Recall?

Not really a recall but I just bit into some left over ginger caramels and for some reasons they crystallized. Huh? Don't know what happened there but that is not how they are suppose to be. They were caramels before I dipped them. Sorry Jeannine! I know they are your favorite.

Bird? I think not

So Karen bought Drew this cool little remote helicopter. Of course it was a big hit especially with the adults. As some of you know Ruby is a Springer Spaniel who loves to chase birds. I brought her to the pet store once and as we were waiting on line one of the parrots starting chirping or barking or what ever they do and she went crazy. She was wagging her little chicken nugget of a tail and crying like crazy until I finally dragged her out of the store.
So there we were playing with the helicopter when Ruby takes an interest in it. Gavin, who blew a .17 on the breathalyzer I bought David, started yelling " Ruby, Bird"! She kept going after it every time it fell to the ground. If we knew that the helicopter was only made of painted Styrofoam and it cost like $60 we would have made sure she never got it but she did. Poor Drew was very sad! Uncle Gavin ruined Christmas.
We were able to glue it back together and despite the teeth marks it seems to be working just fine. Here is a little video of the beginning of the 2008 Christmas massacre. I'm not sure what's funnier though, Karen or Ruby.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Wow, did Karen spoil me this Christmas or what! I got an Ipod touch and it is so cool! I love it! She also got me everything else on my list and then some. I mean she really went over board this year as did MJ & Davey. They got me XM radio so I am totally covered on all ends when it comes to music. I didn't take many pics due to having too much fun but here are a couple from the holidays.

We went to Jen and Kevin's for Christmas Eve. They did a fabulous job like always. For someone who doesn't eat she really has become a great cook. We had the usual fish dinner consisting this year of pasta, pasta and pasta...white clam sauce ala Karen, shrimps and scallops in a bechamel sauce ala me and Lobster Fra diavlo made by MJ. Jen also made grilled calamari with white beans and bacala fritters. It is my favorite meal of the year!

On Christamas day we went to MJ & Davey's like always where we had appetizers for 18 hours and then we sat down for dinner. We had turkey and roast beef, butternut squash risotto, string beans and roasted fennel, Waldorf salad and cream of broccoli soup. Yum Yum Yum...

After opening presents for another 4 hours we had dessert, homemade cookies, candy and cake. Then we drank some more and played with the kids toys!

Thomas and Drew

Twin Doras' for Violet and Millie

The Russo's

Roo Roo

Millie Jean looking for M&M's

Nana reading with Aida

Aida and her new puppy dogs from Santa

Jen, Noey and Duncan checking on Santa on Christmas Eve

Grandpa Marty and Millie in her velvet dress with

her princess costume over it...how else does a 2 year old dress?

CHRITSTMAS TREATS

Every Christmas I bust my ass to make candy for everyone. I never have enough time and always get frustrated tempering chocolate. This year was no different and I wonder why I do this to myself. My kitchen was a complete mess and there was chocolate every where, well there still is chocolate every where since I haven't really cleaned up yet.

I think I used every bowl I have!

I am finally done and once I see all of the finished product I can't help but smile. I love making such yummy treats for people to enjoy so here is what I made this year.

Peanut Butter Nougat

Chocolate covered apricot

Candy Cane truffles

Milk Chocolate Vanilla Bon Bons

Ginger Caramels

Meyer Lemon Bon Bons (from my meyer lemon tree)

Walnut Caramels

Peanut Butter Crunch Bon Bons

TURKEY DAY...A LITTLE LATE

The Blue Ribbon Winner
Mustaches for everyone

And let's not forget Baba's birthday!

Part Due!

I left off right before the best part of the trip, Ephesus. Now I have been very fortunate in my travels so far and I have seen a lot of ruins but this was the most amazing of them all. I can't even begin to tell you the history of it because I would do it no justice.

The terrace houses

Mosaics everywhere

They still have concerts here.

The library

Yes, these are toilets

HOLY CRAP....Is anybody out there?

So I've been kicking around the idea of ending my blog for good right in the middle of my trip...as you can see I haven't written anything in a long time and I never finished my pictures from our cruise. Let's see how long it takes for anyone to respond to this post and I'll decide from there.

Istanbul...not Constantinople

Istanbul is an amazing city but you have to like to bargain if you are going to go shopping there. If you look at something too long in a window of a store be prepared to haggle or move on quickly. Don't even think of asking how much something is unless you are seriously interested in purchasing it. After our tour of the mosques we went to the Grand Bazaar to a rug store where they literally threw every rug they had at us. By the time the "demo" was over we had to duck just to exit the door due to all the rugs they rolled out. Of course Karen asked how much one of them was and the next thing she new she was in it. Thank god David was there to save her from purchasing a rug she didn't need let a lone want. Every step you take away from them the price drops until either you say yes or run. It's not as bad as it sounds and it can be pretty funny but then again Karen makes anything funny.

So, back to Istanbul. First we went to the Blue Mosque that was built in the early 1600 by Sultan Ahmed. It is still used for prayer so we had to take our shoes off when we went in. Then we went to Hagia Sophia which was a basilica then a mosque and now it is a museum. Not only were they both enormous buildings but the amazing details and tile work was unbelievable. I have seen a lot of ruins and cathedrals and I still have to ask myself how did they build this?

Sophia

PAINTING

This is a watercolor painting I bought in Barcelona. It is of Gaudi's Sagrada Famila which I will have a lot more pictures of later on.

Greece

We had two quick stops in Greece, first in Katakalon and then Mykonos. We went to see some ruins in Katakalon but I forget what they were all about but here are some pics anyway. There wasn't much to do in Mykonos in the short time we were there but we did meet up with the local pelican. MJ bet Karen a drink if she went into the tourist information office where the pelican was standing so she did. He was snapping at some people that went by but he didn't get Karen.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik

The next stop after Venice was in Croatia. Dubrovnik is an amazing little city on the ocean. There is a wall that goes around the old town that you can walk on all the way. The first ever pharmacy was opened there in 1317. Of course it was closed when we were there but we saw it anyway. I bought a beautiful amber necklace and earrings and Karen bought a new ring to replace the one she lost the last time she was there. All in all I would love to see more of Croatia and it's coast someday.

Big Room!

Some how Karen and I got a handicap room on the ship! Boy, was everyone jealous of us! We even had enough room to host cocktail parties before dinner.

Ah Venice...