40 years young

This past weekend, I took one of my best friends out to celebrate her 40th birthday at Amore Trattoria Italiana in Grand Rapids.  And let me tell you, it was amazing, mouthwatering, delicious, incredible, tantalizing, out-of-this-world! I could go on and on.  In my mind, we were transplanted right to the heart of Italy for a couple precious hours even though in reality we were just moments away from the crazy, hectic, car congested, armpit-like, reality of the infamous "Alpine Avenue" area...

B&B Pizza from Amore Trattoria Italiana! 

Salud and Happy Birthday, Tracy!

Even as leftovers this B &B pizza was AMAZING!  And I don't usually order pizza if I go  out.  The combination of Brie, lamb bacon, caramelized onions and apples combine for a unique and mind blowing experience and all for just $13.  I realize I am starting to sound like a used car salesman, or possibly an infomercial voice over, but it really was a delightful meal so I just can't help myself!  And it also fed me lunch today so I got a break from the normal pantry menu of late!  Man, I savored every morsel of this leftovers meal!  I never knew that lamb bacon existed prior to this dining experience and let's just say, the pigs out there have some serious competition!

So the very next day after my delightful meal during my day dreamy trip to Italy, I went on a trip of another variety; I went to hell (Or at least to the closest comparison to hell that I have experienced thus far in my life). You see, I took all three kids to the Dollar Store and then on to Sam's Club.  Two and a half hours later, we arrived home completely spent and everyone on the verge of a complete Armageddon like situation.  I truly thought the world was ending!  We were all exhausted with a capital "exhaust". 

Not only was the experience absolutely life sucking and torturous, but I spent over $220 and broke the self-imposed shopping rules enough times to make me question the validity of the challenge altogether.  But if I give up on the challenge, then how do I frame my blog?  This is a question that seems impossible to answer so I shall continue on as if all is well even though all was definitely not well in that 2 hour shopping moment and the aftermath the ensued.  All was extremely, very, completely, excruciatingly, awkwardly not well.  But we survived as my mom always told me "what doesn't kill you make you stronger!"  So we are all very strong after this experience that nearly killed us...and more importantly the goose jerky is done and it's delicious and it doesn't have to be stored in the freezer!  Chester gets the night off!  If your husband is also an avid hunter and you need to use up a bunch of goose so that it doesn't take up space in your freezer, try this recipe for spicy-goose-jerky.  Wow, I guess I get a little break from the hunting season because after this weekend until October first there is nothing that is legal for my husband to shoot! 

Vern Out