Oh Martha

Tonight I embark upon my first attempt at making real mac and cheese. Apparently my grandmother's famed Thanksgiving dish does not have a recipe, and, as she decided to jet set up to Wisconsin for Turkey Day, I decided to pick up the slack and find a yummy recipe. Several friends of mine make the deeelish Martha Stewart mac and cheese and I'm hoping to ride the coattails of their culinary success (look out Liz and Caitlyn...you will probably be getting a couple of phone calls!). But, really, is it possible to mess up lots of ooey-gooey cheese, milk and noodles? One way or another it will taste good, even if it doesn't look worthy of the part of Thanksgiving staple! Here's hoping it measures up on both accounts. Results to follow...hoping to make Martha and Grandmother proud!

A Tooth, You Say?

Yes. A Tooth. Joseph got one. He's 4.5 months old. As many strangers are apt to tell me that means he's "gettin out of the way of the next baby." Lord have mercy!! Nonetheless, my brand new baby boy cut his first little pointy bottom tooth this past Sunday morning. He also tried to drink his dad-dad's beer on Saturday and watched his first Tiger basketball game on Sunday. What next?

Quotable Parenthood

I generally love a good quote and was perusing about and found these amongst many on parenthood. I think they are a cute look at life as I now know it.

"You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around - and why his parents will always wave back." (this one just made me laugh..b/c it's true!)


"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." (I have read this one many times before, but never actually understood. But NOW:  I. get. it. wow.)


"When you have brought up kids, there are memories you store directly in your tear ducts." (i thought I cried alot before Joseph came along....ha!)


"Parenthood: That state of being better chaperoned than you were before marriage." (good grief!)


"There comes a time when a woman needs to stop thinking about her looks and focus her energies on raising her children. This time comes at the moment of conception. A child needs a role model, not a supermodel." (this was in reference to the "hot mom" trend. can i get an amen and THANK YOU to whoever said this!)

A New Look, a New Class, a New Cooking Job

It was time to simplify. Trying to bring some structure and organization to my life. The blog was a very easy place to start. If only there was a template that I could use to point and click my closet, refrigerator, bedroom, bathroom cabinets and junk drawers to organization--that would be grand.

Why this sudden need for more organization?

I'm about to be a 30 yr old, "non-traditional" student. Did those students always drive you absolutely crazy when you were in undergrad? they did me and my friends--sitting in the front row, asking questions, engaging the professor right at the end of night class...the daggers I shot them were unbelievable! But, front and center is where I plan to park myself b/c this time my education is actually about getting an education--not about what boy I am not hanging out with while wasting all my time in classes that totally cramp my social life. I'm hoping that lack of distraction will make studying easier.

Meanwhile, I also had the brainy idea to become a Pampered Chef consultant. I have a four month old. I work. I'm about to take A&P and Microbiology simultaneously (note: the last science course I took was in 2000 and was titled "Plants and People" and I got a C b/c I talked and wrote notes that had nothing to do with the many uses of peanuts in society.). I'm feeling a little crazy. But, what's new. I'll give it a shot.

If you, or someone you know, would like to host a Cooking Show or Bridal Shower--Call me!! Marjo Labonte, Pampered Chef Consultant. Finally, I have credentials. I will have my own ordering website in February. My thirties are shaping up nicely. ;-)

Talk again soon,
Marjo, PCC

Baptized into Christ

As many as have been Baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

 Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!!

More to come soon on a most glorious day in the life of a parent--seeing your child yoked unto Christ in the Holy Mystery of Baptism.

What in the World....

Have we been up to? I know that is the burning question on all of my avid readers' minds! ;-) Well, life has been a blur since the last post in August. We have settled into our new normal, finally. I have been back at work since mid-September, working 3 days a week. Billy has changed his schedule to work 3pm-11pm (which usually means 1am) so that he is home with Joseph during the day, dropping him off with our dear friend, Christine, for 3 hrs a couple of times/week. It is the best situation we could come up with at this point and we are so thankful. I am waiting to hear if I got into nursing school and should know in the next couple of weeks. Then in January, Iwill cut my hours back even further at work, which will allow for more time at home with Billy and Jos and to start the dreaded studying!
  Other than that, the main thing we have been doing is just enjoying our little fella! He is so happy and truly a joy to be around. He LOVES people and is becoming very social and interested in everything around him. He has the biggest smile I have ever seen and we go to great lengths to entice them from him! His laugh makes my heart soar and even getting up in the middle of the night is not as much of a chore as I would have expected! He still wakes up to eat one time at about 3:00a, but goes to bed at 7:00p, so hey! He's a great sleeper, I just need to go to bed earlier!
Here's a look at what Joseph is up at 4 months:
- Weighs in at 15.5 lbs and 25.5"
- He's got a killer grip and loves to grab everything he can reach and put it into his mouth...current faves--his big toe and Leo his stuffed lion
- He plays great on his own-- loves to lie in the bed or on his fuzzy frog mat kicking his legs and talking as loud as he can
- All it takes is a look in his direction to be rewarded with a big smile most of the time
- Definitely knows who "his people" are and loves to be with them
- likes taking walks/runs with me and Billy and we are sure he loves going to the zoo as much as we do!
- His hair is still wild and crazy and points out in all directions which always cracks us up
- Already has such a sweet demeanor and we are so blessed to watch his personality unfold daily