Best Mascara for Eva’s eyelashes
This is the first time Eva uses Mascara, aka I manage to put it on her for Halloween. The result: I used a lengthening mascara on her, definitely not water-proof and we used wipes make up remover after our night of trick or treating. She was very excited that she was actually using big girl mascara, it was the part of her costume that made her most proud.

Spaghetti al dente
Perhaps it’s because I’m Italian, but when I’m sad or even when I’m sick I love to eat spaghetti. This is my favorite brand. Although DeCecco comes a close second. I have no affiliations with either product, I simply like their pasta. One of the tricks to making al dente pasta is to cook it a minute less than what it says on the box. Or, as my dad would do, take a piece out of the boiling water and bite

Italian Women Fashion
This is a picture we took the day before my oldest daughter’s first communion. Lots of women in my family. It was a really special time and I miss them. Thank goodness for Skype and the once a day hourly phone calls.

Response
I was born and raised in Rome, Italy. I come from a large and extremely close extended family with many first cousins, most living in a five story apartment building, or across the street from each other in a busy section of the city called Piazza Bologna, near the University of Rome, La Sapienza. My husband and I share a deep love for a large family and have built our lives around our children. When we adopted little D, we had the best intentions and only love in our hearts. It’s this same love that allowed us to make the heartbreaking decision to place D with another family. To my dear sister Luisa, and my cousins Claudia, Marco, Micaela, Mercedes, Emiliano, Vanina, M

Contrast
Different texture. Soft and hard.