Tales of Me and the Husband

Cutessssst.

Look at these cuties that I had the absolute pleasure of taking pictures of the other day (my pictures need some work… I dream of lenses and flashes, and cameras.  Seriously.  Dream.).  You sort of want to eat their cheeks, right?  They are twins and they pretty much don’t stop smiling.  This is, in my opinion, due to the fact that their parents are the sweetest people and they’re constantly thinking to one another, “Sweet dude!  I’m so glad we got stuck with these two as our ‘rents!”  Then they high-five, bump butts, and go back to doing baby things like pooping or crawling.  But anyway, my good friends adopted these guys all the way from Ethiopia, and here they are.  Looking ever-so-cute in the U.S. of A.

good morning… enjoy a song.

i’m off for some classroom volunteering (i’m like a real mom!) in L’s classroom.  so a song is all i got this morning.  enjoy.  i sure do.

fools by the dodos

the most delicious shrimp scampi except MAYBE what you’d get at a restaurant (but i still think this’ll beat it)

it looks pretty delish, right?  right?!  
(it’s ina.  what do we expect?  
her and her same-black-button-shirt-ever-single-episode-of-barefoot-contessa 
never do disappoint!)
here’s how you can have it yourself and be totally pleased just like jeffrey…
linguine with shrimp scampi
serves 6
kosher salt
1 1/2 lbs. linguine (i use spaghetti)
6 T butter
5 T good olive oil
3 T minced garlic (9 cloves)
2 lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined 
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
3/4 c chopped fresh parsley
grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 c freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 lemons worth)
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
1/2 t hot red pepper flakes
drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water and cook your pasta.  meanwhile, in another large, heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat.  add the garlic.  saute for 1 minute.  be careful, the garlic burns easily.  add the shrimp, 1 T of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink (i use already cooked shrimp and just let it thaw out completely before using it so you can do either), about 5 minutes, stirring often.  remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes.  toss to combine.
add it to your drained, cooked pasta, toss well, and serve!

In a spirit of thanksgiving…

…since it is the month of November after all… here are some things I love:

  • when my love for my husband is so big that I overcome my selfishness and jump up to ask him if he wants tea because he’s been working like a dog on his book.  Doesn’t happen all the time, but it does happen sometimes and I think this means I like him a lot.
  • when my sister Kate texts me just to say she misses me.
  • Kelly Ann’s Music Monday for introducing me to my new favorite song that gives me a lovely, peaceful feeling.
  • the fact that we get second chances in this life.  That we can be forgiven and have clean slates.
  • the ability to talk seriously about my faith with my friends.  And that some are grappling with the very same issues that I am.  It’s nice to do it together.
  • cooking black bean soup when it’s cold outside and all my kids eating it and some even taking seconds.
  • my two legs that do what I want them to do when I want them to do it.  Lord, I hope I never take them for granted.
  • Gracie’s unending love for us no matter what.  I hope I can learn to love more like her.  Dogs are sometimes the best teachers.
  • a warm home with heat I can count on.
  • my Mom and Dad for still being in love with one another and for loving me.
  • humor, telling jokes, laughing at one another, laughing with one another.  Laughter.  Period.
  • going to the movie theatre.  Eating popcorn.  Drinking soda.
  • looking ahead and planning trips and dreaming dreams with my husband.  What’s next?

{image}

genius blog launch.

My friend Daniel (click his name for his amazing pictures including his Real Simple Weddings spread… you will not regret it) is the kind of person you just want to sit near in the hopes that some of his creative genius will rub off on you.  I’m not kidding–at a recent wedding I made sure to get the spot right next to him and my blog definitely improved afterwards.  That might be an exaggeration, but you get the picture.  Not only that, but he’s really cool.  I don’t know him as well as I’d like, but as soon as my husband starts teaching in Southern California (a dream, but if Ahnika works on his behalf out there, it just might happen… she’s got connections) that will all be remedied.  Anyway, I am pleased to share with you the blog he just launched.  It’s called Paper Playne and it has these delicious DIY Polaroid Gift tags, card sets, fashion tips, home decor, and more–all of it pleasing to the graphic designer in you.  
Enjoy perusing and have a good Monday.

a song plus some randoms.

I think if I was going to be a pro singer, I’d like to sound like Frou Frou.  On second thought, I change that on a daily basis (it’s been Sarah McLachlan before… the girl from Lady Antebellum…) so for today, it’s Frou Frou anyway.
I am sick of the morning routine with my youngest.  She falls apart when she can’t find something, and dissolves to tears almost immediately.  She doesn’t look for what’s missing so much as she finds everyone in the house to ask if they’ve seen it.  Top all it off with the fact that she’s really disorganized and you’ve got yourself an ugly situation.  It’s not fun.
I’m ready for Christmas vacation.  Mostly so I can have my husband back.  His new wife is called School and she’s not nearly as cool as I am.
It’s like 70 degrees here in Massachusetts and I don’t know what to do with this weather right now.
I’m ready to go back to Italy.
I have a hard time opening the internet every morning to my homepage of BBC and reading the headlines.  Today’s headlines: Hundreds still missing after the tsunami.  I have a hard time with these things and, inevitably, my faith.  Maybe I’ll write about it some time.  A serious post?  Who’d have thunk it?
There are some of you that I’d really like to meet, for real, not just through a computer screen.
We just got into Modern Family and I’m so glad we did.  I’m caught up to Season 2 now but think I should get Season 1 on Netflix.  It’s hilarious.  I know most of you already knew that but I was behind the eight-ball on this one.  It’s my new favorite show.  
Have a good Thursday!
Advertise OnTales of Me and the Husband
Get Started