That was fun

I went to Lar's house last night and got to sleepover because it was closer to the Pier 49 store I had to go to. We went to bed really late, but it was fun having her help me do my hair and makeup.And she hooked me up with some cute jewelry, because somehow I packed all my in storage. Plus, she went with me, so I had some moral support. We were the first one's there and when the camera crew came I got to put my pizza together first. It looked really pretty. Then the other 3 finalists put their pizzas together and I don't know yet who won. Even if I don't win, there well be a spot on studio5, next Thurs-Oct.30. I might be on TV! If not my face, than my pizza. They ran us out of there early, before anyone tasted the pizzas.

Lar and I went to the health store that was next door and I stocked up on red lentils, quinoa, and all the other yummy stuff you can't find here. Then we headed to Costco to see if we could find Ry a b-day present.
Then I came home to see my sweet girls and Matt. It is interesting how much I missed them and how strange it was to just wake up and get myself ready instead of taking care of everyone else.

Bana was playing peek-a-boo and Ry wanted to turn my grocery bag into a monster.

Fun stuff! Thanks for the nice comments everyone! I love you all and appreciate your support!

The host noticed my Georgia apron as soon as he came in and commented on it. Pretty nice, thanks Becky- I love it!

I am a little nervous

I just found out this afternoon that I am 1 of the 5 finalists in a little cooking contest. I don't ever watch tv, but the other day, I happened to flip it on and saw on studio5 that they were having a contest in connection with Pier 49 pizza for the best, creative pizza recipe. I debated if I should enter the Greek Pizza I invented for Lar's birthday and realized the deadline was just a few days away. I decided not to enter, but then thought- what the heck, why not?
So I sent off my recipe and today received a call telling me to show up on Thurs. at 8 am at the Pier 49 Pizza place for a cook-off. I have to bring my sauce and toppings ready to go and then the judges will pick a winner. Studio5 cameras will be in the house and the winner will appear on their show next week. Pier 49 will also start serving the winning pizza on their menu.
I am pretty nervous. Wish me luck!

Matt's Nanny

Matt lost his grandmother on Friday afternoon. It was expected. Her health had seriously deteriorated in the last few months. I met Nanny a few times and we would visit her whenever we could. She lived in an assisted living residence and didn't really recognize her family, but she was a cheerful. We took Jonah to see her and she was always so happy. She didn't always know who we were, but she was just a happy person. It was so nice to go and see her because you knew that she would be smiling and that she would appreciate your visit. When Jonah was a toddler, he would get right up on her lap and just talk to her and snuggle with her. It was so cute. I feel bad that I don't have any pictures of them together.
I always wish that I could've know her before she started to lose her memory and that I could relate when Matt tells me stories from his youth.
We were unable to attend her funeral today. That is one of the sad things about the distance between us and Matt's family. It is hard to know that everyone is there together and that we are not able to be with them.
Nanny, we will miss you, but are glad that you will be free from the things that held you back here on earth and know that you are with your family now, up above.

I have the best Taste Testers

They are always willing to try whatever I make. Sometimes they can't wait for the pictures to be taken, they have to try whatever it is right away. They always tell the truth and well, it doesn't hurt that they are cute!

Guess I am just Full of Love Today

That's all.

I Love the Consignment Store

Because where else can you dress your 4 year old (almost) like this, for 3 dollars?

I love the sun

It provides great opportunities to spend time together outside. Today, Jonah and Ryanne helped dig up the garden and get it ready for the winter. They helped make a compost pile and in the process, discovered a gopher's storage hole, full of roots.

Everyone enjoyed the warmth and I was just so grateful that is wasn't snowing.


Andrew just wanted to take a sunbath with Bucky. Can you blame him?

Operation Baking GALS- Round Four

That's right- I am hosting again for Operation Baking GALS. This is my third time participating and my second time hosting and it just really feels good to be able to support out troops in this way.
This time I am hosting 1st Lt. Carl Hopper. We first met the Hopper's in Athens, before Matt and I were married. They became our good friends and we spent alot of time together. Lia is an amazing woman and without her help (and the help of others), there is no way that I would have graduated. She watched Jonah for me when he was a newborn, so I could continue to go to classes (He was born in the middle of a semester). And then continued to watch him for the next year and a half, even when she was pregnant with her third child. Now that is a true friend!
Our paths split when they moved away and then we moved, but we have kept in touch, mostly because Lia is really good at that.
They are now stationed in Alaska and Carl recently left for his second tour of duty to Iraq.
If you think that you can spare a couple of hours to bake some cookies and send them his way, email me- mareskitchen@gmail.com
If you send it in the flat rate box, it will only cost you $10.95. Cmon ya'll, Give A Little Support (GALS) and Bake!

Silly Girls

I heard Savannah wake up and start screaming "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy" at 5:30. So being the caring mother that I am, I went into her room thinking that I would calm her down, rock her and sleep on the floor. I calmed her down and got her back in her bed and laid on the floor. She laid in her bed and said "RY, Ry, Ry".

Ryanne "Mom, why don't I ever get any sleep?"

Me " Shh, go back to sleep, it is still nighttime."

Ryanne "P-O-P, spells horse"

Savannah "Hose"

Ry "H-H-H-H- Horse"

Ry "Knock, Knock"

Sav "Whose der"

Ry" bottlehead"

giggling and more knock knock jokes

Sav "my turn, my turn, my turn" (I am not sure why she says everything in threes)

Ry "Twinkle, Twinkle, little horse, what are you doing?"

etc. etc, etc

You get the picture. When I realized that I wasn't going to be able to get any sleep and that they weren't going to be quiet, I looked at the clock, saw that it was 6:45 and realized it was time to start packing lunches.

I will leave it at that!

(The time setting on this blog is wacky, it is really 7:15 am)

UPDATE- Ry and Savannah actually fell back asleep as soon as I left their room and slept until after 8, so we only had one zombie- ME! (I got a nap later though :)

Faces for Grandma Becky and Papa Frank

Since I don't really have anything too exciting to say, but I know Grandparents check this blog daily, I am posting some faces!

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas??

Wait a minute, it is still October, right? Thank you snow, for reminding me once again why I wish I lived on a tropical island. I can't stand cold weather!! Looks like we will be watching movies, drinking hot cocoa, and cuddling under blankets for the next 6 months!

She truly is a monkey and I wish I had a cage (jk)

Thanks to this lovely demonstration that Savannah so willingly showed us, we now know exactly how she ended up in the hallway screaming her eyes out in the middle of the night. We decided she needed a toddler bed and moved her downstairs to share a room with Ryanne.
Jonah was delighted because he now has his own room upstairs and doesn't have to put up with Ry keeping him awake all night. (Jonah is an obedient angel, always has been. Good thing he came first :)
The past few nights have proved to be absolutely horrific. I have never had a crib jumper or a get out of bed a million times a night child. I don't know what to do.
Plus, Ry is not a quiet roommate. It has taken hours to get these girls to go to sleep.
I read books, sing songs, give them rules, etc, but without fail, Savannah reappears moments from when I laid her down and calmly told her to go to sleep.
Then to make it all worse, they wake up at unearthly hours. They are cranky, I am cranky and I don't know what to do. I mean we need sleep, right?
I guess maybe someday I will be able to laugh about it, or maybe it is payback for being so thankful and maybe prideful, that Jonah never did anything like this. Payback for listening to all the horror stories from other people and thinking in my head " I am so glad my kids don't do that". Hmm
So, if anyone has any ideas that work, please let me know.
Is locking the door, so they can't get out, against the law? Heaven help me.


p.s. when Savannah was on top of the crib rail with one leg on each side, she looked up and said "Ta-da!"