A Foreshadowing Friday!

The Mayans said that today was the last day of the world or civilization or something like that...

Apparently, one is still able to blog on said last day... which probably means it is not the last day...

Today also happens to be the first day of winter - I think (it is sometimes the 20th and sometimes the 21st)

Today is also a Friday!  And that means it is Shabbot!

I am also posting very late in the day today - which means I really really need Shabbot this week!

On this cold and dark (I think it is also the shortest day of the year...), I am going to shed some sunny light - of the Vera kind!

Vera is total and complete awesome sunshine!  I love my Vera!

About two weeks ago, Vera and I attended an "open house" for Kidville University's Winter PrePreschool program.  I had received an email about it and it was during Jonah's school time so I figured we'd check it out.  I also convinced one of my buddies to go as well - so Vera and I got to hang with our buddies.

It was great!  Vera was enthralled, happy, silly, excited, fabulous, giddy, and did I mention HAPPY!

Kidville is in downtown Bethesda. It is a very nice kid play space.  they offer cool classes, have a little shop and give haircuts!  Jonah got his haircut there this past fall. 

Vera's class was in an adorable classroom with tons of stuff to do:  books, dress up corner, puzzles, dolls, cool play dough stuff, music etc.  The class is Mondays and Wednesday from 9:30 to 11:30 which is perfect because it is right in between Jonah's class time.  They give them a healthy snack and the kids get to go to the super cool gym for 30 minutes of gym play.  The class is called a transition class and it is only for 22-24 mos old and runs from Jan to the end of March for 3 mos.  The goal is to be able to leave your children alone for the whole time by the end of the class.  My guess is that I will leave Vera alone in class the first class... During the open house, she barely noticed I was there?!?!  She was way too busy snuggling up to all the teachers, making new friends and PLAYING WITHOUT HER BROTHER PULLING TOYS AWAY FROM HER!!!!!

Once every 25 minutes she would circle over to me and say, "Mommy, I love you" and then give me a hug!  How fantastic is that?

I signed up on the spot!

Then my friend and I went to the Barnes & Nobel to hang for a bit - and she helped me decide that I am going to sign up for the gym in Bethesda too! 

Here is my Monday and Wednesday plan for 2013:

Put kids in car at 9:00am
Drop Jonah off in car pool lane at 9:10
Drive fast to Bethesda, park and drop Vera off at her school as close to 9:30 as possible
Go to fancy gym from 9:45 until 11:15
Pick up Vera at 11:30, put her in car
Drive back to Jonah's school and sit in carpool lane
Pick up Jonah at 12:15
Return home for lunch with kids, usually done by 1:15...

After that - it's a free for all - but the those 90 minutes of gym time - those are precious...

For me those 90 minutes are a road sign to the pit stop on the journey of raising two kids 22 months apart...

It's been a long time... last time I got my shit together and started going to the gym... three weeks into it I got hit with cancer... this time I am hoping I just get into super shape!

We are ready for 2013 over here.  It was a crazy year - I've only blogged about some of it here - but there has been so much much more...the good, the bad, the ugly and yes, the absolutely wonderful...

Like I said, we are ready for 2013.

Vera is going to go to school!
Jonah loves being in the car pool lane!
Mommy is going to go back to the gym!
Mama is settled in at her new firm with her big client.
We are going to buy some furniture for the house.

We are also going to start the first days of the year on vacation!  That is the best news yet.

So this is my last post for a while.  I will be back after the new year.

Stay safe, keep warm, look for the light, remember to breathe, hug and kiss the ones you love when you can and take care of yourself and those around you - Happy New Year Everyone!

One last Chanukahurrah!

We did two other Chanukah projects this year...

It makes me laugh because last year we did like a million art projects for Chanukah but I guess that is what life is all about - going with it - each year is totally different... at least I know that is what the mindfulness meditation tell me... just be Heather in the moment you are in - not yesterday, not tomorrow - be in the present - it is truly a gift (that might be Hallmark's)...

We did chanukah sticker art!  I have a ton of foam shapes in the Chanukah theme and little cut out dreidels. the kids had fun making a mess with them and doing the sticker art.  Jonah made 2 thank cards for his teachers - they gave him a little truck on the last night of chanukah - and then he sort of wrote his name on them.., we need to work on that - but go Jonah go!  Vera really really liked the star stickers with the glitter... she kept hugging them and singing twinkle twinkle little star...

We actually did our last Chanukah project on the day after Chanukah ended... but who is checking...

I love doing the cookie decorating/food projects with the kids.  This year Manishevitz came out with a Chanukah House kit!!!  I was all over it.  We also do a Chanukah House but usually I just buy a gingerbread house kit and use all my own candies (blue, yellow, silver, white and gold...)  Last year we did the gingerbread train kit and that was a huge hit... so I got the Chanukah House for Vera and the Chanukah Train for Jonah...

I was going to assemble before giving to them to decorate but that didn't happen - so they "helped" me assemble - and it worked out fine.  They LOVED LOVED LOVED decorating the house and train, and eating a ton of candy!

Vera's was a bit more realistic in her decorating technique - I think she might be more of a realist anyway. Jonah's end product was very very very intense - you know kinda like him!

It was a great Chanukah thanks to all our family and friends for helping to make it so!  We are so blessed!  The universe has been good to us - especially in light of the Connecticut tragedy - I know this.

Still more celebrating ahead of us.  Christmas with grandma and grandpa!

And yes, the first batch of Chanukah cards have gone out - working on the rest and they should go out today. 

Happy Thursday Everyone!

Eighth Night: And then there were toys...

It was my tradition growing up to get one big real toy present on the eighth night of Chanukah  I was never that much into toys as a kid... and truth be told I am not so into toys now - even though I have kids... (if you haven't noticed I am into adventuring and doing and making stuff... when 
I was a kid and now).  My kids though - they are really into toys and so is Jocelyn!

So we thought about it...

Eighth night was going to be just the four us and the big toys!

We decided to get Vera a doll house - it may be a little advanced for her - but I think she is going to grow into it - and she has sort have gotten a bit short changed on getting toys - being the second child and all - most of her toys are just Jonah's old toys.  Hence, she LOVES trucks, trains and cars!  But she also loves dolls!

We decided to get Jonah a toy garage.  At Nana Camp there is an old school fisher price garage from when my brother was a kid... JONAH LOVES IT!

I researched the toy doll house and garage for days... (seriously I am that crazy...)  I decided to buy the Plan Toys dollhouse and garage.  It is supposed to be this eco-friendly responsible toy company and received very good reviews on the Internet.  We went with the Green Dollhouse with Furniture and the  Parking Garage.   We also bought the Ethnic Family Dolls (and they kinda look just like us!)

I bought them off amazon.com on cyber Monday and got a good deal.  They arrived in flat boxes... clearly I had to put them together - which I did late Friday night...

They were easy enough to put together and looked great.  The little family is adorable.

We put them under big table cloths in the living room and lit the candles on Saturday night.  The kids were super excited about the gifts.  Within 5 seconds Jonah was playing with the house and Vera was playing with the garage!?!?!?!

Jonah & Vera make me laugh ALL THE TIME!

The both like both of them.  Jonah loves playing with the dolls in the house and the garage... Vera loves putting the cars in the garage and the house.  There is often a bit fighting when the play - they are figuring out how to negotiate with each other and the toys... it is quite funny.

We also bagged up a ton of toys from all over the house to give away "to kids who don't have toys" - Jonah was sad to let go of some toys but he told me "everyone should have some toys mommy - so it is OK..." and then said Awwww Mannnn.... as he does all the time these days.  Vera just told me "ok mommy, I love you."  She is too much my Vera!

We still have a few more Chanukah-y posts left... even thought I've covered the eight days... now I have to run to the post office to mail my damn Chanukah cards even though Chanukah is already over!!!!

Happy Hump Day Everyone!

Chanukah Shabbot is A Lot...

OF FUN, FRIENDS, FAMILY, FOOD, & LOVE!

On the seventh day - god rested! 

This year on the 7th night of Chanukah - we got Shabbot (the rest day)!  Whoop! Whoop!

We invited a few very very close friends over for Chanukah Shabbot and it was perfect.  Seriously perfect.

Jonah and Vera played the night away with their good buddies and Mama and I were able to connect with a few of our best best friends - and all of this happened in the light of the seven candles on the menorah.

It was just good. 

The kids played with the awesome gifts they got from Auntie Renee the night before - coloring pages, stickers, markers, stamps and more.  They also had a serious game of dreidel going as well. 

The adults ate some good food and chatted around the table for a long time.

There was some reading of comic books by Jonah and Mama.

There was a ton of desert!!  Earlier in the afternoon, I went special to get the Israeli donuts - sufganyiot from the kosher store - and they were yummy.  Our friends showed up with super special cupcakes and the kids were gobbling chocolate gelt when they weren't laughing or playing!

It was really nice to be surrounded by our buddies and enjoying a Friday night Shabbot and 7th night of Chanukah.  I am thankful for it all!