A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - a little lady and her chair

the Contessa's easy tomato soup

Baby, it's cold outside.  And, thanks to Ina Garten's latest cookbook, FOOLPROOF, I have found yet another delicious and simple soup recipe to warm our bodies and soothe our souls during the frigid days of winter. 

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons good olive oil

3 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)

1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)

4 cups chicken stock , preferably homemade 

 (While she continues to suggest homemade is best and even provides the recipe for chicken stock in this cookbook, I have yet to make my own.  It still tastes yummy with stock from a box.)

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano 

Large pinch of saffron threads

Kosher salt and freshly ground peper

1/2 cup orzo

1/2 cup heavy cream

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, saffron, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.  Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, fill a medium pot with water, add 2 tablespoons salt, and bring to a boil.  Add the orzo and cook for 7 minutes.  (It will finish cooking in the soup.)  Drain the orzo and add it to the soup.  Stir in the cream, return the soup to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring frequently.

Enjoy with a hunk of crusty bread or gooey grilled cheese!      

 

i'll be home for christmas

I am dreaming tonight of a place I love
Even more than I usually do
And although I know it's a long road back
I promise you

I'll be home for Christmas

You can count on me

Please have snow and mistletoe

And presents under the tree

Christmas Eve will find me

Where the love light gleams

I'll be home for Christmas...

No need to dream of a return home for Christmas this year, as we would not only be returning for the holiday, but for an extended stay, perhaps the greatest present the grandparents would receive.  Our holiday was filled with many treasured moments as we celebrated our Savior's birth, treated ourselves to the sweet samplings of holiday cookies, appreciated tall trees and their beautiful decorations, opened countless gifts, shared  meals, and introduced the littlest to extended family members for the first time.

Christmas Eve, we participated in a small gift exchange at Papa and Nany's home before heading to Aunt Dawn's house for a Mexican feast.

 

Settling down for Papa's annual Christmas Eve devotion.

Christmas morning we awoke to the savory smells of Mimi's delicious egg casserole.  But before we would enjoy Christmas brunch, we spent the morning unwrapping
presents.

There is something extra special about having a little baby around the holidays.  The littlest slept through most of the morning's excitement, but sure looked festive as she slumbered. 

A favorite tradition, unwrapping each delicately wrapped present Mimi places in our stockings.

A favorite tradition of mine, baking a birthday cake for Jesus with the little lady.

Last year we splurged making Barefoot Contessa's coconut cake with pillowy cream cheese frosting; however, this year we kept things simple and made a box cake with homemade cream cheese frosting, dyed green for added merriment. I'm sure having an infant had nothing to do with that decision. 

naughty or nice...the three sweetest gifts a mother could ask for 

the new pad

I cannot lie, our new home is quite spacious.  One might think that after apartment living, the additional square footage would satisfy all of our previous wants, but when you are three and four bigger is not always better.  In fact, bigger may just be down right overwhelming.  And so, while we are grateful for our new (temporary) home, we find ourselves, on occasion, missing our small living quarters.  I know that in time, our new space will feel like home.  Until then, I will learn to shower with two children perched outside the shower door, sympathize with our little ones when they do not want to play in the new "play room" because it is on the wrong floor, and answer multiple times a day the question, "Mommy, where are you?!" 

Here are a few new things we HAVE quickly come to appreciate:

a new spacious living room, allowing us to host family gatherings

large, comfy chairs to lounge in

testing out a king-sized bed

a luxurious, mirrored bathroom with jacuzzi tub

a laundry room large enough to become the preferred play room

a breakfast bar big enough for our entire family, allowing me to realize my dream of becoming a short-order cook

Ode to Cleveland

  

One day while driving the streets of Cleveland this song came on, and our little ones began to sing along.  As my eyes welled with tears, I realized that Cleveland had, in fact, become home. Here's to the city that filled our days with many happy memories for eighteen months.  So long and farewell until we meet again... 

countdown to milwaukee - moving day

 Saturday, December 22, 2012

After a relatively uneventful night of sleep, we woke refreshed and ready for the long drive to Milwaukee.  Jeff and Bob set off first in the U-Haul truck, while Dawn and I enjoyed the breakfast buffet with the children.  By 9 am, with a full tank of gas, she and I set off with the littles, hoping for a smooth ride with limited stops.  I was so thankful to have Dawn as my co-captain.  Not only did I appreciate catching up with my sweet sister during the drive home, but she was an invaluable asset during our two rest stop visits.  We made our way easily through Ohio, into Indiana and Illinois before dropping Dawn off at a Chicago exit to reunite with Bob.  The two of them would go on to enjoy an early Christmas with Bob's side of the family.  With Christmas tunes blasting, the children and I made our way into good old Wisconsin.  All in all the trip went very smoothly.  We made excellent timing, arriving home to two sets of very excited grandparents!  With the help of the grandfathers and few friends, Jeff unloaded all of our many boxes into the new rental home.  We ended our evening seated around Mimi's beautiful dining room table enjoying bowls of steaming chili, happy to be reunited with extended family.  

Praise God to whom all blessings flow.  What a journey!

 

Hello Wisconsin!  Glad to be back.

"I think I'm going to like it here."

countdown to milwaukee - day 2

Friday, December 21, 2012

Friday we were up and at 'em early attempting to ready our apartment for the small group of movers who were set to arrive at 3:00 pm. Stopping at Starbucks for a quick bite to eat and necessary cup of Joe before picking up the U-Haul truck, Jeff and I enjoyed the temporary "quiet" before the "storm."  We knew that once we got going there would be no stopping until the apartment was empty and our time at 3210 Warrensville Center Road came to an end. Ironically, December's weather up until the 21st had been unseasonably warm and mild; however, we woke Friday morning to snow flurries that developed into a steady snowfall by 2:00 pm just in time to load the truck.  Thanks to the kind help of a friend, I was able to drop the little lady and man off at a friend's house for one last play date.  Not only did this kind mother open up her home to our children, but invited a few of the little lady's former classmates over for a farewell party.  God bless her.  And, with the older two playfully occupied, Jeff, June and I got focused.  While Jeff and the movers began loading, Junebug and I attempted to finish packing the master bedroom.  Amidst the bed frames, empty dressers, and embrassingly large amount of dust bunnies I folded our final loads of laundry and packed up our clothes.  June was more focused on eating during this time and I found myself humorously sitting on the bathroom floor with door closed nursing her.  Privacy was hard to come by.  At 6:00 pm I sloshed through the snow and slick streets to retrieve the little lady and man.  They were surprised to return home to an (almost) empty apartment.  The bare floors and echoing walls were an inviting change of pace, and as Jeff and I crammed garbage bags full of trash and last minute items, they freely ran about the place.  Exhausted, we made the final push and by 7:00 pm we were ready to lock our doors.  We called in an order to B Spot, our favorite burger joint, and made our way to the Homestead Suites. In a moment of pure comical timing, just as I had settled our crew in the hotel room, the fire alarms sounded and the children and I cautiously ascended the many stairs down to the hotel lobby.  You might imagine the littles' concerned faces as we sat awaiting Jeff's return with our tasty burgers in the middle of a crowded lobby, red lights flashing.  And, so we sat eating our final Cleveland meal in the lobby surrounded by strangers and firemen, with the not so subtle background noise of fire alarms.  Eventually, we were able to return to our room just in time for a late dip in the bathtub, and ice cream treat.  We deserved it after all the chaos.  It was then time for Jeff to pick up Dawn and Bob from the airport.  They graciously agreed to help us with the drive back to Milwaukee.  By 11:30pm we were all in bed exhausted but grateful.   

 

Picking up the big U-Haul truck.  Excitement mounting.

 

Helping Dad load, while enjoying the first snow of the season. 

Subway picnic. We continued to "eat fresh" until the very end.

 

 

Enjoying our first hotel stay as a family.

Littlest lady.  Big bed.

countdown to milwaukee - day 3

Thursday, December 20, 2012

It was a busy day full of farewells and special activities.  The morning was spent packing and waiting for The Salvation Army to pick up our final donations.  We then made our way to Solon where I treated the little lady and man to a Taco Bell lunch.  By this point all of our meals were either take out or dining in at restaurants (the little lady's preferred method of dining).  After crushing a few soft and hard beef tacos we made a pit stop at Jeff's office to introduce the littlest to Jeff's lovely staff who were kind enough to send us off with an assortment of thoughtful presents. It was then time to drop off the little lady for her final day at Carol Nursery School (sniff).  I was not eager for this day to come as we have enjoyed every minute of watching our girl thrive under their watchful and creative care.  In preparation for her final day, teachers, Erin and Nicole, had assembled a colorful picture book for her to remember each classmate.  Each page included a picture of the little lady with her special friends, a handwritten note and picture from each friend.  It is a real treasure.  I'm so thankful to her loving teachers for taking such great care of our little lady, encouraging her natural curiosity, and for embracing her big personality each day.  

It was fitting that our day concluded with a special trip to Chick-fil-A with sisters, Megan and Morgan, special Carol Nursery friends.  I can't say I've ever spend two and half hours at a fast food restaurant before, but that night we enjoyed every minute of Family Night, with its dancing Cow, balloon blowing clown, tasty nuggets, and the fellowship of friends.  

 

Megan and the little man.  
One might call her his first gal pal.  He most definitely received his first kiss from her.

Two peas in a groovin' pod.  These girls were cut from the same fashionable cloth.



countdown to milwaukee - day 4

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

In the early morning hours Jeff and I woke to the sounds of the little man throwing up in his bed.  Ironically both of the children had their first stomach bugs during our final week in Cleveland.  Apparently, they were sick of the city.  (insert smile emoticon)  Jeff being the awesome father that he is took the night shift and spent the better part of it taking the little man to and from the bathroom.  Between bathroom sessions, the little man enjoyed watching Toy Story 3 on the iPad. I was uncertain as to how long his symptoms would last; however, by 8:00 am with discovered Guitar Hero guitar in hand, he was jammin' to his favorite tunes.  Music cures all ailments in this household.  I was quite pleased the little man was back to his ol' self as we had planned on dining at Dewey's that evening, our absolute favorite pizza parlor to date.  It is hard for me to put into words the strong attachment I feel towards their Dante's Inferno pizza (think buffalo chicken style pizza pie).  Oh, how I will miss Dewey's loud but inviting atmosphere, which I could always count on to be louder than my own children and their pizza viewing window, which entertained our little ones while waiting for a booth. And, let us not forget their amazing pizza which would satisfy each and every one of our various cravings.

On occasion the cooks would throw flour at the window, which was both surprising and amusing to our little ones.