Loosening the apron strings

Mordechai had his first summer away from home. It was a huge experience for both of us. He stayed at Dovid's sister, Sari's family. He didn't say that much about his days but I do know that he was usually "too busy" to talk on the phone with me. Good sign, I guess.

After the second day of Chaim Day Camp, Mordechai reported that his Rebbe was awesome. His only complaint was, "Why do they have learning for so long if it's camp?" A little culture shock coming from his Florida day school, eh? By the next week he was pronouncing hebrew words with a deep yeshivish accent. (It reminded me of when I got married and heard Dovid make kiddush using "oh" for the cholam instead of "oy" like m faythers and brothers do. To me he sounded like a girl! It's a Chafetz Chaim thing :).)

My family was so wonderful taking care of my baby. I felt truly comfortable knowing he was in such warm, loving hands. My mom-in-law (where Mordechai spent most weekends), shared some anecdotes with me (in her voice):

1. We were talking on Shabbos about Miriam - that she will be the first of the grandchildren to go to sleep-away camp. So Mordechai puts on that smirky smile and says, "What about me, I am the first to go to sleep-away camp....I am sleeping away and going to camp!!"

2. Shabbos we had for dessert a yummy chocolate cake from Tziporah and Mordechai says its good that everyone has something that they are good at."Tziporah is the best at cakes and cookies, my mom makes the best salads, Aunt Sari cooks the best apple kugel & pies and Rivky and Rena are, ya know, good at cooking." (me: To appreciate how funny that is, it's important to note that I haven't made a salad in ages! He just made something up about me so as not to leave me out!)

3. On Sunday Mordechai was excited to go to Savta for the BBQ because he says she has the best steaks in the world. But he added that he is a little sad. When I asked why, he answered, "cause my mom always cuts the steak into little pieces for me."

Me: We have to pack up the school because it's moving to Palm Beach Gardens.

Ada (wide-eyed): They're going to move the whole school? How do they pick it up?

Me: No! They don't move the building, just the stuff in it.

Ada: Oh. Well that's good for Morah Tzippy 'cuz she lives in Palm Beach Gardens and she'll be close to it!'

Another link in the mesorah

Watching children get their first Chumash is an incredibly inspiring experience. Sari was a superstar! (I was reminded of her kindergarten "graduation" when we were still living in NY. There were a couple of kids in her class who refused to go up to do their part or forgot their lines. Sari jumped up to fill in for each one of them. She knew everyone else's parts by heart and apparently stage fright was not part of her playbook!) Many thanks to her Rebbe and teacher, and the entire Torah Academy staff. They are Jewish educators par excellence!

Purim 2009!

From Rochelle and Mordechai's wedding

Beating Eggs

On Friday, Ada and I were preparing challah dough. I was narrating the process and after we had checked the eggs to make sure they were kosher, I announced that I was going to beat the eggs. After I had whisked them for a few moments, Ada called out in glee:

"You won!"

Mordechai was complaining about the lack of scheduled activites for Erev Yom Kippur.

“I’m gonna be so bored!” he said.

I pointed out that we could play, read, and eat. I also mentioned that we still had to do tashlich. Then I added, "Oh, and we have to do kapparos tomorrow!"

His response: "Yeah, but what's the point of doing kapparos…there’s no poor people in Palm Beach!"

A g'mar chatimah tovah to all!

Bathroom Geography

The shower curtain in the kids' bathroom is a huge political world map. Ada insists that I stay in the bathroom while she sits and waits for things to happen (or longer) and makes me tell her the name of specific places that she points out. The toilet is situated facing the southern hemisphere directly in front of South America. I think she thinks Brazil is the most important place in the world because, from her vantage point, it's pretty prominent.

Of course, she's familiar with Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, and some of the states through which we drove in the summer. This morning she went off her usual path and asked me what was to the left of "George" (Georgia). I told her it was Alabama.

Ada: And what's next to Alabamer?

me: Mississippi.

Ada (cracking up with laughter): Mississippi Richmond?
(Mrs. Tzippy Richmond is a friend that recently moved down to Florida and teaches in our school)

Next...

Ada: Where's Africa?

me (sweeping my hand over the continent): This whole bunch of countries are all part of the continent called Africa.

Ada: So what's this whole thing?

me: That's South America. And this is North America. This is Europe. And this big, big continent is called Asia.

Ada (cracking up again): That sounds like Ada! (chuckling to self) Asia (pronounced Ay-juh)

Ada: What's that yellow one?

me: That's South Africa.

Ada: Where's North Africa?

me: Oh, there is no country called North Africa. You know, Chef Lisa (a specialty teacher in school) comes from South Africa!

Ada (eyes wide): She drives all the way from there to Florida to come to school?

me: Oh, no! She used to live in South Africa but she came to Florida a long time ago on a plane. Now she lives in Florida.

Ada: The plane flew over the ocean?

me: That's right!

Ada: Where do the kangaroos live?

me: Australia.

Ada: Right. Australia....Okay, I'm done now.

Adina, this one's for you

Dovid offered to brush Ada's hair for her after the bath because she was complaining that it was getting in her eyes.

Dovid: Okay. I'll do it very gently.

Ada: Good. 'Cuz Mommy does it very hurty.

Big brother wisdom

Mordechai to Sari: So which seat are you in?

Sari: I'm the second to the last seat in the second row.

Mordechai: Good. If you're sitting in the back, that means you're good.

First Grade blues

Sari's reaction to her first day of First Grade:

"In first grade there's no standing up. You have to sit all day."

Ugh. School can be such boring torture.

Day 2: "We have to write every day!"

Where's the PAUSE button?!

Do you ever get the urge to put time on pause so you could get through a mountain of "to-dos" and, then, hit play when you're all caught up and ready for the world to keep turning? Ah, well. Maybe it's just me ;)

No one likes the pushy salesman.

Makes sense. Just be yourself - a good Jew. Torah sells itself.

Breaking news!

Dovid, after a grueling 7 hour oral exam, has passed and gotten his smicha. We're very proud to have a bona fide rabbi in the family!


These were given to me in lieu of a Yerushalayim shel zahav (Jerusalem of gold). Cheapo ;)

Ready or not....

...here it comes. The truck is due Wednesday or Thursday. I've been packing continually and it's just starting to look like I've made a dent. You can't imagine the amount of stuff we have managed to accumulate in this small 2-bedroom apartment! The playroom and living room/dining room have been one and the same for five years now. It'll certainly be a nice change to live in a house with a playroom that has a door that can be closed in case of need. Perhaps I'll even be able to successfully establish a no jumping or eating on the couch rule! And we'll even have a lawn and our very own palm tree. Check it out:



I am so serious when I say anyone is welcome to crash at our house. Think about it: free stay on Palm Beach island - home of the rich and famous, just one block from the beach in one direction and a block from the intracoastal waterway in the other. Just look up the Mays in Palm Beach.

Procrastination: trial

My moving truck is coming in a week and a half. I've been blog-browsing for over an hour. Procrastinating? Oh yeah. Guilty as charged - big time.

Kvelling

Mordechai (who's having trouble falling asleep so I let him come out to read) just handed me a little gift. It's a piece of paper folded first accordion-style and then folded in three. On the outside are printed the words USA MAP. When unfolded, you see a drawing of the U.S. with many (mostly rectangular) divisions indicating states. Texas and Florida are fairly true to shape. Actually, on second glance, Florida is very well drawn. He was beaming as he watched me unfold it and made sure to point out, "I even folded it like a real map!"

Calendar Calculations

It was a week or so after Shavuos and the kids and I were out when I met a friend who had recently had a baby. As I congratulated her, I asked her how old the baby was. She answered that she was just about seven weeks old. Barely a few seconds passed and Mordechai piped up, "Was she born on Pesach?"

So many boys, so little time

Sari is blessed with many eligible bachelors who are vying for her hand in marriage. The two front-runners at the moment are Yisrael and Ben. In truth, Ben, who is a good friend of Sari's, was not a consideration until recently when the match was suggested by Mordechai. Sari immediately dismissed the idea saying, "Oh, I can't marry him because he's younger than me." Mordechai pointed out that their aunt is a few months older than their uncle, her husband. Sari was skeptical at first and asked me for corroboration. When I informed her that, indeed, it was okay to marry someone a bit younger than her, her face brightened perceptibly and she started dancing around the house singing, "I'm going to marry Be-en! I'm going to marry Be-en!"

Some "alone time" for Mom and Dad

Mordechai and Sari wanted to go to Meema (their grandmom) for Shabbat. Discussing it, I cried out in mock horror, "Who's going to stay with us?"

Sari answered matter-of-factly, "Mommy will stay with Daddy and Daddy will stay with Mommy." Mordechai chimed in, "You'll get to spend time with each other."

Isn't that sweet?