We did phase one of Chanukah decorating last weekend, but I must confess I am anxious about it this year - and my kaleidoscope is of no use in these matters.
For 12 years I (and later we) decorated the old house. I had it down to a science. I knew where everything went and how to hang every strand of lights. I could do it in my sleep... I had a system. I have accumulated the said decorations for about 20 years... I have 5 big bins of them. This year there is whole new canvass... our new house. Our first Chanukah in the new house - what a world of opportunities! I believe change is great - it is what keeps s alive - but this change- this change has taken me off guard... I hadn't really processed the whole "I have no idea how to use my enormous amount of decorations in the new house" experience... so I am just in denial.
It will have to happen this weekend. And there may even be a blog post about it.
Don't even get me started on our holiday cards... seriously... I have yet to be inspired yet so they have not been done yet... but maybe tonight... I might have had a bit of inspiration in CVS yesterday.
Oiy Vey - the holidays! So much joy and cheer and good will to men! Did I mention I LOVE THEM!!! Oh yeah, I mention it all the time, in like every blog post, about how much I love life and love holidays.... how could I forget...
So this Wednesday evening, we started our holiday events! The Gay and Lesbian Outreach and Enrichment (GLOE) group from the Washington DC Jewish Community Center (WDCJCC) hosted their second annual "All Fired Up! for Chanukah!" event at a local pottery painting place.
We went last year and it was fun. A group of gay Jewish families hanging out with their kids and each other, painting dreidels and menorahs and eating fruit, jelly donuts, and chocolate gelt.
The advertisement for the event came through on email this year and guess what? We made the advertisement!! Yep there was a cute picture of Jonah and me with some of our best buddies at last year's event! Kick it up for us!
So I was excited to go this year.
We got there about 6:30. Last year there was a good crowd. This year not so much. We were there and two other families with babies and one little girl. My kids were a lot more mobile this year and I was with them without Jocelyn. And we were in an entire store of breakable objects... really what was I thinking?!?! One of the other moms, actually voiced that sentiment as she was with one child that was in her arms... I am a thrill seeker I replied
But there was a secret weapon - CHOCOLATE GELT!
When we discussed going to event on the way there - Jonah remembered - it is quite amazing what that kid remembers..
"Mommy, will the chocolate treasure be there? and can we eat it?"
Yep, only if you behave, stay in your seat and do what I say?!?!
And that is how it went. They were really really really good for the beginning. They were both so busy eating all of the gelt and painting their dreidels. Then I tried to have them paint a plate with hand prints to mark the occasion - very Martha Stewartesque... that so didn't turn out like I planned. I was stalling hoping our buddies would show up...
Then the sugar high kicked in. Jonah grabbed my camera took some pictures, dropped my camera in the bowl of brush cleaning water, ran around a bit, knocked something over that I believe broke (but I kinda stayed out of that) and then it was clearly time to go home.
We got our Chanukah Gloe on - with a little help from copious amounts of chocolate gelt. It was fun and we have 2 weird colored dreidels and a random painted plate to show for it! I will pick them up next week.
Let the holidays begin! And a big Shabbot Shalom to all!
2011 PICTURE FROM ADVERTISEMENT
2012 PICTURES
2012 PICTURE TAKEN BY JONAH
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