In Which My Daughter and I Are Happy

On the day before my first-grader's siddur party to celebrate receiving her first prayer-book, she brought a note home from school. The teacher had written the following for my daughter to memorize: "I am honored to invite Mr. RH, head of the local education ministry, to say a few words."  I asked … [Read more...]

Funny Things My Kids Said in 2009

Image via Wikipedia I've collected my 2009 Facebook "status messages" about my two youngest children, in order to inflict them all on you at once. My son is now 8 and my daughter nearly six. Here they are, starting in January. Daughter: "What color do white and white make? Light … [Read more...]

My Daughter and the Times Table

We had guests over on Shabbat. When I introduced them to the kids, I mentioned that my two youngest are in first and third grade. The littlest one spoke up.  "I'm in third grade, and he's in first grade, pointing to her brother." The guests smiled in amusement. My 13-year-old decided to egg … [Read more...]

Summer Stock Sunday: Musings on a Bathing Suit

I wanted to write about my daughter's new bathing suit for Robin's Summer Stock Sunday, but couldn't decide which angle to take. So I wrote up all of them. I had fun shopping with my daughter, who needed clothes for a camping trip that is part of a counselors' course. She also needed an outfit … [Read more...]

My Daughter Is a Bloodhound

I've written about my small daughter's skill in locating missing objects. She also has a highly developed sense of smell. When we cuddle, she often lifts up my arm to sniff the deodorant. "I looove that smell!" she smiles. Last winter my sister visited and brought along a sweater she no longer … [Read more...]

Two Performances

Last evening I attended three events: My son's end-of-the-year party celebrating the completion of the book of Bereshith (Genesis), a get-together in a local cafe, and my book club. The party was planned well, but overly ambitious. A choir made up of the four second-grade classes sang three … [Read more...]

Tandem Nursing: Guest Post at Mommy News Blog

I have a guest post up about tandem nursing at the Mommy News Blog. Although my daughter is wearing a kippah in the accompanying picture, it's not meant as any kind of feminist statement. At five years old she no longer wears one. Anyway, now you all know how "radical" I am/was. … [Read more...]

Nine Moons

Today we went to the Poleg Nature Reserve near Netanya. The big attraction is this sand dune that the kids can roll down: Two kids stayed there to dig a hole while the rest of us went down to the beach. As we approached, my five-year-old said, "I see tisha yarchei leida." I guess those kites do … [Read more...]

A Vote of Confidence

When I mentioned that I needed to take the meat out the freezer on Monday to allow it to defrost in the refrigerator, my 5-year-old suggested that I put it outside the window like she had seen the neighbor do. I said it was safer to use the refrigerator. Then my 19-year-old spoke up. "Other people … [Read more...]

Around the World in Eighty Clicks: Why I Love Being a Mother

I was flattered to be asked to participate in "Around the World in Eighty Clicks," founded by Katherine at Her Bad Mother and David at It's Not a Lecture. The idea is for bloggers from eighty different countries to give five reasons why they love being mothers. Like Katherine, I don't love … [Read more...]