been getting more swollen, and alot more colorful...so sad.

It will make for some great pics at the pumpkin patch today...SMILE!

Grins and Giggles (Water Park)

Our family was invited to Emma, my co-worker's niece's birthday party. She is Samoan and in thier culture, the first year is a monumental milestone and is celebrated by going all out. It was more like a reception than a birthday party. Ella won her first ever game of "Musical Chairs" and her face was PRICELESS when she won. She could'nt believe it. She just kept on jumping up and down and doing her "Ella dance" Mama! I won! I WON!! Then Sofia came running over to her and gave her a huge hug and exclaimed, "Oh Ella! I'm so PROUD of you!!" That got a laugh from each and every person there and from that moment on? We were one of the family.

We were so impressed by the way we were welcomed as just one of the family, everyone was so nice and the food?! WOW. It was so good. Then to top it all off, at the hotel where they had the party, there was a water park for kids and everyone got to go in. The girls were ecstatic and had a blast. I feel very blessed to have friends like Voni and Bill who make it so easy to love them!

More Farmers Market Fun!

Just a few more pics from Gardner Village's Farmers Market....

 The balloon animals. It always suprises me when people are such cheapskates with someone who is working for tips only. There was a family in front of us that took FOUR and didnt pay a thing! Sad. Ella got a giraffe and Sofia a bunny...and we tipped.

 He was so great in talking with the kids as he put the animals together and was very patient with the line that was forming behind us. He was a popular guy!

 We let the girls go on a ride around Gardner Village- they loved it! Although the sun was DIRECTLY in thier eyes...sorry girls!

 See Sofia's pink cheeks? It was a little too warm to be wearing a turtleneck, but she didnt complain! And the ever present dazed and confused look we often get from our little blondinka.

                                                                        Horray for Fall!