5 course Italian Dinner

Chris made the most amazing Italian Dinner on Sunday. We had some friends over and he went ALL out. It was a lot of fun. We used great uncle's china.......and our favorite table cloth from san gimignano.


7 people.....5 courses



bread & St. Andre soft cheese

carrots, tomatoes, almonds and rondelle cheese

pesto lasagna (my favorite)

stuffed pork tenderloins with apple slices & Gorgonzola cheese

dessert-tiramisu

Paint projects...

I finally found a desk for myself that will fit into the small space that we have and that i like (it is unique). I found it at the local VOA that has some great donations. It was not too cheap but it was much cheaper than a new one and it is like no one else's. I like that. Of course I had to make it my own and paint it though. We forgot to get a before shot but it was the 80's brown stain.

This is the work in progress shot....

don't you like my laundry in the back ground...sorry.

This is a window frame that i picked up off of the side of the road. I made chris turn around because there was a man putting a pile of them out on the curb. I was so embarrassed and felt the flash backs from my childhood come as I realized how much I am like my mother. She used to do this sometimes and we would hide in the back of the van. I know that is awful!
In antique stores these windows are expensive.
When I asked the man if I could have the windows he looked at me really funny and said "yeah, I also have a vacuum and some old wood. do you want those." How embarrassing!.....he thought I was soo weird.

I have big plans for this ugly little window + if it does not work I did not lose any money. We will see.


finished project pictures soon.....

we have to get ready for the parents to come next week for a visit. we are so excited!

more & more doctors......

Lately we feel like we are keeping the doctors in rochester in business.

This was #6 of the weird throat thing....

We spent wednesday evening at the ER with the throat thing that Chris does every now and then. This time though it happened within two months from the last one. I am a little worried but the doctors all have different opinions about what to do and what it is. Ah!
They tried lots of things this time and it was the worst it has ever been-very painful.

At one point they gave Chris Valium through his IV. And wow! Talk about loopy land. He was soo funny. He started quoting Dumb and Dumber--"ski's uh!" and then he was out and sleeping.

I needed Becky to make me laugh!

We got home at 4:30 am.

Then Thursday Chris had an appointment for his knee.
Friday, Chris had an MRI.

(none of this includes ALL of my doctors and that is times 10)

a three month addiction...

I love cadbury eggs! Now that they are "in season" I have to eat as many as I can because there will be a time when I cannot buy them at the store. They are just so good and addicting....

They did make Christmas colored eggs the past two years so the season has been extended.

living....

we love our colorful living room.

after much debate...we decided on these pillows. here are a few pictures of the living room. chris really likes green.

the fireplace has been really fun this winter and reading books on the couch is the best! we are finally after 8 months settling into our house.

the red quilt hanging on the ladder was made by my grandma durrant for our wedding, our piano was given to us by the packer grandparents in logan, utah and we have several favorite pictures on the mantel and wall from Italy, Africa, Brazil, our early married years and favorite spots in NY-the city, Palmyra, Niagara on the lake and others.

Surprisingly, chris is very particular about the house, colors and decor. it is cute! I wanted to put up wallpaper but i have not won that discussion.......yet!

thirty..something..

Chriser-Happy Birthday!

He will hate me for saying thirty something.

I cannot believe a year has gone by-30 was a big one and we had a great time last year. This year was pretty low key which I think we are fine with! It was a busy day with work & church meetings.

But we also enjoyed

savoia is our favorite little italian bakery just up the street. it is fabulous and so old school...

Hot wings + cheese cake upon request...

And TOOLS

(i am just as excited as chris is for this present because we have so many plans for the house and projects for him to start/complete)

FUN!

anyway-happy birthday chriser....you are the best!

house projects..

we painted our bedroom a few weeks ago and finally feel like it is all coming together. we love the colors, the chandelier, our painted furniture, the huge window out back (not that the gray skies and dead grass is all that pretty) and have added a few fabulous antique finds here and there. we are missing a few things we really want but we will add them as we find them. i think it will be ongoing. it feels more like home.

we love it!