All Things Orthodox Easter.

When you're Eastern Orthodox, on most years you get two Easters...for the first one, that darn Easter Bunny visits and everyone eats too much sugar...for the second, you go to church and pray...and on Easter Sunday enjoy a fabulous Easter Dinner complete with yummy Greek Salad and Roasted Lamb...so delicious.

On Saturday, we colored our eggs...I got these little egg spinner things on clearance more so as a joke than anything else...but holy cow! they worked...and the mess was easier to clean...and they produced the shiniest eggs we've ever seen...fabulous stuff!

Below are some of our results...and yes, those are dry...fabulously shiny as I said!


And what would a holiday be without our love of All Things George Lucas showing through?? Okay, the kit was on sale at Target...but how can you not love a C3PO egg mask??

Baka and Djedo are here to enjoy the festivities...and also to wish Alex a belated birthday wish or two.

On Sunday morning before church, we had our traditional egg cracking game...it's quite scientific actually...everyone picks an egg...and then first you turn the tops towards each other while one person tries to gently (!) tap the others egg while exclaiming "Christ Is Risen"...and then you turn the eggs around and repeat the process this time saying "Truly He Is Risen."...

The one with the uncracked egg is announced the winner...the scientific part comes in as everyone tries to pick a winning egg...theories have been circulated on the amount of dye absorbed, etc...the bottom line is we just love this tradition!




Then it was off to church in our finery...yes, the girls dresses were shiny just like our eggs...hmmm, a pattern emerges.


The kids loved their big Sunday School tables...and mostly they loved the chocolate cupcakes and Peep centerpieces.

Alex and (his friend) Alex enjoyed more egg cracking fun...always a lot of Alexs in Orthodox churches.

Father George stepped right into the fray of egg cracking and led the children in the tradition...I told you it was a Big Deal on this holiday!


And then everyone ate...ethnic food is always sooooo good.

Time for a quick Easter Egg Hunt...Alex is off in the background...scurrying for more candy...see him?? Light shirt tan pants?? Yup.

Time to go home...and wish everyone a Happy and Blessed Easter one more time.


May Easter Blessings be everpresent in your life...enough sentimental stuff from this Sunday School teacher.

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All Things Cupcake Day.

So my Best Friend at Work (yes, I am still a SAHM...but this was years ago...and the woman earned her title...she really did...we went through so much at that particular work place...and thus the title stays even though we've moved on to different adventures...and no, it's not to be confused with my Best Friend Forever, that's you, Lorraine-y...no one can take that away from vous!)...anyway, Susan, introduced me to the concept of Cupcake Day.

See, when you are a new mom, you have ::NO IDEA:: what is ahead of you...and just when you think you've found some sort of Zen Balance...you discover...oops! there's something else out there that you should/could/would be doing...if you only had the time...so the Mothers Guilt thing kicks in and you sleep a little less but you get that new task completed nonetheless...and your friends are always there to buoy you through it...thank God for that!

The tradition goes something like this...on the day your little darling celebrates his/her birthday, you are supposed to bring a treat...ergo, the cupcakes...to class...and they should be homemade...because that's the best...and nothing but the best for your little shnookums...

So after years of buying cupcakes and scraping off half of the store bought frosting to make it look like I made it...I've given into actually baking treats.

Fortunately, I've heard rumours that the tradition stops around Fourth or Fifth Grade...which would be perfect because by that time, Bella will be in Elementary School...and I am convinced that there is a Law of Nature in effect protecting mothers from making Too Many Home Baked Treats in a year...thank goodness.

This year Auntie Daphne, the rested soul that she is, helped out. And we had perfect "9s" decorated in M&Ms...just like Alex wanted.

Here's wishing you friends like Susan, Lorraine and Auntie Daphne...who get you through your Cupcake Day moments...have you called your BFs lately?? Drop them a note today or give them a quick call...they'll be happy to hear from you.

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All Things Nine Years Old.

It's a hard thing when you turn nine years old...you wake up in the morning still feeling eight...and then...BAM!!...Mama announces she's going to take you out of school today...there are homemade chocolate chip waffles cooking...and you are surrounded by the people you love!

Auntie Daphne and Maka made it into town...and the festivities began the very next day...cannot believe that my oldest is now ::NINE::!!!...when did that happen?? What time warp have I stepped into??

Alex's wish was to go back to Carson Valley Swim Center...so we did...

Auntie Daphne tried the slides!...and loved them...

When we finished with swimming...Alex requested that we have an early dinner at Old Reds 395...a yummy barbecue place in Carson City...if you're even in town, please, check them out...awesome steak, salads and in good food in general.

And then it was time for the cake...a soccer theme this year...Baskin Robbins ice cream cake...I talked him into Oreo ice cream...he would've wanted plain vanilla...I know, I know...bad mommy!

Auntie Daphne did the honors in lighting nine candles...plus one for good luck...

A wish was made...helped along by his two little sisters...

mmmmmmmmm....yummy!!

He got his wish...a Nintendo DS...and some games...and the Spiderwick Illustrated Field Guide from his sissies...he's obsessed with the Spiderwick books...love it!

And the evening ended on a quiet note...a storm front was blowing some flakes around...my Spring Baby has turned nine...and the daffodils are still in bloom...all is right with the world...

Wishing you a moment just like that...where all things fall into place...just for a moment.

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All Things Cupcake.

We're getting ready for Alex's birthday around here...Grandma Sandi and Auntie Daphne will be on their way tomorrow...and then next week, Baka and Djedo...so much to do between now and then...but we're thinking of you all...

Alex has requested Oreo Cupcakes for school...they're his favorite...with Paula Deen's Buttercream Frosting...yummy.

Wishing you a cupcake moment...all gooey and sweet.

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All Things Pop Fly.

Okay so our fifteen minutes of Fame are ticking away...

Things You May Not Know About the Riggsbys Musical Tastes (or File Under - My How The Times Have Changed) -

1. We listen to a lot of Childrens Music.
2. We only like 3 Childrens Music Singers - Ralph's World, Laurie Berkner and Justin Roberts...we listen to a lot more but only like those three.
3. I, for some unknown reason, am on the Parents Board for two of these singers. Although I've always loved music...and the music of the above mentioned three doesn't make me want to cut my ears off or scream into a hamper full of dirty clothes...moreover, I can actually stand to hear the songs over and over and over again...unlike some others (insert the name - The Wiggles).
4. One of the singers, Justin Roberts, asked for some photos to use in his video.
5. You got it--the kids are all in the new video.
6. The CD will be released in May and the video should be playing on Noggin shortly after that.

Here's what to look for in the video-

• Look for Alex at the first chorus...he's third from the left.
• In the second chorus, Kata is at the very end on the right.
• The end shot of everyone in the background, Bella is at the far left, top, second row right after the chorus with the airplane.

The kids think they're famous...we're just thrilled that the pics made it in and didn't end up on the cutting room floor...but who could resist such pale faced kiddlettes???

Wishing you a moment of fame...just a moment...don't waste your entire 15 minutes by any means...it's ultimately not worth it!

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All Things Started By A Mouse.

One of my favorite quotes is from Walt Disney -

"If you can dream it, do it. Always remember this whole thing was started by a mouse."


As a mother, I know that my children will go on to do Great Things. And they will create the definition for exactly what those Great Things will be. They may not find a cure for a disease or become President but in their own time and in their own way I know they will do Great Things.

So here we are in a new dance studio with a much more disciplined approach to dance...and Kata is flourishing in that environment...her recital is in mid-June...and we received her costume and she had to try it on and test it out.




"Always remember this whole thing was started by a mouse"...wishing you a moment where you think of your Great Thing.

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All Things Chips and Salsa.

So the http://www.renotahoemoms.com/ message board scheduled as Kata kept calling it...a Field Trip...to our local Chevys for a tour of their kitchen...wow, what a tour...when we arrived they had our tables all decorated with sombreros...the girls immediately donned theirs on...please feel free to remind me of this in their college partying years...It All Started Here...the sombreros and well, the drinks.

The kids got to pour their own drinks from the soda fountain...Bella discovered that faucets could indeed run lemonade and I am sure in her soon-to-be-three-year-old head she wonders why our faucets at home don't spout soda and juice...it was all over her hands...but in a nice save by the wonderful Chevys manager...she managed to get her cup full.


Oh we were so happy as we headed into the kitchen to meet Chef...he was full of explanations...showed the kids the giant fridge...and yes, indeedy, everything is fresh...they showed the trays of cheese, roasted tomatoes, avocados...yummy...


As we walked over to their giant industrial mixer, he demonstrated to the kids how to make salsa...the preschoolers all gathered eagerly around the mixer...and as the trays of tomatoes, onions, peppers and cilantros made their way into the mixer I saw Kata lift her little sleeve and put it against her mouth...and all I could think of...was oh, dear God, she's going to gag...all over the salsa.

So in a move that only mothers, jugglers and some of our aunts/godmother/grandmothers extraordinaire can do...I swooped in...while carrying Bella and an open camera...grabbed Kata and ran for the nearest exit...no, not the one that was clearly labelled Salida...but the nearest one...as I swung the door open...instructing Kata all the time to "breathe deeply"...I found myself behind...what else...the bar!!! A few of the early patrons looked a little stunned to find themselves confronted with a mother juggling a toddler, a gagging preschooler and a camera...but there I was amongst all this alcohol that apparently in my hour of need, I couldn't drink...an equally stunned employee gently guided me to the exit around the bar (not clearly marked need I add?)...and I took Kata outside for some fresh air.

The good news is...she just kinda dry heaved so...the news story didn't have to read "Chevys Closes for Deep Cleaning After Preschool Visit Goes Awry."

We went back in to the restaurant...and Kata having created the drama...decided to snack on chips and the aforementioned salsa...the whole time. Go figure.

The kids also got to make their own tortillas...and in a total surprise...Chef had meat and cheese prepared at our table when we returned...so we enjoyed soft tacos.

Bella at the Tortilla Making Machine...

Kata enjoying her turn at the Tortilla Machine.

And to end our excursion on a sweet note, he invited the kids back in the kitchen and scooped up ice cream in those yummy-licious fried sweet tortilla cones...I let Kata wait at the table for fear of another episode...but happily there was none...

So with our bellys full, we exited holding our Kids Meal Free coupons for next time. When the moderator of the board asked Kata what she thought of the tour...she said "It rocks."

And it did...rock...wishing you some chips, salsa and a rocking moment this weekend...minus the dry heaves and gags!

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All Things Pirate.

Kata has to wear her eye patch for four hours every day to help improve her lazy eye...for at least the next six months ( that's her next check up)...so in her honor...here's a Pirate Speak Translator for your amusement!

For the record...she doesn't mind them...because she can break up the four hours...we're doing 2 in the morning and 2 at night at this point...that seems to be working...and they come in girl colors...which, of course, makes all the difference. As Bella just said...."Is that Kata wearing her badge?"...may she wear many one day and may they all be ones of honor.

Here's hoping you have an opportunity to say "Arrrr!" today. For those of you who want to wait...International Talk Like A Pirate Day is September 19th...just thought you'd want to know.

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All Things Fooled Ya.

A conversation between Alex and me -

Alex: Mama?
Me: Yes, Alex.
Alex: Did you go to Wal-Mart today?
Me: Nope.
Alex: 'Cause I saw something on the news today about them.
Me: Oh?
Alex: Yup...they're shutting Wal-Mart down.
Me: (in a panic...because that's where I spend my waking hours it seems) Our Wal-Mart?? They're shutting it down??? Why??? It's doing so well...at least given the fact we're there every other day?? When did you see this story? On what channel???
Alex: April Fools, Mama!

I know I'm raising a future Jerry Seinfeld...and this is just the start of me being the brunt of his little jokes...oh well...it could be worse...I suppose!

Wishing you a giggle today...or later this week.

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