ALL DONE!. . .Well. . .almost!

Here are a few pics of our new (brand new) and re-purposed rooms. It's been so nice to be able to spread out a little, but it all still looks like we just moved in! I'll be glad to fill it up and add art & window treatments to make it feel like home! It was a long road, but so glad we decided to keep our house and make it our HOME!

A great simple appetizer. . .

Found this in one of my fav chef's cookbooks. . .Barefoot Contessa!
Bruschetta with Peppers and Gorgonzola

Ingredients
Good olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon capers, drained
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Baguette
3 ounces creamy Gorgonzola or other blue cheese, at room temperature
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and cook until soft, about 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the sugar and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Stir in the capers and basil, and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Slice the baguette crosswise into 18 thin round slices. Brush the bread rounds lightly with olive oil on 1 side. Arrange them in rows, oil side up, on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and toast in the oven until lightly browned, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Top each toast round with a teaspoonful of the pepper mixture. Place 2 small pieces of Gorgonzola on top. Return the toast to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes and warm through. Serve immediately.

HAPPY 10th BIRTHDAY SOY BOY!!

I can't believe my baby just turned 10!! He had a HUGE sleepover. . .there were 7 of them. We played indoor soccer/flag football, ate a ton of pizza, played 'capture the flag' outside in the dark at 9pm. . .oh, fogot we also saw a movie! Then if they weren't worn out already, at midnight, we lined them up, turned on some tunes & made up a short dance routine! They had a blast & I hope that Soy Boy's 10th birthday was fun and memorable for him. We are so proud of him! Happy big boy birthday soy boy!

ALMOST DONE!!

Happy Birthday Chunky Monkey

Well, as a family, we are TRYING, and I used that term loosely, to break the habit of having huge, over the top birthday parties for the kids and are, instead, trying to make it smaller and more meaningful with just the family. Chunky Monkey turned 6 this past week and honestly, it felt like Christmas all over again! We kind of told her that the ski trip was her big present but wow, she was a princess for the day & then some!! We took her balloons and cupcakes to school and had lunch with her the day of her birthday. That evening, she chose what we were having for dinner which was. . .a complete ham dinner. . .just like we had on Christmas Eve. . .it's one of my favorite dinners and not all that hard to prepare, so I was good with that. She also chose a cake out of a cookbook she got as a gift one year and I whipped that up while she was at school that day. . .THEN, on Friday, my girlfriend and I took the girls (who have the SAME EXACT BIRTHDAY) to a spa (specifically for kids) for a mani & pedi then out to dinner with our whole families. . .THEN to the country club for some live music and an evening of showing off their glowing nails (feet too) to anyone who would have a look!!! So, as you can see, we've been very successful in scaling back. . .NOT!

Break a Leg!

I used to be a member of the ski club in high school and hadn't realized how much I missed it until we took the kids skiing last weekend. It was incredibly fun and between me not skiing for 25 years, and the kids and hubby pretty much total beginners, we did exceptionall well!

We found out that the waitress we had at dinner at the hotel was a ski instructor, so we were able to book her for a private lesson for Chunky Monkey and Soy Boy said he wanted a 'boy' instructor so the next day, they were unleashed on the slopes for the first time. They each had their own private instructors for 2 hours and by the end of that, they were coming down an 'easy' slope totally unassisted. By that time, Foodie Dad and I had started getting the hang of things,too and we enjoyed skiing together for the next 5 hours! By that time, Foodie Dad and I could barely walk, but the kids cried to have to come off the mountain.

Soy Boy's natural athletic ability didn't let him down on skis, for sure. . .he was whizzing past all of us. . .Chunky Monkey totally blew us away and would go down the mountain, as if standing still. . .singing. . .yes, singing as she went! It was priceless! We are dying to go back and actually considered going this weekend, but the fridgid temps and snowy roads had us reconsider. . .but don't worry. . .WE'LL BE BACK!

The Remains of the (snow) DAY!

Everyone kept themselves occupied all day outside due to the first (and maybe ONLY) snow of the season! Foodie Dad outdid himself and added lights just in time for the neighbors annual party. . .where he was received as quite the celebrity for his handywork! How old is he again!?