Ellena is 7 Months Old

I was a bit slow getting Ellena's baby milestone pictures photographed this month, with all the crazy holiday happenings. She began her seventh month in November by scooting and crossing real-estate on the floor by kicking out her legs much like a “donkey kick”, she could say “Papa”. Now she’s crawling and can throw kisses and open and close her hand as if saying hello and says, something that sounds remarkably like “yeah”. Though she sits like a pro - she can’t get herself into a seated position just yet.Ellena's dress is from Gymboree, I found a similiar one here, and here. Her shoes are from Carters. So much glitter! I used washi tape for the month indicator this time around. It was so quick and easy and I really liked the simplicity. One more great use for washi tape! What unexpected ways do you like to use washi tape?

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Ellena is Five Months Old

Ellena is five months old! My baby girl is giggling up a storm, babbling, and she's now rolling from her back to her belly and from her belly to her back. She found her feet this month too and she wants to touch every single thing. We tried her crib once so far. She did great, but I missed having her in my room so I'm keeping her in her bassinet for now. She's begun to try her first tastes of real foods. We went live on Facebook when I gave her table food for the first time. I had a ripe avocado and mashed it up and after the first few uncertain tastes she loved it.

Back to School Photos

It's hard to believe, we're at the inception of another school year. My eldest son Michael is in eighth grade and younger son is in fourth. They're both such beautiful bright boys. I'm sure this year will be met with many challenges for them both, but with each one they successfully get through, I know their confidence will build and they'll get better and better and overcoming any obstacle they may face.

Ellena is Four Months Old

Ellena is four months old. She's such a darling little thing and the easiest of babies to care for. She's all smiles and sugar 99% of the time. The other time, she's usually asleep or hungry. This month she began to hold her own bottle and she babbles so much. She giggles when we tickle her, and when she's tickled by something. She reaches out to grab my face and is noticing more and more of her world each day. Her favorite toy continues to be Sophie La Giraffe.

I Miss Italy - Balsamic Strawberries Over Ice Cream Recipe

I pretty much fell in love with Italy from day one, and lately I've really been missing my life there. In a place that changes little with the decades, each time I would go out, it often felt like a new experience because there was so much to see; even in the small little town I lived in.I thought I'd share a super easy desert I enjoyed that is so quintessentially Italian, and yet isn't a tiramisu or cannoli. Fragole all'aceto balsamico or balsamic vinegar and strawberries pair beautifully;  you'll see this pairing in their cuisine frequently. A strawberry balsamic vinegar reduction as a sauce over steak was a popular dish at a local restaurant, near where I lived. My favorite is a simple combination of the two. You could easily serve these strawberries over a white cake or perhaps even a chocolate cake, but since it's the summer lets do ice cream and be merry.This is the easiest thing in the world to prepare and it only takes a few minutes.Ingredients:1 qt fresh strawberries (defrosted frozen strawberries should work in a pinch).3 tablespoons of sugar (or to taste)4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar2 tablespoons orange juice (optional)dark chocolate chips (optional)Vanilla ice cream or gelato.When it comes to choosing your balsamic vinegar try to use the best vinegar you can find and afford. For this recipe I used Colavita Aged Balsamic Vinegar  because it's pretty good and it is made in Modena which is located in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy where you can easily find this dish.To prepare the strawberries:Rinse and hull the strawberries, then slice them into quarters. Place strawberries into a bowl. Add in the sugar and balsamic vinegar (and orange juice if you're using it) stir until well combined.Serve over ice cream or a white cake (sponge, angel food, or a butter loaf would be nice...) Sprinkle with dark chocolate chips like I did or don't.  Honestly, these strawberries are perfect on their own if you're looking for a refreshing light Springtime or Summer desert.Buon appetito!

Two Months & Sleeping In the Middle of the Bed

It's been two months. Only ten more till my husband gets to come home. (I'm not counting down or anything...) I slept in the middle of the bed the other night. I guess I got tired of waking to a perfectly made side of the bed. I got all diagonal through the night and everything which resulted in me deciding to not make the bed the following morning, which led to a week of not making the bed. I awoke this morning and washed my bedding and made the bed, because not making the bed sets a rather poor example for my boys.It remains to be seen if I'll continue sleeping in the middle of the bed, or go back to my side. 

Sweet Cupcake Ipsum

Before we get to the Sweet Cupcake Ipsum, I want to say a huge thank you to Meg from MegOnTheGo.com for allowing us to use her videos in this demo.

Gummies bonbon chupa chups halvah muffin cookie jujubes. Sesame snaps jelly-o dessert carrot cake. Cake cotton candy lollipop I love carrot cake powder. Cotton candy icing gummi bears. Tart liquorice macaroon cupcake chupa chups. Chupa chups candy I love. Cotton candy sesame snaps fruitcake chupa chups pastry tiramisu apple pie.

Bear claw croissant brownie gingerbread ice cream wafer jelly-o candy jelly beans. Halvah jujubes lollipop liquorice I love halvah gummies bonbon. Sweet roll cotton candy candy gingerbread I love. Chocolate bar icing icing. Dragée marzipan I love cheesecake soufflé. I love jelly dessert icing caramels cake bear claw I love.Bear claw marshmallow I love jujubes topping sweet cotton candy ice cream I love. Danish halvah ice cream chocolate cake icing. Cake bear claw I love liquorice jelly beans cake I love I love cupcake. Soufflé candy canes jelly sweet I love. Dragée croissant chocolate bar sugar plum dragée wafer biscuit I love. Donut bonbon tart sweet cake soufflé tootsie roll.Sweet I love wafer. I love gummi bears biscuit pie gummies sesame snaps halvah. Pudding I love I love brownie lollipop cotton candy. Tiramisu muffin jelly-o powder toffee I love bear claw pie. I love tiramisu gummi bears cheesecake cotton candy dessert tart sweet. Jujubes jujubes soufflé I love jelly beans icing halvah bonbon. Toffee I love tart gummi bears liquorice biscuit.Tart sesame snaps biscuit carrot cake lemon drops cookie. Danish ice cream cheesecake. Soufflé powder cheesecake dragée gingerbread jelly beans dragée candy canes. Apple pie tiramisu marzipan cake donut. Chocolate bar powder sweet roll sweet roll. Cotton candy soufflé gummies cheesecake icing brownie jujubes ice cream. Gingerbread cotton candy cookie pastry. Marshmallow croissant halvah muffin bonbon bear claw I love I love. Chocolate cake I love I love gummies croissant I love bear claw.