Italian comfort food

Some popular American comfort food dishes include meatloaf and potatoes, macaroni and cheese and a nice hearty soup. Comfort food for my family includes those as well as breakfast foods and of course, Italian dishes. The simplest Italian dish that makes every kid happy in my family, simple spaghetti with burro (butter). And for the girls it also includes freshly grated parmigiano cheese but my little man likes it plain.

This was a favorite simple dish for me as well growing up and I love that I've passed this appreciation onto my kids. Not only is it super easy for me to make for them, but I'm guaranteed they all eat it. Win-Win.

raindrops on roses

my son

flower power

 

For those that tune in regularly to my family blog, you may have noticed a repetition to my blog themes. It used to mostly be just my kids, then my kids and Italy and as of the past few months, nature. Of course my regular muses are not let off the hook and with our upcoming trip to Italy happening pretty soon, I'm sure there will be a lot of more recent Italy pictures showing back up here again. But the nature angle has me hooked and one that I am diving right into happily. 

Several reasons for my current obsession: 

1. The ease at which I can locate and "style" my object. I quite literally almost always have fresh flowers in the house from a recent trip to the market. Plenty of interesting containers help to change up the photo as well as changing the type of flower I purchase for the home. 

2. Right outside my door is a world (no lie) of seasonal flora waiting to be admired by me. Or just a short walk or drive and I'm in an nature lover's environment of trees, plants and flowers as closeby are several parks and even a handful of parks.

3. Unless there is heavy wind, they don't move. While I love documenting anything and everything about my kids, they move. A lot. They have become so used to the camera that I am lucky to catch them plenty and they know the simplest way for me to stop taking a picture is just to stand still a moment and let me get the image I want. But they are still kids. They are busy, you know things to do, places to be. 

4. I want to start practicing more with macro photography and what more interesting subject than a plant or flower?!? All the various colors, textures and angles could make for some really cool photos. 

and finally....

5. I'm sort of just in awe of Mother Nature. Have always appreciated the beauty of everything she has given us and while I do not have a green thumb in the slightest, I love the sense of comfort, relaxation, and bliss it brings to me. 

Stay tuned for more nature photography!

my girls

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart) 

e. e. cummings

I spy with my little eye...

8 is great!

Before going to bed last night, Olivia says that she cannot believe she'll be 8 tomorrow, that the year since she turned 7 went so fast. And it really did. They really do go by so quickly. It seems that in a blink we went from Friday, May 15, 2009 to Monday, May 15, 2017 and my Olivia is 8 years old.

And I couldn't ask for a better 8 year old little girl. I'm not sure if luck has anything to do with it really either. This girl rocks! She's the sweetest kid, always ready to lend a hand whether it be with her baby brother or helping with a chore. These days she wants to be a scientist/artist/chef and I love calling her my little engineer because if there is something that needs figuring out or some problem needs to be solved, she is right there to assist however she can.

She's pensive, takes her time making her mind up as if she's really weighing the pros and cons from what to wear to what to eat to what shape the cloud looks like to her. She loves asking the most random questions and I have a list going that I try to keep as up to date as possible because I can't get enough of her questions like "I wonder what an ant's foot looks like?"

She is my sweetheart, always ready with a hug, a snuggle or grabbing my hand still to walk alongside me connected at the fingertips. She's playful, this girl loves being outdoors running, jumping, hiding, seeking - you name it, if there is fun to be had she wants to join in or start a game up.

There is no other like her and I am so proud of the little lady she is turning into. Her giggle makes my heart smile, her smile lights up my life and personality is all her own and unique in every way. My sweet girl turns 8 today and I'm so very happy to wish her the happiest of days and all the sunshine and moonbeams this world can offer her.

growing

 

"only grow thoughts in your head that you wouldn't mind in a vase" 

Rain Rain Come and Play

To say we've had a pretty wet Spring so far is a bit of an understatement, it's rained almost each week for awhile it seems. While this is great and all for Mother Nature, it makes getting out and about with a toddler a little tricky. Or just wet actually.

On a particularly gloomy day we headed out to run errands because those can't always be stopped from happening. Bundled my little man up in his fireman gear, which he loves so much and worth every cent, and my little firefighter and I braved the cold and wet weather.

Coming home and after emptying the car, he asked to play in the puddles. It's nearly impossible for me to say no to him sometimes. But after being a great errand-runner with me all morning and braving the gross weather we've had, I let him jump around for awhile.

His little squeals and giggles made up for the soggy clothes.

lashes for days

 

My beautiful little man enjoying being the first taste-tester of my homemade chocolate chip cookies. Me enjoying taking his picture and totally being envious of those lashes! 

let them play

Both Sofia and Olivia have been playing the piano since they were 5. We have such an appreciation for music in the house that I knew when they were of age, I would want to encourage an instrument. I have loved hearing them tinkering away with simple little tunes to recently moving onto more complex pieces. Complex for me but they both really make it seem so simple.

Last year was their first "recital" and what an immense feeling of accomplishment I felt for my girls. Sounds weird that I felt it, but it was beyond being proud of them. They kept up with going to their weekly lessons and practiced at home and thankfully rarely needing to be prodded about it too.

Regardless of whether I'm in the kitchen cooking, in the living room reading or playing on the floor with Mario, once I start hearing them play the piano it makes me smile. I smile at the thought of their little fingers gliding over the keys, their little sounds of frustration when they miss a note and then their excited voices when they successfully completed a piece without error and shout for us "Did you hear it?"

light

I am appropriately obsessed with these flowers. Ranunculus. Trying saying that five times fast. 

a perfect spot

At 3 years old, Mario is pretty good at going and playing on his own. While he does enjoy the company of others and having someone playing near or with him, I love finding him in a little spot talking to his toys, coming up with adventures for them and just having a good time. I try to sneak up on him to capture these moments because I really think they're so special.

That little sly smile. He's spotted me already snapping his picture but goes on entertaining himself. Love my little man.