I am not a huge museum enthusiast. I mean, I enjoy going to the museums but mostly for the overall experience and not really for the things exhibited. The other day we went to the Petersen Museum for the first time. My mom and 11-year-old brother were visiting so we thought we’d include it on our list of touristy things to do. My 2-year-old son is also really into cars already so it seemed like a good idea.
Read More Petersen Museum: A Place for Car Lovers
My baby boy has just turned two! To say that time flies is to say nothing. This year was so much fun! Him a year ago and now are almost two different kids, he made so much progress, it’s mind-blowing! First of all, a year ago he was not even walking, we did not sleep through the night and he would only say mama occasionally. Right now he is running around, sleeps all night and says “I luh u, mama”, “no do that, mama” and probably a 100 different words and sentences in 3 languages!
Read More Alaric Turns Two + Mom’s One Line a Day Outtakes
1. Fitbit. First thing on my list of February favorites is Fitbit. I got a Fitbit for a Valentine’s Day and I am super excited to have it. It’s interesting to see how simple habit of walking home from work makes a big difference in contributing to the daily goal. Turns out that 10,000 steps on a regular work day is a very easy task for me if just take that trip to work and back. I like this particular activity tracker because it tracks sleep automatically. I generally like all things measurable and I like to see trends and statistics. It was fun to find out that it only takes me 1-2 min to fall asleep. The Fitbit app is really easy to use and has a lot of fun stuff like challenges, food tracker and other things.
Read More Monthly Favorites. Things I liked in February.
The other day we went on a walk around the neighborhood like we always do. This time it was special because for the first time in weeks it wasn’t raining. We’ve always liked walking, we just grab a camera and get outside to explore. When I look at these pictures later, they make me smile. I love capturing candid daily moments that become the sweetest memories in the future. Children do grow up too fast and it’s important to cherish those moments. Duh.
Read More Children See. Children Do. A Day in Life of a Toddler.
Seeing the snow in California was on my unofficial wish list for a while. California is a huge state and there are plenty of opportunities to see snow if you live up north. But for a SoCal resident like me it was never a priority or rather, it’s not the first thing that comes to mind when I think about how to spend my weekend.
This winter had a lot of rain which apparently means that there’s a lot of snowfall in the mountains. It seemed like a good enough reason to finally explore local snowboarding opportunities. Recently, we organized a Fit Club at work and for our second outing (first was a hike along the ocean) we decided to do a Snow Day. It was such a great idea! Not only did we get a chance to hang out outdoors but we also had a really fun road trip.
Read More Snowboarding in California: Mountain High
1. Yogurt Maker. One my favorite things this month was a yogurt maker. Last time I visited my family, my mom was always making homemade yogurt and it really was so much more fresh and delicious than a store-bought. Following her lead, I decided to get one for us as well since my baby liked the yogurt a lot and it seems to be healthier than regular milk.
After a month of using the yogurt maker I can say that it’s become a whole family favorite and every 3-4 days I make a new batch. Prep time takes no more than 7 minutes. After mixing the milk with the yogurt starter, I pour in the jars that come with the yogurt maker, set the time for 8-12 hours depending on the milk (I usually make it overnight). Couple more hours in the fridge, it’s ready!
I’ve been telling everyone about the yogurt maker so my work friend also got one and now we always talk about what we are going to try next, what are the best toppings, etc. So far I’ve only made plain whole milk yogurt but next on my agenda is flavored yogurt and some non-dairy yogurt.
Read More Monthly Favorites. Things I liked in January.
I was hesitant to write this post because in my head 2016 was kind of a tough year. Nonetheless, I decided to give it a try and look back at moments month by month. I discovered that 2016 was actually full of great things! It once again proves that your experience depends on your attitude, and while I did have some really emotionally difficult times this past year, I can honestly say that I made them seem worse than they should have been. Too much anxiety, too much self-doubt and negativity. It is painful to admit and it’s not all black and white but it is up to us how to live our lives and what to choose to focus on. For this post I chose to review the best memories and meaningful moments from 2016. It’s going to be a very long post.
I miss season change. Even though it is actually awesome to always have great weather as it happens to be in Southern California, there is definitely something special about the feeling of a fresh start every few months. In search of fall we recently took a trip to Big Bear Lake.
Big Bear has such a different vibe from LA. Beautiful scenery, fresh air, quietness and cozy cabins make it a perfect weekend getaway. To me, Big Bear is also special because it reminds me so much of Russia, particularly Altai – a beautiful region not too far from my hometown. Going out of town in the fall is a wonderful change of scenery.
Read More In Search of Fall: Escape to Big Bear Lake, CA
Hello and welcome to my blog! My name is Uliana. This lifestyle blog is about my adventures and experiences, local and not so much travels, simple pleasures and things that I like such as photography, healthy food, natural products and active lifestyle. Read More
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