Shabbat Together!

It's funny how life works.  Things happen.  Life happens.  We live it and we grow. Life continues.  And every week, of every year, on Friday night it is Shabbat.

As an added bonus this week, last night the Jewish holiday of Tu B'Av began.  It is the Jewish holiday of love.  Some say it is the Jewish Valentine's Day.

And tomorrow night is Jocelyn and my anniversary of our legal civil marriage in Canada.  Six years and our worlds have changed in so many amazing, terrifying, wonderful and unbelievable ways.

Tonight it is shabbot.  We love to Shabbot around here (see our posts here). Jocelyn got back late this evening from Chicago.  I went earlier in the evening with the kids to Shabbat Together at the Washington DC JCC.  We met a bunch of our dearest friends there and it was really nice not to have to cook, host and clean up from a Shabbat - but still have all the Shabbat fixings, the songs and to be surrounded by friends.  It was far from perfect - the room was TERRIBLE - and Jonah and Vera were so overstimulated by the noise, the echoes, the heat, the lack of room to move - but it was Shabbat and we were Together with friends.

Today is also August 3.  It is a new month in the heat of summer.  Next week Jonah is getting his tonsils out.  I am worried and anxious about it.  I know he is going to be fine - but I am his mommy so I get to worry.

So in the spirit of Washington DC August summer holidays, despite my initial pledge to blog every single day - I've decided to take a little break.  First to get through Jonah's surgery and recuperation and then maybe for a little vacation.

If I am so moved, I reserve the right to blog, whenever I think it necessary.  But until then, have a great time using your kaleidoscope and adventuring the summer days, nights and Shabbats away!

shabbat decorations

the shabbat story teller

making shabbat challah covers!  markers!

ready to eat!

YUMMY!

ImagiNation-ing Our Day!

The other day after camp we swung by the National Museum of Native American History.  It has been on our list for a while now and there were two things we wanted to do there (1) visit the ImagiNations kid area and (2) see the Olympic exhibit.  There was a special stroytime/craft project in the Imagination kid area that I hoped to go to, but alas when we got there - just in the nick of time, my kids wanted to run around the play area and wanted nothing to do with an organized activity.  So we PLAYED!  Jonah has recently started telling me all about his "imagination" so I thought it was perfect to be hanging out in the place called "ImagiNations" - they had a ton to do, teepees, snowshoes, boats, puzzloes, books, and lots of running around and stamping our paper passports... 

After we did that, we went to another exhibit on Native Americans in the Olympics - I wanted to do something olympic-y.  Jonah and Vera were both wearing their little gold medals and loved the pcitures and the video.

Then we were ready for snacks and to go home - but suprise - right in front of the museum was a horse and alpaca event!!!!  My kids love a good animal interaction (and can you beleive this is our second alapaca one) - they were totally excited.  We hung with our four legged friends for a bit but it was hot and we needed our ice cream!  Spiderman and Dora ice cream!!!

Sleeping on the ride home!

A good day using our imaginations! 

Froebel Failures...

As you know, as a result of our recent adventures in Pittsburgh (and Chicagoland), we have been on this whole Frank Lloyd Wright, Fallingwater, Froebel gifts kick (see some posts here, here, and here).  We bought the Second Froebel Gift at Fallingwater.  We also bought this cute book Moxie, the Dachshund of Fallingwater.

Last week, one day after camp but before Vera's nap, I brought them out for a little playtime with Jonah & Vera. We got through most of the book, but it was a little advanced for my crew - but it is a really nice book and the pictures are cool. 

After we talked about the book for a bit, Jonah decided he wanted us to get dog?!?!  I quickly got the Froebel Gifts - 1 and 2.  Remember we played with Gift 1 before we went to Pittsburgh - see here  ).   Of course I hadn't really looked at Gift 2 before I opened it with kids.  I gave Gift 1 to Vera to play with the colorful balls - and she was pretty happy.  Gift 2 is COMPLICATED!!! (really not sure how it is for 3-5 yr olds...)  It took me a bit to figure out what we supposed to do with it... I finally got it set up... and Jonah played with it for a little bit - then Vera wanted to play with it... in no time at all it was in pieces again... and Vera was ready for her nap.

Vera went to sleep.  Jonah played with it for a bit more and I fixed it - and then we put it back in the box.  We will have to revisit that one...

this looks interesting...

what is Jonah doing over there??

nap time mommy!