Kislev Jewish Mama's Thread

[Magelet]

It's kislev. Welcome. Sorry I can't seem to come up with catchy phrases, I don't know enough about each of the months yet.

[merpk]

Originally Posted by Kelilah

Really, the question would be why NOT come to Portland.

And the answer would be because you'd rather come *here* instead.

Hi, Kelilah. Nicetameetcha.




Ruthla, glad she's home, still davening anyway.






And everyone else and good khodesh.







So time to jump on the kvetch-about-the-kid bandwagon. We're having our DS#2 'evaluated.' He's got all sorts of behavioral issues at school. At home, too, but am just stressing more about the school aspect of it. Anyway, we've had meetings with the teachers, meetings with the yoetzet (like the school counselor), meetings with them all together; the rav of the school (who's a neighbor & friend, too) has been intervening sort of; anyway, altogether, it's a big huge mountain hanging over his little head, so we're going to have him (drumroll) evaluated.

It's a child psychologist that we know nothing about except that she's through the kupah (health plan), so ... who knows. First appointment isn't with him, it's just us. That should be entertaining. And she doesn't speak English, so DH will be grumpy throughout. Sigh.

Yes, we've gotten the speech a gazillion times about eliminating sugar. And we just can't imagine/see how we can do it. I'm game to try, but DH just will. not. consider. it.

Mostly because he likes his wafer cookie thingies with his coffee.

I think it would work (the sugar thing). I really do.

Sigh.














And while I'm kvetching, yes, he's still unemployed. And we're now seven months from having to move. Yeah, The Holy City Of Parshat Toldot is definitely getting too pricey, and we're definitely looking to leave it. Again. (Yes, you've been seeing my posts about this for several years now, feel free to scroll on by. )

Anyway, we're thinking to look around the school where we think DS#1 will be going for junior high (if we can figure out the finances for the school, anyway). It's near Modi'in, but Modi'in is also too expensive. There's a community next door to the school that's got a lot of Anglos, so that's an idea, though I've heard it's a little on the expensive side, too. Sigh.

But anyway, if he doesn't go there, the local yeshiva/jr high in The Holy City Of Parshat Toldot has already accepted him, but we're weirded out by the school: Since we've been here it's had been TWO sex scandals ... one a woman teacher, seducing several of the students (high school students), and yes, she was convicted ... and one a man teacher just recently, though the male teacher is only accused so far and the story has yet to hit the papers.

It's a bizarre thing, we so wanted to think that stuff just didn't happen this way, but ... and it's a school that used to have a good reputation, or so we're told ... sigh.

Can't escape it, you know?











So if you have three children all fighting over a computer, and the two biggest ones are coming to blows, and then when you send them to their rooms to cool down, when the third one (who didn't get physical) comes back and asks to use the computer ... would you let him?

[flminivanmama]

was he involved in the fighting and just not physical? if so, no - if not, yes.

[Ruthla]

It depends on whether or not I was done playing with it.

[imnottelling]

Originally Posted by Magelet

It's kislev. Welcome. Sorry I can't seem to come up with catchy phrases, I don't know enough about each of the months yet.

To do with Chanukah:
Light up the Nights

But thanks for starting the thread! No catchy phrases needed

[jul511riv]

/waving and subbing.

Oh and merpk: (((HUGS))) what ever happened with the moshav?

[smeisnotapirate]

merpk

Can't believe it's Kislev. I'm already sick of Christmas music, thanks to our neighborhood grocery store. Can we just skip to Tu Bishvat? That would be nice. The only good thing about Kislev is that this year I turn 25! It's a fun quarter-century birthday and I'm determined to have a little party for myself.

I shouldn't be too pessimistic - things have been good. My family is doing well, our pregnancy is going well, and we're selling the house soon.

Alicia, glad you're feeling well, even if you're big and tired. Pretty sure that's par for the course for the end of the 3rd trimester. Maybe you can have a December 24 baby! I hear that's a good day to be born.

[lurve]

hi everyone! i am homeschooling my little one and i am looking for a good book that has the weekly parshas. DD will be three in january.
And any other jewish books she might enjoy? she loves books and lately she doesn't want to leave home so our community has been limited...
thanks

[Faliciagayle]

merpk -

Jul511riv - I have been thinking a great deal about your community post...I feel your pain. Moving to a densely Jewishly populated area has not been the hammentaschen and coffee essence I thought it would. This combined with the lack of crunchy folk around here makes for some pretty lonely days. And I am in a state of near panic knowing that our winter baby will, IYH, be here soon and then I'll be even more isolated. Sigh. We should be neighbors.

Sara - whenever I tell a non-Jew the guess date for baby's arrival, they all go "Oh, suuuuck man, a christmas baby. Well, it will make presents easier." It doesn't bother me, though a christmas or new years birthday will likely result in scant birthday party turnouts as the kid grows up. Especially if the various Jewish communities here remain aloof.





Chanukah always kinda irritates me. I like seeing Jewish themed stuff in places like Target and HomeGoods, but I hate that I can't get a Sukkot themed serving plate at my local Big Box when *our* main holiday season is upon us. That and the whole "conquering assimilation" theme to the holiday makes the commercialization of Chanukah in the U.S. seem especially ironic.

And sad.

That said, I do kinda miss the blue and silver tinsel garlands we used to hang on our bannisters when I was a kid.

[smeisnotapirate]

Originally Posted by Faliciagayle

Sara - whenever I tell a non-Jew the guess date for baby's arrival, they all go "Oh, suuuuck man, a christmas baby. Well, it will make presents easier." It doesn't bother me, though a christmas or new years birthday will likely result in scant birthday party turnouts as the kid grows up. Especially if the various Jewish communities here remain aloof.





Chanukah always kinda irritates me. I like seeing Jewish themed stuff in places like Target and HomeGoods, but I hate that I can't get a Sukkot themed serving plate at my local Big Box when *our* main holiday season is upon us. That and the whole "conquering assimilation" theme to the holiday makes the commercialization of Chanukah in the U.S. seem especially ironic.

And sad.

That said, I do kinda miss the blue and silver tinsel garlands we used to hang on our bannisters when I was a kid.

I totally feel you. Our house is like a big fall carnival every Sukkot. Our neighbors stop while walking their dogs and whisper to each other because we have parties in the sukkah and all sorts of fun stuff. Same kind of thing each Passover. Can't wait to do it in the new house, because DH loves that we're across from the only restaurant/gas station in our town. He keeps dreaming of writing "Chag sameach" in lights across the front of the house.

We stock up on "Christmas" decorations in January when they're all on sale to be used at other times, like Sukkot or Purim or Pesach. It makes those sales even more gratifying.

ETA: Yes on the scant birthday parties. I always had to have mine in mid-January, just so a couple of kids would be around.

[lurve]

okay, totally far-fetched question: does anyone know any cool, hippie jewish mamas in phoenix? thanks!

[tikva18]

: Merpk. I really hear you on the kid front. Am there doing that now.

[merpk]

jul'riv we put up an ad on the moshav, looking for a rental, and got one call, and they changed their minds before we could actually meet them. Sigh.

They're supposed to start building in the next year, though, a whole new neighborhood, so who knows about the future. But not now.

Originally Posted by tikva18

: Merpk. I really hear you on the kid front. Am there doing that now.

Yeah, I've been reading your posts and kind of empathizing. Sigh. He's very delicious and cute, and it's hard to figure out how to deal. So we're looking at this as getting professional advice. He's the one that's had the hardest time since the beginning when we moved here, and we kept looking for outside excuses (we couldn't find a good gan, no kids he bonded with the first year, etc., etc.) but maybe it's just something more basic.





I don't know if I posted this here, but since I'm giving the pitzke'le a hard time, will share a quick story that was one of the best highest moments of my life, and it was thanks to him.

So in February, I think it was, we went to spend Shabbos with BelovedBird. My kids get along pretty well with her kids, so they had an energetic time Shabbos night, and my kids really enjoyed a little exploring of the Old City (they're in Tzfat), and then Shabbos morning I woke up and all was quiet. So DS#2 says, "Ima, come with me for a walk. I want to show you something." So I hesitated, DD#2 was still sleeping, didn't want her to bug out if she woke up and I wasn't there, but then DS#2 insisted, "Ima, it's not far." Okay. So he held my hand and walked me down some steps, through an alley, and to the end of a street (BB, the kikar by Breslev), to an overlook with a beautiful view of Meron and the surrounding hills, and he just said, "See, Ima? When we came here yesterday I knew you would like it."

We just stood there for a few minutes, looking.

He was 6yo at the time, BTW.

I get all teary just thinking about it. Sigh.






Okay, now I'll remember to think of that next time he makes me nuts. Thanks, mamas, for giving me the excuse to remember.




Good Shabbos, y'all.

[Faliciagayle]

Originally Posted by lurve

hi everyone! i am homeschooling my little one and i am looking for a good book that has the weekly parshas. DD will be three in january.
And any other jewish books she might enjoy? she loves books and lately she doesn't want to leave home so our community has been limited...
thanks

I came across a kids parshot book by accident last week and I can't remember where or what the title was , but if I remember, I'll post a link.

[jul511riv]

Originally Posted by Faliciagayle

merpk -

Jul511riv - I have been thinking a great deal about your community post...I feel your pain. Moving to a densely Jewishly populated area has not been the hammentaschen and coffee essence I thought it would. This combined with the lack of crunchy folk around here makes for some pretty lonely days. And I am in a state of near panic knowing that our winter baby will, IYH, be here soon and then I'll be even more isolated. Sigh. We should be neighbors.

AGREED! Now who's movin' where? As for your garland and decorations, you don't have to tell me. I've been telling the kids all about the holiday season in the USA, which begins at Halloween. It's so much more FUN than what we've got. I'm sorry, but it is. A big fat dude in a jaunty costume with constant kindness brings you whatever you want (within reason)...a gigantic bunny hops around with eggs and chocolate and marshmellows. There is this element of wonder and mystery and fun that just doesn't exist in the Jewish holidays...not in the same way...and, frankly, its more fun to believe that a little chereb with wings will shoot an arrow at your loved ones to make them fall in love with you even more...and give you presents...and so on and so forth...

Originally Posted by merpk

jul'riv we put up an ad on the moshav, looking for a rental, and got one call, and they changed their minds before we could actually meet them. Sigh.

They're supposed to start building in the next year, though, a whole new neighborhood, so who knows about the future. But not now.

Awww, that's a bummer, merpk. I really would have liked to see ya'all end up there. I'm hoping that your number is coming up for finding a great place you can call your own...and not have to leave when the lease is up.

Your story about your boy is beautiful. I know that you've likely considered homeschooling...but maybe taking him out of school for a day or so and attending the homeschooling gatherings with him might give him (and you) a chance to really try it on for size and see. You are living in a hotbed of homeschooling...lots of other religious families that you can connect with...they do many activities every month...Geography Day, Zoo Day, Museum Day, Math Day...I can put you in touch with my friend in Bareket who can bring you up to speed on what is going on in your area (she lives about 20 min from you)...just email or pm me. She is also religious and is expecting her 4th child (her oldest is about to be a bar mitzvah), B"H. I don't know if you know Louise, but she also has 4 children and her oldest is around 15 years old (her youngest is about 5 or maybe 6)...they are also religious and don't live far from you, relatively speaking. I think either might be a great resource. And then you could get out and meet some other like minded mamas and kids your son's age and just see what you feel. Does'nt mean you have to homeschool, it's just exploring your options. Easy Peasy.

Let me know.

Sending you lots of xoxoxo.

[tikva18]

Merpk, sweet story. It's like knowing that there is this really sweet, sensitive poetic soul inside my ds and not knowing how to reach him. When we were at the dr. last week she asked him what his favorite color was. It used to be blue, but he told her green. So, I asked him why? what happened to blue? His reply was that since he hardly ever got to see his favorite color blue, he switched to a color that was more frequently seen. What was his favorite blue? "My favorite blue is the color of the sky as it begins to darken on a clear night." Where is this child? I want to hear more from him!

anyway - parsha books. I presume you are looking for something more than "My First Parsha Reader" http://seforimcenter.com/prodtype.as...FRDxDAodgTh0nQ

[lurve]

thanks tikva18 that is perfect! i just emailed my mom the link in hopes she will get the set for my DD's birthday!

well today for the second time in my adult life i made challah. the first time was two weeks ago and it turned into something the mossad could have used to defend themselves. it was that bad. i theorize i killed the yeast.

this time i had a water thermateter and well, the challah didn't turn out half bad! i tried to do it more healthy so it is a mix of whole wheat flour and quinoa floar. so it isn't your typical tasting challah but it certainly isn't horrible!

got a new havdalah set that i get to use for the first time tomorrow so i am excited. it was a new housewarming present from my parents. it's very breakable so we will see how long it lasts!

good shabbas y'all!

[tikva18]

I'm glad I could help. I've had challah issues for years. It wasn't until a good friend showed me how she does her challah that I got mine down. I always end up putting too much flour in it. So now I quit while it's still gucky (is that a word?) and then add a little as needed for making the braids. I also have had greater success since switching to spelt. I use half whole and half unbleached white spelt.

[lurve]

Originally Posted by tikva18

I'm glad I could help. I've had challah issues for years. It wasn't until a good friend showed me how she does her challah that I got mine down. I always end up putting too much flour in it. So now I quit while it's still gucky (is that a word?) and then add a little as needed for making the braids. I also have had greater success since switching to spelt. I use half whole and half unbleached white spelt.

can you share the recipe? i am not too thrilled with this one?

[smeisnotapirate]

Good shabbos, y'all!