My dear dear friend Valerie sent me this and I just love it! Aside from the fact that it is beyond adorable and what every mom wants to see when she comes in to check on how her little girl and friends are doing there is a back story here.

Less than one year ago Milana (second in from the right) was living in an orphanage in Siberia.
Valerie chronicled the entire adoption process in her blog From Russia With Love. Their story is heartfelt and totally informational for anyone considering foreign adoption. The videos she and her husband Tony took while visiting the orphanage (so well done and great music) make me cry every time!

Valerie told me she’s not writing as much as she used to and by the picture above one can understand why. In other words I guess mothering takes the place of blogging! Sounds good to us!

Finally, a Siamese Easter Bunny! What will Alessandro and Giovanni think?

For more funny bunnies with other critters check out this link!

My sister sent me this, thanks Lis, I love this!

After the G-20 in London, the Obama’s and the Sarkozy’s met up in Strasbourg, France
Wonder why Carla has chose such a super prudish look as France’s first lady, I mean come on, she’s a former Versace model!!! (I actually think she should just lighten up just a touch).

Carla can only wear flats as she towers over her husband! Wonder what she thinks of the Obama’s?

Nicholas Sarkozy looks tres intense! (is that a Prada suit? probably, that’s what he likes!) Carla just looks like an ex-supermodel!

So French! (only thing missing is the baguette!)

Liya Kebede is an absolutely gorgeous Ethiopian super model who is also a World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador. Nice, huh?
Having 2 children of her own, ages 5 and 8, she designed a line of clothing called LemLem (which means “to bloom” in Ethiopian), is made in Ethiopia and sold amongst other places in J Crew. Not bad!

The clothing is really expensive but at least we know in this case the profits are going to a good cause!

4/13/09 – JUST IN! PARKER HAS HIS OWN BLOG!!!

Parker is just so darned cute that he has once again earned the honor of Cozy Cat of the Week! Actually, the thing about Parker is that considering he was once feral, it is amazing every time he does something new – like lay on the couch! He’ll even jump up when one of us is sitting there! He is very unpredictable in his behavior – He likes his chin scratched, will sit on my lap when I “gently” force him, can tolerate being pet and loves to rub our legs. But he surprises us all the time. Now his favorite new thing is to groom Chloe. She likes it at first, but after a minute or so she is over it and they get into a scrap!

Cats, never a dull moment!

Fed up!

I found myself at Sur la Table the other day and luckily (I guess…) I only had like 15 minutes on the Pasadena parking Nazi meter so I had to be efficient. I’m sure you all agree that Sur la Table and efficient should not even be used in the same sentence – my apologies!
Anyhow, a tart pan was what I was after and that was easy. It is my new mission (not sure why…) to master the art of the fruit tart.

The summer fruits will soon be in season and although my oven heats up my house like its nobodies business I will prevail!

Ina Garten has a plum tart recipe I’m dying to try with brown sugar and walnuts in the crust. No rolling on this one, just press into the pan. Delish!