Inch by inch

This past week, our family planted a vegetable garden in our backyard. It was a day of dirty knees, even dirtier fingernails, and lots of shoveling. By the time bedtime rolled around, everyone was exhausted. But of course, not too exhausted for a story. Coincidentally, we had just received a copy of The Brothers’ Promise, [...]

Read Full Post »

Baruch Dayan Emet

I’m leaving today for my aunt’s funeral. It’ll be a quick trip to my mother’s place in Baltimore, and then back just  in time for Shavuot (if I’m lucky.) I’m picking up cheesecake for the family at Trader Joe’s before I leave, just in case I’m not back for dinner. I struggled with the decision [...]

Read Full Post »

It’s the economy, stupid. (I SAID, don’t say “stupid!”)

Here’s a newsflash – I’ve been thinking a lot about the economy recently. It’s hard not to, of course. Who hasn’t been touched by the recession in one way or another, and who isn’t at least a little worried? As with many things I worry about, I haven’t broached the topic with my children. If [...]

Read Full Post »

Jewish Mommy Meme

I’m discovering a whole world of Jewish mommy bloggers, and I’m fantasizing about having one giant shabbat dinner together…..or maybe even a shabbaton? But for now a virtual shabbat will have to do. So here’s my shabbat meme, otherwise known as a shmeme. (Someone has to make these up, right?) 1. Challah – home baked [...]

Read Full Post »

Prayer for my children

Yesterday I received an email from Artscroll, an Orthodox publishing house, with a prayer to be recited over one’s children on Erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan, the evening before the new month of Sivan begins. The email explains that since the Jews received the Torah in the month of Sivan, and thus became God’s children, this [...]

Read Full Post »

And the winner is…..

Rebecca! Thanks to random.org for selecting the winner of the Nicole Engblom mezuzah.

Read Full Post »

Sometimes life imitates art

You might be familiar with the book The Shabbat Box, by Lesley Simpson. It’s a sweet story about a little boy whose preschool teacher sends home a special shabbat box with a different student each Friday. On his week, he loses the box in the snow and decides to make his own hand-crafted version to [...]

Read Full Post »

Time for another giveaway

Since I’ve finally mailed off the prize for my last contest, I thought it was time for another giveaway. Since I’m a big advocate of putting a mezuzah on the door, I’m giving away a very cute child’s mezuzah case, donated by artist Nicole Engblom for my book tour in 2007. To enter, just leave [...]

Read Full Post »

Happy Lag B’Omer

There were no Lag B”Omer bonfires in our town. So, we made our own. I almost can’t believe this is my backyard.       

Read Full Post »

Breastfeeding, breastfeeding, breastfeeding

  After seeing a sudden spike in visitors to my blog, I discovered that if you do a google-images search for breastfeeding, my site is the first one to come up. I guess any traffic is good traffic, and if the whole world knows about my low milk supply, so be it. Which leads me [...]

Read Full Post »