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I don’t know about anyone else out there, but I smell Fall every morning, even when it hits high double digits, the air is different than usual summer air.  Fall inspires me to bake, this is the time of the year when I bake the most, so today I decided to put apples that my parents brought for us from Apple Hill to good use.  I simply searched for best apple recipes on Google and to my surprise I found these delicious and simple muffins.  Barry and I liked them so much that I decided to share, so if you are in the baking mood and have a few apples on hand, try this recipe, you will not be disappointed. Below you will also find some pictures of how mine turned out 🙂

Ingredients:

Topping

• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Muffins

• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups diced peeled firm tart apples (such as Spy, Granny Smith)

Directions:

1. Note:.
2. cinnamon could be added to the batter ( about 1 teaspoon or less).
3. Topping: In a small bowl toss together sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon until crumbly; set aside.
4. Muffins: In a large bowl whisk together brown sugar, oil, egg and vanilla until smooth.
5. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, soda and salt.
6. Stir oil mixture into flour mixture alternately with buttermilk.
7. Fold in apples, mixing just until combined.
8. Spoon into greased muffin cups filling 3/4 full.
9. Sprinkle topping over evenly.
10. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and tops spring back.

Since it’s been a little while, we decided to take a trip to Fresno and visit Barry’s side of family.  Once we got there, Barry took off to one of his friend’s bachelor’s party and Isabella and I got a chance to spend some quality time with her Grandpa Robert, Noni, Mormor and even auntie Suzie.  I was glad that Bella finally got a chance to meet auntie Suzie, it was fun to see them interact.  Bella also got more gifts that she can not wait to use, thank you auntie Suzie!  Some of the things we got to do while in Fresno:  visit with family, visit with  Tamara (my 4 year college roommate and a great friend), go to the Habit Burger restaurant which I enjoyed very much (thank you Robert and Lois) and walk to my favorite bakery La Boulangerie- the best bakery in my book (not only do they have a huge variety, everything is exceptionally delicious).  Below you will find some pictures, enjoy!

We dedicated our precious daughter to God on Sunday, August 8, 2010.  It was a lovely ceremony full of laughter, babies and loving families.  Before the ceremony began, there was a song playing  “…So let them be little ’cause they’re only that way for a while…”  my heart was overflowing with love for my Isabella and at that same moment it hit me really hard that indeed she is growing up and oh so fast.  The ceremony began with all parents and babies walking up on the stage where the pastor prayed for each child.  We were worried quiet a bit when it was our turn to have the pastor pray for Bella, simply because she is not the most flexible baby when it comes to strangers holding her, but to our surprise she did fantastic, thank You God!  She was however the most vocal our of all 20 or so babies, but that seemed to be more entertaining to everyone that was watching, because she was making her teething noises- it was precious.   Standing on that stage made me realize once again how huge of a responsibility it is as a parent to bring up your children in Godly ways. Both Barry and I know that we will have our challenges, but with the help of our Savior we know we can do it, no matter how difficult it may be.  Every family received a gift, a book called “Parenting beyond your capacity” which I have been enjoying quiet a bit, a certificate of dedication, a letter written to the child that is to be opened only after they accept Christ and a few fun things for first time grandmas 🙂  After lovely ceremony, we had dinner in our home and enjoyed some very delicious food.  Thank you to my dearest mom for helping with everything and cooking up a storm in a kitchen, she is amazing!!!  It was wonderful to share this day with Bella’s grandparents, aunt and uncles 🙂  Of course she was showered with gifts once again and below you will see some pictures of her enjoying them.  Thank you everyone that was able to share this special day with us!

Finally we got to meet our nephew and Bella’s cousin Ezra and of course visit with Del and Arielle.  It was a lovely surprise to find out that they were coming to California and even better that they were finishing up their trip in our home.  We had a wonderful opportunity to talk, play with handsome and sweet boy Ezra, go on a wonderful morning walk and share Isabella’s dedication ceremony and celebration dinner.  We couldn’t have asked for a better visit.  Below you will find a few pictures from their visit.

I absolutely had to write a post about my experience making vareniki, first because it’s a very lengthy process, second, because it was my first time making them and third because I have not had them in over 15 years.  If you are wondering what makes vareniki special, simply their taste, I absolutely love them.  The great thing is you can stuff them with pretty much anything you want, some of the common things are meat, cabbage, farmer’s cheese, eggs, potatoes and sour cherries.  My personal favorites are with farmer’s cheese and sour cherries.  If you have never tried a sour cherry, I must say you are missing out, it tastes absolutely amazing, sweet and a bit tart at the same time, but the combination just bursts in your mouth (you will find a picture of what they look like below)  In Ukraine we grew up eating them every summer and boy did we love them, here they seem to grow more in states like Washington, but Barry and I got a few trees from my dad and had a harvest of ONE sour cherry this year it was great!  As I was making them over the weekend, I once again reminded myself why I do not cook Ukrainian food more often, in simple words, it takes forever.  Each recipe has it’s complexity and majority take a long time to make, maybe that’s why I waited until I was 29 to make my first vareniki 😉  Anyhow, I am posting some pictures of what the process entitled and of course the finished product which Barry and I are enjoying quiet a bit.  If you ever want to take a chance and make some, here is the dough recipe:

• 1 large egg, lightly whisked

• 2 tablespoons sour cream

• 1 cup whole milk

• 1 cup water

• 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface and dusting

This was our first trip to Apple Hill in July, we usually go sometime between September and November, but since my parents were going and made it sound very exciting, Bella and I joined in on the fun.  You might be wondering what this “Apple Hill” is all about.  Well, it’s a nice place up in Camino, CA where people go and enjoy freshly squeezed apple cider, kettle corn, craft shows and much more.  The best time to go in in Fall since it’s apple season and you will usually end up leaving with bags full of apples, apple pies and apple butter.  This time it was a little different, instead of the weather being chilly and sometimes even cold we were enjoying a nice “warm”  96 degrees weather.  We had a nice little outing with apple doughnuts, apple fritters and polish dogs 🙂  Bella of course had her usual, but as always by far the tastiest thing on the menu- milk 🙂  Not only did we get to taste all that goodness, we also left with bags full of plums, apricots, corn, cherries, peaches and nectarines. We also enjoyed a little photo shoot, which you can see below 🙂 Overall, we had a wonderful time and it’s not when you go it’ s who you go with that makes a trip.

….John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

Adams’s prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.

As I was reading this, it’s almost as I have gone back in time and pictured all the celebrating that was happening and how different it was and what a truly wonderful day to celebrate.  I absolutely love this country and I thank God every day for blessing our family to come here.  It has been a home for the last 15 years and hopefully for at least the next 50 for all of us.  We definitely felt the celebration this year, in fact a day early, because our dog was pacing back and forth, not knowing where to escape from all the crazy noise outside, crazy fireworks I thought to myself, but then at the same time enjoyed watching a nice fireworks show across the street from our second story bedroom window:)
This was our first year celebrating the 4th of July in our own home.  Last year we got to get away to Donner Lake with my parents, we even brought Mr. Buddy with us, it was wonderful.  This year we all got together again with our new addition Miss Isabella Nellie, Oleg and Lilya 🙂  As many others, we have barbecued some burgers, had some fun snacks and of course a full table of dessert, I just had to post a picture, especially of my mom’s cake.  This cake has become a tradition, my mom has made it for the last four years and we all enjoy it very much, in fact, whatever we left for ourselves, disappeared  this morning, so the extra pounds are screaming and the heat is not letting me run 😉  Our precious daughter has made it even more memorable this year, she has set up all on her own and can do so for long periods of time, we are so proud and yet can’t believe how fast time flies, she will be 6 months in less than a week. We hope that all who are reading this had a wonderful and safe 4th of July!

Fathers Day – (Authored by the new father himself ;))

Well I’m making my debut on Helen’s… I mean ‘OUR’ blog, to tell you a little about my first Father’s Day experience.

This year I’m just excited to be a father. With Father’s Day coming up I didn’t want any gifts or anything special. Helen asked me a few times if there was anything I might want. I finally said I would love some chocolate chip cookies.  So by Saturday evening the cookies were mine and it wasn’t even Father’s Day yetJ I was working in the yard and came to the window looked in and saw the most adorable site. My little daughter Bella strapped in her pouch with mama in front of the blender helping to make these cookies! This was just a great precursor to the actual day.

Sunday morning Bella woke up hungry as she usually does around 6am, and would you believe it, I got a gift bag delivered to my bedside. First a most kind and gracious card which I shall not read to you, all though I will say it may embellish my accomplishments as a new father.  Flattered I moved on to my gifts, yes multiple presents.

Here I will deviate for a minute from telling my Father’s Day story and let you know I think whoever put these Father’s and Mother’s Day events in order should have put Mother’s day first on the calendar.  As a new parent, and a guy, I didn’t have a guide book as to how these “new holidays” are supposed to be celebrated.  Naturally I thought it was pretty simple. Say Happy Mother’s Day, maybe get a card and be extra thoughtful throughout the day. Meaningful gifts are not always my forte. By placing Mother’s Day first, us guys, namely us new fathers could get the valuable chance of seeing how our spouse might celebrate the “new Holiday”, thus giving us a valuable guide for how we ought to react on their special day. With this now established, I can move on with my story.

Where was I? ahh yes “Multiple gifts”… First I received a great new cycling jersey. If you’re not into cycling, or haven’t ever worn a real cycling jersey, well, they are the best. Keeping you cool, providing pockets on the back for that extra item you may need to take with you. Anyway, I’ve wanted a World Vision Cycling jersey for a while now. It is much more fun to have a jersey that has personal meaning, rather than just a bunch of logo’s and advertisements for who knows what companies. Helen and I sponsor kids from World Vision, and I really like what they are doing to make a difference in this world. So now every time I wear my new jersey, I represent something I care deeply about and it reminds me of the thoughtfulness of my beautiful wife.  Next I pulled out of the bag a very cute mouse pad with a collage of pictures of Isabella and I. I’ve also needed one of these. I wasn’t using a mouse pad and it adds to the responsiveness of the mouse and comfort to me. Not to mention the great pictures and slogan, “My Daddy My Hero”. How is that for some additional motivation when I’m working? I’ve got a lot to live up to with “Hero” being mentioned there. I think it sounds like a lot to live up to. Helen says dads are always their daughter’s hero. I pray this may be the case.

I’ll spare you the details on the rest of my day, as I’ve already talked for so longJ I received a few more cards from my folks and my in-laws. Very caring people who all seem to think I’m doing ok so far as a father. This is actually great to hear, especially because I think they are the greatest sets of parents I’ve ever seen in action! So I think I’ll remember this day for quite some time to come, especially my girls making me cookies, and bringing me gifts bright and early that first Father’s day.  I guess next Mother’s Day I’ll have to “step up” and help Bella make the day special for Mommy who sets the bar pretty high. –~thank you dear

-Barry

It is amazing that the older you get the more your birthdays seem just like another day.  However this year was unlike any other, because I had my precious daughter join us this year.  The week started off fun, because Barry started surprising me with things like my favorite ice cream appeared in the freezer, a spontaneous lunch delivery and of course flowers.  The lunch delivery was quiet something, it was the biggest burger I have ever seen, better yet it had a “cheese skirt” that was almost as big as the burger.  It came from “Squeeze In” a little burger restaurant here in Roseville.  We have both heard a great deal about the place, but never actually ate there, so Barry decided to give it a try and indeed it was a very good burger (you can find a picture below).  Later that day, my family joined us for desert and we had a lovely time talking and laughing. I got showered with greatest gifts where I felt very spoiled and loved.  My birthday did not end there, I also got my wishes come true on the weekend.  I wanted to be at my parent’s house and lie in the hammock in their back yard, I absolutely love it there.  I also wished to go on a nice long bike ride, but it was way too windy that day so I decided to do my first long run since delivering Bella.  The biggest wish was to spend a relaxing day with my family and that is exactly what I did.  My parents went above and beyond as always with preparation of food and of course mamusya made the best cake, thank you sonechko!  I truly felt spoiled!
The  funny things is I never even imagined I would live this long, we read the Word and always wonder about “the day” and I thought it would come way before my age, I didn’t’ even think I’d reach my twenties, but God has a different plan and He has blessed me abundantly.  I am grateful for every year of my life, for the best and most dear family one can ask for, the greatest husband and the absolute best daughter in the world.  Thank you precious Lord for gifting me with all that I have but most of all salvation.

We had a great opportunity to go and vacation for a few days in Carmel.  It was our first family trip 🙂 which I thought was going to be a lot more challenging but ended up being one of the best trips.  It was also the first time Bella got to see the ocean.  Too bad she couldn’t tell us what she thought, but we are pretty sure she liked it, at least the sound, because she slept through quiet a bit of our walks on the beach.  This trip was to celebrate our 5 year anniversary as well as to just get away and relax.  We certainly hope we could stay there for at least a week and God willing we will next time, there is just something about that peaceful sound of the ocean that you can never get enough of.  We stayed at a wonderful hotel that was located only 1.3 miles from the beach, that gave us easy access to go as much as we wanted.  We also had a little shopping center across the street which was very cute, full of boutique shops and small restaurants.  Barry and I enjoyed one of the best burgers we have ever had at RJ’s as well as one of the best ice creams and pizzas.  I must admit we ate unhealthy, but boy did we have fun eating all the junk food, we are both working it off now by running and bicycling 🙂  Barry had a chance to go on a nice ride on his bike on the 17 mile road, he said it was gorgeous.  Bella did absolutely amazing for being away from home, of course we had a few little crying and teething moments, but overall it was a very enjoyable trip, the one we will never forget, because we got to go with our daughter for the very first time.