Sunday Life

First, random pic.. can you guess which baby this is? (answer at the bottom) And, for the family members wondering if this is another cutesy blog pregnancy announcement.. it's not. hehe. The next pregnancy announcement will probably be something crazier - like a carrier pigeon!

Things heard in our home on Sunday mornings..

"Does he have his shoes?"
"Do you have your shoes?"
"Is that shirt on backwards?"
"No. You can't wear that." (usually towards a boy!)
"Thirty minutes to go!"

"Don't forget to eat." (breakfast is typically bagels or other simple fare)
"Have you seen my shoes?" (Mommy!)
"Have you seen my purse?" (Mommy again..)
"Where is my Bible?" (You guessed it!)
"Don't forget your Bibles."
"Where is the sippy?"

And so on. Finally, we pile into the van and we're off. Everyone has a car buddy. After they finish buckling their car buddy they buckle themselves. Bethany (the carsick one) sits with Nae (the baby always gets the second row). Charlotte sits with Noah, James sits with Joseph. When buckling is done we count off from one to six according to birth order. Bethany says "Six" for Naomi. This is somewhat of an inside joke with the family. When I've called a child by every name but theirs I fall back on.. "You! Child number three, come here please." Strangely enough, I get Joseph and Noah's names mixed the most. We used to joke that Noah's name was Jo-Noah.

We arrived at church today and were greeted by the sight of a few boys playing football on the lawn. Others in our church family were standing at the front door, chatting. We were greeted by name (and lots of hugs. We're "huggers" at church!) and in we went. Our church has a cafe area on the right and the sanctuary is on the left. The cafe has all of the classrooms off of it and each has a large window so it's easy to see inside. Jim went towards the sanctuary with a few and I went towards the cafe/classrooms to deposit the shortest two in the nursery. (Yes, I know many of our Christian friends are against nurseries. We know this church is where God wants us and we are at peace with using the nursery. Please, no tomatoes!).

Before we could get a few feet through the cafe - where many are having coffee and chatting - we end up with various church family members coming over to ask about our morning. A few loved on Nae, some of the ladies having heard about her run-in with fire ants.. (her little foot looks a LOT better). What a blessing to be loved. I think so many are missing this in our world right now. More hugs and into the nursery we go. Adults, who don't have little kids at all, poke their head into the nursery to greet the littles. (The nursery directly opens into the cafe area, and, like i said it has a huge window). More of ... "How are you this morning?" and "Hey, Noah buddy, you're looking handsome today!"

The littles are dropped off and we go towards the sanctuary area. There are still groups of people talking in the hall, cafe, and outside are still folks talking and football is going on. More greetings, more hugs, and into the sanctuary where people are busy fellowshipping. I find where Jim is sitting with three of the kids (Bethany, James, and Joseph). Charlotte sits in the front row where the youth group has been "challenged" to sit. At first I had qualms about this.. again, I know many who would tsk-tsk over our daughter not sitting with the family. But you know what, she takes the most amazing notes during service and this is a chance for her to "own" her faith. Music starts.. and people reluctantly stop chatting and start finding their places..

During worship.. some clap, some raise hands, some sing, a few dance in place, and others just stand. A few say "Amen!" during prayer time and others quietly bow their heads. We have people in dresses, headcoverings, flipflops, and sweats. Praise God for that. Let the guy that slept in his clothes the night before and hasn't showered in a week come into my church.. let God use us to show him the love of Christ. When our kids were much younger, I remember skipping church because I couldn't find nice shoes for Charlotte. Her "good shoes" broke and I didn't have any others. I sometimes wonder how many others skip church because they feel their Sunday best isn't good enough?

After service starts, we always have stragglers that come in. They're not met with glares. They don't sneak through the door like naughty children either. They're hugged, loved, and made to realize that everyone is happy they're -there- even if late. :) After service it's a lot like before service. Kids are skateboarding outside, a basketball game might start in the parking lot, other kiddoes are on the playground equipment. People chat in the sanctuary, others are having coffee in the cafe, and still more are standing in the lobby area. Often, people are kinda pushed out the door a couple of hours later.

To me, that is a church family. I feel very blessed. I know there are other church families like that around as well. I hope all of those who may have gone through bad experiences with churches realize that you can't let that get to you. You have to trust God and know that He will be faithful to set you in the right fellowship.

Believers also need to realize that *we* are a family. In Christ, we've become mothers, brothers, sisters, and so on. A lot of people are hurting and we've got to reach out. I had the most wonderful experience on Saturday at Walmart. The cashier checking me out was positively glowing with the love of Jesus. She joked with the people in front of me and had us all chatting like we were long-lost friends. As I was checking out she was encouraging me with my boys, telling me about her older boys and drawing in the couple behind me.. and it was like water in a desert. I'd just come from a women's Bible study and felt like God just wrapped me in His arms and gave me another big squeeze.

At one time, I was *so* lonely here in SC. I prayed that God would bring me just one friend. People came into my life that were folks I couldn't imagine sticking with, but I tried. Through one of those chance meetings, I met the friend that has been with me since James (now 8) was in the womb. After meeting her, I slowly met others, and my circle of friends is now very rich. But, I haven't forgotten that time of being the newcomer.. no family, no friends, and very limited resources (we had one vehicle at that time and a tiny townhouse). That is one reason I think I find organizing the city-wide homeschool email group, park day, and mom's dinner to be so rewarding. If I can help just one mom who is feeling like I did, that's fantastic.

We really do need each other. We have to remember that even when we get comfortable with our circle of friends, or even with our church family, that there is still room for more. For the believer our eternal life has already started. We'll be with these people forever. It's a good time to start forming those friendships now!


Picture.. The baby in the picture is Noah. He's the only blue-eyed boy we have. :)

Co-op Pictures (lots of them!)

First a note.. Click to see my friend's entry into a digital scrapbook contest. You don't have to register. Just click and there' s a "vote for me" button. For those curious about how digital scrapbooking can be done, this is a great way to see a sample. :)


Oops... I just noticed I forgot to swap some of the pics! Look at 'em sideways. (One day I'll get this right.) This our version of God accepting a sheep sacrifice (see below to figure out what in the world I mean..)

See the C on the forehead? That is Cain's mark that God put on him so nobody would kill him. Cain murdered his brother Able, out of jealously, and then was cursed to wander.
This is a potato that was cut into pieces to show pangaea. This is tied into how Noah's three sons were able to repopulate the earth, continental drift helped.
We measured out the length of Noah's ark going waaaaaaaay down the road.
James reading his report on Adam. Yes, he does change clothes, but usually just long enough to have the current outfit washed. I'm not sure why he has more than 2 sets of clothes.. but I think this shirt is the "shirt for the year". (Yes, Dad, all of the barbers in our area are still on strike. I'll let ya know when they're back in business and the boys get haircuts *hehe*)
Miss Bethany forgot to write out her paper on Abraham... tsk.

Here we were studying ummmm...

gravity? Something impressive and scientific. We'd never just jump around on the trampoline during school co-op time! (For those counting - the number is 10. The 11th child was busy trying to drink rainwater out of a bucket)Cain, Able, and the sheep.



The older girls being silly, well.. one of them being silly!
The pink is the blood. They did a little skit on Cain & Able.
A sideways Charlotte gives her report.
A sideways Julia (I'm leaving her this way!!) being silly. I threatened I'd put it on the blog if she sent it to me.. and she did!! hehe.
The Nile River.. a few weeks later. The foil is for the river that "floods" and makes the crops (aka grass) grow along the riverbanks. With some of the rains lately, it has REALLY flooded!


P.S. Please pray for those families who are going to be hurting due to the recent spike in gas prices. In some places the gas is over $5/gallon. We're hopeful that it will go down again after Ike is done.. but I know many families who are making some hard decisions now due to prices going up on almost everything.

Our Week.. (a bit of everything)

My phone isn't sync'ing right now. As soon as I get that worked out again I'll post some videos and pictures.

Today:

Naomi sat in the fire ants. Thankfully, mama radar came in handy as I realized she'd plopped down in the grass and started scratching at herself. The poor baby has a lot of bites, but didn't cry or create a fuss.. even when we stripped her naked and started getting the ants off. I'm blessed to have such a good group of friends - some brand new! - that pitched in and helped our little Queen. She was in great spirits on the drive home and I did put topical benadryl on her. She had lots of blisters, but after her nap almost all of the redness is gone. Little bumps are visible and that's it.

Park day was a lot of fun overall. We have some new moms and old friends came too. Park day and Mom's Night Out keep my sanity together. :) Co-op keeps my sense of humor and helps keep us on track for school.

Co-Op:

We measured out Noah's ark.. going way.. way... WAY down the road. I have video of this. :)

We showed pangaea with a potato. This experiment looked a lot better on paper.

We had reports, including a play done by four of J's kiddoes. It was hilarious and fun. (God, Cain, Able, and a sheep.. that looks suspiciously like an eeyore costume!)

Cookies.. heroscape.. and lot of children on a trampoline. It was a great school day!

(Next post should have pics. I'm determined to figure it out again. I did it twice so far!)

~~~ Prayers for those dealing with Ike ~~~

Dignity for babies and fathers..

A birth film for Dads.

Thursday Thirteens

I got this idea from Dorothy's Blog (which is currently full of pictures of Wales - where i plan to visit in the spring!).

Some of her thirteens were places she's lived, spices she likes, favorite movies, favorite songs, etc.

Thirteen Christian Songs that Come to Mind (not necessarily my favorites):


1. Frail - Jars of Clay: This song is hauntingly beautiful.
2. Joy - Newsboys: If you have never heard this song, you must get it. You must play it loud and you must dance. :) The world don't give it
And the world can't take it away
3. My Heart Goes Out - Warrent Barfield
4. Answer to the Question - Tree 63
5. But Now My Eyes are Open - Tree 63
6. Glosoli - Sigur Ros: Technically, not Christian, but it's really not secular either. There is a great video on youtube. I love this song.
7. Cry out to Jesus - Third Day: Always uplifting and reminds me that we're all going through struggles.
8. Made to Love - Toby Mac
9. What Could Be Better - 33 Miles
10. Stand in the Rain - Superchick
11. Hope to Carry On - Caedmon's Call
12. There You Go - Caedmon's Call

There you go working good from my bad
There you go making robes from my rags
There you go melting crowns from my calves
There you go working good of all I have
Till all I have's not that bad

13. How Can I Keep From Singing - Chris Tomlin

How can I keep from singing Your praise
How can I ever say enough
How amazing is Your love
How can I keep from shouting Your name
I know I am loved by the King
And it makes my heart want to sing

Name one Accomplishment of Obama..

Children of the Clay

This is so redneck, I'm almost ashamed to post it. I'm going to blame it on Anna rubbing off on me.. y'know, Anna is the one whose husband shot the possum off the porch - while everyone was watching. :)

In case it isn't clear, they're playing in the clay (aka "dirt") from our yard. I didn't realize they were doing this until it was well under way!

1000 Blank White Card Game and Today's Stuff

All of the pictures were taken with my camera phone. That is why they seem so blurred. Anyway, these are a few of our cards from the 1,000 Blank White Card game. The children LOVE this game and I admit I find it very amusing as well. :) We need to teach it to friends.. I should teach it to the Moms at dinner on Monday!

Here are the rules: http://www.geocities.com/nconner23/bwcards.html (Be aware that this site appears to be the typical single guy keeping a page site. There are some themes that are not friendly for kiddoes - although, I doubt if it'd offend the average adult. Obviously, our cards are very kid-friendly! Even Noah likes to scribble a card and an older sibling translates it into a real card.)


Charlotte has a Wales fascination. This started before she realized I plan to go and is all the fault of Stephen Lawhead! :) I promised her a trip for her 16th bday. I think I'll do that for all of the children.. I'll take a fun trip every few years!



Today we...

rearranged the house! The formal living room is now the dining room and school room. We have plenty of room for the large table, my rolltop desk, and I want to line one wall with bookshelves -we are always running out of room for books. It looks very open and nice.

The living room furniture is snugly fitted into the dining room. It's cozy, but looks fine to me. The children's computer is now in the playroom/front room and I do want to tinker with that room some more. I think we're going to ditch the loveseat in there and put in some bean bag chairs. Sounds good to me! I'd like to create an L-shaped sitting area for the dining (now entertainment) room from www.homereserve.com furniture.

We still have more to organize and sort through.. and I think we'll be hearing from soccer coaches this week. We did get $3/pair cleats for 4 of the children and a friend thinks she has cleats that Bethany will be able to borrow.

Pictures of Co-op Happenings

Eventually, it did turn into a stick figure (made out of pipe cleaners). We used them for making mummies. James shows off the first try - which did require a second!
Joseph and his pipe-cleaner guy.
Here they're making the cartouches out of clay. The picture includes one of our co-op friends.
Yesterday, the girls went with J's family to visit her Pastor. He took a trip to Egypt and was willing to show his pictures and talk about his experiences. They *really* enjoyed it!!
James and his cookie dough map of Africa. Chocolate chips were used for pyramids/mountains. Sprinkles for the green grass. They did eat part of this but it definitely didn't taste like regular cookies!!
Noah and his cookie dough map.
Bethany and hers. See the blue in the bowl? That was used to create the Nile River.
The girls created a play and did a presentation for their "people" reports.

Pipe cleaner people in the making.

James gives his report on King Tut and uses a book to show pictures.

Naomi isn't interested in studying the ancients, but she is really cute! :)

TOG So Far.. (and rambling)

TOG - Tapestry of Grace - is a homeschool curriculum that basically covers everything except math and science.

We're finishing up week 3.

Things we've learned/done (will post pics later):

• Ancient Egypt is fun for three weeks. Four would be overkill.
• We made cartouches and learned some Egyptian symbols.
• Some things are worth labelling on a map (Nile River, etc) and others (name of every pyramid) are not. And, it's fine for mom to pick which is which!
• Sometimes you have to read a book twice to be able to discuss it properly.
• Some books are worth reading twice.
• Some are not.
• There are a LOT of books used in TOG and for the first three weeks they're all called "Ancient Egypt" or some variation of that.
• TOG almost feels like cheating with everyone studying the same thing.
• The Israelites definitely felt cheated living on bread and water after seeing everything available in Egypt.. but I'll take bread from God, while free, over anything yummy while a slave.
• We made pipe cleaner people and turned them into mummies. It was much faster than the original process.
• We mummified an apple.. not sure if we'll try a chicken. (We might be done with mummies!)
• We painted wooden dolls and wooden snakes - the snakes were to be used to hunt birds. We skipped the bird hunting.
• Who knew it was easy to hit the 30 book limit at the library?
• Each child has to pick a name or vocabulary word to do their "report" for that week. It's not fair to give a little kid "Polytheism" or ... a word that escapes me right now.
• Co-op is FUN..
  
• (even though our children would rather be elves than Egyptians)
• Week four looks VERY relaxed after a busy three weeks.
  
• 1yo's are not interested in Ancient Egypt.
• 3yo's are not interested in Ancient Egypt
• 4yo's are not interested in Ancient Egypt.
• 5yo's are kinda interested.
  
• 15yo's will learn a LOT about Gods and Goddesses, but eh.. who cares about geography? (But her knowledge about the Gods was really indepth and she was obviously proud of it! A great role model for the other kiddoes).
• The almost 13yo wonders daily when we'll get to Rome.. or Wales.. and didya know that the Welsh blah, blah, blah..
  
• There are three major steps to creating a mummy.
  
• This school year is already better than last year. Yay!

Okay, so my list isn't exactly the glowing sales pitch for TOG. :) I will say that I'm very thankful we went to TOG and plan to stick with it longterm. It's easier to have everyone on the same subject. If Joseph is bored and Bethany is done, she'll often grab one of his books and sit to read with him. The others overhear Daddy and Charli talking about her studies and it just comes together nicely. We've had a few hiccups as we get back into the school routine - I'm hoping most of that is ironed out.

Having a *small* co-op has been a blessing. It also helps that the other family is similar to mine and the Mom is equally relaxed. We're working towards a bit more discussion/structure, but we mainly want the kids to enjoy the process.

I don't think I'd use this curriculum with just small children. I definitely see how it blends together nicely with various levels. I *do* think this curriculum will save my sanity as my children get older and such. The teacher notes are priceless and help me stay on top of everything. We have felt a little 'rushed' these weeks - probably due to the holidays and some other things influencing our school day.

My goal has been to always use a curriculum that I could do while pregnant and/or nursing. I'm doing neither right now - but I am planning to take on a few outside things. TOG allows me to know I'm covering all of the necessities without overwhelming me completely. The only thing I feel we're dropping somewhat is writing. We plan to focus more on that next week now that the initial 'rush' of starting school is passing. We'll also be covering Noah's Ark and that time period next week, which is one we're all very familiar with overall.

My other goals have changed as my children have gotten older. A few of them are:

• Character. Living with 8 people in a house makes for daily conflict-resolution. I don't want blind obedience and "perfect" little children. I want to raise sincere people who are able to function in today's world by applying God's best to them. I think this is where some people miss the mark. They think if 3yo Junior can sit quietly during a church service that they're parenting pros. But if you don't have a close relationship with 13yo Junior, you'll lose him to the world's temptations. So we might not get everything done academically, but if we're able to raise children of character, that's good for me.
• Unhurried childhoods. Charlotte designed a dress - freehand - and did all of the sewing herself. Was it perfect? No. Was it her idea? Yes. (And at almost 13 yrs old, she wasn't embarrassed to wear it either. She's not caught up in the peer pressure that many her age are dealing with!) I don't want to be the one that tells them everything to do with their day. They need to use their brains and take ownership of their free time. As I type this, James and Joseph are currently making up a game together. Don't ask me the rules, I have no idea, but they're enjoying brotherhood right now. Even Naomi benefits from this because she's growing up in a rich environment full of siblings doing stuff. :)
• Simplified schedule. I said "No" more times this year than a Nancy Reagan commercial. (Oooh..dating myself with that one! :). No music lessons this year, just play what appeals to you and enjoy it. Only one book club (1x/mo) and even that is being run by a low-key Mom. Sports are fine, but we're all playing the SAME sport during the same season. For the most part, we're home. We have two afternoon activities, but getting school done in the AM isn't that difficult. I think it's a blessing for my littles to not be dragged all over the place. It is also easier for us to do school work without feeling like we're cramming it in. (Too much of a good thing definitely turns everything bad!)
  

I still have similar academic goals for high school. I'd like to see them use CLEP to the full advantage and such, but we're not doing some of the stressed out things I see others doing. lol. Our day also has a very short segment for "table work" (mainly math and handwriting) and then the children use their planners to see what books to read, questions to review, and so on. For families that want a well-rounded Christian education, with plenty of world view, I definitely recommend checking out TOG. You can even see the first three weeks online.

I buy as I go, so don't let the sticker price scare you! Unit 1 was $60 and a lot of my books are from the library. The spines and some of the literature I did buy, but we'll re-use them with later children.

(btw, still singing the praises of www.teachingtextbooks.com - I hope they get the lower grades done soon! This program is a HUGE help for homeschool moms! It is worth every penny.)

Random pic:


Joseph, on the couch.. obviously we forgot to cover Couch Sitting 101.

Our new fuel efficient car...

We decided, a little while ago, that we should get a fuel efficient car. Y'know, gas prices are up and so on. We talked about a lot of models and the pros/cons.

Somewhere along the way Dodge had a sale...

Then Jim's 44th bday (he's 12 yrs older than me. I'm not in my 40s. *grins* Good disclaimer, eh?) started to sneak up on us...

Here's the result!



p.s. Guess who gets to take the shiny red truck on its first real trip? ME! Ha! I'm taking it to Florida in October.

Happy (early) Birthday!

Midwives under Fire

(While I am not a fan of some of the "issues" mentioned here due to my pro-life stance, I am appalled that anyone should decide where I can give birth. It's on my soapbox along with the government telling me my children belong to them at age 5, unless I jump through hoops to keep them home. It's soooo irritating.)

PushNews from The Big Push for Midwives Campaign
CONTACT: Steff Hedenkamp, (816) 506-4630, _steff@thebigpushfo

rsteff@theste_
(mailto:steff@thebigpushformidwives.org)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, September 1, 2008

Number Two With a Bullet
Critical Women's Health Issues Neglected as Physician Group Yet Again Sets
its Sites on Midwives

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 1, 2008)—In the newest phase of its ongoing
effort to deny women the right to choose their maternity care providers and birth
settings, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has
announced that eliminating access to midwives who specialize in
out-of-hospital birth is now the second most important issue on its state legislative
agenda. This move puts restricting access to trained midwives ahead of such
critical issues as contraceptive equity, ensuring access to emergency
contraception, and the prevention and treatment of perinatal HIV/AIDS.
"ACOG claims to be an advocate of women's health and choice, but when it
comes to the right to choose to deliver your baby in the privacy of your own
home with a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) who is specifically trained to
provide the safest care possible, ACOG's paternalistic colors bleed
through," said Susan M. Jenkins, Legal Counsel for the Big Push for Midwives
Campaign. "It is astonishing that an organization that purports to be a champion of
women's healthcare would put a petty turf battle that affects less than one
percent of the nation's childbearing women ahead of pressing issues that have
an impact on nearly every woman in this country. If this is not dereliction of
duty, I can't imagine what is."
In recent years, ACOG has led a well-financed campaign to fight legislative
reforms that would license and regulate CPMs and has now teamed up with the
American Medical Association (AMA) to promote legislation that would prevent
families from choosing to give birth at home. Despite these joint efforts, the
groups have not been successful in defeating the groundswell of grassroots
activism in support of full access to a comprehensive range of maternity care
options that meet the needs of all families.

"Wisconsin is a good example of what ACOG and the AMA are up against," said
Jane Crawford Peterson, CPM, Advocacy Trainer for The Big Push. "Our
bipartisan grassroots coalition of everyday people from across the state managed to
defeat the most powerful and well-financed special interest groups in
Wisconsin, all on an expenses-only budget of $3000 during a legislative session in
which $47 million was spent on lobbying. When you try to deny women the
fundamental and very personal right to choose where and how to give birth, they will
get organized and they will let their elected officials know that
restrictions on those rights cannot stand."

Noting these successes, ACOG has recently launched its own grassroots
organizing effort, calling on member physicians to recruit their patients to
participate in its "Who Will Deliver My Baby?" medical liability reform campaign.

"ACOG itself admits that we're facing a critical shortage of maternity care
providers," said Steff Hedenkamp, Communications Coordinator for the Big
Push. "They certainly realize that medical liability reform is nothing more than
a band aid and that increasing access to midwives and birth settings is
critical to fixing our maternity care system and ensuring that rural, low-income
and uninsured women don't fall through the cracks. Midwives represent an
essential growth segment of the U.S. pool of maternity care providers, but
instead of putting the healthcare needs of women first, ACOG would rather devote
its considerable lobbying budget to a last-ditch attempt to protect its own
bottom line. This is not a happy Labor Day for our nation's mothers and babies."

The Big Push for Midwives (_http://www.TheBigPuhttp://www.Thehtt_
(http://www.thebigpushformidwives.org/) ) is a nationally coordinated campaign organized
to advocate for regulation and licensure of Certified Professional Midwives
(CPMs) in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and to
push back against the attempts of the American Medical Association and the
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to deny American families
access to safe and legal midwifery care. The campaign plays a critical role in
building a new model of U.S. maternity care delivery at the local and regional
levels, at the heart of which is the Midwives Model of Care, based on the
fact that pregnancy and birth are normal life processes. Media inquiries: Steff
Hedenkamp (816) 506-4630, _steff@thebigpushforsteff@theste_
(mailto:steff@thebigpushformidwives.org) .


The Big Push for Midwives Campaign is fiscally sponsored by Sustainable
Markets Foundation, a not-for-profit organization recognized as tax-exempt under
Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3). The mission of the Big Push for
Midwives is to build winning, state-level advocacy campaigns towards successful
regulation and licensure of Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) in all 50
states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

Visit the Big Push for Midwives Campaign on the Web at
_www.TheBigPushforMiwww.TheBig_
(http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=227950734&u=2397811) .

Sustainable Markets Foundation | 80 Broad Street, Suite 1600 | New York,
NY 10004-2248
The Big Push for Midwives Campaign | 2300 M Street, N.W., Suite 800 |
Washington, D.C. 20037-1434

Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual
who can labor in freedom.
Albert Einstein

The Curry Was a Hit!

James - "I think it's good. I like the taste." (he's a guy of many words)

Joseph - "I think it's good, good, good, good, gooooooood and I think it's great when it's great."

Noah - "I'm done! And I like bread."

Bethany - "I like it because it is a little spicy, but not too much."

Charlotte - "It smells great and looks fantastic. It has some spice, but not a lot. And it's good!"

(Naomi didn't try it. She had a PB&J when we arrived home from shopping and the library.)

"Why do you want to know?"

"I was blogging about how you like tonight's dinner."

"ACK! She's blogging about US!?!" (this is news? Ha.)

The curry

I have a friend that adores curries.. currys.. a curry. Hmm. Curries looks like furries which seems a tad gross. :)

Anyway, the More with Less Mennonite cookbook is also a huge fan of anything topping rice. I found the spices at Walmart and we're giving it a go this week. I had a few ask me about the recipe and I found it at www.allrecipes.com

I'm -thinking- of making it a full Indian meal with some extras added on.. I'll probably have Bethany cook it and it'll be just the curry. hehe. (She loves to cook and I love to let her!)

Here is the recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Butter-Chickpea-Curry/Detail.aspx

I'm not sure what makes it "butter". I found a spicy curry powder because we tend to like spicier food. (It might also distract Jim from the idea that it's yet another vegetarian meal ;)

Ingredients (for 4 servings, I'll be doubling it)

• 4 medium potatoes, cubed
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons curry powder - found a regular & a spicy
  
• 2 teaspoons garam masala - walmart & BiLo carry this
  
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
• 1/2 cup cream or milk - couldn't find coconut milk, using cream.
  
• 1 (12 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (aka garbanzo beans)
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Place potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat; simmer until the potatoes are tender. Drain, and set aside.
2. Warm oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic, and cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Stir in curry powder, garam masala, ginger, cumin, and salt. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes, stirring. Pour in soup, cream, and chickpeas. Stir in potatoes. Simmer 5 minutes.

Pretty easy, huh? I'll post a review after we have it later this week. I'm allergic to cumin, so I don't plan to eat it... but will let you know how it goes over with the rest of the crew!