• Best Thing Ever,  Confessions,  I've Got Mad Skillz,  Jew Stuff,  Jim Has Mad Skillz,  We Are An Awesome Couple

    When Good Stalking Leads To A Great Marriage

    December 29, 2010

    Once a month, our temple’s Friday night services include Birthday and Anniversary blessings. It’s a really great tradition, and there’s something about having the rabbi and cantor give a blessing for the upcoming year (being witnessed by the congregation, of course!) that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. Jim and I do our best to, as he says, “Go get our blessing” every year, and we did just that two weeks ago. At this part of the service, the rabbi calls all couples who are celebrating a wedding anniversary up to the bimah. As you can imagine, December is not one of the more popular months for weddings, and…

    Read More
  • I've Got Mad Skillz,  Jim Has Mad Skillz,  My Dad Has Mad Skillz,  My Kids Have Mad Skillz,  My Mom Has Mad Skillz,  Reflections on Parenting,  We Are An Awesome Couple

    Parenting Secrets From Behind the Tiara

    December 22, 2010

    I wrote this post a couple of years ago, for a friend who needed a guest post on her blog. She has since shut down her site, so I thought I’d post it here! My husband Jim and I are successful parents. Really. If we were in Oprah’s magazine, our mad parenting skillz would be featured on her “What I Know For Sure” page. Of course we are not the only successful parents in the world, but we’re the only ones that matter…to our kids. I am happy to report that our boys are fine, upstanding young men–and it’s not only because we think so: that’s the general consensus from…

    Read More
  • Jim Has Mad Skillz

    Desperately in Need of a Christmas Miracle

    May 6, 2010

    It’s a sad state of affairs around here in regards to the older boy’s car. He and Jim (mostly Jim, due to the older boy’s being smothered during the final couple weeks of senior year with work, testing, lacrosse, papers, prom prep, and other such busy-ness) have been working on the car for nearly two weeks, trying to figure out exactly why it won’t start. Jim has taken apart everything in the starting assembly. He’s tested the starter, ignition switch, and relays, and he was, over the past couple of days, checking each and every wire for a short somewhere. I have frequently remarked that it would be SO tremendous…

    Read More
  • Jim Has Mad Skillz,  My Kid Has Mad Skillz

    It’s a Guy Thang.

    April 17, 2010

    I have a certain type of appreciation for cars. It’s a girly type of appreciation: I enjoy nice-looking cars and cars that have nice gadgets and, of course, cars that look like they are smiling. I’ve never had the type of appreciation for cars that a typical teenaged boy has (rightfully so, I guess, my being a girl and all). The older boy bought his first car* early last fall, and he has spent some of the little free time he has had since then researching cool things to put on the car, like snazzy (sorry, that’s a mom-ish term, isn’t it?) headlights, custom-made wheels with his personal logo metal-worked…

    Read More
  • Jim Has Mad Skillz,  We Are An Awesome Couple

    Wherever, Together.

    December 27, 2009

    I am always dazzled by the writings of Stephanie Nielsen, better known as Nie Nie of “NieNie Dialogues”. If you don’t currently read her blog, you should, if you’re into being moved and inspired. Not only is her personal story as a whole (plane crash survival: and currently thriving) very, very inspiring, but her posts–which usually say so much in very few words–are gorgeous. Some of my favorite posts are the ones that ooze her love for her husband, Mr. Nielsen. Anyhoo, I liked and related to a recent post so much that I shared it in my reader*, and have thought about it often. It started out with a…

    Read More
  • Amazing People,  Jim Has Mad Skillz,  My Kid Has Mad Skillz,  Proud Moments

    Finally, Our Eagle Scout’s Court of Honor!

    December 22, 2009

    Many of you have followed our son’s journey to Eagle Scout, including the details of his Eagle project, which was the landscaping in the front yard of our temple. You know he finally officially earned the rank of Eagle on August 12th. That’s actually when the celebration begins. We had to plan his Court of Honor, the ceremony during which he is presented with his badge, awards, certificates and other goodies, and where he can be recognized personally by friends and family. After a couple of months full of preparations like invitations, letters to dignitaries, script-preparing, and of course, a special scrapbook, the festivities took place yesterday at our temple,…

    Read More
  • Best Thing Ever,  Confessions,  Family Fun,  I'm Apparently Old.,  Jim Has Mad Skillz,  My Kid Has Mad Skillz,  We Are An Awesome Couple

    When Holidays Collide: Happyfather’sbirthday!

    June 21, 2009

    Today is a very special day. Yeah, sure, it’s Father’s Day; everyone knows that. In our house, however, we’re celebrating something in addition: The older boy turns 17 today! WOW! Take a moment and absorb that reality with me. How is it even possible that Jim and I, being so youthful (and great-looking) ourselves, could have a son who is 17? No idea? Me neither. Anyway, this is only the third time that Father’s Day has fallen on the boy’s birthday (including his BIRTHday). The last time was in 1998. To be completely honest, though I have photos in the closet of that birthday, I can’t remember it. Instead, I…

    Read More
  • Jim Has Mad Skillz

    We’ve Built A Lot Together, But THIS Is Fantastic.

    June 3, 2009

    Okay, that title is a total teaser because what I’m about to write about is definitely wonderful, but not nearly the best thing Jim and I have built together: that would be our life and family in general. It will come as no surprise to you, with all of the bragging writing I do about how we work as an excellent team, that Jim and I are one of those couples that can indeed do home projects together not only without killing each other, but even immensely enjoy the activity. Although he is definitely the foreman and I the assistant in the hardcore projects like replacing our sump pump, plumbing…

    Read More
  • Jim Has Mad Skillz,  We Are An Awesome Couple

    When It’s About the Destination & Not The Journey

    May 15, 2009

    Note: This post is part of Fatherhood Friday at Dad Blogs, where all the cool kids are hanging out. (Moms are welcome over there!) Welcome to my visitors from DB; thanks for stopping in! Someone I know (Not ME, mind you. Seriously.) had a complaint about her husband a long time ago. She said that it drove her nuts that he folded the laundry “wrong” (I guess that’d be “wrongly”, wouldn’t it?) and she eventually stopped “letting him” fold the laundry. Are you kidding me? First of all, sometimes people (men AND women) who have overbearing partners/spouses learn that, by doing things differently, i.e. “not how he/she wants”, they’re taking…

    Read More