I have five kids (eldest is almost 12, youngest is almost 2) -- they are fantastic, incredible, wonderful creatures :-) We have four sons and a daughter, and our home is filled with the sounds of giggling and arguing and jumping and running and chitter-chatter. My husband and I go to bed every night thanking one another for the family we have. The first two boys (26 months apart) each arrived 11 weeks preterm (29 weeks' gestation) and required months of hospitalization in the NICU, including multiple surgeries, ambulance rides and long nights of wondering if they'd survive until morning. They finally became healthy little toddlers and I had my tubes tied, thinking there was no way I could bear to bring another baby into a terrifying scenario like that again. Time passed, and the yearning got only stronger for more children...I discovered the source of my obstetric problems (a congential gynecological defect) and underwent a grueling seven-hour surgery to repair my tubes and correct my dysfunctional anatomy. Went on to have three more scrumptious kids and now I have five healthy, gorgeous children. It's exhausting, yes. It sometimes causes a bit of financial juggling (I'm a SAHM). The volume in my house is often very high with clamors for my attention or frustrations among the siblings, but it's nothing compared to the joy of hearing them laugh uncontrollably during an afternoon of goofing off as a family. I don't worry about the teenage years -- we've done our best to lay the groundwork to raise our kids with enormous self-respect and self-esteem. They'll make mistakes, I'm sure of it, but hopefully they'll return to their core values and continue to grow into fine adults. Until then, we have years of baking cookies, chasing the dog around the backyard, monitoring homework and tidying up mountains of Hot Wheels and multi-colored wooden blocks with these sweet, funny little kids we're so lucky to call our own. It's all good. Create the family you want, and then pour your heart and soul into enjoying your blessings. If you already feel sad about *no more babies, ever* and the vasectomy hasn't even happened yet, you're clearly not ready to move on -- you'll know in your heart which path is right for you and your family. Warm regards.

We are redoing our kitchen with a very large island, and we are going with all butcher block countertops on that prep space. I intend to use it daily, often, as a cutting board. I do have separate boards I use for meat, and that practice will continue. I am actually in the camp that believes (backed up by science, although both sides can say that) that the antibacterial bugs inside the wood keep it from getting nasty - I still use a separate board for cutting meat but don't freak when a little steak juice escapes. BTW, my other boards are all wood as well (I am JK Adams' best customer!) Like Sharon, I constantly get admiring comments from those who see my current island (butcher block-topped), even when I haven't oiled it in a while. I'll try to take a pic of the island and post it. I love the feel of cutting on the wood, love that I don't have to worry about nicks and scratches when someone is there helping me in the kitchen, love the look of a used piece of furniture in the work space. Good luck with your decision. As most things kitchen, it all boils down to how you like to work, and that includes what you like to see in the kitchen space. Nica

I should have photographed all the pages. A version of Ricky's was listed remember called something '...in a Hat'. Finishing the toasted cut-out piece on top to serve. I really like all the South American egg scrambles. This book was discussed at work so we all shared our favorites. A Brazilian and a Venezuelan I discovered like the same 'variegated'. Similar to the country style pic above. (my Brazilian friend calls them variegated). Makes sense. Pan medium, melt a small pat of butter. Crack in pan two eggs, turn down heat to low. Cook low and slow until whites solidify, no crispy edges. Yolk still tender runny. Add tbsp fresh salsa, chopped avocado...or any handy veg, spinach, etc., a bit of crumbled queso or feta. Stir folding so the egg white and yolk yellow are not a fast scramble...variegated. Even just a simple quick egg I prefer this way. A bit of dill is nice. I like the flavor of the yolk even if partially cooked.

Lol, Bunny :) The crust is the only actual recipe; the quiche is just s method… 4 eggs beaten with 3/4 cup heavy cream with salt and pepper and whatever herbs you like, poured into a parbaked crust lined with shredded cheese and whatever else you want. This is a double crust recipe; for chicken or ham and leek pie i use it all, but for quiche I freeze half the dough. 2 1/2 cups sifted AP flour quarter cup grated Parmesan 12 tblsp salted butter (or equal amount of unsalted butter and a tsp table salt) 1/2 cup sour cream 1 egg at room temp In a food processor, pulse flour (and salt if you’re using unsalted butter) and parmesan til combined. Add in cold butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces and pulse until butter is pea sized Combine sour cream and beaten egg, then add half to the flour mixture and pulse five or six times, then add the rest and pulse until a dough begins to form. I put a piece of plastic wrap on the counter and dump the dough into it, then bring it together by pulling the sides of the plastic in towards the center. (it’s easier than handling it and oreserves the butter temp better.) Divide the dough equally and form into disks, wrap and refrigerate for an hour, or put one in the freezer for future use.