Snow days

So far we have already had a few snow days this december. Although I'm not a fan of cold weather activities, it was really fun playing in the snow with the kids last week. Evalie was nervous but excited and after the first trip down our hill on the boogie board she was hooked. Arielle on the other hand is really starting to look like a pro on the board, she's not scared at all. 

Trust..

The 'Itulum tree', Garba Compound, Langtang

Seriously missing my father these days. Since moving to this country I have gained much but have lost so much as well. Under this tree for many years, many days, many hours, I have learnt many lessons from how to behave as a child to anticipating the challenges of becoming an adult. we shared many laughs, meals and stories. I did not realize the importance at the time but now, as I yearn for that safety, the love and the trust bestowed up me by my father I wonder if I had listened carefully and if I had truly understood his words, that things would be different. Instead I have put myself amongst and within the surroundings of strangers, allowing them to undermine and take advantage of my weaknesses. I have exposed myself to people who know nothing of me but feel they deserve respect and have the right to an opinion of me. I do believe that one can only make an impression once and any further interaction is based on that one moment. You cannot present yourself uncouthly to me and expect to be treated with refinement. You will never be so. You will always be the same, it is unfortunate. 

I must continue to remind myself where I've come from, how I was brought up and who I am and not let the hatred, jealousy or boorish manners of others invade my existence. I will remain strong to protect children. I will one day return for that peace.

Storm King In the Fall

Dinner tonight...

As the cool weather sets in and the summer warmth leaves the air, I tried to savor the last drops of summer by making a fresh heirloom tomato, basil and garlic sauce with whole wheat pasta. Now, this is a big deal for me because I don't like tomatoes at all but theres something special that happens when you combine fresh ingredients and let them steep in olive oil for a few hours. The heirlooms give off the flavor and infuse the oil with a burst of sweetness. The basil gives a bit of flavor and the garlic gives it a  little bit of complexity. Once tomatoes have been marinating for a while, just boil the pasta until al dente ( 7-10 minutes, a bit longer for whole wheat pasta) then drain leaving a little bit of pasta water and immediately combine with the tomatoes. The warmth from the pasta marries the flavors together and you get a great summer evening dish that will please all ( including my little picky eaters), I look forward to making this again net summer!

If you like, you can add shrimp or eat the steamed shrimp on the side. 

A Tea Party Birthday

A few weeks ago, my little girl turned 5 and although it was a party at our home, it was actually quite nice. She wanted a tea party and so I obliged and transformed our living room into a parlor and we even had a visit from Belle the princess. The girls came dressed in their loveliest frocks and boys in their button downs and khaki's. We served tea, scone, pizzelles, muffins and mini cinnamon buns. It was a crisp October day in New York which luckily gave us the opportunity to spill out into the backyard since we ended up having more people than I expected. Everyone had a great time and my close friends and sisters stayed until pretty late chatting, laughing until the kids were thoroughly exhausted then we cleaned up and everyone left. I was so nervous that we'd have broken tea sets everywhere but the kids were very careful with pouring their tea and drinking from the tea sets, in fact the only thing that was broken was by me. It was a beautiful day for the most part.

Early that morning while I was frosting the cupcakes, Evalie snuck to take her seat at the table and began eating the snacks. It was cute to see her sitting quietly helping herself to a pizzelle I had to take a picture.