My most oft-repeated reading

I realized that I have read two books, or parts of two books, countless times, over and over and over, since I became a rabbinical student and a mother (which happened at roughly the same time).  I know them well.

What are they, you ask?

The first is predictable.  My JPS Tanakh, or Bible.  One could argue that it isn't a book but more like a library of books, with debatable provenance, but still.  It's one volume and is dog-eared and well-loved.

The second book?  I've read it just as often.

Two or three times a day sometimes.  Aloud.  To my children.

You ready?

(drum roll please)

Everyone Poops, by Tara Gomi.



<headdesk>

Sacramento reptile show 2014

Wow, have we really had Blackie the snake for a full year?  I didn't go to the reptile show over Xander's birthday weekend last year because I was on bedrest... and here it is almost X's bday again, and the baby is walking.

I went this year.

(Did you know that they had a whole booth dedicated to different types of cockroaches, to feed your reptiles?  I am not a reptile lover.)

My oldest child, however, is.  In spades.

Xander excitedly showing Ari a bearded dragon gecko.  Ari tolerates reptiles, but mostly participated because of his brother's enthusiasm.

Laughing uproariously when the snake lifted up its head and stuck out its tongue to smell them.

Proof that I went.  Connor is passed out on me, asleep.  The older boys are looking at the snake's scales through a kaleidoscope.  Right after this we went to the petting zoo and "petted" a giant tortoise, an alligator, and a Nile monitor.  

And now I am home, snuggled with Osher.  Who is a furry, cuddly mammal who purrs.  And life is good.  

Thank you to Liz!

Now Connor has a beautiful blanket just like his brothers. :)

5 lovely things about Rosh Hashanah

1. Seeing friends and temple family at services.

2. The boys were very excited to change into their "fancy clothes" and it wasn't a fight.

3) I fit into all my pre-pregnancy suits!

4) The yumminess of the red apple versus the green apple versus honey versus caramel taste test.

5) Jonathan made cider.

My family in shoes.

All the Lovings wish you a shana tovah, a good new year!

Nicknames for Connor

1) MicroGodzilla
2) Monarch of Mayhem
3) Mr. Mountain Goat
4) King Destroyer (Xander's words as Connor demolished his creation)
5) Poop Factory
6) Hercules
7) Mini-me (Jonathan's term)
8) Lovebug (my term)
9) Milk Monster
10) Little Explorer

Have I mentioned he's a very busy baby?

While waiting for the Honda to be fixed, they visited the Kia dealership next door.  Jonathan said Connor was ecstatic.

Gotta love facepainting

Xander is our homebody. He firmly believes that at least one day a weekend should be a "stay home day," where one never needs to change out of one's pajamas.

Ari wants to get dressed first thing in the morning and explore the world.

After I returned from Shabbat services last week, I offered to take whatever boy who wanted to come with me to a street fair five minutes away; our dentist's office was sponsoring it, and there were free burgers, Jamba Juice, face painting, games, and a radio station was blasting music from a booth.

Ari jumped at the chance, Xander declined.  Connor had no choice but to come in my wrap.

Face painting commenced.  Ari loves Rescue Bots, especially the helicopter bot, but the artist wasn't familiar with him, so she looked up a picture of him transformed into a person:

And now my kiddo:

Ari as Blades

Passed-out Rescue Ari Bot arriving home.  

The best part of this whole story, though, is after we got home I posted the first picture on Facebook, tagging my high school friend who works in Hollywood and who actually co-created Rescue Bots. (Her involvement is what led me to watch the show in the first place.)  Not only did she respond back, but she tagged the actor who voices the character of Blades, and he's going to record a special message for my kids!  I'm so excited!  How cool is that?!

Who are we???

Jonathan just bought an iron.

And an ironing board.

The kids play so hard that almost all their jeans now have holes in the knees.  He's going to sew on patches.

I'm still not over the fact that we bought an iron and an ironing board.

(I know this may seem like nothing to most of you... but 10 years ago we used to pride ourselves on being the club-hopping motorcycle-riding couple who jet-setted across Europe.  Now we own a minivan and an ironing board.  It's still a little mind-boggling at times.)