Christ is Born!

Sorry for the long absense everyone; our internet has been having issues, and I took it as a sign that I had too much to do, and shouldn't be dinking around online anyway.

First and foremost, Christmas has been great! I'm at my sister's on her laptop, while the kids run around in their sugar/present-induced insanity. Marina is snuggling with Uncle Steve...at least she was, but she spotted me looking at her and is now wandering over to me fussing. She's super tired. I'll have to post pictures tomorrow before we head to South Carolina.

Merry Christmas to all! I planned to write more, but the baby needs me.

Snow

I really hope it's unusually warm in South Carolina, because my kids and I are turning into snowmen!! I need a break from the two feet of powder we got over the last couple of days.

Off to make 15 cakes at the bakery. We're catering the hospital Christmas party tomorrow...dinner for 600. Yikes!

Let it snow!

Actually, the title should read "Let it (stop) snow(ing)!" We've gotten close to two feet in the last 48 hours, and it's still coming down. Forecast predicts 5-8 more inches tonight. Enough already!! The roads are impassable, and I can't even walk on my front porch without my jeans getting wet up to the knee. And I'm TALL! It's crazy. I don't remember the last time we got this much snow at once.

Silver lining to the tons of snow: I got to take a "snow day" from work (I usually work Wednesdays at the bakery), so now we'll jet over this afternoon to see Megan's Godparents, who flew in last night (technically this morning). I think we'll all bundle up in snowpants, chuck one of the kids in the sled (they don't both fit at once) and trudge over. I'm estimating that the two minute walk will take us 15 (no joke) because of all the snow.

Helen and I made gobs of sugar cookies yesterday, now waiting to be decorated. I didn't get my pumpkin rolls done, because I was out of parchment paper. However, I made coffee cake instead (hear that Jess?), which needs to go in the freezer to wait for Christmas. I'm slowly crossing off my baking list, and Megan wants to wrap presents today. It seems like a good soup day, so maybe I'll chuck some on the stove for dinner. Despite the growing pile of frozen precipitation, it is going to be a great day!

Tuesday To-Do

Today's To-Do List:

Clean/Vacuum Living Room
Organize Entryway (I love love love our new entryway, but am slightly annoyed that I have another room to clean now. Oh well).
Make 2 Pumpkin Rolls and freeze them
Find cheaper car insurance

Okay, now I have posted my list for the world to see, and I am accountable!!

Monday Monday

I really have been making an effort to blog every day, since my brother-in-law comments when I don't (evidently, he's lost without me). Unfortunately, I have been a little too busy to make it every day, but I keep trying!

Megan had a great day in tumbling today--she finally managed to do a forward roll all by herself! For the last three months, her teacher has been having to help her, but she got it down today and now somersaults all over the place.

It occurred to me today that Christmas is next Friday. I have adopted a "whatever gets done, gets done, and whatever doesn't, doesn't" attitude about Christmas this year. It is providing me with much less stress. I think I'm doing some baking tomorrow, which will be fun. Our tree is up, and the shopping is done. Our Christmas cards are downstairs, waiting to be addressed and sent. So, I'll just ooze my way through the details at this point. I am hoping for a relaxed Christmas Eve, instead of the stressful madhouse that it usually is. Christmas Day, we'll do gifts at home, then head to my sister's for a family get-together and steak dinner. Seriously, you can't beat that!! The day after Christmas, we're off to sunny South Carolina! I can't wait. I think the break from the cold will be just what my kids need--in a very real way, because both of their faces are chapped from the cold and wind. Marina's is terrible--perils of drooling while living in Alaska in the winter.

I just heard a loud crash from Megan's room. I think I should investigate.

Cough Medicine is for the dogs

We were up late with a croupy little girl last night. I gave her some cough medicine, and it made things worse. Thankfully, she did eventually fall asleep, and slept late this morning. I hate listening to her hack and choke like that. Megan has been doing this for about three nights running now. I hope it's almost run its course.

On a happier note, Lost Season 5 was released the other day, and my husband and I are happily entrenched in evening marathons of one of our favorite shows. We don't watch it on Network TV, so once a year we play catch up with the whole season. Last night we snuggled up with a bag of peanut butter M&Ms and caught the first two episodes. Can't beat that!

Christmas is in two weeks, so I think we'll be putting our tree up soon, and I am going to start all the goody-baking on Monday. I can't do it any earlier, since I have nowhere to store things. I love all the spicy sweet smells that fill the house this time of year.

Wednesday Drama

So, my loving husband informed me that my post yesterday was a tad whiny. Sorry about that. There will be no whining in today's post.

I will say this though--there's nothing like a kid puking in your bed at 2 am to get the day started off right.

Okay, there will be no MORE whining in this post.

The silver lining to both my kids being sick is that I don't have to work at the bakery today, which means I have time to finish some things that have to get done before tomorrow. I've got phone calls to make, and a grocery list to work on for Luke and Kastle's wedding. Helen and I are heading to Costco tomorrow to price everything out, so we know what kind of a budget we're looking at. After that, we're off to the Natural Pantry to look for more Marina-safe foods.

Speaking of Marina-safe foods, I made gluten free bread for the first time yesterday. For one, the loaf weighs about thirty pounds, and makes a loud "thunk!" when you drop it on the counter. Neither are signs of good break-making. Also, it crumbles when you cut it, and smells weird. However, my little girl is so thankful to have bread again that she gobbles it up. I also made some gluten free pumpkin muffins, which turned out much better. I think I will stick to quick breads for Marina for the time being, and steer clear of yeast breads. They are gluten free; ergo, there is no gluten to form and I don't know how to knead it. I let it rise for three hours, and it didn't budge. Ah well, live and learn I suppose.

On top of the kids being sick, I went to the doctor yesterday for a persistent cough that I can't get rid of. I feel fine, but just figured I should get the cough checked out. Two chest x-rays later, and I'm diagnosed with bronchial pneumonia. Craziness! So, the girls and I are going to hack and puke our way through the day today. I wouldn't advise coming over.

Parenting

I have decided that I need to become the perfect parent. This decision was made at around 4 AM this morning, while Megan was climbing over me for the second time, trying to sleep with us, while Marina was already taking up all the good warm covers in between Dn. John and I. So, we chucked both kids back in their beds, and listened to them cry for a good long time.

As a result, I have come to the conclusion that the perfect parent would not have to deal with this problem night after night after night after night....

So, I would like all the perfect parents out there to raise their hands and tell me exactly how to raise my kids so they will 1) stop fighting and stealing toys from each other, 2) obey me when I tell them to do something (the first time, not the 11th), 3) love to clean up after themselves, and 4) sleep through the night in their own beds.

Is this really asking too much??

Marina's New Tricks

Us and the Colemans, all gussied up for the Alaska USA Christmas Party. It was lots of fun.
Okay, how it that not the cutest thing ever???


A video of Marina's new tricks...walking, talking and signing.

Dn. John is a good sport

I would like to dedicate this post to my husband, who puts up with a lot (a LOT) of crap from his very loving wife.

Case in point, the phone conversation we just had.

"Hey honey, don't look in the trunk."

"What??"

"Just stay out of the trunk of the car. Please." (There are Christmas presents in there that I was going to sneak into the house later, but he had to take the car for an emergency run to SBS).

"How in the world am I supposed to buy a five foot piece of trim without opening the trunk?"

The answer to that, is--of course--I haven't the foggiest clue. But, since he is a good sport, I know he will do his best to not look in the trunk, or at least chuck the trim in without taking a good look at the stuff lying in there. He rocks.

Also reason to remember that he is a good sport: Our friends Eric and Hannah got engaged yesterday, and Dn. John and Eric were discussing the perils of proposing. Hannah chimed in that she knew the proposal was coming soon, she just didn't know when. I then told the story of Dn. John and I, before we got engaged. This story stars me calling him crying just about every night, because he hadn't proposed yet. Now, this nightmare of sobbing femininity would probably send your average man screaming for the hills. Nope. He calmly told me (over and over again) that he would propose when he was good and ready, and I just had to be patient. And then--here's the kicker--HE STILL WANTED TO MARRY ME AFTER THAT. Wow. What a great guy.

On a side note, here is my parenting conundrum for the day: Neither of us drink Egg Nog. We both hate it, and never buy it. Why, then, does Megan smell like egg nog? I am slightly concerned.

Christmas Cookies

Just wanted to share this fabulous three ingredient cookie recipe (no baking, or anything!!) that I got from my friend Carla last year. Usually, they don't make it to the dipping stage, because I eat the filling in little spoonfuls. Oh well. They're easy, fabulous, and just fantastic!

Oreo Bon-Bons

1 package Oreos
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 package white dipping chocolate

Grind the oreos into crumbs. Add softened cream cheese, and mix well. Refrigerate until easily rollable (is that a word?). Roll into balls, refrigerate again for 4 hours. Melt dipping chocolate. Dip each bon-bon into white chocolate. Refrigerate until hardened.

Yum!!

I'm back!

Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted a good update. Things have been wild, as always!

ENTRYWAY is almost done! It is painted a beautiful shade of blue (boudoir blue, to be exact), and we've moved all the coats and shoes and stuff in there. Dn. John plans to put up the closet doors tonight, and do the window trim this weekend. We are waiting for a friend of ours to do the flooring (we're putting in bamboo hardwood), and it sounds like he'll probably be doing it while we're in South Carolina after Christmas. So when that is done, we'll finish all the trim work and be finished! Because we moved the bench and other stuff into the entryway, we've been able to rearrange our dining room...it looks so great! Open and spacious and clean. Marina is loving all the new room to run!

MEGAN turned three a couple weeks ago. She had a super fun birthday, and the crowning glory gift was a princess tent from Grandma and Grandpa. It takes up virtually all the space in her bedroom, but she and Marina love it. Megan is still tumbling--it is the highlight of her week--and is just trucking along being her lovable--albeit feisty and sometimes cranky--self. Last night she had a screaming fit that lasted over an hour. When she's not screaming, she dances and sings and plays with baby dolls. She is all girl!

MARINA is now 15 months. She runs and climbs and gets into everything all the time. She says all kinds of words now...Mama, Dada, Mommy, Daddy, Megan, Up, Banana, Eat; she also knows the signs for More, All Done, Please, Thank You, and Book. She waves and plays peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake, loves to be read to, and is becoming seriously mischievous. I heard some odd noises coming from downstairs a few minutes ago, and there she was with the answering machine in hand, pressing all the buttons. I have to call the house from my cell phone sometime soon to see if the message still works. If you call and all you hear is heavy breathing, that's why. Also, her new diet (free of all the alergens) really seems to be helping her, for which I am very thankful.

DN. JOHN is working working working. When he's not working at work, he works at home! The entryway is nearing completion, but I have a honey-do list for him when he needs a new project. He is able to play basketball most Fridays right now with a bunch of friends, which is a highlight for him.

CHRISTINE (me). Well, I'm crazy busy as usual. The bazaar went off almost without a hitch, and was great. I am glad it's done though! I am gearing up for my next big projects...namely, Christmas (is that a project?), our South Carolina trip, and the wedding I am catering in January. I am loving loving loving my new sewing machine, although I don't get to use it nearly as often as I would like. I also love my new entryway...especially since shoes don't come into the house now. Makes it soooo much easier to keep the house clean!

We are really looking forward to Christmas, the return of the Howells (sounds like a movie), and our trip to see all our family in South Carolina, which is in less than a month! We are busy as always, but as Christmas nears, the twinkle lights will be up, the kitchen will be churning out goodies, and the presents will be wrapped. What a great time of year!

Megan's gem for the day

"Wow, Mommy. Our house is really messy. You should clean it."

Gee, thanks Megan. Merry Maids, at your service.

Aw, I'm sick again!

Yep, sick again. Somehow, I intend to plow through and get my house cleaned up, but I really am not sure how I'm going to pull that off. Ah well, I'll figure out a way.

Please keep me in your prayers for a quick recovery, and that I don't pass the bug on to my kids.

The Entrance of the Theotokos

Today is the feast day of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple. She went there when she was three, to live her life in prayer.

Megan is three.

Many thoughts occur to me now. 1) What an exceptional child the Theotokos must have been. 2) I'm glad I don't have to leave Meg at the church to live....I suspect that many of the icons would be scribbled on if I did.

Allergies, Part Deux

Well, I feel *slightly* more in control of the situation today, in that at least I have food I feel confident in feeding Marina. Helen and I went to the store together last night (I needed my ultra-natural foods friend there for moral support!), and read labels until the cows came home. Garlic? In everything. Soy? In some really odd stuff, where you really would not expect to see soy. And dairy? Has lots and lots and lots of "code" names. Thankfully, we were able to find quite a few things that Marina can eat; but we had to narrow it down to foods she *will* eat.

It was a rough shopping trip, and I felt pretty dejected at the end of it. I think one of the hardest parts was checking out. My total came to $90 some-odd dollars, which is not unusual for me. The thing that killed me was that I did not have a giant pile of coupons to bring that total way down. I had one, and it was for 75 cents. But, as Helen pointed out, it's good that I have learned to save on lots of other groceries, so that we can afford to buy Marina all the allergenic stuff (which is EXPENSIVE!!). I am truly thankful for that.

Marina is downstairs munching on a buckwheat waffle, and from the sounds of things, has just chucked her sippy cup across the room. This is another lesson in going with the flow for me, because I have always rejected super natural/organic/weird ingredient stuff as just being another way for the grocery stores to get money out of me. So, along with my massive desire to always be in control, my pride is taking a downward step too. I suppose God is teaching me a lesson...the trick now is to be receptive and actually learn from it.

Oh, and a happy anniversary to my little blog! I looked up my start date, and my first post was in early November of 08. So thank you to all my followers, and the people who read this. :) It's fun to write for you.

Allergies

Here's the backstory: Marina has been having some gastrointestinal problems for a few months, so we took her to the allergist to see if allergies had anything to do with it. After some testing, we got the results back today.

Holy crap, this kid is allergic to everything!!! Wheat, dairy, soy, garlic, barley, rye...there are seven of them, so I'm forgetting one. Oh yeah! Turkey. I have no idea what I am going to feed her. She is on a wheat-dairy-soy-garlic-barley-rye-turkey-free diet for the next two months, and then we are going to reevaluate. The good news? Hopefully she will not have to have further testing at the gastroenterologist next month. Also, she will probably outgrow most, if not all, of these allergies.

But for today, I'm in a slight state of shock. I have to revamp the entire way I feed her. Looking through my cupboards, I literally have nothing that she can eat in my house, except fruit. Oh yeah, and some celery. Yummy. So I'm off to the store tonight, by myself, since I forsee lots and lots of label reading in my future. It's the soy that really kills me, since soy is in everything. My guess is that I will have to make everything that she eats from scratch. It doesn't bother me, I just feel overwhelmed at the prospect of figuring out what she CAN eat.

So say a prayer for us!

Ravings

The title: as in "Rantings and Ravings."

Reasons number 1065 and 1066 to wish I could bulldoze my house and start from scratch: The ice frozen INSIDE of the windows all over the upstairs, and whatever septic problem we have that causes my living room to smell like poop whenever the temperature dips below 0. Being that the last three days have been between -1 and -10 at my house, it has smelled like poop a lot. Grr. (Today, it warmed up to 5 above, so the stench is gone, thankfully).

And yes, you read that right--it warmed up to FIVE DEGREES. It is freaking cold outside! Megan lost her hat today at Target, so she got to be cold for a lot of the afternoon. Oh well, this will teach her an important lesson: don't throw giant fits and pitch your belongings out of the shopping cart on MY watch. Now, how can she learn the "don't throw giant fits at the fabric store, then lay on the floor in the fetal position blocking all foot traffic, so random customers have to step over you?" (It was a fun day).

Megan had a great birthday yesterday. Of all the presents she got, she is most enamored with her music box from Aunt Robin and Uncle Gale, and the Skittles chapstick from her Dad and I. Can't believe she is three...where have the years gone? It kills me that I am going to blink and she will be 18. Oh well, maybe by then she'll have outgrown the public temper tantrum stage. (Then again, probably not).

Marina is walking, running, climbing, and TALKING!! She says all kinds of stuff now, as well as doing a few things in sign language. She can say up, Mama, Mommy, Dada, Daddy, Megan, eat, no....and a few other things, but I am forgetting. In sign language, she can "say" more, all done, please, thank you, book, and cracker. Also, let's not forget the wonderful "communicating without words" that Megan has taught her...I've got two little ones in the middle of the massive fit throwing stage right now. But with Marina, it's still pretty funny. If you tell her no (or put her down, take her food away, etc), she melts down into this screaming puddle of humanity. I have a feeling that it will not be all that amusing for much longer, so I'm laughing while I can. It beats screaming, that's for sure.

My sister announced her wedding plans! Jess and David are getting married July 31, 2010. It seems that this wedding date is sticking, since they've announced it and are making reservations, and all that rot. It's hard for me to believe she's getting married. It's hard to believe she's old enough. It's also hard to believe that she's the exact same age I was when I got engaged, and will get married at the same age I did. What in the HECK was my husband thinking marrying me when I was that young and stupid???? (By the way, thanks honey for doing it anyway). Not that Jess is young and stupid. Well, she's young. But not stupid. I was stupid. (I sense that I am digging a hole here....).

Well, Dn. John just got home. The kids are asleep. I am going to go get myself a bowl of ice cream and fold five loads of laundry. Don't anybody tell me I don't know how to live it up!

The years in pictures

Happy 3rd birthday Megan! I love you.

Gift Card Entry

Enter for a $50 Carrs/Safeway gift card!

Go here to sign up:

http://www.alaskacoupondiva.com/search/label/12%20Days

Resolution Update

I went shopping today. But the only thing I actually paid for was diapers. I got corn starch and baking powder for free (always stock up when it's free!!).

I am feeling better also! Not totally over this blasted cough, but getting there. Plus, both girls actually slept through the night last night. Oddly enough, it's been Megan who's been up the last two weeks. Marina's slept through the night for over two months now.

Megan is climbing up me like a ladder. I sense that my alone time is now done.


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That is a note from Megan. It says, "Aunt Kali, Daddy and Marina have cereal."

Don't ask.

November Resolutions

I know you're "supposed" to wait for New Years to make resolutions, but I've been laid up with an ugly case of bronchitis the last two days, and have had lots of time to think. Here are things I would like to do this month:

1) Get through the Bazaar without killing anyone. I would also like it to be a roaring success, but at this point, I'll settle for the church not losing money on it and me keeping my sanity. And also not killing anyone.

2) Get better. I hate being sick.

3) Get rid of stuff. I am sick and tired of cleaning up all the clutter around my house day in and day out. I was talking to my friend Mary, with a tone of jealousy about how her house is always so much cleaner than mine. In typical Mary fashion, she calmly informed me it's because she has a lot less stuff than I do. I've been thinking about it a lot, and she is right on the money. So, I am going to take advantage of this rational moment (because they are few and far between these days!) and start going through my house, room by room. There are 10 rooms (counting the bathroom, and the little nook at the top of the stairs where Marina sleeps), so if I hit three a week, I'll be done by December, just in time for Christmas. :) (So we can replace everything I get rid of with gifts).

4) Stop grocery shopping. My couponing has gotten *slightly* out of hand. (It's still crazy fun, though). I am not over budget; in fact, it's the opposite. But I've stocked up so much on stuff that I literally have no more room for anything else. So, I figure we'll spend the next two weeks (or week and a half, now) eating the meat in our freezer before Advent hits, and for Advent, we will eat simply. And we'll eat what I have in the house. And I will do my best to only buy things that are perishable. Or free (because if it's free, I'd be a lunatic not to get it, right?).

5) Get caught up on my photo albums, at least through 2008. I figure since 2010 is just around the corner, I'd like to only be a year behind. That's not bad, right?

So, it sounds like a lot. But, as I am a patented overachiever, I will do my best to accomplish it. And now that I have committed all of this to cyber-space, I feel like I'm being held accountable. Especially about the groceries part, because my husband will read this, and give me a hard time if I shop. (I also have this sixth sense that Matthew will give me a hard time too, but as he's on the other side of the country, I'm *slightly* less worried about him).

Wish me luck!

Anastasia, don't hate me.

$.93 Ladies, and Gentlemen. NINETY THREE CENTS. Thank you Walgreens and Target. I love you.

By the way, there are three jumbo sized bags of Halloween candy piled in the middle there, and that is Almay Mascara on the bottom right. :)

Halloween Part 2

Dn. John dressed up as "Scary Man who just sanded the entryway" this year. On the up side, the entryway is sanded!
Marina the LadybugMegan the Bumblebee!


Carving a Pumpkin at Aunt Diana's house, with Aunt Mary, Luke and Megan.

Megan gives her "Aunt Jess" Evil Eye. (I swear my little sister used to make this exact same face when she was younger).

Marina did NOT like the hat.
Our God-son Roman (age 9) who was a Refrigerator. Hands down, the best costume I saw all night. His younger sisters were Eva and Wall-E. Megan was asleep when they came by...she is going to have a heart attack when she sees this picture!

Halloween

Ah, Halloween. Probably my least favorite of all holidays. I severely dislike the "scary" aspect, anything having to do with darkness, evil, blood dripping from fangs, etc. Also high on my dislike list is the idea that Halloween gives you an excuse to dress like a tramp. But we digress.

Things I do like about Halloween....well, the candy. I am a major junk food addict, and any excuse to have candy lying around, and given to us for free by the neighbors, is a-ok in my book.

Also, it is really fun to see all the kids dress up. Megan was going to be a princess this year, simply because she has dress-ups and a crown, and her Mom is cheap. But two days ago, she woke up and decided that she wanted to be a Bumblebee. In fact, her world just might come to a crashing half if she couldn't be a bumblebee. Dn. John and I have no idea where this came from. We had hardly discussed Halloween at all with each other, let alone with her. But there she was, insisting that she was going to be a Bumblebee, and nothing else could possibly compare.

So I had a quandary. Did I rush out and buy a $20 costume, just to make her happy? The thought of paying full price and searching at the last minute gave me a headache. But, as luck would have it, I decided to go to a killer sale at Old Navy yesterday with some friends of mine. I wasn't even thinking of costumes, but there, in the corner...WAS A BUMBLEBEE COSTUME. It was like the heavens had opened and shined a ray of light right upon it. Of course, it was $22. It was also a size 12-24 months. After having a quick pow-wow with my friends that I was shopping with, it was easily decided that we could cram Megan into the costume, and she would be so excited she wouldn't ever realize that it was a shade too small. But what to do about the cost?? Anyone who reads this blog (or really comes within a foot of me while I'm having a conversation these days) will know that I am rapidly developing an aversion to paying full price for anything. I also wasn't about to drop $22 on a costume that Megan would wear for an hour. So I carried it around with me and thought, and thought, and thought. (It was a very Winnie the Pooh moment).

And then, a fellow couponer/sale shopper gave me this little bit of insight--ALL OLD NAVY COSTUMES WERE MARKED DOWN TO $2. Heck yeah! I could spend $2 on it! And then, I remembered that the coupon I had entitled me to 50% off my entire purchase. That's right ladies and gentlemen, I got the Bumblebee costume for ONE DOLLAR. Megan (who wasn't at the store with me) was thrilled to pieces, and has been wearing it nearly non-stop since yesterday afternoon. She also answers to "Bumblebee" now, and won't come unless you ask her to "Buzz on over here, little Bumblebee!" I also heard her playing with her dolls this morning (while wearing the costume, of course), muttering, "Buzz buzz buzz buzz," under her breath. It's pretty much the cutest thing ever!

Marina was not going to dress up this year, again simply because I'm cheap and didn't want to buy her a costume. But my neighbor Lesa, who is one of the sweetest ladies in the world, overheard me telling a friend about a super-cute Ladybug costume I'd seen at the store. She showed up with it a couple days later for Marina. So we are taking our little Bumblebee and Ladybug Trick-or-Treating this evening, and Lesa and her husband John are packing up the girls to take them to a Harvest Fair (complete with hay rides and bobbing for apples!) this afternoon.

Have no fear, pictures will be forthcoming! Have a safe and fun Halloween everybody, and if you get too much candy, feel free to chuck it my way.

Recent Meganism

I spent last weekend working a Craft Bazaar with my sister. Evidently, Megan misunderstood where I was all day, because she told her Dad that I was at a "Crack Fair." Good times.

Weekly Journal

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW...

It is 7:40 and dark outside! Winter is on it's way.

I AM THANKFUL...

For the brief visit from Matthew we had this week, and that Anastasia and the kids get to stay another week! Also for the screaming deal I found at Target for Dr. Pepper. Hooya!

I AM READING...

I'm still reading Cheaper by the Dozen, mainly because I haven't had any time to read this week. I get in a couple pages before bed each night. I intend to reread "The Strong Willed Child" next, as well as "Dare to Discipline." Both are Dobson's, and both are favorites. I reread the sections pertaining to my kids (well, at least Megan for sure!) every few months for pointers and encouragement.

I AM PONDERING...

Why Marina is having such a hard time sleeping the last couple days. Head cold? Teething? I have no idea. I just want the issue solved, because I am tired!

I AM LISTENING TO...
Marina wailing in her crib. Not one of my favorite sounds.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS...
How I am going to get my house clean tomorrow! I was gone all weekend running a craft fair booth for my folks, so the house got no attention at all. It is a disaster!!

IN CHURCH THIS WEEK....
Actually, I have missed every church service for the last week. Wednesday night, we were at our Goddaughter's birthday party (Happy birthday Olivia! We love you!!), last night the kids were unable to handle Vespers, so they took a bath and went to bed early. I did get to go to about half an hour of Matins this morning, but I had to leave to open the booth at the Craft fair. I miss it. (Church, that is).

IN THE KITCHEN...
On Friday, I went bananas making meals for Fr. John. I made him Penne with Sausage and Pumpkin Cream Sauce (oh man, it was sooo good!), Crab Cakes, Meatloaf, Pork Chops, Portobello Pizzas, and Stuffed Acorn Squash. I try to stock him up for a month at a time, so tomorrow I have to finish! I plan to make Spaghetti, Ham & Egg Breakfast Burritos, Pumpkin Muffins, Salmon Croquettes, Vanilla Pudding, and Baked Apples.

THE REST OF THE WEEK...
Tomorrow is tumbling day! Hooray! Megan loves her tumbling class, and she is so stinking cute in her little leotard and tights. I love how she interacts with her teacher too. She is so eager to please, and never gives her a moments trouble. She always obeys the first time, and is helpful and compassionate towards the other kids. Maybe I should invite Miss Becky to move in with us. Also on the docket tomorrow is finishing some cooking for Fr. John, and getting the house cleaned up!

Tuesday, is MY DAY. (Having said this, I'm sure the kids will both get sick now). I intend to start dinner in the crock pot in the morning, have the house cleaned before I go to bed Monday night, and (da da da da!) OPEN MY NEW SEWING MACHINE! All I want to do is play with it all day long..... *sigh* Can't wait!

Wednesday I'm working, Thursday I have no plan that I can think of (I'm sure that will change), and Friday....also no plans! Wow. That never happens. I guess that means I will be catching up on projects, like the church bulletin board, and making two dozen phone calls getting stuff ready for the Bazaar in a few weeks. Saturday...also no plans! This is shaping up to be a great week! My days have been way too overstocked the last month or so.

MEGAN AND MARINA...

Megan has had more good behavior days than bad this week, for which I am immensely thankful! It's good to remember the sweet little thing she is, before she gives me a run for my money again! Right now, she's having a blast playing with Luke. She's so glad her Godparents are in town!

Marina is walking like crazy! She hardly ever crawls now, but toddles around in that little "drunken baby" mode that I love so much. She can say "Hi," "Mama," "Dada," "Up," and "Nono," as well as do the sign language for "More." I'm not really sure if she knows it means more, or if it just means "food" to her, because she makes it when she's hungry. As stated above, she's been having a rough time sleeping the last couple nights. Combined with the runny nose she's got, I'm honestly not sure if she's got a cold or is teething. Either way, I hope she gets better!

I AM PRAYING FOR...
Danielle. She is my friend whose baby died a few weeks ago. My heart still breaks for her every time I think about it, although she seems to be doing well. Also praying for my nephews, especially the two oldest ones. They've got those "teenagers trying to develop into adult" woes, and I just hope that they are able to get through it and become upstanding and responsible men. I also hope my sister doesn't kill them in the process.

A PICTURE TO SHARE....
My family, one year ago! How they have grown! (The girls at least....it's slightly less amazing to see the change in Dn. John. haha).

!!!!!!!!

MY NEW SEWING MACHINE IS HERE!!!! Hooray! I am currently forcing myself to wait until Monday to open it, because I have way too much going on this week/weekend to sit and play. But, the plan is to have the house clean Sunday night, and dinner ready to go in the crock pot so I can play with it all day Monday. I feel like a kid in a toy store! :)

My coupon class is tonight, so that should be loads of fun. I still need to clean my house in a major way, but that will get done soon enough. Marina's asleep and Megan's watching the Incredibles (thank you, once again, Pixar for making a movie that she will watch 10,000 times so I can get some stuff done!), so I get to take my "10 minutes" of breather time. Of course, this usually stretches into half an hour, but who cares? If 30 minutes is all I get all day, I am taking it baby!

It just occurred to me that all I've had to eat today is a piece of bread, a string cheese, and half of a Dr. Pepper. Should probably go have lunch.

Keeping up with Naomi

My friend Naomi posted this on her blog, and I am stealing it, because it is such a cool idea. It's basically a weekly journal. We'll see if I'm able to do it each week!

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW...

It is sunny and cold today! Not the best combination. But up here, once we hit October sunny days mean cold, and cloudy days are warm. I suppose the clouds hold the heat in, but I don't know how scientifically accurate that it. The trees are almost completely bare of leaves, which has left giant piles for Megan to crunch on the ground. She loves to do that.

I AM THANKFUL...

For nap time. Today's been a rough one with my sweet little girls. Marina is so active and into everything right now. I think I forgot about this stage. But she empties the trash, pulls all the shoes off the rack, dumps out crayons (and eats them too) all over the floor, grabs food off the table, and empties the bookshelf...all of these at least three times a day. It's exhausting and depressing having to clean up the same messes over and over and over and over.... Also thankful for nap time because while Marina naps, Megan gets to watch a movie, which she will do quite nicely (and QUIETLY!) all by herself, which gives me a break from the incessant questioning and fit throwing that are so currently prevalent in her personality.

I AM READING...

I started "Cheaper by the Dozen" last night, which I re-read on a fairly regular basis. It's such a great book. They have twelve kids, so it helps me keep my life slightly more in perspective, along with giving me some good chuckles along the way. I am also working through my stack of Taste of Home magazines that have piled up over the last year. I've read them all, but now I am going through and ripping them apart, clipping coupons and recipes that I intend to try.

I AM PONDERING...

How to be a better Mom. I totally lost my cool with Megan this morning, and it made me really stop and think about the kind of parent I want to be. Also, I figure if I want my kids to grow up to be calm, patient, rational, and compassionate, I had better learn these traits too.

Also pondering how Marina can poop so much. That's a little less cool, though.

I AM LISTENING TO...
Silence. Ahhhhh........ I have also rediscovered my love of George Winston over the last few days. Lots of classical piano at our house right now, at least until my husband comes home and puts on the new Pearl Jam album to listen to while he works in the entryway.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS...
The feeling of satisfaction I get after I have crossed off the last item on a long to-do list.

THE REST OF THE WEEK...
It's going to be a busy one! Tomorrow I am helping with a fund raising dinner for the school. I am working with the 5th & 6th grade class to make all the rolls. We have to make at least 400, so it's going to be a doozy. Wednesday, I work at the bakery, and then it's our Goddaughter Olivia's birthday party in Anchorage in the evening. Thursday, I've got to re-stock Fr. John's freezer with meals, and Friday I'm watching Oscar for a good chunk of the day. Saturday and Sunday, Kali and I are running a booth for a bazaar in Wasilla for my folks' bakery. (This is assuming that Kali and her kids are over the plague that has hit her house...otherwise I might be on my own). Of course, most importantly (and excitedly!!) is that Anastasia, Luke and Hannah get her tomorrow morning for a two week visit!! YAY!

MEGAN AND MARINA...

Megan is.....seriously, words are failing me right now. I really want to say positive things about her, but it's been rough lately. I had hoped that as she eeked closer to three years old, the terrible twos would end. It seems mostly though that the last year was just a tiny little "teaser" and she's now moving into the main event. Lots of fits, lots of screaming, lots of abusing Marina, lots of melting into a puddle of whining on the floor whenever I ask her to do something. She is teaching me patience alright. And humility. (And humiliation, but we digress).

Marina is also moving into a tougher phase of life. She walks everywhere now, and likes nothing better than to be the cause of a giant mess. She also still puts everything in her mouth, which I had hoped she would outgrow by now. But, I am still rescuing small toys, crayons, old chips, and goodness-knows-what-else from her. She is still having some minor health issues. We haven't made it in to see either of the specialists yet, due to the fact that their offices refuse to return my calls. It's annoying. But, I'm hoping that we'll get in soon, and figure out what is upsetting her tummy so much.

A PICTURE TO SHARE...

Sorry it's blurry, I was having trouble with the camera. This is our friend Breandan, reading a story to both our girls, with his daughter Claire sandwiched in the middle. So cute!

Shopping with Megan

Megan had a screaming fit at Walgreens today, informing me that what I was buying was "too 'spensive!" When I told her it was okay, she melted into a puddle of insanity on the floor and bawled. "Put it back! You don't have money for that! Put it back!"

Her Dad would've been proud

My Day

My day began this morning at 2:30 am, with Megan climbing in bed with us. We let her snuggle for awhile, and then put her back. Just as I was drifting back to sleep, she popped her little head over the side of my mattress, and climbed back over me to her favorite "sweet spot," nestled right in between Dn. John and I. We put her back again.

It is now 3:00 am. Megan is in bed with us again, and Marina starts to howl. She comes in bed too. We let both girls stay for a few more minutes, then stick them both back in bed. Marina stands and screams (for a good ten minutes), Megan has a giant fit.

Fast forward to 4:00 am. They are both in bed with us again. Neither Dn. John nor myself has slept since 2:30 when Megan woke up the first time. One or both of the kids has been a) crying, or b) kicking us in the face for the last hour and a half. Megan insists she isn't tired and doesn't want to sleep, refuses to lay down in her own bed, and would like to wake up.

It is now 4:30 am. Marina is talking to herself in my arms, and Megan is screaming again. I had the audacity to try and put her back in her room, and she is having a conniption since she wants her Dad, and apparently I am not allowed to touch her.

5:00 am. Dn. John's alarm goes off. The kids are awake and rolling around in our bed. We have been up since 2:30.

5:30 am. I give up and get up with the kids, and give them breakfast while Dn. John gets ready for work. I come to the conclusion that I do not like seeing my husband before he goes to work, namely because he leaves at 6:00 am and I would much rather still be sleeping at that hour.

At 7:00 am, we are dressed and climbing into the car to head to the bakery. I work on Wednesdays, and usually don't get there until 10, but since I've been awake for five hours already, I think, "What the heck?" and go.

7:01 am. Marina is fast asleep before I even get out of the driveway.

7:10 am. We're driving through Peters Creek, and Megan is passed out.

7:30 am. Get to work. Attempt to keep both my sleeping kids asleep while settling them in my Mom's office so I can work in peace. Doesn't work. Both kids wake up. Scream. Settle down. Marina hangs out with Kim up front, Megan is pacified with cake scraps and frosting (yes, at 7:30 am).

It is now 3:15. The girls are dead to the world, and have been for quite some time. I napped until the phone rang, and then decided to get up and share today's experience with the world. If we have a repeat performance tonight, I will probably have to admit myself to a mental institution.

Holy Sheetrock Batman!

Megan has "Goodnight Moon" memorized, and was "reading" to Marina earlier. So cute!
Screwing in the last piece of sheetrock!


Working on getting that perfect fit.

Entryway progress

Well, today is Dn. John's day off (Columbus Day? Is that what it is?). Anyway, the perks of working for a bank continue, and he is home today. We got up and had a family breakfast of French toast (yum), and now we are progressing to sheetrocking the entryway! Breandan also has the day off today, and he's going to be here any minute to help. The guys got the closet done yesterday, and are hoping that the rest of the sheetrocking will go quickly. Hooray!

Rocking the grocery store

Two jars of pasta sauce, two boxes of pasta, two packages of hot dogs, two bottles of salad dressing, 3 bananas and a mini pumpkin for Megan. All name brands. Are you ready for this?

$2.87!!

So help me, I never thought shopping could get any better. I was so, so wrong.

Marina's Breakfast

I just wanted to report that Marina ate more than Megan and I combined at breakfast today. She had an entire banana, a 6 oz yogurt, a handfull of Cheerios, and a string cheese. Good grief! Can anybody say growth spurt??

The exterior is done!

My New Love Affair, Part 2

Well, I hit my usual "pay day" shopping today and yesterday. I saved over $90 using coupons! I can't believe it. And this is only after two weeks of saving coupons and watching deals. I am seriously in love, and my husband is happy too. ("Dn. John" and "Happy" are not usually words associated together when it comes to me shopping). Included in my shopping bonanza were four free bags of candy (yes, free!) and six (SIX!!!) free (FREE!!!) tubes of toothpaste.

On top of that, my awesome husband finished the outside of the entryway! Well, at least as much as he can this year. We will have to wait to stain the siding until the spring, as it is too cold out now. Next stop is yard clean up, and then sheet rock! Hooray! Hopefully we can get all the sheet rock up before Anastasia comes up on the 20th, so she can show us how to mud and tape (we hear you are the best of the best at this! So we're waiting for a demo.) So he is downstairs in the living room, taking a well-deserved break with some football and a frozen pizza (which I scored for $2.50 using coupons!!).

I am going to go actually get off my chair to find the camera so I can post the pictures Dn. John just took a few minutes ago.

My new love affair

I am in love with coupons. I have recently discovered a group of blogs run by here in Alaska, who keep people updated with all the good deals, and where the coupons are. So, I decided to give it a shot.

In the above picture, there is:

3 containers of Dawn dish soap
2 bags of Halls throat lozenges
2 Herbal Essence shampoos (well, one shampoo, and one conditioner)
1 Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion
1 EmergenC Dual Pack
1 Chapstick (the fancy kind even!)
4 cans of chicken broth
1 Reese's Peanut Butter Cup
1 Peanut Butter M&M's
1 bag of gummi worms (for Megan)

Grand total? Da-da-da-da!! $8.96!! It should have been $38.74, for a grand savings total of $29.78. I think I'm addicted....

At long last, tumbling pictures and videos!

The school hike to the chapel on St. Sergius Day. I'm behind the camera with Marina, Megan is with Ellen Dyal, who is standing to the right of Josh (who is holding the icon). It was a fun hike!
Marina and I on the hike....and yes, it is cold enough to need winter hats. Grrr....

Marina and her Godmother, Hillary. What a great shot! Hillary packed Marina back for me, since Megan was a giant ball of whininess.
Megan at tumbling. All my pictures are a little blurry because she was so excited that I couldn't get her to stand still. She is doing her "TaDa!" finish.
Pom poms!



Marina trying to do everything the big girls do....and more.