Wednesday, December 26, 2007

to Chicago and back again!


What a crazy week! On Thursday night we packed the kids in the minivan and headed northwest for Chicago, driving through the night. We arrived exhausted and starving. Luckily Bubbie Fogel was waiting for us and we had a 5am breakfast. Later we lunched on bay-ken burgers at Great Chicago Food & Beverage Company.


We spent a lovely Shabbos with the family in West Rogers Park. Miri and Chaim enjoyed playing with their cousins, Yehoshua and Avigayil. On motzei shabbos, we left the children sleeping and snuck out to Slice of Life for some delicious mexican food.

On Sunday, we hit the Chicago Children's Museum and had an amazing day filled with food-shopping, bus-driving, ice skating, water play, curious George, and even Ben & Jerrys! We had a nice family dinner and the children even received more Chanukah gifts, to their utter delight!

Monday included a visit to Uncle Hackie and his family, followed by a little informal gathering open house, so that we could see all of our other Chicagoland friends.


We had a family brunch on Tuesday with Bubbie Dorothy, Aunt Judy, Uncle Mark, and cousin Aaron. It was so nice to see everyone. After nightfall, we had a quick dinner at Malibu Pizza, packed the kids back in the car and headed home straight through the night, arriving just before 7am. Plenty of time to bathe and dress the kids and send Miri off to nursery school. We have a lot of sleep to catch up on now...goodnight!

(We mention the food a lot because the restaurants really are better in Chicago - go check them out!)

MORE PICTURES OF OUR TRIP

Sunday, December 16, 2007

no more Chanukah :(

Poor Miri can't really accept that Chaunkah has come to an end. She still goes downstairs every morning to find her book and sing Maoz Tzur (she knows all the words to the first verse)

"Maoz Tzur is the favorite song of mine. Let's go downstairs and get my book and sing the song togeva (together)"

"The weather says it's going to be cold outside today because it's wintertime."

We went to the Jewish Expo this morning and Miri and Chaim both rode a PONY (sorry, we forgot the camera). Miri really loved it, she was much more relaxed than when she rode her first one this summer at dutch Wonderland. We sampled some foods and saw a science show and a BMX bike show. Miri petted a beautiful show bird (we didn't stay for the bird show, though).

We topped off our great day with a visit to Aunt Beth and Uncle Max's house. The kids had a nice, although brief visit and we were able to pick out our tile for our new kitchen back splash. We will certainly post pictures of that when it is all finished!!!
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Tuesday, December 11, 2007

morning Miri-isms

"I always be a monkey sometimes"

(The best part of life for Miri is receiving new pajamas. She got a new pair from Bubbie on Sunday, and is anxiously awaiting their return from the laundry so she can wear them for the first time). At 6am this morning:
Miri: "Did somebody wash my new jammies so I can wear them now?"
Mommy: "Yes, they will be ready for you tonight"
Miri: "When somebody gives you new jammies you say 'thank-you.' That's right!

"Mommy, you go to your room now and get dressed and then fold some more laundry."

Sunday, December 9, 2007

the weekend


Wow! What a jam-packed weekend of fun!

Miri had chanukah vacation on Friday (and Monday as well) so Friday morning we headed over to Pump it Up to let loose. Miri tried all 4 items and had a great time climbing, bouncing and sliding.

Motzei Shabbos we attended the annual Abramson family chanukah party, which of course felt different this year without Babba (in NJ) and Zayde (a"h). We were smart enough to send the kids home to bed early with a babysitter so that we could actually enjoy the party a little bit.

Sunday we had two family parties. The kids received way too much new stuff (and so did the grownups) and ate so many sufganiyot we eventually lost count. We dined on macaroni & cheese, blintz soufflé, salad, potato latkes and creme-filled sufganiyot (everything homemade of course). Best of all, we got to spend time with family!

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

SNOW!


We had beautiful snow today and the kids were so excited to see it coming down.

Poor Chaim was sick all afternoon and evening (he just has to have whatever Miri has, such a typical younger child), but our neighbors very graciously took Miri outside to play in the snow before it got too dark while Chaim and I watched her out the window.

We lit the menorahs when Avi came home from work. For dinner we tried a new recipe for cheese latkes. Each one had a tiny center of strawberry jelly - delicious! Afterward, we all received surprises: Mommy and Miri got new matching pajamas, Chaim got some new board books and Tatty got a new sefer.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

A Freilichin Chanukah!


Tonight is the first light of Chanukah.

On Sunday, we went to Columbia to participate in the menorah factory. Miri helped to make fresh olive oil using a press, and she made her very own menorah.

Tonight we lit our family menorah plus the one Miri decorated in nursery school. We had Bubbie Perry over for dinner and sang songs and Miri and Chaim played with their new toy - a Little People Chanukah set!

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Kids say the Darndest things

It's not just her parents that think Miri says especially funny things. Now her teachers are regaling me with stories of the entertaining things she says while she's at school. I wish I had a recorder on all the time, though, because most of what she says I manage to forget withing two minutes. However, I will do my best to write them down here whenever I can so you can all enjoy the "Miri-isms" as we do.

Here's one from Shabbos:

On Shabbos morning I usually let Miri have a little bit of "Shabbos lipstick" which is clear liquid lip gloss approved for Shabbos use. This week she faithfully requested some on her lips before we went downstairs for breakfast (which on Shabbos morning is a Quaker breakfast cookie). She was about to put the cookie to her mouth when she paused and pulled the cookie away from her mouth. "But Mommy, all of my lipstick will come off onto the cookie!"

I was feeding Chaim his breakfast bar, and Miri was intrigued. She asked, "Mommy can I see if it smells to me?" I dutifully put the fig bar under her nose so she could take a whiff and she promptly bit off half the bar in one quick bite.