Health Food

Regarding the chocolate pudding Lar made tonight from a Bon Appetempt recipe that uses only chocolate, cream, eggs, sugar, and salt:

It's all completely natural! How could it not be good for me?

Old Tune, New Words

Alex's variations to the tune of Come Thou Font of Every Blessing (with backup by Rebecca):

Liar, liar

at Fred Meyer

Now you have to leave the fire

or

Liar, liar

pants on fire

take your girlfriend to Fred Meyer

or

Liar, liar,

pants on fire

Sell your girlfriend at Fred Meyer

Only at the Leavitt house

do the grownups start up "Instant Karma" to west-coast swing down the hallway in socks so slippery that the dance evolves into sliding sessions

With Faith

My young daughter is sitting on her bed yelling out the Article of Faith song "Wee beleeeve that a man must be CALLED of God by PROphecy..."

A Miracle of Nature

Just snacked on bits of an apple from last year's box that I found in the garage. Aside from some brown spots (which I avoided), it was still crunchy and sweet. Amazing.

My Daughter the Hobbit

When I ask my daughter to choose some really fun pants for today, she picks out a pair of shorts and her fluffy skort. She holds out the shorts. "I'll wear this one after breakfast." Then she holds out the skort. "And I'll wear this one after second breakfast!"

Skipping a step

Whether it's honest piety or sibling competition, Rebecca often says her prayer, then starts another one as soon as a sibling speaks up. Sometimes we cover her mouth to muffle the sound.

So now what does she do? Covers her own mouth and keeps talking.

Saturday Night Lamb Curry

As a celebration of winter, and in an effort to clean up the freezer a little more, after spending the day helping L, I spent the evening working on curry. I have to say that this is one of the best lamb curries that I've made. This recipe is also pretty mild so that the kiddies will also enjoy it; feel free to spice it up some more.

Saturday Night Lamb Curry (Most ingredients are approximate):
• 5 lbs lamb shoulder or leg, cut into 1-2 inch chunks. I find that I like smaller pieces.
• 6 medium onions, sliced.
• 6 cloves garlic.
• 6 T ginger.
• 3 14oz cans tomatoes--crushed works well, diced is ok.
• 1 jalepeno pepper.
• 4 bay leaves.

Spice Mixture:
• 2 t Whole Coriander
• 1/2 t Black peppercorns
• 1-2 t fennel seeds (optional)
• 3 t Garam Masala
• 2 t Salt
• 2 t Cumin
• 1/2 t ground tumeric
• 1/4 t cayenne (optional)

Steps:
1. Add tomatoes & bay leaves to the crock pot (on high heat).
2. Brown the lamb chunks in batches in a skillet or two with vegetable oil. When browned, dump into crock pot.
3. Sautee the onions in batches in the skillet, scraping the lamb fond in the first batches. With each batch add a clove of garlic & about 1 T of ginger & cook until aromatic. Reserve 1/3 of the onion / garlic / ginger mixture in a blender or food processor. Add remaining to the crock pot with the lamb.
4. Thinly slice and sautee the jalepeno pepper. Put in food processor with onion & puree until smooth. Add to crock pot.
5. Add large spices to spice grinder & process. Add remaining spices to mixture.
6. Bloom spice mixture in oil until aromatic & add to crock pot.
7. Crack the lid of the crock pot so some of the moisture may escape (I use a toothpick under the lid), and cook for 4-6 hours.

Overheard

A to R: If I have told you once, I have told you twice...

On Grownups

Rebecca, after her first day at gymnastics, says:

"Right now there are two grownups at gymnastics. But I'm going to grow up. Then there will be three grownups!"

A sort of sad farewell

Farewell, small green frog boots, patched with gorilla tape spots. Alas, your patches are unpeeling, your cracks are growing, your leakiness is rising, and the tiny feet that slipped so easily into you have moved on to shiny new navy-blues. We put you away, but we will never forget you.

Rebecca's Middle-of-the-Night complaint

"I don't like this dark. I want different dark."

Family Laundry Night

Hooray for children who get really helpful after bedtime!

First Day Ever

Rebecca, enamored of school by watching her brother & sister go to school all last year, will tell you that she also went to school last year.

You're not fooling anybody.

First Day

Just finished first day of school, which meant the first day of walking to two different schools over a mile apart, and also (unfortunately) the first day of gymnastics. Kids all seemed to do well at school, but it was a long, long day!

The Wrong Time to Remember It's Fast Sunday...

...is after you've cooked a breakfast of waffles, peaches, and whipped cream, but before you've eaten it.

Learning Manners from a Three Year Old

I get Rebecca some milk.

Rebecca: "Thank you."

Me (concentrating on something else): nothing

Rebecca: "Are you welcome?"