Trip Update and Yummy Dinner

We had an amazing week in Florida, and we are all tan although I slathered 50 sunscreen on myself and the kiddos all week long.

I got to spend a wonderful week with my family. Gary graciously drove us all the way there and sat inside most of the time to study for his boards. We played in the ocean, chatted with my 4 sisters who all got to come, kayaked in the bay, and ate yummy seafood... thanks Katie for working double shifts in the ER. We toured the USS Alabama on the way back. It was really cool, but I discovered I am getting more claustrophobic...last time I went into a cave I fainted, this time in the going through the narrow and smelly battleship brought out some bad car sickness...you can imagine the rest.

We are back and it is nice to have a routine again.

On to a different topic, I made a really yummy dinner tonight. Katie would have really like it. This is adapted from Allrecipes.com spring rolls. Apparently, my rice paper, was really weird when fried, I think next time I will try egg roll wrappers and bake it instead. The filling is to die for though.

• 1 cup chopped chicken
  
• 1/2 ounce rice noodles
  
• 1 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 ounce shitake mushrooms
• 1 Tbs. green onions
  
• dab of sesame oil
  
• 2 Tbs. hoison sauce
  
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1/2 pinch ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/4 clove garlic, chopped
• 5 rice wrappers (6.5 inch diameter)

This is great either as a stir fry or for the filling in spring rolls.

Pots...

As promised, the pots are done. Here is my favorite:

By the way...

We are back from Boston, which was an amazing trip. It was fun to see Gary's parents new home, ALL the cousins, which Miss L loved, and a few aunts and uncles from Gary's side. Some Highlights:

1)vegan lifestyles...what tofutti taste like
2) Freedom trail- i love hiking
3) Salem and Witches (and the flood that occurred the day we went) serious drainage problems in Salem
4) locking Berkley outside during a rainstorm...sorry Berk, no one in the fam but you is single hence we go to bed before midnight
5) eating a ton, my baby weight gone by Florida is now a dream
6) Duck boats...who knew they charged for a newborn...they almost kicked little G off the boat.
7) the temple with all of Gary's siblings...a first
8) Miss L discovered Barbies
9) my very generous in-laws

* unfortuntaley the DVD with ALL of our pictures from Boston as well as the baby blessing failed to burn...

The first Firing

Gary has rekindled a favorite hobby, pottery. He is quite good at throwing large things. Soon after the baby was born, Gary found the "deal of a lifetime". I was a little hesitant, well... a lot hesitant, but I have turned into the supportive wife. My mom says it is less expensive than having a pet...

Today was the first firing, we were both excited and apprehensive, since we don't really know what we're doing, but Gary read the manual several times and the firing went just as planned, and in two days (when the kiln cools) we'll have more pictures....

The med school art show (where Gary plans to make profits to support his hobby) is next month we'll see how it goes.



The end of the day...and molten hot.
Our new studio...aka garage

The beautiful wheel...