Aunt Karina

I am headed to the West Coast of Friday to visit my nieces and nephew. I am looking forward to the weather! It has been dreary here lately. I am going by myself so I can help and spend quality time with them for a few days. I am looking forward to playing ALOT with my neices! I love being an Aunt because I get all of the fun and none of the parenting stress. I dont know what I will do with myself on a cross country flight with no diapers to change or noses to wipe. I am so excited!

worst day

I had such a bad day last week. I got 2 speeding tickets in 10 minutes on my way to go pick up my daughter from NJ. She had her first extended sleepover away from us. She came back a bit of a mess having consumed nothing but sugar and not sleeping for 4 days! Then things at work got messy and stressfull. I am not good at compartmentalizing my life and stress from work easily spills over to home. The baby is getting molars and wont stop crying, which really doesn't help on the 4 hour drive to NJ. When the 2nd police office pulled me over, I just lost it and started sobbing. I think he thought I was crazy. He may have breifly considered aresting me for "insanity". The stress of the impending move is also starting to weigh heavily on me. I even called hubby to come home early from work.
At the end of the day I realized that it was the worst day I have had in a VERY long time. I am grateful for this day because it is an opportunity to remind me how good my life really is. If one bad day is all I can remember, then I would say I have it pretty good.
2 speeding tickets - $320
Gas to drive to NJ- $35
Comfort Food- $10
Long Distance hysterical phone call to Friends - $3.20
Remembering how good my life is - priceless

Inauguration

So we took a big risk and decided that we should take all 3 kids to the Inauguration. We knew that there was a chance that this would backfire and be a disaster but we thought it was worth the risk. We stayed at my dad's house in Dupont Circle and walked down to the National Mall before the sunrise. It was cold but we were well prepared. Snacks, long underwear and stickers were our defense from the cold, hunger and boredom. Then we discovered that the American History Museum was open and we ducked in to warm up and use the bathrooms. When we reemerged the sun was shining and the ceremony was begining. It was a great day and the kids did so well. Greg and I were absoluteley exhausted by the end of the 2.5 mile hike back to the car. It was a day I will never forget and I am glad that we took the chance.

Newest Starace

Welcome Roman Jeremiah Starace! The newest California Starace has arrived and he is so cute. I am a lucky Aunt. Marco is thrilled he has another boy cousin to play with.

new favorite movie!

So we have been netflixing (I made up a new verb) lots of movies lately and with hubby trying to brush up on all things Africa we put Out of Africa on the list. It was the best movie. The acting was better than anything I have seen made by hollywood in the last 20 years. The story was not filled with needless sex and violence or CGI effects. It was just a good story with good actors told in the most beautiful place in the world, Kenya. I feel silly that I am almost 30 and have never seen this classic. Don't get me wrong, it's not a movie that the guys are going to sit around watching during poker night but my hubby liked it and it was a good couples movie. It is long so be prepared for a long night and have a box of tissues at hand. You will never look at Meryl Streep and Robert Redford the same way again!

Speidinis

new years is not a bog deal in our family. We never go out. But yesterday I was feeling sad that I didn't have a meaningfull family tradition to pass down to the kids. So I decided to make Speidinis. The recipe comes from hubby's grandma where is was passed down from Italy. They are little meat, cheese and stuffing rolls. They are so good!! They are alot of work to make so his grandma only makes them on New years day and people fight over them, they are so good. We made them on new years eve and I made a vegetarian version with zuccinni for my 4 year old who has decided that she is a vegetarian. All the christmas decorations are down and I am looking forward to the new year and being able to focus on the move to California. I know the summer will be here before I know it!

Santa, baby

Marco is scheaming to figure out if Santa is real or not. This is his imaginative game plan:

Dear Santa,

I have been good and bad. I would like $500 and a pocket knife.Please. I will be better next year.