Pasta Palooza and the Random Dozen

Last week I was cutting carbs out of my diet, but this week I am chowing down on them like they are going out of style!  Last night, hubby and I were out to dinner with two of his clients at this lovely restaurant on a lagoon not far from the SF Bay.  I enjoyed a delicious Penne Carbonara pasta with a wonderful creamy sauce and bits of bacon and chicken.  Y.U.M.!!

Today, I met up with my online friend, Arlene, and we enjoyed a scrumptious lunch at a quaint little Italian restaurant in downtown Burlingame.  This time, I enjoyed a chicken and ricotta cannelloni and caesar salad.  Again... Y.U.M.!

This afternoon, while back in the hotel trying to warm up from the unseasonably chilly weather outside, I received an email from hubby.  Guess where the clients are taking us tonight for dinner?  If you guessed an Italian restaurant... you'd be right on!  Hmmm... what will I have this time?  Good thing Italian is my favorite type of food!  This carbo queen is in heaven (although if we don't slow down on the pasta I may be buying myself a new pair of stretchy pants to wear home next week!)  Reservations are at 7pm so while my friends at home are preparing for bed... we'll be wining and dining with hubby's delightful clients over delectable dishes from "the old country" (aka Italy... not that I personally am Italian!)

By the time I awake (probably still full from today's nourishment) I should be a great-aunt again... three times over.  Yep.  Tomorrow morning at 8am EST Krissy will be in her scheduled C-section, giving birth to Baby A, B and C who will soon have names other than Baby A, Baby B and Baby C!  I'll let you know as soon as I know anything!!  Please pray for the safety of Krissy (her heart) and the babes!...Oh and for Paul too... as reality hits that he is now provider of a family of 5!  (Take a deep breath Paul!  God'll get you through! hee hee)

And to end this Wednesday post... it's time again for Random Dozen, thanks to Linda over at 2nd cup of Coffee!






1. Which physical trait do you now accept--maybe not love, but accept--and no longer feel extremely self-conscious about?  I think my answer here would be my weight... sort of.  I no longer expect to look like I did when I got married, although I don't "love" my "curves", I don't obsess about being skinny anymore.

2. This week Meredith Baxter Birney, best known as the mom on the favorite 80s sitcom "Family Ties" came out of the closet, which led me to formulate this question: Who do you think is/was the best TV mom?  Roseanne ... ha ha... just kidding! I would think Carol Brady.  She was "hip" but yet demanded respect from her kids.  She was fair and would listen to them, but also was "submissive" to her husband's final word.

3. Do you speak any foreign languages? Are there any you'd like to learn?  None... not even pig latin.  Any I'd like to learn?  Not really, although knowing French would be helpful as it's Canada's 2nd language.

4. Who is your personal hero?  Probably my Mom.  She taught me what it means to be beautiful on the inside, even when the outside has suffered what the world would consider not beautiful... and rejoicing in the Lord, despite the circumstances. 

5. What is one holiday food that you find extremely difficult to resist over- indulging in?  Christmas cookies... chocolate... stuffing... was I supposed to only pick one?  Oops... over-indulged even on my answers!

6. Tell me about a Christmas decoration that has special meaning or sentimental value.  The one ornament that had... yes I said HAD... the most special meaning and sentimental value was a little snow globe ornament, with a tiny nutcracker inside.  Hubby had given it to me our first Christmas just after our first date.  I treasured that ornament and loved putting it out on the tree each year.  One year we'd gone out for the evening and came home to find our "real" tree toppled over ... water spilled everywhere and ornaments laying on the ground by the tree.  The ONE ornament that broke in the fall... the little snow globe.  You never saw two adults bawl their eyes out so hard over a tree ornament.  You seriously would have thought someone had died the way we went on holding each other and crying.  We have looked every year to see if we could find another ornament like it but still, years and years later still have yet to find another one.  (sniff sniff) 

7. How do you feel about snow?  Being from Canada one would expect me to say I LOVE snow... but can I be honest?  I LOVE snow on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and then it could go until the next Christmas!

8. On average, how many hours of sleep do you get each night? Not that I'm jealous of any number over three or anything. It ranges between 6-8 hours I think... depending on if I have to work, if I'm doing something that makes me stay up too late... if my body aches in the morning and I need to get out of bed because I can't stand to lay there anymore.

9. Tell me about your first crush.  Alan Marr... my neighbor... probably in Kindergarten or Gr 1.  My first "celebrity" crush... Andy Gibb.

10. You're stuck in a room for 2 hours with only a chalkboard and chalk. What will you write/draw?  Do I have to do anything with it?  If I have to... I would probably doodle and draw smiley faces or something.

11. Do you dress for the current temp or for the day's forecast?  I generally will dress in layers that work for both current temp and forecast temps.

12. Favorite Christmas movie is?  Picking one favorite Christmas cookie is like picking a favorite child or nibling (niece/nephew)... you can't pick just one!  My top 5 are:  A Christmas Carol (Alastair Sim version only), White Christmas, The Santa Clause trilogy, Miracle on 34th St 1994 remake, Elf 

So there you have it.  This week's Random Dozen.  Your turn now...