Is anyone interested in what I have to say?

What's in a Name: Naming After Grandma

2012-02-08T11:55:00.002-05:00

I mentioned in the previous post that I would eventually post my feelings about naming my own daughter after my beloved grandmother, Hilda. Grandma's Hebrew name was Chaya Sarah, so my daughter now bears her name. I hope that she will be as amazing as her namesake. Click here to see what my grandmother was all about. Though Grandma lived a difficult life- losing her father at a young age, loving a husband who was sent to fight in World War II, fertility struggles, losing her brother and then most of her friends at an older age- she was the strongest woman I know. She was smart, funny, caring, very honest, kept her sense of self-worth and style, and made sure to always keep a happy face on even when things were not going her way. She always knew when to give advice, and when it was best to withhold it.
I wish that my daughter, Chaya Sarah, will have all these amazing character traits as well.
Being a mom is hard work. Instilling good perspective, optimism, and positive self esteem is even harder. If I can teach my daughter even a quarter of what her great-grandmother lived each day, I will have succeeded. As I write this, I am reminded of the great loss we all felt when Grandma passed away. I wish she got to know Chaya Sarah, and wish I did not have to name my baby after her at all. I know Grandma would be proud of Siri and that she would bring her so much joy, just as the other 3 kids did. I kiss my little girl and pray that she carry on Grandma's legacy.

Birth: The Not So Gory Story

2012-01-22T21:34:00.001-05:00

I have been asked to post details of the birth of my daughter Chaya Sarah, aka Siri. Labor stories are usually full of details that are a bit too gory for my liking. So here you get the abridged version without any gross details.
I first went into labor on Sunday afternoon, January 15th around 3 PM. I was waiting for this for a long time-- I was five days late. Previously I had always delivered exactly on time so you can imagine that the five days felt like forever.
I slept through the night hoping that when I woke up, it would be time to go to the hospital. My doctor had already scheduled an induction for me, but I really do not want to be induced. Instead I insisted that I was really in labor and I would go straight to the hospital. When I called the office, they told me that I should just come in and see the doctor. For some reason, they were totally backed up and it took three hours to finish my appointment. When they finally finished, they told me to go straight to the hospital because I would need a "sniff of pitocin" to encourage this baby to come out!
To make a long story short, I finally got my Pitocin at around 3:30 PM, but it seems there was a drip in the tubing. The nurse kept changing my gown rather than checking why it was getting wet. Needless to say, the Pitocin was not really helping. It was probably because I was not getting the correct amount (or any at all!). When 7:30 rolled around and the nurses finally changed shifts, the new nurse was willing to look at the tubing and she determined that it was in fact dripping.
The doctor was wondering why my labor was not progressing. Now we had the answer!
My sister had predicted that I would go into labor on Monday, and that the delivery would be in the middle of the night- early Tuesday morning.
I felt like she gave us a curse! We went into labor and delivery at two o'clock!
In the end, with a little bit of coaxing and pushing, our baby girl was born on Monday night, January 16th, Martin Luther King Day at 11:29 PM.
For the first few days of her life we called her Martina Luthera, in honor of the great MLK. Then, on Thursday, we named her Chaya Sarah, aka Siri, after my beloved grandmother Hilda (I am hoping to post soon about my feelings of naming my daughter after my grandmother).
Thank you to everyone for all the good wishes. We are super happy to have Siri in our lives!

Dec 26

2011-12-26T09:00:00.001-05:00

Today I'm off to work, even though it is officially a legal holiday. My car is one of 5 at the train station parking lot.
Yesterday, New York traffic could not have been kinder. I think Jews everywhere appreciated that their Sunday Chanukah parties were on December 25th.
This is something no one from outside the New York area can comprehend. A trip might actually be only 20 minutes, but you have to account for traffic and triple your expected travel time.
So today is a pleasure! I have a parking spot, the city should be full of tourists and free of commuters. It's the one day a year you can even PARK on the city streets!
Hope everyone else is enjoying Dec 26 as much as I am... even if you don't live in New York!

Empowered by Technicalities: The Story of My Car

2011-11-15T14:04:00.001-05:00

In my home, my husband takes care of all the finances and technicalities of our lives. Loans, plumbing, house or car repairs, insurance, and garbage removal.
Last week, however, we needed to take the car in to be repaired as the rear hatch aka the trunk was leaking after the wiring was installed for a U-haul hitch back in the end of July.
I took off a day from work to run around and scheduled a trip to Toyota to have my car repaired.
And this is how I started to learn all about a lot of things I wish I knew nothing about.
I got the the repair center and was assigned a representative, Bob. No really, his name is Bob. when I told him that the problem was that the car would leak when it rained, Bob informed me that it would take several hours to determine the cause of the leak (which I believed was from the hitch installation). Water testing takes a long time so I would probably have to leave the car there. Of course, just to frustrate me, I was ineligible for a loaner car (still unclear why).
I usually get VERY flustered when things like this go wrong. Here I was stuck in Hackensack at the Toyota repair sop with no ride home, pregnant, and emotional. LUCKILY, I kept it together and waited, figuring we would just have to reschedule the repair.
After about an hour, it was determined that the repair would take several days. Bob said he would try to get me a loaner vehicle for the interim even though it wasn't standard protocol.
They were able to get me a loaner and they gave me the largest car they had, a Venza (a car I secretly wish I owned). The service center staff helped me transfer my 5 car-seats to the Venza and I took off.
Then came the technical work:
First, I had to get documentation of the cause of the leak from Toyota.
After that, I had spoke to my lawyer-aunt to find out how to proceed.
Then, I called the insurance company to find out if this type of damage would be covered and process a claim.
Next, I dealt with Toyota regarding the repairs needed and the details including having the appraiser from the insurance company come to assess the damage.
I also spoke to the insurance company about suing U-haul for the deductible as well as the cost of the repair and made sure I got all the documentation required to do so. I can't wait until that part of this saga is settled.
And finally, I spoke to the bank that finances our car to ensure that we process the insurance payment correctly despite the lien on the vehicle.

TONIGHT ALL THE HARD WORK PAYS OFF. THE CAR IS READY TO BE PICKED UP.

The service center (and Bob) was so amazing that the technicians re-ran the wiring, allowing me to keep the hitch by properly installing it without ruining the weather stripping of the trunk. They also took my car to be washed before I come to get it. Because the repair also included replacing the entire car carpet (full of mold and mildew), I anticipate that the car will come back MUCH cleaner than my children left it ;) and in much better shape.

I can't wait to get my minivan back. And in the process I've been empowered and strengthened. (Let's just hope my husband doesn't see this as an opportunity to distribute his responsibilities...)

Carpool Protocol

2011-10-26T12:43:00.001-04:00

Today I got this request from a mom in my carpool: "I think there should be some sort of carpool protocol regarding which mom buckles the children in. Is it the mom in the car (the driver) or the mom whose child is climbing in?"
Apparently, since I am not home at the time of pickup, this mom must help buckle my child in. She is requesting reciprocity when her daughter comes into my car.

MY THOUGHTS:
A. My 4 1/2 year old is quite capable of getting buckled herself.
B. Does it need to be tit for tat? We each have different needs- I am not home, other moms are. My babysitter has an infant in the house at time of pickup, other moms have older children home.
C. If you just sent your daughter out, I'd make sure she either buckled herself of that I helped her before driving off. Why the need to establish a "protocol?"
D. SERIOUSLY?!?

...CARPOOL!

Aspiring Foodie

2011-10-11T16:27:00.002-04:00

For all of these consecutive holidays, I have planned menus, shopped (thanks Jeremy for chipping in there), and cooked. In all my planning, I decided that we need to try some new recipes. So I turned to my twitter and Facebook friends and asked them for tips and ideas. I really got some good ones and experimented with some ingredients I have never before used.
So far, I made Pomegranate Brisket (click for recipe) and Kishka Stuffed Chicken from Joy of Kosher, and I adapted the recipe for a French Roast from Cook Kosher, made @karpoozi123's "Saucy Onion Chicken" that I may post later if I love it, tried and mastered Risotto for the first time off the rice package, and got recommendations for sweet potato pie from a friend on Facebook.
I learned a few things over the past 2 weeks and I am sure I will learn more as the holidays progress:
1. I love being a foodie and learning about recipes. I have been inspired by cooking shows and want to "up my game" to make more sophisticated recipes with flavorful ingredients.
2. I don't have time to be a foodie! I have stressed about how I will pull it all off and how the timing will work. So far, so good! I can't wait for my girls to grow up so they can join me in my kitchen as my sous chefs...
3. My food comes out pretty good, even with some adaptations. I am thankful that I can learn new recipes. Some people I know simply can't.
4. Social media is an amazing resource for tried and true recipes and ideas. There can be flaws... I tweeted for French Roast ideas, and got a response for French Toast! Yes, I know french toast is bread, eggs, milk, and cinnamon! But seriously, some great recipes are shared online. The only flaw is that it requires me to bookmark the sites on my phone and use it (without getting it dirty) in the kitchen. The time-out energy saver feature gets really annoying, but otherwise, it works!
5. If I keep this up, we will gain 10-20 lbs. per year! I do try to stick to healthy recipes and whole wheat pasta and breads...

One day, I hope to prove to myself that I am a foodie and really feel up to the task.
Can't wait to try more recipes!

It's Broken!

2011-09-23T11:09:00.001-04:00

Last Tuesday, my daughter Arielle fell from the monkey bars and hurt her arm. As you can tell by the blog post title, it was broken, But we waited 2 days to see if it was healing. It didn't bruise, just remained red and swollen. So we decided to take her to the doctor as a precaution even though she said it was starting to feel better.
Jeremy was not happy that I asked him to go and take off from work. He thought it was a waste of time. I made an appointment at the pediatrician at 4:30. They said they'd send Arielle for an x-ray if necessary. I know now that we should have gone straight to an orthopedist, but at the time the pediatrician seemed like the correct doctor. So by 5pm they were seen at the pediatrician. Then, they went upstairs to the x-ray place and they got the scans which showed she broke her ulna and possibly the radius as well near her wrist. Jeremy then had to go back to the pediatrician who called the hospital and scheduled the orthopedist there to see her and give her a cast. They stopped at the house to get dinner and went on their way. When they got to the hospital, the ER gave her a temporary cast and told them to go see an ortho in the morning!
Luckily, Jeremy was persistent and insisted that the doctor on call try to reach the ortho. After all, we already paid two $20 copays and an ER copay of $50 without the correct treatment! The doctor agreed to call the ortho and locate him. (The pediatrician had supposedly called ahead and he said he was at the hospital.) Finally, the ortho came and gave Arielle a cast from just below the elbow up to her fingers.
Arielle was really well behaved, considering the pain, the effort of the day, and the fact that they only arrived home at 11pm! She even went to school the next day (it was Friday so a 1/2 day).
Arielle was concerned that everyone would be staring at her. But in the end, what really got to her was telling the story over and over again to everyone who asked her "what happened?" (A week later, people are still asking!)
On Sunday we took out all our permanent markers and she carried them around asking her grandparents, cousins, and friends to write on her cast.
Arielle needs some assistance with daily living needs now including dressing, washing, bathing, and sometimes eating. She is able to hold a pencil (though not very well) so she has kept up with classwork and homework.
A week has passed so far. We look forward to getting the okay to have it removed. Our checkup is in 3 weeks.

Back to School Madness

2011-09-12T13:03:00.001-04:00

Back to school went off without a hitch. The kids love their teachers, adjusted well and didn't complain or cry at drop off (yes, even the 2 year old!). Wednesday was the practice run with kindergarten orientation and a 3 hour day at first grade. Then, Thursday I had all 3 kids off to their respective schools. I dropped off 2 of them and the 3rd was picked up by her carpool.

On Friday I ran 2 carpool runs- to first grade and to preschool. Kayla, the kindergartener was again picked up by her carpool.

Friday was quite stressful. I was convinced it would be impossible to make 3 carpool runs in one day, a feat I hope to accomplish Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. On Friday, the first grade drop-off line was LONG, to say the least. It took me 10 minutes to get through the lot. The school makes rules to expedite drop-off, but for some reason the parents were not abiding to these rules. For example, all cars are to come from one direction so that no one should be turning left into the lot. The cars trying to make that left not only added to the length of time to get into the lot, but blocked the exit for the cars who needed to turn left after drop-off.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the kids had lined up indoors due to the weather. On Friday they were finally going to be lining up outside. My daughter looked quite confused when I dropped her off as she did not know where to go and I of course directed her to go inside as she did the previous days. I only realized later that she was supposed to line up outside. And then I got emotional.

On my way to do the next pickup (preschool carpool) I was already stressed and late and I felt terrible for making my friend late too.

My only thoughts were:
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DO 3 CARPOOLS WHEN 2 ARE HARD ENOUGH? WHY CAN'T THERE BE BUSES?

Today is Monday and you will be happy to hear that I left 5 minutes earlier to the first-grade carpool and it was a breeze! I was in and out in 2 minutes and back on time to pick up carpool # 2. I had plenty of time to do another carpool (the kindergarten run on Tuesdays and Wednesdays) before driving to preschool. Today I restored calmness to my back to school madness and hope that tomorrow proves easy.

I have committed myself to 3 morning carpools and I think (and pray!) they just might work out!

Raising Feet

2011-08-03T11:18:00.000-04:00

My mother in law has a famous saying...
"I didn't raise children, I raised feet!"
Buying shoes is a chore for me, especially because there are no local children's shoe stores.
My beautiful 5 year old Arielle keeps trying to convince me that she has outgrown her shoes and that she NEEDS new ones. According to my not so expert training and unbelievable thumbing skills, she still has room to grow.
Last time we went to get shoes (3 weeks ago), I had to buy my 4 yo Kayla 2 new pairs, sneakers and dressy shoes, because her feet genuinely grew. While we were there, we had them fit the 2 yo Tzvi, who was just growing out of his shoes. We bought him a pair as well so that we would not have to come back to the shoe store again. We had gone to the mall where we parked on the exact opposite side from the stride rite location. We finally reached the store and accomplished by purchasing 3 pairs! Arielle was sized and it was determined that her shoes still fit. Relief for me, disappointment for her!
But not more than two weeks later, she is trying to convince me to get her a new pair anyway!
Am I raising children, or feet?

Early Adopters: Tzvi and his ABC's

2011-07-19T10:59:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I came home from work to be greeted by the following comment from my babysitter:
"Did you know that Tzvi (just turned 2yo in June) knows his ABC's?"
To which I responded: "I know! He sings it so nicely and is so cute when he responds to my pauses with the letters!"
Babysitter: "No, I mean he KNOWS the letters. He is up to 'G.' If you show him all the letters and ask him to point to the 'C' he can find it for you. I am teaching him throughout the day. I know it is possible because my sister taught me when I was little."
Okay, now this is too much!
My 2 year old son (who happens to be be very intelligent and whose language skills are ahead of his developmental age) knows the alphabet!!!!
I have not yet seen his skill in action, but I am anxious to test this out!

Talk about early adopters!

Back from the Big Blog Hiatus

2011-07-11T15:59:00.000-04:00

My busy overtime work schedule forced me to take a 3 month hiatus from my blog, but I am back!
I have been enjoying the summer and coming home at a reasonable hour (I worked overtime from the beginning of March through mid-June). I enjoy getting my kids ready for bed, though at times bedtime is stressful and I rely on my husband to help me! When I get home the sun is still out and there is time to cook dinner (I am still getting used to cooking each night).
Here is a list of things I am still adjusting to and relishing now that I have my life back:

Going to sleep in the 10's (before 11pm). This is my goal! I LOVE the nights when I accomplish that!
Cooking dinner each night (see above).
Sundays to lounge around, shop, and complete household projects.
Exercise: I am trying to get back into shape for my 2 hours of basketball... Fat chance. Literally.
Pajama- and bed-time for the kids! Telling "Mommy Stories" aka stories of Mommy when I was a little girl.
Social media time: I can play on Google+, FB, Twitter, and get back to blogging. WHEW! I know you'all missed me :)
... And last but certainly not least: Spending quality time with my husband. Whether we are eating dinner together, accomplishing those daunting household projects, playing with social media, or just chillaxing, it is good to have someone with whom to share these tiny moments.

You really learn to appreciate the small things in life!
Hope you enjoy my latest post and look forward to bringing you more.

Hot Air Balloon Cake From @Parenting

2011-04-03T22:02:00.002-04:00

Today I made a hot air balloon cake that I got off of the Parenting website. I served it for my four year old daughter's birthday. The connection there is that her camp has a fun song that says "our air balloon is set, on a trip you won't forget..." So Kayla was excited to have an air balloon cake.
Here are the EASY instructions to construct this cake:
Step 1: Bake a white cake recipe in a pyrex bowl filled 1/3 of the way and a mini loaf pan. Flip them over when cool and position like this:

Step 2: Frost the cake with any white or colored frosting.

Step 3: Decorate as you want- I threw all sorts of sprinkles, sugars and candies. Use Rice Chex for the basket and licorice strings for the rope. I dropped a small candy on top of the ends of the rope to make it stick.

Serve and enjoy!

Texting and Driving

2011-03-14T10:00:00.000-04:00

I just watched this video commissioned by AT&T about the perils of texting and driving. It is very powerful and moving and if you were not already aware of the dangers, it should convince you.
Please take a moment and watch:

Make a pledge not to text and drive. Your life isn't worth those few words.

An Ode to the Bread-machine***

2011-03-07T12:54:00.000-05:00

Put in the flour, salt, and yeast,
Push the red button to prepare for your feast!

People are coming to eat your bread,
Which you have prepared twelve hours ahead.

The smell lets you know,
There can be no doubt.

The bread must be ready,
You must take it out!

You must use your mittens because of the heat,
Tap out the loaf--process complete!

The guests arrive with obvious lust,
For the bread with soft inside and crispy crust.

You want the last piece, which is your first,
But someone else grabs it--they shall be cursed!

After they leave, you know what to do,
Take out the recipe and start it anew!

In just four hours, your loaf will be done,
You will eat it all up, and share with no one!

***This was written when I was in elementary school with the help of my mother who is really a great poet. I have already posted my bread machine challah recipe. I am thankful for this amazing kitchen tool!

Birthday Blues

2011-02-08T16:26:00.001-05:00

I know a lot of people who hate when their birthday rolls around. Either they dread getting older or they hate the attention of the day. I like birthdays and I enjoy celebrating with friends and family.
This year, however, I felt the birthday blues.
No, I didn't reach the big 3-0 yet... (I am GENUINELY 29 years old).
Actually, My birthday falls out Feb 5, and exactly one week later is what would have been my grandmother's birthday on Feb 12, and then one week later is my sister's birthday on Feb 19. So every year we would all celebrate our birthdays together. As my grandmother aged, we would actually be celebrating her birthday and her milestones, and used her party as an excuse for mine and my sister's (I was OK with that!).
It has been only 3 months since my grandmother passed away and it hit me hard when I could not celebrate with her. My grandmother was just about to turn 60 when I was born and since we were exactly 60 years apart, I always knew how old she was even when she could barely remember. Sometimes I would have to say, "Grandma, you are 88- remember? I know because I am 28!" And then we would laugh about how she could barely remember her name...
The memories are great but the void is greater. I still think I will just pick up the phone and call her when I have a few extra minutes or visit her every time I drive west on route 287. I wanted to plan our celebration of her 89th year just like we have done for the past few birthdays.
I guess the coming year(s) will be full of missed celebrations... birthdays, holidays, graduations, and family get-togethers.
I will certainly use these opportunities to remember Grandma but I know that missing her there will hurt.
My birthday has come and gone and hers will pass without celebration. Time will heal the wounds and I will begin to appreciate the days that remind me of my grandmother's legacy and life.

Bread Machine Whole Wheat Challah

2011-02-03T10:56:00.002-05:00

I think this is one of my most popular (and easy!) recipes. My friends always ask me for it and due to popular demand, I am posting it on the blog. You can make it with all white flour if you like- it comes out yummy too!
This recipe is intended for a 2 lb bread-machine on the dough setting. I now have a 2.5 lb machine so I will put those quantities in parentheses after each item.
The ingredients must be added in order:
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup oil (1/3 plus 2 Tbl.)
2 eggs
1/2 Tbl. salt
2 1/2 slightly heaping cups bread flour (3 cups)
2 1/2 slightly heaping cups whole wheat flour (3 cups)
Make a dent in the center of the flour with a spoon and add:
1 pkg dry yeast
Put bread machine on dough setting. When it comes out it should look like this. You can let it sit in the machine a little longer if it hasn't fully risen to at least the top of the pan:

Braid it when it is finished and coat with egg and seeds as desired and bake (no need to let it rise again) in preheated 350 degree oven for 38-40 minutes.
Here is the result:

ENJOY!

Caring Mom: A Blog Recommendation

2011-01-25T15:14:00.003-05:00

Ever since I became a mom, I have been a lot more emotional when I read books or watch movies that involve children. I guess it is only natural to build an attachment by understanding the relationship between parent and child. Now when a child is depicted as sick, lost, disturbed, happy, determined, or sad, I relate strongly to the child and the characters. I relate the emotions of the characters to my own experiences, my own children, and my own family. I never thought I would react so strongly but having kids changed my perspective and made me very sensitive.

Lately, I have been following a blog that brings me to tears at each new post. The blog is titled Foster Parenting Adventures: Sharing my journey as a foster mother and clinical psychologist. It details the life of a mom who has 2 biological sons and has taken in a foster child. She chronicles her day-to-day experiences with her young foster daughter, CD, and the slow but strong attachment that has built over the past 6 months between her, her husband, kids and the new addition. The blog details the struggle to adopt CD and the threat of losing her to her (currently absentee) biological parents.

I am not a foster parent nor do I ever really intend to be one. However, I truly commend CD's foster mom for all that she has done so far. Her emotional journey is one to which I can relate simply because I have my own children.

Go ahead, check out the blog. I promise, you will be moved.

Media Management

2011-01-03T17:53:00.002-05:00

I don't think I maximize my media outlets because that would require an initial investment that I do half-heartedly then regret that I didn't do well enough.
Case in point #1: iTunes
In order to use iTunes you must first import all your songs- faves, kids' songs, family music, downloads, old and new. But to really enjoy using iTunes you need to categorize them into playlists. Songs to play when you are happy or sad... Road trip music, exercise playlists, gleeky tunes, and any other category I might want to play at any given moment.
I am always too lazy to make the most of what I have on my iPhone in order to enjoy it most.
This is why I like services like Pandora, which organizes the music for me. I can pick their playlists depending on my mood.
Case in point #2: Twitter
Twitter gives me live streams from approximately 600 people I am following. There are people who follow 15,000 so my 600 should be manageable, right? Sort of. I have learned to scan and skip while reading tweets. Unfortunately Twitter has taught me that some people are just clutter!
Introducing Twitter Lists which are a means of filtering twitter streams into any category you want (similar to playlists). I should make lists like "moms," "jewcrew," "techies," "friends" and whatever else I listen to on Twitter. But again, like playlists, I am lazy.
This is where I think Facebook has been successful. Facebook's news fees provides an organic kind of list. I can choose to see more or less from a friend fairly simply. I can see recent posts or most popular (based on comments and "likes." Perfect for me.
Here's to hoping 2011 brings simpler media management or motivates me to actually invest some effort so I can maximize my media.

Chanukah songs by Arielle (age 5) and Kayla (age 3)

2010-12-02T21:54:00.003-05:00

My girlies sing Latke Latke. Kayla (on the right) learned it in school which is why Arielle needed her to help her sing it correctly :)
Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WztD56WhY38
The lyrics:
Latke, Latke, hop in the pan
Bake and fry as fast as you can,
Sizzle Sizzle merrily,
'Cuz you're the one I'll eat you'll see!
Enjoy!

Chanukah

2010-12-01T21:46:00.000-05:00

Tonight Chanukah begins. If you are not familiar with the story, you can read the details here.
Chanukah is one of the most exciting Jewish holidays for me. It is unique in that it does not disrupt the work week, but brings excitement and fun to the mundane. We light one candle each night of Chanukah and shower friends and family with gifts. We have parties and yummy food including potato latkes and donuts!
I even arrange a "secret Chanukah friend" at work--sort of like a secret Santa where we secretly give gifts to our coworkers and then reveal ourselves on the last day. I bought a bunch of little gifts for my children and plan to give them something small on each night. We also have 4 parties scheduled already including one at our shul (synagogue), 2 family gatherings, and a kids only party.
Aside from all the excitement of the 8-day holiday, there are also many lessons that we learn from the story.

Before the Jews lost the Holy Temple, the last major way to directly connect with G-d, He gave us a miracle of lights. The oil that was supposed to burn for 1 day lasted 8 days! G-d gave His people a special light to carry through the generations of darkness, throughout all the troubled times, throughout the years of distance from G-d Himself. He told the Jews to hold on to the light and remember the miracle. The menorah has thus remained the symbol of Jewish continuity and Jewish survival. We can stay connected and know that G-d is with us even when it's dark! This is also why ChanukFah is celebrated in the winter, during the cold and dark months. When we light the candles, we bring warmth back into our homes.
Dreidels (tops) seem like a silly symbol, commemorating a cute game that children used to play while hiding in caves at the time when the story took place. In fact, the Jewish children were disguising their Torah study by playing tops in front of the Greek enemy who did not allow them to study. Children were a major part of the story, defending their right to learn and to carry our rich heritage to the next generation. I am proud to say that I am passing these lessons along to my own children, teaching them about dreidels and Chanukah, and more importantly, about living the everyday life of a Jew- learning Torah and doing mitzvos (good deeds). No matter where we are and who might be fighting against us, we will continue to maintain our religious principles.
Chanukah is a time of giving. We give gifts, gelt (money), and share with family and friends. As much as we like to receive, it is giving the defines who we are.
Sometimes in life it is important to take a break and spend time with one another. During the hectic hours of dinner, bedtime, and bathtime (if the kids are lucky!), we stop to acknowledge the miracles we have and give thanks that we have them.

So to all my readers, happy happy Chanukah and may you recognize all that is truly valuable. May you cherish and enjoy the light and miracles that surround us all.

Cranberry Crisp

2010-11-29T11:18:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving spurred enthusiasm for my Cranberry Crisp recipe. I give full credit to my mother in law, whose recipe it is!
1 cup oats
1 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 c oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ginger
1 can apple pie filling (I like Comstock Brand, available in the baking aisle)
1 can whole cranberry sauce
Mix together all ingredients except apples and cranberry.
Line the bottom of 9x9 or pie pan with the oat mixture.
Add apple pie filling on bottom followed by the cranberry sauce. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture to cover.
Bake at 350 for 40-45 min.
Enjoy!

The Academic Blogger: Part III

2010-11-19T11:48:00.000-05:00

The Academic Blogger who impersonated my father, Dr. Lawrence Schiffman, has been sentenced this week to 6 months in jail and 5 years' probation. Read more about that from the NY times article here.
The irony of the case is that Golb (who committed the crime) used the most modern internet technology, blogs, and social media to discuss issues of antiquity and theories of some of the oldest fragments we have.
History is fascinating and its issues are current and relevant!

Terrible Two's? More Like 1 1/2's!

2010-11-17T10:32:00.000-05:00

We've made it to the incredible age of 1 1/2! My little boy finally understands what is going on around him. He knows what the garbage is- though he doesn't always know what should go in there and what should not! He tries to put on his socks, loves getting his kiki (aka blanket), blows his nose (always with a stolen tissue even when he doesn't need one), and runs to the fridge when he wants his cup of milk.
While this is all adorable and completely delicious, he has this terrible habit of screaming. I know it is just the stage and I love him every minute of it, but I can't seem to remember my other kids screaming this much to get what they wanted. Maybe he screams more because he is a boy? When will he find words for all these desires? Being 1 1/2 is difficult!

Lessons and Memories of My Grandma

2010-11-09T16:06:00.001-05:00

While mourning the loss of my grandmother, Hilda Schiffman, I spend a lot of time thinking about all the times I spent with her. Of course, what remain most vivid are my memories of Grandma in the past few months. We have spent a lot of time together and I find her in my pictures throughout the course of the year.

The last day I spent with my grandma was October 24, 2010, just 2 weeks before she passed away. I picked her up on the most gorgeous autumn day, when the leaves were just beginning to change colors but had not yet fallen from the trees. It was 70 degrees outside and she was enjoying the sunshine. I was determined to find a park for her to sit and watch my 3 children play. We drove around until we found a beautiful park in West Orange that was at the top of a winding “country” road, which opened up to a large expanse of grass and trees. We walked about 20 feet and she sat down on her walker. She watched as my Arielle, Kayla and Tzvi ran and played ball, enjoying them as they went round and round. When we went back to the car, Grandma was reveling in the sunshine with her eyes closed. I remember asking her if she was okay, and she responded that she loves the sun and was happy to feel its rays on her face.

We left the park and went out to the local pizza shop where we met my sister, Leah & her husband Dovid and 2 children, Sari and Benjy as well as Dovid’s parents. We all sat and ate together. Grandma was smiling the entire time because we were all there to enjoy her company and we came to see HER. We had gotten together the previous Sunday for Arielle’s 5^th birthday, but it was so busy with the entire family that there was not enough time to spend with all the kids. This day was different as we were all devoted to her and she was able to interact with each great-grandchild one on one.

And that is how I will remember her last days- reveling in the sunshine and in the kids. I am so happy that she got to enjoy my children (she even admitted being glad that I had 3 kids so close in age so that she could get to know them all!).

But it is the older memories that I will truly cherish but that take a little more time to conjure up. Some things I will never forget:

· Playing in Grandma’s backyard and sledding or rolling down the hill.

· Using the egg slicer and silver straws in her old fashioned kitchen.

· Thanksgiving dinners with roast beef because I didn’t like turkey.

· Grandma calling her cat back into the house after playing outdoors: “Patches, where are you?”

· Riding with her to visit my cousins in New Jersey, betting a dime to determine if there would be traffic at the Jerome Avenue exit of the Cross Bronx Expressway (I always won the bet).

· When Grandma gave me a dollar to hold for the toll and warned me not to let go with the window open. Oops, I let go anyway and it flew right out the window!

· Getting rides to and from school just because I had to walk past the local public school to get home.

· Mornings when Grandma slept over because my parents were away. These were the only mornings I actually ate breakfast. I knew Grandma meant business and I was not to leave the house until my breakfast was finished.

· Playing ping pong in Grandma’s basement with my older brother, Dani.

· When Grandma was determined to walk to my parents’ house from shul. When I arrived at the home she still was not there. Jeremy and I found her on Arrandale Avenue (5 minutes from the house) with a shopping cart she had appropriated from the supermarket to help her walk the distance!

· Seder nights when she read from the famous blue hagaddah. We enjoyed many Passovers at her house, then at ours, and then at the hotel. Grandma always wanted to chop vegetables, make charoses, and explain why we ate the symbolic egg. Certain things were always reserved for her.

· When Grandma came to visit me when I was in Israel for the year and we lit Chanukah candles in my apartment.

· My trip with Grandma to Pittsburgh where I forced her to travel with me a day early and though she resisted, she thanked me later for bringing her early because she got to sit with her cousin who passed away the Shabbos we were there. Being with Dorothy that day before she died meant the world to Grandma and she was happy to have been with her and at her funeral.

· Another Pittsburgh memory was when my husband Jeremy and I took her on a day trip with Arielle when she was still a baby. We travelled with her to the Duquesne Incline and took the cable car to the top of the mountain. We relished the view and took pictures, which I framed immediately for display in my home.

When you enjoy a lifetime of memories with someone you can’t really isolate memories. I am just happy to have had so much time with her. It was a lifetime of quality interactions. Grandma was an amazing personality, vibrant and personable. Grandma exuded a sense of dignity and life. She was the most vibrant person in the rehab center where she lived her last few months. Who else would wear orange moccasins and long beaded necklaces in the nursing home?

I would be remiss if I did not mention Grandma’s tremendous strength: physical strength, emotional strength and strength of will or determination. Grandma never gave up her dignity because she was too stubborn! Grandma spoke her mind whenever she wanted and she told it like it was even if you didn’t want to hear what she had to say. Grandma’s motto was: “You don’t have to listen, but I HAVE to say it.” So we learned to listen with one ear, take the criticism and advice, and follow her directions once we realized the truth of her words. Grandma always made sure to have her hair and nails done every week to ensure she kept her dignity. She made sure that she distributed her personal belongings including furniture, platters, silverware, and jewelry while she was well. She planned who would get what and then enjoyed seeing it in our homes. This brought her the greatest joy and helped her maintain her dignity despite the difficulty of disbursing her most valuable items. I am proud to light her candlesticks and enjoy sitting in my dining room, surrounded by her furniture each Shabbos.

I can go on and on, but I will close with this thought. Grandma taught me about the true value of family and appreciating each generation. She taught me to stand by your children and grandchildren no matter what life may bring. I will truly miss her and will cherish the memories and lessons she imparted.

We Love and Miss You, Grandma!

2010-11-08T11:34:00.000-05:00

I am still recovering (if that is ever possible) from the events of yesterday. Yesterday I lost my grandmother, the only one I ever knew. She was a major part of my life since I was little and she continued to be part of my children's life as a vibrant and loving great-grandmother. While I want to share a lot more about my memories with her, I will have to do that another time when I can think straight. So for now, please read a little bit more about her from my sister's perspective. I really feel like it captures her essence. In fact, so much of what Hadassah says was mentioned at her funeral.

Guest Post by Hadassah Levy:
"It seems callous to write a status update saying my grandmother has passed away. But it is also impossible to continue to interact with all of you on a daily basis without mentioning it - and this is true even of those of you I have not met in person.

When I was a kid, I assumed that everyone's grandmothers were like mine. As I got older, I realized our grandma was unique. I used to argue with her about whether or not she was old; no matter how many times she told me how old she was, I never saw her as an old woman. I could take my friends over to her house and they enjoyed it just as much as I did. We went to movies together, shopped for clothes, and did other errands my parents weren't available for. If the weather was bad and she knew my father wasn't home that day, I didn't get far in my walk home before she appeared to give me a ride home. She always told us that if we needed her to fight our battles with our parents she would be on our side.

It has been many years since we have lived in proximity to each other, but she was always on the other end of the phone for some fun exchanging of news. There was nothing she liked better than to hear the exploits of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She also considered her grandchildren's spouses to be her grandchildren and would introduce them that way to anyone she ran into when they were with her. Whenever we visited, the first stop after reaching my parent's home was always her house and I will never forget the excitement of surprising her for her 86th birthday (well, almost surprising her...)

It is hard to imagine life without Grandma in it, and hard to be so far away from everyone at this time. I wouldn't exchange living in Israel for anything, but wish I weren't 6000 miles away right now."

Let the Good Times Roll

2010-10-20T09:54:00.001-04:00

It is with great pleasure that I present this post in honor of my old time friends.

Last night 3 of us gals got together to just catch up on life and hang out. Of course eating was a crucial part of this get-together! So we met at a restaurant and schmoozed about our jobs, families, friends, and the awkward date sitting at the next table. We laughed, we cried- okay, slight exaggeration but you get the point. We reconnected.
I really miss having day-to-day exchanges with my good friends. Life has taken us to different places on different timelines. Sometimes we have time to call, sometimes we are too busy. We nevertheless always care for one another and enjoy seeing each other.
I am so happy we got together and I only wish we did it more often!

Apple Kugel Recipe

2010-10-16T21:39:00.002-04:00

Based on facebook demand, here is my apple kugel recipe:
6 lg sour apples, peeled sliced thin
1 c sugar
1 c flour
4 eggs
1 t baking powder
1 t vanilla
1/2 cup oil
Sprinkle cinnamon
Mix all ingredients together except apples. Work batter, make paste. Add apples. Put in greased loaf or 9x9 and sprinkle top with cinnamon.
Bake 325 for 45 min.
Enjoy!

Carpool Madness

2010-10-07T11:25:00.002-04:00

Mornings are just not the same when you are part of a carpool. My mornings inevitably have 1 of 3 results: I end up being late, I make other parents late, or the kids are late!

I basically circle the neighborhood, sit in drop-off lines and convince a lot of little girls to make a choo-choo train so we can walk safely through the parking lot.

I wish we had busing but we don't- so I better get used to this!

Got any carpool tips?

The Academic Blogger: Part II

2010-10-04T13:24:00.005-04:00

I mentioned the case of the Blogger, who impersonated my father and this past week the jury gave its verdict. The blogger was charged with several counts of identity theft/impersonation/harassment. The sentencing will be next month and he faces 1 1/3rd to 4 years in prison.

Since I have the inside scoop, I just want to mention that my father, Professor Lawrence Schiffman, victim of the impersonation, honestly told me several times that he did not want to see Mr. Golb go to jail. Sending a lawyer/academic /blogger to jail is not his idea of retribution.

Here is the Yahoo! News Article.

Once again, comments and thoughts welcome.

Back to routine

2010-10-04T10:52:00.001-04:00

The Jewish holiday season has ended and though I truly enjoyed all the holidays, family, food, and napping, I am thrilled to be back to routine. My kids have had enough late nights, play dates, and unscheduled days. School just brings a scheduled discipline that I cannot imitate at home. We are back to waking up on time, wearing a uniform (for quick morning dressing!), and homework. I hope this will also help normalize the new level of moodiness that my 5yo has adopted.
I love vacation but routine is welcome anytime!

On Trial: The Academic Blogger

2010-09-14T17:42:00.001-04:00

Today my father, Professor Lawrence Schiffman went to court to testify instead of NYU to teach his regular classes.
A blogger impersonated him and sent out emails in his name to colleagues and students claiming he plagiarized several works. He utilized NYU library computers and created several blogger identities to simulate an online community that was interested in these issues. The goal was to discredit his academic opinions about the origin of the Dead Sea Scrolls and point instead to his own father's position on the matter.
The trial opened today and my father was expected to be called to the stand. I am eager to hear the eventual verdict.
For more details on the case see this article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100914/ap_on_re_us/us_dead_sea_scrolls
Please comment and add any thoughts here.

Grandma's memories

2010-09-07T17:37:00.001-04:00

I took my kids for a visit with my grandma on Sunday. She was thrilled that we came and that my visit was to be followed by my parents' visit.
We took her out to lunch at the pizza store. After pizza we dropped in at the CVS where I printed some pictures for her of the family- me, my sister & grandma, my kids on their first day of school, my aunt (her daughter) and cousin (her granddaughter) with my baby- for her to keep in her room.
She was happy to get pictures and mentioned that my aunt always offers her the old photos from her house but that she refuses because thinking of the past is too hard. She told me that the pictures I just gave her are perfect for her since they are recent. She is really having a difficult time grappling with her new reality.
She is in an assisted living and has disconnected herself almost completely from her old life. Somehow she feels that this helps her cope. That in order to deal with her current situation she should not have keepsakes from her days of independence.
I would argue that the opposite is true. If she would allow herself to remember and feel like her old self she would be happier.
Of course end of life care is so hard and I cannot judge her or discount her emotions. I just happy to give her some new memories to bring her hope and cheer.

High school reunion: reconnecting

2010-08-31T18:32:00.001-04:00

My first big milestone since graduation was my 10 year reunion (I know, I'm younger than you thought). I somehow became the one in charge- organizing, setting the program, and most dreaded--locating everyone. The event went off without a hitch though only 1/3 of the grade came.
Here are my thoughts after the event:

It was so much fun seeing everyone and picking up where we left off!

I enjoyed seeing my close friends-who I am still in touch with- back in the old environment where we originally met

I literally cried when I saw a very close friend with whom I lost touch. It made me see what an amazing person I no longer have in my life. It made me feel like an awful person for not trying harder. It could be that the tears came because the last time I DID see this particular friend was at a memorial service for her father. Either way I was emotional.

Seeing the teachers was fun though not necessary. While they shaped our education throughout high school, the real experience was shaped by our friends.

There were natural cliques that formed at the reunion itself based on high school friendships. Rather than resent them as some might have back in school, I respected them and was proud people migrated right back into tight-knit groups.

Working with my former principal in preparation made me see her in a completely different light. We discussed the budget and the program and spoke more like peers or professionals working on a team for a specific program.

One member of our class became a teacher and inspirational teacher in the Jewish community. She wasn't an honor student or supremely outspoken at the time. It is amazing to see what each of us did with our lives to maximize our potential. We were honored to have her speak to the group briefly and were proud to listen to an eloquent presentation.

Though memories fade, friendships and our experiences remain with us always.

If you have read this, make and effort to track down and contact someone who means a lot to you even though you haven't been in touch. You will gain more than you will give.

Mayor Bloomberg and Camp Simcha Girls' Cancer Session! INSPIRING :)

2010-08-26T13:41:00.002-04:00

Mayor Bloomberg greets the campers of Camp Simcha girls' cancer session before they march the "March of Hope" across the Brooklyn Bridge.

If you are inspired, please comment!

Curves

2010-08-25T10:27:00.007-04:00

Last night I went to curves with a friend, completing our three free trial

Tuesdays promotion. As we were working out, the woman who works there started to show us how to utilize each machine and maximize our workout. She showed me which muscles to flex when and how to get the most out of each 30 second interval. She really improved my workout and made me think about joining!

Of course after we were done, she gave us her pitch.

21 days in their sample fitness trial means you have to commit to 3 days per week. They weigh, measure and train you. If you compete the trial, you get an additional 7 days to workout at Curves for free. All this for $20! And we are perfect because we have SO MUCH energy! We should just tell our husbands that it's our 40 minutes and leave everything! When we get home we will have more energy to clean up anyway because working out gives you energy of course!

The irony in the program is that the flyer asks for "volunteers" to be in their trial...! And then they charge you $20! Admittedly, $20 is a good price for 21 to 28 days at a gym. But do me a favor, call us participants, not volunteers!

Well this offer is only good for the month of September in my specific Curves location. Unfortunately, I have so many Jewish holidays coming up in September that getting to the gym would be really difficult! Even if I have free time, I will have to spend it

...cooking for those holidays!

...or doing bedtime,

...or cooking dinner,

...or doing more laundry,

...or maybe even cleaning!

Don't fret, they open at 5am! ARE YOU CRAZY? And unfortunately they are only open until 8:15pm.

How will I ever get to Curves?!?!?!?!

2010-08-22T21:39:00.001-04:00

Umbrella girlies

My 2 Mary Poppins girls sing "Let's Go Fly a Kite."

The Man With the Truck

2010-08-16T16:23:00.004-04:00

If you said the man with the truck to me 3 years ago, I would be asking you which man with which truck?

But now that I have school-aged children I know exactly who you mean, where he is and when he comes. You see, there is a man who has made a pretty interesting business as a traveling salesman (Death of a Salesman Memories?). He comes with a truck and unloads his wares. He stocks lots of basic goods at closeout prices including $2 ties, $14 uniform skirts, $10 modest robes, $12 long skirts, $1.50 headbands, Hanes underwear, t-shirts, pants, socks, and more!

He finds a local parking lot of a synagogue or hall and sets out his goods. He has been coming to my town now every Thursday as parents frantically do their last minute school shopping. He doesn't always have what you want, but will gladly bring it the next week.

I had visited the man with the truck in Queens once and was pretty successful-- though at that price you almost can't go wrong. Now that I moved to Clifton, I discovered he comes here too and he is cheaper than the local stores. Friends who live near his "store" tell me when he is there so I can get whatever I need. The problem is that he is only open until 8pm, which is a little too early for me.

Bottom line is that the Man With the Truck is a staple in my community. You might see me there this week (and possibly the next one too!).

Letter To My Bored Coworkers

2010-08-13T13:24:00.004-04:00

I work in an environment where much of our work is seasonal. The workload waxes and wanes and the summer is pretty much DEAD. I work "Dinner Season" which is my fundraising event equivalent of the accountant's "busy season."

But today I sit here with not much to do, browsing and making work for myself. I am researching, preparing lists, and looking ahead for our next strategic fund raising moves. And when I decide to slack off, I surf the web, twitter, facebook and write new blog posts (quietly).

The other side of the office is not quite as resourceful. The boss is away and the mice will play. It is too loud in here and too frivolous for me. This is still an office, a workplace. There are other people with deadlines and work to do. Try to use your phone rather than screaming to one another across the cubicle walls. Please, try to talk about something meaningful!

I sincerely hope I haven't insulted anyone, but I believe there should be a certain decorum at work.

Thanks in advance!

Estee

My Quest to Find the Best Sippy Cup: Results

2010-08-10T11:20:00.009-04:00

This morning I ran out to buy sippy cups. My 14 month old son is now using them exclusively and we only owned 3 for him. 1 leaked terribly when he discovered he could squeeze the top and spill milk. The other two were pretty good but we misplaced one of course. I had purposely bought 3 different designs to test them out on him. I also wanted to determine if they were easy to keep clean and wash since so many have valves that are hard to reach with a normal bottle brush. I have been known to use toothpicks and q-tips to clean them. And then they get too gross to ever clean again and I throw them out.

So, here are the results of my tests, from not bad to better to best:

Not bad: This cup is good for transition stage from bottles, around 1 year to 14 months, because the silicone nipple is really pliable, easily washable, and it comes with a cover too (which I of course misplace the first time I use it outside the house). It also had two handles coming from the cover that make it easy for baby to hold. Unfortunately, baby has learned to squeeze the milk out of the nipple. Also, the nipple spins as you seal the cap so that it isn't always positioned in between the handles. I have since mastered the skill of screwing the cap on and getting the nipple centered!

Better: Gerber Nuk cup has a soft nipple spout that is durable and still bends. The cup has a nuk valve which is better than playtex valves, which are hard to clean. Nuk valves are short and easy to reach with the small side of a basic bottle brush. The only down side I found to this cup is that the handles are positioned at the base of the cup so I can't throw it into the side pocket of my diaper bag or place it in the stroller or high chair cup holder because the base is too wide.

Best: Gerber makes the same cup only slightly larger and with handles at the top! This is it, the winner! I bought 2 more today and I am happy to use these!

This post may be completely irrelevant to you (sorry), or may actually help you choose your favorite sippy cup!

Quiet Shabbos??

2010-08-07T23:14:00.004-04:00

This weekend I had originally made plans to have some friends over- a family of 11 who had most of the kids away and was going to come with just 4 of them. Unfortunately, 2 more ended up home for the weekend, at which point we could no longer have them comfortably.
This was when I decided to make it a quiet Shabbos. I decided to go easy on the cooking and get some rest.
Well, "the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray."
It was really my fault because I was hungry while I was preparing. I made:

challah
chicken soup
chicken with stuffing!
meatballs
rice (to go with the meatballs)
chulent (served with turkey breast cold cuts)
colloci (cauliflower/broccoli) kugel
chocolate chip sticks

All this for 4 people (2 prefer to eat cereal and milk or yogurt).
So now I basically cooked a ton, ate a ton, and slept a ton.
Luckily, I like leftovers for lunch during the week.
Next time I plan a quiet Shabbos, remind me to eat before I cook!

Miss independent

2010-08-06T13:58:00.001-04:00

My second daughter is super independent and extremely resourceful. But she is only 3. Sometimes her independence can wreak havoc. No matter what the situation is and what she might have done, she always has good intentions.
Example 1: one time when she was toilet training at age 2, we were eating lunch with friends on Shabbos/sabbath morning. All of a sudden she comes running over to me holding soaking wet undies. At first I assume she had an accident but the underwear was just too wet! I ran into the bathroom only to find she made and tried to flush it but dropped her underwear into the toilet instead! OY VEY.
Example 2: she always wants to help me with the baby to give him his sippy and help him in the morning. But she cant reach the crib so she usually just throws the cup at him, barely missing some body part or another.
Example 3: she wanted to serve the yogurt at breakfast so she went to the fridge to get the container and carry it to the table. Well the cover was slightly damaged (not her fault) but when she grabbed it by said cover, it spilled ALL OVER the kitchen!

I continue to let her "help" because I think it is a valuable lesson and I would never discourage helping. In the meantime I try to emphasize being CAREFUL since she could be a real help when she is. So i give her specific jobs i trust her with. For example, she's our official garbage bag replacement system. She has been going into the cabinet, opening the bag, and placing it in the bin since age 2. And she loves to wash veggies- something I don't think she can really mess up with.
So, I'll take the occasional mess for a helpful attentive child. Hopefully she'll learn to be a little more careful. For her sake. And mine.

Sufferin' in Suffern

2010-08-04T21:23:00.004-04:00

I took the express train to Suffern!
Not on purpose.
For the second time in my life!
My husband has asked me, "Why are you so organized in your life, but when it comes to trains and commuting, you are a mess?"
Good Question.
Suffern is far- the train ride is about 25 minutes to get there and the return train came a half hour after I arrived in Suffern and that second ride is another half an hour.
I was so proud that I would be coming home early! My trip ended up being over 2 hours door to door.
And I was traveling with a friend! You see, we both messed up. We were distracted, talking. The train arrived and we hopped on. Two trains come on the SAME TRACK within 2 minutes of each other. The doors closed and the announcement came, "Express train. Express to Suffern."
OH NO!
Why don't they make the announcement BEFORE the doors close?
We run for the door but it is too late.
I can't believe I did that (again).

♫ One shoe on and one shoe off...♫

2010-08-03T17:15:00.001-04:00

Growing up we always had a song or more like a cheer that went, "One shoe on and one shoe off, that's how Estee went to bed..."
Today I would sing "One shoe on and one shoe off, that's how Estee boarded the train..."
I kid you not. Here I am gunning for the 4:52 train (yes, I left 10 min early) and the train is announced on track 11. The furthest track of course. I get down with time to spare but the train is only 1/4 on the platform and of course I need to run the entire track to reach the open car doors. And as I run I can see briefcases and arms flying and hear the grunts of those running and the measured pitter patter of flip flops behind me.
I keep up my pace in line and head to the first car.
And then everything slows when the lady behind me steps on my heel and my shoe lands on the platform. Barely a sorry and she's back to the chase. The stampede continues with no room to squeeze by the other eager commuters. No room to retrieve my shoe. For a moment I feel like Cindarella escaping the ball, leaving my shoe behind.
My shoe just sits there on the narrow strip of the platform and not one person stops to wonder why or to help the barefooted.
I resign myself to the fact that I might miss this train. And I wait for the coast to clear and pick up my shoe.
Luckily, I made it to the train with both shoes on and happily stroll along as if nothing even happened.

Camp Simcha

2010-07-29T12:27:00.004-04:00

Ok, I am slightly biased because I work here but this truly inspired and amazed me! Almost brought me to tears to see how amazingly strong our cancer campers are!

My husband is running the NYC marathon to raise funds for Chai Lifeline and camp as part of Team Lifeline. If you were inspired and want to sponsor these amazing children, click here to sponsor his run!

Thanks :)

Commutophobia

2010-07-28T10:06:00.001-04:00

Last night found me on a packed train going home. There was this lady on the train sitting in a tight handicapped seat-the kind that folds down off the wall. She was loudly complaining to the guy next to him saying "would you stay on YOUR side of the line and don't touch me with your sweaty body and shake your smelly hair all over me!"
I promise you this was a grown woman. I was wondering what kind of day she had at work to bring her attitude to the train. She was so loud that she was not embarrassing the infractor aka smelly sweaty hair guy but rather herself.
Contrast this with my experience in the next car (I moved up to avoid commutophobic lady).
I was standing after the long day and a huge guy who must have been 6 foot 4 offered me his seat. It was squishy so I said "no it's ok." He got up anyway and I felt bad so I told him it's a 3 seater and we can both sit. So now there were 3 of us and I was sandwiched between 2 big guys. I told them about the lady in the car behind us.
We all laughed and joked that we were crossing the line and should not take a seat when we need deodorant.
The 6'4" guy said maybe commuting is not for the faint of heart and that woman should reconsider her method of commuting!
Bottom line--I had a squishy but pleasant--ride.

Bathroom shops

2010-07-26T22:55:00.001-04:00

We have been talking about building a master bathroom in my house and a new bathroom that will be the main bathroom for the hallway. We currently have only 1 full bath on the 2nd floor and a full bath downstairs on the main level.
We have had several estimates, designs, and ideas. My kids have met several new people who have come to take a look.
The other day we were at my in-laws and my three year old daughter Kayla had to go to the bathroom. I told her she could choose from 1 of the 3 bathrooms (they have 2 1/2 baths).

Kayla looked at me with a calculated face and said, "they have three bathrooms but our house only has two. That's why we needa get a new bathroom."

It was so adorably cute especially if you know her and she made it sound so simple! It's not like I just buy it from the shop and plop it into place. Wait till she discovers what it entails.
If only it could be that easy! I'm excited but having nightmares about picking out the detailing and designing it!
Wish me luck :)

Neat freak wannabe

2010-07-22T20:14:00.001-04:00

I wish I was a neat freak because then I would be able to maintain the cleanliness of my house happily. Instead I abhor chores and avoid them and do as much as I can calmly. Eventually it overcomes my efforts and the housework comes crashing down.
And that is when I freak. I get annoyed irritated and upset easily when my house is a wreck. I feel out of control and it affects my mood.
This is NOT a good character trait! I wish I was a neat freak and could actually stay on top of it all!
I scheduled the cleaning lady for this coming Tuesday. Hopefully she will restore my sanity.

Entitlement and Kids

2010-07-21T18:51:00.001-04:00

The twitter topic of the day was whether our kids learn entitlement when we give them whatever they want. Or more simply put, how do we teach kids not to expect materialism and not to assume it is all affordable and coming to them?
Spoiling kids is easy to do. We all want our kids to have nice things and feel good about what they have. On the other hand, if everything is handed to them on a silver platter, how will they learn to work for their money and be thankful for what they have?
I don't have the answer to this but I do have some thoughts that might shed some light on the matter.
1. Don't deprive your kids. Your kids should have a positive feeling about what they have. Always wanting is just as bad for your kids and builds resentment and frustration.
2. You don't have to keep up with the Jones' but you should live somewhere where your material level is average. Your kids should not resent you or your career an hard-work because they can't have "x."
3. Teach your kids about earning and spending. Even if you have enough $ to give unlimited, don't. Set up a system for earning and spending so they learn the value of money. Teach them about saving up for larger gains later on.
4. Tell your kids about shopping deals and lead by example. The most wealthy people still spend (or invest) wisely. Explain when a purchase is not a good deal and how to find that bargain.
5. Don't chase after physical things. You can't take it with you. If you model this behavior your kids will learn it too.
Please add your thoughts and comments here!

Gaza Mall

2010-07-21T12:51:00.002-04:00

I have been hearing a lot of jokes about the new Gaza Mall that just opened. I am usually not political especially on this blog, which is more about family and kids... But, I thought this was pretty funny...

Here is a quote from YNET News:

"Gaza Mall, the first ever shopping center in the Strip was opened last Saturday with masses storming the new attraction. The two-floor compound..."

Even their new mall is called a "COMPOUND!"

LOL.

To view the full article, click here.

Enjoy!

2010-07-20T16:13:00.001-04:00

Shoes

Shoes, glorious shoes!
It's that time! My little pipsqueak is walking at 13 months and we need to buy him shoes. It is an exciting moment, yet daunting as well. Now he wears 2 of the most expensive products out there for kids: diapers AND shoes!
This is only the beginning. Shoe purchasing never ends, though thankfully the diapers do sooner or later. He will need new shoes every 3-4 months!
I have 3 shoe-wearing, money-laundering, foot-growing monsters...
When do I get to treat MYSELF to a new pair of shoes?!?

Blogging again

2010-07-19T18:52:00.001-04:00

I am back at least or now. I tried blogging before but work made me quit.
I think it is nice to keep a personal journal, keep friends and family involved and informed in everyday life- especially if the live far away, and to educate and build a community.
So my blog is back. Hopefully with my new social media iPhone app I'll send updates more easily. Most will come when I am on the run since that is the only real time I have to think anyway.
So here goes. Happy reading!

Blogging Impediments

2010-03-25T11:53:00.005-04:00

I'd love to keep a blog as sort of an online journal or a diary. I have never been a diary keeper, so this is hard for me to write constantly. Here are the true impediments to keeping an active updated blog:

1. I think of things to post or share at the weirdest moments. Often, I don't have time to type them up. For example, I am feeding my kids dinner... I can't (or won't!) stop to blog it and later I can't remember whatever it was. But my real-time moments are more important than the blog. I don't want to live in its shadow and miss watching my kids grow up! (Anyone see that blogger on House a few weeks back?)

2. Sometimes 140 characters is enough and simply easier. Hence the tweeting consistently :)

3. I am secretly scared that my blog will get so many comments that I won't have time to respond to all the readers! A blog needs to be a real dialog and not just my diary.

4. I work full-time! My best time to post is while I am commuting but I haven't decided to invest in an iphone app yet to blog. It's a catch-22. My blog can't grow unless I pay for a blogging app, but I don't want to pay for an app when my blog is not active enough. Plus, aside from paying, the apps are so fickle that I need to decide to invest in the $10 app that will actually work. Is it worth it?

So, I will try to continue blogging at my own pace and might not make it to virtual fame and advertising glory.

I'm happy with my diary for now. Just wish I could add more!

Hope you take it for what it is and enjoy anyway.

-Estee

Buzz...

2010-02-16T10:34:00.003-05:00

The latest social media trend is Google's new Buzz. I am probably a week late with this post, but I needed some time to test-run the new platform. I will not mention the ongoing lawsuits and privacy issues Google is now struggling with... (ok, maybe I will mention it... but that is not the point of this post!)

The advantage of social media is getting the word out. We spread our knowledge, comments, experiences, and information in a new public way across many platforms. We are able to post in one place, and the info is spread to Twitter followers, our blog, Facebook (#fb), and now Buzz...

One of the advantages of Twitter is that is had taught us to say more with fewer words-- and shorter words too! We only have 140 characters. But Buzz allows more, and it allows commenting in threads similar to our email inboxes.

So Buzz gives me another place to spread my idiocy online. It will pull all the random places I already profess my intelligence into one place for my friends. With Buzz, I can link my twitter, blogger, picasa, etc. accounts and all the updates will show to all my followers. Followers are made up of people I email with my gmail account. Or at least it begins that way. I can then connect with others by following their contacts in a way very similar to twitter and facebook.

So if my friends aren't already following me on Twitter or facebook, they can catch up with me on buzz-- I will most likely be saying the same things! The advantage is for me whose friends don't have the time commitment for twitter, but will post something quickly when checking their gmail. It's also a good way to connect to people that I may not be in touch with via email, but my friends are! It's a no commitment way to contact and hear from them.

A few other quick Buzz thoughts:

It's extraneous but pretty user friendly in the world of social media.
Buzz is what wave should have been.
You can choose to follow only your friends or you can look at it as an opportunity to expand your social media reach.
Buzzes can get confused with emails. Be careful not to reply to an email via Buzz and publicize everything that should have been private correspondence!

And lastly, if you have gmail, you have no choice but to learn Buzz. Don't worry, though- it is user friendly and you will most probably like it!

Communication drives all relationships

2010-02-02T11:40:00.002-05:00

Lately I have been pondering the concept of effective communication.

Many factors triggered this train of through including my personal experiences at home and with friends, my Twitter community, and my work environment.

Since I have hence revealed my true desire to consult, I figured I'd give

you a taste of my take on communication, specifically within the office environment.

So here are my insights and tips:

• Communication drives all relationships. The more you talk and share, the more you get to know about another person (or organization). We know this is true in marriage, and it is true in the office as well. Sharing and listening (information, planning, strategies, cross-departmental information) leads to understanding.

• You can share in many ways within your comfort zone. You may do so via email, phone, or in person, but the main point is to share with others to include them and empower them. Often it pays to stretch beyond your comfort zone to talk to people who share your goals and the mission of your company/organization. This will create a bond between you that will only improve the functioning of your office (assuming they are normal, stable people with whom you are communicating).

• Means of sharing include but are not limited to:

• Face to face discussion: uses tone, word choice, and body language to impart ideas, feelings and thoughts.

• Emails: always be careful with tone here because an innocent statement can seem accusatory. This is simplest in the work environment to pass on information and make plans and day to day communication.

• Blogs, Twitter, Facebook and other social media: This may not be as direct but they certainly reveal a lot about who you are and what you care about! Careful what you say; a lot of people are listening to you!

• Memos are an effective way to publicize new policies, processes, and systems. Memos should be used to keep employees in the loop when there are changes or new initiatives being implemented. Most workplaces are plagued by a lack of communication. So much can be improved by letting people know what changes have been made and what upcoming events and programs are scheduled. This also empowers employees at all levels as they are kept informed and feel valued.

• Communication practices at the employee level are specifically related to management's capacity to communicate. This is important for managers to realize because the tone will be set from the top down. If lines of communication are open from management to employees, they will foster an open environment that will ultimately create openness and closeness among employees, as well as open communication from employees back to management. Think about it like a parent/child relationship. If mom repects and speaks to child with openness and care, the child is likely to feel that and respond in kind. If trouble arises the mom can capitalize on the relationship she has created because her child will feel comfortable opening the lines of communication in return to share and discuss any issues.

There are so many ways to communicate and it is a shame that people don’t utilize the many methods available to them. The benefits of opening the lines of communication outweigh the effort it takes to share and listen. So if you take one lesson away from this post, it is to value others and respect them by valuing open communication.

IMG_5279 (1 photo), by Jeremy Lavitt

2010-02-01T15:15:00.001-05:00

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Click here to view photos

December 9th? Bosses? Consulting?

2010-01-21T13:46:00.006-05:00

Has my last post really been on Dec 9th? Every time I think about blogging I have too much going on in my busy life to write anything! So, here I am finally coming back to the blog and saying hello to my long lost friends-- all 3 of my followers! At least I am not a loser on Twitter, where I have 377 followers- pretty respectable though I am sure 10% of which are bots.

Anyway, TADA-- here I am.

Work has quieted down because my boss was away. Of course today he is back but busy with meetings. I have too much to review with him after the whole week and I know it will all have to wait until Monday. Classic.

When I want to get something done, it takes me a week to talk to him... but when he needs something from me, he wants immediate response and completion.

How do I get to be a boss? Or better yet, my own boss?

My friend and I have a dream of opening up a consulting company to consult to nonprofits on communications, marketing, program evaluation, management and strategic planning. We decided that there is no way to accomplish this while we have full-time jobs... mostly because our bosses determine our timelines and deadlines... and until we can decide when we want to come and go and when we can work, there is no way to get this off the ground... aside from the major issue of FUNDING.

We need money to get the ball rolling.

So for now, we are both content with our paychecks and bosses. Hopefully, we will join the ranks of the consultants soon.

Then I will be a boss... and my own boss at the same time!

Results

2009-12-10T12:13:00.001-05:00

Well I owe you all the results of my trip. I think It was extremely successful and the kids were great.
I believe all the planning that my husband and I did really paid off.
Kids slept a little, ate and played on the flight to Israel. They got really antsy with about two hours to go but made it smoothly until landing.
I got them to go to sleep (finally) by having them fall asleep on the floor under the bassinet and then moving them to a seat. The hype was mostly self-induced because we were anxious that they needed to sleep.
But I realized that I can't expect them to sleep as much on the plane.
For what we were asking them to do they were great. Oh and the baby was great too.
The hardest part about the flight there was managing the luggage strollers and children in the airport. The kids ate and slept Thursday night when we arrived at my brother’s and sister-in-law’s house. I kept waking up thinking I heard them but of course they were sound asleep. That got us off to a great start. We were able to enjoy a full day of activities on Friday and got us onto a normal sleep schedule.
Friday - Day 1:
Ramat Gan Zoo
We borrowed my brother’s car and managed to get lost while trying to drive like aggressive Israelis. We met up with my sister and family at the zoo and had a blast. The kids enjoyed themselves!
In the evening the kids went to the park. After dinner it took a while to get them to bed but again they slept thru the night.
Saturday (Shabbos) - Day 2:
Quiet day at brothers house. Kids slept late and got to eat and play a lot. It was such beautiful weather! We hung around the house most of the day, rested, and got ready for a busy, busy week.

Saturday night we took a cab/mini-bus to our hotel in Jerusalem. We tortured the kids by taking them out for late-night pizza. We enjoyed but the kids were cranky by the time they got to bed.

Sunday through Wednesday will be posted in next blog post. I don’t have time to write up all the details but I wanted to give you all SOME of my experiences…

My Dreaded Flight

2009-11-18T16:11:00.004-05:00

Tonight is the night I have been dreading for the past few months. My husband and I are taking our 3 children, ages 4 and under on a 12 hour plane trip… 12 hours!!! 12!!! Are we C.R.A.Z.Y.?

So as we embark on this long trip, we have prepares out kids in a few ways:

1. We explained that the airport has lines, lines, and more lines and we need to wait on them. Hope this is a lesson in patience.

2. We told the kids several times that we will be sleeping on the flight (overnight flight) and we are going to dress them in pajamas for that purpose. We are bringing along their “kikis” or blankets, and their letter “A” and “K” pillows.

3. We brought medicines—not to drug the kids, but to have on hand:

a. Benadryl for nausea

b. Tylenol for regular pain

c. Orajel for teething (2^nd tooth coming in any minute)

4. We gave each kid her own carry-on so they have coloring books, crayons, silly putty, snacks, and treats.

5. We uploaded music to our ipods for them to have and got a DVD player and DVDs.

6. We told story after story about plane rides in the hopes that they will understand what we are about to embark on. Somehow Kayla thinks that “no bad people” go on planes. From her mouth to G-d’s ears! I hope that’s a good assessment of El Al.

7. I tweeted constantly about strollers, car-seats, tips, and ideas when flying and finally decided to bring 1 double stroller, 1 snap n go with the infant car seat, and 2 boosters with a back. Thanks to all who contributed to that conversation.

8. And finally, I am sure no matter how much preparation I have put in, I will be completely overwhelmed by tantrums and overtired children in the airport. Hopefully they will sleep on the plane (did I bring too much entertainment for them to actually sleep?).

9. If I have low expectations, I am bound to be impressed by our successful journey… right???

Only time will tell. Here’s to hoping we don’t get thrown off the plane for unruly conduct by the “bad people” and the flight attendants.

WISH ME LUCK!

….results to follow….

My impressions of Google Wave so far (day1):

2009-11-13T12:29:00.000-05:00

It seems like a nice collaborative tool. I could have used it in grad school while I was working on my year-long project with a team of students and a few organizations.

It doesn’t work in explorer, which I am ok with since I use chrome but I see that they want you to really make the commitment to google.

It is hard to find contacts. If the concept is social networking and collaboration, there should be twitter-like activity where you can follow contacts even if you do not know their email addresses.

I see now that you gain wave contacts by being involved in waves with other people who have those connections. It's hard to find people on wave!

Wave should import your contacts from other email services.

Wave needs what we iphone users call push status notification. I can’t tell when someone has edited or added to a wave.

I wonder if there is a way to “stay online” like with g-chat without keeping the whole browser open. I have to explore… which leads me to my last point…

As with all social media and new technology… you learn by using it and experimentation. Don’t try to “read the manual” or get it all from the youtube video with Dr. Wave. It won’t help.

I assume if I use it, I earn wave invites. Not sure if that is the real system, but I would like to extend invitations as so many people are pining to discover what I have been privy too.

People: I’m not sure if this is the wave of the future…!

"No Offense, But..."

2009-11-03T13:53:00.003-05:00

Why do people always think it’s ok to say whatever they want as long as they preface it with

“No offense, but…”

These statements only end badly!

For example:

… you are missing the whole point (aka you can’t comprehend anything above a third grade level)

…you’re really slow (aka you are a complete idiot!)

… you need to pop that pimple (aka you have acne, ew!)

…your kids are a little hyper (aka you are a terrible parent!)

…your shirt is a little snug (aka you are fat)

…you’re tone deaf (aka you sound like a dying mule)

People should just filter what they say and if it's going to start with "no offense, but..." they should keep it to themselves!

"No offense, but... this was such a random blog post..." (aka that was a weird rant).

Well, thanks for listening to my random rants. Be back soon with some cuteness from my kids.

Onion Soup (last night's dinner)

2009-10-27T10:35:00.005-04:00

I made an easy onion soup recipe for dinner and it was DELICIOUS! Who needs restaurants when you can make it yourself? We were so full from the soup that we didn't even eat the pasta I had also prepared.

Here's the recipe for you to try:

2.5 lbs onions sliced in rings

3 cloves minced garlic (I used 3 tsp. from the jar)

1 T. oil

8 cups water

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 pkg. onion soup mix

1/2 tsp salt

Fry the onion and garlic in oil until golden, not brown.

Add water and soy sauce and bring to boil.

Simmer for 40 min.

Serve with bread croutons over cheese. ENJOY!

The Mommy Twitter Experience

2009-09-30T19:55:00.004-04:00

I love Twitter and I think I have found my niche on the popular social
networking site: MOMMY.
Mommy is my title at home and it's now a major part of my online
identity.
I like sharing parenting tips as well as flops. I love having
#huggiesmom baby showers and #theonlinemom Twitter parties.
Other benefits include sharing my wisdom, craft ideas, recipes and
dinnertime woes.
Plus there is no end to the # of friends I can meet! There are
MILLIONS of moms on Twitter.
You gotta wonder how we all have enough time to blog, tweet, work and
still be a MOM.
Well the answer is that we don't so we compensate by getting shortcuts
from other moms who already have good ideas.
Like today I shared a costume idea for something cheap and easy for a
pregnant mom with @graciekate and got ideas from @marksofla (a dad and a good
one at that) for taking my kids on a 12 hour flight and yummy dinner ideas (frying pan not included).
So networking online really HELPS our parenting!
And it gives moms and dads other adults to relate to outside of the office (something we can all use!).
Follow me on Twitter @esteelavitt!

2009-09-25T10:23:00.004-04:00

Here are two quick videos of my kids.

1. Tzvi in his rocker when he started to smile:

2. Arielle and Kayla saying Little miss muffet at ages 3 and 1 1/2 about 1 year ago:

Aren't they cute?

Did you miss me? A story about my kids:

2009-09-15T10:30:00.001-04:00

I haven't blogged in way too long as I have been bogged down at work. So here I am now. So much has happened, yet I am speechless. So I will just return to my favorite topic: MY KIDS.

Arielle went to her first week of kindergarten. She will be 4 in October so this is 2 years before 1st grade. She did amazingly well with the transition! She has been singing new songs and playing new games like freeze dance by turning the lights on and off while changing into pajamas. She has matured so much in only 4 days. She is like a real kid not a toddler!

Kayla at 2 1/2 is talking so much. Sometimes she has so much to say that she garbles all the words because she's tripping over her sentence. Yesterday she tried to tell me there was no fly in the house because she "frowed it out the window wif my 'and." She's so yummy and agreeable. Except when daddy leaves and then again when mommy has to do Arielle’s carpool then go to work. And I love her curly girly hair! She says "I 'ave curly, not you..!" What a teaser! YUM!

Tzvi aka Tzpiki Zalman as the other kids call him is now 3 months old today. Happy birthday! Weighing in at 14.5 lbs and at 24 1/2 inches he is in the 70th percentile for both weight and height. He holds his head up amazingly well and now can focus on toys and people. He listens to the girls talking to him and he coos back. They say "Tzpiki, you talky boy! Yeah!" and boy does he like to hear his own voice! But then again, who doesn't. Isn't that why I am blogging?

Well there's my update. I will try to post pictures of them all soon.

Grandma and Gibberish: Tech Talk Today

2009-08-31T15:07:00.001-04:00

Did you ever notice how different our vocabulary is now that we have all of this technology?

My 87 year old grandma is pretty tech-savvy for an older lady. After all, she uses Yahoo! and emails us all the time. She even used to have a cell phone (though she thought for a while that you could only call a cell from another cell).

But no matter how quick she is the words I use are not registered in Grandma's dictionary.

Consider this sentence: “I tweeted about the blog and subscribed to the RSS feed.”

Me: total sense. Grandma: gibberish.

Next consider this: “I RT'd @qtpie with a link to the twitpic and she said LOL.”

Me: total sense. Grandma: gibberish.

Or: “I googled the FB app and downloaded the update but I don’t like the new user interface.”

Me: total sense. Grandma: gibberish.

So my point is how much the tech world has changed our language and how large the generational gap is with the new advancements. Even my parents don't quite get it, though they are closer than grandma! I find it quite comical.

Kingda Ka Killer Adventure Part 2

2009-08-25T10:51:00.002-04:00

This is the picture I took of the killer ride I took...

Kingda Ka Killer Adventure

2009-08-25T10:47:00.004-04:00

On Sunday I had the pleasure of going to great adventure with my husband, brother in law and niece. We went on lots of fun and scary rides. Roller coasters can be scary because while we are taking a thrill ride we all know deep down that just one slight malfunction could be deadly.

You never want to hear a ride operator say the word "OOPS."
Every ride has a sign next to the operator that says "Do Not Distract Ride Operator." Does that mean that one rowdy teen can determine my fate?
So you can imagine my shock and horror when I got up to the gate on the Kingda ka ride and it was "temporarily out of order." what is it I thought- a loose screw? A snapped steel beam? A rowdy crew so distracting that the operator joined in their games?
Luckily the girls in front of me were on round 2 of their Kingda ka excitement and they were here when it was announced.
The ride was closed because someone on the last trip wet himself in his seat during the ride. Now was clean up time.
Oh thank g-d I thought. Nothing so serious!
WAIT A MINUTE!!!
A man wet himself in fear while on this ride and I am saying thank g-d?!? I am thrilled it is nothing seriously deadly or dangerous?!?

This ride is insane and I know why that guy was afraid. You and the other crazy riders get shot 456 feet into the air by hydraulic power at 128 miles per hour. You make one twist till you reach the peak where you edge over the top hanging there with no sense of gravity. You cannot see the track anymore- just the blue sky, clouds, and great expansive parking lot.

Finally you head back down at what feels like 300 mph twisting as you shoot straight down like an arrow heading for the enemy’s heart. This is the link to the description from Great Adventure’s website. I hope I did it justice: http://www.sixflags.com/greatAdventure/rides/KingdaKa.aspx

After all that, you finish off with a small little bump in the track that makes you thankful that you are no longer at a 90 degree angle, and then you come back around to the starting point wondering where you lost your lunch along the way.

Dirt

2009-08-18T10:25:00.002-04:00

Yesterday my husband Jeremy bought dirt. A lot of dirt. To fill a gaping hole in our backyard.

When we moved in we had 2 sheds, a tree stump, a fence and a lot of junk which we cleared out. And we now have a massive hole. So tonight he has to pour the dirt and put down seeds.

When we filled our first hole after removing the tree stump, we researched which grass seeds to buy. The guy at Home Depot was like an infomercial. He told us that one brand claimed it could grow on concrete, without any sun, in just one week. So Home Depot put an inch of dirt on the concrete and "planted" the seeds. Well, they watered them day in and out and on day 8--or so the guy claimed-- grass began to appear.

I am usually very skeptical but with the promise for grass in our gaping holes and the excitement of the infomercial, we took the risk.

We watered and watered until day 8 when I thought it had failed. But on day 9 Jeremy said he saw grass. And indeed he did!

It grew in nicely and you wouldn't know there was ever a hole. My father in law even asked us where the tree stump used to be- he honestly couldn't tell.

After that experiment, we are going to fill yet another large hole tonight. First with dirt, and then with the famous seeds that grow on concrete.

At the risk of sounding like an infomercial... I highly recommend this product, which can be purchased at Home Depot... (But I forgot the exact name of the product and will check and post when I get home.) Just water and it will grow.

Good luck all!

Letter from my bank

2009-08-15T21:39:00.003-04:00

Here is a letter we received from our bank... the one we trust with our mortgage.

"Your ending balance, from the last month of the accounting history, is
$4672.99. Your required balance according to this analysis should be
$4673.00.

This means that you have a shortage of $.01. This shortage may be collected from you over a period of 12 months or more unless the shortage is less than 1 month's deposit in which case we have the additional option of requesting payment within 1 month. We have decided to collect it over 1 months."

It cost the bank 61 cents to mail this letter! Are you kidding me?!?

Secaucus Junction and the NJ Transit

2009-08-13T12:46:00.007-04:00

So here I am at Secaucus Junction- the train station with the best radio station. And sitting to my right is a woman with one of those mini tehillim/psalm books. Now this is not the first time I have ever seen her. She seems to take my train each morning and we sit next to each other on this same bench waiting for a transfer. I admire her for reading psalms every morning (the English translated side no less). As u can tell, I am a real people watcher. This helps keep me busy when I am alone and gives me something to talk about with strangers or in awkward situations.

Anyway, here are my general thoughts on Secaucus Junction and the NJ transit:

1. As mentioned above, they have best music streaming. I wonder who the DJ is.

2. You are not a good conductor unless you call it SEEEcaucus.

3. The early morning trains are consistently announced on one track but arrive on the opposite track… without fail! Why even announce a track when there are only 2 possibilities to NYC and they share a platform? And should I trust the signals and information at this station if they are always wrong when they make announcements?

4. “Track 3/Other Way.” That is an actual sign…! Wait, which way?

5. I pay $4.25 for a nice sit down ride and the MTA subway users spend $2 less (yes, the fare for the subway is now $2.25) and get to be cramped, pushed, sweaty, and solicited by random blind men with dogs playing “Country Road” from what looks like an old transistor radio. Thank goodness for the NJ Transit!

3 Couples and a Bowl of Pasta:

2009-08-12T10:13:00.002-04:00

Last night I went to Va Bene, a dairy Italian restaurant in NYC - www.vabenenyc.com. I highly recommend the restaurant and the food was delish and the experience was great. Here is my take on the three couples sitting in my row.

Couple 1: Seriously right out of a movie! I saw a woman at one table to my right and a man at another to my left. They each begin playing w their phones, texting to find the other. After a few texts, they finally realize the other is there. And only 4 tables away! So they look up, laugh and he moves over to sit with her. I feel like I'm watching, “You’ve Got Mail” or another chick flick like that.

Couple 2: Intense restaurant experts… They say hello to the maitre de and you can tell they know the menu by heart and have it all planned out to a tee. They begin w salads for each and share the appetizer personal pizza. Then the main dish arrives- a large bowl of pasta for each. They know the best dishes and even how to twirl their pasta with a fork and spoon and they make me feel like I should have ordered exactly what they did.

Couple 3: They REALLY need a new shadchan aka whoever set them up doesn't really know either of them. He is a straight guy wearing a white shirt & black pants and sporting a scruffy beard. She is caked up in foundation and wearing a bright pink and orange shirt and short skirt. They are barely talking... I could have held a better conversation with a goldfish! I'm pretty sure they will never trust the friends who set them up ever again!

Well at least my company was nice as I was with my brother, sister in law, and husband. I am just hoping none of the above 3 couples decided that MY table was so strange that they would blog about the weird couples in their row at Va Bene.

Blogging?

2009-08-11T16:38:00.000-04:00

I have just begun this blog, inspired by my fellow Twits. From what I understand, you are nobody on Twitter if your tweets don't lead to a more interesting and expanded blog. And I am fed up with being nobody on Twitter. SO HERE IT IS. You may notice that it is entitled, "Is anyone interested in what I have to say?" and that is because I am truly skeptical about this. I mean, with millions of bloggers, who will be interested in what I have to say?

Answer to that: my husband promised me that he is!

Well at least I have 1 person I know who cares about what I say. The rest of you out there are just nodding your heads and smiling, thinking that the title to my blog is in fact quite apropos.

So, here's my very first attempt at blogging. You can be sure this is going right up on Twitter and Facebook so at least my friends will read and comment.

Thanks for listening and stay tuned for more of my rants...

Toodles.