Back from the weekend

We had a busy one. Trains and the California Science Center figured prominantly. We had a terrible time at the latter. It wasn't nearly as engaging as most other Science Museums I have been to. the Air and Space Gallery was particularly awful. They had shut down many of the exhibits and it was mostly an abandoned building. There was only one person working there at all and she was the greeter at the front. At least the trains kept the weekend from being a total loss. Now that was fun.

We are so pooped and, since it is supposed to be seriously hot here today (90F in April. That's just wrong.) we are staying home. It doesn't hurt that the apartment looks horrible and needs some major TLC. I will never understand how I can have it spotless on Friday evening and by Monday morning it looks like no one has ever even thought to clean up in here. It doesn't hurt that the carpet in here is totally gross because it is so darn cheap. We have had it professionally cleaned 4 times in the 2 1/2 years we have been here. It just gets gross again the next week. And we even get the truck mounted guys to come out. and of course we are way overcrowded in here, but we only have a few months left on that. As I've mentioned before, our lease is up in August and we are going to move then. 1BR is okay when you have a small baby, but now it is just too tiny. We stayed this long because we have been working to clear ourselves of debt. Our consumer debt will be gone as of June. Yay us. This last year is the one where it just got to be too hard. It was inconvenient before this, but it wasn't until DS turned 3 that it got really icky. I can't wait to have a 2nd BR so DS has his own space for his toys and bed and all that and we have space for a dining table inside the house (We currently have it on the balcony. One of the benefits of living in Southern CA I suppose. Very little rain and warm enough to eat outside most of the time.)

But of course, all that means time spent looking for a new place. And since we are pretty committed to living near the synagogue this time around, that limits our search radius. I trust that what is meant to be will be and we will find something appropriate when the time comes.

Booktalk

I still haven't added a "What am I reading" and "What am I listening to" etc section, even though I want to, mostly because I don't want to mess with Design elements too much. It drives DH crazy. :)

Anyway, so we'll start with my current reading list. For the fans of Jewish fiction with an Orthodox bent, I am currently rereading The Ladies Auxiliary by Tova Mirvis.

I lived in Memphis and was a part of the Orthodox community there for awhile, well as much as a college student and newly married who couldn't afford to live in the eruv could be. Anyway, it has a lot that is thinly veiled and some things are exact descriptions like the description of the purple and silver shul. I'll never forget the day I first walked into that shul. Plus, the story is just plain wonderful. Here's an excerpt from this one.

Also on my reading list is her next book - The Outside World.

I have it on hold at the library and hopefully it will show up this week. It is brand spanking new - out last month in hardback - and everything I have read about it has been overwhelmingly positive. Since I already know I love her style, I am looking forward to reading this one too. Here's an excerpt.

And then there is the book I just bought online and cannot wait to arrive: Lawrence Kelemen's To Kindle a Soul.

I've read excerpts in Natural Jewish Parenting and heard reviews by several people I know both IRL and online and I finally bought it. Yay!! And only just in time. He's coming to do a Shabbaton and Seminar at my local shul. I am so going! Oh wait. Maybe not. I'm going to be out of town. As DH just said, sucks to be me. D'oh. This happened when Rebbetzin Jungreis came too.

Okay, enough of that. There is no knitting news. I left the knitting in my trunk all day. But that's okay because Ezra and I had a really nice day. We took a long walk (well, I walked and he rode his tricycle) and played ball, bubbles, climbed on the play structure at the playground, drew with sidewalk chalk and generally had a nice time. We also redid the balcony and put our glass dining table back up out there so we can eat outside. We vacuumed the indoor/outdoor carpet reorganized some of the stuff out there and it is now a nice space again. We had dinner out there this evening (baked beans, polenta and steamed broccoli) It was wonderful. Oh, BTW, broccoli, organics and kashrut don't always go together very well. 4 large stalks of broccoli hit the trash during dinner preparations. Once aphids take hold in the broccoli florets there is no getting them out fully. Bummer.

Because once I mention it, I can't leave it alone...

So I have updated the blog to reflect more current projects and to fix Alysia's link, which somehow got messed up in the last blog update. See you later!

Two posts in one week! Don't get used to this!

Who knows how long this energy will last? Or the free time to do it. Actually I only have free time this afternoon because DS decided that he would in no way at all want to go to the park for the scheduled playdate. And you know what? Since he's playing nicely and quietly and not getting into everything, he must be happy to be here this afternoon. Granted we did a lot this morning (Mommy and Me at the Chabad) so its no wonder that he could use the downtime. So we'll head off to the farm at around 5 to get our CSA basket and then go get Daddy and come home to a lovely dinner of butterfly pasta with Swiss chard.

I still need to update my website itself (maybe later?) but for now, I'll simply settle for getting a few posts up.

OH! I forgot to mention! My dad is getting remarried in July after having been a widower for 2 1/2 years. I'm really happy for him and Karen, his fiance, seems like a great choice. She's a little like my mom in looks, but totally different in most every other way, but she is warm and personable and I think will be very good for my dad. She is also a widow who, coincidentally, lost her husband just a little before Dad lost Mom. So they can understand each other in that respect as well. Welcome to the family Karen!

And last, in knitting news, I've made good progress on the French Market Bag I hit my goal of finishing the base by Wednesday and now it is just stockinette in the round for quite awhile. Some good solid mindless knitting. Too bad I don't have a TV show to obsess over. Although I do have a couple of Netflix movies here that might be interesting. Oh and 2 weeks worth of 24 to sit through with DH.

Almost forgot, and since it is amusing, I wanted to add it: DH's office has to be out of their current space by next Friday because a new tenant has rented the space. (they never renewed their lease because they have been saying they would move for some time now.) And they have nowhere to go as of yet. Nothing like waiting until the last minute, huh? We're wondering if there will be a point at which Michael will be telecommuting for a little while or if they will all move into his boss's living room. Did I mention his boss's wife is in her last trimester of pregnancy with their 2nd (their 1st is about 2 1/4 years old)? They've got a lot on their plate about now. I hope the company doesn't move into their living room. :D

Of course all the places they are looking at are farther away from us then his office currently is which could add an additional 10-15 minutes of commute time (going from 8.5 miles to 15 miles or more) and possibly necessitate freeway travel. That is going to make sharing one car extremely difficult. So much so that I don't think we will be able to do it. And we've been sharing one car for 6 years now. I don't really want to think about that, because a new car isn't in the budget right now, so we will have to get a beater car. And if we get a beater car, then we'll get stuck in car inertia, so I'll never get a new car and continue to be kicked in the ribs and kidney through my car seat by my 3 year old. That child (who obviously I love dearly, BTW) cannot keep his feet down at home or in the car for love nor money. Drives me nuts. Drives DH even more nuts.

Good Gravy, I just can't seem to get anything typed anymore!

I started on the French Market bag and I hope to have the contrasting bottom completed before the week is out. Actually hopefully it will be done before Wednesday. I've already knitted enough that I have moved it to the circular. Did I mention I much prefer dpns? I know many people think it is "like knitting with a porcupine" but I think the needles on the circulars are too short. But I do like my addi naturas though. If you need to use a circular... Maybe after I have knitted a whole bag on them I will get into the groove of the circular thing.

Now that Passover is done for the year, perhaps it will be easier to sit down and do things, we'll see. I'm starting to try to declutter, but when you are married to a packrat that is no easy matter. Moving is in our near future since our 1BR apartment is officially outgrown, so no matter what happens, come August and the expiration of our lease, we will be heading on to at least a 2BR place. So As things are put away, I'm trying to pack them up for moving (For example, when Passover was finished, instead of just folding up the box flaps, they got taped securely with packing tape and the dishes wrapped more carefully then if they were just going to sit in a closet for another year. Another example - kid's clothes and "winter" clothes.)

Oh, and the camping bug has bitten. We visited some friends at their campsite this past weekend (It was near enough to drive for just a short visit.) and, even though it was rainy and chilly, I really loved it. We used to camp for weeks at a time when I was a kid and I miss it. I don't know how my husband would do though. I have mentioned that it is sometimes like being married to the Princess and the Pea and I'm not joking. He enjoyed the last time we camped (many years ago) but he was much younger and we only were there 2 nights. He never had to take a shower or anything out of doors or at the camp showers. I think that a camper would be just about a necessity for him. What's more, we have a number of friends who have a camping "group" and organize many group trips throughout the season and it would be a blast to join them.

Oh and I am so glad that The Apprentice is over. It has been SO LONG since I was addicted to a TV show and I somehow got sucked in. No more! You hear that Mark Burnett and Donald Trump? My only TV will be Arrested Development from here on out, and even that will be on an "Oh is that on? I like that show a lot." basis. Not that I have to worry. Since it is so intelligent and funny it is bound to be cancelled. Happy week!

Long Time, No See

My trip was long and exhauting and I am back only to (a) get sick immediately after being sick for at least 1/3 of my trip and (b) get ready for Passover, so my time is stretched thin. Hence - no updates. There is also no knitting to report at all. No time to do it.

But here are some pictures for anyone who is interested.

First some pictures of Ezra and his Papa and Safta







And then there is Purim! Ezra wore the American Indian (Native American) costume Safta made for Ezra's Aunt Penny 20ish years ago. He wouldn't wear the headband or any of the beads. But we did get the pants and shirt on him, so that's something.





And then here are some of the pictures from my dad's house with his cousins. I could have sworn I took more pictures than this. Weird. First here is a picture from Grampy's front yard where Ezra fashioned an adirondack chair with a sunshade for himself.





And now the pics with the cousins.

Here's Ezra and Karllie:



Ezra and Dalton



And Ezra and all his cousins

We're leaving on a jet plane

And I know exactly when I'll be back again - almost 3 weeks. Yipes! What was I thinking? It seems like such a short time when we're trying to figure out how to divvy up our time between families, but a very very very long time when I think of how long we'll be away from Michael and home.

Anyway, so we're off. I will try to post while I am out of town, but I am giong to guess that won't be as easy as I'd like it to be.

Good News, Bad News

The good news is that I finished the Fuzzy Feet. The bad news? I cannot stand them. First they shrunk too small for DH's feet. I don't know why since DS's socks that I felted did not shrink that fast at all. Oh well. I decided I would adopt them. Ugh they fit all funky. They look great though. After wearing them awhile, I realized they were stretching a bit and maybe DH would be able to wear them after all. Well, yes and no on that too. They have now stretched to where he can wear them, and he finds them uncomfortable too. Grrrrrrr. 2 balls of yarn down the drain. I'll post a picture of them later. I'm going to head over to the local Waldorf School shop to pick up some Lamb's Pride worsted for the red stripes in the Accordion sweater. I have given up on Elann ever replenishing their supply of that type of wool. I've been waiting for weeks now.

I keep dreaming of puffy blue winter coats for some strange reason. I couldn't figure out where they came from until I was in getting dressed in the closet this morning and realized they look identical to the new coat I bought for DS for when we go out of town (in 4 days!!!!!) I had no idea that coat made that much of an impression on me.

Speaking of going out of town, we are really starting to pick up speed on getting things ready. I've picked up things for DS on the plane. We have done this remarkable task of keeping him away from media and mass-marketed characters for years now, but I wanted to pick up a few small things like sticker books and things for on the plane and I was flattened by the fact that those are impossible to find without mass-marketed characters. So we ended up getting 2 Blue's Clues things - a sticker book and this little travel activity book thingy. I thought that it was simple and appropriate for kids at his development level. I also got Play-Doh. Both the Fun Factory and this tool set. He played with the Fun Factory for nearing 3 hours on Friday, so I have a good feeling about that one. I've put it away so it is slightly new again (to him) on the plane. That plus non-sugar snacks (peanut butter crackers, Clif Bars, fruit, GORP, almond butter and jelly sandwiches, bagels & cream cheese, string cheese, carrots and dressing) and of course cars and cards, a travel version of Chutes and Ladders, storybooks and a kids magazine. That should keep him busy for what 20 minutes? :)

Oh! Happy Valentine's Day to everyone. We had a pretty lowkey one. DH got me "A Mighty Wind: The Illustrated Songbook" and a program of the concert they gave in NYC to tape as the concert in the movie. It is so cool. We sang the songs all day yesterday. DS was as excited as I was because Kids Beatles and "A Mighty Wind" Soundtrack are his two favorite CDs. We made Daddy a card and the aforementioned Fuzzy Feet. D'oh.

I found it!

The 1st sweater that I really want to make for myself! It is in the Interweave Knits Spring 2004 issue Ah Gypsy Mesh! I also really really really like the Side to Side Ribbon Pullover. I have a feeling these are both going to be WAY to complicated for my current level of knowledge, but I'll never learn unless I jump in, huh? Of course I will be out of town when it comes out, but maybe it will be an excuse to check out the LYS where I will be and stock up?

I still haven't made much progress on the 2nd of the Fuzzy Feet. I'd guess I'm about 1/3 of the way through the stockinette before the decreases. I just haven't had time to sit down with it. But never fear, tonight is TV night as I have become disturbingly addicted to "The Apprentice." And I am SO not a TV girl, especially reality shows. But it is nice to have something to watch while I knit and this really is fascinating. I still can't bring myself to turn on Survivor though. I saw the 1st season. Well, about half of it, mostly toward the end. But I haven't watched it since.

I'm also planning on futzing with my layout soon. DH recently installed Dreamweaver on my PC, so I can update my own site rather than having to ask him to do it all the time. Maybe now I will be able to have the cool things I've been intending to have since the beginning!

The Cute Things They Say

or "Perhaps my kid is more media aware than we thought"

First some background. A few weeks ago, I stepped on one of those plastic penny whistles and broke it because Ezra had left it under a playsilk right next to the front door. Doc Martens + cheap plastic penny whistle = broken cheap plastic penny whistle. He was devastated.

Today he heard a song on the Kids Beatles tape that reminded him of the whistle and so he asked me to get him a new one. My DH tried to assure him that the next time we saw one at a store, we'd get it for him. Ezra said that he really wanted one now and DH had to try and explain that these weren't really all that common. (I mean, I don't even remember where we got the thing in the first place.)

Anyway after DH and I kept trying to convince Ezra that we really meant it when we told him we'd get him another one, Ezra suggested, "when we get home we should go whistle.com and get me a new one". I about had to pull the car over while DH and I composed ourselves.

So anyone think maybe I shop a lot on the internet? LOL

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In knitting news, since I learned how to do a turned heel (Thanks Fuzzy Feet author!) I was able to return to the knitted duck pattern from Toymaking with Children. The pattern there was pretty sketchy, basically cast on 21 in the round, knit 13 rows, turn as though turning a heel on 7 stitches, knit 9 rows Bind off and stitch to close. (or something like that. I'm doing it from memory) Now that I have some idea of what the pattern was talking about, I was able to figure out the pattern. Yay me! So all I have left to do is stuff it and sew it together and I will have a cute little duck that took very little time to make once I figured it out.

I also am past the turned heel on the 2nd fuzzy foot and it's just 10 inches of stockinette till I reach the toe decreases. I should be able to finish it today if I can sit and knit for any length of time. We'll see.

Waldorf and Me

Warning, knitting only mentioned in passing!

I mentioned a blog entry or two ago that I like Waldorf. Well, I suppose it is time for me to elaborate. I learned about Waldorf education even before I had a child and I like the general philosophy. I like the education of the whole person - hands, heart and head - I like the connection to the year, to nature, to art and music, to the spirit, etc. It is the big picture things that I seem to connect with and want to embrace. But then I get snagged by the not great things about Waldorf, like:

* Steiner and the controversies that surround him and the cult of personality that can wrap up those who want to preserve his vision wholly intact without allowing it to breathe and grow from the input of other inspired invididuals.

* The Jewish issue. If we were in Israel where the Waldorf Schools follow a Jewish festivals calendar, this would not be an issue. We are not, however. So between the festivals and the general populace at Waldorf Schools, it isn't a "Jewish" place per se. (Now there are Jews, even Jewish teachers, at Waldorf Schools, just not tons. And it isn't secular like public schools.)

* Waldorf Schools, in my personal experience, tend to be fairly insular. Meaning that it is mostly populated by upper middle class white Christian families and people from the alternative parenting groups nearby who are seeking an alternative style school when they do not choose to homeschool. Now I have no objection to seeking community among those who are like you, but sometimes it feels more elitist than community building based on my personal experience.

The two types of families that gravitate toward the Waldorf school then clash. Many times those who choose Waldorf because it is an alternative schooling method that fits their general alternative way of thinking tend to buy into the whole "Waldorf lifestyle" - no media, wool or silk everything, natural toys, knitting (!), needle felting, and generally over-intellectualizing and de-naturalizing in the attempt to be more natural and not over-intellectualizing our children (BTW, I fall into this group FWIW. I just say that so you don't read this so much as disparaging, but trying to paint a picture)

The other group feels some affinity with the lifestyle portrayed as the "Waldorf-ideal" but make little attempt to shape their daily lives around it. It is more of a "I want my kids to grow up surrounded by that" kind of mentality. Perhaps to offset modern life, I don't know. Plus the fact that Waldorf School graduates generally do pretty well if they want to get into "good" colleges.

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Anyway, back to more specifics. Last year we spend a year at the parent/child playgroup at our local Waldorf School. We had a great time, made a bunch of friends, enjoyed learning songs, crafts, etc. So this year we signed back up. It was a totally different experience. We left halfway through the first session, which was a very painful decision for us. We had to really examine our hearts to try to see what we were expecting and wanting from Waldorf education and the Waldorf School. Perhaps the experience failed because it was no longer taking us where we needed to go.

We also, around that time got involved with a Waldorf-inspired start-up preschool closer to home. The people there are lovely and extremely warm and inviting and I want so very much to help there, but I am finding it difficult to connect there. I know that it is totally me. We belong to a playgroup, we go to this preschool on the Tuesday afternoon handwork group days and we do random park days with friends, but we have virtually no Jewish friends. We can't find a synagogue that fits us. One has a decent service, but nothing for kids (12 miles), one is WAY too far away (20 miles) and has very little for kids, one is fairly close (5 miles) and has stuff for kids, but is reform, which we are definately not. There are others, but they are all at that farthest distance away (20ish miles) And of course they are in areas we could not possibly begin to be able to afford (we're talking $500,000 for a 2BR condo)

Anyway, my point is, if I have one, that we are growing away from Waldorf because of a real need to connect with people who are little more like us WRT the way we live our lives. Keeping kosher (and also vegetarian wouldn't be terrible), celebrating Jewish holidays, learning Hebrew, etc etc. I suppose much of this came to a head recently when we attended the baptism of my best friend's baby (Her 4yo son is Ezra's best friend which works out nicely) I realized that the last time Ezra had been to synagogue was at Yom Kippur! And I realized if it was important to me, then I'd better get off my butt and do something about it.

One Down one to go

Well, although I mentioned the other day that I had finished the 1st one, I forgot to take into account that I screwed up the pattern, so I had to frog it back to the correct length. It really doesn't look all that much different, which makes me wonder if I did in fact screw it up, but whatever. I ripped it, reknitted it and it is officially completely knitted. And it is still HUGE. Here's photographic evidence. DH wears a size 11 shoe, FWIW.



I cast on the 2nd one during the Superbowl, but I haven't had a chance to get to it yet. I frogged during the day, knitted at night. I'm going to bring it with me on our adventures today, but I don't know that I will get to it. We have storytime at the library today and then I plan to go to the park with a picnic lunch. Ezra is very very three these days and hopefully running it off with other kids will help. Hopefully.

Also on the agenda today is buying parsley seeds for Tu B'shevat. We'll just plant in a pot and then we'll have parsley for our seder plate. Cool huh? Well, I'm off to play Aleph Bet matching with DH and DS.

Finally - some knitting!!!

So I started on the Fuzzy Feet. OMG the booties are HUGE!!! I just finished the 1st one last night while I watched Meet Me in St Louis (That was the 1st musical I was ever in. It was based on the movie and was decades before the one that hit Broadway.) Anyway, I'll post a picture of it on DH's foot later so you can see how truly big it is. It really doesn't take that long since it is knit on 10.5 (6 1/2mm) needles. I did have to learn a new heel technique though. This is a turned heel, I've only done the waste yarn square inset variety. The directions were a touch confusing, but then I figured it out and it was a breeze.

Around this time of year for some reason (and it has been the last two years and this year as well) I start to attach more to my Jewishness and start to mentally separate from Waldorf ideology. (Have I mentioned that I am a fan of much of the Waldorf philosophy of child education?) Not so much as to throw it out completely, but it goes on the back burner while I focus elsewhere. We've been working with Ezra a bit on Hebrew lately (great website BTW Children's Ulpan) which means my Hebrew has to get up to speed. A lot of my education energy has been focused there. Soon it will be on Pesach and the 4 questions. And IÂ’m less and less concerned with discouraging interest in letters and words as he shows interest. While I havenÂ’t regressed to workbooks yet (haha, that would be REALLY unlikely) I do answer his questions rather than try to redirect. So, suffice it to say, I am back on the Hebrew learning track. I'm about the speaking level of a 3 year old I'd guess. Well, maybe a slightly delayed 3 year old.

Swatching

Finally I am swatching for the Fuzzy Feet. I am swatching on straight needles, but the swatch seems to be coming out correctly (whew) So I will pick up the dpns for it this afternoon on the way to go and get my DH from work. I'll probably get started on the Fuzzy Feet on Saturday night. I remember back in the day when I used to have exciting plans on Saturday nights. Ah no more! :)

I have a boatload of cleaning to do today to get ready for Shabbat and the weekend and I have a playdate with Ezra this afternoon, which means I have about 2 1/2 hours to do everything I need to do to get ready so that we can go and have our playdate and then go and buy my needles, then pick up DH at work and then head home for dinner, etc.

On the agenda for the weekend: Shopping!!!! Now I know most women love this sport, but I am so-so about it. I need to buy shoes. Last time I tried it I had a miserable time and never could find a good pair of shoes so after about 6 weeks of looking I settled on fairly non-supportive Teva's that, if not fabulous and supportive, were at least on clearance and cheap - $17. While doing all that shoe shopping (which included trying to buy shoes that were supposed to be custom fitted to my foot - haha) I never found anything, but DH found 2 pairs of shoes that totaled about $200. My problem is I have wide feet, but an odd shoe size (9.5) and they are generally just wider than standard wide, but not wide enough for Extra wide, if and when you can find it. So off I go this weekend to try to buy decent shoes again because my arches are falling and I want to stop that and give them support before I have to buy orthotics at $300/pair!!! Yikes!!! I may be the only woman I know with only 3 pair of shoes. 1 pair of black heels that I have worn twice in 6 months, 1 pair of Doc Martens, about 8 years old, that need to be restitched, and the aforementioned Tevas.

The Dante's Inferno Test has sent you to Purgatory!


You have escaped damnation and made it to Purgatory, a place where the dew of repentance washes off the stain of sin and girds the spirit with humility. Through contrition, confession, and satisfaction by works of righteousness, you must make your way up the mountain. As the sins are cleansed from your soul, you will be illuminated by the Sun of Divine Grace, and you will join other souls, smiling and happy, upon the summit of this mountain. Before long you will know the joys of Paradise as you ascend to the ethereal realm of Heaven.

Here is how you matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	Very High
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	High
Level 2 (Lustful)	Low
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	Moderate
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	Very Low
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	Low
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	Very Low
Level 7 (Violent)	Moderate
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	Moderate
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	Very Low

Take the Dante's Inferno Test

Destroy my sweater?

Oh my! Just as I am about to start on Accordion, Leigh, who designed it for Knitty, is frogging it! Not a good omen, I've got to tell you.

So tomorrow I am going to buy some 10.5dpns to get started on the Fuzzy Feet. I'm so jonesing to knit that I was practicing yarn overs at the park the other day. Just pathetic! I have knitted the same several yards of this yarn probably 10 times either in swatching or practicing in the last week. And I still haven't found another yarn for the contrasting color yet. And I look every day. I need a stash. Besides the little bits of leftover balls from previous projects, I mean. And I don't have too many of those either.

Not much to report

No knitting content since I am still looking for a replacement yarn for the Gooseberry Sierra that clashes with the MC on Accordion. On the plus side, I decided to make the Fuzzy Feet from last winter's Knitty for DH with the gooseberry. I think it should felt up fine since it is a wool/alpaca mix. So I need to order another skein of the gooseberry and hopefully a color will appear in the new stock at Elann in a complementary yarn so I can get started on this sweater for DS.

Not much else in other news. It's just a slow couple of weeks. I'm not even reading anything. Mostly I'm just trying to declutter a bit. Our apartment is too small to hang on to this much junk. Happy Tuesday!

A little Ezra talk today

Ezra sees me write lists and notes from time to time and instead of drawing, he likes to "write." And here are some of his writing samples. I don't think this is what they meant for the college applications though.



He is also getting really good at recognizing numbers and Hebrew letters. He and Michael play Go Fish in the mornings now. It really is adorable. They also play matching with his Alef-Bet matching game. He is pretty darn good at getting the letters as well. I can't believe what a giant leap he has made on that front. From nothing (including no encouragement really) to being able to play games rather well that require him to recognize letters and numbers. He's also started to get really interested in street signs, etc. and wants to know what everything says. In English this is no problem, but when he picks up a Hebrew book, this is a little more challenging for me. I'd better start deepening my Hebrew skills, because while I can read (slowly) and of course know my alef-bet, I am no better than your average kindergartener in vocabulary and reading skills.



And here is a picture from when we went to the park last month, just because I thought you might like to see it. Shabbat Shalom!

Good News and Bad News

I've been waiting patiently for my yarn to arrive from Elann and tonight I finally got my hands on it and I open the package and the colors are not quite what I got from the colors shown. The Oak is more purple than I had imagined and it totally clashes with the Gooseberry I had gotten for the stripe. Grrrrrr. So now I have to reevaluate. Should I make the same sweater, but with camel stripes? Should I make a different sweater altogether? The yarn is a little itchy though and a cardigan sweater will probably be a better choice since it won't be worn next to the skin. Or should I return it all, get a credit there and wait for something I truly love to show up? I think I may just do that.

OR I could make the French Market bag from the current Knitty and then return the remainder. I bet this stuff will felt up very nicely. Of course I'll need some new needles - a 32" size 7 circular. And then I could just troll ebay for yarn to make DS a sweater.

At least he has his socks now. They came out of the washer nice and fulled and fitting his feet perfectly and now slightly warmer since the stitching isn't as open. He loves them and wanted to wear them around the house as soon as they came out of the washer - still wet.

Have you ever heard a tree buzz?

Yeah, I hadn't either until I was coming home from the store yesterday morning with Ezra and heard the oddest buzz. This whole tree appeared to be buzzing.



Since we have had early rain and unseasonably warm temps (in the high 70s and low 80s) these trees have bloomed early and are filled with hundreds of thousands of tiny little yellow flowers and yesterday morning, being the bright and sunshine-y day it was, each of those flowers seemed to have its own bee collecting pollen. So as a result, the entire tree seemed to be buzzing like a giant yellow porch light. :) It was really amazing.

We also bought a new couch. Well new to us. Our old sofa was a 2nd hand sofa as well and had seen many better days. We continued to have it cleaned, but it never looked clean anymore, even the day after a cleaning. So on Thursday morning we were at the DMV renewing our licenses and right next store is the nicest Salvation Army I've ever been to. Really nice sofas and other things. At least 2 of the sofas were mint condition handmade ones and many were in beautiful condition. We got this one on sale for $69.



It is so much nicer than our old one and appears to be in new condition. I can't believe our luck. So it came to live at our house this weekend and we have welcomed it with open arms.

In knitting news, I'm starting to have 2nd thoughts about Accordion Mostly because Ezra likes to unzip his jackets and so pullovers are easier to keep on him. And yet I really love the look of this sweater. And I do have the yarn already on its way. Is it normal to have second thoughts about a sweater before you start it? Kind of like weddings? (Although, TBH, I never had wedding jitters. Maybe I was too busy?) I'm also willing to take suggestions for cute pullover boys sweaters.