tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89956792699654779272024-03-14T00:07:27.210-07:00An Orthodox NestA Russian mama of 4, Serbian Orthodox priest's wife, homeschooler and homemakerKatyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.comBlogger144125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-28888478238329119462017-06-16T05:21:00.003-07:002017-06-16T05:21:21.592-07:00Almost Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have take a long break from the blog because things got a bit crazy around here (I feel like I say this all the time!) and it's nice to be back.<br />
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I can officially say that we are enjoying our summer vacation after a successful year of kindergarten homeschool! I am thrilled with how our year went overall! Our big first grader is reading at the Level 2 I Can Read books, and he continues to enjoy reading to himself or to his siblings. He has truly formed a love for reading and does not need to be reminded to practice his reading each day. We finished half of Math U See Alpha (which is technically the first grade math) after having finished the Primer, and he is a math-loving guy for sure. I never intended to focus much on math this year, but he begged and pleaded for it constantly, so I went along with it.<br />
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We have been enjoying being "summer lazy" here for a week or so and have been taking it easy. Soon the kids and I are going to visit my family in New York for a few weeks and I can hardly wait! I have been busy planning out some free activities I can keep us busy with during the day while my mom is at work.<br />
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We are back at fasting again, with the Apostles' Fast going on currently (until July 12th). I have been thoroughly enjoying some summer salads with a small piece of baked salmon on top, as well as bruschetta on bread and grilled veggies (like zucchini or bell peppers). Yum! My husband has also planted this year's garden, with the help of the kids, and we are anxiously awaiting the results of their hard work!<br />
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Just a few more days until the official first day of summer, and the weather is definitely getting the hint as well!Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-66030401221185788842017-03-10T14:13:00.001-08:002017-03-10T14:13:16.321-08:00Lenten Knit-A-Long<br />
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A friend of mine who is a very talented knitter (among other things!) started a fun Lenten knit-a-long this year and all the women who are taking part in it are keeping each other posted through the hashtag #lentenKAL on Instagram. It's just fun to see how everyone else is doing on their project. I think I may be the slowest knitter in the group! Everyone has chosen a project that fits their own level best and I am excited to be knitting a summer shawl in cotton/linen blend yarn from KnitPicks (the yarn is called CotLin). It is going to have 3 buttons and one button-hole so you can go with a different look each time you wear it. Here is my progress so far! Join us if you care to!<br />
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<br />Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-18492282808837651422017-03-05T06:47:00.000-08:002017-03-05T06:47:00.593-08:00The first weekend of Great Lent...On Friday, as per tradition in the Orthodox Church, we blessed wheat after the presanctified liturgy, in memory of St. Theodore Tyro.<br />
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The little ones gathered behind their father to watch the blessing.<br />
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Yesterday morning we attended liturgy for a second day in a row and afterwards, indulged in these delicious cinnamon rolls from Trader Joe's...which are completely Lenten! Go try them, you will not regret it! They bake in 20 minutes, which makes for a perfect post-liturgy, no-effort light breakfast as you sip your tea or coffee and prepare for the rest of the day.<br />
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Happy Sunday of Orthodoxy to you all! We have officially made it through week 1 of Great Lent - 6 weeks until Pascha! It's going to fly by...<br />
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Tonight, my husband is attending Sunday of Orthodoxy vespers, but the little ones and I are going to enjoy our first lenten pizza for dinner - Yum! (I even bought pre-made dough at the supermarket to make things easier for myself).Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-1621249009182615422017-03-02T08:31:00.002-08:002017-03-02T08:44:10.530-08:00Great Lent: What We Are Eating - February and March (Great Lent Meal Plan, Part 1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the hardest parts about Great Lent for many, many housewives is preparing Lenten meals. Often times not everyone in the family is fasting to the same degree (like in our house!) for various reasons (children of various ages, priest husbands, nursing or pregnant mamas...). I have personally had a battle every year of "WHAT am I going to feed everyone today?" during each fasting period. Meeting everyone's meal needs can be so taxing and leave us weary. This is especially a problem when it leaves us no time for reading, preparing for confession, reading those extra prayers we want to read during the fast.<br />
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This year I am fasting and so is my husband (I say "this year" because last year I was a nursing Mama so I was fasting from meat only, as per my personal blessing from my father confessor). Our oldest son who is 6 is fasting from meat only, and only on Wednesdays and Fridays. And then we have the 3 little ones who do not fast at all yet. So I tried to think ahead of time this year and decide on ways I can make my life a little bit easier during this special time of year? What I did was take a calendar page online at <a href="http://www.print-a-calendar.com/">this website</a> and filled in lunch and dinner for every day of February and March. I will work on April closer towards its arrival. This is a task that is really tedious for me, but it has had a lot of benefits so far and caused me far fewer headaches than I usually have for meal prep time during Great Lent. You can see my meal plan for our family here: (Feel free to edit this as you'd like for your family's needs - you can type right in each box)<br />
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<a href="http://print-a-calendar.com/march-2017#.WLdkjfSjars.blogger">March 2017 Printable Calendar</a><br />
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I figured I'd make it easy and share the recipes that go along with the calendar as well, otherwise, how helpful can it be to you? :-)<br />
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By the way - Great Lent only lasted for 2 days of February, and on those days we ate the same thing for both meals (sounds boring but makes my life easy!)<br />
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Lunch: Normandy Vegetable Soup; Guacamole on Bread (see my previous post for this recipe)<br />
Dinner: <a href="http://www.littlebroken.stfi.re/2014/10/14/lentil-chili/?sf=jvzjojw#ab">Lentil Chili</a> - this was SO delish!!! Especially topped with guacamole! (I left the cilantro out b/c we are not huge fans of it. I even made this without oil and it was still so good!)<br />
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If you look at my March calendar, you will see that I repeat a soup for lunch for 3 days in a row. The rest? We freeze it for later on in Great Lent. I am not a fan of eating the same thing every day all week because it just gets really dull. But, to each his own.<br />
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OK, so here are the recipes (and the sources behind them). Also, I realize that on Friday of this week I put that we are eating just bread with guacamole. That's a mistake and it happened because I was out of oil-free ideas for Friday. ;-) My husband will not be home for dinner though, so it's just me and I'll eat something frozen from the freezer.<br />
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The recipes in order of their appearance on the calendar:<br />
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<u>No Oil Bean Soup</u> (taken from the Lenten Cookbook by the Ladies' Aux. of St. Nicholas SOC in Indianapolis):<br />
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1 large onion, chopped<br />
1 T. paprika<br />
1 T. salt<br />
1 16 oz. can navy beans<br />
2 T. chopped parsley<br />
1 to 2 cans water<br />
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Chop onion; place in soup pan. Cover with water and boil about 10 minutes. Add seasonings. Stir well. Add beans (do NOT drain!), 1 to 2 cans of water and the diced parsley. Bring to a boil again and cook 45 to 50 minutes, or until beans are done. If desired, you may add 1 can diced tomatoes to the onions and/or 1 cup dried pasta in the last 20 minutes of cooking time.<br />
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<u>Vegan Corn Muffins (</u>this is a recipe I have adapted throughout the years)<br />
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1 c. flour<br />
1 c. cornmeal (yellow or white)<br />
1 T. baking powder<br />
1/2 t. salt<br />
2/3 c. sugar (do 1/3 if you don't like them as sweet)<br />
1/2 c. corn or veg. oil<br />
3/4 cup soy milk or any other kind of non-dairy milk<br />
2 T. apple sauce (if I have none on hand I just leave it out)<br />
A hint of lemon juice<br />
Yield: 1 dozen muffins<br />
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Preheat oven to 400 deg. Lightly grease a 12-muffin tin. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and sugar. In seperate bowl, whisk together oil, apple sauce, and lemon juice. White a wooden spoon, fold the wet ingredients into the dry. Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full. Bake for 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.<br />
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<a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/4696-zucchini-potato-bisque">Zucchini-Potato Bisque from the NY Times</a><br />
-Just use a milk substitute here - I tend to stick to rice milk because almond and soy give it a little too much of their flavor for my liking. (Btw, keep this for when it isn't lent - it is sooo delicious with regular milk!)<br />
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<u>Quinoa and Shrimp Salad</u><br />
Boil some quinoa (I usually stick to about a half cup to one cup max). Add in some already cooked shrimp, chopped red pepper, chopped cucumber, chopped tomatoes and a good amount of dill. Sprinkle some lemon juice and olive oil and combine. Best served chilled. Delicious. If you don't like dill, use parsley instead. Note: I personally prefer less quinoa and more of everything else, but you have to just find your personal preference when making this!<br />
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<u>Maryland-Style Crab Cakes</u><br />
<a href="http://www.dinner-mom.com/maryland-style-lump-crab-cakes/">Here</a> is the original recipe. My friend who gave me this recipe tweaked it to her liking, and I prefer her way personally, so here is her way.<br />
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1 cup oyster crackers<br />
2/3 c. vegan mayonnaise (I use vegenaise)<br />
1 t. mustard<br />
1 t. Old Bay seasoning<br />
1/4 cup diced onion<br />
1/4 cup diced red pepper<br />
1 c. lump crab meat (I've used non-lump before too, but lump is way tastier)<br />
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1/4 cup olive oil (if frying)<br />
plain bread crumbs<br />
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Sautee the onion with the red pepper. Combine all the ingredients except for the crab meat in a large bowl (and except for the oil) and mix until just combined. Add the crabmeat to the bowl, breaking up the extra large pieces. Fold the crabmeat into the cracker mixture just until combined, allowing some larger pieces of crab to stay in tact. Scoop out 1/4 c. portions of the mixture, tightly compress and form into a small, rounded patty. Coat the patties with bread crumbs on both sides.<br />
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To pan fry:<br />
Heat the olive oil over med. high heat. Add crab cakes to the pan and cook for 2-3 mins on each side or until golden brown, turning once. Remove the cakes to a plate lined with paper towels and let them set.<br />
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To bake:<br />
Preheat the oven to 350 deg. Place crab cakes on a greased baking sheet. Baked for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown, flipping once halfway through.<br />
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These can be frozen before cooking. Defrost prior to cooking.<br />
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<a href="http://soupaddict.com/2014/06/loaded-guacamole-vegetarian-tacos/">Loaded Guacamole Vegetarian Tacos</a><br />
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<u>Lenten Pizza</u>:<br />
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Easy peasy and our favorite!!! Either use store-bought dough or your favorite homemade pizza dough. We use simply a marinara sauce on ours, and for the cheese, Daiya Brand Mozzarella Style Shreds. Um, it is SO good!!!! A recent favorite of mine came from my niece - she made us pizza with caramelized onions and roasted red peppers. So yummy! BTW - Daiya Cheese can be found at Whole Foods or many other health food stores. Some local supermarkets carry it, too. I don't know anyone who has not loved this "cheese"! It's soy-free, too.<br />
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<u>Quinoa Avocado Salad</u> (Got this recipe on Facebook from a Lenten Recipes group)<br />
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1 pckg. (7 oz) red quinoa, cooked per directions and chilled<br />
1 pkg. (12 oz) frozen super-sweet corn, thawed<br />
1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro<br />
1 cup green onions, thinly sliced (red onion works too)<br />
2 plum tomatoes, 1/4 inch died<br />
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and cubed small<br />
1/2 cup lemon vinaigrette (see below)<br />
1/2 t. salt<br />
1/2 t. pepper<br />
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Dawn's Lemon Vinaigrette<br />
Whisk together:<br />
juice of one large lemon<br />
1/2 c. olive oil<br />
1 clove garlic, minced<br />
1/2 t. salt<br />
1 T. maple syrup<br />
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Add cooked quinoa, corn, cilantro, green onions, and tomatoes to a mixing bowl. Fold in avocados and dressing. Mix until well-combined. Season with salt and pepper.<br />
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Spinach Linguine with Clams and Tomatoes (recipe from my mom)<br />
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8 oz. frozen whole clam meat (3 to 4 cups)<br />
12 oz. spinach linguine<br />
3 T. olive oil<br />
1 cup chopped onion<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
16 oz. vegetable broth<br />
1/2 t. salt<br />
1/4 t. black pepper<br />
2 large tomatoes, diced<br />
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped<br />
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Cook spinach linguine in a large pot of salted water. Drain and return to pot with about 1/4 c. of the cooking water. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a saucepan on med/ high heat. Add onions and garlic, cook, stirring constantly for 5 to 6 minutes until softened. Add veggie broth, salt and pepper. Increase heat to high, bring mixture to a boil and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, until liquid has been reduced by half. Stir in clams, tomatoes and basil and stir until heated thoroughly. Add clam mixture to cooked linguine and reserved cooking water. Stir to combine thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with chopped fresh basil.<br />
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<a href="http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/potato-leek-soup.php">Vegan Potato Leek Soup</a> - this is definitely a favorite around here!<br />
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<u>Garlic Shrimp</u> (Recipe from All You magazine) - These are delicious!!! Such a yummy sauce, too!<br />
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1/2 c. olive oil<br />
6 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley<br />
1 1/2 lbs. peeled, deveine medium shrimp, rinsed, drained and patted dry<br />
Salt<br />
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Warm oil, garlic, parsley in a large skillet over med/high heat for 1 1/2 minutes. Carefully add shrimp, season with salt and cook, stirring, until pink, about 3 minutes. Serve hot.<br />
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<a href="http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/shrimp_scampi/">Shrimp Scampi</a> - another of my favorites - Note: Just sub in Earth Balance margarine for the butter!<br />
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<a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cream-of-vegetable-soup">Taste of Home Cream of Vegetable Soup</a> - This is out of this world delicious! I made it for our slava and EVERYONE wanted to have a copy of the recipe! Just use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth here, and a non-dairy creamer/milk for the half and half.<br />
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<a href="http://chefinyou.com/2012/08/20/zucchini-potato-fritters/">Zucchini-Potato Fritters</a><br />
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Grechka with Onions and Mushrooms - This is a Russian specialty. You take buckwheat kasha, boil it according to the directions. In the meantime, chop a generous amount of onion, and mushrooms. Sautee them together and mix it all up with the kasha. UM, I LOVE THIS!<br />
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<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-shrimp-salad-recipe">Ina May Garten's Roasted Shrimp Salad</a> - Use vegenaise instead of the mayonnaise. This is really yummy as a wrap, too.<br />
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<u>Bruschetta a la Katya</u> - This is my own recipe. It's not rocket science ;-).<br />
Chop up some tomatoes, and try to seed them as best as possible, too. If you leave the seeds it's ok. My husband hates when I waste any part of the tomato, so I usually use them. Chop up some basil as well (to taste). I use a good amount of it. Sprinkle in salt and pepper, and drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar. DO NOT use too much vinegar, a little goes a long way! Otherwise it'll be really sour. Refrigerate.<br />
Next, take a baguette or any kind of long bread and slice it up. Make a paste out of margarine, garlic powder and dried parsley. Smear a good amount onto each piece of bread. Lay bread slices on a pan and broil them for a few minutes. BE CAREFUL. Don't walk away too long because they'll burn quickly. Remove them just when the edges are beginning to brown. Place a good spoonful of the tomato mixture on each slice - but DRAIN the tomatoes off (just let the juices drip back into the bowl) before you place them on, otherwise you'll have some really soggy bruschetta.<br />
Note: Onion lovers can throw some onion in there. I don't because I try to save time, plus I don't like having onion breath. :)<br />
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<u>Zucchini-Lemon Couscous</u> (from the book The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen)<br />
1 1/2 T. olive oil<br />
1 bunch scallions, white parts chopped, 1/2 cup thinly sliced green tops reserved<br />
1/2 lb. zucchini, finely diced<br />
2 c. vegetable broth<br />
Juice of 1/2 large lemon (about 2 T.)<br />
1/4 t. chopped dried lemon peel<br />
Salt and pepper, to taste<br />
1 1/2 c. instant couscous<br />
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In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the white part of the scallions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the broth, lemon juice, lemon peel, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the couscous; cover and remove from the heat. Let stand until all the liquids are absorbed, 7 minutes.<br />
Uncover and fluff the couscous with a fork. Add the reserved scallion greens and toss well with fork to combine. Serve warm or at room temp.<br />
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<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/parkers-split-pea-soup-recipe">Parker's Split Pea Soup</a> - Just use vegetable broth instead of chicken<br />
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<a href="http://bevcooks.com/2012/06/shrimp-pasta-with-tomatoes-lemon-and-spinach/">Shrimp Pasta with Tomatoes, Lemon and Spinach</a><br />
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<u>Poor Man's Pesto Sauce</u> (from the Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen) - (it is so good!!) - we eat this with any kind of pasta<br />
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3 c. loosely packed fresh basil leaves<br />
6 T. pine nuts (you can use walnuts too)<br />
2-4 large cloves garlic<br />
3/4 t. coarse salt<br />
6 T. olive oil<br />
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Combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, and salt in a food processor fitted with the metal blade or in a blender. Process of blend until the ingredients are finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the work bowl as necessary. Add the oil and process until smooth and creamy. If not using immediately, store tightly covered in refrigerator for up to 2 days, or place in ice cube trays, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and store in the freezer no longer than 1 month for the best flavor.<br />
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<u>Potato Kotleti</u> (patties)<br />
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Boil a few potatoes til soft. Mash them up well. Add in a fried onion and lots of garlic powder and dill. Mix it all up with your hands really well. Form into patties and roll in bread crumbs. Fry.<br />
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Top with <u>Mushroom Gravy</u> (I could eat this EVERY DAY!) - this recipe from a friend<br />
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2 T. olive oil<br />
1 c. chopped mushrooms<br />
1 pinch salt<br />
1 t. white wine vinegar<br />
pepper<br />
3 T. Earth Balance margarine<br />
3 T. flour<br />
1 c. vegetable broth<br />
non-dairy milk<br />
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Heat oil in large skillet and add mushrooms and salt. Cook for 5 minutes or until softened and add vinegar. Stir. Add some pepper and remove mushrooms from pan. Don't clean out the pan. Turn the heat to low. Add margarine and flour and whisk until a paste forms. Slowly add veg. broth, whisking until mixture is smooth. Turn the heat up and whisk until the mixture thickens into a gravy. Add soymilk in small splashes if gravy becomes too thick. Season with salt and pepper.<br />
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Pirozhki - a Russian specialty - I will post the recipe for these later on. There are many options for fillings.<br />
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<br />Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-90871339266820014502017-02-27T13:56:00.001-08:002017-02-27T13:56:30.866-08:00On the First Day of Great Lent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here we are, the first day of Great Lent! No joke, it feels like just yesterday I was baking kulichi and now we are on the path to Pascha once more in what feels like no time at all.<br />
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I love Great Lent more and more each year.<br />
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This year I decided to meal plan for Great Lent in a new way. I took a calendar for each month of Great Lent, beginning with the end of February and into April, and tried to roughly plan out lunch and dinner for each day. Before you think that this sounds totally crazy, I will explain - I have kept things very simple. I decided to make lunch a soup each day. My husband tends to get very bored eating the same soup too often in a row, so I maxed it out at 3 days in a row for one soup. I am freezing whatever leftovers there are so that we can repeat them a little bit later in Great Lent without having to make a new batch of soup.<br />
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This week, my husband is not eating oil products, so that simplified our menu a great deal. I made my grandmother's Normandy Vegetable Soup and am sharing the recipe below. To go along with our soup I made an Artisan loaf of bread this morning which is already half gone. If needed I will make a new loaf tomorrow (I'll probably have to do that).<br /><br />Later this week, I'll be making an oil-free bean soup which is a first time recipe for me. If it is any good, I'll share it later on. Tomorrow I also plan to make lentil chili, a new-to-me recipe as well. Will share if it is worth it or not.<br />
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In the meantime, here is the Normandy Vegetable Soup recipe.<br />
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<u>Normandy Vegetable Soup</u><br />
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2 lb. bag of frozen Normandy vegetable blend<br />
2 potatoes, peeled and diced<br />
1 parsnip, peeled and diced<br />
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Pour all the vegetables together into a large soup pot. Cover with JUST ENOUGH water to cover. (I almost always pour more water than necessary and end up annoyed with myself later). Boil. Let this boil until all the vegetables are soft. Add in spices as you wish. Usually I add in paprika, garlic powder, and enough salt - can always add more later. Once the vegetables are soft, take a hand/immersion blender and puree the entire soup. It should be pretty thick still. Add in any creamer of your choice - almond, rice, soy milk, or non-dairy coffee creamer. Just enough to make it to the consistency of your desire. Serve with croutons if desired.<br />
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Note: You can also use vegetable broth if you'd like for the veggies. I tend to always use water because I make it on the days my husband is not eating oil products. You can make this non-fasting easily as well and use half and half to thicken the soup instead, and use chicken broth of course!<br />
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<br />Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-23478545497895487882017-02-22T17:45:00.001-08:002017-02-22T18:40:29.863-08:00Great Lent Reading<div dir="ltr">
Here we are... Just around the corner from another Great Lent. I feel so blessed every year at this time when I think, how lucky I am that God has allowed me to reach this period yet again. I always think that this could be my last Great Lent, ever since my mom's cousin died at a young age, and that really puts things into perspective and makes me realize how seriously I should take this period of repentance and preparation for the Feast of Feasts. </div>
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Tonight we had Blini for dinner and it was absolutely crazy. It was not a beautiful meal that one can often imagine in their heads. It was filled with whining children who were complaining that they didn't like any of the fixings and ask for syrup instead, it was filled with lots of noise as well. And it was filled with one tired mama in the kitchen who kept frying just one more blin and kept waiting to sit down and eat. But moments like these are great reminders of why we need periods like great Lent. It's so refreshing to have a set period every year for reflection and looking deep into one's soul and wondering how we can become better. Going back to my meal tonight, I did manage to lay out a beautiful Russian tablecloth, wear my favorite Russian apron, and play beautiful balalaika music in the background. And those things made the meal sweeter and the stress less stressful. I will look back on it as a dinner where everything did not go smoothly and that that was ok. The kids are peacefully sleeping in bed, tummies full, and tomorrow is a new day. </div>
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Tonight I am sharing my Great Lenten reading. I am working slowly through the Optina Elder books. One is better than the next. I love these. I have been working on Elder Ambrose for several weeks now and will continue, along with these sermons on Great Lent by St. John of Krondstadt. If I finish Elder Ambrose I'll go right into the next book. Somewhere I'd also love to throw in a reread of Wounded by Love because I love that book so much. </div>
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Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-53681835610540517522017-02-16T14:49:00.000-08:002017-02-22T18:41:16.477-08:00The Meeting of the Lord...Yesterday we celebrated the feast of the Meeting of the Lord. It is such a dear holiday to me... When I was 13, our bishop (Bishop Mitrophan of Boston) passed away on this beautiful holiday. This year marked 15 years since his repose. He was like a grandparent to me and a relative through marriage, and I miss him dearly every day. The most special part though, is that he was very old when he died, and he died as his two daughters read the prayer of St. Simeon over him. I was blessed enough to be there for that very moment and it is something I will never forget in my life. Since his repose, I have gotten married and had 4 children, and as all Orthodox mothers know, a mama brings her baby to church on or after the 40th day for the first time and has special prayers read over them prior to entering the church together. It is such a joy to bring your newborn baby to church for the first time, and it is for this reason that this feast day really touches my heart. To imagine the Theotokos bringing her newborn Christ-child into the temple really makes me get the chills.<br />
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Since the feast day was on a fasting day this year, I decided that salmon was in order for lunch. My husband and I enjoyed our lunch SO much! We ate while the kids had their quiet time.<br />
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By the way, I find it necessary to note that my favorite way of cooking salmon is to bake it on 400 degrees for 20 minutes... Prior to baking it, lay it on a baking sheet, sprinkle with olive oil and rub it in nicely (I do this with a basting brush). Then, sprinkle on some salt, pepper, garlic powder, and finish off with a generous drizzle of lemon juice (fresh if possible). So simple, so healthy and so delicious! As an extra special treat, I love to fry up some onions and peppers and put them on top of our fish. It really was like a restaurant meal!<br />
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Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-59289954621540596722017-01-12T20:10:00.001-08:002017-01-12T20:16:29.643-08:00Christmas <div dir="ltr">
Christ is Born! Indeed He is Born!</div>
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What a whirlwind this past week has been! The children and I survived 4 days of services in a row, some days two services. It was butter cold out as well, so we had to bundle down to hats and gloves each time we left the house. It was a challenge, but it was worth it. A lot of memories have been made in the process! </div>
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I had LOTS OF fun decorating the sugar cookies this year on my own after the kids were in bed one night. </div>
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Our tradition each year on Christmas is to come home and break the fast together with a few yummy snacks, and also break our cesnica (pronounced ches-nee-tsa), which is a Serbian Christmas bread, together. The bread contains a coin and the person who gets the coin gets good luck that year. Our younger daughter got the coin this year :-).</div>
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After that, we head to my brother-in-law's place for some Christmas fun and feasting! </div>
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I was supposed to go visit family in New York this week... but I ended up completely overexhausted and not feeling up for it. The good news is my airline gave me a credit for the full amount paid for the flight to use at a later time. The other good news is that we have been having a great week together as a family. My husband has also been taking it easy with his responsibilities this week, so we are all recuperating together and enjoying our family time very much. I knew it in my heart that the right thing to do was to take our Christmas break from school this week! Our week has included a certain special 3-year old's birthday, eating out several meals, doing very minimal housework, spending lots of time lounging around and knitting for this Mama , and playing a board game as a family.<br />
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Here are a few photos of our festivities!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The birthday girl HAD to have a Peppa Pig cake! Ice cream cake - YUM!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A new session of swim lessons, for our 3 year old as well!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Late night snack for Mama - hot chocolate with milk, marshmallows and whipped cream, and a slice of nutroll from a parishioner</td></tr>
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Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-12046150491673646502016-12-30T19:22:00.002-08:002016-12-30T19:23:51.194-08:00Christmas Cookie Marathon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This year I am NOT pregnant during Christmas season! That is huge, because this being our 8th Christmas season as a married couple, I have been pregnant or adjusting to having a newborn for 4 out of those 8 years! Each time I am either postpartum or very pregnant, I try to lower my standards and not overdo it with holiday preparations. However, this year I am very fondly remembering my exhausted third-trimester pregnant self last year, and even though I am still definitely exhausted (the little guy still does not sleep through the night), I do have a little more energy this Christmas season.<br />
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I made a list of Christmas cookies that I would like to make this year, and I am giving myself some lee-way here because I just do not know if it will all get done, but this is the list of what I'd like to make: </div>
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-<a href="http://www.theyummylife.com/Sour_Cream_Sugar_Cookies">Sour Cream Sugar Cookies</a> (these are so tasty!) - These I actually already made earlier today. They are in the freezer waiting for us to frost and decorate them a little closer to Christmas.</div>
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-Kahlua Balls (for the adults only) - a recipe a friend gave me</div>
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-<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/rum-balls-recipe3.html">Rum Balls</a> (again, for the adults)</div>
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-<a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chocolate-thumbprints-cookies">Chocolate Thumbprints</a> - These are SO good! They are my favorite out of all of these.</div>
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-Angeletti (from the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Good-Housekeeping-Christmas-Cookbook-Decorating/dp/158816974X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483154341&sr=8-1&keywords=good+housekeeping+holiday+cookbook">Good Housekeeping Holiday Cookbook</a>) - This will be a new recipe this year...</div>
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-<a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/linzer-cookies-recipe">Linzer Cookies</a></div>
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-Chocolate Almond Clusters (from the GH Holiday Cookbook) - a new recipe this year for me, but I can't possibly imagine chocolate and almonds mixed together not tasting good!</div>
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I will let you know how it goes!</div>
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Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-19772963565263593482016-12-30T19:09:00.000-08:002016-12-30T19:09:59.490-08:00A Whole DecadeToday is a very special day for my husband and I because it is 10 years since we began dating! It has been a much more eventful decade than I could have EVER imagined! In ten years, we:<br />
-Dated for 2<br />
-Got engaged on Christmas Day 2009<br />
-Planned a Chicago wedding from New York<br />
-Got married<br />
-Moved to Chicago (for him it was moving back to Chicago)<br />
-Had an ordination to the diaconate<br />
-Moved again<br />
-Had our first baby<br />
-Flew to Serbia for 2 weeks for a family wedding (SUCH a great experience!)<br />
-Celebrated my college graduation (6 years after I began my college career)<br />
-Welcomed Baby #2 into the world<br />
-Moved once again<br />
-Welcomed Baby #3<br />
-Celebrated an ordination to the Priesthood<br />
-Moved AGAIN, to our first parish ever<br />
-Had Baby #4<br />
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The blessings and excitement just keep on coming. God has been beyond good to us in our time together so far, and it is exciting and overwhelming to think back to all that we have gone through together so far. I have no doubt that the next 10 years of our lives together will be exciting (and probably still overwhelming :)) as well!<br />
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<br />Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-78604603841826789362016-12-19T19:19:00.001-08:002016-12-19T19:19:52.278-08:00St. Nicholas Day<p dir="ltr">It has been absolutely freezing here this past week, so St. Nicholas knew just what the kids needed. He changed their shoes out for warm woolen slippers. Oh, what a surprise! They kept them on ALL day...that was a big deal for my little ones who usually run around barefoot all year round.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Happy feast of St. Nicholas to you all!</p>
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Marija and we had a great time! There's nothing like cooking with another Mama in a beautiful, big kitchen, with ZERO kiddos underfoot, thanks to the big cousins who kept the little ones busy. What an enjoyable experience! </p>
<p dir="ltr">Check out Marija's beautiful Thanksgiving table!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7_r_iuU13h0/WDrmN3ZvpKI/AAAAAAAAEtA/K4t-kQyD-dg/s1600/20161124_115606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7_r_iuU13h0/WDrmN3ZvpKI/AAAAAAAAEtA/K4t-kQyD-dg/s640/20161124_115606.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FFkmB-v1biU/WDrmOCqe-0I/AAAAAAAAEtE/7ZPVX2fkcNg/s1600/20161124_153635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FFkmB-v1biU/WDrmOCqe-0I/AAAAAAAAEtE/7ZPVX2fkcNg/s640/20161124_153635.jpg"> </a> </div>Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-84679164574410471482016-11-21T11:40:00.001-08:002016-11-21T11:40:12.859-08:00Teaching Children a New ChoreI loved this when I read it earlier today! I already made my post-it!<br />
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"There are five classic steps for teaching a new chore to children:<br />
1. Tell them<br />
2. Show them<br />
3. Do it with them<br />
4. Supervised practice<br />
5. Independent practice<br />
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I would encourage you to put these things on a sticky note and place it above your kitchen sink for a season until you have the steps down.<br />
Do not expect children to do a chore well when you have only done the first two steps with them. It can take a short or long time to get from Step One to Step Five, depending on the child and the specific chore.<br />
Make it a fun time by gathering all the kids for the telling and showing steps, then use the timer to see how fast each person can do the new task. Celebrate with a treat!"<br />
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Taken from <u>Large Family Logistics: The Art and Science of Managing the Large Family</u>Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-65206799991093259192016-11-19T20:37:00.001-08:002016-11-19T20:37:57.937-08:00Fall Comforts...<p dir="ltr">Today was a rare Saturday that my husband had no commitments until the evening service. For lunch, I made a huge pot of chicken soup with lots and lots of the thinnest egg noodles that exist at the store, and some hot, homemade southern biscuits to go with it. It was a lunch that no one complained about, so a really <u>rare</u> treat for Mama!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aG-K7QwmL5o/WDEopV9r-PI/AAAAAAAAEsw/304VX27ninM/s1600/20161119_120712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aG-K7QwmL5o/WDEopV9r-PI/AAAAAAAAEsw/304VX27ninM/s640/20161119_120712.jpg"> </a> </div>Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-46176169208456935892016-11-05T11:33:00.001-07:002016-11-05T11:33:51.044-07:00Bed Making <p dir="ltr">I have found that in order to teach kids how to do chores and also how to maintain tidiness on their own, Mama really needs to stay on top of them until the task is ingrained in them forever. Well, while I'd love to say I have had success with teaching my kids how to do various different chores, this is definitely a work in progress and something I'm working on daily. I forget some days, too. One thing I have worked on through the last few months though, is not letting the kids come downstairs in the morning until their bed has been made. I recently noticed that hard work is slowly paying off, because our 4 year old has gotten really good at making her bed ALL on her own in a beautiful manner!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iVSxiioTUDA/WB4mDlGXTNI/AAAAAAAAEsY/2Wg0mBD_dkc/s1600/20160902_083526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iVSxiioTUDA/WB4mDlGXTNI/AAAAAAAAEsY/2Wg0mBD_dkc/s640/20160902_083526.jpg"> </a> </div>Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-26686410509256474252016-10-25T15:00:00.001-07:002016-10-25T15:00:21.489-07:00What I'm Knitting<p dir="ltr">I finished knitting my Mara Shawl recently (I'll update and post a photo of it asap), and am now working on a "strawberries and cream" dress for my older daughter to wear through the fall, winter and spring. It'll be a short-sleeved garment which we can layer on top of a white t-shirt or blouse throughout the colder months. I am knitting it to be pretty long so that he can wear it next year, too. This is my first in-the-round article of clothing that I have ever knit, and also the first thing I've made with sleeves so it has been interesting and another learning experience. I'm loving the simplicity <u>of</u> this knit and it is definitely something I'd knit again in the future. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a7xNUYYlpaQ/WA_V9MYFRbI/AAAAAAAAEr8/IUt017Z5hVo/s1600/20161007_174345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a7xNUYYlpaQ/WA_V9MYFRbI/AAAAAAAAEr8/IUt017Z5hVo/s640/20161007_174345.jpg"> </a> </div>Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-42357315535735211162016-10-08T13:25:00.001-07:002016-10-08T13:25:21.134-07:00Election Times...<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: 'San Francisco', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, '.SFNSText-Regular', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This whole election is really getting to me whenever I scroll through news or Facebook, so I am trying not to do either too much. This leads me to think, though:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: 'San Francisco', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, '.SFNSText-Regular', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: 'San Francisco', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, '.SFNSText-Regular', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The election does not seem so stressful or so worth obssesing over when thinking about the following quote from the Psalter: "Put not your trust in princes or in sons of men, for in them there is no salvation." Of course, we have to vote for one person in the end because the country must have a President. So we think, whose values are more similar to Orthodox values and the values we are supposed to try and live by? That is the one who should get our vote. It makes things seem so much simpler this way. Either way, we need to put our trust in God, and not in anyone before Him, for He is the one who can help us to save ourselves for eternity. </span>Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-3136360169990441262016-10-06T08:32:00.001-07:002016-10-06T08:32:22.579-07:00Words of Wisdom from Saint Paisios<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have been accompanying my morning coffee each day with a few pages from a book called<u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Counsels-Pain-Love-Contemporary/dp/B002Z34CQ8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1475767765&sr=8-3&keywords=elder+paisios+of+mount+athos"> Elder Paisios of Mount Athos, Spiritual Counsels: With Pain and Love for Contemporary Man.</a></u> This is the first in a series of five books of this newly-canonized saint. We picked up all of the books in Jordanville this summer. I picked up the first one that very same day as I waited for my husband while he visited an old friend, and I was immediately blown away. This book is full of nothing but gems of wisdom. It truly is life-changing for me. Even if our mornings are crazy, if I can sneak in a minute or two of reading time, it helps set the day off on a better note. <div>
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I wanted to share a snippet from what I read this morning. </div>
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<i>-Geronda (Elder), is logic of any help when a spiritual person is confronting temptation? </i></div>
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<i>-In such cases, we should do what is humanly possible, and where something is not in our power, we should leave it to God. There are some people who rely on their minds in everything they do, like those who want to pray the Jesus Prayer only with their minds. They try so hard to concentrate they get a headache. If I were to approach the problems that I face daily in this way, do you think that I would be able to manage? I just do what is humanly possible and leave the rest to God. I say to myself, "God will show me, He will enlighten me and I will know what to do." You hear many people complain, "How will I get this done, and how will I manage to finish this or that..." The smallest problem gives them a headache. If we try to solve problems using nothing but our logic, we will get dizzy. We must place God at the forefront of every one of our actions. We should do nothing without first putting our trust in God. Otherwise, we will agonize and tire our minds, and we will feel psychologically miserable."</i></div>
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Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-68250308095575202002016-09-20T11:28:00.001-07:002016-09-20T11:28:17.141-07:00A Girl's Fall Wardrobe<p dir="ltr">This has been my year of trying hard to simplify our life in all ways. One of the ways i am working hardest for this is by limiting clothing and picking out only what we really need. I've given away bags upon bags of clothing as it is and we still have so much more to get rid of. </p>
<p dir="ltr">As I looked into our fall/winter wardrobes for this year, I only had ton think about the older two kids because the younger ones get hand-me-downs. This makes it so much easier! Boys are kind of easy if you ask me, and I had so many hand-me-downs from friends for our boy for this season! All I had to buy him were 2 pairs of sweatpants and some new shirts for everyday use.</p>
<p dir="ltr">For our older daughter, I decided to get her a mix and match wardrobe season. She loves to pick her own outfits and does so every day, and to avoid mismatching, I made sure everything goes with everything else. In addition, i want to keep it simple and her drawers not packed full, so hence the few items. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Here is what I came up with. So maybe a few things won't go together very well, but it won't be the end of the world. I am hoping that these plus a pair of jeans, some tights, and a warm sweater or two which I still need to get, can get her through until the spring. We try to wear things a few times before washing them. There are a few items missing from this photo which are being carried over from her last year's fall and winter clothes. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UrI1XjoFJA8/V-F_wN4J_SI/AAAAAAAAErU/cqB6WVXDwm8/s1600/20160901_193311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UrI1XjoFJA8/V-F_wN4J_SI/AAAAAAAAErU/cqB6WVXDwm8/s640/20160901_193311.jpg"> </a> </div>Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-12520224886571045542016-09-19T20:58:00.001-07:002016-09-19T21:01:49.034-07:00A New Tradition: Poetry Tea Time<p dir="ltr">It is so exciting to find ideas for homeschooling online! Bringing them to life though is sometimes overwhelming and difficult. I have tried to be very selective in what I do bring in to our little school so far because I am trying to prevent burn out for myself. Also though, there is time in the future for many ideas to become a reality. </p>
<p dir="ltr">One idea I knew I wanted to incorporate into our year from the start was poetry tea time. First of all, who doesn't love to sit down with fancy little glass teacups and enjoy some down time during the day? Add in a baked good and we're golden. Secondly, poetry... I feel that poetry is a critical part of becoming a well-rounded, cultured person. But introducing children to poetry can be a challenge. Also, if they do not get excited about it from the start, it is so much harder for them to appreciate it later. I know first-hand from my own personal experience. I was never a huge fan of poetry growing up. </p>
<p dir="ltr">So for these reasons, I decided to make each first Thursday of the month our poetry tea time in the afternoon. The first tea we had was last month, and the next one is around the corner. Let me say, we had so much fun! We chose a tablecloth for our tea, and I put out some nice teacups, plus a white teapot. Everyone got a nice piece of cake with their tea. While the kids sipped and munched, I read them poems from Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses. This book is wonderful not only for its poetry but for the beautiful illustrations! The kids and I thoroughly enjoyed our first tea. I especially loved that a kindergarten boy could be excited about a tea party and about poetry. Boys can have class, too!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qmKAF2POxXY/V-Cz6dbCayI/AAAAAAAAEq0/UE6hVr9Z-oI/s1600/20160901_154457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qmKAF2POxXY/V-Cz6dbCayI/AAAAAAAAEq0/UE6hVr9Z-oI/s640/20160901_154457.jpg"> </a> </div>Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-23237880799298559702016-09-04T10:31:00.000-07:002016-09-04T10:31:55.606-07:00Kindergarten: Our CurriculumWe have officially survived the first week of homeschool kindergarten! I have to say, Glory to God - I was so pleased with how this week went and the kids and I all had a lot of fun together. Here's hoping that our entire year goes by as smoothly!<br />
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I wanted to share a bit of our first week with you and also give a few details on our curriculum for this year. You can see the previous post for a recap of what our classroom looks like this year.<br />
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To begin our school year, we had a prayer service with Tata - what a huge perk of being a PK! (PK = priest's kid). He even sprinkled us all with holy water, as well as our school space.<br />
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We made a real celebration out of the first day of school! Unfortunately, the baby kept me up about 15 times the night before, so it was a rough start for me. Thanks to my hubby for stepping up to the plate and making breakfast for us all!<br />
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To celebrate the first day of school, I made a little cake as a special treat. The kids loved this! Definitely something to keep up for the rest of our first days of school.<br />
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Now, about our curriculum. Basically, I used several sources to put together our materials for this year. These were the <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Well-Trained-Mind-Classical-Education-Fourth/dp/0393253627/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473007639&sr=8-1&keywords=well-trained+mind">Well-Trained Mind</a></u> book and <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/102-Top-Picks-Homeschool-Curriculum/dp/0929320190/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473007667&sr=8-1&keywords=102+top+picks+for+homeschool+curriculum">102 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum</a></u>. Both of these are wonderful and worthy of investment for a homeschool mama's library! (A new version of the Well-Trained Mind just came out, by the way). </div>
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We are focusing on reading and writing (handwriting most specifically) for this year. We are throwing in math, too, as well as a little bit of science (once a week). We are also using the Morning Basket to start our days together and this has been proving to be a favorite time of day so far. </div>
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Many resources can be found for putting together your own Morning Basket if you look on the internet. Since this is something new to me, and so is homeschooling in general, and because I am working with very young ages still, I wanted to keep the Morning Basket very simple for right now. I will write another post on our Morning Basket in a week or two, once I have tweaked it into exactly what I want at this time. I am still working on figuring out each resource for it. </div>
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Here are the other books/curricula we are using this year:</div>
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<u>Reading</u></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Phonics-Pathways-Reading-Perfect-Spelling/dp/1118022432/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473008489&sr=8-1&keywords=phonics+pathways">Phonics Pathways</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/PLAID-PHONICS-2011-STUDENT-LEVEL/dp/142843092X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473008523&sr=8-1&keywords=plaid+phonics+level+a">Plaid Phonics Level A Workbook</a> (basically, whatever sound we learn that day in Phonics Pathways, I find a worksheet in Plaid Phonics to go along with it and to reinforce that sound)</div>
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These were both suggestions in the Well-Trained Mind, and Phonics Pathways also was recommended in 102 Top Picks. We are taking it very slowly (one sound a day for now), and I have been pleased with it so far.</div>
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<u>Handwriting/Writing</u></div>
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<a href="https://www.zaner-bloser.com/shop/products/32138/zaner-bloser-handwriting-%C2%A92016-grade-k-student-edition">Zaner-Bloser Kindergarten Student Workbook</a></div>
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<u>Math</u></div>
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<a href="https://store.mathusee.com/catalog/math-u-see/general-math/primer.html">Math-U-See Primer </a></div>
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<u>Science</u> </div>
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One day a week, we do a read-aloud from the series <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=let%27s+read+and+find+out+science+1">"Let's Read and Find Out Science 1"</a>, which I take out of the library.</div>
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Once we have gone through this series, we will see where things go. For now, I am trying to focus on learning reading and writing before we do anything fancy. </div>
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<u>Other</u></div>
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-<a href="https://www.amazon.com/My-First-Classical-Music-Book/dp/1843791188/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473009419&sr=8-1&keywords=my+first+classical+music+book">My First Classical Music Book</a> - we do one song a week from this book/cd combo, and I play the song for them each day so that we can get better acquainted with it. This book is SO lovely! </div>
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-<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Artful-Parent-Creativity---Projects-Children/dp/1590309642/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473009503&sr=8-1&keywords=the+artful+parent">The Artful Parent</a> - I am using this absolutely wonderful book to help me come up with easy, simple art projects for the kids. I am trying to do one project a week, but the kids love art time so much that we end up doing simple painting or coloring every day </div>
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-<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fifteen-Minutes-Outside-House-Connect/dp/1402254369/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473009539&sr=8-1&keywords=15+minutes+outside">15 Minutes Outside</a> - this book is wonderful for giving moms an idea of something to do with their kids outside each day for just 15 minutes - it helps me get creative rather than say "go play outside" every day a few times a day - this creates a bit of a bonding activity instead of the kids running off on their own without me (which is fine, too!)</div>
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-Piano lessons</div>
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-Swim lessons (once a week)</div>
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To guide myself in read alouds and make sure that I am using quality, classical literature for my little ones I am using <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/00.shtml">Ambleside Online's recommendations</a> for reading out loud this year. I am sure we will get through the list before the school year ends, and I have several other places to get ideas from later on for read alouds. </div>
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Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-87407293140171673562016-08-26T19:36:00.001-07:002016-08-26T19:40:01.706-07:00Our School Room<div dir="ltr">
I am so very excited to present our finished school area! I have repurposed our playroom to house the school area, and I am very happy with how it has turned out so far. </div>
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Here are two views, one of each side of the "room".... the rug area is supposed to be a reading corner, but we had to house a few toys there as well. This reading nook isn't exactly what I want it to be yet, so I think I'll be playing with it a bit in the next few months.</div>
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One of the most exciting things about setting up this spot for our homeschooling year, was thinking back to my college days and dreaming of when I would set up my own classroom one day. Never did I think that this little dream of mine would come true in my own home! </div>
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We are scheduled to begin our homeschool year on Monday, God-willing my kindergartener and I are both healthy. </div>
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I will do a separate post next week on the curriculum we are using this year, as well as what my other kids are doing during school time. </div>
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Have a great weekend!</div>
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Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-18347135083142343302016-08-18T19:27:00.001-07:002016-08-18T19:30:13.857-07:00Away and Home...<p dir="ltr">We returned home today after 3 weeks away visiting family on the east coast and having our family vacation together. It was a whirlwind of a trip, and while it was sad to leave and say goodbye to my hometown and my dear family, it is also nice to be back home and thinking about what is ahead in the remaining months of this year. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Here is a little peek into our trip.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WdPQi1X1IUg/V7Zuj9lN85I/AAAAAAAAEpg/nJR0WMTGVSE/s1600/20160818_132206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WdPQi1X1IUg/V7Zuj9lN85I/AAAAAAAAEpg/nJR0WMTGVSE/s640/20160818_132206.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Some roadtrip knitting... a shawl in the making </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oHUGNGCQrPs/V7Zukj14zUI/AAAAAAAAEpk/5LI2PgEDj5I/s1600/20160809_193727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oHUGNGCQrPs/V7Zukj14zUI/AAAAAAAAEpk/5LI2PgEDj5I/s640/20160809_193727.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A sunset dinner with great company</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IKRMhMa7oos/V7ZulA6W4vI/AAAAAAAAEpo/caenZ5zeAVs/s1600/20160809_172137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IKRMhMa7oos/V7ZulA6W4vI/AAAAAAAAEpo/caenZ5zeAVs/s640/20160809_172137.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Evenings on the beach</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BViS8OjeBro/V7Zul9jgCkI/AAAAAAAAEps/ElTc8MhUHiw/s1600/20160807_144234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BViS8OjeBro/V7Zul9jgCkI/AAAAAAAAEps/ElTc8MhUHiw/s640/20160807_144234.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ghL8fuv2h8s/V7ZumQigFiI/AAAAAAAAEpw/cwIBzpML39E/s1600/20160806_173057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ghL8fuv2h8s/V7ZumQigFiI/AAAAAAAAEpw/cwIBzpML39E/s640/20160806_173057.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OO7nAopOoSY/V7ZumuNN2QI/AAAAAAAAEp0/2OUyy0nciCw/s1600/20160726_201619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OO7nAopOoSY/V7ZumuNN2QI/AAAAAAAAEp0/2OUyy0nciCw/s640/20160726_201619.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sunset in Sea Cliff, NY</div>Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-7945641864867594242016-07-17T21:34:00.001-07:002016-07-17T21:35:48.840-07:00New Icons<p dir="ltr">During Great Lent this year, I chose to read Wounded by Love, by Elder Porphyrios. It was a read that made a huge difference in my life so far, particularly the sections on parenting and on prayer. I find myself thinking of St. Porphyrios and his words often these days. I have been really hoping to get an icon of him, and luckily for me, my husband went to a Greek festival today and brought me back two beautiful icons, both of newly canonized saints - one of St. Porphyrios and another of St. Paisios. I can't wait to find a perfect spot for them in our home! </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fqBa8M6hyrQ/V4xcTvrtCZI/AAAAAAAAEow/a1BjUWzERaQ/s1600/20160717_184812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fqBa8M6hyrQ/V4xcTvrtCZI/AAAAAAAAEow/a1BjUWzERaQ/s640/20160717_184812.jpg"> </a> </div>Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995679269965477927.post-61304688770604911922016-07-15T20:34:00.001-07:002016-07-15T20:34:59.257-07:00A Timeless Treasure...<p dir="ltr">A sweet parishioner recently gave us a Barnes & Noble gift card. I love going to that store and browsing the shelves on my own, without little distractions that show me every Disney book they can possibly find ;-)...  I'm all about the classics! </p>
<p dir="ltr">So the other day, I had some time to myself in the afternoon thanks to my husband, and so I wandered into Barnes & Noble with the gift card. After browsing the children's section for a while, I came to the Bargain Books and found this treasure. The clerk made sure for me that it is unabridged,  and also told me that I am getting the second-to-lastcopy in the whole country!!! I cannot wait to read this classic series with the kiddos one of these years!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rnYPiH9RuTw/V4mrU-46XTI/AAAAAAAAEog/UOyFFciZFvo/s1600/20160713_204908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rnYPiH9RuTw/V4mrU-46XTI/AAAAAAAAEog/UOyFFciZFvo/s640/20160713_204908.jpg"> </a> </div>Katyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896862149383857313noreply@blogger.com0