FREE Night of Theatre

This is awesome!!!

For the 5th year in a row, the Theater Communications Group is offering it's Free Night of Theater program in theaters in 120 different cities across the country on October 15, 2009.

Find out if a location near you is participating on the production listings page and check out the Free Night of Theater 2009 homepage for more information.

This sounds like a great date night!!

Outfit of the Day: Sept 23

Who is this fashionista living in my house? Lately, I feel like the Sartorialist following her around.

She must have been feeling tropical today. She insisted on:

• -A pink flower lei
• -A woven pink flower purse
• -Brown and pink Dora sneakers
• -Pink bows with pink, yellow and green butterflies

P.S. Mom Ridge: This is "the look" that Eliza inherited from you.

That's Doctoral Candidate Ridge to you...

Excellent News!!

Claron is officially a doctoral candidate. He passed his PhD Candidacy exam (also known as orals). He did a great job. We are very proud of him. Here is a picture of him in action (well practicing anyway).

Being the wife of a pre-doctoral candidate can be difficult and stressful. To diffuse this stress, I baked, and I contributed the goods to the PhD Candidacy Exam Committee. Here is the evidence:

Water, Lemons, Limes, Grapes, Strawberries, Blueberries, Carrots, Ranch, Cheese, Crackers, Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies, Brownie Buttons with Toffee Pieces, Nutella Cupcakes

I am so proud of my husband. The only down side is that we are closer to leaving Santa Barbara.

Sweet Vi-o-let

Clark, Lilly & Violet visited this weekend. They were life savers. I am sick, and Claron is industriously working on his orals (for TOMORROW!!!). It was great to see them, and Violet is SO big (and absolutely adorable)!

Vision News

Today Eliza had her eye exam. I was SOOOOO nervous. As you all know, I am as blind as a bat. Lately, Eliza has been doing things very finely causing me to worry that her vision is flawed.

The doctor was great. She used a picture chart for Eliza. I was SO impressed. Eliza could read all of the bottom rows. It was AWESOME!!!!

Eliza's vision is better than normal. Most toddlers see around 20/30. Eliza was 20/15!!! I can not say how relieved I am. I'll stress again in two years when it is time for another vision exam.

At least she won't look like this for the next two years!

Note: I'm definitely not saying that 2 yr old with glasses aren't cute, because some definitely are.

Saving Dough

My sis in law, Chrissee, started a new money saving web site. She saves lots of money. She also has great links to money saving sites. She did a great job. Check it out:

Let's Save Together

Speaking of saving money... I bought this today:

at a 92% savings. I love craigslist! Eliza loves it. It goes up to 65lbs and 49"!

Claron, Eliza & A Fountain

Reasons Why I LOVE This Picture:

1. The sheer joy on Eliza's face

2. The cool effect on the colors from the twilight

3. The look on Claron's face. He looks like he has his hand in the cookie jar. Why you ASK?

Well, this picture is taken at the LA Temple.

Tsk. Tsk.

And the award goes to...

My friend, Linny, wrote an excellent rant on toddler pageants. My mom has asked a few times to enter Eliza into beautiful baby contests and my answer was always a firm NO! So, why do I hate pageants... Besides the obvious, pageants don't teach kids anything useful, nor do they really judge any merit worthy aspect of the child. Everyone thinks that their baby is the most beautiful, and they are all right! Who is so stupid pageant judge to tell them their kid isn't the most gorgeous child ever?

So, I got to thinking... what kind of contest should parents have. Well, it should definitely measurable and entertaining. Each kid I know has some awesome talent. Here are the awards:

• Most messy blueberry eater: Stellan
• Greatest knowledge of sporting equipment: Levi
• Most numerous blowouts: Violet
• Most "blue steel" looks: Asher
• Best stereo stuffer: Taryn
• Most daring in the pool/biggest splash: Renny
• Most trips to the ER: McKay

Here is an award for you to post on your blog:

If I forgot you, let me know and I'll make you an award.

And the award for Eliza... Well, I don't think it is fair for a mother to decide. I lose on lack of impartiality. So, leave me a comment. What is Eliza's award?

A little math

Party+Pool+(Eliza-Bathing Suit)=

Polaroid made at: Rollip

Petit Fours

I made Petit Fours with Bryanna and Erin (who are both chemists). It was so much fun, but definitely a lot of work.

Here is what I learned:

• It is best to use a very FIRM cake. Your cake should not have any crumbs.
• Gum paste is FUN! I loved making gum paste flowers. In fact, I made the two big flowers in the picture. Bryanna made the hearts. Gum paste does dry fast though.
• Heat the glaze. Glaze is already difficult to spread but if not heated, it is impossible.
• Many hands make light work. Petit fours take a lot of effort; so, invite a lot of friends.

Thanks to Erin for hosting and being so gracious and Bryanna for piping and the good laughs.

My (Non-)Mortal Enemies

Many of you know that I tried sooooo... hard to avoid them. Yes, them.

"Why?," you may ask. Well, here is a list:

1) You are FORCED into them. Disney's marketing is guerrilla. It almost impossible to buy anything for a toddler without them.

2) They always wear makeup. C'mon! Unrealistic!

3) They are all waiting to be "saved" by their prince.

4) No woman looks like that.

5) They are just so girly. Ugh!

I've lost.

It is what I deserve though. I let one in (Ariel), and the rest just muscled their way through. Granted, she has never seen the movies of Snow White, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin, but she has the books AND she can identify them all.

*Sigh*

My Cousins

My mom comes from a large family. There were 6 of them. My mom is #3. It goes:

1. George (passed away), married Carol, 3 kids (Teresa, George, Tom) all way older than me


2. Dennis (Pennsylvania), married Diane, 3 kids (Jen, Melissa (my "hockey puck" sister), Denny), Grandkids-Jen has Emma and Evan, Melissa is prego, Denny has Isabelle


3. Mom (Maryland), married Tony, 3 kids (Tony, me, Uncle D), Grandkids-I have Eliza


4. Evelyn (Maryland), married Terry, 4 kids (Victoria, Evelyn, Christopher, Angela), Grandkids-Vicky is prego, Evelyn has Keiana, Christopher has Tori


5. Lou (Maryland), married Karen, 3 kids (Joseph, Louis, Ashley), Grandkids-Ashley has Jessica


6. Big Al (Maryland), married Paula, 1 kid (AJ)

When I was home I got to see almost all of my cousins. Ashley's girl, Jessica (yes, I have two nieces named Jessica Lynn AND they are the same age), had a birthday. Many of my cousins and ALL their babies were in attendance. It was so great to see them. I tried to get them together to take a picture. Here was the best result:

No one is looking at the camera but Jess. Here are the rest of the pics.

Balloons

Then:
Now:

Susie Sarlo

So, I read A LOT of design blogs. Bad habit. Anyway. Today Susie Sarlo came up on my reader and WOW! I am in love.

Going Shopping

This is how my daughter attired herself to go to the grocery store:

You know all of the fashionable 2 year-olds wear

-A sparkly, purple hair barrette

-A white bead necklace

-A pink princess purse

-Matching purple high heels with feathers

to go shopping.

Potty Power!

Little did I know when I picked this up at the library what a gold mine it is! Potty Power is an instructional video for kids on using the potty. Eliza loves it and now uses the potty regularly. So far though, she is amazing when she is bare bottom, but not as reliable when wearing her "pantalettes."

Today is the day. We are going to panties full time. Hopefully, these guys can help.

Eliza is very excited about these. I hope they will work!!

Ridge Family Dictionary: Entry 1

doink (doyngk)

n.--The sound made when you hit someone with a soft ball or toy almost always followed by incessant giggling.

Example: "Doink!" yelled Eliza as she threw the doll at her dad.


v.--To hit someone with a soft ball. [doinked, doink·ing, doinks]

Example: Eliza doinked him with the princess ball.


Etymology: Made up by Big Al, Christmas 2008.

Going to the Zoo with Mimi

Here's why my mom is the most fun person to take you to the zoo.
She breaks all the rules.

Catch-up: Father's Day

Now that it is September, it is finally time to write about Father's Day. We had a lovely Father's Day this year.

Eliza made a tie for Claron in nursery at church the week before.

Claron had donuts for breakfast before church.

Claron's dad and Clark, Lilly & Violet came to visit, and the girls wore matching dresses to church.


The whole crew after church.

We had a great day. A funny aside from that day... Eliza is very territorial about her chair. Violet found a work around though.... Camouflage!