Goals for 2013

I have 3 of them.... as they all come about, you'll know what they each are. 

The one I will share is this... I want to go back and I'm ready to go back. So I picked this up to get an itinerary together... I plan and what will be nice about this trip is I know what to expect. 

Time to upload Rosetta Stone to my Mac and imparare l'italiano!

Arrivederci per ora 

(Good-bye for now)

Christmas Tree

Tree is up as well. I had the tree up with just the lights for about 2 weeks. I finally decided I should add the decorations. I kind of thought just having the lights was good enough until I did this... and I loved it that much more!

One of my favorite decorations, an angel I picked up in Venice... made with Murano glass. I love this angel! 

Another one of my favorite ornaments. Dove that I got in Alaska, 2008, at the North Pole... Santa's House. 

Merry Christmas, 2012

Marinara recipe

So this is not my grandma's recipe, my typical sauce that I make. However, it's pretty simple and not bad. I would definitely make this prior to picking up a jar in the grocery store. 

1/2 yellow onion
2 carrots
2 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (I use Fresh and Easy's diced tomatoes in herb Italian, something like that... very good though)
2 tbs of olive oil
Hand full of basil
Salt and pepper

Sauté onion and carrots In olive oil until tender. Add two cans of of tomatoes with salt and pepper to taste and simmer until reduced (takes about 1.5 hours on low). Chop up basil and add to pot while simmering. Once sauce looks done, use hand blender for creamy texture. Add with pasta and enjoy :)

Tonight I added ground hamburger meat and poured it over Tortellini. 

Christmas lights/decorations

Christmas lights and decorations are out. My lights are a little ghetto because my ladder is not tall enough to reach the peak. At night you cannot tell and the trees cover this part up so it's not too bad. Cracks me up though! Oh well, at least I got lights up! My amazing neighbor and her little boy helped. She actually put the lights up on my house. Her little boy helped with the rest by keeping me company while I set up the decorations.