End of an Era

Hi from the Jersey Shore! I'm here with my kids and hubby enjoying the last few weeks of summer. I don't want it to end! I'm not ready for fall!

I can't believe we were in Napa last year. Joe and I would love to go back -- but with our kids. We missed them like crazy! Caroline was lucky to have her brood with her, but I guess the drama never ends with kids, no matter how old they are!

I loved surfing, even though the water was cold. I like challenging myself to do new things. I've never been one to just sit on the sidelines and watch. I wish everyone had come in with us! I thought the water was deeper when I jumped off my board though, which is why I landed so hard. The cold water numbed my foot, so I did wear heels afterwards, which I think made it a little worse. I was in so much pain that night, it was no joke! I think I twisted something and it was swollen, but my boots the next day were the magic cure. They were new, so they were tight, and they kept my foot from swelling any more. I was good as new then!

I'm glad you all got to see me and Joe and my brother and Melissa how we used to be on vacation. We used to have so much fun, goofing around and hanging out together. For years and years we had a great relationship, which is why it was so shocking and upsetting that it all fell apart last year. But you can see we're working on fixing it.

And yes, Melissa always was a "fondler." She used to say I had the best ass, so she was always grabbing it.

It's sad for me, even now, watching my friendship with Jacqueline end. We were really close for a really long time, and we never did have a fight. I really did feel that she did something to me -- ambushing me with Caroline -- and it hurt my feelings, but I wanted to forgive her and move on. But you can see we weren't on the same page. I didn't do anything to her, no specific thing she could say or I could ask forgiveness for. Her thing seems to be she just doesn't like how I am. We can work past a thing or an event or a mean conversation, but what do you do when someone just decides they don't like how you are? Who you are? I can't change that. And I'm not going to change it just because Jacqueline suddenly tells me to. If she had a specific thing that hurt her, I'd be happy to stop doing it. But she just tells me I'm fake, and it's everything. All of sudden too, after 10 years, it's everything. It's sad and I'll always miss her friendship, but what can I do? I can't change or fix "everything."

We did have a lot more fun you didn't see on our trip though. There wasn't time to show everything, but we did have a big RV Cook-Off between me, Caroline, and Kathy. It was a challenge trying to cook in that tiny RV kitchen without our normal tools and ingredients, but we all pulled it off. I was slapping the steak with a big grilling spatula to try and tenderize it, Melissa was my sous chef and partner in crime. We had so much fun! Then we ran around and had people in the parking lot taste everything and decide whose food was the best. Maybe they'll put the clip online or put it in a lost footage episode and then you can see who won. I will tell you what I made though: Steak Pizzaola (the recipe is in my first cookbook Skinny Italian -- it's my dad's favorite and just 383 calories!) and an eggplant and tomato ciambotta which I included in my newest cookbook Fabulicious!: Fast & Fit -- sooo good and just 86 calories! (Both go great with Fabellini!)All right, I have to get back to the beach and my girls. Love love love you all! Follow me on Twitter @Teresa_Giudice and check out my website for my appearance schedule, where to buy Fabellini and more!

Tanti Baci,
Teresa xx