Planning a Graduation Party

Before I could blink my second child graduated from High School. She has worked very hard and overcame some unexpected obstacles during her Senior year. So we want to really celebrate her achievements with her friends, our family and friends. We decided we are going to do a Brunch in her honor. It's going to be a casual Dairy Buffet. My goal is to have everything prepared in advance so I can also enjoy visiting with all our guests. Being organized allows me to prepare and only have one or two minor snafus (need extra ingredients...). I also have started using electronic or email invites, it saves time, money and natural resources. I started sending them out five weeks in advance and as my daughter gives me her list. My next task is to compose a Menu and then use it as the basis for my shopping list. I use spreadsheets that I can save and use as a starting point for future events. Since the party is in honor of the Graduate, I will let her have input on creating the Party Menu I will start preparing the Menu three weeks before the Graduation Event. Graduation Brunch Menu Bagels Lox White Fish Cream Cheese Butter Sliced Tomatoes and Onions Salad with Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Olives and Avocado French Toast Casserole Spinach Quiche Graduation Cake Watermelon Slices Lemonade Iced Tea with Lemons and Mint This is my starting Menu but I may adjust it as the date gets closer

Returning to the Nest for Shavuot (And some Dairy Recipes)

Times are a changing. Oldest is at College, next is about to go and two years later another. Soon it will be the little one and the two of us. But somehow everyone finds their way home for the holidays. This week is no exception. Everyone will be home for Shavuot. The first might we will be part of the Festivities at our Synagogue. Best of all I will not have to cook for Erev Shabbat. The next night I will be back to cooking and Grandma is bringing Cheesecake. Recently the Little One and one of her friends were discussing the Ten Commandments on our way home from the bus stop. It is OK to eat a doughnut that is not part of Thou Shalt Not Kill:) Our conversations about the weekly Parsha and holidays have evolved over the years. We miss Rabbi Lieberman's OBM Weekly Parsha Sheets:) Of course they always have plenty to say about their B'nai Mitzvah portions.... I look forward to continuing these conversations as they change and how it is relevant to their lives. Chag Sameach:) Spaghetti Pie 6 Servings 8 oz. Spaghetti 8 oz. Mozarella Cheese, sliced 4 Eggs ¼ Parmesan Cheese 1 Cup Homemade Tomato Sauce Olive Oil Cooking spray Pre-heat oven to 350F. Cook Spaghetti in boiling water. Mix eggs and Parmesan Cheese in a large bowl. Drain Spaghetti and add to egg mixture. Pour half of Spaghetti mixture into greased glass pyrex pie plate, top with half of Mozzarella cheese. Cover with remaining Spaghetti and top with Mozzarella Cheese. Sprinkle top of pie with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve with heated Tomato Sauce. SPINACH QUICHE 8 Slices or 6 Generous Servings 1 Can Durkee Onion Rings 1 Unbaked 9” Pie Crust 1 C. minced Onion 1 10 oz, pkg. Spinach, thawed 16 oz. Cottage Cheese 1 tsp. Butter 3 Eggs ¾ tsp. Salt ¼ tsp. Pepper 1/8 tsp. Ground Nutmeg 1/2 C. Swiss cheese, small cubes Preheat oven to 400F. Prick pie shell with a fork; bake 15 minutes until lightly browned. In skillet melt butter, add onion and cook until soft, stirring occasionally. Squeeze Spinach in hands to remove as much moisture as possible. Add Spinach to Onion. Toss over heat until all liquid is evaporated. Remove skillet from heat. Place Spinach mixture and remaining ingredients, except onion rings in a large mixing bowl. Pour mixture into pie shell. Lower oven to 350F and bake 20 minutes, then top with onion rings and bake an additional 20-25 minutes, until top is brown. Remove from oven and let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

It's Not Always Easy!

Being an Ima does not always make you a popular person. That "n" word makes those little (or not so little) people mad. They want to hear the "y" word. But as I often tell them, I'm your parent not your friend. I'm at the point where I can't understand why parents don't get respite, or do you have to wait 18 years for "college" respite?

I don't care what the other Ima and Abbas do, you live here! These are our rules and that is all there is to it. Yes, it would be easier to give in, but fortunately for your long term melding, I allow myself to be tortured. The reality is my goal is to produce children who are kind, compassionate souls who will be an asset to the world. Yes I expect you to contribute to this world starting with your chores at home.

Going on out annual trip to the "beach" can often be a challenge. We're on vacation why do we have to do chores, is the cry of the wounded. Hey we still have to eat, clean-up and maintain ourselves! I know when they grow up I will look back on these treks as a wonderful time in life, but they do create a significant amount of stress for me in the here and now. On the occassion where I took just the two younger kids and it was like night and day. Perhaps they can skip teenager-hood!

Ok I'm just about ready for grandchildren, but that's at least ten years away! I'll just have to dream...

What A Day

As I write this at my computer, my six year old is asleep on my bed. She passed out at five o'clock.

We started the day with a news flash, the local High School was on a two hour delay. Of course it was dark out at 5:45 am and we couldn't see any of the "snow". We flipped to the local news station to learn our school and those north of it were all on a delay.

My littlest was having a field trip to the local children's museum and I volunteered to chaperone. That meant we could sleep in, no such luck. She was up and then we got ready for our day. First we went to the local interesting grocery store and picked out things for out "brown bag" lunch. We had; yogurt, cheese sticks, apple sauce, rice pudding, coffee cakes and water. We packed two of everything in a white plastic grocery bag. We then went to the Shul for Minyan. Littlest did Modeh Ani and Aleinu with another of the Three Musketeers. We had breakfast with the Minyannaires, then ran an errand. Then off to the Museum, where we had to wait for the bus and it was late.

When the bus arrived we scurried in out of the frigid temperatures. First the Museum staff lectured 36 first graders to behave and put their walking feet on and to be quiet. Then we were sent to the Rain Forest exhibit, followed the Human Body, Building and finally Energy (The water room). We moved onto lunch (The longest time slot, unlike on a normal school day when it's twenty minutes.). Lots of trips to the bathroom with lots of kids multiple times. Resulting in very tired kids and teachers who got on the bus.

I then went to the Department of Motor vehicles, a real Connecticut adventure. A record, temporary registration in just under an hour (They even gave me a "fast pass" for my return trip- like Disney World!), home to get the "new"car (OK new to us.) then off to Emissions and we passed and back to DMV. Done with Registration in less than 30 minutes. When I went outside the car would not turn on, I called AAA (Told them my six year old would be waiting at the bus stop for me and I was in a bit of an emergency.) and they came in 45 minutes. Lo and behold the battery was fine and he thought it was the starter. I called Uncle Arthur and he came got me and Littlest's car seat. We went and got the little one and our Knight in Shining Armor took us home. But where are my house and other car keys? Either left at home after DMV trip #1, at DMV or my mechanic where I had emissions done. Please let me know if you know where my keys are!

It's been a very long day. Chamomile tea, cookies and bed!

Delinquent Ima

Sorry I've been too busy being Ima, but now I hope to return.

This morning is a strange pre-Shabbat morning, I'm not baking Challah. I'm off today, Ok only from Shabbat dinner duties.

In lieu, I'm making the Almost-No-Knead Baguettes (From King Arthur Flour, the best flour I've used in my opinion.). I actually made the dough on Wednesday and quickly baked one baguette for a late lunch. The other three loaves are currently rising.

But in the mean time I've stripped three beds, done two loads of laundry, took out the garbage and recycling...

It is strange not to be making Chicken Soup, Challah, gefilte fish...

Someday in the future

Someday in the future I want to be self-sufficient. I want to be off the grid, I want a cistern and I want to supply my family with fruits, vegetables and eggs. Maybe it's a bit of a pipe dream. But I want to work towards these goals. Not only for the good of the world but that of my children.

I look forward to the day when my husband won't roll his eyes because I want to put solar panels on our roof, which has the perfect sun exposure (Or at least that's what I've been told.). We had a well when we moved in but we had to hook up to city water because it was contaminated and had an insufficient supply. A cistern could supply all our pool and garden water.

As far as the garden goes, I need a lot of help and to GREATLY increase my gardening knowledge. I have created a compost pile, but it really needs further assistance. I'm determined to decrease my garbage out put, although we'll never be like Ed Begley Jr. (Two shoeboxes a week.). Hopefully, eventually that compost pile will enrich our soil. Daughter #2's chore is to empty the compost buckets and cover it with leaves. I have failed to get my family to buy into this idea. I keep hoping they will get it.

The other problem is that my backyard is fairly shaded. My front yard is available but I have to dig it up, enrich the soil, build raised beds and fence it in before I can plant anything. It will also be visible from the road so it should look halfway decent. I did plant a small vegetable garden between my front door and side deck but the tomato blight got me! So much for those expensive organic plants being blight free.

It's a great road plan, but it's going to be a long ride. Maybe over the next twenty years...

Just An Ordinary Soul

I hope I can live my life as an example for my children. No, I’m not interested in fame and fortune. I want them to be good human beings who in turn can lead a life that will be an example to their children.

Having a heart and soul is the center of your being. Remember that you are only a very small part of the huge world. But you can make an enormous impact; just by being a “good” person!

By the way I still want my kids to make a living and live a comfortable life, but in an honorable way.