New Years

So I guess I should write a blog reflecting on this past year and looking ahead to next year, but I'll save that for another day. Today I just want to share a monumental occasion with you all. It is a Carrozziere tradition to have a big lasagna dinner on New Years day. This was started because it is my father's birthday and so he can request the meal for the day. After years of having lasagna on his birthday it has become tradition. In fact if he did request something else I'm not sure we would be able to accomedate it. All of our taste buds have come accustom to welcoming in the new year with lasagna. Now this isn't just a throw it together meal. In fact, although my mother prepares each needed ingreditent even she is not allowed to put this dish together. There is a perfect method and way to delicately make this savory dish. In fact, when i was a little girl i remember feeling as if I had arrived when my dad needed to run and help my mother downstairs quickly and left me in charge of putting together a few layers. He wasn't comfortable leaving anyone in charge, but after two or three years of apprenticing I got my chance to oversee a few layers on my own. Every year my father and I would have a bonding time together of making his favorite birthday meal. Well, with our little one arriving in just three to four weeks Andy and I were not able to travel home for the holidays this year. I woke up today knowing that the new year was coming and if I wanted to welcome it properly I would have to take on the challenge myself. So today after an hour of using every pot in my kitchen, creating a monumental mess of a perfectly clean kitchen, and sparing no counter space I concocted the very first Prescott new year's lasagna. We even have people coming over tomorrow to share it with us. I'm not sure they'll understand the significance...but I do. I have to call my dad just to let him know we'll be celebrating with him tomorrow. For all of those who are now starving after reading this blog, if you're in the area come on over the more the merrier.

Customer Service

So Andy and I were a bit taken back today. We had two encounters that just made us think that maybe just maybe we've been seeing this customer/ retailer relationship a bit wrong. You see I have always thought that they wanted me to shop with them, or use their services. Not so sure anymore. We opened our day by seeing a Tailor who only hemmed one sleeve on each of Andy's three suits. When confronted with the mishap she insisted that his arms were uneven and that only one sleeve needed to be hemmed. The three of us stood their looking at one sleeve showing part of the cuff of Andy's one shirt and the other showing no cuff. Really really?? The manager was summoned and agreed with her Tailor. To top this off the buttons she had sewed back on the sleeve, which had one been in a straight line now resembled the dance I like to call the worm. We left with no refund and no service....and were quite stunned. The second Tailor looked at the work done and laughed at what a mess it was. We regaled her with our story and she also was stunned. She seemed to think that both sleeves should be the same length and with that we agreed to let her have a go. We were beginning to think that Canadians wear their right sleeve lower than the left...a fashion statement we haven't see in the USA yet.
As for story number two, we found ourselves window shopping in the mall today when to our surprise we came upon an unbelievable sale. We should have taken that advice and realized it was unbelievable. Seven racks of men shirts had signs of 40%-50% off. Each rack looked as though the shirts had been seen by hundreds of people during the day. They were all mixed in together and some were hung, some folded, some thrown. We were not deterred by this mess and quickly went to it trying on shirts, finding sizes. We had to look through each rack carefully to find the exact colors. In the end we had two burgundy shirts that would have been stunning on my handsome husband had we gotten them home. At the register we were informed that these shirts are not on sale. We politely tell the sales clerk where we found them and show him the signs. He informs us that only the old shirts are on sale and these are two of the new ones. We asked him to tell us which ones were new and which ones were old, he couldn't. He said he couldn't tell the difference and that maybe it was the spring colors that determined the new spring line that was out. We looked down and our deep burgundy shirts and once again were speechless. The manager again was called and wished us a Happy New Year but wouldn't give us the discount. Once again Andy and I thought that maybe we should open a store up here...give the people some service, actually advertise correctly, wear our suits like Americans (both sleeves even)...I think we would do well.

Be Bopper

So spelling aside my daughter seems to be what Andy lovingly refers to as a be-bopper. I'm not sure what we are in store for. Either this little girl has six legs and four arms or she is all over the place all the time. I was singing on worship team this past Sunday and found myself holding my stomach just so that all the poking and prodding wouldn't distract the congregation. She might be dancing, she might be practicing her baseball swing, but either way there is just not enough room in there for her to practice. I think she gets frustrated and then just starts punching in every direction. With that said who would like to volunteer for baby sitting this little one???? We are so excited and with Andy as a dad who could expect anything but a very active little girl...as Andy said she is a be-bopper.

Christmas Season

So we have been trying to be very diligent about getting our nursery up and running...well not running yet but prepared to. So I know I have been behind in my postings. Last night I found time to decorate our place for the holiday season. The tree comes tonight, so be ready for those pictures next !!!

Things to come

So God graciously gives us nine months to prepare for the little bundle of joy He sends our way. In our case this was necessary. I am only a few short months away from her arrival and I feel like nothing is done. So this week we decided to get our act together and start making some decisions and purchases. The most important ones being a new car, since we only have a coupe between the two of us, a parking spot to put the car in, a crib, a bassinet, and a dresser. So far we have succeed in buying a crib, a matching dresser, and we think a car. We still need to sign on the dotted line, but the decision is made. After a bit of a frustrating weekend we also managed to get rid of two of our three couches so that we have a room to put the baby in. Rachel lovingly calls this her room, since it was where she slept when she came, but I think the crib officially makes it Angela's room now. As soon as things are a little more in place I will take pictures to show it off. All through this process I am continually amazed at just how different men and women are. Things that seem so important to me or get so blown out of proportion (like thinking the crib may not come in until her due date) are just taken by Andy in a casual no stress way. In the same light things that seem rather unthought of by Andy ( having cute pictures on the nursery walls ) have come up on my radar as very necessary. Thank God that we balance each other out. I think that may have been the plan from the beginning. In the end our little girl will have a nursery filled with furniture (that is here before her), decorated beautifully, and hopefully this will all be done in a non-anxious manner. I'll keep you all posted!

MT Carrozziere

He was known by so many names. Boo, Boo Bird, Roo, Mick, Mick-a-rooney, Mick-a-roo, Mickers, and of course his given name Mickey Tyler Carrozziere. The Tyler was put in by Rachel who insisted that Tyler should have been a first name, but if it had to be voted down then it should at least be included as a second name. We all agreed of course knowing that any formal name should have a middle initial to go with it. To us he was brother, a son, a boy to do things with on a boys night (which usually meant dad and Mick watching football with popcorn). The Carrozziere's have a way of dramatizing everything, but in this case Mickey really fit each role; we weren't making them up for him. He learned to value real sauce over canned anything and usually would refuse to eat unless some marinara was mixed in. He learned the art of hearing a car pull in and being at the door to greet its passenger; however if the passenger happened to be mom Mickey's excitement tripled. No one held a higher place in his heart than mom. He adored her and would perk up his ears at even the mention of her name. If someones voice got too loud around her or he felt that she was put in danger he was sure to come to her rescue even if it was just dad trying to give mom a hug. On Christmas morning he too had to be held back at the stairs told to wait until he could devour his stocking's surprises...and on many occasions he found a way to slip past the blockade and run right towards the presents. He knew how to open presents as well, tearing the paper with his teeth. Of course this tradition was started at his first birthday party where the neighborhood animals and cousin's pets were invited. We had quite the turn out with every animal attending with a gift and participating in party games. Mickey was a perfect fit into our family. Mom and dad didn't know he was coming so soon, but their three teenage girls were so persistent that a we were missing a vital piece to our clan that they allowed the afternoon trip out to Cortland to look at puppies. Mickey came right up to me and licked my hand; from that moment on he was a part of our entourage, and a loved family member. When Andy and I started to talk about marriage I told him that not only did he have to meet my sisters and parents but also Mickey. Andy's proposal was a surprise because he had flown to NY without me knowing it. He has spoken to my father in person and then flew back to Houston ready to give me a ring. His opening line was that he had met someone I had been wanting him to get acquainted with. Having no idea he had made this trip I was utterly confused; when he pulled out this picture I knew he had finally met the last family member and gotten his approval. ( As well as my dad's ok) So in a way Mickey is the reason I have such a fun proposal story.



No one will be able to replace his presence in our household, and he will be deeply missed. We are so grateful for the amazing memories we have, and for the joy God gave us in sharing our lives with him. For those of you who also believe that all dogs go to heaven you'll have to come meet him when you get there.

Just some beautiful Fall pictures!!!

I just love fall! Here are some more pictures from New York: