Timing is Everything!

So it’s new years eve, you are not working, what would you spend your morning doing? Sleeping was the first option that I wanted. Alas, it was not meant to be.

 

I have had a fever for a couple of days now, with the sore throat, runny nose, achy bones crud that sometimes comes along for the ride. I hate to be sick, I hate the sympathy to be ladled on, just leave me the crap alone ok, but be nearby in case I need to whine.

 

Having been on my own for a while I have got used to just sucking it up, you are sick, do what you need to do, get over it, move on with life, coz even if you wanted sympathy there ain’t no one to give it to you. Yes, the kids are good for a get well cuddle and the occasional cup of tea; they have even been known to share their stuffed animals with me in an effort to cheer me up.

 

I am not on my own anymore. There is a lovely caring fella out there who loves me and cares for me. This also means when I am sick I can’t just ignore it – if I do it will make him worry more, and then I will feel guilty, and that’s just not something I want to deal with right now. So KoD asked me last night if I would see a doctor today. I laughed. A doctor, new years eve, in Canada, land of socialized medicine. Ha bloody ha! By this morning he had got a promise out of me (how he does that I do not know, to most other people my stubbornness is seen as an insurmountable wall, retreat, regroup and run the other way, but to him, he just vaults right over it – how does he do that??)  to see a doctor, and with me, a promise must be kept.

 

I finally managed to find a clinic that was open, and that had walk-in hours today. So far so good, right? I called them at 8 am, asked for the information and drove on over there, was there by 8:45. I stood in line to register, and was informed by receptionist that there was a three and a half hour wait to see the doctor, “is that ok?” – no it freaking well is NOT ok, but what bleeping choice do I have if I want to see the doctor? NONE.

 

So I go and sit down, pull out my crocheting and my hot pink iPod, and let’s not forget the PoisonBerry, and I settle in for the long wait.

 

After an hour my name is called – well, it was my name but they prefixed it with Monsieur – I most definitely am not a man, and I resent the implication. I was called into the nurse’s office to have my vitals taken, in French, because the nurse has no idea how to speak English. Yes I understand Quebec is a French province – but the majority of people who work in the medical industry know English too, so they can, get this, communicate. I know, shocking eh? I needed to explain a certain medication to her – me a layperson, her a medical professional, because I didn’t know its French name.Speak the lingo, missy – sick people have no patience. After 3 frustrating minutes with her I was sent back to go wait with the other sick people.

 

So I spent my time texting with certain individuals who shall remain nameless because they have jobs to do, and it cannot be know they were playing cyber hooky with Hadassah, keeping her company in her time of sickitude. I caught up on emails, twittered a bit – the usual twiddling my thumbs activities.

 

In between all of that I continued my crocheting – what is it with people? Have some people never seen a non-grandma know what to do with a sharp needle and some wool? I had people staring at me – it’s a freaking scarf, moron, aintcha never seen one before? I totally freaked one guy out – I stared him in the eye as I continued to crochet (yeah I AM that good) – he broke eye contact first. (I wonder why he put the garlic around his neck tho, that can’t have been good).

 

As the third hour rolled around I was getting very fed up with my neighbour. He didn’t want to cough over his wife, but apparently because I didn’t have to share his bed I was fair game. Every freaking time he needed to cough he turned in my direction, not even bothering to cover his mouth. I mean, come on! I moved away finally. But the people near me were all coughing too – all these darn sick people, keep them the heck away from me!!

 

I got my first glimpse of the on call doctor at this point. You know you are in big trouble when the doctor doesn’t look older than barmitzvah – it makes you feel really old. Maybe he was a teen playing dress up? I like my doctors older than me, it proves they have experience with cantankerous biddies like myself and can hold up their end of a conversation. Doogie Howser – you have a lot to answer for.

 

Did you ever notice wherever you are there is always a landsman there with you? Another jew? Anyhow, I started eavesdropping on a phone conversation – which because I am fluent in Hebrew, I hadn’t realized was taking place in Hebrew until he yelled at someone in French, but more on that later. Why did I start eavesdropping, well, he was kinda loud, and was hard to ignore.

 

So Israeli guy was talking to his buddy, asking him, tell me, Dvir, do you have any connections, any protekzia, with a pharmacist? Because I am sitting here in the doctors office already for 2 hours and my tachat is tired. All I need is antibiotics – do you know someone? What can you do for me? Come on, you know me, I don’t ask for much……………

 

He continued his conversation, was asking for an update on the situation in Israel. I could give his opinion here on how to deal with the situation, but I am not a big fan of hate mail. He is carrying on his conversation, and I for one am enjoying it. It was informative. All of a sudden out of nowhere he yells to the receptionist in French – do I have the right to speak on my cellphone? The receptionist gave him a total DUH look, and said sure, no rule against it. Apparently Israeli guy had a lady sitting near him who took exception to the fact that he was having a lovely conversation with a friend which she totally could not understand. She told him he had to switch off his phone, at which point he yelled to the receptionist. The lady was so disgusted with the dirty look he sent her way (I don’t blame him, I didn’t want the conversation to end either) that she got up and moved. Near to me. I was so tempted to call up a friend and babble away in Hebrew, just to irk her. But I didn’t.

 

Finally after three and a half long excruciating hours, and no coffee to help soothe my throat or calm my spirits (the coffee shop was taking some R & R – chutzpah) the Doogie Howser impostor called my name. I much prefer the doc that owns the clinic. Years ago we started calling him DrYummyBuns – I haven’t seen him in a while – he was very dreamy.

 

He prodded, he poked, he asked, he listened……and pronounced me sick with a virus. Couldn’t I please have something a little more exotic seeing as I sat in that germ infested waiting room for three and a half freaking hours – I didn’t sit there to be sent home with a “there, there” and instructions to shut up for a few days. Yes, he does not know the Hadassah of whom we speak. Telling me to be quiet – may as well tell the Pope to become Jewish. Me be quiet – ha bloody ha!

 

Ok so I get kvetchy when I am sick – wanna make a federal case out of it? So now I am home, I am going to have some homemade chicken soup and noodles, and its going to “feel me better” as Prince Squiggy once said. We have a ladies night out planned for tonight, at my fave sushi place, so I will rest a little in order to be able to party hardy tonight.

2008 retrospective

I started writing a look back at the year that was, but the first draft ended up being a play by play of the guys that I dated. I should be blushing here, right, but I will not. I was on a quest to find my prince charming and I guess that was my main focus of this year. Those of you who read all the Frumster Files  (including the deleted ones) know a lot of what I experienced.

 

After many disappointments, and some close calls, this year on Rosh Hashannah my davenning was to ask Hashem to send me what he felt was right for me at this point in my life. I honestly didn’t think He would be so quick in responding.

 

As I look back on 2008 I want to thank every guy that I dated / went out with / conversed and emailed with. You were all a necessary step on my road to finding my King of Diamonds. Ok a few of you I would like to have stepped completely over or on you, but I didn’t get that choice. I learnt something from each and everyone of you – some things about men in general, some things about myself, my likes and dislikes, my preferences, what I will or will not settle for. There were a couple of you that were really close to be the One – but you didn’t make the final cut….oh well, such is life.  (At this point I would like to say that I didn’t settle for anything less than the very best – and I am so blessed)

 

This was the year of finding my beshert, my beloved future husband, the King of Diamonds. He proposed in front of my children, with tears sparkling in his eyes…sigh….I love sharing our story – so read it again here.

 

This was also the year in which we celebrated the barmitzvah of our eldest son, together, in true blended family tradition – with everyone getting along and being there for our son’s moment in the spotlight. Read about it here.  Son – you did me proud and I am so honoured to be your Ima. I still think back fondly to that weekend – such great positive memories. My fave – when you started speaking about me in your speech and your voice broke, and the whole hall cried with you. My chance to speak – well, that was icing on the cake. Read my speech here .

 

This year I took my eldest son to Israel and introduced him to his country. I was so priviliged to be able to do this, and the memories will live on in both of us forever. My prayer at the kotel. Some holiday musings .

 

I started working outside the house this year, I blogged about it here  and while it was a big adjustment, I would not trade it for the world. To have people to converse with during the day, about important matters, and not just about groceries and kids – that’s a priceless experience. And to get paid for it – what a bonus!!

 

I made a bunch of new friends this year and enjoyed “old” friends too– you have enriched my life more than you can ever know. I hope our friendships continue to go from strength to strength.

 

I also started blogging this year. First month of blog here . It has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have had to date. I have always been one to have something to say, and the idea that there are people out there actually interested in what I have to say just continues to blow my mind!

 

I bought a blackberry  and joined the dark side. I started tweeting too – if you haven’t used twitter.com yet – hop on over there and sign up. This has been an invaluable real time tool for me to advertise my blog, to find out what’s going on in the world, and with my own people. Warning –it can be a little bit addictive if you let it. Note to all who asked – I will not be live tweeting my wedding – that’s been done already…thanks SGR for taking that pressure off me!!

 

I gave up coffee three times this year. Every time I was so impressed with myself. I went without coffee for 3 long months at one point. Everyone (except my stomach) is so much happier with me back to drinking my daily caffeine. Some things are just not worth giving up. Caffeine makes me a better mother – it’s the sacrifice I am willing to make. (of course the fact that I love it very much doesn’t hurt ).

 

My message for you all in 2009 is don’t give up on your dream. Sometimes you may have to tweak it a little, refine and reshape – but don’t give up. You never know what life has in store.

 

So my motto for 2009 is this “all will be fine in 2009”.

My World Famous Delicious Pie Cake

Firstly you have to know this is my own recipe, that I adapted from a number of other recipes. I do that. I also add plenty of love and happiness – without adding those ingredients the cake just won’t taste right. I know it sounds corny – but don’t bake this when you are in a bad mood. It just won’t be worth it.

 

Ingredients necessary:

½ cup of Shortening

1/2 cup / 1 stick Margarine / Butter, softened

1 ½ cups of Sugar

1 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder

4 Eggs

1 teaspoon of Vanilla essence

3 cups of Flour

1 21 oz Can Pie Filling – I like cherry or raspberry

Icing sugar

Pam Spray

Love

Happiness

Warm Fuzzies

 

What to Do:

Turn oven on, preheat oven to 350F (180C)

Grease pan with Pam spray – I like to use a 9 x 13 aluminum pan – the disposable kind, makes for easy clean up.

Beat together (on low) shortening, margarine, sugar, baking powder, vanilla and eggs, constantly scraping sides of bowl. As you are mixing think happy thoughts.

Beat it on high for two minutes. More happy loving thoughts. Sprinkle in a smile or two – what can it hurt?!!

Add flour half a cup at a time – mix well.

Take two thirds of the mixture and spread it out over greased pan – you are probably going to have to use your fingers – so make sure they are very clean and the jewellery is removed. Its annoying to get dough out of those rings….

Make sure it’s even – sprinkle more love…..

Spread pie filling over it, making sure every square millimeter is covered.

Using the remaining dough, roll out in your hands lengths of dough and place over pie filling in lattice design. It will feel like you are playing with long worms of dough, but I so love this part. Make it pretty – it will add to the love. Leave space – the dough expands as it bakes.

Bake 45 minutes, or until you feel it is ready.

Take out of oven and leave it to cool, away from sticky hands and hungry tummies.

Turn oven off (hey, people do forget)

Once it is cool, you can glaze it. Also a fun thing to do.

Mix icing sugar with water – I usually measure by sight, but you need experience to do this, so let’s say for argument’s sake, mix 1 cup icing sugar with 2 tablespoons of water / milk. You want it mixed to a goopy consistency. Not too thick but not too runny either. Like Hummous – I guess. If it is too thick add a little more liquid. Too runny – add more icing sugar.

Once that’s mixed you can either just drizzle it out of the mixing bowl over the cake, or you can pipe it over so it looks fancier. Myself, I prefer easy – it all just runs together anyway. Leave it a half hour and its ready to serve.

 

If there is any left I always keep this in the refrigerator.

If you do make it, let me know how it went over.

 

Oh and it is mezonot!!

 

Have fun, and please remember to cook safely in the kitchen.

 

this is a pic without the icing – shows better how it should look.

Protect your children?

Those of you who read my blog regularly know that I very rarely discuss politics. I don’t have time nor patience for it, and I don’t even pretend to understand what the heck goes on in government. There are plenty of other things in my life for me to get passionate about, so I leave the politicking to the pundits.

 

That being said I cannot ignore what is happening in Israel and Gaza. The world is making out that Israel are the bad guys for firing retaliatory rockets into Gaza. When someone repeatedly attacks you and you sit by doing nothing for a long time, does that give your attackers carte blanche to keep doing it? Does it make it right? No. So when you are finally fed up with these random attacks and you want to do something to make it stop, you are well within your rights. So Israel has decided these rocket attacks must end, and decides to retaliate in kind, and sends rockets to military targets in Gaza.

 

When Israel is under attack it sends its children to safety. There are reports of parents from southern towns sending their children to relatives in northern parts of the country in order to keep them safe. The bomb shelters are once again inhabited. Precautions are taken to safeguard life and limb, on the Israeli side. School has been cancelled. Our children’s safety is paramount.

 

In Gaza there have been reports of children hurt / killed at military installations that were targeted by Israel. Such a hue and cry that Israel killed innocents. What were such innocents doing in military installations? Where were their parents who are supposed to keep them safe and out of the line of danger? Are their parents, the military commanders, hiding behind their children? Are they that cowardly? If you knew you were a likely target of military strikes and you had children, would you not do all you could to safeguard your children’s lives? To me this just seems like common sense, but maybe other cultures think differently.

 

I am scared what the death toll on both sides will be once this campaign is over. If there will be a ground incursion to Gaza, what will that mean to Israel?  Will we be burying more of our young people? Will more parents mourn the loss of a son killed protecting his country? And if there is even one death mourned, will it have been worth it? Will this operation be the one to finally end the violence and the bloodshed? Or will the violence continue to be perpetuated by Hamas and its splinter groups?

 

My thoughts and prayers are with my family and friends, with my people of Israel. I know it is easy for us to sit here in North America and wring our hands at the plight of our brethren over there, but please know that you are in my prayers.

My personal Tikkun Olam

Is it just me, or do other brides out there have this insane need to put the world to rights before they walk down the aisle to join in holy matrimony with their beloved?

 

I have had this feeling for about nine months now, even before I met my King of Diamonds. But as you all know I was actively looking to find Mr Right (little did I know how right he would be, all the darn time…;-)…) and even tho I found a few Mr Wrongs (Oh how awfully wrong some of them were) and a few Mr RightNows – I knew the chuppah was nearby in my future.

 

We all know that nobody is perfect and we have all done things in the past that we are totally not proud of at all. Mostly we try to learn from our mistakes and move on. Sometimes it is necessary to rectify those mistakes – and that takes a huge amount of soul searching and self-honesty. Most of us are afraid to do that. I used to be, but no more. I am all about taking the bull by the horns and facing the music, painful as it might be.

 

I think there are some situations that we can never rectify – some people are just not meant to be in our lives. But I don’t think that means that we shouldn’t at least try.

 

It’s almost as if I just want the whole world to be as happy as I am when I say my vows…ok no vows in a Jewish wedding ceremony, but there should be. In fact I want to write my own ceremony but I have a feeling it won’t be well accepted. I don’t want anyone harbouring any negative thoughts or feelings about me – I need to get married knowing that everyone in my life, past and present, loves me, simply and truly.

 

Utopia is a wonderfully literate way of saying denial, isn’t it? Well, I guess I am living in my own Utopia, wanting everything to be sweetness and light. I can hope, I can try, I can darn well dream, can’t I?

 

When you were getting married did you have similar feelings and thoughts? Or were you just focusing on the wedding bit?

Pure decadence!!

I am off work for the next couple of weeks.Yay!  So I am allowing myself the luxury of turning off the ringer on the phone, shutting off the BlackBerry and going back to sleep. Yes, indeed. It is daylight and I am crawling back under the covers to sleep. I am BH not sick, just indulging in some pure decadence. When I awake I will take a bubble bath. This afternoon I will do some much needed laundry and housework, but for now I will pamper myself. It was an exhausting weekend, I need to recuperate.

 

The rest of the vacation will be devoted to wedding planning.

Name change

Alright, I have been informed I need to change my boys’ nicknames.

Pigeon is now to be known as Prince Lenny (his choice)
Duckie is to be known as Prince Squiggy (his choice)
Woodpecker to be known as Prince HockeyFan
Puffin to be known as Prince Chatterbox

I love to write

 I love to write, and i love getting recognized for it. I got another award!!  The Babysitter awarded me a blog award. Read the lovely things she says here!

Weekend Wonders – Part Three

 

 

read part one here

read part two here

Sunday morning I had the honour of waking up at 7 am, in order to text KoD to make sure he woke up in order to make it to minyan on time in order to pray to G-d. I had to wake up Prince Pigeon too, as he was to go to shul with KoD. For once the prince listened to me without kvetching – the idea of just he and KoD going to shul together was a total blessing for him.

 

I found it tough getting up this morning –the coffee just wasn’t kicking in well enough. The few hours that KoD wasn’t with me, well, I just felt something was totally missing. Even tho I was sleeping most of those few hours, but still, spending time in his company is just the greatest feeling in the world. You know, how when you are surrounded by good people you feel better about yourself – well, when I am with him I just feel awesome and invincible and so sure of myself. He inspires me to be so much more than I think I can be, and has such total faith that I could do / be anything. I don’t understand how one awesomely special person can make another feel so amazingly inspired and empowered and oh so loved. I am humbled by him…….sorry, got sidetracked there – where was I? (newsflash, shares in Kleenex have more than doubled in the last hour)

 

Finally I kicked myself out of bed and into the kitchen. I decided to make the kids French toast, from the left over challah. Good job I had KoD buy those flowers I mean eggs on Friday. I don’t often get to give the kids that kind of breakfast – they have school even on Sundays, so there isn’t much opportunity. So I totally enjoyed cooking breakfast for my man and my kids. Of course when KoD and Prince Pigeon came home from shul they had stopped by the bakery and bought donuts – the yummy cream filled ones, and danishes etc – so a very filling breakfast was had by all. (I have resisted the donuts all day long, they have just now started calling to me again……what the heck, dress hasn’t been fitted yet, what could one hurt?)

 

We had decided that we wanted to do something fun with the kids, other than just stay home and wii. Eventually after much discussion it was decided that we would all go ice skating downtown and then go to the pizza shop. (it’s a kosher drive thru pizza shop. Novelty of kosher drive thru has not worn off yet, and it’s been a few years).

 

Those of you who have more than one child know that there is no way that everyone is going to agree on what’s fun and what isn’t. Why should we be any different? Eventually I pulled rank, and laid down the law. You don’t have to enjoy yourselves, you just have to be there. I didn’t even insist that they all pretend to have a good time – I knew they would eventually enjoy something.

 

So we drove downtown – two vehicles, everyone safely buckled, found parking easily (thank you oh parking G-d) and went to stand in line with 50 other people who had the same idea as us. As we are queuing up they announced that they had to resurface the ice – for those of you out there who don’t know, that’s what a machine called a Zamboni is used for. (useless trivia, you never know when you will need it). So we are just standing there minding our own business and this fancily dressed guy starts conversing with the people in front. Realization dawns on me who he is, but I didn’t want to ruin the surprise for our kids. I nudged them to watch this guy, and they looked quizzically at me – ok the fact that he was talking French didn’t really help. Once he started making handkerchiefs appear and disappear, well the language didn’t seem to make too much of a difference. He eventually moved on to us, and showed us many different tricks – what my kids found hysterical was his card shuffling styles from all over Canada. It was truly funny – especially the Newfie way of shuffling. He put them back in the box and shook the box. (the one handed shuffle was pretty awesome too) The magician’s tricks helped us pass the time in line, and all of a sudden it was our turn to pay.

 

Being an honorary Canadian, I have laced up my fair share of ice skates, and not thought twice about it. I did today. I think parenting classes should include this important part of life. I didn’t lace up everyone’s skates, but close to six pairs of feet got laced up by me into smelly rented ice skates (can they not febreeze them??), and an armchair wasn’t even provided so I could rest my weary poor sore little back.

 

Of course tempers flared, this one’s skates didn’t fit properly, that one’s helmet was too big or small, I don’t want to skate, why are his skates nicer than mine? Etc etc. one of the princes decided just before going on the ice that he wasn’t going to skate because his skates felt funny. (funny peculiar, not funny haha)! It was pointed out to him that it cost money to rent the skates, and if he hadn’t wanted to skate he should have said so. (noises were made at home before we left, to the tune of I don’t want to skate, but I want to skate, but I might hurt myself but I want to have fun……..). We left him at the side of the rink to make his own decision, because reasoning with him was proving hopeless. Eventually the darling prince made his way reluctantly onto the ice, skated over to where we were and said “I didn’t want you to waste your money, so I decided I should skate a bit” – kids eh? He wasn’t going to enjoy it, nu uh, not for all the tea in China. I caught him smiling, but he doesn’t know and we will keep it that way.

 

So most of the children had fun, and those that didn’t certainly looked like they were enjoying themselves. Us parent-folk didn’t skate – I love to skate, but my back takes tremendous exception to it, and therefore KoD decided to sit it out too and keep his Queen company. Sweet.

 

Once the kids had worked up an appetite we decided it was time to leave for the pizza shop. Feeding seven kids and two adults at a fast food place was a new experience for us, but I feel we handled it with aplomb and dignity. We introduced our American family to the idea of Poutine – French fries, melted cheese and gravy – mmm mmm good!

 

With tummies full we drove home to our apartment, for the kids to veg, and for the grownups to make sure everything was packed up so that KoD could take his court back home in time for bedtime in Monsey. I hate the leaving part.

 

We shared a last coffee together, but mine became so much more watery as time went on (newsflash number 2 – Kleenex shares still soaring), didn’t help matters that Prince Pigeon came in and said something totally cute to KoD – “I can’t wait until you are my step dad”…..I know he said something else, but at that point the tears were flowing…..I am so going to miss my man. It was just so awesome spending time together as a family. My kids totally adore him, even to the point of wanting to go in his car, sit next to him at the table etc. not that they don’t love me, they do, but he is newer LOL. I love his kids so much – I love him so much. Being apart really is so very difficult. In just under 7 weeks we will be married – I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with him. Just a little thing called a wedding to put together, and he will be mine for life. Yay!

 

We had such an awesome weekend – and I know that real life will be different, because you can’t live life as if on vacation – but just being with each other, breathing the same air – it just fills my heart with so much joy.

 

Well, I have been writing for two and a half hours, my tears are not yet stopped, my honey is more than half way home and my boychikles will be back soon, ready to go to sleep with big smiles on their faces. So I bid ye all a good night…

 

Vayehee erev Vayehee Voker, Sof Yom HaShlishi……….THE END!

Weekend Wonders – Part Two

Read part one here.

 

I like to sleep in on a Shabbat morning (gee, me and sleep, that seems to be a theme of these latest blogs, maybe I need to get me more of that…..), and my boys know this. On a regular Shabbat they don’t wake me before 830. Ok, I should really say they don’t officially wake me before 830, but little kids who try real hard to whisper – well, they are very loud! But the denial that comes from pretending to be asleep is worthwhile so we perpetuate it.

 

I like to sleep in but seeing as we had company my lie-in didn’t happen. I heard whispering coming from the kitchen at 7 am, and was greeted with goofy smiles by a selection of male children, happily tucking in to Trix, imported from the states by a wonderful man that I happen to know.

 

Prince Pigeon was dressed and out of the house by 830 as he wanted to go and wake up his future stepdaddy to ensure he was on time for shul. So down the hill he slid to fulfill his mission. The whole city was covered in ice, something I might have actually known if I had looked out the window before we left for shul.

 

See, sleeping in until 830 on Shabbat – I have my whole timetable, I loll around with a coffee until 915 ish, get the boys dressed and out to shul, then by 10 I am dressed and out the house. Getting up at 7 am screwed up my whole fixed schedule, and we all ended up leaving for shul at 930. Way too early. However it took us a long time to get there, as there was ice around, and Hadassah was wearing four inch stiletto heeled boots (but they are soooo cute).

 

Because we were there so early I got to get a lot of davenning in. This year on Rosh Hashannah I davened really really hard, and it seems that Hashem didn’t just hear my prayers He actually decided that this was the year he was going to listen to them, and he sent me my KoD. So I kinda feel that I should daven as much as possible to show my appreciation for all that He has done and continues to do for us.

 

I had the zchut to be there when KoD was called up to the Torah, and to hear him have them make a misheberach for me and my family in addition to his.

 

The trek home from shul was hazardous, even for those of us who had been smart and worn decent boots. A couple of the kids had the “invincible” feeling – that nothing will happen to them if they deliberately go sliding on the ice – a couple of sore bums later, they still hadn’t learned their lesson!

 

The rest of Shabbat passed in a blur of food, more food and plenty of games and much merriment. It was so great to see the kids all getting along – and yes, the occasional “fight” – verbal – broke out, which I know is normal. When one of my princes said to one of the Diamond princesses – if you do that again I will thump you – well, I figured the sibling bond had been well and truly welded!! (no thumpage ensued as they know it would not be tolerated).

 

Throughout the whole weekend KoD and I had a lot of fun ‘grossing’ the kids out. Because we love each other we tend to stare at each other with goofy grins occasionally, and sometimes we hold each others gaze longer than usual. Our souls communicate through our eyes. Interestingly enough, the girls like to see us staring into each others eyes. The boys – not so much. Princess Sparkles told us that when we kiss each other that will make us married, and if we never kiss then we will never be married. Princess Starlight wondered aloud if we are in love, and told her Abba that she had never seen him so happy. That was a great and awesome moment.

 

Now, on Shabbat afternoon we wanted to have some time to talk to each other without interference from the little people. They were all playing in various spots all over the house, so we were able to start our conversation a few times. Until such a time as a few of the princes and princesses decided it would be fun to spy on us – picture some little cutie crawling slowly commando style behind the sofa so that we wouldn’t realize they were there – their giggly breathing would never have given them away, nu uh!!! Once we realized they were listening in, we started doing what I call the shmoopy shmoopy talk. “I love how cute your face is, I love how your nose wrinkles when you smile at me, I love how your eyebrows frame your gorgeous eyes, I will love you more everyday, I love you more than you love me, etc…” – after a while they ran away making vomit sounds, and every time they snuck back, we started up again. I think eventually they got the idea. We had so much fun with that!

 

However much the boys were totally disgusterated with the lovey dovey stuff I think they really enjoy seeing their Ima happy and in love. The fact that they totally adore KoD is an additional bonus. In shul they were so proud to introduce him to their rabbis and friends as their future stepdad.

 

We made havdalah and lit the Chanukah candles, it was so nice to all be together, singing maoz tsur as a family. We settled the kids in front of a movie, and moved to the kitchen so that we could clean up from the detritus of Shabbat – a few sinksful of dishes. My man, my harley riding manly man, insisted on washing the dishes. He wouldn’t allow me to do them, not a one. My dainty rubber gloves sat well on his big strong hands – and he obviously has had practice with dishes, because he did a great job. In fact, KoD – seeing as you did such a wonderful job washing my dishes you can wash my dishes anytime – and keep me company in the kitchen, you are good at that too. What amazing new talent of yours am I going to discover next, my love? That you know how to fold a fitted sheet in the right way? If you do, well, then yes, I will definitely marry you!!

 

It was so great to be in the kitchen doing mundane stuff together, and hearing the kids laughing and giggling at the movies they were watching (and not fighting, nor inserting fingers into ears or nasal cavities of a sibling).

 

Again, Saturday night they gave us no trouble going to bed – I think the idea is to get them so tired out that they just fall in to bed and conk out for 8 hours or so. I wish I could sleep like the young people do.

 

Vayehee Erev Veyehee Voker Yom Shenee…..to be continued…..

 

read part three here.