Come Back from the Crazy

Can you believe Season 2 is finally here? There are more episodes in this season, so you’ll get to see more of us, and more of our families. And that’s really what it’s all about: family. I think that’s why people like our show - because they can relate to us - the good and the bad. I’ve met so many of you, viewers and fans, and I can certainly relate to you. (And can I just say, the Jersey Housewives have the most gorgeous fans? I’ve seen your Twitter and Facebook profile pictures - wow! One gorgeous girl and guy after another!) You have all touched my heart. I’m so happy I can be a part of your family too.

I had two big family blessings this year. First of course was my beautiful baby Audriana - who you’ll meet in an episode very soon! And my first book which finally come out TODAY! Family tradition is very important to me. A lot of our family time, our culture, and our love revolves around being in the kitchen. I learned to cook from my mom, and I cook homemade meals for my family almost every night. I’ve been collecting my mom’s recipes, tips, tricks and secrets from the Old World for healthy Italian living for years. I finally wrote them down to pass on to my kids, and the result is Skinny Italian. It’s a love letter to my mom. It’s full of full-color photographs, over 60 family recipes straight from Salerno, and of course, a bit of behind-the-scenes gossip thrown in. You can get it at your local bookstore, Target or Costco. You can read excerpts and see inside the book at my website: www.teresagiudice.com.

I know we left last season with a big bang, and of course things get crazy this season too, (or it wouldn’t be on Bravo, would it?) but it was nice to open with so many happy scenes and catch up with everyone.

How adorable is Nicholas? Watching Jacqueline’s baby dreams come true after so much heartbreak, and watching how it brought her whole family closer together was really amazing. It was also great to see Caroline’s husband Albert so fit. We see him every day, so the clips of last year and this year were really shocking. What a transformation! Good for him!

Isn’t Caroline adorable around her husband? She still giggles like a schoolgirl even after all these years. Joe and I are like that too. So are Jacqueline and Chris. We might be crazy New Jersey beyotches, but we know how to love our hubbies and love our lives. Happy wife, happy life!

You know who else has been happily married forever and is so much fun to be around because they fill the room with love? My parents. I couldn’t believe my dad asked the babysitter about her time of the month when we were making red sauce! I mean, it has to be asked, but by me, not him. Embarrassing. I loved that Gia tied a kerchief in her hair. She looked like a little Italian mamma! We do make 180 jars of red sauce every August. It’s not as hard as it looks (I teach you the entire process in Skinny Italian and even give you the background on the whole period-spoils-the-tomatoes thing...)

I did want to clear up two things about church and ponies. My family does go to church. We’re Catholic, we celebrated two sacraments this year - Gia’s First Communion and Audriana’s Christening – and, believe it or not, we don’t yell at our priests. Second, we donate all of our used stuff to the Salvation Army, but that giant pink pony was in no condition to go anywhere else except the trash can. You couldn’t tell on TV, but it was really old and dusty (and obviously too big to be washed!) It was ripped and stuffing was coming out and getting all over there toy room. After three little girls loved it for years, it had to go to pony heaven.

The only sad thing about this episode was watching Danielle self-destruct in front of her kids. They are obviously smart and beautiful. It was painful to hear them begging their mother to come back from the crazy. I know I said some crazy things (I don’t really remember all the jokes, but they were obviously jokes and I was obviously pregnant, so I plead temporary belly brain...), but when these things are said by a child, it’s not funny at all: "Calm down," "Don’t be an ass," "You’re messing yourself up right now," "I’m not going to sit here and watch you make a jerk of yourself," "I’m not going to support you in this," "Leave it alone," "Not a good idea," and "You’re a creepy stalker." I think more than anyone ever could, Danielle and her own children speak for themselves...

Visit me at www.teresagiudice.com, follow me on Twitter @Teresa_Giudice, or come meet me at one of my book signings! Love love love you all!

Baci,
Teresa

Read an excert of Skinny Italian here!