What I Plan To Do With Myself After May 15 (graduation)

1. finish knitting GGM's afghan
2. put my wedding pictures into an album (I've been married 7 years!)
3. really learn how to use my awesome camera
4. learn Photoshop
5. drink mojitos
6. watch movies with PSM
7. go to Disneyland
8. finally defeat the unicycle
9. make LRM and GGM's baby books
10. pass the PMP exam
11. nothing
12. read one of the many many books that I have purchased over the last 2 years but have not had time to read
13. play with my new iPad (that I don't really have yet)
14. sleep
15. start running again
16. hang out in the pool
17. watch trashy TV
18. keep on P90Xing
19. learn everything there is to know about WWII
20. get a job
21. shampoo my carpets

Ok, I think that is enough for now. I reserve the right to change anything on this list.

LRM's Piano Recital

Lola August 09 Piano Recital
Originally uploaded by MarniRae

LRM had another piano recital on Friday night. She was the first to perform and played LIghtly Row. After her performance she said that she really likes to go first. Now, if only I can get her to brush her hair!

LRM Reading - Age 3 1/2

Lola Reading
Originally uploaded by MarniRae

I came across this video that I took back in January. It's a little old but a cute one anyway. :)

Bountiful Basket

Today I tried my first Bountiful Basket, a local produce co-op. I got all of this for $27 which includes one "basket," a tropical fruit "add-on," my first-time basket fee, and a small handling charge. I may have been able to get all of this at Superstition Ranch Market for about the same price, but it was way more fun this way. I just placed my order online and picked it up this morning.

Here is approximately what is in my basket: 1 pineapple, 1 head of lettuce (bib, I think), 1 bunch of spinach, 2 bunches of scallions, 1 bunch of celery, 1 bunch of brocolli, 1 bunch of radishes, 12 bananas, 3 mangos, 1 p0und of strawberries, 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, 12 ounces of raspberries, 4 huge kiwis, 5 key limes, 14 peaches, 7 pears, and a coconut.

I can't wait to dig in. Now if only I can figure out what to do with radishes. I hate radishes...

What I Got For Free Today

Ok, so the other day I bought a large wall map of the USA at Costco. I got it home and hung it in the playroom. My girls know how to locate Arizona, Washington, Washington D.C., South Carolina, and Oklahoma because that is where we live or have lived or have family. I was crushed to see that Oklahoma City was not designated as the state capital of Oklahoma so I immediately sent an email to the map company to complain. Today they sent me a globe to make up for it! It's not big, but it's a free globe!!

LRM's First Dance Recital

090612 Dance Recital 15
Originally uploaded by MarniRae

LRM had her first dance recital on Friday night. After spending all day Friday on a mad search for glitter, we got her all glammed up and ready to go. She did so great. She wasn't nervous at all. She sang and danced her little heart out and was so excited. She wanted to wear her dance shoes all day Saturday, as if she just got them. I hope she continues her love of dance as much as I did!

Taco Day Quatro

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Originally uploaded by znewsome

Me and P at Taco Day

Taco Day Quatro

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Originally uploaded by znewsome

PSM and I had lots of fun at Taco Day Quatro this year. The kids stayed home, we brought the unicycle, but did not break a taco-eating record. I had 1. P had 3.

I need your stuff!

Hello, friends. I am collecting new or gently used items for the 2009 Junior League Rummage Sale on February 20, 2009. The money made from this sale goes to support the Junior League community programs. The 2008-2009 Community Programs of The Junior League of Phoenix, Incorporated (JLP), provide funds, volunteers and facilitation assistance through JLP programs at various nonprofit agencies throughout the Metro Phoenix community. The focus area of the JLP Community Programs is on programs and projects that improve early childhood education.

Children's Museum of Phoenix As the first major supporter, JLP has provided volunteers and funding since 2001 and focuses on providing early childhood education programming in The Junior League of Classroom
Girl Scouts First Saturdays JLP volunteers serve as troop leaders for a group of economically challenged and ethnically diverse girls aged 5-12.
Journey of Me - Life Books Partnering with Arizonans for Children, JLP volunteers research and create unique life story scrapbooks and narratives for children in foster care.
Phoenix Day Nutrition Nights To promote healthy eating habits and address the issue of childhood obesity, JLP plans and implements quarterly Nutrition Nights for the families of Phoenix Day, an early childhood education center that primarily serves low-income area residents.
Ryan House JLP is a founding community partner of Southwest's first freestanding children's palliative care facility in a home-like setting. JLP is sponsoring a family bedroom where families will be encouraged to stay during their visit.
St. Vincent de Paul Hearts and Hands Day To promote voluntarism, JLP takes a leading role in presenting events where families can volunteer together to help homeless and disadvantaged families and individuals who are provided assistance by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
The Wellness Community Teen Program Social and informational events developed and staffed by JLP volunteers help build bridges and understanding between teens with cancer and those without the disease that are impacted directly by cancer.

You can help contribute to these programs by donating any of the following items for a tax deduction. I will even arrange to pick them up from you.

Furniture
Books
Electronics
Housewares
Jewelry
Lawn & garden equipment
Linens
Sporting goods
Toys
Baby items
Children’s clothing
Collectibles
Holiday items
Lamps and lighting

Please let me know how you would like to help.

Thanks in advance,
Marni

Thanksgiving Feast

I will be cooking my first full Thanksgiving feast this year. We're having the usual: green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, etc. We're also having a turducken (turkey stuffed with a duck stuffed with a chicken). LRM requested pumpkin bread. Who knows where she learned of pumpkin bread, but pumpkin bread she shall have.

A Day at the Beach

080714 Beaufort 046
Originally uploaded by MarniRae

We have just returned from two weeks in South Carolina visiting my sister. We had a great time and the girls really enjoyed spending time with their cousins. PSM and I got away for a weekend in Atlanta without the girls. Thanks to Mom, Lori, and all the boys for keeping them happy while we kept ourselves sane. See more pics at my flickr site (click on the picture or the link below).

http://flickr.com/photos/mmoney/

LRM Recites Frog and Toad

LRM's Third Birthday

And other pictures here:

DSC_2968
Originally uploaded by MarniRae

GGM is FINALLY walking!

I forgot to mention last week that GGM finally took her "official" first steps.  I say these are now official because it was more than one accidental step while falling toward Mommy or Daddy.  She's taking about 4 stesps now - not every day, but when she feels like it.  It only took her 15 1/2 months to decide to walk.

Jackson Hole

PSM and I left the girls with his parents for a much-needed vacation with his Stone Mountain friends. There were 12 adults in a two-bedroom condo. Thanks to Trent and Kristen for hosting! The weather was perfect - sunny and warm every day. We even made the trip over to Grand Targhee one day. The weather was so clear that we could actually see the mountains, which is rare from what I understand. Seeing all of the kids on the mountain made us excited to get our girls on skis as soon as possible.

Autumn in January

In Phoenix, autumn doesn't come until the weather cools off, which apparently is in January. The leaves on our two trees finally changed and dropped last weekend, so I got some cute pics of the girls. Click on the picture to see more.

The Cow and The Monkey

Lola and Ginger

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All Done!

We're in Ada visiting my mom. We're waiting for GGM to start crawling any minute. She's really been rolling all over the place this week. Another big milestone today has been her first baby sign. She's already been signing dog for a while, but it's a pretty easy one because all she does is pant like a dog when she sees a dog. Well today she let me know that she didn't want any more of her breakfast - she was ALL DONE!

All Done!

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Little Fishies

Well the girls are becoming quite the swimmers. LRM LOVES to dive for rings. She would much rather be under water than above the surface breathing. We are trying to convince her that breathing is an important part of swimming. I'm sure she'll get it. GGM enjoys floating on her back and the occasional dunk under water. Really she just likes kicking back and watching LRM do all the work. We're so glad we have a pool because it's getting HOT here and it's a nice relief to get in and cool down!

Swimming Lola

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Cool Ginger

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4th of July

Happy Independence Day, everyone. We had a nice and relaxing day. LRM and Mommy did some painting during GGM's morning nap. LRM then cleaned off in the water hose - her first time and she really enjoyed it. We had our dear friends over for lunch and swimming. It was the hottest day of the year, up to 116 at our house. After the afternoon naps we went to the neighbors' houses for more swimming and more eating. Then P took the girls home and went to bed. I rode my bike up the street with the neighbors to watch the fireworks show. I got some pretty good shots of the action. Check them out at my Flickr.com account.