Downton Abbey Dinners 1-3

I heard fighting over what to watch on TV is 2nd on a list of 10 things couples fight about.

I am happy to say: not so for us! The fact that we no longer have a working TV helps. Neither of can flip channels instead of going to bed. I no longer get sucked into The Mentalist, Law & Order or Criminal Minds. Though I do really miss the Mentalist I guess not enough to watch him on my own while Walter is at work.  We have our short list of shows that we enjoy together and are always on the look out for a new series. Only once did I just say no I can't stomach it: Reno 911. I just can't do it!

We love Netflix, Hulu and the fact that networks put full episodes on their websites. We love 30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother, Rules of Engagement, Foyle's War and Downton Abbey.

When Downton Abbey season 2 ended it seemed like a 1000 years before January 2013 would bring us season 3 but in the mean time we watch Mad Men seasons 1-4.

So here we are enjoying Downton Abbey on Monday nights instead of Sunday like the rest of the nation because we have to wait for the show to be posted online. In honor of Downton Abbey Night, I have been trying to put together a special dinner to give me a reason to pull out the china and just to bring a little civility to potty training, time outs, and motor grease.

Season Premier: Discounted ground lamb. Recipe inspired by an Easter dinner. Lamb cakes in a garlic, rosemary, and red wine reduction, baked potato, broccoli with a cherry tomato garnish. Very yummy.

Episode 2: I actually used the Crawley Family Chicken Breasts with Caper Cream Sauce Recipe with rice pilaf and brussel sprouts in lemon pepper . Hubby said, "Best sauce ever!" I did modify it.

Episode 2 Dessert:  Sour Cherry Almond Cake. Delectable.

Episode 3 went a little like this. We had all been sick. The laundry pile was swallowing me up so we went to my parents on Monday and did laundry for 2 days. Consequently, Downton Abbey night was moved to Tuesday. We had Arby's Classic Roast Beef sandwiches and curly fries. I thought about serving it on the china and taking a picture but we were so hungry and anxious to get the kids to bed and the show started, we just woofed them down.

Not sure what Episode 4's dinner will consist of. Do you think Mrs. Patimore served spaghetti and meatballs? Because I got a huge pot of that on the stove.

Baby's Breath

Some of our best memories can be captured in a photo. Some of our best memories are a photo. However, the senses must savor -and remember- what a camera can't capture. Those priceless movements, sensations and fragrances that can only impact the brain and cause regret if we don't make an effort to recall each detail.

My newest obsession to preserve is the smell of my baby's breath. I don't think I ever noticed it with Walter. Though I did note he didn't have morning breath until he was about 2 years old. I can't seem to get enough of Rosie's sweet breath. Rose's cousins have sweet breath too, so I have heard from their mommies. They are who made me take notice. One thought it was the sweetness of mother's milk. Maybe its the lack of teeth. Whatever it is my baby has the sweetest breath and I can't get enough. I wish I could bottle it in a pretty jar. Instead, I revel in her squeals of delight that let out that sweet fragrance. I now understand why the flower "Baby's Breath" got its name. It is a delicate sweet with a little spice. Just like my Rosie and her baby's breath.

4:42 am the time Rosie was born. Dad greeted her with a rose for a Rose along with some Baby's Breath.

Stillness

My great Aunt passed away last week and I attended her funeral and missed my grandpop all over again.

During the service, Fr. Dave used the term "stillness" to describe my aunt's body. The stillness is so different from the life she led. She was smart, stylish, patriotic and beautiful. Her smile brightened a room. She helped her fellowman. Now her body is still, which is so far removed from who she was.

A couple years ago, she told me about a letter she received from a 95 year old cousin in Italy, whose final line translated "until we meet again in Paradise."

I was comforted by the reunions that took place when my aunt passed peacefully into the awaiting arms of Jesus. No doubt she met up with her noble and hardworking parents, my grandpop her loving brother, her husband and many others who went before her - including the cousin in Italy. When you pass away at 88 you have buried a lot of good friends and family. All the more to welcome you home though.

"Until we meet again in Paradise," and so she has, though her body is forever still on earth this devoted Catholic woman is now enjoying the reward of a life well lived. I am pretty confident that her feet are anything but still as she strides over to her loved ones in her pump shoes and greets those who have been waiting for her in Paradise - where things are probably anything but "still".

A Rosy Christmas on Pinterest

It was a rosy Christmas thanks to Pinterest where I found or pinned a tutorial for making felt flowers. I made felt ornaments and wreaths. I was a felt flower making fool. I even burned my finger on the glue gun. It was fun -not the burn part- the festive flowers in honor of my little Rose.

I am crazy about the way this wreath turned out. My husband even admired it.  I think I will keep it up in the kitchen for the rest of the winter. So I saw a pin on Pinterest with 4-5 different wreaths on a big double window and that was the what I was going for in the picture below. I wasn't entirely happy with the over all effect. The wreaths look like they are floating instead of hanging but using ribbon to hang the wreaths didn't look right either. So maybe next year I will devise something else. The yarn ball wreath which was inspired by a pin didn't garner much enthusiasm as it was given the name the "Meatball wreath". The other 2 wreaths were simple I put beaded garland on one and the other has a yo-yo garland I made a couple years

 ago wrapped around it.



New Years Resolutions

My New Years Resolutions... not only am I on top of this but I am even working on the blog post in 2012.

Resolution #1: Reduce my butter intake. For most of my life I have been addicted to pancakes. I have had to fry them in butter because they stick to my old pan and plus that makes them more delicious. I got a new griddle for Christmas that doesn't require butter. So the resolution is happening by default but I could use a little help keeping a resolution!

Resolution #2 Clean up pancake mix drips after they happen rather than at dinner time when it is caked on to the counter.

Crystal Paine of Moneysavingmom.com had a fresh idea on resolutions and yearly goals so I am stealing her idea and going to focus on one word to help me make 2013 and my resolutions be a little more productive and practicable and make me a little less sluggish and behind the 8 ball.

Consistency

I didn't have to think at all on this one word goal for the year. Its already been rattling around in my life for quite some time now. Consistency is the only way I can get my son potty trained done. (Consistency with setting a timer is helping to make it happen.) Consistency is the only way I can remember to drink water, take my vitamins, lose the saddlebags and the baby fat. Consistency will help me plan meals and take stuff out of the freezer before 1:20pm in the afternoon for preparation at couple hours later.

Consistency is the only way I will pray - consistently - for stuff like consistency and wisdom for parenting issues. Because I need help with things like how to get my boy to eat fruit and veggies.

Maybe then I won't be spending so much in diapers, my back won't hurt and I can try on a dress and not feel like a frump. Otherwise I guess I am going to have to invest in a full lenght mirror to guilt me into action or go to Kohls and try on dresses to give me a boost of consistency.


So that's what my goal is to be more consistent in all the things I don't do consistently but have to, want to and should do.