Tour of Italy ~ Day 1... The Why!

I have always been fascinated with the Italian Countryside and several years ago when we were perusing our dreams of owning our own restaurant, I was given an older copy of a "BON APPETIT" magazine dated May 1997. I have treasured it all these years, knowing that some day I was going to cook and love my way through it. Then, we left the restaurant business and not to long after, I started enjoying the benefits of the "Biggest Loser" plan. Next came our move to the beach and I enveloped myself with the styles and charms of the southern comfort foods of the Carolina's. So, while going through one of my old boxes last month, I came acrossed my magazine and decided that since June was my Birthday month and I have some extra daylight hours to spend in my kitchen, I am going to spend the month on a luscious tour of the Italian Countryside. And I would like to bring you all along with me... Why you ask? Because Italian food is always better when shared with family and friends. So let's have some fun in the kitchen together and let's start off with some yummy.. Check out the full tour at "The Pantry Life"

Tomato & Broccoli Tapenade

 

The Perfect Rose...

        Many times in my life I have been given a single rose, often in celebration of an achievement or as a thank you for a job well done. And as I often do I bring it home, gentle trim the stem and toss it into a vase of water and stick it on the table. Out of the many that I have been given through the years I can only count four that have finished blooming and have become a absolutely PERFECT ROSE!. A rose is a rose and all start out perfectly beautiful, next to poinsettias they are my favorite flowers, so all find a spot in my heart.  But the four I speak of have truly blossomed out as perfect roses, not a flaw to be found by the naked eye. And all four of these roses have a story behind them. Each one of these roses were given to me because of a choice that I made and because of my actions involved, the outcome has had an everlasting impact on my life, just like the memories of the perfectness of my rose. The latest rose being the one that I received at the DAR Spring Tea on Friday afternoon. After the meeting, I had to go over to work for a bit and my rose sat on my dashboard and withstood the warmth of the afternoon sun, It stood up against getting dropped in the dirt as I was getting out of my car when I returned home, It lasted through dinner by laying on my cold marble cutting board, it waited patiently  as I visited and told stories of my afternoon excitement. Finally, around 9 o'clock that evening, when I was able to take the few minutes to trim the stem and stand it's poor droopy head upright in the shelter of the vase. I didn't think it would ever survive... Sunday I paused long enough to change the water, to talk to it and breath in it's wonderful aroma. Then today I left for work, only to return later in the afternoon to find the most beautifully blossomed and perfect rose I had seen in years.

       I share this story because in my haste I could not help but stop and think of all the things that rose had been through since Friday, and even possibly before I had received it, and yet it how somehow turned out perfect.  I paused to reflect on how similar the rose was to the Ladies at the tea or even the state of America it's self right now. How simple it could be, even through all the hardships we face daily, if we would just pause for a moment and gently trim our stems and reset ourselves in the right water, how much easier it would be for us to Bloom perfectly where we are planted!

Afternoon Tea...

I had the most amazing afternoon today. The whole time growing up as a small girl on a farm I have had the wildest dream about someday dressing up in a beautiful dress with a big fancy hat, wearing white summer gloves and going to have tea, just like what I thought a Southern Belle would do. Well today my dream came true. I was invited by a good friend (Jodie) to attend the DAR Ladies at their "Spring Tea". Little did I know that it would be just as stated... Ladies in beautiful bright Spring style dresses in fancy hats enjoying an afternoon of tea, treats and tributes. I was in seventh heaven and enjoyed every minute of it. My Hat goes off to all my new friends, most of which are not Southern Belles at all. Just a smart group of Women, who love and cherish the Freedoms we have by living and raising our families here in America.

monday...

Good Monday Morning... I can't believe that it is the last Monday in February already. Time flies when you have lots to do! :)

Sunday, yesterday, was amazing... Inspite of the fact that my talk in church did not come a crossed the way I had planned it! It seemed very disjointed and more comic relief than inspirational.

But there are three things that I know: 1. We choose to come to this Earth as a "Follower of Christ" or we would not be here and 2. Our main goal here is to study, pray, learn serve and share, to continue to be a "Follower of Christ", so that 3. we can someday return to our Heaven Father as a "Follower of Christ" and earn our Mansions in Heaven. Everything we do here, be it bad or good, helps to contribute to our everlasting exaltation.

In Brother Gonzalez's April 2011 conference address, which was the focal point and foundation of my talk, he shared a thought that really struck home for me... QUOTE: "I testify that we are happier when we follow the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As we strive to follow Him, the blessings of heaven will come unto us, I know His promises will be fulfilled as we make and keep covenants and become true followers of Christ...." [close Quote]

I know this to be true because of all the blessings that I have been given in my life. I know that if it was not for him than I would not still be here to today. And I share all these thoughts with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Day 142/43.... My First 5K

       What an awesomely amazing day! It was warm, sunny and a fantastic day for a 5K. I was so excited. My goal was to be able to complete it in under an hour, my hope was to be able to do it under 45 mins, but I know that it would probably be a long shot and my finishing time was 44.03!

Cooper River Bridge Run.... Here I come!

Day 131/54... Learning Curves

oh ya... because - "I can't do it alone!"  I really liked the part where the black team went to have lunch after their hiking workout. That was one of my biggest learning curves when I figured out how to go out to eat and eat successfully, regardless of where or what time I go out. I love how Bob works with the person and includes all facets of the world around them. I have made great strides following a lot of Bobs training ideas and learning that  I can live in my world but not of my world!

Day 130/55... SuperBowl!!!

        Well, as usually, Superbowl means MY BOYS, A TABLE FULL OF FOOD and MOMMA hogging the middle of the COUCH! And as usual, the game was good, but the food was better... :). Each year we try to add one new recipe to our menu and this year we decided to try Chef Anne's "Zucchini & Parm Fritters " from her "Cooking Like a Rockstar" Cook book. They were so yummy and the tomato dipping sauce was fantastic.