Moving...

It's 5770 - Happy New Year!

I was going to wait till the the other new year 2010 to try blogging exclusively on my new site. But I going for it now.

Check us out at: www.oururbanvillage.com

(thanks to my brother Charlie for all the design work! I'd be lost without his help.)

Photo Fun

Some pictures from the past 5 months that are fun. I have more that I like, but now I'm starting to get stressed out about grad school!!!!

11 Months

He likes to chew it chew it!!!

Sweet Eli turned 11 months this past week. He still has the most mellow disposition which is so calm 90% of the time. He can take a toy and just play. It's nice.

11 month highlights -

- eating only table food. He's done with jarred baby food, it's boring and tasteless. He eats way too much off the floor.

-taking an interest in the baby walker, just the weekend, after a visit with at his cousin Mave's and playing with his walker.

-saying "mama" finally! But still don't think he knows that is me. I do think he knows what a "baba" is, his bottle.

-crawling on all fours and moved on from the military crawl.

-pulling all toys off of shelves.

-drinking whole milk.

-went to the beach for the first time, did not getting in the water because it was raining.

One more month till the big dual party with his cousin Mave - should be the blowout extravaganza of the year!!!! Tractor tipping here we come!

Pronoun Confusion

"I'm a boy!!! I don't have a ponytail!"

When Kyle asked Noah if he was a she because he was using the pronoun when referring to himself.

Just his world of how boys and girls are different.

Good Meal

We had a good meal last week when Mariana, Jesse, and Maverick. I have been on the lookout recently for good family style menus.

The meal was:
-chile/lime marinated chicken from Central Market
-Green Goddess rice (w/o the basil)
-Ina's garlic cibatta bread from Back to the Basics cookbook.
-lots of fresh fruit.

The recipes were slightly altered with a few ingredients left out just because they didn't seem necessary or we didn't have them. It was easy, yet might tasty. That one's a keeper.

Alter Egos

(Just another day at our crib)

He is Thomas the tender engine ice cream man. His alter ego is a train that sells ice cream in between the fold of his chalk/magnet board. The ice cream flavors come in broccoli, sometime broccoli mint, often the ice cream store is out of chocolate....bummer!!!

I finished The Help. Excellent read! I read like a mad woman, mostly to meet my book club deadline. I think I missed number. This is actually my 19th book. I have joined many Goodreads online book clubs, plus I'm keeping up my out for local face to face book clubs.

Now, what will we do with both boys home for a week. Time to think of some fun things to do....

Apps for everything

I found a New Year's countdown app for my phone. There are 147 days until 2010, I got this blog challenging under wraps. Maybe my new blog will be ready and I can start a 2010 challenge.

Speaking of challenges, I just finished my 19th book of this year People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. I gave it four stars, it lost a star for some cheesy dialog. It was an interesting take on the Jewish persecution in relation to a historical written work. I was inspired to read more Jewish history, so when I have time I'll research that. My book challenge is to read 50 books this year. The year is half done, but I'm not half read. Time to read some young adult books to beef up my list and make me self look more read.

3 year old have strange logic (um-no logic). Today Noah said, "When I yawn, it just means I'm thirsty." I tried to inform him that it means he is TIRED!!!!! No such luck. Just thristy. Oh and he heard Kyle say crook, and now he keeps asking "Am I crook?" or "Are crooks giants?" or after throwing his shirt "Was that a crook?"

Word of the day: crook (pee-wee scream AAAHHHHH!!!!!)

Carry on...

More posting

(Chomp! I need to figure out my photo situation)

I'm trying to start some competition in myself to write more than my best year of post, which was 67 in 2006. I think... So I just have to post for about hmmm...67-21...what's that - 46 more days. How many days are left in this year? A problem to solve.

I need to find a way to get my photos into the computer. I've been using my iphone mostly. I'm not sure where our digital is, will have to find that.

We went to cruise night with the kids tonight. It was a tour through Noah's camp day, scrunched into about 30 mins, which was chaotic. Kids, parents, swimming, singing, dancing, coloring, decorating cookies - I wish I could go to camp!!!!

This is a busy week! Lots of evening plans, and my finals due this weekend and next Tuesday. It'll work itself out.

Thought it was cute: This morning one of Noah's friends walks up and asks "Will you be my friend today?" Noah looks around, hesitates, thinking about it, "Not today." The kid wasn't fazed, he kept insisting they were going to be friends all day. Ah kids! There interactions are so intriguing.

Listening to Pandora. My Paul Simon channel plays Jack Johnson. I like my Paul Simon channel.

Waiting...

(Help!!!)

I was going to switch over to a new blog when we moved. But it's still under construction. No reason to wait to write thou. Have been busy with school, kids, mess, still not unpacked, never ending activity...I do choose to keep busy so I shouldn't complain. But I do.

Thoughts on the mind currently:

-thinking about getting dog. Again. Might not be a good idea. But I'm wrapping my mind around it.
-lots to do this week.
-stupid final for one class due this weekend.
-I want summer school to be over!!!!
-how am I going to fit exercise in the next two weeks?
-how can I make the afternoons more fun for the kids, even thou it is hot?

That's all. Maybe more deep thoughts. later.

Tomorrow is cruise night. If only it were a real cruise and not a trek to the local JCC pool. A cruise would be great.

Eli turned 10 months yesterday!

Life is too much...

sometimes. We just have sooo much going on. And I really want our house unpacked because Noah is getting into everything!!! and making even bigger messes.

Oh well.

I'm mostly just tired when I sit down. And even more tired when I have to do school work.

Getting Noah out of the house these days has been a challenge. He isn't as agreeable to go to the park. I have to beg him to please go to the park. Or tell him that Eli and I are going - doesn't he?

In the end, he has fun.

Ay caramba!

Last Shabbat in A-town house

I was a little sad about our last Shabbat in A-town. It has been good to us. I am excited at the possibility, I'll miss our first home together as a family.

Packers will be here on Sunday, we'll load up on Monday, go say good-bye to Noah's teachers and friends at school, and then we'll start our life in a new town. Sounds so easy when it's put that way.

Photobucket

Trying out this photobucket slideshow stuff. Seems like a lot of steps, but maybe it might be fun???

Here are some photos from my Aunt's Easter Brunch.

*update: well that wasn't too hard!!!

Old Smokey

Kyle comforting Noah, he woke up scared and without pants.

Our rolled car and fire and police crew.

Last night, our car rolled across the street, on to the neighbors lawn, and hit the electric box. We were just minutes from going to bed when we heard a loud crash, waited a few seconds, then our power went out.

I didn't want Kyle to go outside to see what happened, because our neighborhood is wacked at night. But he did, and we saw our car across the street with a small fire under it because it hit the electric box. OMG!!!

So yes, we did call 911, and all the appropriate people came to the rescue. Everything ended up being okay, except our car's bumper. We're hoping insurance will fix that.

Still we were all wake until about 2 am, because the electric man didn't bring the right tool to turn off the electric box. We waited because we had to move our car.

I'm suspicious as to what happened. We've live here three years and the car has never rolled. It had been parked in the drive way since about 4 in the afternoon. How does it suddenly roll at midnight? The passenger side door was open. I don't think I left it open. All very fishy.

I want a car with automatic locks. A similar unfortunate car incident occurred when we last moved. Kyle got the UHaul stuck in the street - remember that?

Too much drama, not enough sleep last night.

Passover Fun

Noah and Jacob sipping their "wine" (sparkling grape juice) with spoons and relaxing on pillows.

(Eli's first Passover)

Turbulent times, are not no more. All is good, and we are on track to move as planned. Kyle, thankfully, still has his job lined up, and we are counting ourselves lucky and blessed.

We did our very first seder with our friends the Smiley's yesterday.

(That's Sean and his sister. His wife took the picture.)

We had so much fun and it was just what we needed for the kids. They tried to follow a long, but mostly sat there and sipped there juice with their spoons.
(Playing during the seder.)

The food was yummy. We made this new vegetable kugel which was very tasty, I want to make it again just because. There was also a good brisket, matzoh ball soup, passover chocolate chip cookies, and lots of wine. We also made Tispisti, a dessert made with almond meal and imbibed with sweet homemade syrup.

I don't think Noah and his friend Jacob ate, they were to busy chatting with each other and running around enjoying each others company. They did have fun looking for the afikoman, and kept saying, "Here's the afikoman!" holding up an invisible piece. When they did find it, they were rewarded with froggy treats.

I made afikoman covers. I think I should try to sell some next year. They were easy to make, and could be personalized or used for a passover craft.

It was a great start to the passover season, and I feel pumped, armed with kosher for passover recipes and a pantry filled with matzah. Still have one more family seder to go to on the last night.

Chag Sameach! (Happy Passover!)

6 months

Eli turned 6 months amongst some turbulent times.

He has two teeth coming in on the bottom and a great big head. Those are the highlights this month. His head has a circumference of 18.5 inches, and the nurse kindly charted this, showing me how it was well beyond the highest percentile. Folks, he has a great big head.

He's also:
-eating more solid foods
-sitting up a little better
-sleeping in the crib (YAY!)
-getting better at nap time
-smiles like crazy

He's got the best temperament, very chill, likes to really explore his toys. He also loves his big brother and loves to laugh with him. Sweet, sweet boy!

Turbulent times can be discussed later. I've been talking about them so much, I'm sick of thinking about what's recently hit the fan.

Boy Bits

Head lock!

Noah's been loving bouncing Eli in the saucer.

Noah -
We are trying to create a series of steps for Noah to help him going to sleep. He does not have the easiest time relaxing and enjoying sleep. His steps are:
1. Turn you lights off.
2. Get in your bed.
3. Put your head on your pillow.
4. Close your eyes.
5. Go to sleep.
6. BE VERY QUIET! (which he usually yells during naptime)

The steps seem to be working and give him some system, similar to sheep counting, for going to sleep. If we stick with it he might just get it. We have a star chart so that he gets a star every morning when he wakes up. Once his whole chart is filled up he get's a Chuck E. Cheese reward.

My other favorite game he has been playing is called "Let's be bunnies." I told him that bunnies talk very quietly and whisper. We have been playing this game when Eli is sleeping or when things get to rowdy. I love this game!

Eli-
There's a tooth about to pop from the bottom gums. I can feel it, and he certainly has been very irritable. Could also be irritable from getting off schedule this past week with our traveling.

He has been doing some rolling from tummy to back, but not consistently.

I'm am enjoying hearing both boys in the backseat of the car laughing and cutting up together. Noah laughs, Eli smiles or laughs back. It's cute.

Texas Railroad

Train watching.

Relaxing on the train ride to Rusk.

We rode the diesel train to Rusk from Palestine last week. We thought it was going to be the steam train, but apparently they switch trains every month. We'll check on that next time we go.

It was a relaxing hour and a half train ride through the country side. Eli slept and Noah watched out the window. One woman even commented on how well behaved Noah was and how luck we were. He's tricksy that way.

The train has a concession stand so we ate some popcorn. And there is a hour or so layover in Rusk. We could have planned better for that as well. Apparently we could have pre-ordered our food, which we didn't, so we were left to eat hotdogs and expired lemonade. Next time we'll take our own food or preorder so that we can check out the train stop a little more. Most of our time was spent in line, which just isn't fun.

Then we went back to Palestine. Another hour and a half drive. We did pass the steam train on the way there and on the way back. It was a fun trip and definitely one we'd like to do again. Thou, we might consider different lodging. The hotel we stayed in was strange, it was more like a poorly designed apartment. It was fine, but Palestine is sketchy. I felt less safe there than in Houston. There was also a lot of in door smoking, something else I am no longer used to.

I'm becoming such a city slicker.

New Home

Foot injury.

Houston cousins munching down on some brownies.

After a grueling week of looking at houses, losing houses we liked, and then waffling between the final house decision, we did indeed find a house. Between two visits, we looked at about 30 or so different places to live in. This house is not perfect, but it has potential. It's a 1950s ranch house with a swimming pool. The pool will be the first thing we need to manage. We'll need to put up some sort of fence to keep the little ones out.

The neighborhood has a park and things for the kids to do. Which was what ultimately helped guide our decision in this direction. I wanted a neighborhood that was active and lively with kids. This place was very active when we drove around it.

It is done and decided. Now we need to pack and get over there. Our cousins there were very helpful. Maureen cooked us dinner twice and watched Noah one day so we could look at house. I don't know how to repay people who are so kind to us. I hope to pay it forward someday.

There was some stress, some relief, and the B and B we stayed in was great. Only one minor injury. Noah fell off the bed playing Nana Dinosaur with Mary and Catherine. They technically had permission because we weren't clear what Catherine was saying about their game. Sooooo...he's all better now. Must have landed funny and maybe he'll learn a lesson about the woes of jumping on the bed.

Anyone need a house to rent in Austin?

Go Fish

Making matches.

Tonight we taught Noah how to play Go Fish. We had to be very detailed with the directions but on his level. It was very successful and he had a lot of fun playing. We did have to play with all the cards showing for the first time. We were also explaining to him how he should ask for cards to match and what that would sound like. It was fun, and I could see his wheels turning and wrapping around the game. I think we'll be playing like this for a while.

I wonder at one point kids become competitive. We aren't pushing that, it's all friendly and helping each other when we take someone else's cards. Thus far, he doesn't have a distinction between winning and losing.

I was trying to remember when I learned Go Fish. I don't remember. It's just there in the brain. It's so neat to see him learning.

Last Music Class With Our Favorite Teacher

The closest Noah would get for the picture.

Music class action shot.

Today was we had our last music class with Walter. Noah has been doing Music Together with him for two years.

We decided not to sign up for the spring session because we will be gone for half of it but still have to pay full price....blardee blardee.

Hope we can find a good class when we move.

Bagel Fest

Runnin' the race.

Race Ribbon

Noah completed his first kids 1k today. We weren't sure if we should have gone or not because we woke up at 7:05 and the race was at 8:00. Luckily we got our act together in about 20 minutes and made it - sorta.

I say sorta because when we got there he had to go potty and I had to stand in the organized chaos line to pick up his run number. So while we were pinning on his race number the kids buzzer went off, and well we were about 5 minutes behind all the kids.

Noah was the last runner. This might have worked in his favor because everyone made a big deal about "the last kid runner." They race coordinators were talking on the walk-e-talkies to start cheering for Noah and make a big deal. He got many cheers as we were coming down the home stretch, which seemed to pump him up. I should have brought my video camera. I was laughing because of the amount of attention we were getting for coming in last place. How often does that happen?

Anyways, I hope he keeps running, and making him the super star who finishes last place is good motivation to keep him running. He got a ribbon too.

The HEB buddy shopping bag might have been faster than us, but that's no matter! Gotta start somewhere.

Swim Class Break

Today we went to Tom's Swim and Dive to get our money back for swim classes. It's just not a happy situation for anyone anymore, so we best take a break. I'm also really unhappy with the new teacher, she didn't even try to help. The place has not be jiving with Noah since Ms. Nikki left.

We are at that point were it is time for Noah to start swimming on his own, but he's not quite accepted the idea yet. We'll start again, maybe, when we move. In the meantime, Kyle plans to give him swim lessons to keep him swimming.

Rocketship

Rocketship to the moon. Retrieved edible moon pieces.

Today, when Noah was walking out of school, he saw a girl with a rocketship walking out of another class. He kept talking about wanting to make a rocketship. So we went home and made ourselves a rocketship. He did a lot of the work.

I like when the world inspires us to do something fun and make it work (as Tim Gunn would say). I've really been wanting to do some art, crafty thing with all our recycleables. Not sure what.

I think when we move I'm going to switch to Vox for blogging. It has more features that I am looking for in a blog. I still am not sure how to add video here. I'm not doing the switch till we move though. Finishing out our journey here first. Ahh, what a journey it's been, one I'm not looking forward to leaving.

5 months

5 months old

Happy 5 months Eli!

He's a good sleeper - in his swing. We tried to move him to the crib again. Again, we were not successful. He gets soooo upset. So he's back in his swing. We'll try again later. Sleep is hard to come by around here, and why try to force him to have horrible sleep patterns?

5 month highlights -
-still does not like baths
-likes toys Noah wasn't that into - like one with dangly ribbons and stuff.
-like being upright - loves his exersaucer
-eating solid food slowly
-smiles lots
-super sound sensitive, and gets really upset with loud noises, takes a while to calm back down
-already encouraging Noah's silliness, by smiling and laughing - for instance when Noah decide to get stuck in his chair at dinner - smiled a lot
-likes movement
-super sweet and cuddly
-always wakes up in the morning with a big smile.

He's growing up so fast! Hopefully next month he can start swim lessons.

Indian Food

Coloring at Torah tots

Noah loved the Chicken Tikka Masala yesterday. I'm happy that he likes a variety of foods. Probably gets that from both of us. We are foodies. It hasn't been easy to be foodies, with two kiddies around now. Frozen pizza, hot dogs, something crock-pot, pretty bland. I'm not the domesticated goddess I'd like to be. It is good to know that we can just buy the tikka sauce from Masala Wok and use this with left over chicken.

We had a good weekend. Torah tots today, children's musuem and Build and Grow yesterday. I did this month's calendar, and here we go again with another activity filled month. Exciting, tiring, fun? A combo. And I still find classes I'd like to do with Noah. I found a mommy and me Karate class. Wouldn't that be fun?

At the museum, I learned how to make shrinky-dinks.
Number 6 plastics (strawberry containers are usually number 6)
sharpies to decorate
325 on the toaster oven
Let the plastics bake - they will curl up and then lie back flat. When they lie back flat, they are done.

I still need to try this to see if it actually works. I loved shrinky-dinks, thought they were so cool. I had some Smurf Shrinky-dinks when I was little.

Purim festivities start this week. Looking forward to it.

Almost done

Happy Birthday sweet boy!
You sure had fun on your big day, and it was everything we had practiced, singing, cake, blowing out candles. Whew! Time to start practicing for next year, sand cakes here we come!

The Bar will be over today. We'll breath a big sigh of relief, start making plans to move, and hope the results are positive. We've been waiting for this, and now it has come and about to be gone.

The past two months have been difficult. Or maybe it's the past three years. But I think it's all going to be alright.

Noah turned 3 last weekend. He had an awesome birthday party - digger trucks, digger cake, friends, and family. He was very happy to celebrate his big day, and is still enjoying opening up present. We unwrapped them, just haven't taken everything out of the boxes yet.

Eli ate sweet potatoes yesterday. His teeth are coming in and irritating him.

Noah was funny the other night. I was rubbing his back and he said, "Don't rub my back Mommy. I'm not a bath tub." He's silly. We are also trying to teach him manners, such as asking to be excused from the table. He learning to get the words in the right order.

Avocado margaritas - I'll be seeing you soon.

Then I need to get serious about school, packing, and getting us moved. But we'll start all that on Monday hopefully.

Accomplished

(Finally getting used to this bath thing, no tears this past week.)

I feel like I am getting many things accomplished. I started doing Book-in-a-Week, and participated in it for the past 2 months. I needed something to get me writing again. Writing helps me in many ways: remember, create, think, vent, etc.

I also started my running again. I'm training for the Zooma 1/2. I'm not as fast as I was before pregnancy 2, but I'm working on it.

The theme a week has fallen to the wind. We've been letting Noah watch too much Cars. He loves it, luckily, we are finding different funny things about it after seeing it several times. We have had several discussions about how we should handle this TV issue.

Memorable events from the past weeks:
-Kosher Chili Fest - fun, some good chili and not so good. Kyle's team chili was sweet and savory. They didn't win. I thought surely the were close, but nope. It was really flavorful.
-Trying to bake one thing a week with Noah. Last week we made upside down German chocolate cake. Tasty. The week before we made lemon-banana muffins. Would have been alright with out my runny icing.
-Noah is becoming so expressive in music class. He wasn't like that even last fall, but now he's talking and interacting with the teacher and other kids a lot. It's nice to seem him singing the songs and giving suggestions to add to the songs.
-They changed Noah's teacher, which we weren't too happy with. I liked his teacher, but apparently the director thought a new lead teacher was a better move. Oh well. He's just having such a good school experience this year compared to last, trying to keep that happy feeling going.
-I'm trying to get Noah to call me Ima and Kyle Abba. No luck.

-Eli has been fussy ever since his shots last week. And now he's 4 months. We started rice cereal last week. So far, so good. Slurping it up, and no allergic reactions. He is also doing really well getting that head up. Today he even rolled himself from his tummy to his back. Soon we'll be chasing after him and Noah, and training dear sweet Eli not to put Noah's teeny tiny toys in his mouth.

(first rice cereal tasting)

-Kyle will be taking the bar in less than 15 days. ..yikes!!!
-and I try to avoid thinking about how we'll be moving and how much I'm going to miss Austin.

Chit-chats
Mommy: If you behave at the store you'll get a prize, what kind of prize to you want?
Nofah: A doo-doo
Mommy and Daddy: Ewww, that's gross.
Nofah: A fatty.
Daddy: That's illegal!


HAHA! He actually chose a healthy snack.

I'm thinking of creating a new blog when we move. Say good-bye to Austin, and hello to our new adventures. Not sure thou.

Sick Week

(finishing up a penguin castle project)

(sick little boy)

This week our house was filled with the cruddy, crud. So we watched way too much tv, hacked our lungs out, had abundant amounts of snot, and pretty much are now recovery. I luckily did not get sick (knock on virtual wood). Every one else got the crud.

I did have a fabulous mani, pedi, facial, and massage today - thanks to my wonderful husband. This was my first facial and I'm sure how I feel about it. I was a bit claustrophobic and the extracting things out of my skin did not feel pleasant. My skin feels great now those, glowing and squeaky clean.

Noah swam with his teacher today - which was a big deal. Two weeks ago he was screaming and crying and couldn't even get through the lesson because he is so used to swimming with Kyle. That was break through today. We also feel we are at a point to stop to with the star chart for telling us he needs to go potty. Let's hope he doesn't regress. He has practically ever excavator truck known to man kind.

Eli also caught the crud. But he has remained pleased, if a little vomity. He has a funny laugh and such a calm demeanor. He has mostly wanted to be held during his sickness. And he discovered his foot this week. Kept holding it up and examining it, not sure what it was.

(the thinker)

Well time for bed, and reading. I've almost read 3 books in '09. My goal is fifty. We'll see.

Penguin Week

(Painting Baby Penguin)

(Tacky and Baby Penguin)

In the new year, I am attempting to have a theme a week for Noah. He just needs some entertainment and focus, and we watch too much TV. This week we tried to talk about penguins.

Books we read: Tacky the Penguin, Tackilocks, Three Cheers for Tacky, Penguin, and Penguin Pup for Pinkerton.

Movie we watched: Happy Feet

Crafts: We made a penguin using a toliet paper roll. I found a worksheet for making a toilet roll penguin. My penguin (the nicer one) is named Tacky and Noah's is named Baby.

Another craft I am hoping to get to - maybe tomorrow - is creating a marshmallow kingdom for the penguins. I bought big and little marshmallows and the plan is to glue them and build a kingdom on top of a cardboard covered with aluminum foil. Sounds fun.

He's into frogs this week. I'm thinking of find some frog crafts for next week.

Eli watches us or sleeps. Some day he'll join in the fun.