break time done...

Feeling like I have been away from my blog for way too long......see you soon!!

shiny happy people

So far 2009 has been so wonderful,
well except for the ridiculously cold and snowy New England weather.

I feel like there were these certain quirks in my personality that were left behind in 2008, allowing me to strip off the cumbersome layers of stress and insecurities....to breathe easier.

A long, sustained, full, deep breath of fresh air into my lungs.

Its not like anything specific happened to make me feel so good.
Perhaps, its the whole idea of a fresh start with a new year or that I turned 36 a few days ago or that I just feel this an amazing sense of balance with my life as a whole, which I have struggled along without for a while now.
Whatever it is,
I feel really good about myself, my family and my friends....its hard to have such delicate alignment when self imposed pressures and guilt are entered into the scenario.
So I have let go of the negative energy and I feel weightless......sparkly......beautiful.....happy......simply, balanced.

And in return, I am a better mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend and human being!!


......OK, time to get off the soapbox now.

Amazingly Juicy Roasted Chicken

Easy....simple....wonderful....delicious!



Ingredients:
1 (3 pound) whole chicken, giblets removed
salt and black pepper to taste
3/4 tablespoon garlic salt
1/2 cup butter, divided
1 onion, quartered
1 stalk celery, leaves removed

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

2.Place chicken in a roasting pan, and season generously inside and out with salt and pepper.

3.Sprinkle inside and out with garlic salt.

4.Place 3 tablespoons butter in the chicken cavity.

5.Arrange dollops of the remaining butter around the chicken's exterior.

6.Cut the celery into 3 or 4 pieces and with 1/2 onion, place in the chicken cavity, spread remaining onion pieces on chicken.

7.Bake uncovered 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees F.

8.Remove from heat, and baste with melted butter and drippings.
Cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest about 30 minutes before serving.


*After meal, pick off left over chicken to be used in a chicken, pasta and broccoli casserole. Then boil carcass and simmer on stove for 4 hours to make chicken stock for future use.

Wow, what a week!

My birthday was on January 13, but there were celebrations all week....I am so spoiled!
There was an Italian dinner with my parents and us, clothes shopping with my best friend, homemade brownies courtesy of Chris and Avery, lots of cooking with the girls and my new kitchen toys, quiet time with my husband and a crazy-fun, dance filled night out with my girls!!
Chris booked us a night at the Providence Biltmore for a combo birthday and Valentine's day date, he is so sweet!
I feel so blessed to have an incredible family and the most amazing friends who all love and support me as a human being.....I love you guys!

My fabulous new kitchen gadgets....

I am in love!

Fresh french bread from the breadmaker.....

Everyone's favorite chocolate chip cookies, they are so easy with the mixer!

tidy up....

quick tips:

• Do a Daily 5-Minute Cleanup. Check hot spots throughout the house where stuff tends to pile up, and make a quick sweep.


• Open mail over the recycling bin, and conduct all of your bill-paying online.


• Eliminate unused items in the kitchen. Go through cabinets and drawers, and collect never-used small appliances and utensils for donation.


• Keep clutter off counter tops.


• Go through newspapers and magazines once a week. If you haven't looked at something in two weeks, recycle it.


• Arrange wardrobe by type. Sort clothes into categories (tops, pants, etc.) and then colors.


• Clear closets yearly. Donate clothes you don't wear.


• Fold sheet sets inside one of the pillowcases, and store in the linen closet as a unit.


• Don't over stuff drawers. Never let a drawer get more than 3/4 full or it will become a jammed mess.


• Make a list before you shop. Take stock of what you need in order to get things under control--more skirt hangers? another under-bed storage box?--and figure out where everything will go.

quick bits...

High tech kids...

Playing at Avery's best friend Dory's house...

Making gingerbread houses at school...

this I know....

So, here we are at the beginning of a brand new year, 2009.
I always start off with my promises to make the coming year better and to do better things for myself, family and work.....don't we all??
Yes we do.
Personally, I am so guilty of starting off strong and letting the resolutions fall by the wayside, which makes me feel like a failure, like shit actually.

A few examples:

• lose the 10 pounds
• save more money
• watch less TV
• eat all organic
• potty train Emmy
• less time on the computer
• volunteer my time
• be better organized
• exercise more
• much more patience

Although, I can keep some of these ideals mixed into my world, its never with a natural flow that keeps it consistent.

I don't want to make empty promises to myself, and I truly love the cliches that accompany a new year.
The idea of a fresh start, a clean slate and a new beginning.
So, what is a new years resolution flawed girl to do when she can't keep the promises that she so desperately longs to keep??

I am going to live each day and do my best to keep my values in place,

• be happy
• nurture my family
• love others
• accept my imperfections
• live life

allow myself to make mistakes, give out positive energy and things usually have a way of falling into place naturally.

Happy New Year!!

Christmas 2008 style...

Annabelle loves snuggling under the tree...
Making cookies for Santa on Christmas eve...
yummy!

Emmy was a little bit skeptical....
Avery and DJ making progress....
Uncle Al and Grandma opening gifts....
The Princess Nursery...
Fun toys....
Emmy getting the hang of it...Santa and his elves gave these scooters a fancy Christmas makeover....

Uncle Al came through with the favorite toys....

when it snows and its really cold outside...

I get all of my laundry done and put away.

I can cuddle on the couch with the kids and watch Christmas specials.

I indulge in cooking a lot of food.

I even bake.

I am able to organize the bedrooms with the kids.

I don't have to rush around.

I listen to Christmas music.

I dress in warm, comfy clothes.

I tie up all the loose ends for Christmas.

I hang out with my family.

snow!

Dear Santa,

I have been really good this year.

Rotary Phones

Heavy, clunky, colorful, nostalgic rotary phones.

This particular phone hung on a kitchen wall in my childhood home.
When it rang, you knew it.
It had a loud, bell like, jingling ring that could be heard throughout the whole house and out into the yard.

When you wanted to call and catch up with a friend, you were committed to making that phone call. There was an amount of concentration as your fingers quickly poked each number, pulled the dial to where it stopped and waited patiently as it made its way, slowly back to its original place. You may have found yourself singing the numbers with the rhythm of the rotary dial, as to not lose track of the phone number. If you messed up, there was no redial, you would have to start fresh from the beginning.

Conversations on a phone like this were what they should be, uninterrupted, actual conversations with the person on the other end of the line. There were none of the features that are available today, no call waiting to interrupt, no caller id to screen calls, no hold buttons, no mute buttons and no 3 way calling. I don't want to get into the slew of "techy", "gadgety", things that my husband has on his phone, so I will keep this part of the post streamlined.

There was no multitasking on a phone that kept you within a 3 foot radius of itself.

You were given permission to sit down, relax and enjoy a conversation.

Its weird how having so much and being so accessible to everything makes you wish for the simple things of your childhood.
Things, that just by being, forced you to slow down and catch your breath.....
I just wish my husband would agree.

virtual weight gain

chocolate~peanut butter~chex mix....

9 cups rice chex
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Measure cereal into large bowl, set aside.
2. Put chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in microwave (uncovered) for 1 min on high; stir; another 30 seconds until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until coated.
3. Pour into 2 gallon plastic bag
4. Add powdered sugar into bag, seal, shake until well coated.
5. Spread on waxed paper to cool
6. Store in sealed container in refrigerator.
   
   

cake balls...

1 package chocolate cake mix
1 container prepared chocolate frosting
1 pkg almond bark- white chocolate flavor

1. Bake cake according to package
2. When cake is done, crumble while warm into a large bowl, and stir in the frosting until well blended.
3. Use a spoon to form balls of the chocolate cake mixture, put on waxed paper and chill in refrigerator.
4. Melt white chocolate in the microwave, stirring occasionally until smooth.
5. Dip the balls in chocolate using a toothpick or fork to hold them.
6. Place on waxed paper and back to refrigerator to set.