Family vaca: Lake of the Ozarks, MO

Phew, it's been a busy couple of weeks. On Friday, June 12th, my brother-in-law got married and it was a little cray cray leading up to it, with all the setting up and details and out of town guests. All fun things, but when you are running on 4 hours of sleep for a couple of days, nothing is fun anymore:) Anyways, the wedding went great and then we took off on our family vacation. We just got back late Monday night and I think I'm still recuperating. 24 hours of total driving, 14 people in one house (13 of which got really sick during the vacation at some point or another), 5 rainy days, 4 kids under 4... It's easy to imagine how it all went, right? But you throw in one pool,  one lake, one boat, one ping pong table, 90 degrees, and a LOT of food and coffee and you got yourself a very fun relaxing chaos:) I always look forward to those times and looking back at the pictures is a little bitter sweet. Already wonder where we will gather as a whole family next. (Last year we were in Charleston, SC... Gosh, how things have changed in just one year.)

And below is a load of pictures...

San Diego {according to my iPhone}

We've been back home a few days now, but I swear those 4 days in San Diego were enough to set us on the Pacific time. It's true when they say that one gets used to good stuff fast. Kiddies don't care though and it's 7 am wake up every day. Ek!

But below are a few more pictures from the trip. Since my big-girl camera weighs about 17 pounds, I sort of got over hauling it around San Diego and for the rest of the time my phone became my eye.

Our first day there was jam-packed with activity, but we made the rest of the time pretty laid back. On the second day we toured USS Midway, which is a huge aircraft carrier that was decommissioned from the Navy a few years ago. It was the biggest ship in the world until 1955 and it went through Vietnam war.  We spent about 3 hours on it with our audio guides. Later I also visited the rest of the Maritime Museum, while Greg was in meetings. I toured the Star of India, which is the oldest ship still sailing, Berkely (a really cool ferryboat),  and two submarines, a Russian one and an American one. The Russian one (B-39) was a beast! It's really long and has these round holes in place of doorways that make her even more claustrophobic. I almost had a panic attack, especially when I read that even the crew had trouble with being deep underwater in a long narrow iron tube. You know how they were supposed to deal with it? To shut up and get over it. After I read that, I zoomed towards the open thingie on top and climbed out. Spookie! 

We also spent a lot of time eating in the Gaslamp quarter, running along the harbor, drinking coffee and reading at coffee shops and just wondering around. 

We didn't have nearly enough time to see everything (like the much recommended La Jolla and The Coronado Island), but who knows, maybe one day we will be back? Maybe even with the kids when they are old enough to appreciate, say, one of the best zoos in the world:) 

It seriously was like a mini-honeymoon. It was so awesome to not have to split attention with the kids  and for once just enjoy each other's company without being pulled into a million directions. I would recommend trips like that to any married couple with kids. 

Sincerely, your marriage councilor:)

More photos below

a weekend for the win(n)

Last weekend was sort of extraordinary. The weather alone was just the finest, but we also had so much activity that it feels like we can now go another year filled with leisurely weekends, where the only productive thing is to get dressed to go to church:) I'm not complaining, I love those types of weekends too.
For starters, I woke up Saturday morning, swallowed a banana and set of for my long run. 8 miles. In the books. Impressive for me, but not really considering that I have 2 weeks left till my mini-marathon and I'm only at 8 miles. But I think I can, I think I can:)
Right around lunch time, we loaded the kiddos in our bike trailer and went on our first of many bike rides as a family of 4. Annika and Leo entertained each other well. There was this one moment when I looked inside the buggy and saw Annika holding Leo's hand and they were looking at each other and grinning. My heart just about soared off my bike. We had lunch in our little village, rode by the lake, saw lots of people we knew, and visited with friends. Leo successfully passed out on the way home.
After the kids were put down for naps, I made a run to the store, made a salad and a cheesecake for dinner with friends (who, me???) and started painting our front door. It's mint now. In love.
Then we had an awesome dinner on our friends' porch and after that I painted some more, while Greg planted new trees around our house.
I guess I should say it was an extraordinary Saturday, because on Sunday we didn't even get to church. It was a rainy day and all of us had a cozy day inside, complete with chicken noodle soup, whole-wheat biscuits and even a board game.
(photos from last Friday, because I forgot I had a camera during the weekend:))

Easter Sunday

I always remember Easter to be a gorgeous, sunny day. All of my childhood memories of Easter are just like that. I'm not sure if all the 30+ Easters were like that, but I guess that's what I chose to remember. There was this one time I remember in particular. I'm sitting on a bench by my apartment building in Russia. It's early in the morning, but the sun is shining so brightly. I'm wearing a white dress, and happily dangling my feet in the air, waiting for my family. People, wearing beautiful dresses, are hurrying by with their families to catch a bus to wherever they were going. I've come down early because I was too excited to stand in the hallway of our apartment waiting for everybody. And all we were doing that day, was going to the cemetery. That was the Easter tradition in Russia (perhaps still is:)). I'm not quite sure what that means, but I remember enjoying myself.

Just as I expected, Easter this year fell on one of those gorgeous days, without a cloud in the sky. Leo was sick all weekend so I stayed home with him, while Greg and Annika went to church with Oma and Opa. Then everybody came home, we had a delicious lunch with yummy ham and let Annika hunt for eggs in the backyard. I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting out of that, but the little candy-obsessed lady would pick up an egg and before you could even blink, open it up and stuff its contents into her mouth. 

Now that I think of it, that is exactly what I expected.

All week I was trying to talk to Annika about Jesus and the meaning of Easter. Once she asked me, "Where is Jesus?". After I said "everywhere", she goes, "Wow, that is a lot of where!"

Yes it is, dear, and it is GOOD! 

We are so thankful for the sacrifice Jesus made for us. Thankful for the Resurrection and the promise of eternal life. 

the one with the cute naked girl

Like in "The one with the ugly naked guy", only not?
(You get it? My anti-Friends husband didn't get it, so I have to ask...)

And no, by the cute naked girl I most definitely do not mean myself. (If my jelly belly had hands it would have slapped me on the face and ordered to get over yourself, Lena!)
The other night, after putting Leo to bed, I found Greg sitting on the floor of our bathroom with a drink in his hand, keeping Annika company as she was going potty. The two were having a grand time talking all things farts, poops, and politics. When time came to get into her jammies, Annika informed us matter-of-factly that she had to run around naked for a bit. O-kay! She was totally serious and when we asked her why, she said, "Because I said I have to run around naked for a bit." Duh! And so she did for 10 minutes. 10 glorious minutes complete with little feet making circles around the house, happy squeals, and oh my gowsh, the cutest joggling buns I ever did see. Then, panting and with rosy cheeks, she was ready for her diaper and jammies. She was satisfied and ready to hit the sack. She was out in no time.
We have much to learn from that girl. She knows how to unwind for the day. All we do to unwind is watch some Netflix over an alcoholic beverage. Surely not as fun. Unless it's Jimmy Fallon that we are watching. Hashtag old farts, hashtag couch potatoes, hashtag quit spelling out hashtag...
So anyway, as soon as I finish typing this and take a shower, you know what I'll be doing. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Oh, what a year it has been! By far the biggest and most life changing year of my life. I feel like I say that every year, but this one REALLY was:)! In fact, the big changes started no later than January 1st of 2014, the day my hubby became a business owner. Now, nearly a year later we still sometimes wonder what in the world we were thinking with that one:) Greg is in his element and LOVES his job, but it's a little intimidating (and time-consuming!) to own a business, I won't lie.
Later in May, Miss Annika turned the big TWO, and we all know everything about what that's like. Phew:) That same month we closed on our very first house and then I became a stay-at-home mom (for a year). On July 12, we left the lake and moved 2 miles down the road into our new house. Just 5 days after that, Mr. Leo was born. And I became a stay-at-home mom of two!!! Of two precious little rascals, who make my heart go boom-boom every day (in between all the hair-pulling that I do, teehee:)).
This year, my sister-in-law Tracie got pregnant (4th grand baby for the Winns is due in February) and my brother-in-law Ashley got engaged to his girlfriend Weishan.
Even though all of these changes didn't come without some challenges, I know that years down the road, this is the year we will be talking about the most and remembering it with smiles on our faces.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from our family to yours! Cheers to 2015 (the year I will become skinny)!!!! :)

a trip to Austin, TX

A couple of days ago we got back home from Austin, where we spent a few days. Hubby had a convention to attend and back in the pre-kiddos days, I would always join him and we would make a little vacation out of it. We decided to do the same this time, but with the littles. Thankfully, Greg's parents decided to come with us and that just took all my worries away.

Family fall pictures... what?

Can you believe that we don't have ANY pictures of all 4 of us yet? It's true. Those empty IKEA frames are looking mighty lonesome hanging on the walls.
Last weekend I took some photos of our friends Lindsey and Collin and their little stud muffin, William right here in our back yard. In return, Lindsey offered to snap a few shots of our family.
We aren't known for moving too quickly in the mornings, plus ALL of us like to sleep in. But the pictures were scheduled for noon. Plenty of time to get ready. Or so I thought.

Winn Weekend 9-13-14

Last weekend was a bit uneventful. It actually started kind of disappointing, because in the very morning I did 2 things that I want to never do. I bailed on a friend and I was too lazy to get out of the house (to go to an apple fest). On Sunday we had friends over. It was a cool evening and we lit our fall candles, ate a hearty potato soup with warm biscuits and then pumpkin cookies for dessert. A fine welcome to the beautiful season that is Fall.
The weekend before last, however, was much more eventful and a lot of fun. The type of fun...

Dining room metamorphosis

We have been in our house a little over 2 months now. Which is about how old Mr. Leo is; which is exactly why the house is still not completely organized or even unpacked, which is exactly why one of our cars still won't fit in the garage. All of that plus the empty photo frames on the walls notwithstanding, it already feels like home. Quite possibly the only room that is the closest to completion is the dining room. It's where we/I spend most of the time, and I want to say it's because of all the natural light (which I DO LOVE), but let's be honest - the reason is its close proximity to the kitchen where there is food.

Let's take a trip down memory lane.

Winn Weekend 8-23-14

So it's Monday and time to talk about the past weekend (and dream about the next one! always!). It was a pretty eventful kind of weekend, and I did make myself a promise to take note of all the little things, especially those that do your heart so good.

baking with a toddler...

... is a lesson in patience, I'll tell ya. Have you ever baked with a 2-year-old? How did that go for ya? Did you have any batter left for those muffins? Were you able to find your kitchen under all the flour?

I love involving Annika when I cook. I always know it's going to be a lot of work, but it's either that or she will nag me senseless. So I choose the lesser of two evils:)

weekend love

Weekends on the lake in the summer are absolutely glorious. Forget the boxes that are still occupying your garage a month after you moved, there is lake fun to be had. And that's exactly what we've been trying to do every weekend. Boxes can wait, but the summer days are dwindling. 

It takes us an eternity to pack everything for the day at the lake (an eternity and a full trunk... my goodness!), but the effort is worth it. We drive to our lake house, spread our numerous belongings on the lawn and just... chill. We pack lots of snacks and drinks, invite friends and spread out on the towels all ready to eat and drink and talk and sleep and occasionally stand up to jump in the water to cool down. Annika usually skips lots of these things and just eats and jumps in the water. Leo mostly sleeps. Greg spends most of his time in the water. And me... I like to sit on a towel in the shade... marveling at the goodness of life. 

Winn Weekend // 5-2-14

I'm not sure how exactly this happened, but it's already August. Surely, I'm not the only one who is outraged by that sneaky surprise? I keep seeing "back to school" posts on Facebook and am a little very happy I'm not working this year. I have a whole month of summer left. A month full of frolicking in the sun, leisurely walks, dinners on the patio... Precisely the kind we had on Saturday. Our friends came over for some healthy turkey burghers and between trying to keep Annika at the table (as opposed to ON the table) and attempting to eat one-handedly, while holding Mr. Leo, we enjoyed our time together. 

Sunday marked my very first time on the boat this whole entire season. How is that possible? My wonderful in-laws and the 4 of us spent an awesome Sunday afternoon on the lake. Everybody got to get in the water, except Mr. Leo and me. Mr. Leo slept through the entire thing and I... well, I was too busy eating cheese and crackers and drinking my iced latte under the canopy. Annika at first wasn't sure about all the waves and the rocking, but then she got her water wings on brave and would jump into the water to whomever was near and ready to catch. She had a blast and a swim diaper full of sea weed:)

Positively glorious time with family!