Sometimes a project takes on a life of its own, going further in educating and providing family time than you could have expected.

Early this year we borrowed an Emeril for Kids type cookbook from the library. Ethan looked through (at my command! “you have to pick something!!!) and chose to try cooking Chicken Parmesan. It is now his signature dish!

It’s actually pretty easy to do and he can do most of it all by himself! And it scales up easily for guests. Ethan takes a lot of pride in inviting over friends and cooking for them.

One of the more detailed parts of the dish is creating a spice mix called “Baby Bam.” It uses paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder etc. (Baby Bam Recipe) Since we are growing parsley and thyme in our garden this year (thanks Erin Coady who gave me herbs to plant from her garden!), Ethan is harvesting those ingredients himself and we clean them and dry them together for the mix!

So if you like Chicken Parm, invite yourself over for dinner! We’d love to have you.

Matthew:
. Booboodee song – Cowboy Song by Fred McCarty
. No Means No, They Might Be Giants

Jared:
. Kill Your Television, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin
. Ting Tang Walla Walla Bing Bang

Ethan:
. Go, go, go for G, They Might Be Giants
. We will, we will rock you, Queen

Mommy:
. La Rondine, Puccini sung by Renee Fleming
. When the stars go blue, Blake Lewis

Daddy:
. De Stijl and Elephant by White Strips
. Hey There Delilah, Plain White T’s

Always when we’re leaving 1132 The Alameda:
. Over the Rainbow, Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

I haven’t blogged in 4 months? Well, it’s not because all’s quiet on the western front. The kids are crazy busy.

Let’s see, we went to the mountains and had an amazing star party on top of one of the highest peaks in the Sierra Nevada and watched the Milky Way slowly dazzle us. Ethan stayed with Grandpa Jim until almost 2 a.m.!

I sang opera chorus in Opera San Jose’s Lucia di Lammermoor.

Glen started his book and then changed the concept about a dozen times.

We had a grand vacation with Bapu, Susu and Molly. 6 out of 8 people staying in our house threw up in less than 48 hours. I washed every linen in the house twice, including pillows. (I was one fo the people throwing up…)

I’ve reconditioned Jared out of some nasty habits using chocolate bribes. Highly effecive. I recommend bribing as an essential parenting skill now (Grandma Penny and Nana were right all along.) However, when speaking of it to others, just reference Pavlov and you’ll seem righteous. Otherwise they’ll whisper behind your back about what a bad paarent you are.

Matthew potty-trained in time for his 3rd birthday. The poor child still hasn’t had a birthday party!

There’s more. But I’ll blog individually about the boys. They’re thriving.