Renaissance Faire note

We went to the Amana Colony Renaissance Faire today, and I took SO much pictures that I will have to probably put a link to an online album, but since we got home a little late, I only downloaded the file to my hard drive, I will have to touch up and I will put them online ASAP, please just be patient with me as I have to go to work tomorrow morning. I’ll try to do it later when I get home…
I was SO much fun though, we were talking Damien and I this afternoon and we agreed on the fact that we must have lived during the renaissance era in a past life (if such life were) cause he love the sword and the history of fighting and really want to learn swords fighting. I on the other end just love the dress and the corset (as long as it isn’t on me, mind you!) ;0)
So this was just to let everyone know that it is coming and soon. I will probably give you a little story about what we saw and then… link the pictures!
As I say, just be patient!! Love you all and enjoy your Memorial Day!!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Espresso Cookies

YES you read it right! WHOLE WHEAT!!! and if you continue on reading you will find the "nutrition facts" at the bottom.
I was reading the newspaper to "my" residents on Tuesday 12 of May and Elaine Magee had a recipe that I found very "appetizing" you can find lots of cool information on her site: http://recipedoctor.com/

(I hope she doesn't mind me "stealing" away her recipe!! but since it was published on the web and on the newspaper and it is for SHARING purposes ... I think it will be OK!)



Anyway... since you know me, I can never leave out a good recipe without sharring.. here you go:
(oh and another little trick, if you don't like the coffee flavor, like I don't. skip the expresso powder)


Makes about 24 cookies

2/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips–60% cacao (semisweet chocolate chips can also be used)

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

4 teaspoons instant espresso powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons less fat margarine (with 8 grams fat per tablespoon, 2 grams saturated fat or less and no trans fat per tablespoon)

1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar1 large egg, higher omega-3 if available (or 1/4 cup egg substitute)

1/2 cup powdered sugar


1. Add chocolate chips to glass bowl or microwave-safe container and heat on LOW until chocolate chips are melted (stir after the first minute and after each 30 seconds after that). Set aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile, in medium bowl combine whole wheat flour, cocoa, instant espresso, baking powder and salt with whisk or fork and set aside.

3. In large mixing bowl, cream margarine and brown sugar together until fluffy. Beat in the egg or egg substitute until combined, scraping the sides of bowl midway to incorporate all of the dough. On low speed, pour in the cooled chocolate and beat until blended. Still on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until combined (do not over mix).

4. Wrap dough in plastic and flatten dough into a disk (so it cools faster) and set in freezer for about 30 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 350-degrees and add powdered sugar to a medium bowl. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Shape dough into 1-inch balls then roll balls in the sugar two times and place on prepared baking sheets, 2-inches apart. Bake about 12 minutes, cookies will still be soft but will have spread and the powdered coating cracked. Cool cookies on wire rack.




Per 2 cookies (12 servings per recipe): 144 calories, 2 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 1.5 g monounsaturated fat, 1.5 g polyunsaturated fat, 18 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 105 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 31 percent. Omega-3 fatty acids = .2 g, Omega-6 fatty acids = 1.2 g. Weight Watchers POINTS = 3

A discovery

Yesterday I was just surfing the web with no … direction in my head. Well it actually started by me wanted to show one of my girlfriend Shaunna from “the tales of vesper” the cool stuff in Brittany (West France, not far from where my mother live). So I went in search of images that I could send her to make her “salivate” with envy and hope that I actually show up in Germany for her to come and visit the beautiful countryside that is “Bretagne”.
So I am surfing along and I came upon the pictures of Nathalie! And one of them in particular stroked me! OMG, you guys NEED to go to her site and check it out. She is AMAZING! I really like what she does to her pictures! So dear readers, guests and maybe just error in your search engine. No matter what GO and visit her Flickr account ! http://www.flickr.com/photos/nathalieribiere56/show/ !! And if you can Support the girl she is just a good artist!!
So good luck to you Nathalie and hope that most of you will like what you see!!
OH and for the rest of the story that is I think just funny! Nathalie live in Auray (same city as my mother, about 2 blocks away from her actually) and she has a son (her youngest) named "Raffaele" (ok he is 18 and my Rafael is only 6 but still... talk about weird)
So I am Planning to go and visit her when I am in France, and maybe we can... exchange photo's tips... I am sure I will learn a lot if she is willing to share! ;-)
Voila that is the story!!

8 Things

8 Things I look forward to:

#1. Moving to Heidelberg if we ever get there!!
#2. Visit my mother more often that is if we get to Heidelberg!
#3. Living under the same roof as my husband in the near future!
#4. Being able to visit lots of different countries in a few months, not YEARS!
#5. Showing my kids how rich in history Europe is!
#6. Being able to take a vacation with only my mother! (Oh yeah honey, it is coming)
#7. Being able to be present on the next family reunion that MY relative organize.
#8. Being able to get some of my “stuff” out of my mother’s house!

8 Things I did yesterday:

#1. Slept until 9:30 (ungodly time to sleep in on a Sunday morning I know)
#2. Got a special brunch at Mondo’s with my loving husband and (at the time) behaving kids
#3. Went to see a movie (kid movie), that I actually thought pretty good!
#4. Went to Super Target and bought 2 shirts on sale! I love TARGET
#5. Read a book or two (I didn’t have my “regular” book in the car with me, so I opened another one)
#6. Took a nap. So nice!!
#7. Watched a show with Damien.
#8. Told my daughter for the 100 million times to stop saying “SHUT UP!” to her brothers

8 Things I love:

#1. Taking Pictures

#2. Reading

#3. Blogging or Chatting with friend and family

#4. Scrapbook

#5. Playing on the computer (random stupid games)
#6. Crafting (Beading, Painting on wood, anything that trigger my creativity)
#7. Going out with my hubby or my girlfriends (not necessary with each other)
#8. Listen to my kids laughing when their father is doing silly things.

8 Things I wish I could do:
#1. Travel around the world with no thought about budget.
#2. Going on a “honeymoon” with my husband of almost 17 years (we never did)
#3. Draw, paint… (Like Monet or my Aunt Therese.)

#4. Play Guitar or any musical instruments for that matter.
#5. Speak Italian fluently (to do #6)
#6. Learn to cook Italian cuisine in Tuscany (or anywhere as long as it is in Italy)
#7. Make a Family Scrapbooking album with my mother

#8. Win the Lottery to order for me to do all the above! AH!!

8 Shows I watch:
#1. Supernatural

#2. Dct. House

#3. Bones

#4. Paranormal State

#5. Legend of the Seeker

#6. Ghost Hunters

#7. Fringe

#8. Seasonal show like: Amazing race, Survivors, American Idols (until the one I like, get out), You think you can Dance, Dancing with the Stars, stuff that you can zap to the next part when it is recorded!

HAPPY "bad" mother's day!!

So I was watching the “Sunday Morning” show this afternoon (I have to record it or I wouldn’t be able to watch all of it and also skip the advertisement…) ;-)
And they had a wonderful story about “bad Mothers” … Now I am a PROUD one myself, so I had to share with you the link:

http://www.truuconfessions.com/

something else that I was wanted to share with you is the following email that I got from a good friend of mine (a mother too):

MOTHERS Real Mothers don't eat quiche; They don't have time to make it.
Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils Are probably in the sandbox.
Real Mothers often have sticky floors, Filthy ovens and happy kids.
Real Mothers know that dried play dough Doesn't come out of carpets.
Real Mothers don't want to know what The vacuum just sucked up.
Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?' And get their answer when a little Voice says, 'Because I love you best.'
Real Mothers know that a child's growth Is not measured by height or years or grade.... It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother...

The Images of Mother 4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!
8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!
12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't really know quite everything.
14 YEARS OF AGE - Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either.
16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned.
18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!
25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it!
35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.
45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?
65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, Because that is the doorway to her heart, The place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, But true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she Shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

Chalk Walk

This past weekend while reading the newspaper to “my” residents, I saw an article about a “Chalk Walk” in Mt Vernon (about 30mn from our house). They had some “Artists” who came and drew on the street (A portion of Main Street was closed). So since it was a little too late to actually get the resident over there, after all we do need to plan that kind of outing in advance, I told them that I would go and take pictures and show them those pics!!

And… well you know me, I have to share with the rest of the world as well!! So here they are!!

OH!! And I FORCED Morgane to come with me (she was actually NOT wanted to come, but was happy to have seen the Art once there) I am SUCH a BAD mother after all that I have to FORCE my daughter to see ART, her who HATES it!!! Yeah yeah that’s it!! ;-)

Enjoy!! OH and if you want to see the "entire" albums here is a link!! http://picasaweb.google.com/annejambor/ChalkWalk?feat=directlink