Homemade and simple...

A new friend gave me this book when invited over for dinner this past week...it opens with "You know, we eat better at home than most people do in restaurants." That was something the author's father would say as they ate dinner around the table together. I like to think that it's like that here...at my home. Simple homemade things, not just food, make me happy.
Introducing Anna Pavlovna who was born exactly a week ago!

January 7th was our FIRST official snow day of the year, school was closed and we went to church to celebrate the Nativity of Christ. It was a beautiful "white Christmas!"

Yesterday, we had a Christmas party (called "Ёлка" in Russian) and Grandfather Frost comes and after the children sing, recite poems or play a song...he gives them a gift. Well, my 4-year old niece got up to play a song on the piano (yet she doesn't know any songs and has never really played), she insisted on doing it and delighted the audience by daintily playing a few notes here and there, while singing with her whole heart "Somewhere over the rainbow!" I wish I'd taken movie...
I crocheted a blue elephant for my nephew Isaac. He said thank you...it was quite scrumptious. Yum.

I saw these on a blog I read...thought it was so cute. $10 per plate. I know...we can go to a pottery studio and make our own!I've been crocheting some balls and made them into ponytail holders...but I'm inspired to make a necklace...isn't this lovely?