Momma dishes up the Ethiopian food!

I think I'm starting to get this down pat! I've tried making Ethiopian food a few times now (except for the injera, which we buy at an Ethiopian market and freeze).

The first time I tried lentils and tibs then just made some asparagus with it for color~


We had so much of the lentil dish left over that I froze three family-sized portions. Now I know why it's such a popular dish. For about $0.88 for a bag of lentils I can make enough to serve our family 4 times! That would go a long way in Ethiopia.

The second time, which was this week, I made beef tibs, along with a standard veggie side dish that has onion, potatoes, cabbage and carrots in it, and some of the leftover lentils. I was also able to freeze another meal's worth of the veggie dish for later.


Anyone who knows me knows that I a) hate to cook and b) am not very good at it, so I have to say I am pretty impressed with myself. Macy and Felix both at two plates full!

Food, Family, Fun

Last time Fletcher spent the night at Mimi's house (my mom) Macy was distraught that she didn't get to go too. She'd only been here for two months and we actually thought she'd freak out if we tried to get her to spend the night away from us. It just didn't seem like a good idea. Let's just say we were wrong.

She was thrilled beyond words that she got to go with Mimi and Fletcher for an over-nighter on Saturday. They went to the water park, then to church the next day. She loved church and had no problem with Mimi leaving her in the Sunday school class. She came home telling me (half in English, half Amharic) that "the babies came and people hugged them, then they dunked them in water...their heads and their tushies". She's too cute.

After church we all met at Habesha for lunch. Here's Macy in her pretty Easter dress (that she wasn't home to wear on Easter).


Here's Marc with all the kids (that's his daughter Jackie next to him). Sometimes I forget that we have FOUR kids since only three of them actually live at home with us. It's crazy to look at this picture and realize that we actually have a pretty big family. We had a nice visit with Jackie this week. The kids absolutely love her (as do we!). I wish she lived closer.


And after lunch, Mimi took us out for ice cream. Love those faces.

Surprise

Macy can read! In Amharic at least.


We took the kids to Habesha, an Ethiopian restaurant just outside of downtown Denver. Macy was shy at first and the ladies there were sure that she didn't speak Amharic, but she eventually opened up and started chatting with them.

One of the employees there was from Awassa, so we chatted about that. It was nice to hear Amharic again, ask them about certain words Macy says that we don't understand, and especially to see Macy eat like a horse! We all did really.

At one point, Macy picked up one of their brochures and started saying words. She could actually read it! I don't know how well she can read. I could tell there was a word that she was sounding out. But still, that's pretty impressive! And it made us feel good about the decision to go ahead and start her in Kindergarten this fall.

One of the employees wrote down the name of some Ethiopian spices, then sent us down the street to the Ethiopian market to pick them up. Marc is going to try his hand at beef tibs next week. The waitress was sweet to explain to him how to make several things. Except for doro wat which she said takes a very long time and is too complicated. She did offer to come to our house on her day off and make it for us. Gotta love that!

This little piggy

Remember "this little piggy"? We tell it like this:

This little piggy went to the Merkato
This little piggy stayed at the guest home
This little piggy ate injera
This little piggy had none
And this little piggy went nah nah nah nah nah
Allllll the way home

This little piggy will eat anything...

And lots of it!