(this moment)

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

inspired by soulemama

(This Moment)

{this moment} - {these moments} A Friday ritual. A single photo lots of photos - no words a few words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

 helping hands.

 co-pilots

 coming together

 sharing applesauce

 proof of a visitor.

early morning chores.

 french toast apple goodness (my wife made for me).

an adventure in five photos.

 and he's down...

face in the snow.

 and still smiling.

adventure continues.

inspired by soulemama

"FISH"

Yesterday, Avi signed "FISH" and pointed to the junk drawer. I opened the drawer to look for something that was fish-like. Nothing. "What fish babe?" I asked him.  "FISH" he signed over and over. I kept bringing him "fish" things. A book with fish in it, another book with fish in it, and a third book with fish in it. "FISH", he signed again and again. Walking back to the junk drawer, pointing. This went on for about three minutes.  I finally opened the drawer for -- oh, I dunno, the fourth (?) time when everything clicked. Avi had been drawing fish with Reji and then his Grandma recently. His crayons are kept in the junk drawer. Avi wanted his crayons. "FISH" of course.

coloring with grandma.

I LOVE how our kidlets make associations and use their limited language to communicate to us.  I felt a sense of .... hmmmm, what's the word?  Connection? Yes, connection! Yes, I felt a sense of connection -- connection with Avi -- when I was able to solve the mystery and interpret his "FISH".  I feel grateful for these little moments.  

little fingers.

 

little joys.

 

 little fish.

huge connections.

The First Night

Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah and while I'm thrilled to be kindling the Hanukkah lights -- for me, a reminder that within each of us is the ability to revive the Divine spark of light which resides (at times) hidden within our soul -- I also experience a bit of longing this time of year.... a longing for nostalgia.  To understand this, one must understand that I'm a Jew by Choice, which means I grew up with pine needles on the carpet, christmas carols around the piano, lights (the old school kind with thick bulbs) strung on the tree, twenty some odd ornaments with my name embroidered, etched, or written in marker for every year since 1974 until my grandmother became to ill to continue the tradition, and polyester stockings hung with thumbtacks from the cardboard fireplace that was leaned up against the front wall.  I still have the thank you letter from Santa for the cookies and milk I left for him -- though his signature looked freakishly similar to my mothers.  We didn't celebrate Jesus' birthday, we celebrated a secular christmas.  And I LOVED it!  We piled into the royal blue Plymouth Volare station wagon, the blue vinyl seats freezing cold, and headed to the christmas tree lot.  A blue spruce, my mother insisted.  Bringing the decorations up from the basement was one chore that I never bored of.  One ornament that my mother had gotten as a gift when she was a den mother, smelled like frankincense.  At the time, I didn't know what the scent was, but only that it meant it was christmastime.  It still smells like it did in 1980...and to this day, whenever I smell frankincense, I can see that angel ornament hanging from our tree. 

But then I converted.  Not because I had decided to "commitment ceremony" a Jew, but because I had been on a very long journey of seeking and finally had found what felt right to me. (By the way, if you skipped over that last link, commitment ceremony, because you know what a commitment ceremony is, you should think about taking a look at it, just for laughs).  And now, I don't decorate my home with a tree covered in frankincense smelling ornaments or a cardboard fireplace to thumbtack stockings to... but I still do have a longing for 'decorating' during the month of december.  Over the years my partner, Jenn, has giggled a little when she saw me hanging up a silly blue and white paper "Hanukkah" bunting.  Or when she noticed that I'd purchased blue place mats and white napkins to 'decorate the table'.  Or when she found the hideous Hanukkah table cloth that I found at the thrift store.  Really, even I agree it's hideous, but maybe it's akin to hanging polyester stockings, eh?  

But this year, without giggles, Jenn willingly climbed up on the stool to hang my 'silly' bunting and Avi loves the way it 'flies' when the furnace kicks on. 

So in the spirit of the holiday season... happy decorating and happy celebrating, whether it is next to a Hanukkiyah, beside the cardboard fireplace, alongside a solstice tree or in front of a Kinara.

***

And Tina Turner says.....

When Avi saw this photo of Tina Turner:

He signed "Lion" and made his roar sound.  Jenn and I laughed for a good long time.



What's something funny that happened to you this week?

(this moment)

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

inspired by soulemama

Shabbat Shalom

While it is my intention to observe Shabbat every Sabbath, the truth is that often it is Sunday morning before I realize we've missed it.  Even more reason for us to slow down and observe, right?  But the past few weeks, we have taken the time to slow (at least a little bit) to sing, light candles, say Kiddush & Hamotzi and eat a meal together -- followed by the weekly Shabbat dance party.  We love a little Ziggy Marley and Hairspray (I know, random, right?!) and whatever else inspires us in the moment. Currently we do not mark the end of Shabbat with Havdalah (though it's something I would like to start - time to get a spice box!) and thus our our candlesticks and Kiddish cup often linger on the dining room table for days.. sometimes even into the next Shabbat. 

   

This week, while finishing up his breakfast, Avi signed "more" while pointing to the Kiddish cup. It was empty but he enjoyed "drinking" from it anyway. Below are a few of those moments:

What lingers on your table week after week?  What rituals do you do with your family? Do you do anything weekly to help you 'slow down'?  If you observe, what does your Shabbat look like?

Sun Catcher

Avi and I made a sun catcher, inspired by Amanda Soule's book: The Rhythm of Family: Discovering a Sense of Wonder through the Seasons.  Avi is fascinated with ice these days, "I-C-E" he fingerspells (but really it is something like "A-F-snap fingers-A") while he says "ICE".  He really loves to eat it. (read: teething). But this was a super easy craft to do with him and the cold temps helped!  It hung from a tree in the yard for at least four days before the ice began melted enough that the ribbon it was hanging from let loose.  Next time I think I will just tie it around the outside instead of freezing it inside the ice.   

Second layer frozen.

Avi "testing" the third layer. 

What do you see?

The other day, Avi and I were sharing a snack and he started signing something.  Avi signs a lot, but many of his signs look similar so at times it takes a little deciphering.  I started looking around so I could make sense of his sign.  This is how it went:

"What do you see Avi?" (He didn't want "more")

(There weren't "shoes" nearby to be seen) "Can you show Ema what you see?"

He pointed out the window and I look.....

"Of course, the squirrel.  Looks like that squirrel is also having a snack."

And so... we watched the squirrel for a while.  

And I marvel at how our little ones can "tell" us so much about their world.  And the fact that his sign for "shoe", "more", "squirrel", and "rock" all look similar or that his signs for "book", "help", and his clapping all look similar doesn't really make that big of a deal.  We always seem to figure it out together. 

Inspired to Run

I do love this blog world.  and tonight I was inspired by Muddy Socks' most recent post.  So tonight I am posting that tomorrow, I'm going for a run in the morning.  Regardless of the weather.  I post this tonight so that anyone who stumbles here might check in with me to see if I actually followed through!! :)

(this moment)

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo two photos - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

inspired by soulemama

upcycled sleevy pants

Back in September, I was inspired to create some upcycled pants for Avi out of old shirts.  I saw some at a craft fair and knew I could do it too.  Many of the tutorials online are elaborate with patterns and so forth, but I found a few how-to's that were more my (whip it up and see how it turns out) style. See indietutes or rispok for easy tutorials.  Below are some shots of three pairs I made, from summer to winter!

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The first is this blue pair made from a polo type shirt.

Cut off sleeves

My kind of pattern -- use a pair of something you already have!

A few runs through the sewing machine.

Volia!

Avi modeling them while helping me hang the laundry. 

There is even room in there for his gigantic cloth diaper.

I had to include this one of his t-shirt from Tiny Revolution... can you read it?

"Double the Mommies, Double the Love."

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The second pair were made from a 3/4 length sleeve knit sweater that I wore a ton while I was pregnant. It was an XL and too big for me postpartum.

These are great pj pants

Built in stretch.

How Avi has grown in just 3 months, these now fit like capris on him. 

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The third pair were made from a wool sweater that I felted.  I think Diane has a nice explanation on how to felt sweaters on her blog. 

Green Wool Snow Pants

Yesterday, Avi wore them in the snow and I am LOVING them.  We have a snowsuit from last year that is too small if he wants to walk or lift his arms and we haven't gotten him any snow pants yet for this year.  So in the meantime, with these frigid days, on went the wool pants as snow pants.  They went easily over his cubby legs, a pair of babylegs leg warmers, and some loose cotton pants and kept him warm and DRY!!  

Rear view. 

Even a tumble is no problem.

 Snow caked outside, dry and warm inside.

 Everyone should be able to sit in the snow and be so warm.

Our afternoon exploration in 27 degree temps was a success!

 Special thanks to my sweetest model.