Flour + Water + Yeast + Butter + Sugar = Shabbat Morning Love

Parenting Lessons Learned Early:

The way to a boy's heart

is through

his stomach.

28/365 - Who Needs Toys?

Who needs toys

when you have belts, scarves, and ties?

Ashi and Rami have invented a little game:
Ashi grabs a blankie, scarf, or in this case, Abba's belt.
Rami grabs on to the end.

Ashi runs.
Rami gets pulled along till he falls down.
Rami gives a big belly laugh, picks himself up, and the game starts again.

Given that it involves running ripshot with otherwise grown-up objects,

plus the obligatory roughhousing,

and adds in, of course, belly laughs,

it is an awesome, awesome game.

24/365 - Tackle!

24/365 - Tackle!
Originally uploaded by Leigh Ann Kopans

The boys are starting to play together more and more.

I think it was David who taught the boys to tackle one another.

Rami, (I assume due to his smaller size and slower speed,)

has developed a pretty good strategy for tackling his big brother -

grab onto his clothes,

hold on for dear life,

and hope he falls down before you do.

The spikes running down the back of Asher's dinosaur costume made perfect little handles.

Asher didn't stand a chance.

Normally, the tackle-ee has a look of horror and despair on his face (like in this shot,)

while the tackle-er wears an expression of total glee.

Today, they both seemed delighted to be playing the game.

23/365 - On the Shabbat Agenda:

23/365 - On the Shabbat Agenda:
Originally uploaded by Leigh Ann Kopans

1 - Sit around in the living room.
2 - Hug and kiss my babies.

So glad we made time for THAT.

Lunchtime Lessons

David: "Asher, where did all your blueberries go?"

(Asher looks guilty.)

(Asher not-so-stealthily shoves another blueberry into his pocket.)

David: "Ashi, food goes in our...."

Asher: "...mouth."

David: "...not in our..."

Asher: "...pockets."

(Asher grins.)

1/365 - "Come, cuddle your head on my shoulder, dear..."

Come, cuddle your head on my shoulder, dear,
Your head like the golden-rod,
And we will go sailing away from here
To the beautiful Land of Nod.
Away from life's hurry, and flurry, and worry,
Away from earth's shadows and gloom,
To a world of fair weather we'll float off together,
Where roses are always in bloom.

Just shut up your eyes, and fold your hands,
Your hands like the leaves of a rose,
And we will go sailing to those fair lands
That never an atlas shows.
On the North and the West they are bounded by rest,
On the South and the East, by dreams;
'Tis the country ideal, where nothing is real,
But everything only seems.

Just drop down the curtains of your dear eyes,
Those eyes like a bright blue-bell,
And we will sail out under starlit skies,
To the land where the fairies dwell.

Down the river of sleep, our barque shall sweep,
Till it reaches that mystical Isle
Which no man hath seen, but where all have been,
And there we will pause awhile.
I will croon you a song as we float along,
To that shore that is blessed of God,
Then, ho! for that fair land, we're off for that rare land,
That beautiful Land of Nod.

~"The Beautiful Land of Nod"

by Ella Wheeler Wilcox