The Italian in all of Us

Last night was a special night for my family. Not because there was a new episode of The Office on (although, that was exciting), or even because Lucy got her first haircut (which was momentous)....last night was special because it was home made Ravioli Night!

Driven by convenience, America is a pre-made, pre-packaged, heat-and-serve, "dinner on the table in 10 minutes or less" type society. My mom was never impressed by box mixes or canned soups, and maybe that's where I get it from, or maybe there's just something refreshing about working hard to feed your family. It's rewarding, natural and maybe a little nostalgic.

Home made pasta is definitely not something a busy mom, or busy anyone, could really do on a regular basis (with the exception of Wonder Woman who we all tend to compare ourselves to and then get horribly depressed when we fall short...why do we do that to ourselves??) but for a fun family activity and inexpensive meal, it can't be beat.

Even Lucy got to participate, she took great joy out of "helping mommy cook" as she sifted flour through her chubby fingers and patted out her own lump of dough as I kneeded the main portion.

Things got a little messy. And Lucy's not the only one! With the three of us up to our elbows in flour and a composite maturity level rivaling that of the average 4th grader....a mighty flour fight ensued. Which I lost. But we all made up in the end.


The experience was memorable...as was the ravioli itself. We made cheese ravioli with sauteed veggies and fresh Parmesan.
Here are pictures of the ravioli in progress:



Ravenous, we devoured the finished product before having the chance to photograph it. You'll just have to believe that it was both good-looking and yummy. There's no feeling like knowing that you've earned your dinner!


And just to complete the experience, I taught Lucy the Ravioli song, which she loved

Ravioli
(to the tune of Aluette)

Ravioli, we love ravioli
Ravioli it's the food for me

Does Lucy have it on her chin?
(echo) Yes she has it on her chin
On her chin?
(echo) On her chin
Oooooooooh no!

And, lastly I leave you with a picture of Giffnark, my first draft of an Alien plush. He comes complete with superfluous arms, a clip on tie and a back story. Lucy's adopted him as her own and is now part of the family. Welcome Giffnark!

Frugal Frivolities

...and by frugal, of course I mean free.

I believe that poor people know how to celebrate Christmas better than anyone. There's a certain joy that comes from the resourcefulness and creativity that poverty inspires, which is magnified a hundredfold when that creative energy is funneled toward gift-giving and the magical festivities of the holidays.

If you don't believe me or are finding that fighting the frenzied mall shoppers with holly up their butts is sapping your "Christmas spirit" then i recommend you stay home tonight, curl up by the tree with a mug of mulled cranberry tea (recipe below) and read (not watch) Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol". If you can't commit to that then at least skim through and read the parts with the Cratchits. Their child-like glee and exuberance is just the thing to revive the tinsel in your heart and the sugar plums in your soul....(sorry, got a little carried away there)


Ok, so, on to the previously mention frugal frivolities. The first thing I want to share with you is just a simple embellishment I made to some candles. Proof that it's the little things that can carry the most impact. I simply cut the sleeves off an old sweater that had a tear in it, and slid them snugly around the candles. I used fray check around the cut side to bind it. It took me literally 5 minutes and suddenly, I have re-made my ordinary candles into cozy winter candles. Also, I cut some branches of holly and put them in a vase of water on the table for a attractively simple and eye-catching centerpiece. In my opinion, anything fresh, simple and real that doesn't blink or sing Rudolph is a welcome relief during the holiday season!

As for decorating the kitchen for Christmas...well, it's hard to bring the red and green colors into my 70's motif, so I decided to work with what's already there. Therefore, oranges! Fruit is so beautiful and given a fancy schmancy pedestal, it can be elevated (so to speak) into art. The cloves make it Christmassy as well as smell delicous!



But the really fun part about a pauper's Christmas is the home-made presents. I have had such fun making Lucy toys...I find the I have to remind myself that "Christmas isn't about the toys, it's about Jesus. It's not about the toys, it's about Jesus..."

Because Lucy is not yet allowed to surf the web, I think it's safe for me to post pictures of what I've made her so far.

Last year we gave her plain wooden blocks, which she loves to play with. So this year, we are giving her more blocks, but pretty colors. Chris cut the wood, and I painted them fun colors...using whatever acrylics or leftover interior paint I had lying around for some unspecified "future use". Oh yeah...they got used. I feel so vindicated! (And if you're wondering about the architecural soundness of my block building, I should tell you that, yes, they all tumbled about 3 minutes after I took the picture.)

Next, I would like to share the doll I made Lucy because I am so crazy out of my mind excited by how well it turned out! I finished it last night and the temptation was SO strong to give it to her today! I must credit Emily Martin of theblackapple.typepad.com with it's design, she is an amazing artist and I simply copied her brilliance. Notwithstanding, I am proud of my success!

Isn't she darling? Now all she needs is a name. I think something old fashioned like Josephine or Ingrid...but then again, it should be something that my 1 year old can at least hope to be able to pronounce. Perhaps Molly or Sophie. Any suggestions?

The last thing I will share before I tumble off into the world of electrical blankety sleep is the aforementioned recipe for Mulled Cranberry Tea, because it is too good to keep to myself! It's become tradition for my family and is perfect for welcoming back the Christmas carollers or snow-frolicers.

Mulled Cranberry Tea

2 tea bags
1 cup boiling water
1 48 oz bottle of cranberry juice
1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)
1/3 cup sugar
1 large lemon in 1/4" slices
4 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
additional thin lemon slices (optional)
additional cinnamon sticks (optional)

1. Pour the boiling water over the tea bags in a crock pot; cover and let steep for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags.
2. Stir in the cranberry juice, cranberries (if using), lemon slices, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours or on high for 1-2 hours.
3. Remove and discard the lemon slices, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Serve in warm mugs with additional fresh lemon slices and cinnamon sticks.

Serves 8

(it's also yummy with a splash of orange juice and orange slices instead of the lemon)

My 70's Sidewalk Cafe

The thing about a "domestic" blog is that one has to find the time to stop being domestic in order to write about it. And, something about the weather getting colder and the holidays setting in that gives me urge to craft! I've been in the middle of many craft projects, and not all will be revealed in this post, but suffice it to say that the surface of my dining room table hasn't been seen for weeks!

The first project, was one long overdue, but I had to wait for inspiration to hit. Well, truth be told I was waiting for funds to hit, when that didn't happen I began looking for alternate inspiration. So, burrowing deep into the depths of my fabric rubbermaid, I found the answer and, lo and behold, my kitchen curtains are finally hung! I've always wanted a very retro 70's kitchen, but without the drab quality. To avoid this I painted the walls a deep teal. I may have over-compensated, but it does provide a nice, up-beat back drop for my beloved oranges, mustard yellows and alvacado greens that I love so much. All that to say, that the curtains finally bring it all together with a very mod 70's print that showcases all those fabulous shades.


I now feel like we're dining at a sidewalk cafe during our meals. This illusion is due in part to the sidewalk that is, in fact, right outside the window...but I like to think that the curtains play a part as well.


The mug is one I inherited from my mom's mom with whom I share a special and unexplainable connection (but that's another story). It seemed a shame to have my favorite mug hidden in a cabinet, so it's now being re-purposed into a safe haven for flower refugees, escaping this morning's snow flurry.







And now, with my kitchen finally complete, a fire in the fire place and the weather blustery outside, I end this post to go make a giant pot of chili. Hope you all are staying as warm and cozy as a socks fresh out of the dryer!

Our First Annual Fall-i-day!

For some time now I've been trying to devise the perfect Autumn holiday for me and my family to celebrate. Thanksgiving is too borderline Christmas, Halloween is too evil and Church sponsored Harvest Parties are too much like a bunch of Christians with fingers in their ears trying to pretend that Trick or Treating isn't going on only blocks away. What I wanted is something that is cozy, yummy and involves plenty of the outdoors. So, this year, we invented Falliday! We had such a brilliant time that I'm already beginning to plan next year's festivities. Here's how it went down:

First, we had pumpkin bread and coffee for breakfast.
I threw in some whole, fresh cranberries into the batter on a
whim, and I hafta tell, they made the bread a jillion times yummier! I should also mention, that the pumpkin bread came from our very own pumpkin whom we carved up the night before while watching "The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown". Here's the picture of our pumpkin, Melvin, in his former glory...when we was a friend, not food.


We spent the morning lounging around and watching cartoons, as is proper and fitting for a Saturday morning. Then, after a lunch of Pumpkin and Carrot soup, salad with fresh herb dressing and rolls, we headed to the park for the leaf tromping!

The leaf tromping commenced with vigor! We collected specimens of curiosity, the most beautiful leaves in the forest, and lots of pinecones and acorns for crafts! It was such a delight to introduce Lucy to the marvels of Fall. She would find a pretty leaf and carry it around with her until she found one that seemed more beautiful. She stomped her feet, exulting in the crunching sound they made. She even threw a handful of leaves on her daddy so he could enjoy them too.

By the time we returned home, Lucy was in need of a nap, so while she napped, Chris and I crafted with some of the wondrous things we found on our walk. The results of our craft are still pending, but if it turned out well, I'll post about it later. When Lucy woke up, she got to participate in the crafting by trying her hand at leaf-rubbings. For a 15 month old, she did pretty darn good. But even if she didn't, she's cute, so who cares?


















After all of this, I was glad I had put dinner in the crockpot and it was waiting for us! I was inspired by my friend, Sarah, to have a German dinner, to celebrate Reformation Day (the day Martin Luther nailed his theses to the door. In so doing, Luther broke the spell catholicism had the people under, ending Europe's Dark Ages). So yummy, cozy German food it was! We had sauerbraten, hot potato salad and sauerkraut. And, as our own personal touch, we added a hat's off to Oktoberfest and drank some delicious beer!

After dinner, we were planning to go to my in-law's house for s'mores over their firepit and watch "Arsenic and Old Lace"...this didn't happen, so we snuggled up and played games instead.


It was a lovely Falliday, and I highly recommend you institute one for your own family!

The reason

When I was a student, I loved the rhythmic influx of feedback. Knowing that when I got grades back from a professor, I was able to see the value of my work represented in the letter written in the top corner and the scribbled notes left in the margins. As a professional, there were always incentives to motivate my work: evaluations, promotions, long term goals of my career. I was never without a constant barometer measuring how good my work was, who valued me and how much. Until I left the work place to become a stay-at-home mom.

Society doesn't value the labor of home makers. There are no trophies in our line of work. No bonuses, no special parking privileges, no monuments. In fact, some of our greatest achievements are instantly devoured, worn and wrinkled and, often, unnoticed.

Because of society's lack of enthusiasm for what it is I do all day, I noticed that I've fallen into that as well. This is obvious when friends would ask me what I'm up to these days, my answer would be "Oh, nothing much" or "not a whole lot" or "you know, the mom thing". I have recently become aware, however, that this attitude is askew. Much of what I do is noteworthy! And I don't say that in effort to prove myself to society, the world or my friends in the workplace. I say that because I know that God values what I do and He says it is noteworthy.

The Bible spends a better part of the 31st chapter of Proverbs describing and applauding how the excellent wife spends her day. In Titus 2 Paul encourages the older women to teach the younger women to "be busy at home." Clearly, God values my work. Therefore, I should value it too.

I don't need employee of the month awards or articles published in Better Homes and Gardens, my goal is to be transparent, serving in my home for His approval only. Yet, I need to retrain my thinking; I think that we, stay at home moms in general, need to renew our minds on this topic. We need to value and celebrate the success of that one meal that turned our simply fabulous, that paint color that brightened the room perfectly, or the craft project that sparked our kid's creativity. We need to esteem what we do so that we remember that God esteems it. We also need to bear in mind that our children will value what we value.


It's in light of these musings that I'm launching this blog.

This will be a domestic blog where I can share some of what fills my days. Recipes for meals, my sewing projects, activities with my daughter, Lucy and the like. My hope is that it will serve to remind me of the noble work God has called me to in making a home and training a child, as well as to energize and inspire other moms who may read it.

Hope you enjoy!