CHRISTMAS EVE PICTURES

MILLIE IN HER CHRISTMAS DRESS, HOW PRETTY!

PENNY AND MILLIE BY THE TREE


NANA NOEY & MILLIE




MY TWO MOMS


THOMAS BEING SILLY?



KEVIN HANGING OUT WITH SOME WINE


TIME FOR SOME APPS!



KEVIN CRACKIN' OPEN THE SALT CRUSTED RED SNAPPER



MILLIE LOVES TO EAT!!


DESSERT AND THEN SOME


TIME FOR PJ'S OR SANTA WON'T COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY



BABA & DREW

MERRY CHRISTMAS...A LITTLE LATE

We had another fantastic Christmas as I hope you all did. It started Christmas Eve at Jen and Kevin's house. We had the traditional Italian seven fish dishes and then some. It started off with fried Calamari, sauteed mussels with fennel and spicy crab dip plus other assorted appetizers. Then we moved on to the main course which consisted of Kevin's salt crusted whole red snapper, fettuccine with scallops & shrimp in bechamel sauce, linguine fra diavlo with lobster, baccala, stuffed Italian peppers and broccoli rabe. I think I may have missed something? What a feast, Nonna would have been proud. It's funny how it takes about three of us to make one meal that only took one of her. I don't know how she did it but I'm glad she did.

But wait...there's more!
For dessert Jen ordered a Buche De Noel all the way from Italia, it was delicious, along with some Christmas cookies and we finally called it a night.

Then we started it all over again the next day!

I will post pictures later as well as continue the Christmas story.

MORE SANTA BABIES...

Violet, Aida, Drew & Duncan!

SANTA BABY

Poor Millie Jean, I don't think she enjoyed her visit with Santa very much. WOW,she doesn't even get that mad when you take food away from her!

Ladies Lunch

It's been a long time over due but I finally had all the girls over for lunch. We use to get together more often but we've been slacking off. Now, a few years and many more kids later the crew came over for some fun. I want to thank them all for coming and all the lovely gifts, mostly wine which is great since my uncle's get very concerned when my wine rack is empty.

Eileen came over Friday night to help me get ready. Now some of you may be thinking she must have been really unprepared if Eileen was her idea of help. She was the best sous chef I ever had. I made her sift flour and powdered sugar which might have been a first for her. She also helped me clean up which was great since I was feeling a little under the weather.

The usual suspects came and we had a great time.
Eileen
Lauren & Kayleigh
Jen & Emma
Tat & Sofia
Kim and her belly
Sue, Sean, Ava & Carine

Sofia, what a ham!

The twins

Glass of wine anybody? Thank you bartender Sean

Tat & Sofia

Sue & Sean

Krack & Kayleigh admiring the spread

Kayleigh & Emma

Kayleigh

MY TREE

My Christmas tree

Happy Christmas everybody!

BACK FORTY

On Wednesday the family and I ventured downtown to Back Forty for dinner. A back forty in lower Manhattan you ask? How is this possible? Back Forty is a restaurant that recently opened down on Ave B and 12Th St, our old stomping grounds back from when we were punk rock teens. My friend Shanna, from my Savoy days, is the chef there. A lot has changed in the neighborhood in the past 20 years and for the better, much better!

We got there early at Shanna's request so she could at least say hi before she got too busy. They sat us right by the front window at a large farm table that sits 12 even though we were only a party of 6. We ordered a couple bottles of wine while we waited for the Kerr's before we ordered any food. Who are we kidding, we ordered some of the Red Maine Shrimp & Bacon Beignets, yummy!

Once the Kerr's showed up the food just kept coming. We had the chicken livers, the tempura squash and more beignets. We had the Beluga lentil salad, shaved fennel with pumpkin, cranberry bean salad, roasted oyster mushrooms and the cauliflower gratin. Then we ordered dinner...bacon cheese burgers, blue crab rolls, a half of a rotisserie chicken and fries, fries, fries...the best fries ever!

After dinner we got the check...got ya again! Leave before dessert? What are ya crazy? Of course we had to try the house made doughnuts and some apple pie a la mode. Shanna mentioned that their check average was around $30 a person, needless to say we raised it a little that night.

By the time we were ready to roll out the door the place was pretty jumping. We like to think it was because we were bringing them in by sitting in front. Everyone must have walked by and said "Wow, those extremely attractive people look like they are having a great time. Maybe we should try this place out?". Everyone just wants to be like us I guess. I'm pretty sure it had nothing to do with the write up in the New York Times that day or the great food and atmosphere.

Overall, we will return Back Forty!

Thanks Shanna!

http://www.backfortynyc.com/

KNITTIN' FOOL

I had a very busy weekend as you can see...okay well not really busy but I did make this blanket! I'm a knitting fool! After making many scarves and ponchos for everyone else I finally made something for myself.

Happy Turkey Day!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving because we sure did. Many thanks to Jen and Kevin for hosting a fantastic day. Not only was the whole family there, except Thomas & Lynn, but the Lee's and Grandma Nancy too! That's 12 adults and 6 kids under 5. I want to especially point out to you all that not only was the day great but the turkey was fantastic and it was cooked by a vegetarian. Nice going Kevin! Thank you Cavanaugh's for another great holiday

Gotta Love Karen

Look what Karen got me...a nesting Elvis!! Isn't she the best mom around? One of my favorite road trips was the one MJ, Jen, Karen and I took about 15 years ago to Graceland. We drove down in MJ's mocha colored Lincoln Continental with black leather interior. It was after Christmas so we all wore our festive black leather coats and boots. We fit right in down south, well so we thought.

We reached the mecca we call Graceland wide eyed and bushy tailed very excited to see Elvis. It was all we hoped for and more. What class, what style...huh? Well, you know, maybe not so much.

We also stopped by Sun Records for a tour. Only in America can you go to Memphis for a tour at an iconic record studio and attend a tour given by a Polish immigrant. He did a fabulous job once you got past his accent. The stories of all the greats that recorded there, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis. The best part would be after he would play one of the recordings that were made in the studio. The Polish tour guide would give an explanation and finish it off with a very dramatic "that was recorded right here-long pause- in this room". Now for those of you that haven't been to Sun Records let me fill you in on a little secret. It's only one room! Where else would they record it? In the closet? Gotta love America!

Then we were off to Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry. We met up with David and Jeannine at the Grand Ole Opry hotel which is slightly smaller than Rhode Island for New Year's Eve. JK left us though to go on tour with the Mavericks and Trisha Yearwood for a New Years show in Michigan or somewhere. Boring! We had plenty of fun with out her though. One morning Jeannine dared me to eat 6 donuts at one of the buffets. I accepted the challenge and was well on my way to victory when Karen put a stop to it. This is when she chose to "parent", when I'm eating donuts and on the verge of breaking a record? Don't mind the 12 beers I probably had the night before but don't eat those donuts! What are you crazy?

All in all I it was one of my favorite road trips with the family. Thanks Karen for not leaving me home for this one! Like she had a choice...

ROXANNE

LIL' MATTY'S 2nd BIRTHDAY!

The Birthday boy


Eileen and Tom had his party at a gym so the kids could run, jump and play till they dropped!








The birthday boy sure loves his hat's!!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATTY!!!

And I can't forget David's 13th New York Marathon!

Go Baba Go!! I don't know how he does it but he finished another marathon. I don't know what's harder running a marathon or running around the city meeting up with him to give him his Starbucks cappuccinos!




Looking for Baba...



I think he's coming...






YEAH BABA!!!

Time Flies!!!

So it has been quite sometime since I posted anything. What have I been doing that I haven't had time to blog? Lots of nothing!! I have to post some pictures of the kids on Halloween. So cute!