Five Brown Kids

To quote my mom, "I live in this city of 3 million people with guards with guns standing at the entrance of the mall, and all through it ,too; where all houses have tall fences around them plus metal grates on all windows and doors and yet I feel less stress walking the streets than I do when I touch this computer. So go ahead and blog." And blog I will. I'll be posting my parents numerous and fascinating emails on the people and places of Ecuador. It's worth checking out! You can click on the link below or just follow the Mom and Dad link in my friends and family list. Mission Possible

This muffin is more like a fluffy cookie and we love them - well, all except Taye. He doesn't do cranberries, yet... Cranberry Yogurt Muffins 1 cup rolled oats 1 cup plain/vanilla yogurt 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or applesuace) 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 egg 1 cup flour 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 1 cup of whole berry cranberry sauce ( fresh or from a can) Soak oats in yogurt. Add oil, sugar and egg, beat well. Sift flour, salt, soda and baking powder and add into mixture. (whatever, I just add it all and mix it) The last step is to gently blend in the cranberry sauce (use that homemade cranberry sauce recipe , it's perfect) Fill muffin cups and bake at 400F for about 20-25 mintues.

Curly Hair!

Our local university has a fabulous fund raiser every year called the "Krispy Kreme Challenge". Racers run 2 miles from campus to the Krispy Kreme store, eat a dozen donuts (less if you are just a "casual runner") and then run back while trying not to puke. Jaxon and I were planning to attend this year but a primary activity got in our way - so today we had our own Brown Family Krispy Kreme challenge. The boys and I ran from our house to the gazebo at the lake where Tyrone met us with donuts and milk. Then we ran/walked back depending on how many donuts each had consumed. They were great runners and we all enjoyed the donuts. Next year, real thing!

I found a Q&A about smoking in Taye's pile of school work. Here's the final question and Taye's answer - If a friend asked me if I wanted a cigarette, here's what I would say: You ninkumpop you are dum go ask sum buty els (He could use some spelling help but the answer is right on! :-)

Tuscan Bean Soup I don't think this will be a big hit with many kids, but it makes a delicious, healthy grown up meal. I loved it! 1 cup coarsely chopped carrots 1/2 cup onion, chopped 3 TBSP Olive Oil 2 15oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 1 32oz box reduced sodium chicken broth 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning 1 5oz package of baby spinach Freshly cracked black pepper Directions 1. In 4-quart Dutch oven cook and stir carrots and onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat 3 minutes. Add beans, broth, and seasoning. Bring to boiling; slightly mash beans. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. 2. Meanwhile, in large skillet heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add spinach; toss with tongs 1 to 2 minutes, just until wilted. Remove from heat. Ladle soup; top with spinach, sprinkle with pepper. Serve with bread. Makes 4 servings.

Naomi had her baby this morning - three weeks early. Mother and baby are doing great. This is my parent's seventh grandchild and fifth grandson. This is also a post about Taye who was once a sweet tiny baby, and the very first grandson, but who is now a big strong busy kid. On Saturday he was invited to a school friend's house for Nerf gun wars. Here is what I found sitting in the very back seat of the van ready to go. A cute boy, with black shoes, camouflage shorts, black sweater, with tattooed arms underneath and soccer shin guards covering his wrists, a black toque and his black swimming goggles. He looked like a little gangster in my mini van. I took a picture with my cell phone but haven't a clue how to get it sent to my email. If you know, call me....

My boys had a great time exchanging Valentine treats at school (Do you remember when they were just cards? Now they all come with Candy!) Tyrone and I celebrated our 13 th Valentines day together with dinner and a show. We went to see "Stomp" and it was fantastic. Defiantly go see it if you get the chance - and totally kid friendly. Stomp:Ordinary objects become musical instruments in this rhythmic explosion. A high-energy, percussive symphony, coupled with dance, played entirely on unconventional instruments, such as garbage can lids, buckets, brooms and sticks. It is movement made original through the use of everyday objects in non-traditional ways

I've had a request for the fruit dip recipe, so here it is (to the best of my recollection). Stir together: 2-3 tablespoons of cream cheese, softened One small container of yogurt (usually strawberry) One cup of cool whip 1/2 tsp almond extract Serve with sliced apples. Mmm, mmm, good.

Here's the latest email. The temple is on vacation for two weeks and so are my parents. Along with a few other of the couples they rented a tour guide and a van and are off travelling. Let's all shed a tear for how difficult it is to live in a third world country, away from family and friends etc. etc. Hah! Sounds like the dream life to me. "We are in an internet cafe in Otavalo. We went to Banos and soaked in the hot baths and had an incredible white water rafting trip. In Tena we went into the Amazonia on the Rio Napo. We saw lots of interesting things, but mainly experiencing the jungle was cool. We have a room in a hotel with a balcony overlooking the Otovala market. This market was incredible. We have lots of pictures full of color and colorful people. It is very different from anything we have experienced. Tomorrow we go to church in Otavala, then leave for Quito, where we will spend a couple days. Much more later. Love, Mom & Dad"

STIR-FRIED BEEF AND BROCCOLI BEEF: 2 tsp. soy sauce 1/4 tsp. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 3/4 lb. boneless sirloin, cut across the grain into 1/4 inch thick slices SAUCE:(double it for family sized dinner) 1 tbsp. cornstarch 1 tbsp. soy sauce 1/4 c. beef broth 1 tsp. sugar 2 tsp. Oriental sesame oil STIR-FRY: 3 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 tbsp. minced peeled fresh ginger root 1 tbsp. minced garlic 1/2 onion, sliced 1 lb. broccoli, cut into flowerets and stems peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick sticks Cooked rice Prepare the beef: In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, sugar, salt, add the beef and let it marinate for 20 minutes. I don’t do the beef marinating thing. Make the sauce while the beef is marinating. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the soy sauce and stir in broth, sugar and Oriental sesame oil. Stir fry the meat with ginger root and garlic. Add broccoli, onion and sauce, cook for a few minutes. Don't overcook broccoli. Serve over rice.

A few weeks ago I signed Scotia up for preschool in the fall, just two mornings a week. This morning I registered Jaxon for Kindergarten. That means that by the end of this summer I will have 8 hours a week to myself. I love my kids, and I’m glad that I’ve been able to stay home and take care of them but the prospect of this new era of my life has me grinning from ear to ear today.

Not a speck of snow, but they started school on a two hour delay anyway. So we missed gymnastics.... but got to go play at the mall play place and that was very plesant. No cute workout tops at Target yet....

Tomorrow I was going to help Taye get out the door on his way to school, eat breakfast with Tyrone who would just be arriving home from work and then drop Jaxon off at preschool for the morning. Scotia and I would head to her gymnastics class and then make a stop at Target on they way home to see if they have new workout clothes (I'm still saving my stash of Christmas cash until the new spring stuff comes out). I've been informed by the weather report that my dream morning may be about to crash. Snow, again! If it snows they cancel school and if they cancel school I will spend the day cleaning up wet snow clothes and trying to keep the kids quiet while Tyrone attempts to sleep. Oh, please make this winter end...