Happy Birthday, Joe!
My husband, love of my life, partner in crime and above else my best friend. I love you so much and am so happy that you are my baby daddy :)
May we continue to always find humor and light and I promise to love you with all my beings.
Thank you for choosing me as your wife. Your birthday is my favorite day of the year. Love you, Dug

Hello.

Hi Blog World,
Sorry I haven't been on here lately. This summer has been the worst/best time of my life.
On June 6th, Joe and I found out that we were pregnant. Usually, people wait a couple of months to tell their loved ones but Joe and I couldn't wait to tell our parents. They were so incredibly happy and thrilled to be Grandparents. What occurred in the next week is traumatic enough to write but I am ready to step out of my shell. My mother passed away three days after we found out about our pregnancy. We buried her exactly one week after finding out we were pregnant.
The last three months have been surreal with change and emotions, ranging from extreme sadness to pure joy. My mother was the love of my life and here we are creating our new love of our life. Life is interesting and strange and I am trying to navigate through it the best I can. I will try to post happy photos, and sometimes it may be sad but I will try to stay positive. Hope all is well.
Love always,
Cori and Joe.

Introducing….

Introducing the new section of the blog:

Sunday Cooking with Family

Last weekend when I was in New York, my Mother was cooking up a storm and I felt nostalgic and sad that I am not there to be part of this experience anymore. When I think of my Italian family, I think of food, of course. My Mother is hands down the best cook I have ever had in my life. She always makes everything from scratch and is beyond talented. I wish I paid more attention to her skill growing up. Now that I'm married, I do my fair share of cooking but I am always yearning for her special touch. Therefore, I pitched an idea to my mom. How about we find recipes that we both enjoy and cook it on Sunday, send each other pictures with details and I'll document it on the blog. Therefore, it's like a virtual cookbook. If one wants to mimic the recipe, then great! But really it's more of a diary of my mothers recipes that mean the world to me and I'm just trying to be like her :)

We tried to make the same thing the first week but with both of our schedules, we decided to pick the same meat product and cook it different styles. Our first Sunday we both had pork.

She had ribs that she grilled on the grill with a pasta salad made of chopped tomatoes, cannellini beans, pine nuts, parsley, finely chopped white onion, capers and olive oil.

I made carnitas tacos with heirloom tomatoes, shredded cabbage and guacamole, served with baked beans.

This week I am going to attempt to make her famous chicken and dumplings. Stay tuned.

Cape May/Beach Plum Farm and Blue Pig Tavern at Congress Hall

happy spring..

 Our backyard.

 Local High School Kids performing at the coffee shop down the road

Epic Yanni's Cafe breakfeast

Joe and I attended St Joe's Catholic School annual fundraiser Gala to raise money for the students. It was so much fun! We one a door prize of Johnson's Popcorn!

 Happy 30th Danielle!

Had dinner at the amazing Roundhouse in Beacon. Side note, how lucky are we that we grew up in such a beautiful place like the Hudson Valley!?

Reading Market in Philly, and Ocean City, NJ. Happy Easter!!

!!!!!

Local Students Learn Teamwork While Raising Money for Shore

Shore Cancer Center's Joe Johnston, back left, holds a check presented to him by students at St. Joseph's Regional School.  Students involved in the book's production include 5th graders Chris Catona, Tiffany Tran and Rocco Fiore; 4th graders Anthony Galinus, Ryan Goldstein, Emma Cortes, Anthony Cerchiaro, Nicholas Campano, Domenic Kenny, and Vincent Polistina; and 3rd graders Daniel Cortes, Olivia Kenny, Ava Tenaglia, Catherine Gallagher and Thomas Tran.  Cover art by Mia Rico, senior at Mainland Regional High School and alumna of St. Joseph School. At St. Joseph's Regional School in Somers Point, students were recently given a big challenge in social responsibility by third grade teacher Mrs. Sylvia McFadden: in one week, create, write and illustrate a book to be sold as a fundraiser for their school and Shore Cancer Center. The book, entitled "We Are, St. Joseph's School, The School by the Sea...." includes beautiful watercolor images and original poems written by the children. When reading the book, you get a true sense of the students' values and how their faith is intertwined in all that they do.  During a check presentation to Joe Johnston, Administrative Director of Oncology Services at Shore Cancer Center, the children shared what they learned during the bookmaking process: how working together as a team enables you to accomplish more. One student even gave some artistic advice. "If you are using watercolors, make sure you have a blow dryer!" The books can viewed at The Auxiliary of Shore Medical Center Gift Shop. If you would like to purchase a book, email Read4McFadden@gmail.com.  Cost: $25 for a hard-bound book, or $15 for a paperback.

Cape May

Today was 40 degrees with the sun out so I decided to take a drive to Cape May and explore the area. Joe is at school this weekend (T minus 2 months til he is done!)