Summertime Pasta!

Aaron and I are friends with this fantastic family of 3 that plants a big enough garden to feed 10-20 people for an entire summer.  They are so kind and generous.  Last time we went to their house, they loaded us up with several ears of corn, a bag of tomatoes (all varieties), a basket of peppers (all varieties), some new potatoes, pork chops, a handful of berries, several squashes and zucchinis, and probably some more vegetable that I'm forgetting.  They also tried to give us some horseradish root which we politely refused.  I'm not sure what one is supposed to do with a horseradish root other than make a lifetime supply of horseradish sauce.
While were there, they suggested a recipe for using up these vegetables which we call the Barkley Special. I've made it a few times and it has taken on several variations.  It is one of Aaron's favorite meals.  It is super quick and easy!  I definitely recommend it especially with freshly picked produce either from your garden or from a farmers' market.  I can't wait to make it all the time this summer!

Summertime Pasta
Fresh vegetables - a lot!  You can mix and match any variety that makes you happy.  I've used peppers, onions, squash/zucchini, tomatoes, and broccoli.
Garlic - preferably freshly minced.
Sausage - probably around 1/2 lb
Pasta - whole wheat tastes great and is healthy.  Approximately one box of spaghetti or linguine.
Italian dressing - from a bottle, from a dried mix, or homemade
Parmesan - Aaron's philosophy is the more the better!

Brown the sausage, drain grease and remove from pan.  Saute the vegetables.  Add the garlic right at the end.  Mix the sausage back in until heated and mixed through.  Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta and mix it with the vegetables and meat.  Drench with Italian dressing.  Serve with Parmesan grated all over everything.  Try not to eat the whole bowl by yourself.  It also tastes great cold as leftovers!

Dear Baby,

Dear Baby,

We got to see you one week ago.  You weighed 13 oz and you politely kept your legs crossed.  This pleased your father immensely as he did not want me to even try and guess your gender.  I'm a little sad that you're playing favorites already.  We also found out that you are a thumb sucker.  Oh, dear.  We already had strong suspicions that you would need braces but this has confirmed our fears.
You are a little wiggle worm in church which is very distracting for your poor mother.  You also get hyper when I give even a little bit of caffeine.  We look forward to meeting in a few months.  Hopefully, your parents will have everything they need to take care of you, but don't count on it.

Love,
Your mother