Stuffed Long Peppers

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Several months ago, I asked my Aunt Joan for some of her recipes since I knew she had a lot of them written down.  She handed over a recipe box that was amazing, with papers that were turning yellow and tearing at the edges.  I had so much fun going through it, picking and choosing which ones I wanted to scan and keep.

Frank doesn't eat peppers so I waited until I was feeding a crowd to serve these up...one of many dishes that takes me back to me childhood.  The smell while they're cooking is enough to jog my memory.


I made these the day before I needed them and warmed them in the oven right before serving.  Now that I've done that, I know that next time I need more crushed tomatoes/sauce since it seemed to have absorbed into the peppers after reheating.  They were still delicious, but a little more sauce would have been nice.


Stuffed Long Peppers
from Aunt Joan

10 long frying peppers
3 cups Italian bread crumbs
3 tablespoons capers
chopped anchovies (I omitted)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 egg
extra virgin olive oil
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (or 3 cups marinara)
(if using canned crushed tomatoes, add seasonings like basil, garlic powder, parsley, salt, pepper)

Cut tops off peppers and clean out insides.  Set aside.

In a bowl, combine bread crumbs, capers, anchovies, garlic and egg.  Add oil to the point where mixture becomes moist.  Stuff mixture inside peppers.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and add peppers.  Add tomatoes (and seasonings, if using) and brown peppers on each side.  Lower heat, cover, and simmer for at least 20 minutes.

You can reheat this later in the oven, or you can skip the frying step entirely and bake in the oven for a healthier alternative.

Bella's Birthday Cake

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We had Bella's family birthday party over the weekend, and of course, I baked her cake.  Even though there's nothing spectacular about it, ingredient wise, I had to devote a post to it.

Why?


I did this.  I carved that 4, FREEHAND.  If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know this is a big deal for me.  I refused to spend the money on a #4 cake pan, only to use it once, so I crossed my fingers and went for it.  Not bad, eh?


AND, I did a crumb coat for the first time ever!  Yeah, I know, I'm late to the party.  It definitely made a difference.  Still not perfect, but better than usual.  I know this is amateur stuff to some, but not for this novice baker!

Of course, I had to include Bella's favorite color in there somehow...hence, the purple.  My nieces actually were planning on decorating the cake but we ran out of time.  It's too bad - it would have made it even better :)


Still can't believe my baby is 4!  Time really DOES go by fast...

Sweet Cinnamon Crockpot Applesauce

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We made our annual apple picking trip last week.  Bella and her friends had fun, even it kind of got old after a little while.  All of the apples were high up in the trees and they couldn't reach much of anything themselves!  Still, we had fun, and brought home a ton of yummy apples...and now the fun REALLY begins.


My friend Nicole had this delicious looking recipe on her blog that I knew I had to try.  The biggest bonus was that it was for the crockpot - perfect while working from home while I'm not able to babysit something over the stove.

Oh and we didn't just get apples from the farm...we got these a-MAZ-ing potato pancakes...because, you know, something had to "go" with the applesauce :)


Make a LOT of this - it'll go fast!


Sweet Cinnamon Crockpot Applesauce
slightly adapted from PreventionRD

12 medium apples, peeled, cored and quartered
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water

Place apples in crockpot and top with remaining ingredients.  Cook on high for about 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

Makes twelve 1/2 cup servings.

Blackened Tilapia Sandwiches with Avocado Spread

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What new shows have you watched this season so far?  Anything you really love?  Hate?

I have a bunch that I'm looking forward to...but, I can't even begin to contain my excitement about the Dancing With The Stars All-Stars season that started this week.  I LOVE the show and having all the great ones from seasons past on at the same time makes me giddy.  Well, actually, Joey Fatone is the one who makes me giddy...

(did I say that out loud?)


So, now my nights are filled with TV watching, once again...good thing I can multitask and write my blog posts at the same time :)  And this sandwich is perfect for when life gets busy, thanks to back-to-school and the new primetime season.


Blackened Tilapia Sandwiches with Avocado Spread
slightly adapted from Cake, Batter and Bowl

for the avocado spread:
1 avocado, mashed
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt

for the tilapia:
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tilapia filets
1 tablespoon canola oil

4 buns
sliced tomato
sliced onion

To make the avocado spread, mix avocado, lime juice, cilantro and salt together in a small bowl.  Refrigerate.

Mix all spices together in a small bowl.  Massage spice mixture evenly on both sides of each fish filet.  Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet and cook filets on each side, about 3-4 minutes.

Spread avocado spread on one side of bun.  Add fish, tomato and onion.  Cover with other half of bun and serve.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

White Bean Ragout with Poached Egg & Toast

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Any fun weekend plans in store?


Whether you do or not, you should seriously consider making this.  It's fancy enough for company, and easy enough for a casual, relaxing evening at home.  Most of all, it's gooooooood.


White Bean Ragout with Poached Egg & Toast
adapted from Bon Appetit

3 medium onions, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves, 3 grated, 1 halved
2 teaspoons tomato paste
sliced grilled or toasted ciabatta
8-10 tablespoons grated pecorino romano cheese, divided
2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups vegetable broth, divided
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
6 eggs, poached
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Pulse onions and pepper in a food processor until finely chopped.  Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add onion mixture and season with salt and pepper.  Simmer, stirring often, for 30 minutes, until vegetables have softened.  Add finely grated garlic and tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes, until paste turns deep red.  Measure 1/2 cup of mixture and set aside; reserve skillet.  Transfer remaining mixture to bowl and let cool completely.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Rub bread with halved garlic.  Place on baking sheet and sprinkle cheese on each slice.  Toast for about 5 minutes.  Set aside.

Heat reserved 1/2 cup mixture and beans in same skillet.  Cook for about one minute, until heated through.  Stir in 3 cups broth and bring to boil.  Simmer and scrape bits off bottom of skillet.  Cook for about 3-4 minutes, until liquid thickens.  Add tomatoes and remaining 1 cup broth.  Simmer 3-4 minutes, until tomatoes are tender.  Stir in 2 tablespoons cheese and salt and pepper.

Divide bread among bowls.  Top with bean mixture and broth.  Add egg.  Garnish with remaining cheese and parsley.  Drizzle oil on top, if desired.

Linked to:  Party Recipe Blog Hop

lake winnipesaukee, part 2.

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parts 1 and 2 of the lake are posted and the vacation is over.  it's a rude awakening that steve had to go back to work as soon as we returned and that the temperatures have felt a bit on the cooler side too.  september wants to rip the band-aid RIGHT OFF now doesn't it?!
but, back to the lake for a moment... steve's family--cousins and parents--were with us for the first half of our time there and then my parents were there for the second.  his parents also celebrated 55 years of marriage while there.  happy anniversary you two!  we love you!  (they're the lovely couple you see in the fifth picture down.)  
it was a really nice time.  spent with family and gorgeous surroundings.  really, what more can you ask for?  we're grateful for our time there and our good health and our many loved ones.  grateful, indeed.
and that does it.
oh!  parker took his first few steps while there one morning!  it was dang cute if i do say so myself.
{pictures 3-5 by mandy leigh}

Guest Post by Blair: The Pixie Project

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Hi Lovlie readers of Bridget's blog!  This is me.  Blair.  I call it the "before" picture:



It's the before picture because I am ready to chop all that hair off!  And not just chop it off, but chop it off to rescue 3 women from prostitution.  To take them off the streets and give them a second chance at life. 
It's called The Pixie Project and you can help!  In the capital city of Ethiopia 1 of 9 women is part of the sex industry.  3 of 4 of the women in that lifestyle have AIDS, which for many there, is a death sentence   
I'm seeking to raise $1,200.  Thats enough to rehabilitate 3 women for a year which includes intensive counseling, job training, medical attention, a safe place to stay, and care for their children as well.  All that is asked of these women is a commitment to stay off the street.   It is a second chance at life.  *If I reach my goal, I'll go get a pixie -- something I've always been afraid to do.  Helping women in this way is the motivation I need! (** see update at bottom of this post **)
This is Bezuayhu.


She's only 19.  Her mom died when she was 6 months old and she lost her dad when she was 3 years old.  Her aunts and grandparents insulted her and did not allow her to go to school.  They told her she was cursed.  Her life was burdened.  She was young and lonely.  With friends, she left for Addis Ababa to make money and change herself.  At age 18 she began prostitution.  She thought that was the answer.  She worked as a prostitute for 8 months,what to her, felt like 8 years.  Now because of the Women at Risk program she works during the day and sleeps at night, something she took forgranted.  She is proud and excited about who she is.  
"I used to think I was alone, but not anymore because I know God is with me... I am so happy... my mind feels so restful now...In the future, I want to have kids and I want them to have a better life than mine.  I don't want them to experience my childhood."{you can read more of her story and see her video by clicking here}
There are so many more stories like Bezuayhu's.  Lives that are hurting.  You can help by donating to The Pixie Project.  My goal is to raise $1,200... *if I reach my goal, I'll be walking on in to a barber shop to chop it off and get the cut I've always been to afraid to get.  
You can check out more about the Pixie Project on my blog.  There you will find more details about the program I am working with and the women I am seeking to support.  There is also a short intro video where I share my heart in this project.  You can also click the banner below that will take you straight to my fundraising page.  Donate $4, donate $400... every bit helps.  
We can do something wonderful together!!


**update**  I've reached my goal!!!  But don't stop giving!  I am for SURE getting the pixie, but still need to schedule a consultation, make an appointment, etc... don't stop giving!  We've successfully supported two women.  Lets go for FIVE!  My new goal is $2,000!

A note from Bridget: Thanks for reading guys -- be sure to go over to Blair's blog to check out this incredibly worthy project.  And to see the final 'cut'!

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Every now and again, I'll think of a question I have about Shannon for Steve.  They just pop into my head, and I'm hoping he'll have an answer.  The amount at which we share a life, she and I, is enormous.  Married to the same man, raising the same children (I've added Parker to the mix, of course).  I have so many questions for her, many of which Steve can't answer.  When times get tough with Jordan, I've asked Steve, "What would Shannon do here?"  I've wondered what her dreams were and whether she yelled a lot or was a calm mother.  Was she into health food?  Was she shy and reserved or outgoing?  Did she struggle with her faith too?  What did her last days look like?  Was she scared?

I met her only one time, at church, when Lindsey was about two.  I was curious what she was like, even then, because she was my favorite professor's wife.  I thought she was lovely, she seemed a bit quiet, and that's about it.  It was a two-second meeting, and I never saw her again.  
I asked Steve recently what their last date was.  And whether they knew it would be their last.  He told me they were driving home from Mass General and stopped at a Bertuccis along the way.  It was just the two of them.  They would be returning to the hospital a few days later where she'd be admitted for major surgery.  The surgery would be unsuccessful and she'd pass away shortly afterwards.  He says they talked about how all of these waiters and diners all bustled about their business, cleaning up dishes, picking at their bread and crunching on ice cubes, pouring drinks and taking orders, having no idea what was going on at the table in which they sat.  He says he remembers they were a bit in awe of that fact.  Here they were, eating a meal that could potentially be their last together, alone as husband and wife (not knowing at the time that it was), and no one around had a clue.

I've thought about that a lot.  Everyone's got something.  Big, small, something. 

the breeze! a giveaway!

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when 4moms contacted me awhile back and asked if i'd be interested in a review and giveaway of the breeze, i thought, "hm.  that sounds interesting."  THEN i saw the video below and a resounding, "YESSSSS," ran through my brain.  not to mention william and lindsey were practically cheering in the background thinking it was the coolest thing they'd ever seen.  their products are truly innovative and, most importantly, make life easier on the parents!this playard is awwwwesome, people.  the pack-n-play was seriously my biggest 'baby equipment' challenge.  ours was a hand-me-down and i never even bothered to get a new one because the new ones seemed as much a headache as the one i had.  there was no updating goin' on with their set-up-and-break-down function.  ya'll know what i'm talking about.  that thing is not easy to use.  this?  this is easy.  like, parker could do it easy.
but, we're going to show you william doing it instead.
oh!  and, if you travel with your playard, which i'm sure you do (that's their point!), i lovethat the breeze comes with its own travel bag instead of the actual bed folding around the outside like the pack-n-play.  
and p.s. it can be a bassinet too!
so now, the part where you might get to take one home!
enter to win a breeze ($299 value)!{u.s. residents only}+ go check out the website and then come back and leave a comment!please include your email address!
extra entries:+ follow 4moms on Facebook+ follow 4moms on twitter
and, if you can't wait, pre-order your breeze here now!
giveaway closed.melissa henry is the winner, congrats!

Guest Post: Rachael's Guide to Boston!

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Hi all!  Bridget here.  From time to time, I'll get asked if I have a Boston guide being that I live near the city and, well, I don't.  There are things I love to do in the city time and time again, but a tried and true guide would be so much more fitting coming from my good friend Rachael who lives IN the city.  Beacon Hill to be exact.  Her daughter Lux is less than half a month older than Parker, and we've been doing playdates since they were a few months old.  New moms, surviving one playdate at a time!  You could say we bonded.  
Also, Rachael is a seriously beautiful writer.  Check out her blog, Erstwhile dear, for more of their sweet life in and around Boston.  (Bonus: she's got a Nantucket guide too!)
Without further ado, here's her little family.
And, here's her guide!
Welcome to Boston! Ditch your car, meet the MBTA and get yourself a T pass to ride around the city. Get ready to ignore the crosswalk signs, Bostonians walk everywhere and consequently view cars as competitors for the road. Like seafood? I hope so! Dollar oysters are this city's version of a happy hour. It's tough telling folks what to do here--there are sooo many things. But here a few of my favorites:

Kendall Square, Cambridge

Do the letters MIT make you say "ooo la la"? The university is based along this neighborhood on the Red Line and there is loads of great stuff to eat around here. Voltage Cafe has the city's best lattes. Across the street, Tatte Bakery is possibly the loveliest coffee shop you will ever vist. Area Four has a pizza oven that chefs all over Boston envy, plus a chic little coffeeshop during the day. Hungry Mother is the restaurant you'll read about in national magazines: it's the best of hipsterism--beautiful wallpaper, creative light fixtures, amazing unique drinks, incredible crafted food. I recommend reservations, though for a seat at the bar it is usually a short wait.
And, random: I think Central Bottle is the best wine store in the city. They always have great events so check the website. I love their Thursday night wine tasting parties. 
Harvard Square, Cambridge

I still remember visiting Boston for the first time and driving past the towering brick walls of Harvard University. I was in love---there it was! The most famous Ivy League of all time. I couldn't believe we could just wonder through the campus, lounging on benches and peering up at the beautiful libraries. (Of course, you can't go in the libraries, oh no no, that would be too much.) 
Any visit to Boston is worth a quick trip on the Red Line to Harvard Square. Get a slice of pizza at the tiny Otto's shop. Order the darkest hot chocolate from Burdick's and sip slowly. I love to visit Harvard's wonderfully dated Museum of Natural History. It's a old museum with a million interesting things to look at. And.....shop at Oona's! This incredible vintage store will welcome you as soon as you step inside. Just the warmest, coziest space, with perfectly seasonal and curated items. Also! You can bring the boyfriend--the men's section might be more fun than the ladies. 
Beacon Hill, Boston
Beacon Hill is essentially Charles Street, with the sprawling brick neighborhood on either side. It is framed by the Esplanade along the Charles River, and Common and Garden on the other side. Bridget adores Paramount for all meals--if it's nice out or you've got kiddos, take it to go. I love Beacon Hill Bistro for an quiet elegant breakfast where you can count a coffee refill and real cream. 75 Chestnut is frequently voted the neighborhood favorite. The food isn't stunning but the ambiance is friendly and cozy, and the bartenders are kind. 
Step into our neighborhood market Savenors to get cheese and crackers for the park or buy a Bequet salted caramel (the yummiest). Take the footbridge over to the river and watch the sailboats. Just off Charles Street, turn left at Philips St. and go up a block to see the gorgeous flower shop Rouvalis. If you need a break from the heat, or just a spot to sit awhile, step into the lobby of Liberty Hotel. 
Traveling with kids alert: Myrtle Street playground, at the corner of Myrtle Street and Irving is the neighborhood's favorite. 

North End, Boston
Boston's Little Italy, the North End, is a wonderful neighborhood that begins along the Greenway (a fantastic park that cuts through Boston following the old highway line). If it's nice out, get sandwiches to-go at Volle Nolle (featured recently in Martha Stewart) and a bottle of wine at the Wine Bottega (you gotta be sneaky about drinking in public in Boston. Use normal paper cups and keep the bottle in a paper bag) and sit along the Greenway watching the children frolic. My favorite restaurant there (and perhaps in all of Boston) is Neptune Oyster. You'll spot the lemons lined up at the window, the fresh oysters peaking behind, and the gilded mirrors of menus beyond that. If you have an flexibility in your schedule, go here at an odd hour. The wait can be crazy. 
If you do have to wait, walk up the street two shops to Acquire one of the loveliest and most unique shops in Boston. Everything here, as they say, is wonderful.
Pizzeria Regina's original location is here, a classic pizza joint where they practically throw the pizzas at you, black and white photographs line the wall, and the booths are tiny enough to hear your neighbor's conversation. It's now a chain with 10+ locations, but many swear that the pizza from this original location is the best. 
On the way to the North End, if you're walking from Boston, you'll probably pass Saus. You must stop at this amazing french fry and Belgian waffle spot. Yup, that right's---the two most amazing food groups, in one location. They also have fantastic Belgian beers and unique lunch-y food. 

To Stay
There are several hostels in Boston but I love that 40Berkeley is located in the South End. This is such a great neighborhood to be based in for your visit---delicious restaurants everywhere! 
Try the John Jefferies House which is cheaper than Holiday Inn and a great Beacon Hill location. The rooms are a little old fashioned, but in a semi-charming way. 
The Women's College Club, a great charmingly-chintzy spot in Back Bay, a good deal if it's available.
This b&b, Harding House, is in Cambridge, but right next to the red line, thus easily accessible to everywhere. Um hello, charming. The breakfast looks amazing! 
The Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro, one of my favorite spots ever can be comparable to cheaper spots, if they have a full bed open. Delicious breakfast included! 
It's always good to check airbnb when in new cities. Unfortunately very few people in Boston have any extra space, so the listings are pretty measly. They might get better though!

---

Bridget again.  There's some seriously good info here, so if you're planning a trip to Boston (Come, come!  New England in the fall cannot be beat!), you should bookmark this!  Or, are you a Boston-local yourself?  Anything to add?

And thank you Rachael!

a purple popsicle for parker. (say that five times fast.)

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parker's not an exceptionally picky eater but sometimes he's thumbing his nose at food before he's even tasted it.  food i know he likes.  he'll shake his head no, lurch his body to the opposite side of the incoming spoon, and turn his head nearly backwards.  and i know, i KNOW, he likes the offered food. it's not like i'm shoving cans of spinach down his throat (that comes later!)!  
then, i throw my hands up, take a popsicle, my popsicle, out of the freezer and drown my baby-food sorrows in it.  now he's real interested.  what is this frozen concoction my mother eateth?!  what is this stick contraption she holdeth whilst doing so?!??  (parker speaks like a true gent.)  i'm utterly interested, indeed!  i am!  please, mother!  may i licketh your popsicle?
so, in an effort to get him more interested in food, his food, i decided to whip up a popsicle-for-parker.  i make smoothie pops from time to time, but also buy these ones (gimme the coconut!), and, as for the latter, i'm not jumping up and down about giving them to him.  they're sugary sweet and since he's still experimenting with food and eating very little at times, i ain't doing it.  he'd probably eat the whole darn thing all the while side-eyeing me like, "what!  you didn't think i could!  boom!  here's the stick!"
where was i?  oh yeah, purple pop for park!
he loved it.  a popsicle?!  all for meeee?!??  i imagine that's what he's saying, anyway.
what's in this blasted thing?  i'll tell you:half an avocado, small handful of blueberries, handful of spinach, a good splash of coconut milk, and a banana.
p.s. i usually give it to him in a diaper and let him go to town... a bath is definitely a necessity afterwards.

lately.

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we've been soaking up the last summer bits over here.  i know there's still some time left... but with kids strapping backpacks on, tying the laces of new shoes, and going off to school, it sure feels like it's ending.  we've been celebrating with popsicles and burgers on the grill, bike rides and walks through town.  i got to see dear old friends who i haven't seen in awhile.  friends that have become moms in the interim!  ahnika and ashley and their babes svea and cadence respectively.  parker was quite the ladies man... flanked by those pretty ladies in red!  
psst!  my red shades are thanks to the sunglasses shop.  not gonna lie, they make me feel a little foxy.  i'm digging their cat-eye shape and the red frames give them an extra something special.  they're nice, real nice.  a little fancy, a little casual (yes!  both!)... they do mine eyes good.  i'm ringin' in the last days of summer with them on my face.  thanks sunglasses shop!
it's been a good one.  hurrah for summer 2012.and happy labor day!  do nothing, eat well, and be merry!

fall favorites.

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1. bdg slim straight jean 2. four corners cardigan 3. notch over me sweater 4. cumin right up dress 5. all a-boot style boot ($50, people!) 6. spotted flat 7. plaid flannel shirt (i just got one in blue!) 8. bow blouse 9. black knee high boots (only $59!) 10. messenger bag 11. f21 dolman shirt 12. crochet panels dress

i know, i know, i know!  summer's saying: i ain't over yet so stop trying to usher me out the door!  and it's true.  we've got a few weeks left of summer, but truth is, it's feeling downright fallish around here.  at night, it's chilly!  while a sheet sufficed for the last few months,  now i find myself pulling our comforter up to my chin and cozyin' up to steve.  so, with that in mind, here are some fallish items i'm eyeing around the web.  i think numbers 4 and 5 especially wanna be in my closet.

ps. steve and i did some major cleaning this weekend.  i'm selling some stuff over here and will be adding more within the next few days... even a few baby items!  u.s. shipping only and flat rate of $5.

Fear.

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Steve and I were talking this weekend about how it's harder to raise kids these days than it used to be.  We imagine it is, anyway, since we can't speak first hand to it.  I'm fairly certain my Mom would attest to this too--that it sure seems harder these days as she watches her four daughters do it.  I could come up with a variety of reasons why this is so, but the one I'm mainly talking about is fear.

Fear.

I hate that I'm even admitting this (mostly I hate that it's true) but, though I try my best to appear all laid back and fun loving, I let fear take its grip on me way too often.  I've mentioned this before in my post on babies and germs, but I didn't go into as much detail as I could have.  I didn't talk about how when I think about flying across the country, I picture myself on that plane, Parker on my lap, and wonder: How many germs will there be?  And will he catch something serious?  Could I wipe down the things he'll touch before he touches them?  I didn't talk about how when I see instagrams of young kids riding the subways of NYC, I wonder: Could I?  Are those Moms crazy like me and do they make their kids wash their hands right after getting off?  When I read an article about Triple E being discovered nearby, I make a mental note: Go inside before dusk.  When I come across an article about the hazards of pesticides on apples, I remember: Buy organic apples only.  When Parker has a rash, I study it carefully: Is it serious?  Or is it just from sunscreen or sweat?  I tell myself to stay off Google.  I mostly fail at this.

It sucks.  Living like there's some teetering anvil over your head is just no way to live.  I wasn't raised in a bubble.  How'd I get this way?  I didn't wash my hands incessantly, I wasn't told, "Don't eat that!"  "Careful that the bee doesn't sting you in case you are allergic!"  "We can't go to the beach in case of THE RIP TIDE!"  I just lived.  Disease and mosquitoes and junk food existed then too.  I'm sure I got colds and sore throats but I came out of them alive.  So, I ask again, how'd I get this way?

We're all living in this world of so much sharing.  The media tells us every time a child is kidnapped or a person dies of West Nile.  Headlines warn us of sharks off the Cape.  Facebook statuses share stories of an illness in the family with a request for prayer.  Emails deliver the news of a young, healthy mother, given months to live.  Terrorism, flu shots, transplants, MRSA, meningitis, drunk driving (or, worse yet: texting while driving!), miscarriages, shootings (even at movie theatres!  Is there no place safe?).

It's all too much.  There is a beauty in the sharing, yes.  Finding refuge in another's story is sacred.  Discovering common ground.  The same sharing that can create the fear allows for that too.  And don't get me wrong, there is so much good in that.  So much good in the support system that can be built through our ability to quickly and efficiently share information these days.  But it seems to have made me a worrier.  Such a worrier that, I'm afraid, it robs my joy at times.  Surely all of these things (or most, anyway) have existed for years.  There've been sharks off the Cape before, yes?  And kidnappings before, right?  And some other God-forsaken mosquito-spread illness, correct?  We just know everything now.  Nothing bad ever goes unreported.  And I'm sick of letting it handicap me.

I'm just not entirely sure of how to make it stop.  For now, I'm praying.

Any of you struggle with the same things?