Every step of the way

This past weekend I experienced life with loved ones. On Friday night, my husband and I joined some good friends for a late night pizza. Saturday afternoon, my bestest friend came by for a quick coffee, because she happened to be in the neighbourhood. Saturday night was a night of festivities at my sisters’ house, where I got to spend time with my 3 sisters, my husband and their husbands. Sunday me, my husband and my 4 little children visited my cousin and his family. There my kids got to enjoy an afternoon of fun and games with the next generation of Colosimo kids, while the adults enjoyed some wine and great food.

I am a very lucky person. I say it, and I know it. What would life be like if we didn’t have people we love surround our everyday life? I have a few very good friends (you know who you are), 3 wonderful sisters (you know who you are..lol), 2 great parents (you know who you are), and a very amazing extended family. I remember growing up, my parents would always entertain. Neighbours were like family, family were like siblings. This is what life was about. Gatherings of people that got along, played, chatted, ate and drank. During these times together, we (the kids) bonded with other children our age, and memories were made.

Pictures help capture these fun times and memories that are made. They are placed in albums, stored in our computers and shared on Face book. Some make us laugh and some make us question what the hell we were thinking at the time. Gatherings are times that are cherished and treasured for a lifetime. Life is all about people, and times shared with them.

As we age, we meet new people that we connect with, and former people we re-connect with. Stories are shared, advice is exchanged and opinions are listened too. We are human beings, travelling through the journey of life. I have many friends and cousins that are experiencing the trials and tribulations of parenthood, alongside me. These are people that knew me when I was young, naive and silly. These are the people that knew me when I didn’t even know how to write my name. We grew up together, and now our own children are able to do the same thing, together.

Our parents continue to get together with people that they shared their journey of life with. Some they lost touch with, and some they kept a connection with. Yesterday my cousin and I were talking about how great it will be when we our kids grow and we will be able to travel with our spouses. We laughed and thought about our own parents, and then we stopped and realized that when this happens, as our children grow, so will we. We will no longer be young, fresh parents. We will be veterans, grandparents, and in a new stage of life.

I have many important people in my life. Over the years, I have made some real friends. Friends of quality, loyalty, and of true friendship. I am reminded of this every once in a while, when we get together, or when I am just having a bad day. My children will always be the most important people in my life, but when they are all grown up and begin their own adult life, I will want to know that they made these special bonds that I have made over the years. I will want to know that I had a part of the relationships they have secured, because I knew that it was important to connect with friends, and connect with family on a regular basis. This is something that cannot be replaced by anything. We all need each other in one way, or another. I am proud of the bonds I have made. I know that when I am old and grey and wrinkly (lol), I will be able to remember the times that I shared in my life with the people that were there with me every step of the way.
That’s my peace today!

I stole today's recipe from Sylvia because it was just tooo delicious...thanks Syl I hope I got it right..lol!

Zucchini stuffed with goat cheese

6 zucchini
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Canadian goat cheese
grated parmesan (optional)

Cut the zucchini in half and scoop of the insides. Fill with the goat cheese, sprinkle with the breadcumbs (generously) you can also sprinkle grated parmesan
Place in baking pan and cook for about 20 minutes at 385 degrees.

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Are all these yours???

Yesterday I was in line at the cash at Fortino’s without my kids and there was a man standing behind me, all at once he said to me, “Boy you must have a lot of kids!” I looked to him and the cashier (whom I know) said “Yes, she has 4.” He replied, “Wow, well either she has a lot of kids or she is pulling a scam with the government.” I looked with confusion, and then he explained to me that he noticed all the Health Cards in a row, in my wallet. I laughed, took my groceries and left.

Now a days having more than 2 children is not really the norm. Couples have 1 because they want to experience parenthood, then they have their second to give their first a sibling, and many of the times the family is complete. When couples go for a third, people assume they are doing it because they want either a boy or a girl, it cannot possibly be because they would actually want to bring another child in this nasty world. 2 children make a family a comfy 4. No need for a new car, a new house or a new kitchen table. Everything is set for 4. Boxes of dinner plates, boxes of glasses and restaurants have tables for 4 set up.

I remember growing up in the 80’s and all most of my friends had at least 5 people in the family. There were also the families of 6 and the occasional family of 7. Nobody questioned why the parents had another one, it was just common sense; you get married and have as many kids as you want. As you all know, I have 4 children. Many people say to me, “Oh you didn’t really want 4, it just happened because you had twins.” Our plan may not have been to have 4 kids, but I never once questioned why I was given my “bonus” child. (Ok maybe sometimes when I am on the brink of wanting to swallow some Drano..lol) My point is, I have 4 beautiful, healthy children, and yes it is a lot, but they are my responsibility to raise and feed, nobody else’s.

I sometimes attempt to go out with all 4, ok I attempt it many times..lol. Every Saturday me and my 4 kids go to Chapters and Starbucks so mommy can get her latte and the kiddies can run around and pretend they enjoy reading..lol. I cannot explain to you the looks that are on the faces of the people I encounter. You have to be with me to believe it. Some smile, and say “OMG ,look at all those kids.” Some say “Oh God bless you honey, you certainly have your hands full” and then there are the ones that ask me very abruptly “Are they all yours????” and I answer very proudly “Yes they are”.

I am proud of my little rugrats. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to raise all these little people into adults. It makes me humble to know that I am allowed the privilege to be a mother, especially to 4 children. We live in a world where people would give anything to become parents. They adopt, they take fertility drugs and they do in-vitro, all in the hopes that they will be blessed with even 1 child. There is not one day that goes by that I don’t realize how lucky I am. I tell my children all the time. Sometimes my over-indulged children ask me “Mommy are we rich?” and I say “Very; we have a beautiful family and no money in the world can replace that.” It got to the point where Joseph says, “Mommy don’t tell me we are rich because we have a healthy family, I want to know if we have a healthy bank account”..lol.

I was once encountered in Starbucks by a woman who saw my 2 little twins and I was floored when she said this to me “Oh you have twins..my condolences.” She went on to say, “Oh I have twins so that’s why I can say that.” Suffice to say, I gave her a piece of my mind (everyone who knows me can only imagine what I said to her..lol)

There are people who actually criticize and talk about couples when they want more than 2 children. My question to these people..”Why do you care how many kids other people have?”

It is very difficult having children. I believe the more you have, the harder it is. There are more mouths to feed, more clothes to buy and more bodies to tuck in at night. The world has not changed as much as we think. I don’t believe it was any easier for our parents to raise kids, than it is for us. The only difference maybe, is that when someone walked down the street with more than 2 kids, strangers did not flinch, get bothered or asked very boldly, “Are all these 4 yours???” They all had their own multiple children to take care of too.
That’s my peace today!

Cheese Tortellini Soup
Home made chicken broth or 1 box store bought
1 pack cheese tortellini
1 bunch chopped spinach (optional)
chopped parsley for garnish

Pour broth in a saucepan, bring to boil. Add tortellini (if you are adding spinach at same time). Boil for as long as directed on package. Garnish with parsley.

check out www.yummymummyclub.ca

What dreams are made of

Every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday people purchase lottery tickets in the hope of being the next multi millionaire. They place the purchased ticket in a secure place and they dream of what life will be like if they win. For 6 hours (before the results are revealed) people believe they may be the next big winner. This is something we call hope. They rely on the fact that they may win; this is why they buy the ticket in the first place.

We have hope in everything we do. It is a part of our daily function. We hope we arrive safely, we hope we enjoy our lunch; we hope the kids behave, and we hope we can get a good nights’ sleep because we hope our babies will sleep through the night.

I looked up the definition of the word HOPE and it means: “the general feeling that some desire will be fulfilled” It doesn’t mean it will be fulfilled, it just means they want, for it to be fulfilled. I think that is absolutely amazing. It is amazing that we can live life hoping that things we want will come our way. I don’t see it as being naive or desperate or being a dreamer. I see it as, a chance to believe that things may possibly go the way we want it to.

What would life be like if we didn’t hope for things? To have hope is to have expectations, optimism and something to look forward to. Every Christmas our children write a list to Santa because they believe, they wish, and they trust that he will deliver what they asked for. Imagine if we took that away? Imagine if we tell them that they should not assume or expect anything? That would crush the belief that their wish may come true.

Hospitals are full every day, all year long, with people that are hopeful. They believe that they will be saved, helped and cured. They make plans for the future because they hope they will make it to share it with loved ones. Would you ever have the courage to tell someone that is fighting for their life that they should not expect or hope for anything? Instead we tell them, “We hope for the best.” This means we don’t know for sure, but we can only wish that it all works out.

As parents we hope. We hope we make the right decisions; we hope that we didn’t give the wrong advice; we hope that our kids don’t make the same mistakes we did; we hope that they know we love them every day when they walk out the door; we hope that we raised them well; we hope that life will be full of luck, health and happiness for them; we hope they marry for the right reasons and; we hope they never stop dreaming, hoping and expecting all the things that they aspire to have, and aspire to be. Life is filled with people hoping, wishing and believing, in fact, that’s what dreams are made of.
That’s my peace today!

Spagetti all vongole

1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp dried parsley
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 cans minced clams, with juice
1 pack spaghetti
2 tbsp grated Romano cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, brown garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Stir in butter or margarine and seasonings until butter or margarine is melted. Add clams with some of their liquid; heat through.
Drain pasta. Toss spaghetti with clam sauce, and top with grated Romano cheese.

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Now that I am older I learned...

Now that I am older I learned that patience is indeed a virtue

Now that I am older I learned that men do not put the toilet seat down

Now that I am older I learned that children do follow by example

Now that I am older I learned we all turn into our mothers

Now that I am older I learned you can’t always get everything you want

Now that I am older I learned the older we get, the more funerals we attend

Now that I am older I learned sometimes it is better to take a sip of your coffee in the morning before you speak to your kids and your husband

Now that I am older I learned sometimes we want to sweat the small stuff; it makes us feel better

Now that I am older I learned we all have choices in life

Now that I am older I learned you may not use the Algebra you learned in school, but there was a purpose to it..I am still trying to figure it out

Now that I am older I learned breakfast is the most important meal of the day

Now that I am older I learned you need 1 black dress, fish net stay-ups, and a pair of very comfortable fuzzy slippers

Now that I am older I learned a robe is really nice to have

Now that I am older I learned control top was a great invention

Now that I am older I learned there were always younger women and older women competing for the same man

Now that I am older I learned its ok to cry to a Hallmark commercial

Now that I am older I learned its ok to laugh at our bodies sometimes

Now that I am older I learned taupe nylons are never OK

Now that I am older I learned children bring us joy and laughter when we least expect it

Now that I am older I learned a dozen roses will make us hate them a little less

Now that I am older I learned saying sorry means a lot

Now that I am older I learned time heals, but it does not erase

Now that I am older I learned life experiences make you who you are

Now that I am older I learned a woman needs a good friend, a good book, and a good man

Now that I am older I learned keys are always in the last place you look

Now that I am older I learned chocolate does make things feel better, and so does a glass of Merlot

Now that I am older I learned my mother does know best

Now that I am older I learned children make us better people

Now that I am older I learned what you do may come back to haunt you

Now that I am older I learned success is measured by yourself and no one else

Now that I am older I learned that I learn something new everyday

Now that I am older I learned to never worry about money because you can always make more of it

Now that I am older I learned it is not always easy to accept the things we cannot change but we can accept that we cannot change them

Now that I am older I learned sisters are special

Now that I am older I learned everyone has a fear

Now that I am older I learned many people’s guilty pleasure is blasting Air Supply’s “All out of Love” on the radio

Now that I am older I learned its ok to make mistakes; it teaches us to do it right the next time

Now that I am older I learned life is beautiful, difficult and challenging and as long as you wake up with your 2 feet touching the floor it will be a good day; an opportunity to live to our fullest potential, and another day to love, learn and laugh with anyone we want to

That’s my peace today!

Pan fried Cod
4 pieces of fresh cod
1/2 cup flour seasoned salt and pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg beated
oil for frying

Flour cod, dip in egg and then press in bread crumbs. Heat pan with oil, fry each side until golden brown (8 minutes in all).

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Life after the honeymoon

Did you ever look at the face of a couple that just got married? I am sure you have. They have that same look of “Oh I am in sooo in love and my life will be perfect forever and ever.”..lol. This is the look you should have when you get married because this is why you did it in the first place. You go on your honeymoon and you can’t wait to come home and begin your perfect little life with your perfect new spouse.

If you have ever spoken to women who are about to get married they will all tell you the same thing. “Oh my husband is not going to be like yours, mine is going to help me cook, and clean, and he is going to cuddle with me all night long.” You laugh and say, “Yes, this is what we all thought, but let me give you this one piece of advice...expect nothing and you will not be disappointed.” I don’t say this to be rude or mean, I say it because I speak the truth. Of course some men do help cook and clean but they are not really happy doing it and I don’t care what their wives CLAIM. At night when they are sleeping, these men think of ways to accidentally poison their “equal” opportunity wives..lol.. this is the truth, trust me.

When a woman first gets married she wants her husband home with her all day and all night. She wants to talk and hug and hang out. She doesn’t mind if she can’t make it out for girls’ night because she is just so content being home with her perfect husband. She asks him to not hang out with the boys, and to miss his hockey game, just so they can be together. The man listens because as the saying goes, “A happy wife is a happy life”, and he slowly gives up his friends, his hockey games and his poker night with the boys.

So days go by, weeks go by, months go by, and years go by. Well that look of “I have the perfect man and I love every little inch of him” fades, and it fades, and it fades. All that remains is your husband who is not so perfect anymore right beside you on the couch asking you “What’s for dinner?” You want to add some rat poison in his meal but you realize that you really do love him; he can just be a little annoying at times. So you continue in your daily routine and just keep what you are doing to keep a calm home.

Your friends call and they want to hang out and gossip about the new mother at school. You tell them you have to see if your husband will be home and stay with the kids. Sure enough, he is there, on the same spot where you left him, eating from the same bowl of chips that he was eating from before. You ask, “Honey, are you going to be home? The girls are going for coffee and I was thinking of joining them.” They look at you with this fear..”Um, sure but I can change the channel if you don’t like what I am watching or I will go to get us a movie if you want.” Now you feel bad because you know he wants you home and he doesn’t want to be alone. So you decide to stay home and hang out with your lonely man.
We did it to them. We are the ones that wanted to stay home with them before we had kids, before we were busy, and before we knew that hanging out with our girlfriends is a complete neccessity.

We didn’t realize then, that one day life would somehow take a turn. We didn’t realize that fresh new car smell wouldn’t last forever, and that maybe we should not have pushed our husbands to give up on their friends or hobbies. We didn’t realize then, that we would become independent, strong women who will need some time away, some time alone, and some time to adjust to life after the honeymoon. We didn’t realize that both men and women sometimes need their space; their own friends; and their Friday poker nights.... away from home.
That’s my peace today!

Chicken Cutlets stuffed with Spinach and Prosciutto
6 chicken cutlets pounded thin
6 slices of Parma prosciutto
1 package of cooked spinach (salted)
olive oil for browning
2 cups chicken broth
1 tbs lemon juice
1/4 grated parmesan

Lay cutlets out flat, place a layer of prosciutto and handful of season and cooked spinach (make sure there is no water left in spinach), sprinkle with cheese. Roll cutlet and secure with toothpick. Place in heated pan with oil, brown each side. After browned add broth and lemon juice. Cook for about 10 minutes on med-high (make sure no longer pink). Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 min. Remove from pan place in plate and pour remaining juices on top of chicken.

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The 1 hour look

Mothers go out. We grocery shop, we shop for shoes, clothes and house apparels. We go to places like Stylesense, HomeSense, and Michaels. We go to these places because we have to. There is a reason we go and get what we need. Some of the times we actually go without our kids. We feel a certain freedom when we shop without them.

During the holidays we sometimes have no choice not to take our kids because we have to shop for gifts, some being “Santa” gifts. We want our kids to know that little elves made their gift, not Costco. So we go alone. While we are shopping we see other mothers without their kids doing the same thing we are doing. They are looking at their lists, and checking it off.

When you see mothers shopping at these places, we most always have a coffee in our hands, and we are enjoying every sip of it. We know we don’t have to share it, drop it or down it. We do however, all have the same look of our face. It is a look of “I better hurry up because the house may be falling apart “look””..lol. When a mother leaves the house without her kids, she knows that when she gets back, the house will NOT be in the same condition she left it.

Men go out, and when they do, they just go out. They don’t have to warn us a few days in advance, in fact they don’t have to warn us at all. They basically wake up, shower, come down and say, “I am going to Home Depot.” That’s it, that’s all. They grab their keys, and they leave. They don’t have to fight kids off their legs, or pretend they are taking the garbage out, they are leaving and the kids just wave goodbye. Mothers on the other hand, have to make preparations for our 1 hour away time. We leave instructions detail by detail. We leave our cell phones on, and then there is a race for time.

When we are doing our errands we feel a stress come over us. Even when we go out with our girlfriends, we constantly look at our watch. We call home, make sure our cell phone is on and charged and that we are available to run home, if we have too. Before we leave, we make sure the kids are in their pj’s, teeth brushed and the little ones..tucked in bed. Not only do we have to prepare before we go out, we also have to prepare for it the whole day. We make sure they don’t nap too late because it will ruin their bedtime for our husbands, and we make sure they eat well because we know that junk will be in the diet with their daddies.

I love going out. I love to hang out with my friends, and I love to go grocery shopping with my coffee in hand and nothing else. It is just the freedom that we don’t always get to experience. We may be a little stressed, on our toes, and waiting for a call at any moment and hearing, “When are you coming home?” but it all seems worth it at the time.

We have full time jobs as mothers and we knew that we signed up for it. We are not men, we never will be. We will never be able to shower and just leave the house, that is not the way it works. We will never be able to just pick up and go anywhere; it just comes with the territory. We don’t really mind though, as long as we can occasionally escape from the chaos, grab a nice cup of coffee and stroll around town, even if we have the noticeably obvious “I escaped from my home for 1 hour “look””, at least we made it out...even if it’s just for a bit
That’s my peace today!

Fresh Pesto Sauce
2 cups basil
1/2 cup romano grated cheese
3 cloves garlic
1/3 cup pine nuts
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil

In a food processor put basil, pine nuts and pulse. Add garlic and pulse again. Stream in the oil pulsing each time. Add cheese, salt and pepper and pulse again.

You can serve with pasta or add on chicken or pizza.

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The Mommy Files

I think women are just amazing. Yes I know, I am biased..lol, but seriously, how awesome are we? We are strong in mind and in body. We can cry at the drop of a hat, and we can move the stove to get the marble that rolled back there. We can unclog a toilet, and we can bake apple pie from scratch. We can give advice to our best friend because she asked, and we can discipline our kids for using bad language. We may be slightly complex but that is not because we are hard to read, it is because we have a lot of knowledge.

I say it quite often; a mother’s job is the hardest in the world. We make decisions on a minute by minute basis, some being very important life decisions. We are the foundation that secures the home. We are the shoulders, the ears and the hearts for both our children and our men. We are passionate about EVERYTHING. We can be passionate about the great sale that is taking place at Home Sense, just as much as we can be passionate about our decisions whether to vaccinate or not. We know what we want, and we will stop at nothing to get it.

We take days off work to attend our children’s day trips at school. We anxiously wait to hear the score our children received on their math test. We have a million thoughts going on in our heads at once. We make time to fill in our kid’s baby books, and we make time to take them to get their pictures done with Santa. We send their Christmas lists to the North Pole, to ensure that Santa really does exist. We put money in their pillow from the tooth fairy, and we scare away all the “monsters” that are hiding under the bed.

Mothers are superheros. We don’t have time to do everything we want in one day, but we guarantee it will get done. We are people of our words. We make promises to our children that we know we can keep, because we know a promise is a promise. We know what our kids want for their birthdays, we know what size their shoes are, and we know what their favourite colour is.
All information is important to us and gets filed away in our brains, in case we need it one day. We keep our Mother’s Day cards, and the not so nice vase that they made us for Christmas. We store their cutest baby clothes, and their baby bassinettes, in case they want it when they have their own kids. We know the day, month, year, minute and second when ALL our children were born. We know the month they began talking, walking and saying “ma ma.”

Mothers are extraordinary people. Our husbands do realize that we do a great job, and they know that our children need us. They appreciate the fact that we love our kids and them. They may not always tell us, but trust me, they do appreciate it. They appreciate the fact that we know what “normal” body temperature is, and what is clinically a fever. They appreciate the fact that we know how to clean our children’s cuts; braid our daughter’s hair; and lace up our son’s skates. They know that we would run around the world for our family, if that is what was needed of us. They know that we remember everything important and everything essential. They know we won’t forget to bring the snacks and toys for the road trips. They know that we are mothers, we are women and we are great. They know that we know EVERYTHING about our families. They know that if one day, our kids don’t remember a small detail about their life growing up, then they need not to worry…we will. We will just get it out of the “mommy files” in our brains and tell them detail by detail whatever they want to know.
That’s my peace today!

This recipe is perfect for this time of year...I make it almost everyday during the holidays because it is easy, healthy and a delicious snack.

Stuffed Dried Figs with Walnuts
1 pack of dried figs
1/4 cup walnut halves

Cut open the figs and open like a book, place a walnut piece and close. Repeat until all figs are stuffed. Place on a baking sheet and bake in oven at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes (make sure not to blacken or burn too much). The colour should be golden and the fig should be soft.

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In the blink of an eye

Life is very precious, we all know this and we should all remember this. Yesterday, I had one of the biggest scares of my life. It was dinner time and we were eating at the dinner table (as usual). I made a nice meal (as usual..lol), and we (meaning my kids, my husband and I) were enjoying it. I made lots of things, one thing being breaded veal cutlets. I cut the pieces up small for my older kids (as usual) and we began eating. In an instant my heart stopped.

My daughter began making a noise that did not sound to good or common. She was choking. I immediately grabbed her and began doing what I learned to do in CPR class. I gave her hymlic (did not work), I did the old hook in the throat (did not work), and then I did the hard tap from the bottom of the back moving towards the top of the back, and voila..the piece of veal that was stuck in her throat, popped out. It all happened in 1 minute; 60 long seconds. My husband was coaching me, “Diana you know how to do it, come on!” I had Joseph just staring at me, and my daughter just choking while having this desperate look of HELP.

You learn CPR, hoping you will never have to use it, and when you do have to use it (especially on your own child) it is the most nerve racking experience. After it was all said and done and she began breathing again, I needed a minute. Ok, I need 10 minutes. I sat there with tears, trembling over the moment that just took place in my kitchen. Just like that, I was in survival mode. In a blink of an eye, I almost lost my daughter.

That night, I couldn’t help get the thought and the vision of what happened at dinner time out of my head. I was cringing at the thought of what may have happened if what I did, did not work. I had to stop thinking about it because it was horrifying. At that moment when I was trying to get that piece of meat out, all I was thinking about was “How am I going to get this thing out of her throat??” That was my mission, and I had to do it. You go into a feeling that you cannot explain; it needs to get done and you don’t care what you have to do to get it out.

We say it all the time; life can change in a matter of minutes. We do our best as parents to protect our children from harm, from diseases and from things that can happen outside the home. We never want to think about these incidents that can happen right in front of our eyes. We plan and we prepare for all the things we are ready for, until it actually happens.
Life is full of experiences, and I am lucky that I will be able to tell my daughter in years to come, that she almost choked on a piece of veal when she was just 5 years old. I thanked God that night when I went to sleep for 2 things. First, that he didn’t take my baby from me, and second that I was able to save her from choking. After it was all over, my 8 year old son said this to me, “Mommy, you should be a nurse or an ambulance driver.” I tried not to giggle because of his naivety, and I proceeded to ask him why, and he said, “Because you saved Maria-Alicia’s life.” All I can answer to my little innocent son was this, “No, Joseph, I did not only save her life, I saved mine too; all in the blink of an eye.”
That’s my peace today!

Pasta al Forno
1 pack of Rigitoni
1/2 pound minced meat
1 jar cooked sauce
1/4 cup chopped white onion
2 cups shredded mozzarella

In a skillet heat oil, add onion and meat. Saute until meat is cooked. Add cooked meat in a bowl, add sauce and mix. Cook pasta 3 minutes less than as directed on package, once cooked drain in strainer combine pasta with sauce. In a baking dish pour pasta and sauce, sprinkle with mozzarella, cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees (until cheese melts)

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There is one small difference

There is less than 6 weeks until Christmas. People have already begun their shopping in the malls and yesterday, I already saw Santa Clause taking pictures with waiting children. This is the time of year where you try to prepare for the joy and cheer of Christmas day. Buying gifts for people that you love. We search and hunt for the perfect gift, in every store. Christmas music is heard over the intercom and decorations surround the malls. Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, it changes people’s mood, and it brings a smile to almost everyone.

The days before the holidays just fly by. Every day we are on a special mission to find what we are looking for. We know exactly what to buy, when we see it. We have parent gifts, teacher gifts, friend gifts, Santa gifts, stocking stuffers; we have to cover it all. If you are anything like me, than you will probably wait for the last minute to finish your list. Budgets go out the window, and money just seems to decrease in our accounts, by the second. These are the holidays, oh joy, oh bliss.

Every year, I like to choose 1 charity that I like to donate too. One year I purchased groceries, toys and clothes for a single mother and her 9 year old son that suffers from epilepsy. I was told that when she saw all the things I bought for her, she was beside herself. She was a new immigrant to the country and she was not used to this kind of human spirit. I can tell you that it made me feel better knowing I brought a smile to her face; way more than it made her feel receiving it. As the old saying goes, “It is better to give than to receive.”

This time of year, there are many charities you can donate to. There are hospitals, food banks, The Salvation Army, homes for battered women; I can go on and on. I know many people that feel the same way I do. I know many people that love to give to others. I know many people that try not to forget the less fortunate people in our communities.
Sometimes we need to look at the lives of other people to realize all the wonderful things we have. My kids are asking Santa for things that are feasible for me to get. We are very fortunate to be able to fill their desires. It breaks my heart to know that there are some children that don’t get even get 1 thing on their wish list. How does a parent explain to their child that Santa could not get them the gift they asked for? I don’t know, and I don’t ever want to know.

I am grateful for my life. I am grateful for all the things I have. I am grateful that I have the luxury to shop for gifts for my family members, for my children and for others. I am grateful that I can feel the real spirit of Christmas. I wish I can help everyone who needs it, but we all know that is not possible. If we all do our own part (which I know we do), then we can add more jingles in the lives of the less fortunate. Please join me in the spirit of humanity; please continue to help those who need it most.

Christmas 2009 will soon come and go faster than we can imagine. The gifts will all be unwrapped, the food will be eaten, and the peels from the clementines and chestnuts will be in the garbage. We will then prepare for our New Year’s festivities. Let’s try to remember the people that will not experience what we get to experience year after year. Just like us, they want to have a tree with lights, they want to have a 10 pound turkey on the table, and they want to unwrap the new Hannah Montana Barbie doll. They are just like us; the only small difference is....they just can’t.
That’s my peace today!

Stracatella Soup
1 whole chicken leg (back attached)
salt to taste
1 egg
1 package of pastina
parsley for garnish

Wash and boil chicken until cooked, about 1 hour. Add salt to boiling water. Remove chicken and use for something else or discard. In a separate pot, cook pastina as directed. Bring broth to a medium boil, add pastina. Whisk egg in a bowl and add to boiling broth. Use parsley to garnish in individual bowl.

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We look just like you

People tend to think that mothers do not have things to do. They think we just sit around all day long, watching soaps and sniffing Lysol wipes.lol. There is a lot more to it than cleaning dirty bums, and serving jarred baby food. We have doctor appointments, dentist appointments and extra curricular activities. We have kids’ birthday parties, and play dates to attend. I know that doesn’t sound like to fun to some people, and sometimes it is not so fun for us, but it is a part of our life.

We may not have plans to go “drinking” or “hooking” up on a Friday night. We may not have plans to go shopping for “weekend” club clothes, and we may not have plans to meet up at someone’s house for a pre party. It also doesn’t mean that we are not “cool” people. We are just as fun to hang out with, as single people. We have lots to say and we have lots of advice for issues, besides family planning. We are full of knowledge and information that is not necessarily about kids and pregnancy. If you take the time to hang out with us you will see that.
We like to drink wine and vodka, we like to listen to the latest songs that are playing in the clubs, and we like to talk about the new hot guy in the gym. We are women, we are modern. We may drive mini-vans or SUV’s, but we do care how we look. We don’t always want to be messy in our mommy clothes; we do like to dress up too.

Next time you decide to make plans with all your single friends, you may want to call us too. You will realize that we have a lot to offer for the party. You will realize that we started off, just like you did. You will realize that we are not that different than you. We can hate men too, (married women do that best..lol) and we can criticize that chick that stole your ex, with you. We are fun and we are cool. We are not old and wrinkly, we are young and vibrant.

Moms have a bad rap. Other people think we are geeks, nerds, and social degenerates. The truth is we can put away our aprons and slippers, we can park our min-vans in the garage, and we can be right beside you on that dance floor, downing those vodka shots. We go out with our other mother friends and we have just as much fun as the women who are scouting for men. We don’t have to scout. We are actually out, because we want to get away. We want to feel normal and we want to be amused. Our intentions are not for anything but that. Our intentions are because we are fed up of cleaning vomit off the rugs, and picking up our pots and pans that have somehow ended up all over our kitchen floor. We just want to go out, unwind and be adults.

Our lives may be different than single women, but it doesn’t mean we don’t have one. We may not be as spontaneous and liberated, and you may need to give us a week’s notice for a night out, but it doesn’t mean we won’t go out. Our lives are full from 7am – 8pm with children duties, but we can clock out after that, and be part of the crowds. We don’t just sit around watch Tree house and listen to Hannah Montana tunes (which we secretly enjoy by the way..lol). We are not cougars, we are lions. We are kings of our domain and we want to be respected as that. If you don’t call us to come, it doesn’t mean we won’t see you there. We will just be at a different table than you. There will be no label on our foreheads saying “WE ARE MOMS AND WE DRIVE MINI-VANS”, we will blend in the crowd, and look just like you.
That’s my peace today!

Seafood Pasta
1 pack frozen mixed seafood
1 pack baby shrimp
1 jar tomato sauce
1 pack pasta
1/4 c olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup white wine
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 pack spagetti or linguini

In a saucepan add oil, garlic and heat. Add all the seafood, wine and parsley. Cook for about 7 minutes. Add the sauce and salt. You can add some water because it should be a thin sauce. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Cook your spagetti as directed. Pour sauce over cooked spagetti.

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I am someone's little girl

Today my dad turned 70 years old. I cannot believe it. When I look at him, he still looks so young to me. My father is one of the strongest people I know. He never complains about anything, or anyone. If you know my dad, then you will know that he is always happy, and optimistic about everything in life. Life is always half full for him.

My father has 4 daughters that he loves and adores. He would run the world for us. He would fight demons off for us. He would defend any words said, about any one of us. He made us the people we are today. For some reason, when I was growing up I was never really upset at him. My mother, well that’s another story. She always pissed me off, for one reason or another. She would look at me the wrong way, and I didn’t like her..lol. This did not happen with my father. I had a different kind of respect for him. Even though I feared him, I also didn’t want to ever disappoint him. A girl just is softer for her father, it is human nature.

I remember when I brought my husband home for the first time. My father was pretty sceptical, especially because my husband is from the same area of Montreal where my father grew up. He was the same kind of “guy” he was. My father always said this line to all 4 of us, “Girls, I know what happens in the clubs, and I don’t want you there.” Another famous line he used was, “Be home early because I remember the types of girls that were out after 1am, and they were not the good ones.”..lol. You have to laugh now. He was worried, we were his young daughters and he wanted so badly to protect us from everyone and everything out there. It was hard raising 4 girls, in any era.

A father and a daughter have a special bond. They set an example of what men are, from early on in our lives. When a woman gets married, she expects her husband to be exactly like her father.
Well I am sure you can ALL agree, that definitly does not happen.lol. My father was famous for running to the store whenever we were hanging with friends and we wanted something. He was already in the store before I finished my list. Once I tried that with my husband..lol..he looked at me and said, “Diana, I am not your father, I am not leaving at 10:30 at night to go get you a coffee.”..lol.. I tried.

No man in life can ever replace your father. No man in your life can ever compare to your father. He is the one man that will always love you unconditionally. He is the only man that will never judge you. He is the only man who will truly want the best for you. A husband loves you, but not like your father. A son will love you, but not like your father. I feel very blessed today that I have my father in my life. I feel very blessed to be able to celebrate his 70th birthday on this earth. I feel very blessed that I am still someone’s little girl, and that someone is my father.
Happy Birthday Dad!
That’s my peace today!

Sausage and Potaoes
6 italian sausages
7 potatoes cut in large chunks
1/4 olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Place sausages and potatoes in a roasting pan. Oil and salt and pepper potatoes only. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour and half at 400 degrees.

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Free time;me time

Where does time go? Days, weeks, and months just pass. 2009 is coming to an end soon; we will be in the end of the first decade of the millennium. Wow, already. I remember Y2K like it was just yesterday.

Life just flies by, time goes so quickly. My days are always full of things to do. I work 4 days a week, I am home by 3:30p, and then part 2 of my day begins. Life is not always easy for anyone. No matter if you have children or not, our days are always hectic and full of things to do. Sometimes my husband and I just look at each other with a helpless glare. We just laugh at the chaos going on around us, we breathe, and we pick up where we left off.

There are many days that I feel stressed and frustrated. Everything we do in life is most always for someone else. Our children and their needs come first. We barely sit on our bums in the chair when we are eating dinner, because one of my twins wants to pull my plate off the table, or they want to sip my water from my glass. After dinner, clearing the table is just as fun. They climb on top, try to drink the remaining fluids in the glasses, the crumbs left on the table, and the peels of the fruit, left in the plates.

Life with children is a full life. When I say full, I mean..full. My 1 day off a week, and my weekends are supposed to be for relaxing. That never happens. Recently my husband and I booked a trip to New York City for our 10 year Anniversary. We cancelled because of the flu going around. My daughter fell ill, the exact weekend we were to be in NY so we would not have been able to go anyway. Mother’s intuition or just the laws of attraction?

We give up things we want to do when we are parents. Gym memberships, outings with our adult friends, and weekends away with our spouses. When you have young children, our priority is them. I say it all the time, sacrificing is all a part of parenthood. Yes it sucks sometimes, but it is all part of the trials and tribulations. Our children will get older, and eventually they will need us, a little less. These young years of their lives ware us out, tire us out, and suck every fibre of strength out of us. We try to smile, when we feel like crying.

This time is only temporary, and things do get easier, and better. At least this is what I am told..lol. So I am looking forward to that. I am looking forward to a weekend at the spa, or a dinner with some friends, and a trip to NYC. When you are a mother or father to small children, there is no such thing as free time. Child time trumps our time, every time. Eventually we will get to experience life a little less hectic. Eventually our free time will really become what it was meant to be; me time.
That’s my peace today!

Chick pea salad
1 can chick peas
1/2 container cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 red pepper, diced
6 small bocconcini, sliced
1/2 cup diced anise
salt, pepper, oregano
1/2 c olive oil
2 tbsp balsamiv vinigar
2 tbsp lemon juice

In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Add oil, vinegar, lemon juice. Salt, pepper and oregano and mix. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before eating.


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Snuffleupagus does exist

So today marks the 40th Anniversary for Sesame Street. I can’t believe that it has been around that long, and it still is airing today. When I was little, I just loved watching Sesame Street. It was actually the highlight of my day. My favourite character was Oscar the Grouch. He reminded me of myself..lol. He was always pissed off at everyone, but deep down he really cared about his Sesame friends.

If you think about it, life is like Sesame Street, but in a childproof version. There are characters like The Count, Elmo, Oscar, Big Bird, and Snuffy. In the real world, there is the mean person, the happy friendly person, the one that only cares about how many “numbers’ you have, the one that nobody believes, and the one that does really exist to some people.

We learn very early on, that life is full of different people. People that are kind, giving, and people that are not so nice and giving. As a child, watching these characters interact in their neighbourhood brought me pleasure, knowledge, and life lessons. There is always a lesson to be learned when you watch Sesame Street. These fluffy characters try to teach us things about life that we may not yet understand.

Children are very naive people. They see things from a different perspective than us. They think that their problems are very large and important. Today my son could not go to school because he is sick. He was upset, not because he is sick, but because he was supposed to trade hockey cards with his friend Daniel. This was a very big problem for him. For me, he not trading his hockey cards is not a problem at all.

As adults we have “more important” things to think of and worry about. We pay mortgages, we pay bills, and we take on life insurance policies. These things are our “problems”. I remember when I was little; I would watch my mom paying bills. She would gather all the envelopes, sort them out, take out her check book, put a stamp on the them, and get ready to mail them out. I was only 10, and it looked like so much fun to me. To my mother, it was just another month filled with bills.

In life, it is all about perspective. How things are viewed. We cannot make someone see something the way we see it. Everyone thinks that their problems, issues, and worries are important to them. We learn early on, that life is filled with different people, and that there are different life lessons that must be learned.

When we watched Sesame Street, we would see Big Bird talking to his furry friend. Day after day, Snuff would drop in and chat with him, and would leave before anyone could see him. Big Bird was strong enough and confident enough to believe that he saw him and talked to him every day. He knew that Snuff existed, at that is all that was important to him. He gave up caring what people thought, and what they saw, and what they didn’t see. Sesame Street should teach us all that we shouldn’t care what other people believe. Life is seen through our own perspective, our own view, and our own eyes and that should be the only important thing.
That’s my peace today!

Pizza Roll
1 pizza dough
2 cups cooked sauce
1/2 cup pepperoni or italian salami
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup cooked sliced mushrooms
oil for brushing

Roll out dough, spread sauce, pepperoni or salami, mushrooms, and sprinkle mozzarella. Beginning from one end, roll tightly into a log. Brush with olive oil, place on baking sheet in oven at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes. Make sure it is not burning at top or bottom.

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The little life inside

Pregnancy is one of the biggest miracles of life. 2 people have the ability to create another human being. How amazing is the idea that we can conceive a child and be able to feel that baby grow in our own bodies. 9 months of growth and development of a fetus, that turns into a baby.

Many women love being pregnant, while others don’t enjoy it. Some get nausea, headaches, and heartburn. It feels like the baby is never arriving and all we do is wait...for 40 weeks. We have morning craving, night cravings and Taco Bell cravings..lol. Our husbands do their best to help us out, cater to our desires, and some even gain weight with us..lol.

We are so lucky to be women. Men don’t have to get internal exams, or stretch marks, or hemroids, or stitches, or episiotemies; we do. Men also don’t get to feel the little flutters, the little kicks, and the little turns, like we do. They feel our bellies move with their hands, but they don’t know what it’s like to actually “feel” the bumps.
We go through 9 long months of sacrificing. Stay away from seafood, no herbal teas, no alcohol, no sushi, no sauna’s, no roller coasters. Everything is don’t do this, don’t eat that, don’t drink that. We want to make sure we play by the rules, for the sake of our growing baby.

When a woman gets pregnant we become professional OBGYN’s. We go on websites that provide us with day by day, week by week, and minute by minute changes of this little miracle. We know when the arms grow, the feet grow and when it goes from a “grain of rice”, to a “kidney bean”. We prepare the nursery, the car, and the entire house. A once prestine home set with candles, white couches, and glass tables, now will be replaced with baby swings, exer-saucers, and bassinettes. We throw away the Victoria Secret Magazines for Today’s Parent. We stock up on baby name books, and “What to Expect when you are Expecting”, and of course “Chicken Soup for the Expentant Mother’s Soul.” We keep a pregnancy diary, all our ultrasound photo’s and all our doctor appointment schedules.

Pregnancy is a blessing, a privilege, and a sheer out miracle. When I was in Grade 11 we saw a movie called “The Miracle of Life”. I am almost positive all of you have seen it..lol. It shows us a detail look at pregnancy and child birth. I think it took me 10 years to recover from what I saw..lol. (Especially because waxing obviously was not popular back then..lol) I think that is when I realized that there are no storks involved in the baby making process. I think the boys never knew that babies were born from “there”.

Once you give birth, and become a mother; Whether you have a C-section, vaginal, epidural, or not, it is something you cannot “prepare” for. Pregnancy is unpredictable, and so is birth. We can go to Lamaze, or pre-natal classes, but I do not think anything can prepare you for the job ahead. There is a saying, “Nothing worth having, comes easy.” That is a true understated statement. We grow fat, change our shapes (I don’t care how great you look after you have kids, your body is NEVER the same again..lol), and we open up areas we never thought opened that wide, all for the sake of our children. People that have never had children sometimes ask, “What does child birth feel like?” and any mother will answer the same, “It hurts like hell, but I don’t really remember what the pain felt like.” That is because as soon as we see the little miracles of life plopped right there on our bellies, the pain goes away. The 9 months of sacrifices, cravings, vomiting, and heartburn are a thing of the past. We forget all the pain of labour, and the sting of the epidural, because we got our prize in our arms.

My little sister is now expecting her first child. She is 8 years younger than me, and she seems so “little” to be having a baby..lol. I see her excitement, her glow, and her anxiousness for her baby coming in May. I look at her and see her happiness and her growing belly. She now knows what it is like to be preparing for motherhood, she now knows the joy of pregnancy, and she now knows how great it is to have that little life inside of her. A feeling that cannot be duplicated, explained, or ever replaced..by anything!
That’s my peace today!

Breaded Chicken Cutlets
6 thinly sliced chicken
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 cup or so olive or grape seed oil for frying

Whisk egg in a bowl. In a seperate shallow baking dish put breadcrumbs and chopped parsley. Dip chicken in egg, remove and allow egg to drip off before placing in breadcrumbs. Bread and fry in olive oil 6 minutes each side. (You can bake in oven at 400 degrees for 15 min, turning once. Drizzle oil on top of chicken for added crispy)

We want our mommies too!

Children get sick. When you are a mother, you know children get sick, often. We worry, we watch, we wait, we book doctor’s appointments, and we hope it just goes away. We don’t sleep at night because we are pumping them with Tylenol, cold compresses and checking to make sure their fever is down. We ensure they are drinking enough fluids and we have a stock of popsicles for their sore throats.

The more children you have, the longer the process is to eliminate the germs and viruses. Our husbands..Ha...that is all I can say. They end up getting their “man” colds and become absolutely useless. They lay on the couch, asking for tea, camomile, and back rubs..lol..this is when you want to call their own mothers and tell them to come and take care of their own kid..lol. So we have our kids calling for us, AND our husbands needing us.

Yesterday my 5 year old began running a fever, because of everything going on right now, I am a little nervous, and worried about her, and my other 3 kids. I began feeling little aches and pains of my own, in my back and my neck. I drink a tea, pop a Tylenol and continue to take care of my kids. I slept with my daughter last night because I had to make sure she was ok, and that she is not breathing too fast. While sleeping in her “big girl” bed, my 8 year old started screaming for me. I spring up, run over and see what is going on there. He is telling me (in agony) that his ears are hurting him, badly. So I basically spent my night going from one bed to the next, to check on both of them. In the morning, my husband wakes up quite refreshed and tells the babies to “leave mommy alone and let her sleep” This is when you think of involuntary manslaughter, as an option..lol..So I role out of bed and again, I feel some aches and muscles pains, I pour myself a tea, pop a Tylenol and continue my day.

A mother’s job is never done. We are like the Energizer bunnies, we keep going and going, and going. We don’t stop for anything, if we are on a mission. Our kids come first, point final. There is nothing more important to us, than them. We put our own feelings, schedules, and activities aside for them. It is just our duty.

Yesterday when I was feeling a little fluish, I too needed, and wanted my mommy. I remember the days when I was sick in bed. She would come in my room, put a cold compress on my head, take my temperature, leave me some homemade chicken soup, and tuck me in. When I got sick, I knew I could count on my mother to comfort and take care of me. I never stopped to realize if she was tired, or if she too, was feeling sick. I didn’t even notice. I am sure there were many times she did not feeling like taking care of 4 sick kids, making dinner, doing laundry and disinfecting the germs, but she still did it. She stayed up all night with each of us, making sure we got through it ok. She lacked sleep and strength, but she did it for us.

A mother is not “allowed” to get sick. We are the last ones we think about when we have others to take care of. We can’t lie down and shake off the flu symptoms because we have more important little people to take care of. Mother’s are selfless; we want our kids to be healthy and to get back to normal. Mothers DO get sick, we do feel the aches and the pains and we do occasionally feel like vomiting too. The only difference is that we suck it up and forget about it. One thing I will tell you....if we do get sick, we want our mommies too!
That’s my peace today!

Lentil Soup
1 can of lentils
2 chopped carrots
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup white rice
1/2 white onion diced
1 celery stalk
3 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
4 tbsp olive oil

In a saucepan, heat oil, sautee lentils, carrots, celery, onions, salt and pepper. Add water, bring to a boil, salt again and add rice. Cook on med-high for about 40 minutes.

It's a wonderful world

How lucky are we to be alive today? I say, very. We live everyday with the knowledge of everything. We have the ability to travel to anywhere in the world, call anyone in the world and research any place in the world. We can go shopping, without any cash on us. Plastic, is all we need. I remember my grandfather (when he was still alive) did not want to pay debit anywhere because he just didn’t “get” the concept. He didn’t trust the fact that the bank was directly taking money from his account. He was born in 1919 and he couldn’t fathom the thought.

I was born in 1974 and the world has definitely evolved since then, and continues to. I cannot believe the advancements that we have been alive to see. Advancements in medicine, technology and communication. We treat people the way we want to be treated, and we are now beginning to realize that race, or the colour of someone’s skin, does not matter. Recently, we witnessed the first African American President elected in the United States. That was evolution at its best, and we were here to see it.

We have the ability to communicate with people with the touch a few keypads, and with the click of a webcam. We can now see people that live half way around the world. We have the ability to write our thoughts on a website and pass on the information, to anyone who will listen. This is the world we live in today. Some people may think that sometimes this is not always a good thing. If you don’t want to be reached, you have the ability to stop it. We can contact people from our past and present by signing up online to things like Face book and Twitter.

I remember the days of typewriters and 13 stations on television. Now we have MAC’s, and satellite tv. We have pharmacies open 24 hours and walk in clinics open on Sundays. There is nothing we can’t have or buy, thanks to things like EBay and Craigslist. We can order anything online and have it in our home within 5 business days. We can send packages across the country overnight, and we can download music, the day it is released.

The world we live in, is an amazing one. Whatever we want is at our fingertips. A tv is no longer just a tv. Now there is HD, and LCD, and all that extra stuff. Cars are becoming Hybrid, because we are beginning to care about our environment. We no longer accept pollution and toxins in our air. We recycle because we know that it helps. We try to use less water and electricity because we know it is important.

Life is beautiful, life is grand, and life is full of opportunities. Live life and love life! Next time you are driving, take a look around you. Look at the trees, look at the grass, and look at the beautiful sky. Take a look at the children running, the older people walking, and just take a look at all the beauty. I promise, once you truly look what is right in front of your eyes, you too will see, it’s a wonderful world.
That’s my peace today!

Veal Shank with mushrooms and potatoes
1 pound veal stewing pieces
1 package of whole mushrooms
1 white onion, cut in large chunks
2 white potatoes, cut in large chunks
1/4 c brandy
1/4 c flour
1/2 cup beef broth or water
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Pour flour in a bowl and then toss veal in, coating all the meat. Remove and put aside. Pour olive oil in heated pan, and brown veal. Lower heat to medium, add brandy and cook for about 10 minutes. Throw in cut up potatoes,mushrooms and onions, add beef broth or water and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook for about 25 minutes (until potatoes are cooked).


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The Golden Years..will just have to wait

My parents left last night for their frequent trip to their condo in Florida. They do this at least every 2 months or so. Every time they leave I feel a little sad. Even though I know that they will be back in exactly 16 days, my mommy and daddy are not around the corner.lol. Although I feel sad that they are gone, I also feel happy for them. They have “earned” their trips to Florida.

My parents raised 4 children, they were and are, very good parents. 8 years ago they decided to buy a getaway in North Miami and they have been enjoying it since. I like to tease them every time they leave. I say things like, “Ma, I can’t wait to be you 1 day, please take me in your luggage.” She always answers me with the same response, “Well, I was you, and now I am me, and my job as a mother is STILL not over.”

I have to admit, I sometimes feel a little envious when they plan their trips. I know that they will get there, plop their arses on the couch and do whatever they want to do. They don’t have to make meals at a certain time, they don’t have little kids tugging at their legs, asking for juice, and the only people they have to bathe, are themselves. They passed the tiring days of parenthood. They passed the days of staying up all night with children and fevers. Those days are over for them. Now they are enjoying being grandparents. They get to spoil our kids, stop by, and give them candy..and then, they get to leave..lol.

My mother always tells me to enjoy these years. She tells me, “You’re young; these are the best days of your life. Your children are still at home with you, under your roof, enjoy them now.” I understand and I do agree with her. The days of parenthood do fly bye, and I know before I know it, they will be applying for University. I know that I should be enjoying every little situation, and every little cute advice my kids give me, but sometimes, I just want to sleep..lol. Is it so hard to ask for a night of more than 4 hours of zzz’s. My mother also told me that when I “can” sleep, I won’t be able to sleep, because apparently the older you get, the less you want to sleep.lol.

I guess sometimes in life we are never really content with the moment we are living in. We want to be older when we are teenagers, we can’t wait to be 19, or we can’t wait to be married, or we can’t wait to be mothers and so on. We always get stuck in the trap of thinking something else, must be easier than what we are doing. My parents were me; they had days with little ones running around the house, and now they are reaping the rewards of all their hard work, and I say good for them.

Last night when my parents were on that plane, (I am not going to lie) I kind of wished I was on my way to the same destination. But then I took a look around at my 8 year old showing me his great test results, my 5 year old daughter was brushing her Barbie’s hair, and my 17 month old twin babies were running toward me, wanting a kiss. How could I want these days to fly bye? How can I want to hurry up and fast forward my younger years with my kids? How can I wish I were 60 years old, on a trip to Florida away from them? I have not yet earned my place on that plane, there are still many more lessons I must learn. There are still many more tears I will have to wipe away, and there are still many more stories I must listen too.
After seeing my parents away, it made me realize that I am not yet ready to leave yet. It made me realize that there are still so many more wonderful years and experiences ahead for me, and my kids. It made me realize that I am not yet ready to trade in a trip with my kids to the Golden Arches for a trip with my husband in our Golden years. That will just have to wait.
That’s my peace today!

Sausage Submarines
4 Italian sausages
4 submarine loafs
1 red pepper, sliced
1 white onion, sliced
1 package of mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
oil for frying

Bake the sausages in the oven, covered for 45 minutes at 400 degrees, or you can grill on bbq. Meanwhile, put all veggies in pan with oil and fry until tender (about 10 minutes). Remove cooked sausages from oven. Slice the bread and open like a book, place sausage in bun, top with veggies and sprinkle cheese. Place on a baking pan,convection in oven at 385 degrees for about 10 minutes (until cheese melts and bread gets toasty)

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Moments

We wake up every morning, usually with pretty much the same routine. It usually starts with a shower, breakfast, and so on. When you have kids, sometimes, mornings don’t run as smoothly as we hope. From running, to crying, to playing, it can just go on, all day.

Motherhood is anything, but easy. Days at home with children, are very challenging ones. You have to grab every inch of your being, not to lose it. Sometimes it works, and sometimes, not so much..lol. Kids are constantly testing our patience, our heart strength, and our brain cells. We must be alert, awake, and on our toes. The days that we spend with our children are filled with a mixture of laughs, screams, and sometimes tear (our tears..lol). There have been many times when I was home, that I would just sit and cry. I would ask myself, my sisters, my mother, my husband and my friends, why I ever had children in the first place? They would laugh and answer with the same response, “You wanted them, you said you would die if you couldn’t have them, and you always wanted a big family.” So then I say, “Oh ya, now I remember.” I lift myself off the couch, gather my snotty tissues, and continue my day.

Children are the most wonderful people in the world. They are innocent and they are our little miracles. They are also, just kids. They don’t know that they are driving us nuts. They don’t know that sometimes we want to run away, and they don’t know that sometimes we just want to cry and escape in our minds. We are adults, we get it. We know how to behave, we know how to be patient and we know that leaving a piece of chewed up gum on a couch, will not come off easy. Kids don’t have the same thought process as we do. We expect them to, but they don’t. When they think they can grab the stack of plates to “help” us set the table, they don’t know, until they drop all the plates, that they were just too heavy for their little hands to carry.

We try not to scream when they drop the bowl of cereal on the rug. We try not to punish them when they leave the freezer door open for all the meat to defrost. We try not to flip out when they poo in their pants for the third time, in one day. We try. That is all we can do. We know that days at home with kids are filled with stress and chaos. We know that days at home with kids are sometimes frustrating and nerve racking. We know that days at home with our children, are not going to last forever. We know that days at home with our kids will be memories one day.

We know that days at home with our kids, are not always pleasurable and fun. We know that sometimes we have to reach in the bottom of our patience bag and take a breath. Most of the times, these little stressful incidents are part of life at home with kids. Most of the times, we move on and continue the rest of the day. We know that we will have a cry on the couch, questioning our jobs as parents. We know that it is not going to be the last time we wonder why our kids don’t always listen. We know that is not going to be the last time we pick up the phone to find comfort in our friends. We will need them to remind us that, as long as we have kids at home, we will have these little issues. They will remind us that life at home with kids is challenging, tiring, and hard. Most importantly, what they will remind us is that these are only moments in our lives. Moments in our lives that will be tough and trying, that don’t last all day, all week, or all year. These hard moments will pass, and we will laugh about it, not at the time, but moments later, when we have something else going on.

Our lives are a combination of little moments in time. Some will be funny, some will be frustrating, and some may leave a mark..lol. Just be prepared when these moments “happen” we know, just as fast as they came, they will be quickly gone.
That’s my peace today!

Italian style Mac and Cheese
1 pack of curly big elbow macaroni (I buy Molisana brand)
2 cups whole cream
2 cups whole milk
2 cups shredded Fontina cheese
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
3/4 cup shredded parmesan
1/4 c of chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Boil pasta as directed, salt water. In a 9x13 pan, butter the bottom and sides. In a bowl, whisk the cream, milk and parsley, 1/2 of all 3 cheeses, pour in bowl. In another bowl, mix the remaining cheese, spread evenly on the pasta. Sprinkle fresh ground pepper. Place in oven at 450 degrees until cheese bubbles and slightly browns. About 20 min.

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