Happy Hannukah

Hi Everyone,
So I'm Jewish. As my Aunt Karen said more accurately, Jew-ish. Meaning, I am not a practicing Jew unless you count making Matzoh ball soup whenever there's a Jewish holiday out of some weird guilty obligation, which I suppose is kind of Jewish of me. But I also do it because it's yummy. When my mom was alive, being Jewish was more a part of my life. My dad's not Jewish, not quite sure what he is, or was before he joined the religion of hippie as a young man, but this allows me to tell one of my favorite childhood anecdotes. Apparently, when asked what religion I was by some adult, me, as a small child, answered, 'Half Jewish, and half regular'.

The Jewish part of me was special, different, unique, plus it let me get out of school some bonus days during the year. We always celebrated Christmas big in my family (even the totally Jewish side) and to a smaller extent Hannukah. Christmas was big presents and Hannukah was eight days of school necessities wrapped in white tissue paper, like scotch tape, pens, or socks and undies. Eventually we just stopped doing Hannukah and it was all Christmas.

So, on Sunday my Aunt's girlfriend Sara, whose all Jewish, had all us over for a real Hannukah party with the latkes and the menorah.



For the first time (that I can remember), I played that driedle game, which would have captured my interest longer if we were playing with something other than pennies.




Regardless, that didn't stop Nina's competitive sprit (though I think the only 100% non-Jew there, Dan, won the game, of course).



Here's Sadie playing her own version of Driedle, meaning she's wondering if she can fit it in to her mouth or not.




Mainly it was fun to hang out as a family because regardless of your religion, this is what this time of year is all about.







In other holiday news, I recently spent a chilly winter day at Susannah's house with Amber and Mollee and our kids making Christmas cookies.



...well actually, they made Cookies and Sadie and I watched. Well, I watched and Sadie fell in love with Zoey's bear chair...



..and was generally super cute as usual.





Not sure how I am going to raise Sadie when it comes to this time of year. I'll just take it one year at a time. For example, this year, I had to buy the smallest tree on the lot so we could place it up on our console table away from her curious little fingers.




...not the best picture, but you get the idea.

Anyway, I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas, and is having a Happy Hannukah or just enjoying the season.

Love,
Rosalie

Still Here...

Hi Everyone,
Been slacking on my blog. Partly because I left my camera at Nina's house (I hope they have found it) and usually I only blog when I snap a blog worthy photo and feel the need to tell a story about it. So, no photo, no blog. That, and I've been pretty busy. Just doing life stuff. Work, home, dinner, bath, book, bottle. That kind of thing. Nothing to exciting.
So, in lieu of anything new, here's a little montage of some oldies but goodies. In no special order, except chronological, here's Sadie and some loyal blog readers....























































and lest I want to get divorced...





More interesting posts to come...once I get my camera back and can snap some new Sadie shots.
Love,
Rosalie

Happy THANKSGIVING

Hi Everyone,
Holiday round one done. I hosted the event at our house in the woods. I spent Wednesday shopping and prepping most of the sides, brining the Turkey, making the cranberry sauce, so Thursday wouldn't be a big stressful juggling act. And, even with all that preparation and pre-thought, and my Aunts bringing dessert and drinks and Dan doing the potatoes, I was still a little bit of a wreck. Thanksgiving just does that to me. It's the task of getting everything on the table at once, and still warm, that drives me crazy.

Here I am probably caught between worrying out loud that the Turkey wasn't done enough and complaining about how Frida won't stop picking up Sadie's toys in her mouth or Sadie won't stop crawling over to Frida's dog bowl and splashing around in the water...




Hannah came over early in the morning to help with the baby while I did the rest of the meal. And I played my own little version of Top Design with her. Even though she doesn't watch that much TV and had no idea what I was talking about, it was still fun. I said, 'You can use anything in the kitchen built in shelves and outside in the garden to create a Thanksgiving table setting. You have fifteen minutes and your time starts.....NOW".




And though Hannah has a self admitted 'creative' fashion sense, she usually doesn't mix stripes and plaids. I must explain her odd fashion choice. She's wearing a top of mine while her shirt was in the wash. It was a victim of Frida's muddy paws.

Almost done....



Though I am no India Hicks, I think she did a pretty good job.



I had the perfect amount of people. Any more and my house would have exploded, or we would have had to eat in shifts.

My Aunt Robin from LA was there...



..and spent most of the night cuddling one of the babies. Of course!

My Aunt Sara came too and did a bit of cuddling as well as satiating Greg's need to talk politics.



My cousin Whitney...



...and of course the Lee family...





All in all it was a great night. The food was good (at least I was told it was good). All I know is that the Thanksgiving meal must have a certain color palette. There needs to be brown, green, orange and white. And this, well this I think covered it....



Sadie enjoying her first Thanksgiving...



The family, taking a break before Dessert...



And don't ask, because I can't remember....but this is sort of how the night ended. A perfect ending, in so many ways...



Love,
Rosalie