Possibility...

Marc and I are import snobs. Sorry. We have always had imports - and always either a Honda or a VW. I have had 5 VW cars. I LOVE them. I understand them. They are a breed unto their own. Right now Marc has a 1989 VW Jetta that has failed air care and is probably on its last legs. We have to replace an O2 sensor so it can pass air care next month. But after that, I think it is time for Marc to get a new vehicle. For the first 10-11 years of our marriage, we only had one car. Marc would take transit and I would have the car for the kids. We would pick him up from work. It was a hassle, but it really saved us a lot of money. And hey, we did out bit for kingdom and country with only one vehicle. It worked, until Ethan was in Grade 1 and suddenly had taekwondo classes and tournaments to go to all the time. And I started working again full time, in New Westminster - nowhere close to our home, and Bella needed to go to pre-school... Suddenly we could not share the car anymore. We needed a second vehicle and had NO money for anything fancy, let alone anything "new". Marc made the sacrifice and found a good car, although it looked total ghetto. That car died a horrible death about a year and a half ago and we bought another ghetto car for Marc (the Jetta that has failed air care). So it is time for Marc to have a "good car". Now, here is the kicker - we are looking at a Jeep Compass for him! A DOMESTIC car! YIKES! I don't know what to say... Other than the fact that it is a smokin' deal and cheap to maintain. The VWs are costly to maintain... VERY costly... And we don't need that added expense. So, this weekend we are test driving this baby shown above. We will see how it goes. Or if it goes anywhere. I don't know. The inner car snob may not be able to handle it. hee hee

Ciao all.

Cook Book....

I am not a cook book person. Unlike my girlie Rhonda who has an obsession for them (oy!!), I don't find them of much help to me honestly. You see, I get overwhelmed with the possibilities of ALL the meals I could make! HOW do you choose!?? And what happens if a recipe goes bad - then what do you do with the food? Throw it out?? For shame. My Italian heritage won't allow that!! But at Christmas time my sweet MIL bought me Rachel Ray's Big Orange Book. Now, let me say one thing: I cannot stand listening to Rachel Ray speak. I mean if I hear "YUM-O" one more time, I will have to stick a fork in my eye! And EVOO - L.A.Z.Y. It is Extra Virgin Olive Oil! Call it that!! Oh, and by the way, it is a "mappina" (Italian for dish cloth), NOT MAPINE!! Learn to speak Italian - your professed heritage! Okay. Having got that off my chest, I have to say her recipes in this book are great. Really great. Simple to follow. Simple ingredients. I have made a dozen out of the book so far, and not one has let me down. Tonight we had French Onion Sliced Steak with Gruyere Sauce and Green Beans. Excellent! The sauce really put the meal into a whole other category. It was something you would order in a fine restaurant. Seriously. So I have to admit - I may become a cookbook junkie... Having and using this one really has opened up my cooking repertoire. Some other recipes that have been a hit:

Two Sauce Weeknight Lasagna Bowls and Beans and Greens Salad
Italian Chicken and Dumplings
French White Burgundy Chicken and Egg Noodles
Swedish Meatballs and Egg Noodles
Pork Chops in Tangy Fire Roasted Tomatoe Sauce with Bacon Pea Polenta
Philly Style Sloppy Joes

Words...

I have them all over my house. Words. Random words. Here and there. Some in sayings. Some not. In my great room. In the kitchen. In Bella's room. In Ethan's room. In the entry hall. In the master bath.

"Joy", "Love", "Grateful", "Dream", "Inspire", "Achieve",
"Rome", "Paris", "Welcome", "Home", "Enjoy", "Relax"... Do they serve a purpose? Not particularly. But they help me be a better me. Positive reinforcement. I like it. And they look cool. ha haaaa

Ciao all.

WHY mama needs the $$$$

One word - GUCCI.

Need I say more??

Ciao.

Some things don't change...

I did something today that I have never done before. I actually yelled at another member of the Church - and not a stranger - but an acquaintance I have known for many years. And even worse, Marc said I used the "business voice" on this person - and that is bad... I will tell you the story. But first I will tell you this.

If you don't know, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I joined the Church after I married Marc. I converted. I was born and raised Roman Catholic. My family is all Roman Catholic. I am the only one, along with Marc, who is a member of a different church - on both sides of our families. I LOVE my family with every fiber of my being. I am proud of who I am. I am proud and privileged to have been raised by a God loving family who taught me right from wrong and gave me a wonderfully strong background knowledge of the Gospel. And who taught me to be ME. Now, part of being me is having a VERY short patience span. VERY SHORT. And it is better now - 15 years later being a member of this Church and being around so many wonderfully loving and patient people. I have had wonderful examples. But I do not appreciate my time being wasted in any fashion. I do not appreciate selfishness. I do not respond to sarcasm or jokes. I do not like or subscribe to a general attitude I run across many Church members that, "Ohh, things are okay and everything is alright and it will all just be fine", blah blah blah. That outlook is rude and condescending. Because what you find FINE someone else does not.

So back to the yelling. We attended a special Stake Conference today and we must have had at least 1300 members show. We do not have adequate parking at our Stake Centre. So when we left the conference, we found that we were blocked in our parking stall. There were three cars illegally parked behind us. What?? Why would someone do this?? Within minutes one of the owners of the illegally parked car came and moved his jeep. Great. I thought I am SURE these other two owners will be here momentarily and move their illegally parked vehicles. I am sure... 25 minutes later - NO OWNERS!! Now the car beside us is also blocked in, and the couple are getting antsy and upset. My kids are tired and hungry. I am tired and cold. It is raining and I want to start the car to heat it up, but I don't want the car idling and wasting fuel and polluting the air... Marc takes the licence plate number and goes back into the building and has it announced over the pulpit that if you own XXXX car you are blocking other cars so please move it. Nothing. 10 minutes later the owner comes out. And it is an acquaintance. I was fit to be tied. How RUDE and SELFISH can you be KNOWING you are blocking other vehicles and not bother to come out and move YOUR vehicle. And then stand there and try to justify WHY you did not come out and move your vehicle!! I lost it. MOVE YOUR VEHICLE!! Again, I remind you that I am Italian first and foremost. I can go head to head with the best of them. And please don't think for one second that if you get into an argument with me, you will win. You won't. I am socially, biologically and professionally trained to argue and WIN.

I believe in Christ. I strive to have His loving spirit with me every day in all that I do. But DON'T get me angry. Some things don't change.

Ciao all.

Home Decor...

Hello friends. The week has gotten away on me. I can't believe how quickly time passes. Anyway, I have been struggling with the main wall in my master bath for four and a half years now. It annoys me. Beyond anything that I can put into words... There is a badly placed towel rack on this HUGE wall, and nothing else. I have hung framed art on the wall in the past years, but have always taken the art down. Just has never fit w with the whole bathroom environment. So today I was early for my hair appointment and decided to take a stroll down old Cloverdale and visit one of my most favourite shoppes - La Belle Vie. Jackpot. That store has not let me down yet. I found three gorgeous old iron hooks that have been painted and distressed. So I bought them and brought them home and now Marc is in the process of hanging them for me on the big empty bathroom wall. I have these beautiful lush chocolate brown towels that I don't let anyone use that I am going to hang from two of the hooks, and use the middle hook to hang a very cool plaque Marc bought me for Valentine's day. I will post pics when it is all done and pretty lookin'. I do enjoy a little home decor project.

Ciao all.

More Seattle...

Helloooo....

From lovely Seattle. We have been down here for two days now - shopping and shopping some more. Really, we CAN'T beat the deals we have found. And we have no where near the selection of goods. It is quick sickening.

We spent the morning at Pike Place Market. First time being there. Really fun atmosphere. The vendors are amazing. The fish flingers at Pike Place Fish Market are incredible. And really fun to watch. And the mini doughnuts are to die for. I would definitely go back.

Well, we are off to the pool for the afternoon and then out to dinner.

Ciao all.

What a lovely night...

For a family walk. So I decided that as a family we would go out walking tonight. Today was beautiful - clear and sunny. It was still light out and warm when we started our walk, but an hour into our walk it got dark and cold! Bella had an extra pair of socks in her coat pocket from skating last week and she used the socks as mittens. Smart cookie! But I came to the realization, on our walk, that we live in a very lovely neighbourhood - clean and very quiet. How fortunate we are to be able to walk freely in our neighbourhood, as a family, and not worry about our safety. And this was the first time that my kids went for a night walk. They loved it. Things are very different when the sun goes down. We will be making this night walk a regular thing in the O household. But now I need some hot chocolate. My hands still haven't regained feeling.

Ciao all.

Spring fling...

Spring is definitely in the air here. Who am I kidding - Spring has been in the air since the second week of February! We are in the States next week for a short vacation. I am after these pieces. Hopefully I will be successful in my hunt.

Ciao all.

I love my daddy!!

Thank goodness for my dad - plumber extraordinaire!! He came over last night and took my sink apart and found the offending blockage. And I do mean OFFENDING! Gag. It literally looked like something died in the pipes! I am dry heaving typing this and reliving the experience... You know, I am privileged to have an academic education and an academic job. I am privileged to be married to another academician who outshines me. But listen, those degrees DON'T mean anything when the sink is blocked and spewing water; or the washing machine stops mid cycle and starts to leak; or the hot water tank blows; or the furnace stops working... My dad can fix all of that and more. He may not have fancy degrees, but he has talent and skill and he can do the job and do right and do it in a fraction of time that it would take me or Marc to even begin to understand where to start thinking about trying to solve the problem at hand... Thanks dad!! You are the bestest!!

Ciao all.

Exploding sinks and model rafts...

My week so far.

Monday night - 6:30 pm - Dinner is finished and I am going about my usual routine of clearing dishes and loading them into the dishwasher = me shoving everything I can down the garburator. NOTE: I have already worn out 2 models, and we have only been in this house for 4 years... I turn on the garburator and suddenly a geyser shoots out of the other side of the sink 5 feet in the air! And along with that water all the mashed up crap that was in the garburator. I could only stand and scream. I was frozen while water spewed and crap flew. I had bits of roast in my hair... Roast! And it was at this very same moment that my sweet Ethan turned to me and said, "Oh Mama, I have to build a model raft for school. It is due by Friday". Superb timing. You know Ethan, I could have used a model raft myself Monday night.

Post note: Sink still plugged. Garburator not working. I am doing dishes in the bathtub. Model raft built. Comical.

Ciao all.