Tuesday, January 25, 2011

al Brindisi


I've been reminiscing lately about the good times we had while living in Italy. Al Brindisi is hands down my favorite restaurant. Established in 1435 making it the oldest "enoteca" (or wine bar)  in the world. Located in Ferrara, Italy next to Cattedrale di San Giorgio (which was built in 1135). Brindisi's serves delicious traditional Ferrarese fare. Copernicus, yes, COPERNICUS frequented this spot while living in an upstairs apartment. (He studied at University of Ferrara in the early 1500's)


My dad's 50th birthday dinner

Then there's the atmosphere...oooooh the atmosphere. It's dark and cozy. The walls are lined in thousands of dusty wine bottles.  The selves are full with antique books and instrument's. Jazz music is always playing in the background. (jazz music is kinda random, but it somehow adds to the charm)
 It's the kind of place where you wish the walls could talk.

Luke and I had many great times at this spot. If you ever happen to be in the neighborhood, check it out. And order the cappellaci di zucca. (pumpkin stuffed "pasta hats") and a glass of a local red.  Delizioso!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

4 months

Baby boy is 4 months old!!

Cole had his 4 month checkup and the doc said he is a healthy boy!! He is 16 and a half pounds and 27 inches. He is in the 85th percentile for weight and 96th for height. He also had to get his 4month shots.  He did fine with his shots at 2 months, so I didn't think much of it, but this time he was NOT a happy boy.  Sad baby, sad mama!   Does anyone else sob when there baby gets shots? I don't know who cried more, me or Cole.

Other exciting news in the Jackson household...
We recently introduced solid food!  I have been hearing this rice cereal is some miracle food and is going to change our lives. Everyone says that after he starts eating solid foods,  he will start sleeping better. Cole is definitely the exception. I've been giving him rice cereal about a half an hour before bedtime and after he eats it, he acts as if I gave him a Rockstar energy drink. He gets so amped up and excited he starts kicking and wants to play for a couple hours! 
  I was really hoping his full tummy would send him into a peaceful slumber, not my baby.  He is also still waking up 2-3 times a night.  What am I doing wrong here? When will I ever sleep again?? 

Although rice cereal did not solve our sleep problems, he does enjoy it and it's really fun watching him eat it!   He can't get enough.



a bib + food all over face= adorable!



Oh and why didn't anyone warn me what 1/4 Cup of rice cereal a day could do to a diaper?






Friday, December 31, 2010

to 2010 with love...

It's amazing how life can change so fast. One year ago tonight Luke & I were ringing in the new year in Italy. Little did we know we would be having a baby 9 months later....

New Years 2010- Ferrara, Italy

The year 2010 will always be special in my heart. It's the year I became a mother, and my life was forever changed.  

I've been thinking about some resolutions for 2011. This is what I have so far....
- Take lots of photos of Cole & keep them organized in albums
- Run a half marathon
- Watch less TV and read more

Tonight Cole & are celebrating New Year's Eve in Boise, while Luke has a game on the road.  
If I don't get to kiss Luke at midnight...this has got to be the next best thing!  Cole gives the best wet sloppy kisses!


Here's to a great 2011

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Cole's First Christmas

It was so great to be home for Christmas! Basketball is usually getting in the way of our Christmas Day, but with careful planning, we were able to spend the whole day together.
One of the best things about having babies is dressing them up in ridiculous outfits. I must say, Cole was a perfect santa with his round chubby belly
It was so fun to introduce Cole to his aunts & uncles!



This year my sweet husband got me a diamond tennis bracelet and pepper spray in a pink case.




The best present of all was to be HOME...TOGETHER with our families this year. We are so blessed! God has been so good to us. Merry Christmas!



Monday, December 27, 2010

Chubsters


Baby boy got new pajamas today size 6-9 months! He is such a chubby boy & I love it!







status update

Tori, (my sister-in-law's sister) found this article in Scientific American. I think there may be some truth to it...it's entertaining if nothing else!

Study of Facebook Users Connects Narcissism and Low Self-EsteemIf your status update was "I'm so glamorous," you might not really think much of yourself
By John H. Tucker November 2, 2010 11



Are you a narcissist? Check your recent Facebook activity.

Social-networking sites offer users easy ways to present idealized images of themselves, even if those ideals don’t always square with their real-world personalities. Psychology researcher Soraya Mehdizadeh has discovered a way to poke through the offline-online curtain: she has used Facebook to predict a person’s level of narcissism and self-esteem.

Mehdizadeh, who conducted the study as an undergraduate at Toronto’s York University, gained access to the Facebook accounts of 100 college students and measured activities like photo sharing, wall postings and status updates; she also studied how frequently users logged on and how often they remained online during each session. Her findings were published recently in Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking.

After measuring each subject using the Narcissism Personality Inventory and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Meh­dizadeh, who graduated from York this past spring, discovered narcissists and people with lower self-esteem were more likely to spend more than an hour a day on Facebook and were more prone to post self-promotional photos (striking a pose or using Photoshop, for example). Narcissists were also more likely to showcase themselves through status updates (using phrases like “I’m so glamorous I bleed glitter”) and wall activity (posting self-serving links like “My Celebrity Look-alikes”).

Self-esteem and narcissism are often interrelated but don’t always go hand in hand. Some psychologists believe that narcissists—those who have a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, a need for admiration, as well as a lack of empathy—unconsciously inflate their sense of self-importance as a defense against feeling inadequate. Not enough empirical research has been produced to confirm that link, although Mehdizadeh’s study seems to support it. Because narcissists have less capacity to sustain intimate or long-term relationships, Mehdizadeh thinks that they would be more drawn to the online world of virtual friends and emotionally detached communication.

Although it seems that Facebook can be used by narcissists to fuel their inflated egos, Mehdizadeh stops short of proclaiming that excessive time spent on Facebook can turn regular users into narcissists. She also notes that social-networking sites might ultimately be found to have positive effects when used by people with low self-esteem or depression.

“If individuals with lower self-esteem are more prone to using Facebook,” she says, “the question becomes, ‘Can Facebook help raise self-esteem by allowing patients to talk to each other and help each other in a socially interactive environment?’ I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing that people with low self-esteem use Facebook.”




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