Today, our family spent most of the day watching several specials on TV showing the 9/11 footage. We had the kids watch some of it with us.

It amazed me that even though its been 10 years, watching it again had a very profound effect on me.  There were times that I cried like I was seeing it for the first time. It felt like it was happening all over again.

It seemed to affect Kid1 pretty profoundly as well.  She watched a bunch of it with us and had some interesting comments.

After awhile, we decided to stop watching and get out and about. While in the car, we were talking with the kids about 9/11 and all the things that happened that day. Kid1 had a question about why her school (and more specfically and her teachers) didn’t talk about it on Friday.

She was right , why weren’t they talking about it ?

I can understand the younger grades .. not going into a lot of detail because the children  wouldn’t be able to truly understand but we are talking about 8th graders. Is it because it is a “civilian” school? Maybe the other kids don’t realieze what it all means.. so they aren’t asking the questions themselves?

Could it simply be that Kid1 and Kid2 (due to their previous “military brat” status ) have a heightened sense of awareness of what September 11th  means and the sacrifices that were made.

Many times when we were an active duty family, I wondered how that lifestyle would affect my children.

Apparently, I had nothing to worry about.

Image courtesy of Bravo Tango Tees

The closer it gets to 9/11 , the more I keep thinking about the days prior to it and of course that day. Of course, there are so many documentaries, tv specials, blog posts, Facebook updates about it… how can we not?

Our lives have changed so much because of it.

Pre- 9/11:
- Kiersten was 3 and I was very pregnant with Becca
- we had NO pets at the time
- we lived in a tiny 2- bedroom apartment in MN with only 1 car
- there was no twitter  and barely any social media sites
- Hubby was still working at the bakery in White Bear Lake, MN
- There was no terror threat, flying was super easy
- life seemed a lot simpler

WOW. How things have changed.

The events of 9/11 not only changed the way we did things , it also changed the way we thought about things.

We were no longer living in this Utopian world view where terror acts only took place in Middle Eastern countries we barely could pronounce the name of it.  We no longer thought NO ONE would ever dare of doing something like that on American soil.

Yet , someone (or a group of them) did . The group of cowards attacked us on American soil using commercial planes.  As the first plane hit the first tower, our world changed forever.

I know most of us  have the details of that day burned into our memories of what we were doing, how we felt  and what we did. We all seemed to know someone that was directly affected by 9/11 , if not ourselves.

Eventually 9/11 will be  just another date on the calendar, similar to Dec 8th and Pearl Harbor. I know there will be lots of archives with newspaper articles, videos, film segments  that will tell the story for future generations .

As our generation gets older, there will be less and less people who actually remember that day. I hope that we will  never forget the sacrifices that were made that day , the stories of bravery and courage and how as a nation we came together as one .

I hope that we will always Remember September .

 иконопис

I saw a blog post a my friend Danielle wrote about kids going back to school and it got me thinking about why I was am giddy this time of year as my children get prepared to go back to school.

I love when my kids are in school and doing their thing so I can do mine. I love the fact that my kids are going back to school because I need some time away from them.

I’m not saying I don’t love my children… for I do very much.

I’m not the perfect mother and I will never claim to be.

However, I know what my limits are and what my kids need. They need me to be a good mom and if that takes  some time away from one another, then so be it.

Was I sad when my kids had their “first” school milestones ? You bet. It forces us to acknowledge that our babies are getting older and are no longer “babies” .

Our oldest daughter started 8th grade today. It’s hard to believe my 5lbs 13 oz baby who was born a month early will be starting high school next year.  She’s starting to go out with her friends, talking to boys and will be attending her very first concert in two weeks.

I mean seriously — where did the time go?

Even with all of that , I still cherish this time of the year. I still cherish my children going back to school and our “normal school routine returning.

So what about you ? Are you pro-back to school or anti -back to school ??  Leave a comment below on where you stand….

 

 

 

well for my kids. I still loathe going to the the dentist myself.

Today I took the kids to their new dentist, Dr. Todd.  The receptionist set their appointment for the SAME time which is something I normally never do (especially since the day from hell back in January 2005 when I tried it ). Sometimes taking my special needs daughter to ANY doctor can be a bit traumatic – for her and I!

I initially thought to myself … this is going to be bad but ok I’m willing to give it a try.

Today’s visit to the dentist couldn’t have gone any better . It was perfect .. almost BLISSFUL.

Both kids are doing great , no fillings on the horizon and we are looking at braces for the Teen.  The best part was that both girls did great and there was no drama .

This particular dentist office just simply rocks .. everyone is so very nice, the dentist joked around with the girls, and of course there is the “Finding Nemo ” fish in the fish tank in the reception area. They really went out of their way to make the experience truly enjoyable.

I loved my dentist , Dr Cabibi growing up as a kid. He was such a warm  and caring man. However, they treated the kids just like the adults. Everything so very sterile. I didn’t enjoy it then and I still don’t. (Thank God for my iPhone, ear-buds and iTunes )

This is not the case today ! They had TV’s overhead so the kids could watch PBS, Disney or Nick while getting their teeth cleaned/worked on.  They even had headsets for those kids that hated the sound of the dental drills.

So way to go Dr Todd  and your staff — you scored MAJOR points with my kids and this mom today!

Hey guys!  The Love Drop team is at it again! Last month they gave over $9,200 worth of cash, goods and services to their recipient, the Stalnaker family, who had been going through a financially hard time due to the effects of the BP oil spill on the Louisiana economy. The family was in need of a car and the Love Drop team was able to surprise them with one, making it one of the most exciting Love Drops ever.  You can watch how it all went down here.

This month they rally behind the Aubins – a Michigan mother and her three children who  are mourning the death of Keith, husband and father, after his lengthy battle with multiple health problems.  Our goal is to raise at least $3,600 to pay the family’s rent for three months, which will allow them to focus on what they need to during this time, without fear of losing their home. Additionally, since Keith was an organ donor, he leaves a powerful legacy and the Love Drop team hopes to raise awareness of organ donation this month to honor Keith’s memory. Help us make this month special for the Aubins!

Want to help?  Here are three ways you can participate:

Give $25 towards rent <– Click this link to contribute $25 towards their rent for the next three months – it will relieve so much stress for them.

Give a gift or service – Gift cards are always helpful. Places like Target, Wal-mart, restaurants, etc would definitely help them out. Services too – especially those you can offer yourselves, or from your company.

Organ donation - We’re giving the Aubin’s the gift of knowing that the people on our team are organ donors. If you are one now, or pledge to be soon, please tell us so, and we’ll relay the total number as a gift at the Drop.
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Also – I’m proud to announce that  Bravo Tango Tees are working with Nate and Jay  from Team Love Drop to design a new tee for them! We are so very excited about this upcoming project !

Thanks everyone! We’ll let you know how it goes!

YEA! It’s JUNE and I can finally talk about it! It’s time to announce the project I’ve been hinting at for weeks.

My friend (and now business partner) Becky and I have started a t-shirt company called Bravo Tango. The website grand opening will be June 13th.. I hope that you’ll join us! Make sure to like the Facebook page and join our mailing list for updates!

This project is very special and dear to my heart. No, its not because we’ve worked so hard on it (that’s true though) but that its for one of my favorite group of people, the military community!

Big thanks to Becky for bringing me along for the ride! Also thanks to Dan and Chance (Becky’s hubby) for being so supportive of our ideas!

 икони

Memorial Day is on Monday and I keep seeing things in the media about Memorial Day and thanking the troops. Many people seem to think that Memorial Day and Veterans day to be the same thing.   It is most certainly NOT the same thing. One holiday remembers our war dead and the other for their service.

For most Americans, on Monday, they  will break out the barbeque grills, beer, chocolate cake, etc., and gather with family and friends to celebrate the holiday weekend.

Memorial Day is so much more than that… Just ask any Gold Star Family Member!  It is a day to pause with solemn gratitude and deep respect for all our fallen service members, POWs, and MIAs who have given their lives for our country and our freedom.

Memorial Day originated in 1868, when Union General John A. Logan designated a day in which the graves of Civil War soldiers would be decorated. Originally known as Decoration Day, the holiday was changed to Memorial Day in 1888, becoming a holiday dedicated to the memory of all war dead.

So this Memorial Day while you’re celebrating ,  let’s take some time to remember those that gave all.

Dressed Up Bacon Mac & Cheese

Lately I’ve been getting back to my Italian roots and cooking like they did back in the “Old Country. “  Yesterday, when I searching for a recipe to post, I came across this one and it had my mouth-watering just reading about it. Seafood , lots of garlic AND pasta — what more could you ask for ?
Buon Appetito!

Yes — I realize today is Wednesday. With our absolute crazy schedules and kid-related activities , I completely forgot to post about Recipe Tuesday yesterday.  My apologies

Dressed Up Bacon Mac & Cheese

April and May have always been notoriously busy for our family. With Spring Break, holidays, birthdays and just regular “life” , these two months always manage to fly by. Being so busy certainly makes it a challenge to come up with dinners that don’t take a lot of time and preparation from the Chef. (usually that is me but sometimes my husband or the kids )

So this week , I thought why not share a recipe that is quick, easy , definitely comfort food and delicious!

It’s got BACON — who doesn’t like BACON?

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter, for greasing
• 8 ounces macaroni
• 2 1/2 cups cold milk
• 4 ounces provolone cheese, coarsely grated
• 4 ounces aged Asiago cheese, coarsely grated
• 2 large eggs
• 2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
• 3 slices white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces
• 3 strips bacon (or more if you like a LOT of Bacon like me )
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1-2 clove garlic, minced or grated
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart shallow casserole dish. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the macaroni until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain; transfer the pasta to the prepared casserole dish along with 1/4 cup of the cold milk. (This will cool the pasta and prevent it from becoming gummy.)

Meanwhile, mix the cheeses together in a small bowl. Beat the eggs with 1/4 cup of the milk in a medium bowl. Add the scallions, bread and half of the cheese to the egg mixture; set aside.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp; transfer to paper towels to drain. Discard all but 2 tablespoons drippings from the pan. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until just brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the flour, cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon salt; cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add the remaining 1 3/4 cups milk and 3/4 cup water to the skillet. Bring to a boil, whisking until thick. Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk to cool slightly. Whisk in the remaining cheese. Add the sauce to the macaroni; stir to combine.

Crumble up the bacon and add it to the egg/bread mixture. Spread evenly over the pasta. Place the casserole dish on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven; let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe courtesy of Food Network.com