10 Years & Counting

Stress Testin'

2011-03-06T20:47:00.000-08:00

What does Bella do on a snow day? Construct a cube with a glue gun & popsicle sticks. And not just any cube

This cube was strong enough for her to stand on.

Impressive

Gucci Fall 2011

2011-02-23T14:38:00.000-08:00

Bella & I like these purses.

Nico & Alphonse are not fans of Gucci's make-up choice!!!

I like the red lips.

Bella likes this look. It's her favorite color.

A few photos

2011-02-23T13:39:00.000-08:00

Maneki Neko "Lucky Cats" in  San Francisco 

September 2010

 In their hotel room

 Joseph was a huge swiss chard fan last yard. He would just pull off a huge leaf and start chomping it. Hopefully he'll be in to it again this year.

The Menannos with Hattie in Portland, February 2010

Alphonse's Birthday. 08.31.10

Sito's Favorite Tomato Soup

2011-02-22T14:34:00.000-08:00

This is a favorite weekday meal or I like to prepare it for the kids when we go out. It's easy & healthy. A perfect compliment to your favorite grilled cheese sandwich. My kids like to top theirs off with goldfish crackers. This is a blended soup, so you can save your fancying chopping for another recipe.Adapted from Sunset MagazineIngredients           2                 tablespoons           butter
           1                 cup  chopped onion
           1                 cup           chopped carrot
1  crushed garlic clove 
           1/3                 cup           chopped celery
           1 1/2                 cups  chicken broth
           1                 teaspoon           dried basil
           1/8 teaspoon red pepper flake
           1                (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1  (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained
           1                 cup milk, I prefer 1%

PreparationMelt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add red pepper flake, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add  broth, basil, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat;  simmer 15 minutes. Stir in garbanzo beans until heated. Remove from heat.
Blend using your immersion blender or place half of tomato mixture in a blender, and process  until smooth. Pour puréed soup into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with  remaining tomato mixture. Return puréed soup to pan; stir in milk. Cook over medium-high heat 2 minutes or until thoroughly  heated, stirring frequently (do not boil).

My Ten Year Anniversary

2011-02-22T14:15:00.000-08:00

My 10 year anniversary was not at all as I had imagined it 10 years ago. A bout of infectious & non infectious illness had plagued my family of 6 for the past 3 weeks and on this day I went down hard with a kidney infection. An invitation from my good friend over at "Never a Dull Moment" to view her new blog was a nice change of pace, on that very hectic day. I decided to take a break from that social networking site and give it a shot also.