Happy Purim!

Rachel and I went to a Purim carnival at our synagogue yesterday while Drew finished cleaning up from breakfast and got a haircut. I almost decided against going because it's snowing on Mt. Hood and we really should teach Rachel to ski, but she was really looking forward to seeing the rabbi and going in the bouncy house that we knew would be part of the festivities. So, figuring that we'd be late, we left at 11 -- only to discover that the whole thing started at 11:30! That gave us time to browse in the gift shop, where I bought Rachel a Queen Esther mask and crown (I didn't have the energy to design an appropriate costume) before going in to the service. Lots of music (including the Purim story set to the music of "Obla-Di, Obla-Da,") and then Rabbi Cahana told the story of Haman, which clearly left an impression on Rachel. "BAD HAMAN!" she exclaimed several times; tonight she said unexpectedly, "Haman was a BULLY," with which I heartily concurred. Afterward we went to the carnival, where Rachel played in the bouncy house, did some carnival games (and actually did well in one of them) and collected fantastic amounts of plastic junk as prizes -- rings, whistles, etc. One mom said she didn't remember all the plastic toys from the Purim carnivals of HER childhood, but I think her memory is selective.

We ran into a little friend of Rachel's, Naomi, who we met at Shabbat on the Plaza this past summer and apparently she asks all the time at temple events, "When are we going to see Rachel? I hope my friend Rachel is there." They hung out at the carnival with "Big Naomi", another girl named Naomi who I think is 12 or so.

Drew and Rachel went to the park across from the synagogue -- it was sunny and around 50 degrees, what we call "Fake Spring" around here, and then got groceries. We watched the Oscars together, with lots of commentary about the pretty dresses, and then while Drew put Rachel to bed I proceeded to make beef stew and sausage and macaroni soup (in addition to the gingerbread and challah I'd made on Saturday). It seems that every two weeks or so I go on a gigantic cooking binge that lasts us until we empty everything out and then it's another cooking binge. I can't seem to think of a way to lighten the load.

Cute Rachel sayings:

Tonight at dinner Rachel said, "Lukas asked me to marry him, but I said no. I said I wanted to marry someone else, like Noah. I'm thinking about Noah for my husband."

(Noah is the son of my former editor Sarah, who like me left the Oregonian a while ago).

***

"Do you like Lila?" Rachel asked, referring to a purple unicorn in one of the Barbie movies.
"I think she's very exaggerating and she always wants to do stuff."

***

She can't get us out of here fast enough:

"When are you going on your next date?" Rachel asked. "I WANT CORRIE!" (her latest babysitter, who also teaches at St. James). "She's gonna be my third favorite babysitter. Liz is one, Julie's two, and she's three!"