Sunday, May 9, 2010

Kids and Guests

We love having guests. We don't have the most spacious accommodations, but we don't mind sharing what we have. My kids have occasionally heard me lament any Shabbos we weren't able to drum up guests. We're lucky enough to have several regulars who make sure this doesn't happen often.

This past shabbos we were invited out to lunch, fun for all, but that means no guests. On the way home the kids saw some people out for a walk.

"Are those our guests?" They asked pointing excitedly. The disappointment when I said no made me very glad I'd thought to invite a family to join us in the late afternoon! Awa and Hubsters sped home while RE and I plodded along together slowly.

Then RE saw a dog. "Can the dog come to my house?" He asked at least five times before I could answer. Seeing that we couldn't catch up with the dog I decided to use the opportunity to coax some conversation out of my strong n silent little guy.

"What would you say if the dog came to our house?" I asked, proud that I thought of a non yes-or-no question.

"YES!" RE nodded. So much for avoiding yes-or-no. "I'd say, Yes you can come to my house doggie."

"What would the doggie do at your house," I continued the interview.

"Um, I'd give him strawberries and melon." RE spoke with certainty.

"Where would the doggie sleep?" I was on a roll.

" . . . " Confused look.

"Ok, who else should come to our house?" I asked desperate to keep him talking during his rare moment in the spotlight without his older sister piping in.

"A dog, and a cat, and Nana & Papa (my parents), and Saba & Safta (hubster's parents), and a dog. . . . and a cat" RE listed.

Phew! He was still willing to talk, and boy did he have plans!

"And where will they all sleep?"

". . . " Again confused look.

I guess he'll do the inviting and I'll do the worrying about who will sleep where and what to serve outside of the fruit course.

We love having guests. We don't have the most spacious accommodations, but we don't mind sharing what we have. My kids have occasionally heard me lament any Shabbos we weren't able to drum up guests. We're lucky enough to have several regulars who make sure this doesn't happen often.


This past shabbos we were invited out to lunch, fun for all, but that means no guests. On the way home the kids saw some people out for a walk.

"Are those our guests?" They asked pointing excitedly. The disappointment when I said no made me very glad I'd thought to invite a family to join us in the late afternoon! Awa and Hubsters sped home while RE and I plodded along together slowly.

Then RE saw a dog. "Can the dog come to my house?" He asked at least five times before I could answer. Seeing that we couldn't catch up with the dog I decided to use the opportunity to coax some conversation out of my strong n silent little guy.

"What would you say if the dog came to our house?" I asked, proud that I thought of a non yes-or-no question.

"YES!" RE nodded. So much for avoiding yes-or-no. "I'd say, Yes you can come to my house doggie."

"What would the doggie do at your house," I continued the interview.

"Um, I'd give him strawberries and melon." RE spoke with certainty.

"Where would the doggie sleep?" I was on a roll.

" . . . " Confused look.

"Ok, who else should come to our house?" I asked desperate to keep him talking during his rare moment in the spotlight without his older sister piping in.

"A dog, and a cat, and Nana & Papa (my parents), and Saba & Safta (hubster's parents), and a dog. . . . and a cat" RE listed.

Phew! He was still willing to talk, and boy did he have plans!

"And where will they all sleep?"

". . . " Again confused look.

I guess he'll do the inviting and I'll do the worrying about who will sleep where and what to serve outside of the fruit course.

Happy Mother's day!

This year was my first real Mother's Day. The kids learned about it in school a little and made gifts for me.

RE made a little bowl that said "Ima" (mother) in Hebrew stickers. Inside was a little cupcake and a cookie. Which he at Shabbos morning when he woke up early! Little scamp! "Happy Mother's Day Ima! I got you a bowl of crumbs and an empty cupcake wrapper!" Urp!

Awa's gift survived until today. It is a painted box filled with: A heart with her name in it, 2 muffins, a button key chain, and "Ima there's coffee!" A little sleeve of french vanilla instant coffee. I like to think her maturity and love kept her from scarfing it, but I think she just forgot all about it.

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there! May the crumbs always frame smiles of love!

This year was my first real Mother's Day. The kids learned about it in school a little and made gifts for me.


RE made a little bowl that said "Ima" (mother) in Hebrew stickers. Inside was a little cupcake and a cookie. Which he at Shabbos morning when he woke up early! Little scamp! "Happy Mother's Day Ima! I got you a bowl of crumbs and an empty cupcake wrapper!" Urp!

Awa's gift survived until today. It is a painted box filled with: A heart with her name in it, 2 muffins, a button key chain, and "Ima there's coffee!" A little sleeve of french vanilla instant coffee. I like to think her maturity and love kept her from scarfing it, but I think she just forgot all about it.

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there! May the crumbs always frame smiles of love!

Weirdo wakeup call!

I have two brothers, a dog, several years of college, and motherhood under my belt. I thought I'd been woken up by it all. But last night took the cake . . . or more accurately, the chocolate.

Hubsters had gone to a movie with the guys and I tried to stay up to greet him when he returned. I gave up just after 1am and collapsed exhausted. Somewhere around 2am I had a dream that my hand was covered in some brown goo. Then I realized that my eyes were open, my hand was outstretched in front of me, and it was indeed covered in brown goo. I sleep on my stomach with my hand under my pillow, so I immediately jumped up, sure enough, there were brown smudges next to my pillow, and underneath my pillow? A body-heat melted bar of Cadbury's chocolate that hubsters and I had shared as a Shabbos snack.

Then I noticed that hubsters wasn't in the room. Ok. Double panic. Covered in chocolate. Missing husband. Wanting to keep the chocolate devastation confined to my bed linens I went the bathroom to wash up and discovered hubsters brushing his teeth.

Although disoriented, I still appreciated hubsters reaction to seeing me stumble in bed creased, dazed, and covered in chocolate, yet relieved to see him.

"On rough days don't you say you wish you could swim in chocolate?" He asks. A sleepy squint and a grunt are my only answer as I lick chocolate from my fingers.

After helping me change my sheets and bagging the imported bedwrecker, hubsters adds "You've gotta tweet about this." Thank G-d he's well trained :)

I have two brothers, a dog, several years of college, and motherhood under my belt. I thought I'd been woken up by it all. But last night took the cake . . . or more accurately, the chocolate.


Hubsters had gone to a movie with the guys and I tried to stay up to greet him when he returned. I gave up just after 1am and collapsed exhausted. Somewhere around 2am I had a dream that my hand was covered in some brown goo. Then I realized that my eyes were open, my hand was outstretched in front of me, and it was indeed covered in brown goo. I sleep on my stomach with my hand under my pillow, so I immediately jumped up, sure enough, there were brown smudges next to my pillow, and underneath my pillow? A body-heat melted bar of Cadbury's chocolate that hubsters and I had shared as a Shabbos snack.

Then I noticed that hubsters wasn't in the room. Ok. Double panic. Covered in chocolate. Missing husband. Wanting to keep the chocolate devastation confined to my bed linens I went the bathroom to wash up and discovered hubsters brushing his teeth.

Although disoriented, I still appreciated hubsters reaction to seeing me stumble in bed creased, dazed, and covered in chocolate, yet relieved to see him.

"On rough days don't you say you wish you could swim in chocolate?" He asks. A sleepy squint and a grunt are my only answer as I lick chocolate from my fingers.

After helping me change my sheets and bagging the imported bedwrecker, hubsters adds "You've gotta tweet about this." Thank G-d he's well trained :)