Ima on (and off) the Bima: Real-Life Jewish Parenting

Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour Schedule

2012-01-27T16:42:00.005-06:00

I think it is a sign of my total (awesome) geek-itude that I went out and put all these books on reserve at the library as soon as the Sydney Taylor Book Awards were announced!

I am honored and excited to kick off the tour on Sunday, February 5th.

Here is the whole schedule - make sure to visit each blog and don't forget to leave them all nice comments!

THE 2012 SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD BLOG TOUR

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2012

Susan Campbell Bartoletti, author of Naamah and the Ark at Night
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Younger Readers Category
at Ima On & Off the Bima

Holly Meade, illustrator of Naamah and the Ark at Night
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Younger Readers Category
at Into the Wardrobe

Shelley Sommer, author of Hammerin' Hank Greenberg, Baseball Pioneer
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Older Readers Category
at Great Kid Books

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2012

Marcia Vaughan, author of Irena's Jar of Secrets
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Older Readers Category
at Shelf-Employed

Ron Mazellan, illustrator of Irena's Jar of Secrets
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Older Readers Category
at The Children's War

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2012

Trina Robbins, author of Lily Renee, Escape Artist: From Holocaust Survivor to Comic Book Pioneer
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Older Readers Category
at Bildungsroman

Anne Timmons (and possibly Mo Oh), illustrators of of Lily Renee, Escape Artist: From Holocaust Survivor to Comic Book Pioneer
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Older Readers Category
at Gathering Books

Morris Gleitzman, author of Then
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Teen Readers Category
at The 3 R's

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2012

Michael Rosen, author of Chanukah Lights
Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Younger Readers Category
at A Chair, a Fireplace, and a Tea Cozy

Robert Sabuda, illustrator/paper engineer of Chanukah Lights
Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Younger Readers Category
at Practically Paradise

Susan Goldman Rubin, author of Music Was It: Young Leonard Bernstein
Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Older Readers Category
at Cynsations

Robert Sharenow, author of The Berlin Boxing Club
Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Teen Readers Category
at Jewish Books for Children

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

Durga Yael Bernhard, author & illustrator of Around the World in One Shabbat
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Younger Readers Category
at Frume Sarah's World

Shirley Vernick, author of The Blood Lie
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Teen Readers Category
at The Fourth Musketeer

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Eric Kimmel, author of The Golem's Latkes
Sydney Taylor Notable Book, and winner of the National Jewish Book Award
at Ann Koffsky's Blog

Gloria Spielman, author of Marcel Marceau, Master of Mime
Sydney Taylor Notable Book, and finalist for the National Jewish Book Award
at Shannon and the Sunshine Band

Richard Michelson, author of Lipman Pike: America's First Home Run King
Sydney Taylor Notable Book, and finalist for the National Jewish Book Award
at Blue Thread

Sydney Taylor Award Winners – Wrap-Up
All winners, all categories
at The Whole Megillah

No Love?

2012-01-26T15:32:00.000-06:00

The Abba Sababa posted about what happens when one kid gets sick and the other ones have to go about their regular routine.

This morning, Yael was still feeling under the weather.

Sam: Is Yael staying home again today?
Me: Yes.
Sam: Because, you know, I got, like, no love yesterday.

Right.
No love.
This from the kid who wipes off every kiss...

My sweet girl feeling poorly...watching Dora the Explorer and wearing her big brothers' hand-me-down jammies.

Rosh Chodesh Shevat

2012-01-25T15:32:00.000-06:00

It doesn't seem like spring.

Picture taken in Central Park on a lovely almost-spring-like day in January!

Brrrr.
But the days are, in fact, getting longer.
Deep below the earth,
the trees can sense it
the future
the potential
the awakening...

I've always loved the hope
of the month of Shevat.

It's cold and dark here.
But somewhere special
in our Land
spring is on the horizon.

May we celebrate
what is
and what is yet to be
in the new month
of
Shevat.

May the new month of Shevat bring blessing and hope, peace and joy.
Chodesh Tov!

Seeking Inspiration?

2012-01-23T23:05:00.001-06:00

There's a story about the Baal Shem Tov, the great teacher and rabbi. He once went into a grand synagogue, filled with the people of a community. At the end of the services, he said, "this shul is filled with prayer." The people began to fill with pride, they were so proud of their synagogue, and so proud of the obvious praise of the Baal Shem Tov.
Then he began to fling the windows and doors wide open. "This shul is so filled with prayer, nothing can leave this room. They are all stuck here. Not one prayer rises to heaven."

Have you ever felt that way? Like there are so many words and ideas and thoughts floating around that you're just trapped and stuck?

I am feeling that way lately.

There are so many books I want to read, magazines to peruse, blogs and online articles and Facebook posts to consume, movies to see, television shows to watch, YouTube videos to check out, pictures to take, craft projects to try, recipes to cook, pins to click on....(all in the hours after the kids go to bed, of course!) (I don't even have the energy to link all those words...)

There's so much noise.
It's so good.
I like noise.
After all, I have four kids.

But for some reason, in the last few weeks, it has all seemed to be too much.

Fear of Missing Out. It's the new disease. What if I miss the pins, the posts, the words, the movies, the shows, the books, the....whatever.

I'm sure the solution is to step. away. from. the. computer.

But I'm not quite ready. I'm not quite sure what I'm willing...ready....interested in giving up.
I'm just thinking about it.

So I think I'm seeking inspiration...
...but perhaps I'm seeking something else.

The other day on Facebook, I posted "seeking inspiration."

I have no idea what I was looking for.

I have some great friends who gave me good things to think about.
I think partly that I was hoping someone would give me some really good blog post topics. That might be part of it. I'm taking in so much information and, in case you haven't noticed, I haven't posted a lot lately...so there's a lot going in, and...like the shul that the Baal Shem Tov was visiting, there hasn't been much of an outlet.

Well, anyway, here I am...seeking inspiration.

In case you need a little inspiration....

Help? Leave your thoughts in the comments...

New Blogger on the Block: @Abba_Sababa

2012-01-19T23:01:00.000-06:00

I am so excited to welcome my husband, Michael, to the blogosphere.

Check out the Abba Sababa, won't you?

I'm so proud of him!
And hey...he even joined Twitter. Now that's some serious technological progress!

We're a two-blog family!

What I Ate in NYC

2012-01-18T21:23:00.002-06:00

No excuses. I have been a bad blogger for the last two weeks.

I spent almost 2 weeks in New York City, as part of a program I'm participating in through Hebrew Union College, my alma mater. Ten days without my kids and husband, staying in Midtown Manhattan. Yep.

So I did what any left-alone mama would do.

I ate.

And of course, I photographed much of what I ate.
Isn't that what everyone does?

Starting at the top...from left to right:
Crepe for lunch (I may have also had a dessert crepe but ate it before I could photograph)
Magnolia cupcakes
Latte
Cinnamon-Raisin Peanut Butter Sandwich
Pizza...as only you can eat it in New York City
White Pizza
Macaroni and Cheese
Molly's Cupcakes - the butterscotch salted caramel cupcake may have changed my life.
Moroccan Oranges by JaneTheWriter
Cupcakes Baked by Melissa
Crack Pie from Momofuku
Poached Eggs Florentine from Cozy Soup n' Burger

I ate a bunch of other food...but luckily I walked an average of 5 miles a day...how else are New Yorkers so skinny!?

I don't know how I would ever live in a city with such amazing food. Since I actually ate other things too. I can't believe I didn't photograph the food I ate at Shake Shack (milkshake, french fries, veggie burger, and hot chocolate), Crumbs cupcakes, Rice to Riches (I know I took that picture, where did it go?), various bagels and snacks and such...

Thank goodness I live here instead.
Whew!

Seriously!? One more book?

2011-12-31T20:54:00.000-06:00

Just after I posted my "Books of 2011" list, I had a thought that perhaps I had forgotten a book or two. After all, that happened to me last year too.

And then I read Leah's post of the books she read (check out her cool graphic) and I exclaimed "Wait, I read that one too!"

So I really read one more book last year. Argh...I don't like incomplete lists. I wonder if I forgot any others.

Do any of you remember me reading anything else!? Thanks for your help.

Oh, the additional book was The Reading Promise by Alice Ozma.

My Annual Book Post - 2011 List

2011-12-28T21:15:00.002-06:00

Welcome to my fourth annual Books I Read in the Last Year post.
Here's the books from 2008, from 2009, and from 2010.

Since 2008, I've been keeping a list of the books I read. It's actually helpful since I can't remember anything and so when someone asks me what I've read lately...I have nothing to say. Which is so silly since I have definitely read something lately. So now I keep the list in this post yearly, but also in Google Docs so I can access it from my phone. I have a few friends who share the Doc with me...which I suppose is my own version of GoodReads, which I fail to update ~~regularly~~ ever.

I'm trying not to get hung up on the fact that I only read 67 books this year. (I'm actually in the middle of what would be both 68 and 69 but the pressure got to be too much, so they will be 1 and 2 for 2012, I guess!) I had a busy patch in the fall when I didn't read many books...there was also a nursing baby who didn't let me get much sleep...

And now, onto the list. The books I read in 2011:
(K = Kindle, *=Library Book, YA=young adult)

1.Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford (K)
2.The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa*
3.Debt Free for Life by David Bach
4.Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (K)
5.One is Not a Lonely Number by Evelyn Krieger (young adult)
6.Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos*
7.Term Limits by Vince Flynn*
8.Someone Called Eva by Joan M. Wolf* (Young adult)
9.A Time to Love by Barbara Cameron (K)
10.Hush by Eishes Chayil (K) (young adult)
11.Spousonomics by Paula Szuchman and Jenny Anderson (K)
12.Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua (K)
13.A Scattered Life by Karen McQuestion (K)
14.Favorite by Karen McQuestion (K)
15.Life on Hold by Karen McQuestion (K)
16.Her Perfect Revenge by Anna Mara (K)
17.Community by Peter Block
18.Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy*
19.A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness*
20.Lies I Told My Children by Karen McQuestion (K)
21.Travels with My Aunt by Graham Greene*
22.The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane (K)
23.The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen*
24.Light Fell by Evan Fallenberg*
25.The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom*
26.The High King of Montival by S. M. Stirling*
27.Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein*
28.Solitude of Prime Numbers by Paolo Giordano*
29.Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok
30.Never Let Me Go by Kazuro Ishiguro (k) (I guess this is young adult)
31.The Lost Art of Reading by David Ulin*
32.Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares (k)
33.Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (k)
34.Portrait of a Spy by Daniel Silva
35.State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (k)
36.The Safe-Keeper's Secret by Sharon Shinn* (YA)
37.Divergent by Veronica Roth (k) (YA)
38.The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (k)
39.The Truth-Keeper's Tale by Sharon Shinn* (YA)
40.Night Road by Kristin Hannah (k)
41.The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman*
42.The Dream Maker's Magic by Sharon Shinn*
43.Gateway by Sharon Shinn*
44.Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks (K)
45.Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn (k)
46.Bumped by Megan McCarthy (k) (YA)
47.Possession by Elana Johnson* (YA)
48.Suddenly in the Depths of the Forest by Amos Oz*
49.Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson (K)
50.A Long Vacation by Jules Verne*
51.Take Me With You by Carolyn Marsden*
52.Kindred Spirits by Sarah Strohmayer*
53.In the Garden of the Beasts by Eric Larson (k)
54.Luminous by Dawn Metcalf* (YA)
55.Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh (k)
56.Shine by Lauren Myracle*
57.Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson (k)
58.Delirium by Lauren Oliver (k)
59.Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (K)
60.Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater*
61.The Wedding Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini*
62.Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
63.Blessings and Baby Steps by Ilana Grinblat
64.1000 Mitzvahs by Linda Cohen
65.Out of my Mind by Sharon Draper
66.The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card
67.Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

I have stopped making predictions of what I hope to read in the future, because it seems like when I say that I'm planning to read a book...I manage not to do so. Therefore, I'll just tell you what I'm in the middle of - 11/22/68 by Stephen King and also A Matter of Magic by Patricia Wrede.

So, what did I like this year? It was a pretty good year for reading! Two of my favorites were right at the beginning - House at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet as well as The Housekeeper and the Professor. I definitely recommend both of those! I liked A Discovery of Witches and I'm waiting patiently for the sequel (I think it comes out in July). Sarah Addison Allen is one of my favorite authors, and she is usually good for a book each year. The Peach Keeper did not disappoint me. Now that I read back over the list, I almost have to tell you which books I didn't like rather than ones that I did, because I really enjoyed so many of them. Language of Flowers, Unbroken, The Red Garden, Night Road, Divergent....I say it again, it was a good year for reading.

So what's on your bedside table? What do you think I should read in 2012 that I haven't read?

If you want to follow along, I track the books over in the left-hand sidebar of my blog throughout the year. I'm also on GoodReads but, like I said, I ~~seldom~~ ~~rarely~~ never update it.

Chanukah 5772 in pictures

2011-12-27T21:34:00.000-06:00

lighting lights

eating treats

family togetherness

celebrating freedom

I hope your Chanukah was as warm and bright as ours!

Miracles and Faith

2011-12-22T14:25:00.002-06:00

Who Is This?

2011-12-22T12:00:00.000-06:00

I found this picture of Sam floating around the kids' bedroom.
It was taken when he was four months old:

But it looks so much like Solly that we had to see them next to each other:

The creation of genetic likenesses and differences is truly remarkable to me.

Our Chanukah History

2011-12-21T21:31:00.000-06:00

While taking out the Chanukah decorations, chanukiyot, dreidels, and books from the Chanukah box, we "found" all the things that the kids have made for Chanukah over the years.

Thus, a new tradition is born:

And then we found this one, which their Ima made a looong time ago.

So they insisted on taking my picture with it:

But I couldn't resist also taking a picture of the back.

Yep, I was a documenter of things even then.

How do you document your family traditions and memories?

8 Nights of Giving #HanukkahHoopla

2011-12-20T06:00:00.000-06:00

What's HanukkahHoopla? Thanks to Renee for her great idea to set this up! Make sure you follow our hashtag (#HanukkahHoopla) on Twitter because over the next 8 days, we're all going to be posting great Chanukah content - 16 different bloggers!

I hate to break it to everyone, but Chanukah really isn't about gifts. There are a number of themes that have developed over time, but at its core, it's about standing up for what you believe in and freedom of religion. So in that spirit, I'd like to kick off my participation in the #HanukkahHoopla by highlighting 8 organizations that celebrate freedom.

1. The Agahazo-Shalom Youth Village: I believe that education is one of the highest pillars of freedom. This Youth Village provides a safe place and an education to orphaned youth in Rwanda. It was founded by a Jewish couple who wanted to have an impact on the world, and their project was picked up by the JDC, making it viable and successful. You can donate here.

2. Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind: I'm not a big fan of animals, and dogs make me (achoo) sneeze. But I do see their immense benefit in certain situations, in particular for the blind. Talk about offering freedom to a person locked into a world of dependence! This organization helps pair people with dogs, train dogs, and raise awareness.

3. Yad LaKashish - Lifeline for the Old in Israel: You've probably heard of this organization, which offers empowerment to elderly and disabled people in Jerusalem by creating a safe workshop where they create beautiful artwork.

4. Dress for Success: This is a great organization that helps to empower women who are entering the workforce and might not have the appropriate attire for job interviews or work. What a great way to instill freedom, to help someone to get a job for themselves.

5. Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute: OSRUI is the Reform Jewish camp that serves the midwest region and provides an amazing Jewish experience for over a thousand Jewish kids and young adults each summer and year-round. I believe that Jewish summer camp is the ultimate in offering freedom to our campers - the freedom to become empowered Jewish adults. (Maybe you want to find a URJ camp in your own region? Click here.)

6. Israel Sport Center for the Disabled: Did you know that Israel is on the cutting edge of wheelchair sports training? We all know that sports empower kids and adults - imagine how much more if that child or adult is wheelchair-bound? I have met some of the athletes from this Center and I was so impressed with their poise and confidence.

7. Jewish Heart for Africa's Light Up Africa Chanukah Campaign: Did you know that $20 provides electricity for one person in Africa for LIFE? That is amazing. This organization is using Israeli technology to provide water and electricity in Africa. Think of how freeing it must be to have light and water when before you had none.

8. Jchoice.org - Okay, so this isn't one specific organization. But JChoice.org is the ultimate in Tzedakah freedom. Let yourself loose on this website and you will most definitely find an organization or cause that speaks to you. Give your family members the gift of the freedom of choice by allowing them to choose a recipient for the tzedakah dollars that you give to them. A really great opportunity to learn and give at the same time.

How can you use this list? Make your own donations. Use this list as a jumping off point to other organizations. Discuss these ideas with your friends and family and make your own lists. Coming up later in the week - Chanukah gifts of action...(And here's a post linking your gifts of tzedakah to the recipient's interests...)

AND NOW...a Chanukah giveaway!

One lucky reader will win a great gift package from Mama Doni and Streit's:

Mama Doni’s Shabbat Shaboom CD
Mama Doni poster
Download card for free Mama Doni songs (1 Chanukah song and 1 Passover song)
Bag of Streit’s Chanukah gelt.

I would like to thank Streit's and Doni Zasloff Thomas a.k.a. Mama Doni, the lead singer/songwriter of The Mama Doni Band for providing each of the 16 bloggers involved in #HanukkahHoopla with a little cyber-swag. Their cross-promotional alliance is designed to celebrate Jewish culture with the young generation, a mission of both Mama Doni and Streit’s.

How can you win? Leave me a comment. What is your favorite Tzedakah organization?

Be sure to leave me your email address (some people like to type it like this: "imabima (at) gmail.com" which saves you from spam)

On January 5, 2012, I will select one winner at random.

Prefer to be contacted via Twitter? Leave your Twitter handle in your comment and I will tweet you if you win.

Not interested in winning? You can still leave a comment! I love to read your words. Just write: "No prize necessary" in your comment.

Congregational Blogging Workshop #URJBiennial

2011-12-14T09:00:00.000-06:00

This is one of the presentations I will be giving, with JaneTheWriter, at the URJ Biennial this week.

Congregational Blogging for Beginners at the URJ Biennial

View more presentations or Upload your own.

Dastardly Dames {Review}

2011-12-07T10:30:00.000-06:00

I cannot wait for my daughter to be old enough to love these books.

Even just the title of the series makes me happy: "The Thinking Girl's Treasury of Dastardly Dames."

How cool is that? Dastardly dames....it has a great ring to it.

I always had a fascination with Marie Antoinette. I loved the stories of her lap-of-luxury royalty life and was properly horrified by her cavalier attitude toward the poor.

This book from Goosebottom Books' series reminded me how much I enjoyed reading historical fiction and other stories about the French queen.

The blood-spattered pages add drama and the illustrations are colorful and eye-catching.

The other stories are the same way -

Cleopatra, Serpent of the Nile
Mary Tudor, Bloody Mary
Agrippina, Atrocious and Ferocious
Cixi, the Dragon Empress
Catherine deMedici, the Black Queen

I can imagine these books providing historical inspiration to so many young ladies who may not see themselves in the history books. They call themselves "fun non-fiction" but each book also has a thorough teacher's resource guide.
These are a great set of books, and I think they'd make a really lovely gift for a "thinking girl." I have a few in mind myself and let me tell you, I sincerely hope that I can raise one in my own household.
(The only downside of these books? I tried to convince David to read them and help me out with this review but the word "girl" on the cover turned him off a little. I think he would have found them to be really interesting, he loves history. I will keep working on it...)

Full disclosure - I received a set of these books from the publisher for review. I am planning to donate them to our school library, where I'm sure they will be well-read and enjoyed!

One

2011-12-06T21:15:00.000-06:00

one

year

has

gone

and

can't

quite

believe

it.

Where has my baby gone?

He's turned into a toddler...

My life is full of blessing.

And then she rested...

2011-12-02T16:29:00.001-06:00

I did it....NaBloPoMo - a full month of daily blogging. Okay, I think I missed one...and it was a little bit of an accident. Not bad! I think this was my fourth or fifth time doing it, and it's a great challenge.

And then...a short rest.

Shabbat Shalom!
I'll be back on Monday with some more reviews, and some Hanukkah Hoopla coming your way soon too!

It's All About Perspective

2011-11-30T00:00:00.000-06:00

We're driving to school...
Sam sees a nativity scene in front of a house.

Sam: What's that?
Me: Well, it's the story of Christmas...
Sam: Can you tell me the story?
Me: There's a mom and a dad and the mom is pregnant, but she doesn't have a place to have the baby.
Sam: So she had the baby in a sukkah?

Hmm. I see his point.

1,000 Mitzvahs {Review}

2011-11-29T09:46:00.001-06:00

I received a review copy of 1000 Mitzvahs: How Small Acts of Kindness Can Heal, Inspire, and Change Your Life by Linda Cohen.

When Linda's father died, she took a "spiritual sabbatical"...what a great term. During that time, she embarked on a project to honor her father's memory - performing 1000 mitzvot...acts of kindness.

Note to purists: in the introduction, she explains that she deliberately chose to use the Americanized plural mitzvahs instead of mitzvot, and to loosely view the concept of mitzvot as "good deeds" instead of only "commandments."

The book is a restructuring of the blog that Linda kept throughout her project. The mitzvot (I can't write mitzvahs, sorry) are numbered out of order, but instead grouped by subject or type of project. I like that the various mitzvot that Linda lists are written as short vignettes, rather than merely prescriptions for action. Many of the concepts are things like "Mitzvah 943: Thank Someone for the Work They Do" - simple, and don't require a lot of work or materials to accomplish.

"Encourage Your Children's Initiative" to "Hold the Umbrella" - it's quite a stretch, perhaps, to consider these all mitzvot. But it doesn't lessen the power of the idea - living intentionally and mindfully can help assuage grief, pain, and loss. Ultimately, stepping outside our own bubble and helping others in small and large ways really does give us a sense of perspective and healing.

Check out the website: www.1000mitzvahs.org
and the Facebook page: facebook.com/1000-mitzvahs

Full disclosure: I received a copy of the book from the publisher but no compensation in any other way. Anyone else want to send me free books?

Hanukkah Kit {Review and Giveaway!}

2011-11-28T17:00:00.000-06:00

I was invited to review a new product from a company called Jewish Holidays in a Box. I love this idea. A simple kit for each holiday to help families learn more about the holiday and feel confident and comfortable with their celebrations.
Right now, they only have the Hanukkah Kits to ship, and I received mine over the Thanksgiving weekend.

A Hanukkah Bear - I See Me {Review}

2011-11-28T09:31:00.000-06:00

I was given the opportunity to review a product from I See Me! - they create personalized books for children. I replied to the email and then promptly forgot about it.

So imagine my delight over the weekend when a package arrived for me!

I See Me has a full range of personalized books, but the one that I am reviewing is their Chanukah story, a sweet little book called "A Hanukkah Bear for Solomon." (They also have a book called "A Christmas Bear for...")

It's really a lovely book, with rhyming words and beautiful illustrations. The story is pretty basic - a child really wants a teddy bear, and throughout the week of Chanukah opens different gifts - a dreidel, gelt, toys, etc, and he eats latkes, lights candles, and eventually gets his sweet little bear on the last night.

The book is personalized on almost every page, which was really neat. I especially liked this page, which had gift tags for all the kids in our family. (They asked for this information, and I couldn't quite understand how it was all going to work out.)

I get a little crabby about Chanukah books that are focused on gifts, since I don't really feel like that is the main emphasis of the holiday of Chanukah. The nice thing, though, is that this book doesn't actually detail daily gifts as much as it helps to indicate that the whole 8 days are a celebration and family time.

There also aren't any pictures of people, which is really nice since families of all shapes, sizes and colors could read a book like this without feeling uncomfortable or left out. I filled out an information form, and I was asked for the "sender" of the book and gift. I used "mom and dad" but I'd imagine that you could put anything there and those names would be in the text of the book - "Then Mom and Dad gave him the last gift of all..." It would be so nice for a single parent family, or a same-sex couple, for example, to have whatever terminology they prefer. I like the potential for inclusion of everyone in a book like this one.

Solly is definitely not old enough to appreciate this book but I know that his siblings will love reading it and he will really like it as he gets older. It also came with a cuddly Gund bear that I know he will really like right now! The kiddo loves his bears.

Overall, I was very impressed with this product.

There is a bit of a lag time on orders, since it's all personalized, so they suggest that you order by December 3rd for Chanukah delivery!

I See Me also has a Facebook page, and they give discounts/deals on that page, so go and "like" them there if you're interested.

Full disclosure: I received this product free from the company. I was not compensated in any other way for my review and they didn't tell me what to say.

Did you write that song?

2011-11-27T00:00:00.000-06:00

When I was a little girl I actually believed that my father WAS Paul Simon and Billy Joel.

After all, didn't he write those songs that he sang to me?

It was a bit of a shock when I realized that he hadn't written them...someone else had.

This was my favorite:

Except, of course, he changed the words to be "little sleepy girl" - so I was certain he had written it.

Now I sing this song to my own children.
For the last ten years.

For the first time...just this past week, David said to me: "Hey, mom, is that a song that you made up or one that someone else wrote?"

No, David, I didn't write it. A man named Paul Simon wrote it.

And the spell was broken.
But he didn't seem to mind.

New Thanksgiving Tradition: Challah Turkey

2011-11-26T20:01:00.001-06:00

Me: Guys, I'm going to make turkey challah for Shabbat. I'm so excited.
David: Ew, are you going to put turkey in the challah? That's disgusting.
Me: Yep, turkey in the challah. Doesn't that sound good?

I seriously had the kid going for a few minutes...then he realized that I, their vegetarian mama, was NOT putting turkey into my challah.

Instead...voila, a new tradition is born:

After all, the Shabbat after Thanksgiving is actually

Yom Sheni shel Thanksgiving...

(the Second Day of Thanksgiving)

See other turkey challot here.

And the original inspiration...

Need advice: My challot do not have good definition of their shapes.

What am I doing wrong?

Kiwi Bread?

2011-11-25T00:00:00.000-06:00

Me: So, guys, I got a new oven. What should we bake to test it out?
Sam: Kiwi bread!
Me: Um...what's kiwi bread?
Sam: You know, kiwi bread! It's so yummy. Make kiwi bread.
Me: Yeah, that doesn't help much...do you know what kiwi is?
Sam: Yes, it's green.
Me: {totally puzzled}
Sam, after a few minutes of thought: OH! I mean ZUCCHINI bread!

Right.

I couldn't find the recipe that I know I've used in the distant past (um, at least a year ago...how does he remember these things?) so I turned to Smitten Kitchen. Her recipes are always winners. This one was no different. Definitely a keeper.

(I left out the nuts and raisins. My kids are purists.)

The only edit I made was to coat the inside of the pan, after greasing, with cinnamon sugar. Which just makes it even better.

Delicious.

Now, does anyone have a recipe for Kiwi Bread?

Thankful

2011-11-24T12:48:00.001-06:00

I'm thankful for feetie pajamas and babies who sleep past 5am.
I'm thankful for colored pencils and blank sheets of paper.
I'm thankful for unlimited reading time and overwhelming choices of books.
I'm thankful for music that plays in my head.
I'm thankful for the ability to ignore the sales and know that I have enough.
I'm thankful for a laden table and for children who have never known hunger.
I'm thankful for the tradition that guides our lives.
I'm thankful for the words to say what needs to be said.
I'm thankful for comfort in silence.
I'm thankful for the interestingness of life.
I'm thankful for warm sticky kisses and curly little heads.
I'm thankful for wiggly toes and loose teeth.
I'm thankful today and every day for the many blessings that fill my life.

Blessed are You, our God, who has created us, formed us, and brought us to this day of gratitude.