Today is the first day of school for my kids.
Beginnings.
I originally thought of titling this post New Beginnings, but I got philosophical with myself and determined that all beginnings are new, because every beginning is a new opportunity for new experiences, even if the beginning itself may be the same as last year (school, for instance). But a beginning of any kind is exciting - one has no idea what the end of the day will be like, even for the best planners among us, because life happens every second. A traffic jam causes one to take an alternate route to work/school. An offhand comment from someone causes one to think about something they weren't planning on originally...a flash sale convinces someone to finally make that purchase they were putting off for a while.
All of these things are beginnings, new little opportunities for new experiences, new thoughts, new chances.
The kids were welcomed to their new classrooms today - one had new teachers and classmates, one had a new classroom. One was anxious, one was timid. I'm confident that when I come home, I'll be bowled over by hearing all the stories of things they did today. Both were fearful of today's beginnings, but I was excited for them.
It's a part of growing up, and fortunately for all of us, beginnings never stop, so we always have new chances. It's comforting to know that there's always a new opportunity around the corner. It's our choice how we approach these new opportunities and these beginnings, but thankfully they never give up on us. My job is to role-model to my kids how to grab hold of these new beginnings and make them our own so that they too are excited.
But for today - I'll look back on their baby photos and just think about how much they've grown, how they've become these incredible little people and remember that, at the end of the day, what I hope will never change is how tight they hug me...
Monday, August 22, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Master Chef
Recently, my husband found this intriguing show on Hulu called Master Chef. It's one of those reality-tv shows, but what's fun for us is that it's home cooks - people like us, basically - who are competing to be declared the Master Chef by the three judges, 3 formidable giants in the culinary world (Gordon Ramsay one of them, who I think is hysterical to watch). The contestants come from all walks of life and are self-taught cooks, but they all have a passion to succeed in the restaurant business. Since my husband and I love cooking and have fun with it, we enjoy the show.
The contestants have to battle it out through a series of challenges, which got me thinking. I have a suggestion for a challenge: shabbat meals.
Somehow, I developed a reputation (among a very small group of individuals, like maybe, 3) that I can whip up shabbat meals in about 2 hours. On a Friday afternoon. After I come home from work and the grocery store. If you're unfamiliar with shabbat meals, the most common description is that it's like preparing Thanksgiving dinner. And that's not really too far from the truth. There are usually several courses and the attempt is made at preparing dishes that are special and different from what you'd serve during the week - all in honor of the holy day that is Shabbat.
There are books and blogs and articles all about how one can prepare for Shabbat ahead of time so that one does not feel disorganized as Shabbat approaches on Friday evening (this blog is dedicated to the entire notion of how to de-frazzle oneself). They're all wonderful, and I try to implement them. Preparing everything on Friday afternoon is not a sustainable solution, nor is it very nice to have a frazzled mommy who is running around preparing everything right up until the verylastsecond before candlelighting, when all preparation ceases. <--oh, that's another important point here - one often prepares two meals, one for Friday night dinner, and one for Saturday lunch, due to the prohibition of cooking on Shabbat itself...
And yet, that is the situation I find myself in week after week (except for the frazzled mommy part. I suppose I'm so used to my routine that I'm no longer frazzled but I do what I need to do and I just "git 'er done").
So here's my suggestion to the Master Chef show developers: I challenge the home cooks to create two Thanksgiving-style meals in two hours - start to finish. And I think I'm being generous by not throwing kids into the mix, because things always get more interesting when you're trying to entertain two little kiddos and get the chicken into the oven at the same time...
The contestants have to battle it out through a series of challenges, which got me thinking. I have a suggestion for a challenge: shabbat meals.
Somehow, I developed a reputation (among a very small group of individuals, like maybe, 3) that I can whip up shabbat meals in about 2 hours. On a Friday afternoon. After I come home from work and the grocery store. If you're unfamiliar with shabbat meals, the most common description is that it's like preparing Thanksgiving dinner. And that's not really too far from the truth. There are usually several courses and the attempt is made at preparing dishes that are special and different from what you'd serve during the week - all in honor of the holy day that is Shabbat.
There are books and blogs and articles all about how one can prepare for Shabbat ahead of time so that one does not feel disorganized as Shabbat approaches on Friday evening (this blog is dedicated to the entire notion of how to de-frazzle oneself). They're all wonderful, and I try to implement them. Preparing everything on Friday afternoon is not a sustainable solution, nor is it very nice to have a frazzled mommy who is running around preparing everything right up until the verylastsecond before candlelighting, when all preparation ceases. <--oh, that's another important point here - one often prepares two meals, one for Friday night dinner, and one for Saturday lunch, due to the prohibition of cooking on Shabbat itself...
And yet, that is the situation I find myself in week after week (except for the frazzled mommy part. I suppose I'm so used to my routine that I'm no longer frazzled but I do what I need to do and I just "git 'er done").
So here's my suggestion to the Master Chef show developers: I challenge the home cooks to create two Thanksgiving-style meals in two hours - start to finish. And I think I'm being generous by not throwing kids into the mix, because things always get more interesting when you're trying to entertain two little kiddos and get the chicken into the oven at the same time...
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
It's too hot - summer bucket list
At the start of every summer since I became a mom, I have this yearning to do all things summer-y, the kind of things that summertime lends itself to: drinking lots of lemonade, running on the beach, watching an outdoor concert, etc. For some reason, with the kids I feel like summertime is a "more fun" time, though there's nothing that makes summer different from the other three seasons.
Maybe it's because everyone's mind goes slightly on vacation this time of year, or maybe it really is the hot weather.
I always try to come up with a list of fun things we'll do each summer, and this year I found out there's a real name to such a list! A summer bucket list! Now, usually this list is done before the season begins so that you're prepared...but it's never too late, and since I have a hard time coming up with ideas myself, here's someone else's summer bucket list.
With August here and school around the corner, the pressure is on to accomplish as many as possible...
1.Go to the beach - done! We did it in Israel
2.Make Popsicles - Done! We made them Tuesday night and the kids enjoyed yesterday afternoon.
3.Go to the movies
4.Paint using our feet
5.Tie dye shirts
6.Take a picture everyday
7.Roast marshmallows
8.Go for a boat ride
9.Go to an outdoor concert
10.Make homemade soap
11.Play with water balloons
12.Play with squirt bottles outside
13.Whip up some edible sand
14.Play with colored bubbles
15.Pick vegetables from our garden - I think we can take a pass on this this yea'rs since we're in a drought...
16.Make and play with homemade face paint
17.Have an ice cream sundae party
18.Try lots of different sunglasses on and take pictures
19.Build a sandcastle
20.Make frozen bananas - I have frozen bananas in the freezer to avoid throwing them away, does that count?
21.See fireworks
22.Celebrate the fourth of July
23.Go to a parade
24.Visit a farmer's market - DONE! Went to the Airline Farmer's Market - like a shuk in Houston, but more subdued...
25.Visit new playground - well, we visited playgrounds in Israel, so I think that counts...
26.Play at a splash park
27.Go swimming at Grandma's house - the kids go swimming with their grandparents on the weekends, so that totally counts...
28.Have a late night movie night
29.Go berry picking - we tried to go blackberry picking again this year, but the drought damaged the crop, so not our fault...
30.Visit a fair
31.Make fizzing sidewalk chalk
32.Make smores
33.Visit a sunflower field
34.Make moon sand
35.Plant sunflowers
36.Go blueberry picking - see #29
37.Walk around by the water
38.Make our own strawberry freezer jam - DONE! We take it up a notch and make our own jam on the stove...
39.Go to an outdoor movie
40.Fly a kite
41.Make our own bouncy balls
42.Make our own gak - tonight I made play-dough for the kids, does that count?
We're not doing too bad! We can make some modifications to fit the attention spans of a 3.5 year old and a 2 year old for the rest, plus we do have to take into account the weather. And then there are special considerations for certain things like an outdoor concert - they tend to start late here, so it doesn't make sense for me to bring the kids out, as much as I'd like to.
But this gives me a good list to work on! Do you have a summer bucket list?
Maybe it's because everyone's mind goes slightly on vacation this time of year, or maybe it really is the hot weather.
I always try to come up with a list of fun things we'll do each summer, and this year I found out there's a real name to such a list! A summer bucket list! Now, usually this list is done before the season begins so that you're prepared...but it's never too late, and since I have a hard time coming up with ideas myself, here's someone else's summer bucket list.
With August here and school around the corner, the pressure is on to accomplish as many as possible...
1.Go to the beach - done! We did it in Israel
2.Make Popsicles - Done! We made them Tuesday night and the kids enjoyed yesterday afternoon.
3.Go to the movies
4.Paint using our feet
5.Tie dye shirts
6.Take a picture everyday
7.Roast marshmallows
8.Go for a boat ride
9.Go to an outdoor concert
10.Make homemade soap
11.Play with water balloons
12.Play with squirt bottles outside
13.Whip up some edible sand
14.Play with colored bubbles
15.Pick vegetables from our garden - I think we can take a pass on this this yea'rs since we're in a drought...
16.Make and play with homemade face paint
17.Have an ice cream sundae party
18.Try lots of different sunglasses on and take pictures
19.Build a sandcastle
20.Make frozen bananas - I have frozen bananas in the freezer to avoid throwing them away, does that count?
21.See fireworks
22.Celebrate the fourth of July
23.Go to a parade
24.Visit a farmer's market - DONE! Went to the Airline Farmer's Market - like a shuk in Houston, but more subdued...
25.Visit new playground - well, we visited playgrounds in Israel, so I think that counts...
26.Play at a splash park
27.Go swimming at Grandma's house - the kids go swimming with their grandparents on the weekends, so that totally counts...
28.Have a late night movie night
29.Go berry picking - we tried to go blackberry picking again this year, but the drought damaged the crop, so not our fault...
30.Visit a fair
31.Make fizzing sidewalk chalk
32.Make smores
33.Visit a sunflower field
34.Make moon sand
35.Plant sunflowers
36.Go blueberry picking - see #29
37.Walk around by the water
38.Make our own strawberry freezer jam - DONE! We take it up a notch and make our own jam on the stove...
39.Go to an outdoor movie
40.Fly a kite
41.Make our own bouncy balls
42.Make our own gak - tonight I made play-dough for the kids, does that count?
We're not doing too bad! We can make some modifications to fit the attention spans of a 3.5 year old and a 2 year old for the rest, plus we do have to take into account the weather. And then there are special considerations for certain things like an outdoor concert - they tend to start late here, so it doesn't make sense for me to bring the kids out, as much as I'd like to.
But this gives me a good list to work on! Do you have a summer bucket list?
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Fishtank fun
Friends, it's been a long, long, LONG time since my last post...
Thank you for hanging in there with me.
July has been an extremely busy month for me in several ways, all of which I'll eventually get to, but none of which is the subject of today's post.
Today, I'm writing about our fishtank.
Our fishtank is a new member of our family that came to us in a funny way.
Back when my husband was courting me (it was a long-distance relationship) and I visited him once in Pennsylvania, his apartment was SPOTLESSLY clean except for his fishtank: he said that the brown-ness of the water was "natural" (and let's not get into what was covering the walls). I said that that thing had to go - as there was absolutely no way it would join us in our marriage if it was so brown.
My amazing husband did so, but I had no idea of his immense attachment to the fishtank.
Flash-forward to this summer - whenever we have run out of ideas to do with the kids and everyone we know is busy, we go to the fish store. This is one of those "I'd rather be cleaning the tile grout than be here, but I'm here to support my amazing husband" moments for me. So we've done that several times this summer, my husband always looking longingly at the fish.
And then my husband came with a surprise for me, that was actually a gift to himself. The day before our wedding anniversary this July. He came home with a fishtank. And three fish, each fish in its own pot (for travel purposes, of course). The kids went wild, cleaning the cabinet with baby wipes. I just stood there, asking "what, on earth, is that?".
Apparently, I had told my amazing husband that he could have a fishtank if he finds one for $50. Which apparently was quite the challenge since a 30-gallon tank with stand (and we're not even counting the fish) easily can run you over $200 or so. I have no recollection of this challenge, but my husband took me up on it and found a tank and cabinet and 3 fish for $50. Thank you, Craigslist.
So here I am, the family asleep, me sitting next to the fish tank. The kids are in love with the fish and the process of feeding them. The fish are extremely entertaining and serve as conversation starters for my suddenly-fish-loving family. I have nothing to do with the tank maintenance, but right now, at this moment, I'm happy it's here. I'm happy my husband got his wish, I'm happy my kids find it exciting, and as I sit here watching the fish swim, I suddenly crave sushi. JUST KIDDING.
I just find it peaceful.
Thank you for hanging in there with me.
July has been an extremely busy month for me in several ways, all of which I'll eventually get to, but none of which is the subject of today's post.
Today, I'm writing about our fishtank.
Our fishtank is a new member of our family that came to us in a funny way.
Back when my husband was courting me (it was a long-distance relationship) and I visited him once in Pennsylvania, his apartment was SPOTLESSLY clean except for his fishtank: he said that the brown-ness of the water was "natural" (and let's not get into what was covering the walls). I said that that thing had to go - as there was absolutely no way it would join us in our marriage if it was so brown.
My amazing husband did so, but I had no idea of his immense attachment to the fishtank.
Flash-forward to this summer - whenever we have run out of ideas to do with the kids and everyone we know is busy, we go to the fish store. This is one of those "I'd rather be cleaning the tile grout than be here, but I'm here to support my amazing husband" moments for me. So we've done that several times this summer, my husband always looking longingly at the fish.
And then my husband came with a surprise for me, that was actually a gift to himself. The day before our wedding anniversary this July. He came home with a fishtank. And three fish, each fish in its own pot (for travel purposes, of course). The kids went wild, cleaning the cabinet with baby wipes. I just stood there, asking "what, on earth, is that?".
Apparently, I had told my amazing husband that he could have a fishtank if he finds one for $50. Which apparently was quite the challenge since a 30-gallon tank with stand (and we're not even counting the fish) easily can run you over $200 or so. I have no recollection of this challenge, but my husband took me up on it and found a tank and cabinet and 3 fish for $50. Thank you, Craigslist.
So here I am, the family asleep, me sitting next to the fish tank. The kids are in love with the fish and the process of feeding them. The fish are extremely entertaining and serve as conversation starters for my suddenly-fish-loving family. I have nothing to do with the tank maintenance, but right now, at this moment, I'm happy it's here. I'm happy my husband got his wish, I'm happy my kids find it exciting, and as I sit here watching the fish swim, I suddenly crave sushi. JUST KIDDING.
I just find it peaceful.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Tragedy for Houston Jewish community
We're back from Israel, and more about that later, but first - devastating news rocked the Houston community over the July 4th weekend...
Houstonians Josh and Robin Berry and their kids were traveling back from Colorado when they were hit head-on by an oncoming vehicle, close to midnight. The parents were instantly killed and the three children were injured, two seriously. The children are in Lubbock right now and should be able to travel back to Houston this week to continue their treatments.
The Jewish Herald-Voice has ongoing coverage of the efforts to help the family and to support the children. Beth Yeshurun has set up a fund for donations to help with expenses which you can access here (select Perlo-Berry Family Fund to designate your donation).
Such a tragedy is hard for any community, but a community is what helps us cope. All of our prayers and efforts will build foundational support so that the Berry family can go on and live the values the parents taught the children.
Houstonians Josh and Robin Berry and their kids were traveling back from Colorado when they were hit head-on by an oncoming vehicle, close to midnight. The parents were instantly killed and the three children were injured, two seriously. The children are in Lubbock right now and should be able to travel back to Houston this week to continue their treatments.
The Jewish Herald-Voice has ongoing coverage of the efforts to help the family and to support the children. Beth Yeshurun has set up a fund for donations to help with expenses which you can access here (select Perlo-Berry Family Fund to designate your donation).
Such a tragedy is hard for any community, but a community is what helps us cope. All of our prayers and efforts will build foundational support so that the Berry family can go on and live the values the parents taught the children.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Packing our bags and going to Israel...
Don't be jealous.
Ok - you can be a little jealous.
We're going to Israel this week for a 2-week vacation for a family member's bar mitzvah. My whole family is going - so this is a massive 2-week vacation with my whole family. My husband couldn't be more thrilled. :=)
No really - we are psyched. This is our first real vacation in....years....and we're going with the kids, plus we're going to ISRAEL!!!!!! Really - is there a better place to go?!?!?
(ok - totally not counting Florence or Paris...)
Anyway, that's why there haven't been posts from me lately (been busy with work and such), and there won't be posts from me for the next two weeks (unless I surprise you AND myself). But here's a question - I'd love to hear any suggestions you may have for fun "field trips" or activities to do with the kids...we won't be renting a car so activities have to be easy to get to, but so far I've only found activities that are open on Shabbat so that won't do, but if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.
Thanks!!
Ok - you can be a little jealous.
We're going to Israel this week for a 2-week vacation for a family member's bar mitzvah. My whole family is going - so this is a massive 2-week vacation with my whole family. My husband couldn't be more thrilled. :=)
No really - we are psyched. This is our first real vacation in....years....and we're going with the kids, plus we're going to ISRAEL!!!!!! Really - is there a better place to go?!?!?
(ok - totally not counting Florence or Paris...)
Anyway, that's why there haven't been posts from me lately (been busy with work and such), and there won't be posts from me for the next two weeks (unless I surprise you AND myself). But here's a question - I'd love to hear any suggestions you may have for fun "field trips" or activities to do with the kids...we won't be renting a car so activities have to be easy to get to, but so far I've only found activities that are open on Shabbat so that won't do, but if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.
Thanks!!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Kid to Kid: new-ish resale shop in town
Thanks to Tasti D-Lite now going kosher in all of its Houston locations, my husband took all of us to the Galleria location one evening for a frozen dessert* treat. (Isn't that like out of a dream? I came home from work and my husband declared that we're all going out for "ice cream". The kids had a blast, and apparently the frozen concoction was their dinner. A win/win/win for all. :-))
**It's not ice cream, and it's not frozen yogurt. It's a frozen dairy dessert. Exactly what it is, I don't know.
Anyway - in the same shopping plaza is a store called Kid to Kid and we explored it on Sunday.
By explore, I mean I could have purchased the entire contents of the store if I didn't have a credit limit.
First of all, the store is kid-friendly so we took the kids and they had a great time playing while I was shopping.
Second, the store is clean and well-organized, so everything is easy to find.
The store carries everything - clothes, shoes, diapering supplies, baby gear, maternity wear, books, toys - the whole nine yards. And it's top quality, gently used items. I even found some brand new items with original tags on them!! At a fraction of the original price!!
But here's the best part....just as we were leaving, my son announced that he, well, let's say that he needed a new diaper. Being the super-organized parents that we are, we didn't have one. We contemplated purchasing an unopened package of diapers they had for sale, when my husband turned around and spotted a vanity...with diapers...and wipes. They were prepared for store customers to use - for free. I got the diaper and wipes, the owner handed me a plastic bag for the dirty one, prepped the changing table in the bathroom for me (a beautiful bathroom, by the way), and this was all done with a smile. The sink even had a stepstool for the little one to wash his hands.
If you're a parent, you know these little touches are meaningful.
So in sum, I recommend this place, and you can even bring your kids because they will be busy playing in the play area or reading books, and you will be happy with your purchases and pleased with the great customer service. Happy shopping!
**It's not ice cream, and it's not frozen yogurt. It's a frozen dairy dessert. Exactly what it is, I don't know.
Anyway - in the same shopping plaza is a store called Kid to Kid and we explored it on Sunday.
By explore, I mean I could have purchased the entire contents of the store if I didn't have a credit limit.
First of all, the store is kid-friendly so we took the kids and they had a great time playing while I was shopping.
Second, the store is clean and well-organized, so everything is easy to find.
The store carries everything - clothes, shoes, diapering supplies, baby gear, maternity wear, books, toys - the whole nine yards. And it's top quality, gently used items. I even found some brand new items with original tags on them!! At a fraction of the original price!!
But here's the best part....just as we were leaving, my son announced that he, well, let's say that he needed a new diaper. Being the super-organized parents that we are, we didn't have one. We contemplated purchasing an unopened package of diapers they had for sale, when my husband turned around and spotted a vanity...with diapers...and wipes. They were prepared for store customers to use - for free. I got the diaper and wipes, the owner handed me a plastic bag for the dirty one, prepped the changing table in the bathroom for me (a beautiful bathroom, by the way), and this was all done with a smile. The sink even had a stepstool for the little one to wash his hands.
If you're a parent, you know these little touches are meaningful.
So in sum, I recommend this place, and you can even bring your kids because they will be busy playing in the play area or reading books, and you will be happy with your purchases and pleased with the great customer service. Happy shopping!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Kosher on a Budget is coming to Houston!
Sorry I've been away - been busy, you know...
But - I'm coming to you with some exciting news today!!!
Kosher on a Budget will be in Houston and doing a class on couponing, being frugal, and living the kosher lifestyle on Monday May 30 at 10 am!!!
If you want to get more details, email her at kosheronabudget AT gmail DOT com. And let her know that you heard it here first!!
I plan on being there and I hope to see you there too. Shabbat shalom everyone!
But - I'm coming to you with some exciting news today!!!
Kosher on a Budget will be in Houston and doing a class on couponing, being frugal, and living the kosher lifestyle on Monday May 30 at 10 am!!!
If you want to get more details, email her at kosheronabudget AT gmail DOT com. And let her know that you heard it here first!!
I plan on being there and I hope to see you there too. Shabbat shalom everyone!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Cinco de Mayo - son's birthday party
Last week we celebrated my big boy's 2nd birthday on May 5th (his birthday), or Cinco de Mayo as it's known in these parts. Since he was born on May 5th, I knew that this party theme would come up eventually, so I figured I'd jump the gun and go ahead and do it. To wit, a feast:
I made a Tex-Mex dinner that consisted of some incredibly tasty things...thanks to all contributors for this beautiful table. Menu consisted of:
Mexican Rice: (recipe courtesy of a friend of mine)
1 or 2 cups of rice (depends if you have a lot of guests)
water (double the amount of rice you make)
1 medium onion
1 can tomato juice
fresh pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
dash of oregano
salt to taste
2 tablespoons oil (canola, safflower...not olive oil)
1 cup of mixed veggies (corn, carrots, green beans), if desired
In a large skillet or pot heat the oil (on medium heat) and then add the desired amount of rice and brown. Make sure you stir the rice constantly while it browns otherwise it will burn. The rice should be a light, even brown color. Then add the onions and saute until they are a crystalline color. Then add the can of tomato juice and stir quickly so it does not stick to the pan. Add the water and the chicken bouillon and bring to a boil. Add veggies, pepper, oregano and salt to taste. Cook uncovered for about 15 minutes and then turn heat down to a low simmer and cover. Cook rice until it is soft but not sticky.
- Mexican corn soup
- Slow cooker shredded beef
- Mango corn salad
- Mexican rice (recipe below)
- Taco-seasoned peppers
- Fixins - non-dairy sour cream, shredded lettuce, guacamole, salsa
- Chips + guacamole
- Dirty meringues
- Non-dairy tropical fruit ice cream
- All-occasion homemade yellow cake with TWO candles
Mexican Rice: (recipe courtesy of a friend of mine)
1 or 2 cups of rice (depends if you have a lot of guests)
water (double the amount of rice you make)
1 medium onion
1 can tomato juice
fresh pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
dash of oregano
salt to taste
2 tablespoons oil (canola, safflower...not olive oil)
1 cup of mixed veggies (corn, carrots, green beans), if desired
In a large skillet or pot heat the oil (on medium heat) and then add the desired amount of rice and brown. Make sure you stir the rice constantly while it browns otherwise it will burn. The rice should be a light, even brown color. Then add the onions and saute until they are a crystalline color. Then add the can of tomato juice and stir quickly so it does not stick to the pan. Add the water and the chicken bouillon and bring to a boil. Add veggies, pepper, oregano and salt to taste. Cook uncovered for about 15 minutes and then turn heat down to a low simmer and cover. Cook rice until it is soft but not sticky.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Adventures in the Kitchen: Homemade Fruit Leather
Under the heading "Why Not?", I present to you homemade fruit leather:
What you see there is strawberry fruit leather, using mashed strawberries that we had previously frozen since we had a large amount of strawberries left over from when we last made strawberry jam (a couple of months ago) (thank you dear friends who brought us the hand-picked strawberries), so this came together very quickly. We followed this blog post. Who knew we had a dehydration setting in our oven?!!?! But please note - you don't need a food dehydrator for this - just set it in the oven overnight on the lowest setting for the fruit to dry out!!
Needless to say, the kids loved it. Tonight my husband made a second batch. Awe-some. I recommend you try it!
What is your favorite fruit leather flavor?
 |
| Strawberry fruit leather |
Needless to say, the kids loved it. Tonight my husband made a second batch. Awe-some. I recommend you try it!
What is your favorite fruit leather flavor?
Happy Mother's Day
To all of the mothers out there - young and old, new and experienced, biological or not - have a wonderful Mother's Day and I hope you will spend it with the ones you love.
What are we doing today? We are going to Bayou Wildlife Park!
What are we doing today? We are going to Bayou Wildlife Park!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
I went "no 'poo"...and back
Huh?
No 'poo - the idea of idea of not using the typical shampoo/conditioner routine to wash hair.
Why...?
Well, after I read this post, I didn't look at my shampoo bottle the same way again. Shampoo is a detergent? What are all those chemicals in there listed after water? Why would I wash my hair with that? If I'm so concerned about what kind of dish soap I use and making sure that whatever I use is biodegradable, shouldn't I be just as concerned as what I use to wash my hair? Maybe they're on to something here...
So I toyed with the idea for about a month until I had a situation where I would have washed my hair twice in one day. And my husband said to me, "You don't want to wash your hair twice in one day. Why don't you try the no 'poo routine?" Lightbulb moment. Why don't I, indeed? But it takes commitment. I had read enough blog posts about the process and the method to know that there is a transition period while your hair goes crazy and gets used to the natural hair care. Was I ready to see my hair in its natural state, go to work like that, not sure how long it will be and what it will look like post-transition?
And before I had a chance to think twice, I did it. Wouldn't you know it - my hair was BEAUTIFUL that first day. Golden, fluffy, with natural volume. It was as though my hair was doing a happy dance. It lasted for maybe 36 hours. Then the transition period started.
But I stuck it out. I just knew that a lot of good would come out of this. And it did work! My hair was full of volume and was just really really nice. I felt proud of sticking to this routine! I even confided to a close friend that I went no 'poo, whispering the words to her. I felt like I was sharing a dark secret. For any of my friends, if you saw me while I was doing it, you probably didn't know there was anything different about my hair. And that's a good thing!
Unfortunately, I have no pictures to share so you'll just have to trust me. And also unfortunately, my hair stopped cooperating after a month. It seemed to get dull and was not happy anymore, so I went back to the regular shampoo/conditioner routine. But I think I will do the baking soda/apple cider vinegar routine at least once a month to clean my hair and refresh it. And I definitely have an eye out for what I put in my hair than I did before.
If you'd like to read more about the process, click here or here or here. Let me know if you try it and if it works for you!
No 'poo - the idea of idea of not using the typical shampoo/conditioner routine to wash hair.
Why...?
Well, after I read this post, I didn't look at my shampoo bottle the same way again. Shampoo is a detergent? What are all those chemicals in there listed after water? Why would I wash my hair with that? If I'm so concerned about what kind of dish soap I use and making sure that whatever I use is biodegradable, shouldn't I be just as concerned as what I use to wash my hair? Maybe they're on to something here...
So I toyed with the idea for about a month until I had a situation where I would have washed my hair twice in one day. And my husband said to me, "You don't want to wash your hair twice in one day. Why don't you try the no 'poo routine?" Lightbulb moment. Why don't I, indeed? But it takes commitment. I had read enough blog posts about the process and the method to know that there is a transition period while your hair goes crazy and gets used to the natural hair care. Was I ready to see my hair in its natural state, go to work like that, not sure how long it will be and what it will look like post-transition?
And before I had a chance to think twice, I did it. Wouldn't you know it - my hair was BEAUTIFUL that first day. Golden, fluffy, with natural volume. It was as though my hair was doing a happy dance. It lasted for maybe 36 hours. Then the transition period started.
But I stuck it out. I just knew that a lot of good would come out of this. And it did work! My hair was full of volume and was just really really nice. I felt proud of sticking to this routine! I even confided to a close friend that I went no 'poo, whispering the words to her. I felt like I was sharing a dark secret. For any of my friends, if you saw me while I was doing it, you probably didn't know there was anything different about my hair. And that's a good thing!
Unfortunately, I have no pictures to share so you'll just have to trust me. And also unfortunately, my hair stopped cooperating after a month. It seemed to get dull and was not happy anymore, so I went back to the regular shampoo/conditioner routine. But I think I will do the baking soda/apple cider vinegar routine at least once a month to clean my hair and refresh it. And I definitely have an eye out for what I put in my hair than I did before.
If you'd like to read more about the process, click here or here or here. Let me know if you try it and if it works for you!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Amazing Holocaust Video
Here's one more thing, and most likely I am not alone in this. We always see movies and images of the Holocaust - indeed of that entire time period - in black and white, and it's so easy to associate black and white with "a long time ago". It's much harder to remember that for everyone who lived during that time, life was in color, just like it is for you and me. Here's an incredible video of color movie footage and images. Be warned: viewer discretion is advised.
Yom Hashoah 2011 - Holocaust Rememberance Day
Today is Yom Hashoah, Israel's official Holocaust Remembrance Day. January 27th was International Holocaust Remembrance Day, on the day marking the liberation of Auschwitz. Yom Hashoah, by contrast is held every year 8 days before Yom Ha'atzmaut (Israel Independence Day), the most perfect irony.
Check out here and here for additional information.
Every year, Houston holds a special ceremony to commemorate.
Every year since I was little, I've gone with my mom (and/or Dad). I'm no stranger to the Holocaust; while my immediate family wasn't directly involved, that was only because my grandfather had the good sense to flee with my grandmother and their infant daughter away from the advancing German soldiers and into the Soviet interior - my grandmother's family, living on the unfortunate front lines of the German invasion into the Soviet Union. So, 72 members of my grandmother's family was killed, who knows how. And my grandfather was drafted into the Soviet Red Army and spent his military time on the front lines, leaving my grandmother behind hiding in forests, among other places. My father's family in Moscow evacuated also into the interior but was mostly spared most of the horrors. So - I grew up with the Holocaust and its aftereffects front and center in my life, but not everyone else has.
These commemorations are important for all the people to whom it's not so obvious: for those who believe that the same thing couldn't happen here in America (it could), or for those who believe that such genocide doesn't happen anymore (it does - check out Africa), or for those who just don't know the facts. Holocaust education goes beyond what actually occurred during the Holocaust and really digs deep into why and how did it happen. Did you know that America had a eugenics program which Germany admired (and Sweden's program lasted until 1975)? And what about all of the ordinary citizens of the German-occupied countries who basically went along with all of the horror surrounding them?
Perhaps it's MTV who says it best. The Holocaust happened to people like us.
Check out here and here for additional information.
Every year, Houston holds a special ceremony to commemorate.
Every year since I was little, I've gone with my mom (and/or Dad). I'm no stranger to the Holocaust; while my immediate family wasn't directly involved, that was only because my grandfather had the good sense to flee with my grandmother and their infant daughter away from the advancing German soldiers and into the Soviet interior - my grandmother's family, living on the unfortunate front lines of the German invasion into the Soviet Union. So, 72 members of my grandmother's family was killed, who knows how. And my grandfather was drafted into the Soviet Red Army and spent his military time on the front lines, leaving my grandmother behind hiding in forests, among other places. My father's family in Moscow evacuated also into the interior but was mostly spared most of the horrors. So - I grew up with the Holocaust and its aftereffects front and center in my life, but not everyone else has.
These commemorations are important for all the people to whom it's not so obvious: for those who believe that the same thing couldn't happen here in America (it could), or for those who believe that such genocide doesn't happen anymore (it does - check out Africa), or for those who just don't know the facts. Holocaust education goes beyond what actually occurred during the Holocaust and really digs deep into why and how did it happen. Did you know that America had a eugenics program which Germany admired (and Sweden's program lasted until 1975)? And what about all of the ordinary citizens of the German-occupied countries who basically went along with all of the horror surrounding them?
Perhaps it's MTV who says it best. The Holocaust happened to people like us.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Easy Passover Salmon Recipe
I got tired of meat meals so I made dairy for lunch today. In addition to my husband's awesome matza lasagna, I made a salmon fillet. This is hardly an original and more of a technique than anything else, but it's fresh tasting and super yummy so I'm including it here. Here's the recipe:
Celebrate Spring Salmon:
1 piece of salmon fillet
1 lemon, sliced with peel
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced thin
several sprigs of fresh rosemary, stems removed
extra virgin olive oil, probably about 1 Tablespoon
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. You'll be roasting this salmon, baby.
2. Lay the lemon slices spread throughout your pan. This is your bed. Lay the salmon on top of the lemon slices.
3. Make several slits throughout the fillet and insert the garlic slices into the slits.
4. Scatter the rosemary leaves on top of the salmon.
5. Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the salmon.
6. Roast the salmon, about 10 minutes per inch. It took me about 20 minutes. The top of the salmon may turn a nice even brown color from the roasting - a total guest-pleaser. Serve immediately, or at room temperature, which is my preference.
Enjoy!
Celebrate Spring Salmon:
1 piece of salmon fillet
1 lemon, sliced with peel
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced thin
several sprigs of fresh rosemary, stems removed
extra virgin olive oil, probably about 1 Tablespoon
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. You'll be roasting this salmon, baby.
2. Lay the lemon slices spread throughout your pan. This is your bed. Lay the salmon on top of the lemon slices.
3. Make several slits throughout the fillet and insert the garlic slices into the slits.
4. Scatter the rosemary leaves on top of the salmon.
5. Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the salmon.
6. Roast the salmon, about 10 minutes per inch. It took me about 20 minutes. The top of the salmon may turn a nice even brown color from the roasting - a total guest-pleaser. Serve immediately, or at room temperature, which is my preference.
Enjoy!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Pesach granola - YUM-O
For the last couple of years, I start to get panicky about Pesach breakfasts for my kids, thinking that without cereal in the morning they will surely starve. I turn to my friends for assistance and send out an email starting an email chain that's all about Pesach breakfasts. I've received several helpful responses! Here is a short list:
Enjoy!
- matza brei - the truly original Pesach breakfast - can be customized!
- muffins
- cream cheese OR whitefish salad OR butter & jam OR just jam + matza
- cottage cheese latkes
- eggs (I wish the rest of my family loved eggs as much as I do...)
Enjoy!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Happy Pesach!!
Happy Pesach/Passover everyone!! Wishing all of my readers a wonderful holiday/chag/yom tov...drop me a line if you did something creative for your seders!!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Passover: Yup, there's an app for that
Got your Pesach guide? No.
Got your OU Passover guide? No.
In the grocery store with no idea whether cottage cheese needs to have a special Passover certification or not? (BTW, yes it does.)
Don't worry - there's an app for that. Or two.
I downloaded the OU's Passover app, and I also have the CRC Kosher app that has a new Passover update. I think that both are useful.
The OU app is essentially a product/category listing.
The CRC Kosher app has an FAQs section, a kashering section, and a nicely organized categorical listing.
On the whole, I think the CRC Kosher app is more developed than the OU app, but it's great to have both.
As a reminder, please confirm with your local rabbi any kosher-related concerns; the CRC and the OU are different agencies and sometimes have different answers to the same question, so the decision ultimately rests with your personal rabbi.
Got your OU Passover guide? No.
In the grocery store with no idea whether cottage cheese needs to have a special Passover certification or not? (BTW, yes it does.)
Don't worry - there's an app for that. Or two.
I downloaded the OU's Passover app, and I also have the CRC Kosher app that has a new Passover update. I think that both are useful.
The OU app is essentially a product/category listing.
The CRC Kosher app has an FAQs section, a kashering section, and a nicely organized categorical listing.
On the whole, I think the CRC Kosher app is more developed than the OU app, but it's great to have both.
As a reminder, please confirm with your local rabbi any kosher-related concerns; the CRC and the OU are different agencies and sometimes have different answers to the same question, so the decision ultimately rests with your personal rabbi.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
I haven't started preparing for Pesach
There. I said it. I haven't started doing anything for the holiday.
Oh sure - I bought the grape juice on sale. And we bought some tea that seems to fly off the shelves. And we committed to a few meals out (woo-hoo!). But other than that? Nothing. Nada.
This - despite that I receive emails daily from various Jewish cooking/mom-related sites with this or that Pesach checklist/prep tip. Despite that I have my own Pesach binder with recipes from previous years, lists, and fun stuff so I don't have to keep re-inventing the wheel.
Why on this green earth have I not even uttered the word in my house? First - I'm tired. I had two large events take place last week that I planned, and I'm just tired of planning. Second - I'm busy at work. So unfortunately, Pesach hasn't yet appeared on my radar screen.
The other, possibly subconscious, reason why I haven't yet broached the topic is because I want to go back to basics: I want to re-emphasize the holiday itself, and not go nuts with the meals and the cleaning. It's time to get back to basics and remember what the holiday is about, which is something I only think about when I sit down to seder, not before.
So here are my thoughts:
What are your favorite Pesach strategies?
Oh sure - I bought the grape juice on sale. And we bought some tea that seems to fly off the shelves. And we committed to a few meals out (woo-hoo!). But other than that? Nothing. Nada.
This - despite that I receive emails daily from various Jewish cooking/mom-related sites with this or that Pesach checklist/prep tip. Despite that I have my own Pesach binder with recipes from previous years, lists, and fun stuff so I don't have to keep re-inventing the wheel.
Why on this green earth have I not even uttered the word in my house? First - I'm tired. I had two large events take place last week that I planned, and I'm just tired of planning. Second - I'm busy at work. So unfortunately, Pesach hasn't yet appeared on my radar screen.
The other, possibly subconscious, reason why I haven't yet broached the topic is because I want to go back to basics: I want to re-emphasize the holiday itself, and not go nuts with the meals and the cleaning. It's time to get back to basics and remember what the holiday is about, which is something I only think about when I sit down to seder, not before.
So here are my thoughts:
- Go through my recipe file and pick out the recipes that are Pesach-friendly. Salads, chicken, veggie dishes - there's so much out there. Now's the time to read the recipes again with fresh eyes.
- Go through the Pesach grocery aisles and really consider what I need (which means, don't go shopping with the kids!). Buy the staples, not the latest and greatest.
- Buy a food processor. Last year I determined that this is something I need, so I want to invest in a good one that will last me for years.
- I don't bake from scratch during Pesach. I make fruit salad for dessert, or I splurge and buy the cake-in-a-box. Pricey...yes, but it really saves me the headache and I allow for it since I don't buy lots of other stuff.
- I love love love this post. People - this is what it's about. Back to basics.
- Remember that - no matter what - make it fun for the kids. A stressed out mommy is not fun. A tired mommy is not fun. So - be flexible and keep it simple.
What are your favorite Pesach strategies?
Starbucks now questionable for the kosher consumer
Starbucks has rocked the boat in the kosher world.
As Starbucks has added to their food menus, their cleaning practices (as far as cleaning cooking utensils) has come into question with respect to the separation of utensils that are used for coffee-brewing purposes and utensils used for (non-kosher) food purposes. Knowing that all utensils are (or may be) washed together in hot water, it now becomes difficult to say that a brewed drink at Starbucks is 100% kosher since it has been cleaned and washed together with utensils used in the production of non-kosher food.
In light of all of this, the Houston Kashrut Association (HKA) put out a statement aligning its policy with the Chicago Rabbinical Council which you can read here; essentially, the new guidelines are that the full-service stores are to be avoided (for the most part), and that the kiosks (like those in Target and Randalls) are ok. Please read more details in the CRC policy which easily outlines the dos and don'ts so that you know what you can order.
Too bad!!
As Starbucks has added to their food menus, their cleaning practices (as far as cleaning cooking utensils) has come into question with respect to the separation of utensils that are used for coffee-brewing purposes and utensils used for (non-kosher) food purposes. Knowing that all utensils are (or may be) washed together in hot water, it now becomes difficult to say that a brewed drink at Starbucks is 100% kosher since it has been cleaned and washed together with utensils used in the production of non-kosher food.
In light of all of this, the Houston Kashrut Association (HKA) put out a statement aligning its policy with the Chicago Rabbinical Council which you can read here; essentially, the new guidelines are that the full-service stores are to be avoided (for the most part), and that the kiosks (like those in Target and Randalls) are ok. Please read more details in the CRC policy which easily outlines the dos and don'ts so that you know what you can order.
Too bad!!
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