Friendly reminders (or mantras, if you will): Dirt isn’t chametz The kids should not be the korban Pesach Kids aren’t in your way, they are the way I love my kids and I love to spend time with them It's not their fault that... (I'm overwhelmed, I need childcare, etc) This home will welcome Pesach with joy and excitement That’s it. That’s the whole email. I know you don’t have time for a longer one 😂 (jk I’m actually in the middle of writing a long one, about relatives who challenge your...
6 months ago • 1 min read
I flew in and out of the state last Sunday to attend my sister’s bris. By myself. Without kids. That’s a vacation in itself, even if I got the middle seat both ways. 3 thoughts on this: 1. My husband watched the other kids, but I got a babysitter just for the baby. He’s 7 months old, has a schedule and is super easy. Just to physically replace my presence for a few hours to care for one child—after leaving instructions, a packed diaper bag, and labeled bottles and solids—cost over $100. → If...
7 months ago • 1 min read
Today a Whatsapp group called “Pesach 2024” started buzzing with requests for shopping lists and a bunch of “what did we do last year???” messages. What we did last year: rented a bunch of houses with my husband’s siblings and made a huge Pesach all together. Except we wayyy overbought. I’m the list girl, so I pulled up my Google Doc to check if I had any notes about the quantities. Wow. I didn’t just have notes. Mushka of 2023 had pasted messages, typed up store receipts and online invoices,...
7 months ago • 1 min read
This week is Tu Bshvat! I only know because I saw the display of dates and carob being set up in my corner grocery late Friday afternoon, which is when I ran in so I could start cooking an hour before Shabbos, if you want to know how I roll. It reminded me to bring the kids to the store to choose a new fruit. That's been our tradition so far - feeling the fruits, checking the price (math), choosing one to bring home to cut open at supper. Pro tip: I make sure to get an ugly rambutan and...
9 months ago • 3 min read
This time last year, I wrote an email that the dead of winter makes no sense for new beginnings. (Punchline: you don’t have to parent the way everyone tells you to, make your own rules.) It was on my mind because the yoga teacher talked about new goals for the new year. This time last year, I started doing yoga. I got a monthly membership with unlimited classes, so to get my money’s worth, I went at least once a week but usually twice - walking 20 minutes each way. I started to exercise...
10 months ago • 2 min read
Have you seen what’s in the Chanukah aisle of your local grocery?? (Asking seriously. I successfully avoided that aisle with kids until one solo trip when it was safe for me to check it out.) OMG the amount of Chanukah themed toys, candies, crafts and general junk you can buy today. The consumerism this holiday has generated is astounding and kind of impressive. But you don’t need themed paper plates, window decorations or matching family pajamas. (It’s me, I love that stuff.) You also don’t...
10 months ago • 1 min read
Are you like my sister-in-law? A few days ago (like a few DAYS before Sukkos!!), she shared pictures of her 3 homemade desserts and the flowers she bought for DIY centerpieces. She's making a tablescape. Her menu has options. If you want to learn her secrets, here's her newest hack: what our convos look like, and yes I love her (and asked permission before sharing) Maybe you're like me. My delivery better show up erev Sukkos morning because that's when I start cooking. I'm making gefilte fish...
about 1 year ago • 1 min read
I woke up at 5:52am with tears streaming down my face. The last sentence of my dream was still in my mind. I hastily typed it out while squinting in the early morning light. (When I read it back at a more pleasant later hour, I actually burst out laughing. I sound crazy! Dreams only make sense when you’re in them! But I’m sending this email anyways…) In my dream, a tough Israeli professor gave us an assignment to explain why kids are like candy. We were presenting it over zoom. A student who...
about 1 year ago • 1 min read
My 2.5 year old entertained himself for half an hour yesterday by transferring blueberries back and forth from a Pyrex dish to a plastic cup… over and over. I could have stopped him, but he was so focused and quiet on scooping and measuring that I figured it was worth a carton of blueberries. That’s how I comfort my thrifty cheap soul when things are wasted. Especially things I paid good money for. Especially food. It’s not a waste if it was used. It’s just being used in a different way than...
over 1 year ago • 1 min read
