Break

I am going to be taking a little blogging break. I am not sure how long it will be. Over the last few weeks it has become one more thing for me to check off my to-do list. I want it to always be something I enjoy, since it isn't a "have to" in my life. The second good reason for the break is my computer has finally bit the the dust. It has completely stopped working, so we only have one computer in the house. I can't always use that one when I want, and the time I do get needs to be used for school related things. Hopefully I will be back with a renewed mind for blogging in short while. Thanks for being patient with me. Our lives have just become too full, too fast.

Baseball with pops

Tim is making a guest appearance today on the blog. There are some things you will always remember growing up. Some dads take their sons fishing, while other dads take their sons hunting. My dad was a “sports” dad.  

There are many dads like my dad…those who love a certain sport and encourage their sons to play and love that sport as well. All of my brothers were athletes in our family growing up. My two oldest brothers were known for their basketball skills. They each played multiple sports in high school, but they thrived in basketball.  I was almost 10 years behind them, so when it was my turn, naturally, I wanted to try the sports my brothers did.   However, even though I played on the Varsity basketball team, I didn’t start, and truth be told, I wasn’t really all that great.  

Growing up, my dad spent a lot of time with me on the baseball diamond. I played little league and won the MVP award, and then played in Jr. High and ended up being the captain of my high school baseball team. I loved baseball as a kid because my dad would take me to college baseball games at the University of Miami. We would drive to Mark Light Stadium and spend countless nights watching games together, eating peanuts, popcorn, and buying ridiculous baseball gear that probably got thrown away a long time ago. 

 One year for my dad’s birthday, I made him a coupon for a free Hurricane baseball game with me. Of course he had to pay for it anyway. My dad has kept that coupon in his wallet for over 20 years. 

 This past Saturday, I started the tradition with my son, George. We live in Tampa, so we can’t drive down to Miami. But since my wife is going to school at USF, we decided to go to a USF baseball game. 

 My Dad’s birthday is at the end of this month, so since we couldn’t be with him on his actual birthday, I took my father and my son to a college baseball game. We shared some memories, and made some new ones, and the Bulls won 9-3. Go Bulls! 

Lasagna

Hi, Friends. Here is your recipe for the week. My husband's family makes their own spaghetti sauce, and they would never let me give that secret away. They also make some excellent lasagna, so I thought I could at least explain how to do that. You can really use any sauce in this same process, but the "Bettelli Secret Sacue" works best.  

Basically, this recipe is just a matter of getting together all the ingredients and layering in a special way.

The ingredients you will need are as follows:

Spaghetti Sauce

Cooked Lasagna Noodles

Sausage and meatballs ground up (we use our food processor)

Mozerella Cheese

Parmesan Cheese

Ricotta Cheese (mixed with an egg, a cup of mozerella, and a 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese)

I made two pans this time, so I don't have exact measurments.

It is definitely something you can eyeball, though, so no worries.

The first thing you do is put a little bit of sauce in the bottom of the pan to keep it from drying out.

Then the layering begins.

Put down a layer of noodles . . . I use four noodles across each layer.

You have to overlap them a bit.

On top of the noodles spread a thin layer of the ricotta mixture.

Then comes the meat.

Then I put a layer of mozerella cheese and parmesan cheese.

Top that off with a little sauce.

Then repeat the process two more times.

I do a total of three layers which makes the perfect thickness in my opinion.

It really helps if you get a cute partner to help you make it.

But it does not help to make this at this time of night.

 You are welcome for the helpful tips.

It also freezes extremely well, which is why I make two at a time.

Put that puppy in the oven for 45 minutes on 350 degrees.

Let it set for 5 to 10 minutes after you take it out of the oven, so it will stay together once you cut it.

I usually serve it with garlic bread and cesear salad.

Absolutely delicious and worth all the work.

Insta-Friday 3-16-12

Insta-Friday over here at the Bettelli Blog.  Linking up with Jeanette . . .   

Loving this devotional this week.

Highly reccomend it.

We had a money exchange this week.

George earned another 8 dollars to buy a new skylander.

Here he is handng over the dough.

I won't go into the whole story, but let's just say I used this picture to win.

Yes, this produce market closes at the odd hour of 6:30pm.

But I knew I was right.

Ahem.

A dentist came to George's school this week.

Now he wants to "fossil" his teeth every night.

Typical cheesin'

Another reccommended read.

They are real and honest (hence the title), and I love when authors are authentic.

Especially in subjects that are so true to life.

Just another day at the office.

Captain America in Wal-Mart.

This is how we do things.

We take a picture in the store, so we don't have to actually buy the costume.

Win, win.

Here's to a great weekend.

Night, Night

Embracing my camera with Emily from The Anderson Crew.  I only have a lame picture from my phone this week. But I do love it.  

Every night before bed Ethan gets a sippy cup of milk and his blankie and sits on my (or Tim's) lap and drinks the whole thing just as content as can be.

It is one of the only times in the entire day that he sits still for more than thirty seconds.

I look forward to it everyday.

He is just so sweet and innocent in those moments.

He will let us kiss his head and whisper "I love yous" in his ear.

When he is done he will say, "Nigh, Nigh" and kiss us all before walking to his room to go to bed.

He truly enjoys his bedtime routine.

And so do we.

Saving What Exactly?

So what is up with these time changes? Daylight savings happened over the weekend. We "sprung forward." Why do we need to save the daylight? Save it from what?  

I know all the background of the time changes.

Agriculture and farming and all that.

But this isn't meant to be a history lesson.

Basically, I want to complain about what this whole mess does to my children's sleep patterns.

I wish we could just pick one or the other and stick with it.

In the Spring we lose an hour of sleep (which gets picked back up in the Fall, only 6 months later).

So now my kids aren't tired at 8 because it is really 7.

They go to bed late, and then they get up later which is great on the weekends.  It puts us in a little bind on school days though.

Then in the Fall they are tired by 7 which is really 8.

And they get up at the crack of dawn because 6 is really 7.

It is all so confusing and annoying if you want my opinion.

And I know you do.

Here is the point . . . could someone please write a letter to someone who has power and get this thing sorted out?

We don't need to change the time.

Let's just leave it the way it is for goodness sake.

Moms everywhere will thank you.

 

BRAT

Well, since I skipped last week's "recipe Monday;" I didn't want to disappoint again. Here is what we have been "cooking" over the last five days in the Bettelli house.  

That is what some would call the B.R.A.T. diet.

And diet it is.

Basically, it consists of bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast.

I threw the saltine crackers in there for kicks.

They are like the dessert for the victims of the worst stomach flu that ever was.

The Bettelli household was taken hostage over the last five days, but alas, we lived to tell about it.

We all ate the BRAT diet, and although it was bland, we were thankful to keep anything at all down.

I won't go into too much detail, but let's just say it wasn't pretty.

or enjoyable.

or entertaining.

or anything I want to repeat at anytime in my life.

Anywho, if you ever find yourself or your family in this predicament, then I highly reccomend the BRAT diet.

It does wonders I tell you.

I do hope you never have to take me up on my tip, though.

I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Sicky

The stomach flu is no fun.

At. All.

Embracing . . . Again

Embracing my camera this week with Emily from The Anderson Crew.  She challenges moms to get behind the camera to make memories for their kids. I actually had to ask someone besides my husband to take the picture this week, so that felt like a step in the right direction. We were at a bowling birthday party on Saturday. George had a blast, and I loved watching him.  

He is getting so big.

I cannot believe he will be five years old next month.

Today he told me that he wants to be a dinosaur bone hunter and a dolphin trainer when he grows up.

I answered with, "George, it seems like you want to be everything these days."

He said, "Mom, I don't want to be a police man because they have to move where the bad guys are, and then I couldn't live with you.  I always want to live with you.  Can I live with you and be a dinosaur hunter and a dolphin trainer?"

He thought for a second and then said, "Well, I know I would have to go different places to look for dinosaur bones, but maybe dad and I could go while you stay with Ethan.  Then we could come home and all be together."

Why, yes, George, that sounds perfect to this mommy.

 

Strawberry Festival Happenings

I took a little three day break, and I am not sorry for it. I forgot to take any pictures of my cooking last week, so I just decided to skip "recipe Monday" this week. Sue me. Anyways . . . we had a full weekend, and it ended with a little event called The Strawberry Festival. Basically, a town about an hour away from us called Plant City throws a festival every year centered around the strawberry. You can imagine the interesting people that attend this high-class event. I am not judging because you will always see my behind there every. single. year. I am not above a little downhome action for the best strawberry shortcake in the entire world (yes, I have had strawberry shortcake in many other countries, and Plant City wins the prize). 

Yes, this is my children inside a giant strawberry with crowns on their head.

I know, classy.

Another favorite feature of this event is the chicken/rabbit exhibit that you can smell, I mean walk, through.

Always a highlight.

There are no words.

Kettle Corn Buddies

And keeping with the theme of the weekend, my mom bought George this totally ridiculous hat.

And then what is a festival without some sketchy rides . . .

So there you have it.

Our yearly excursion to a place that encompasses everything you could ever want in a festival.