What does it mean to be free?-Nissan Jewish Mamas

[Magelet]

I didn't see a nissan thread, and we're well into it. Welcome to nissan, mamas. How's pesach prep going (physical and spiritual)?

[smeisnotapirate]

Oh, so not thinking about Pesach, which is REALLY bad. I get my ok to have a baby from my MW on the first day of Pesach, so I'm in total denial. We don't have a car seat or anything for this child, and doing Pesach prep means that baby is allowed to come.

So I'm just not doing it. I'll be panicking on March 28 or 29, though.

[Magelet]

ahh I love your logic. I've definitely done logic like that myself before.

[jul511riv]

wtf is klp and what isnt?! good grief! /end rant.

[Ruthla]

The fewer processed foods you eat, the easier it is. If all you use is extra virgin olive oil, raw meat, raw nuts in the shell, and produce, then you don't need to worry about anything.

Of course, my kitchen isn't quite that simple either.....

[Magelet]

The fewer processed foods you eat, the easier it is. If all you use is extra virgin olive oil, raw meat, raw nuts in the shell, and produce, then you don't need to worry about anything.

That's actually why I'm not worrying that much. I'm just still starting out being more observant of no chametz and cleaning for passover and stuff this year, so I'm feeling like instead of worrying about whether my olive oil has a hechsher or something, or the debateability of whether milk needs to be klp is way beyond me. I'm starting with cleaning the chametz as best I can, and making sure the few processed foods I eat are klp.

[SaraFR]

subbing

[Kmelion]

I refuse to make myself nuts with the over-cleaning. Last year I was 2 weeks post-partum at the Seder and we managed.

With regard to food, here in Israel, SO much is kitniyot, it's ridiculous. Yogurt... YOGURT!! What in the world do they put into yogurt that it would be Kitniyot??

I'm also trying to get a fledgling ebay thing going. Israeli headscarves. I don't want to violate any rules so take a look at my profile for the website or feel free to PM me.

[DashsMama]

What in the world do they put into yogurt that it would be Kitniyot??

My guess would be guar gum (from a bean) or some other type of thickener. Beautiful scarves, Kmelion! I love both the blue and lilac ones, and such good prices! Do you make these yourself?

So far my Passover prep has consisted of looking through a cookbook to plan what I'm going to cook. I'm in so much trouble! I've been really sick this month, first with bronchitis and then with the flu and my house is a total wreck. My kids keep finding lollipops and other unopened snacks tucked away here and there in toy boxes. I know that I really have to get in and take care of it ASAP, but am rather overwhelmed.

Thanks to whoever posted the link to the Passover prep article in the last thread. I think some of the recommendations in there are going to save me. I also really appreciated the Rabbi's reminder not to traumatize my family when cleaning/preparing. That's the sort of advice I need to hear more often.

Have a good holiday everyone!

[npl]

Originally Posted by Kmelion

With regard to food, here in Israel, SO much is kitniyot, it's ridiculous. Yogurt... YOGURT!! What in the world do they put into yogurt that it would be Kitniyot??

Corn Starch, modified corn starch, etc. And I hate when they use the same tubs for Pesach as they do for year-round, with a stamp for KLP, and you have absolutely no idea what is in your yogurt!

[Kmelion]

So yeah, it IS corn starch in yogurt... good thing none of us have corn allergies!

I DID find Yoplait brand yogurt KLP, non-Kitniyot.

DashsMama, I don't make them myself. And thanks! They really are gorgeous, so lightweight and comfortable to wear and feel soooooooo nice!

[npl]

We've got a lot of yogurt choices, both cholov yisroel and cholov stam. Year-round we keep cholov stam, but I don't feel right doing that over Pesach, because growing up all that was available for Pesach was c'y, so it feels wrong to be less machmir now that we have more available. What I do remember, growing up, was discovering that the fancy, imported, c'y yogurts were actually kitniyos. Very frustrating! And, of the c'y klp yogurts, a lot seem to have artificial colors, and other stuff I'd rather not feed the kids, but for one week I make do.
Anyway, we already switched our kitchen (kids are very confused that the kitchen is pesachdik but it's not pesach and we're still cleaning!) and dh picked up some klp non-c'y yogurt for them. Guess what - it's plain, natural (just milk and cultures) and the boys are loving it with pesach cereal! Of course, it's the full-fat variety, which I'm betting makes it taste better. But, it's great to know that I can buy big tubs of healthy yogurt for them, instead of the little tubs of sweetened flavoured stuff. Much cheaper (even the big tubs of fruit flavoured is more expensive, and supplies are sporadic. I have no idea why it's so hard to find flavoured cholov stam yogurt with a hechsher) and healthier. Now to convert dd!

[Ruthla]

Where on earth do you find full fat yogurt for Pesach? During the year we ONLY buy the full fat variety, as we find it fills the kids up better and they actually eat less. Here in NY, I can only find the lowfat yogurt for Passover, so that's what I bought.

I'm guessing that a lot of yogurts also contain corn syrup- another reason I usually only buy organic yogurt during the year. I'm actually not that concerned about organic vs conventional, but only in organic can I find the whole milk yogurts or ANY yogurt sweetened with sugar instead of HFCS.

[npl]

It's a Canadian brand called Western Creamery. Under COR, cholov stam, only available in natural flavour, as far as I remember.
I can't remember what was available when we lived in the US.

[smeisnotapirate]

npl, how are you feeling? I'm amazed that you're on top of Pesach. I'm really slacking because I'm getting into the "very pregnant" stage and feeling sorry for myself.

I've got contac paper for the counters and my Pesadik dishes out. No shopping done or anything, because thankfully we're not hosting 1st or 2nd night seder this year, so I'm planning on doing it tomorrow after breakfast. (Thank goodness for small blessings.)

That's it. I've given up on cleaning, given up on pretty much everything else. If we manage to eat pesadik foods for 8 days, I will be a happy camper. DS is getting picky with food, so this could be quite the adventure.

[Magelet]

hey. Since I'm sick, and pms-ing, I've given up on such a thourough cleaning as I had originally considered. DP cleaned the house (vacumed, poured boiling water over utensils, scrubed the counters and floor) etc, while I was at work. The man is just getting over the same thing I have and he isn't even jewish and he cleans my house for me for pesach on his day off. Even gathered up most of the chametz.

I've done a lot of searching and thinking about spiritual chametz (or at least a lot more than previous years) and I'm planning on writing down some of the spiritual and mental chametz stuff on a little peice of paper to burn with the physical chametz. I'm quite looking forward to it. Pesach has always been the least meaningful holiday and I'm hoping that I will find some meaning this year. I think it may happen.

I'm starting to realize what a large undertaking bringing my lunch to work will be over pesach. Isn't that silly? I'm used to getting a free lunch (and snack) at work, and it's always top quality, TF, tasty (cause I make lunch for everyone so I get to make it how I like lol), and super nutritious. What a score. Anyways, it will be a pain and more expensive to bring lunch every day the few days I work. how spoiled I've gotten. I even have a full commercial kitchen to heat stuff up in. (since we aren't cleaning the oven out here, no reason not to use the oven there.)

Basically, there is a lot of "calling it enough" happening around here, however it's a lot more than I've done in the past and I'm feeling quite good about it. psyched for our seders. (We're having three . two on the first two nights, and then one next weekend. My family can't get together midweek this week, and it's more important to our whole family that we do a holiday together as a family than on the day. I figure it can't hurt a thing to have MORE seder and MORE exodus story telling, right? Plus, it's the first seder in years that my dad and I will host that my little sis will come to.)

ok, time to go beand probably.

chag sameach. (btw, I said chag sameach to someone for the first time without having to think about it today.)

[merpk]

Hi. Happy Day Before Pesakh.



Glad it's finally happening. Can't wait for it to be done so I can go to sleep. Is that a bad way to start a seder? Oh well. That kind of month.

We've had a stomach virus here for a month-plus that's been a stomach virus like no other I've lived with. Started with #2 right before Purim (barfing & shilsul), moved through the kids one by one, and it lasted a long time, she missed days of school, until two weeks ago, when #1 and #4 had it at the same time and they both missed a week of school, and then the #3 got and and #2 got it again, unfortunately getting it during the week of vacation before the holiday, and then DH and I also got it. I haven't had a fever like that in years. And had to work through it. DH, too ... he started a new job two weeks ago (b'H) and couldn't take off (scared to ... it's a 3-month job, a "try-out" situation, and he didn't want to mess it up ... so then he went to work with a fever of 102.5 and spilled beakers and ... ohnevermind) ... anyway, so now #4 is sick again, but this seems to be a normal bad cold-ish sort of thing. I'm the only one with stomach-reliving entertainment at this point, though the fever is gone.

The doctor was useless. "It's a virus; rest." Great, dude. Glad we don't have to pay to visit you, otherwise I'd want my money back.

At least I've lost weight. Ten pounds. Haven't eaten in almost two weeks except a few bites a day, and what I have eaten reappears an hour or so later in one form or another.

If this doesn't get better soon I'll be able to wear bikinis again. Hahahaha. Only kidding.

Seriously.

It's been relatively helpful for shalom bayis, though. He finds it hard to be tyrranical when he wants sympathy. Thank G!d for something positive here.



Okay. Thanks for letting me rant a thoroughly disgusting rant about a thoroughly disgusting virus.



Yes, we've cleaned through it. With lots of "uh-oh-get-out-of-the-way-gotta-get-to-the-bathroom-fast" breaks. Bleh.




Blessing you and me and ALL OF US with absolute freedom; particularly freedom from the tyranny of illness and laundry and makhlokes. Blessing you and me and all of us with shalom bayis shalom bayis shalom bayis.

(Will take extra tefillos in that last regard ...)

[npl]

Smeis - thanks. I also don't know how it's possible, considering the fact that I was on some form of bedrest with the last two pregnancies. I put it down to davening (especially other people who I know are davening for me) and random people in the supermarket giving me brachos for b'shaa tova. I guess it's also partly experience - between 3 other pregnancies and a really bad bout of ME/CFS, I've learned how to do things in little bits and to listen to my body for the early clues that I need to take a break. It was a bit hairy at times, especially when dh was sick for nearly 3 weeks and not able to do much to help (I had to take back the jobs he had started doing around the house to let me rest). I think there was also a huge psychological boost last week, when I hit 37 weeks and knew it was OK for baby to come. Plus, the knowledge that if I did have a baby the week before Pesach then there was a much better chance of getting chessed help (I did have a friend come for an hour with her son, a teenage girl came a couple of times, and I paid dh's teenage cousins to come and help out, too).
Hope you feel OK, too! Don't push it, and know your minimums!

Merkp - sounds awful! Refuah shleimah! And amein to your bracha - particularly the shalom bayis which is so hard at this time of year!

Magelet - don't stress it - just do the best you can! Hope your sedarim are all that you are hoping for!

Chag kasher vesameach, one and all!

[Nickarolaberry]

Chag kasher v'sameach to everyone!

Pesach has been and will be pretty simple for us, as we're in a location where it's hard to get a lot of the kosher l'pesach products. I ordered in a bunch of things, realized I didn't get everything I needed and we will make do. I wish I could find kfp yogurt though; I can't get it anywhere here that I can tell. One more run to one more grocery this morning to give it another shot.

Other news...I've got a new job. I'll be teaching 7th/8th grade history/social studies at the public charter Montessori where my girls go (and ds will also go next year). I start part time after spring break (3 mornings a week) in order to integrate with my co-teacher and get to know the kids, then it will be full time next year IY"H. It's not exactly what I'm used to (as I am a professor by training and avocation) but I do love the Montessori environment and for family reasons it's a terrific opportunity (my kids will all be in the same place, can eat lunch with me, on the same schedule, etc.).

I'm still homeschooling limudei kodesh, so that will basically be another part time job...but that's okay. I need to earn some money, and I really need to be out of the house working part of the day. I have found that working at home in isolation is very bad for me; I get depressed and spend too much time in my head. I also love teaching and it charges me. So this is good. (Plus, it's a district position even though it's a charter school, so the benefits are good).

What else??? Hmmm...still running a lot. Just did another half marathon and it went awesome. Trying to decide which full marathon to train for next...running is a heckuva lot cheaper than therapy! And it's not bad for the waistline either.

Okay, off to get the turkey out of the oven and the kids out of the house for awhile between the raindrops.

On the up side, for the first time the "summery" style new clothes they sell this time of year (Easter/Passover) actually work with our climate...

[Magelet]

chag sameach! I hope you all had a good time finishing up cleaning and wonderful first night seders. Ours was great. Good people, amazing, reveletory food, and overall, so much what I was looking for. It was wonderful. I really enjoyed it.