Annie and I--How proud I am of this brilliant girl! She is silly, hilarious, humble, sharp as a tack, willing to work hard, obedient, and might I say, gorgeous?!
Green-bean casserole from scratch. The mushroom cream sauce and even the fried onions (shallots actually), all made with love by hand! That would have made my grandmothers cry tears of joy! By the way, look at that kitchen! One day I will laugh!
A moment of heaven on earth--our sacred meal together as we are in vigil for the birth of Christ.
Mary initiated a family photo--I did not even have to ask! Now THAT'S LOVE!
Leigh's birthday present: special pigments from Venice to make her own paints. Fitting for such an inspired artist. How I loved walking through Venice with her this fall!
Happy birthday, Leigh!
Gown for New Year's Eve
Leigh is one of my very favorite people to be with. We laugh all the time. I often think that the move to Italy was worth it even just to spend so much time with Leigh. As a fourth child, let's just say that does not always happen. Our relationship is forever deepened because of our long commutes into Rome. I simply love living life with Leigh! She is incredibly smart, learning 3 languages, so steady and stable and has excellent perspective on tricky life topics. I have utmost confidence that she will be a very happy, joyful person all her life!
Mary, my Love! I cannot thank her enough for the album she gave me this Christmas. She had each of my children write letters of appreciation to me. I sobbed when I read them. They were so heart-felt, so to the point, so articulate. It's as though this is a rare time in our family's life when our kids can look back and reflect, and size things up; Mary knew that and captured it. The album was, by far, the best gift I've ever received, a thank you for the past 21 years of motherhood and a thank you that most mothers would cherish and probably never really get. The messages were just so sincere and heart-piercing. And the photos! The kids went through their own databases and found fantastic shots that I'd never seen before! Loved it.
I know it doesn't look like much. But believe me. It is a game-changer. Pear and almond braided pastry--my first time. I made the dough 2 days in advance and let it rise and do the yeast thing it likes to do sitting in the fridge for a few days. I ground almonds by hand with a mallet, and made a pear compote with Italian pears (which are the most flavorful in the world). I awoke early and spent 2 hours making and braiding this little delicious delight. For the Christ Child! The Savior has come! Rejoice!
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