National Building Museum Part I

We found our new favorite place to hang out on cold days. After we found a parking space and made our way up the long ramp, a sweet little old lady greeted us at the door. She told us a brief history about the building. It was constructed in the early 1880's to house the United States Pensions Bureau. It was also built to commemorate the service of those who fought for the Union during the Civil War. It was the first all green building, and because the ventilation was free flowing through the windows up above, she said there were 8,600 less sick days. Yay for healthy peeps! She also said the National Building Museum has hosted 17 presidential inaugural balls. Even though I was loving the history lesson, my boys couldn't have cared less. They wanted to go and play. I've never seen them so happy! Happy babies=happy mamma!

Worth the Wait

In 1998, the Italian government recognized Neapolitan pizza as a traditional food that needed to be preserved. They granted it the Denominazione di Origine Controlatta, or D.O.C. This basically means that the ingredients are specified. For example, only soft grain flour, fresh yeast, water, and sea salt go into making the dough. If tomatoes, cheese, olive oil, or seasoning are used, they must use only plum tomatoes, mozzerlla di bufala, extra-virgin olive oil and fresh basil or dried oregano. Fresh garlic may only be used on the Marinara pizza. Neapolitan pizza must be cooked on a wood-burning oven. 2Amy's is a member of the Veraca Pizza Association founded to promote and protect the authentic traditions of "la pizza Napolitana." What does all of this mean? It means the pizza is as authentic as it tastes in Italia. I ain't lying! Glad we got to enjoy it with our friends, the Rasmussen's. 

(plan on a long wait, unless you go in-between lunch and dinner)

 

Serve your Love

My husband and I have been together for nearly ten years. In the midst of raising our three kiddos, I find myself forgetting that we still matter. He is currently in law school, so our time together is very limited. The time we do have together is always with our children. I want him to know how extra special he is to me. It shouldn't take this service collab from the Women Who Serve to get me to realize this. 

The theme for February is Serve your Love. 

Link up and join in on the service collab and serve your love this month. The Women Who Serve and others will be weighing in the last Thursday of the month. Wish me luck! 

click here for free printable

Avoid Cold & Flu Season 101

Our family has an incredible amount of experience doing our best to stay healthy. Our twin boys were born 28 weeks 6 days gestation and stayed 70 days in the Newborn ICU. We were on "house arrest" for the first 7 months of their lives. We were aloud to leave the house once per week for a weight and nutrition check. Our only visitors were close family that had been vaccinated with both the flu shot and pertussis vaccine. If they had even the least bit of a sniffle, they knew not to come over. Once spring time came, we began to take our babies out in public.

Here are 10 ways we keep our family healthy during cold and flu season:

1) Get the Flu vaccine each year and the Whooping Cough (pertussis vaccine every ten years.)
2) Wash your hands regularly.
3) Keep hand sanitizer in your car.
4) Avoid touching your face, eyes, nose, or mouth.
5) Listen for sniffles and coughs when you enter a room and keep away from sick people.
6) Cough or sneeze into your elbow or into a tissue.
7) Get proper sleep, eat a well balanced diet, and drink at least 8 glasses of water.
8) Wipe down common areas, ie; cell phone, keyboard, remote control, door handles, and counter-tops.
9) Do not share drinks, silverware, or toothbrushes.
10) Try to minimize your stress with physical activity.

The best tool you have in protecting your family this time of year, is your instincts. It's always okay to say NO!! A mother's intuition is the greatest gift we have. Buona salute a tutti!

Boys will be Boys

Having all boys is a way of life. I am accustomed to sword fights and rough play. I wouldn't have it any other way. My three little men are easy to please. On this cold winter day, staying in was our only option. Big brother Joey got out a bunch of his favorite toys and shared them with his babies. They were delighted to play with brothers toys, and I was delighted to see him share. They lasted this way for over THREE hours without any tears! This depressing cold day, turned into a blissful afternoon. Che bello!