When in Rome Do as the Romans

We found a bit of wirless internet! While the Colosseum was not on my list of things I wanted to see in Italy, it should have been. Look at how beautiful it is. The construction of the Colosseum began in 72AD and still it stands in the center of Rome.

The structure was capable of seating around 50,000 spectators at one time. While today there are no gladiator shows happening, at it's peak the Colosseum was used for public entertainment hosting plays and even executions!

 According to legend, the ancient Olympic Games were founded by Heracles; the Roman Hercules, a son of Zeus. 

Now, bare with me for a moment...

I told you I live in a dream world sometimes...

What do you think? Think I could have been in the ancient Roman Olympics?

This guy might have had a better chance than me!

Cowboy Take Me Away

Here are Trey and I in the airport! The hot summer weather and Ramadan (this month while Muslims are fasting) was a perfect time to get away for a vacation. 

The day before we left for vacation Trey surprised me with a present. Look at this beautiful necklace that he found at a cool jewelry store here!

Burnin' Rubber

You know how in New England we put snow tires on our cars for the winter months and then change them back to regular tires when the snow all melts away? Well, a similar thing happens here. Because the roads get so hot our tires have to be changed more frequently. Our car went to get new tires and check these things out!

Only problem is- we got the car back and there was this huge oil footprint in the passenger  side of the car. Now, about 4 weeks ago our car was detailed and all cleaned up! It made me so happy. I guess next time it should be new tires then the detailing!

On to better things- this granola recipe from Min's college friend! Let's call it The Best Granola You Have Ever Tasted In Your Whole Entire Life- is that too dramatic?

The Best Granola You Have Ever Tasted in Your Whole Entire Life (for short we can use the first letters TBGYHETYWEL):

1 cup oats

1 cup wheat germ

1 cup oat bran

1 cup coconut

1 cup sesame seeds

1 cup flax seed

1 cup flax seed meal

sprinkle cinnamon and vanilla over all ingred.

1 cup honey 

1 cup canola oil

 Throw all that stuff in a bowl and give it a good mix!

Bake at 300 for 40 mins on a jelly roll pan. Smell the vanilla and cinnamon filling your kitchen- it smells like you are baking a cake!

I also added almonds, dried blueberries and dried cranberries- get creative add whatever you would like. A bit of advice though- don't skimp on the honey, it's not as good without it all!

Then try your best to let it cool before you start picking out those huge junks that lump together!

Sunday Morning Breakfast Recipes

Good Morning! Don't you just love the weekends? We sure do! We love spending lazy mornings in our pajamas and cooking delicious things to eat!

What's your favorite breakfast recipe? Can you share one with us?

One of my favorite breakfast recipes is this French Toast Casserole. The best part is you can make it ahead and all you have to do in the morning is throw it in the oven and you can lay in bed while your house is filled with the aroma of goodness! These are the sorts of recipes we can use at the Inn to trick our customers- they will think we have been up all morning baking!

French Toast Casserole

1 loaf of firm white bread (or Texas Toast) cubed

10 eggs

1- 8oz package of cream cheese
1 ½ cups of half and half

¼ cup maple syrup
½ cup melted butter

Cube and layer half of bread in 9x13 pan. Cut cream cheese into small pieces and spread over bread. Cover with other half of cubed bread. Mix eggs, half and half, syrup and butter. Pour over bread cubes and press to soak. COVER AND REFRIGERATE OVERNIGHT.

Bake 45-60 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serve with maple syrup (be sure to get the real stuff, you New Englanders know what I mean) Mmmm... good!

The Starfish Inn

What do you think of that for a name for the big dream? The Starfish Inn, a little take off from the Dragonfly Inn on Gilmore Girls!
The Starfish Inn would definitely have to be in a beach town, close the ocean, close enough you can smell it. I love the ocean on the North Shore of Massachusetts and I would gladly be an in keeper in Essex or Rockport one day. Imagine waking up to this each and every morning- not too bad huh?

Although, the ocean means no views like this one of the gorgeous mountains. The leaves in the fall in New England are another reason that the Northeast is a perfect spot for my Inn. What would I call it if it wasn't near the ocean? The Firefly Inn? That will need some thought.

At the Inn there will always be freshly baked cookies, scones and fancy cupcakes to have with your afternoon tea or latte. Trey will be the first to test them everyday, I'm sure of that!

The gardens out back will have flowers that bloom through the spring, summer and into the fall! It's not a real dream world if a girl doesn't have perfect flowers! Anyone out there want to sign up to be the gardener yet?

Meet The Office

I want you all to meet my office. A typical day at work for me is never really typical. In my office building there are about 5 different departments, my department- Special Projects, an OBGYN doctor, the Home Visitation Nurses, the Quality Department, the Staff Education team and the Marketing Department. 

Here I am- each and every day I take my vitamins at my desk- it really helps to leave them on your desk- you never forget to take them! Trey and I are like children and we take the gummy vitamins but, these are the adult version. It feels like you get to eat fruit snacks every day.

My officemate Deborah is from India and is newly married to a guy in our IT Department. I am learning so much about Indian culture from Deborah! Their culture gives a whole new mean to liking your in-laws!

Here is Shiny, she is one of our good friends at the hospital. She also happens to be one of our really smart friends, she works in Bio-Medical Engineering, doesn't it sound fancy?

 

I never thought I would have a job where I would eat lunch with my husband everyday but, here we are in the office at about 10am and Trey is eating lunch. He is usually starving by about mid-morning and comes to my office to grab his lunch! I don't know how this kid can eat so much food!

When the moon hits your eye, like a big pizza pie.......

We're off for our vacation.  I can't wait.  We will have lots of pictures to share with you as we go along or after the trip for sure. I hope that we can get to some internet cafes along the way.

What I hope to see/experience along the way:

1. Wine tasting at a vineyard 
2. Walking through an olive grove
3. Lots of good gelato and espresso at sidewalk cafes
4. A sweet Italian grandmom who invites me into her home and teaches me how to make ravioli and her special secret sauce --if that one comes true, you'll definitely hear about it!
5. Visiting small towns and churches in the hills of Tuscany
6. Shopping!
7. Throwing a coin into Trevi Fountain.
8. Seeing sheep and a farmer as we drive through the rolling hills
9. Renting a bicycle with a basket on front--I'll buy some fresh bread and cheese just to put in the basket because it's always been my dream to do that. That don't happen around these parts:) 
10. Finding a piece of leather --a bag, shoes, something-- that I will keep for a long, long, time.