It's a Miracle!

The miracle is that I made a menu plan for the week. When I am left to dream up my own recipes, we have pasta twice, potatoes and eggs and chicken nuggets. Boring stuff.

I have a Rachael Ray cookbook and a few other favorites that have creative recipes. I managed to make up a list and went grocery shopping this morning! This is all a miracle because right now I am suffering from pregnant brain syndrome. I have enough energy, but my lack of focus makes it hard to do useful things.

Anyway, here's the plan:

1. Marinated flank steak and blue cheese biscuits with arugula, tomatoes, and sour cream
2. Pasta con aglio, oglio, e pepperoncino con cecci, formaggio e spinaci. (Garlic, oil, hot peppers and garbanzo beans on pasta...I usually also add cheese and spinach).
3. Five Spice burgers with warm mu shu topping, pineapple and exotic chips. (fancy turkey burgers)
4. Mushroom casserole from Molly Katzen's cookbook.
5. Something from the freezer or takeout.

Next, I need to finish up organizing for Amedeo's party next weekend. I am concerned about mid-week mobility because of the snow, so I will try to have most things ready and in the house by tomorrow.

And here is our little Amedeo repairing his car. He's drawing a picture of the problem on his little green board.

That was a long break!

It has been a loooong time since I have posted. Things are going really well here. I think I'll do a little bit of reviewing with pics. Since Pietro's birthday, we've had Christmas, and a visit from Morgan Etc., and half of January. Here we go!

Amedeo is busy. I try to find activities for him that are entertaining for both of us. Here he is eating a Cheerio necklace. He had a good time stringing the "beads" but I think eating them was the best part!


And we do a little cooking too. A very big hit that day was making Ants on a Log. He was thrilled to get a very dull knife, peanut butter, raisins and celery to create his own snack. I couldn't believe that he ate almost all of what he made.



One thing to note, there has not been enough snow for our liking. Pathetic, Mother Nature!!! We need at least 6 inches for sledding and building.


Partway through December, Morgan, Debbie and Finn arrived! Finn turned three in June. Amedeo had a great time playing with him. I didn't get many pictures of all of them together. That was when I had the most morning sickness, which for me was just all day nausea, plus icky headaches. I was not very energetic either...so we're going to go visit them in their new house in March/April.

This day was our entire extended family on mom's side getting together for a Christmas lunch. It was lots of fun to have everyone over, minus the men who had to work.

Lisa, JoAnna, Uncle Rich, Matthew and Debbie:

Aunt Linda, Mom and me:

Lacey (my 2nd cousin) and Amedeo...he fell in love with her. He followed her around the entire time. Lacey was very sweet and tolerant.

Morgan and Matthew playing Wii.


All the kids together....and for a change all of them are looking happy, but not necessarily at the camera!


And, everyone in the pic...the last time we had one of these was probably in 1985.


And then, Christmas morning...
Amedeo was so excited. We noticed after a few presents were opened that he wasn't giving us as good a reaction as usual. There was no jumping up and down, or giggly laughter. Later, we realized that he had a fever! Poor child. Hopefully we can avoid that next year!

Next...more photos from Christmas...