Homemade Pasta Dinner, Prepared by Ron, Michaela and Talya

I had a long work day today, so Ron and the girls decided to have a little fun in the kitchen. Of course, I did get to reap the rewards!

The Sleepover

Michaela happened to be out at a friend's house for the night, so Talya decided to have a sleepover with me. We set the mattress up next to my bed and we got her sleeping bag. I told her to go upstairs and get her pillow and her lovey and lo and behold, she came down a few minutes later with her packed overnight bag! It is always good to be prepared for a night away from home...I mean from one's room.

The Mitzvah of Hafrashat Challah

Today, I had the opportunity to participate in a great mitzvah, one that has turned out to be more meaningful than I had expected. A friend of a cousin of a friend (did you follow that?) has been trying unsuccessfully to conceive. It has recently become common in Jewish communities for forty or more women to devote their prayers, while performing the mitzvah of hafrashat challah, the separating of or taking of the challah, to a person in need. In particular, this practice is often done to help a couple trying to conceive. A couple of weeks ago, this woman (the friend of a cousin of a friend), put the call out and the request reached me.

There is more to this mitzvah than meets the eye. Of course, there are many of us who make challah regularly – especially in Seattle where the kosher challah choices are limited. However, in order to perform the mitzvah, one must use a prescribed amount of flour – that amount makes A LOT of challah. The dough is formed and left to rise. Before shaping the dough into the braided loaves, prayers are recited; a small piece of dough is removed and then it is burned.

What is so remarkable about this experience is the connection that it creates. It is amazing enough to think that around the world, many others are following the same practice, making challah for Shabbat, reciting the same words of prayer, performing the same mitzvah, for the same or similar reasons. It is even more incredible to think, that in this case, 50 other women around the world, in the past 24 hours, have been thinking about and praying for one couple to conceive. I am so grateful to have been part of that chain.

Winter Piano Recital - Talya's First!

Tonight was Mrs. Blair's winter piano recital! Since both girls have been studying with her, we had a chance to hear them both perform. For Talya, this was her first recital. She was so nervous before, but she was incredibly focused and very cute. She performed her first piece by herself.
And then her second was a duet that she performed with Mrs. Blair.

Michaela followed soon after.

There were a lot of students performing this winter, as evidenced below. Admittedly, it was a long recital...

Afterward, both girls were very proud!

Hanukkah Lights

Though Hanukkah got a slow start, it has been really fun this year. Ayelet really enjoys lighting the Hanukkah candles, and is so proud that she gets to light her own menorah. She also loves to play dreidel with her sisters. Here are just a few photos that capture the family fun.

This is one of my favorites - she is concentrating so hard as she is lighting her candles.

Ayelet LOVES Her Daddy's Dogs

Another Budding Musician

...and she is only 21 months old!

A Wonderful Thanksgiving

For the past years (maybe 5 years?) we have had a most wonderful Thanksgiving tradition. We spend the day frying turkeys, entertaining, visiting, playing, eating, drinking... It is always such a special part of the holiday for us and a highlight of the season. Ron sets the fryer up outside, I prepare appetizers, friends come over, visit and fry. At the end of the afternoon, everyone is off to their own Thanksgiving feasts and Ron fries ours for our dinner with friends. This year Ron set a record and fried 5 turkeys! He has it down to a science, apparently they were all delicious!