Sunshine

After nearly a full week of rain, thank G-d, today is the first day we've seen the sun for more than a few minutes at a time and we are promised warmer than normal temps this week. Maybe I will be able to catch up on the laundry and not have to use the dryer so much. The Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) is filling up nicely after being at dangerously low levels for years. We still have a long way to go before we can say it's full but still. We're headed in the right direction.

DH and Y got back from the UK about 2 weeks ago. 2 days after they got back, S and I agreed on my going to see MY family (and meet the sister who I've never met) in October for two weeks BY MYSELF. Hurrah! So I have that to look forward to. I also want to see my Dad while I'm there and am trying to decide whether to drive or fly down to CA to see him or have him come up to WA where I'll be which probably makes more sense.

Work is still deathly quiet and boring for me. If they don't mind, I don't mind. I can keep myself occupied. There are just so many more productive things I could be doing at home.

Speaking of which, I finished this bracelet last night which I am giving to my Mom as today is her birthday and we are going to her place tonight with pizza for a small party.

Loooooooooooong skinnnnnnnnnnny picture!

And I've branched out and last night tried my hand at these glass tile necklaces which I am sending to my two neices for their birthdays.

I would like to try to sell some of the jewelry I'm making and have opened a Facebook page where I post pics and details about every piece I've made: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Avigayils-Baubles/185513491557176. I have lots of ideas for more designs that I want to try so keep checking back.

Purim starts this week on Wednesday night. There has been a lot of lead-up to it in the kids' schools and E's gan. One day E came home like this:

I think the gannenet (daycare teacher) used green permanent marker to make those green circles around his eyes. It didn't really come off completely in the bath that night and the next morning he woke up with a green, shmeary face. 

Another day he came home like this:



I plan to come to work on Wednesday with some sort of silly hat or something to get people into the spirit. E had a penguin costume already that DH's older son had bought for him last year and which was miles too big so E is wearing it this year.

I took the girls last night to buy costumes. Y is going as Minnie Mouse and T as a Hawaiian girl. Pics will follow. I spent 130 NIS ($34) for both girls and count myself lucky that I got off so cheaply. What they charge for costumes is shocking!

Purim being upon us means that Pesach is around the corner and at lunch today we were talking about it and it was pointed out to me that Pesach begins in exactly a month and that it starts on a Friday night. O joy! Extra complicated from a family point of view for us.......

Latest Creation

I've mentioned before that I like makeup - especially playing around with eyeshadows. I have quite a few of them which until now were tossed into a basket on the desk in my room where I sit and do my makeup in the mornings. I really couldn't see easily what colors I had, what colors I didn't have, always had to spend time digging for the one I wanted, etc.

Then while browsing on my new favorite web site - http://www.pinterest.com/ - I found a great solution. A magnetic board that is practical AND beautiful. Now that's my kind of project!

There was a picture we had hanging up on the wall over our piano for years that I decided I didn't want any more. I'd already taken the picture down a while back but hadn't gotten rid of it yet. So I took the picture out of the frame. Then I asked DH to find me a place in the industrial zone here that could cut me a piece of thin......what do magnets stick to? steel? Steel, I guess. They cut it to fit the frame. I then covered this piece of metal with a pretty fabric using spray glue and taped it into my frame with wide, heavy tape on the back of the frame. Then I glued small magnets on the backs of all my eyeshadows, my foundation, my blush, etc. and now I have them all out and up where I can see exactly what I have at a glance. Voila!

The whole project cost me (112 NIS = ~$30).

Chanukah Vacation

Today is the last day of Chanukah. I took Sunday and yesterday off work to keep the kids out of DH's hair for a bit. The two days off flew by but I feel like I got a lot done with the kids which is nice.

I kicked off my long weekend by taking T to see Fiddler On the Roof at the Cameri (Israeli Theater) in Tel Aviv on Saturday night.

Fiddler on the Roof

I mentioned in a previous post how NOT excited T was about this idea but by the time the date rolled around she was resigned to suffering through it with me to humor me. WELL. She and I got to Tel Aviv quite early. We had time for a coffee in the cafeteria at the theater. They opened the doors to the auditorium at 8:10 and since we were so early we were the first ones to go in and sit down. She kept making comments like, "OMG. We're going to be the only ones here. OMG. There's just going to be old people here. OMG. If my friends saw me now I'd be so embarrased." We were sitting 8th row from the front and smack in the middle - amazing seats. And then above us were two more tiers as well. The place was pretty empty for quite a while. Even I was getting nervous that we'd be the only ones there. And then all of a sudden at about 8:25 pm, everyone came in at once with a great big WHOOSH and the place filled to I'd say probably 90% capacity. Not bad! Every time a younster or 20-something person came in, I'd dig her in the ribs and said, "Hey, look! A young person!" I did it so often that I had her giggling: "OK OK Ima. Shush! I get it!" The show opened with the first song "Tradition" which totally grabbed her and swept her into the story and she was hooked. She was laughing a LOT through most of it. The music was WOW, the actors were excellent. Natan Datner played Tuvya and Chani Nachmies (sp?) played his wife. They portrayed the characters perfectly. When it was over and we were leaving, T very readily said with a tone of surprise in her voice, "That was good." HIGH praise, coming from her! Her only critique was that there was a bit too much crying and heavy at the end for her taste. It's true. It starts out all light and funny and haha and the story does get heavier as it goes along but......that's the story. I really do hope that this experience will give her a little bit more faith in my judgement when it comes to these things. For next time.

It started raining heavily Saturday night and carried on through Sunday. So Sunday was a "hang out at home day". Apart from taking both kids for haircuts in the morning, it was a pajama day, movie day, arts and crafts day, order pizza in for dinner day, etc.

Pre-haircut



Craft time - making rainbow clouds.

I have been looking to buy a laptop for myself. DH and I had nearly decided on which one to buy and then a friend of ours told us on Shabbat that she had bought a Dell mini (10" screen) a year and half ago and wasn't using it. She said she would sell it to me for 500 NIS (~$135). So Sunday night I went over to her house and played around with it for an hour to see if it did what I needed it to do. I went into all my favorite web sites, tried running a movie on it, etc. It also has a built in camera for Skyping purposes too. I ended up buying it from her and I'm so excited about it.

We saved a lot of money this way and even if it only lasts me a year I can upgrade next year. Our friend had bought a larger battery for it too so if I ever need to run it off the battery it has enough life to last 6 hours. It's small and compact and doesn't take up much space when not in use. Yesterday Y came with me to work. I popped this little thing into my handbag and got Y set up beside me at work watching a movie on it. Perfect!

On Monday, Y and I had a tiyul (field trip) organized by her school for parents and kids. There were 4 bus loads of people! We were gone from 9-3. They took us over to Beit Shemesh to a synagogue there where they had refreshments for everyone. Then they bused the kids somewhere else for a hike and crawl through some underground tunnels for an hour and a half. This was led by a tour guide. While the kids were off doing that, they had a rabbi come speak to the parents about marriage. Sounds heavy, right? Wrong. This rabbi was SO funny! He was more of a comedian. He talked mostly about the differences between men and women. Who can't relate to that? (He said that his day job as a rabbi involved a lot of counselling for groups of men prior to marriage, groups of women prior to marriage and couples together.)  We, the parents, were giggling so hard. He was wonderful. And of course, I really wished DH could have been there to hear him. Or at the very least that I would have thought to have videoed it for DH.

After the rabbis talk which was very enjoyable, we were bused to Park Britania (National Park) to meet up with the kids after their hike. The buses took us up to the top of a high hill there with an awesome view all around. Considering that it had been pouring rain the day before, we were SO lucky with the weather. It was sunny but VERY VERY VERY cold up there on the hill. After the buses of kids arrived, the people with the food turned up and despite the cold, they brought portable grills and pitot and hotdogs and salads and all the supplies for a BBQ in the "forest". (In this country, anywhere where there are a minimum of 7 spindly trees clumped together they call a "forest". Pu-lease. They ain't seen nuthin'.) They got the hotdogs on to cook pronto and there was a mad rush by one and all for the food. Once the "forest" had been cleared of debris (i.e. hotdog wrappers, plastic forks, cups, plates, etc.) and bagged up (largely by me), we headed back to Rehovot and Y's school. A very nice day.

Having just gotten a wash the day before in the rain, everything looked so bright and clean. The blues couldn't have been bluer, the greens couldn't have been greener and the whites couldn't have been whiter.

We got home from the tiyul around 3 pm and we weren't home 20 minutes before I turned Y around, grabbed E and we headed back out to the gymboree at Bilu Center. We were there from 4-8 pm. It's a pricey outing but I felt bad that E was home all morning with DH and probably didn't do much more than spend a lot of time in front of the TV so I wanted to get him out of the house for him to do something active. It was the perfect decision. I thought, you know, being Chanukah and all, that it would be mobbed but surprisingly it wasn't. The employee who heard me comment about it said that the mornings had been much more crowded and that we came at the right time of day. So that was also great. There were still plenty of people there but there was room for me to sit down and the kids didn't have to wait to go on anything or play with anything.

Since last night was the last night of Chanukah, we lit the chanukkiyah (menorah) filled with 8 candles. Here's E helping to get the candles set up in the chanukkiyah and helping to light them.

Creativity

I am very artistic. Always have been. As are both of my parents in different ways. Guess I got it from them.

I still love to sit down with some colored pencils and one of Y's coloring books and color either with her or even by myself after she's asleep. It helps one think.

I love to decorate my space(s) - whatever they may be. I look at the world through eyes that ask: "Is it beautiful?" I like making things with my hands. I love detail. The more the better. I love hand-made. I like imagining a beautiful space in my head and then composing it in real life piece by piece.

Lately I am on this jewelry-making kick, trying my hand at different kinds. Seeing what works for me, what doesn't and what is within my budgetary restrictions.

I am realizing that creative expression is a necessity for me. A "need", not just a "want". As a busy, working, frazzled mom to three kids, I have put these crafty yearnings on hold for far too long. It's time to brush them off.

I have no great desire to have this become a career. It's just a private, me thing. An outlet for all kinds of things. But mostly I need it and do it because of its meditation-like qualities that lend themselves to contemplation and inner stillness. (By "it", I mean anything crafty that I might try my hand at.) My "inner pond" is ripple-free when I am creating something with my hands.

At the end of the day, after the kids are in bed, it is hard sometimes to work up motivation for creativity but if I just push myself and get started, all the fatigue just melts away and it will often be hours later that I will look at the clock for the first time and be shocked at the hour. Where did the time go?

Creating gives me a sense of productivity and pleasure so I can meet the following day with a smile.

Things

We were walking home yesterday from Shabbat lunch at friends'. DH and Y were walking hand in hand ahead of me. I was a little bit behind them pushing E in the stroller. I tuned into their conversation when I heard Y saying, ".....but they're ALL my friends - Benny and Itamar and Gavriel - how do I decide which one to marry????" DH told her that she doesn't have to decide now and right now they're all special because they're JUST friends and because it's nice to have a lot of friends.

Here are two more jewelry projects I completed last week. This short necklace - out of buttons of course. I made matching dangly earrings to go with it. I love how it turned out although I can't decide if it looks like I'm wearing some sort of dog collar or not. As the buttons are metal, the necklace is pretty heavy too but I don't mind. I even got a compliment on this one at shul yesterday.

And these made out of these clear plexiglass "tags" with scrapbooking paper glued to the backs of them. So simple and relatively inexpensive! Y made the pink set for herself.



Yes, Your Craftiness!

A few posts back I mentioned that I'd bought 3 packs of scrapbooking paper. Here's what it looks like:

Aren't the patterns beautiful? They sort of satisfy my longing for wallpaper.

I have also been finding a lot of web sites from which you can download scrapbooking paper for free (if you have a color printer). The only color printer I have is the one at work so I would only do this in a pinch and not huge quantities either.

I also posted a clip of a custom button making tool from Epiphany Crafts. I've ordered it in the 20mm flower button shape from eBay and am eagerly awaiting its arrival so I can make custom buttons and with them make more necklaces and rings in combination with the regular buttons I already have in my collection.

Now here's the next type of jewelry I want to try making with the scrapbooking paper: http://www.theidearoom.net/2009/04/glass-tile-pendants.html What a simple, classy, neat idea! This would be a great gift for my 2 neices. The only problem is that 2 nights ago I ran around to four places in Rehovot that might possibly have these clear glass tiles and no one has seen or heard of them! SO frustrating!

However, yesterday, after a lot of asking around and looking online, someone referred me to this site http://www.netanella.com/. The web site is amazing AND the owner of the web site also has a store in Rehovot!!!!! How lucky is THAT? And how come no one in Rehovot knows about this place???? I think I see on the web site what I'm looking for and hope to go check this place out tonight.

Ideas

I'm still on a crafting "shvuuuuung". I have selectively been buying some basic craft supplies here and there that I'm sure I will use with the kids.

Last week I discovered this nifty little gadget made by Epiphany Crafts in the U.S.:

And now I am BADLY wanting one of these little button tools so I can make my own custom buttons to make jewelry out of.

On Friday I went to Ra'anana to a store there called Big Deal that carries a lot of overstock items from the US. They have really good English children's books, games, workbooks and toys as well as stationary, kitchenware, pillows, luggage, candy, and art and craft supplies including scrapbooking supplies. I bought three huge packages of GORGEOUS scrapbooking paper to use with this button making tool which I have ordered from eBay. I think it will greatly expand my jewelry making possibilities.

I can't wait to receive it and get to work!

Are You Bored?

Have you heard that familiar "I'mmmmm boooooorrrred!" whine once too often? I know I have.

Firstly, when my kids say that I don't start instantly jumping through hoops to entertain them. I tell them, "That's ok. If you let your brain rest for a few minutes, I'm sure you'll think of something to do." Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. If they don't, I then present them with several suggestions of things to do (i.e. fold the laundry, feed the cat, pick up the clothes off the floor of their room, etc. ). Works like a charm. They find something else to do with alacrity! Who would have thought they were at loose ends just mere minutes before?

Over the years, I have compiled a list of web sites that either have educational and/or non-violent online games that young children can play or are good resources for craft ideas or have free educational printouts. Here is my list. Next to each link I've tried to give a short description of what the site contains. If there are any other sites that I may not know about, I would be happy to hear from you and add the link to my collection.

http://www.aaamath.com/ (Spelling, Math, Vocabulary, Geography - sorted by grade level)
http://math.about.com/od/addingsubtracting/Addition_Subtraction_Multiplication_Division_Worksheets.htm (printable math worksheets)
http://www.akhlah.com/ (Jewish children's learning - Parsha, Hebrew, Holidays, Heroes, Traditions)
http://www.aplusmath.com/Worksheets/ (Printable math worksheets and worksheet generators - sorted by grade level)
http://www.crayola.com/ (Coloring pages, craft ideas, games)
http://homeschooling.about.com/cs/langearlyread/index_2.htm (Links to online word/vocabulary games, printable flashcards/phonics worksheets, etc.)
http://resources.kaboose.com/games//earthday.html (Online Earth Day games)
http://chinuch.org/ (Jewish education resources by age - months, parsha, mishnayot, hashkafah, Hebrew, puzzles, stories, songs, holidays, halacha, history, arts and crafts)
http://www.edhelper.com/ (free lesson plans - reading/writing, math, language, social studies, science)
http://www.tlsbooks.com/mathworksheets.htm (free printable math worksheets by grade level + alphabet, language arts, geography, handwriting, history, holidays, nursery rhymes, science, spelling)
http://www.kidzone.ws/math/grade1.htm# (Math worksheets)
http://www.funbrain.com/ (online math, reading and general games)
http://funschool.kaboose.com/ (online math and reading games, craft ideas, coloring pages)
http://visualfractions.com/IdentifyCircles/identifycircles.html (online fraction game)
http://resources.kaboose.com/games/index.html (online non-violent games - general)
http://www.kidsgames.org./ (online non-violent games - general for ages 6-10)
http://www.starfall.com/n/level-a/learn-to-read/play.htm?f (WONDERFUL beginning reading web site!)
http://www.learningplanet.com/stu/index.asp (online educational games by grade)
http://www.dositey.com/2008/index-page-home.php (math and language/grammar games)
http://www.netrover.com/~kingskid/MulTab/Applet.html (multiplication table applet - visual tool)
http://pbskids.org/barney/children/games/ (storytime, music, games and coloring with Barney and friends)
http://www.songsforteaching.com/index.html (I am convinced that you can teach ANYTHING to kids if it's put to music. This site offers CDs and downloads of music for sale on a variety of topics - math, phonics, science, holidays, social studies, etc.)
http://www.surfnetkids.com/games/ (Games, games and more games)
http://www.teachingtables.co.uk/ (online multiplication tables games)
http://www.teachingtime.co.uk/ (online games that teach how to tell the time - some are free, some aren't)
http://www.totshabbat.com/ (Jewish music for kids)
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_102_g_2_t_1.html (fractions applet)
http://www.ealfy.co.il/login/index.asp (very good games site in Hebrew for young kids - requires paid membership)
http://www.galim.org.il/ (very good educational games site in Hebrew - although there is a wonderful section in English for kids who are ESL learners - to access the entire site you must pay although there are parts that you can access for free)
http://www.free-puzzles.net/travel-games-for-kids/printable-games/index.php (printable travel games - bingo, tic-tac-toe, mazes, word search, etc.)
http://pbskids.org/ (games, online videos - cute site!)
http://www.pitara.com/activities/ (activities, crafts, coloring pages)
http://www.agkidzone.com/games (general online games for young kids)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/teletubbies/ (games)
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/ (wonderful EASY craft idea resource!)
http://www.fisher-price.com/us/playtime/coloring/toddler/thumbnail.asp (online coloring pages)
http://www.allkidsnetwork.com/color-by-numbers/ (free printable color by number pages)
http://www.allkidsnetwork.com/dot-to-dot/ (free printable dot to dot pages)
http://www.allkidsnetwork.com/mazes/ (free printable mazes)
http://www.mommysavers.com/kids-activities/ (Frugal activities and craft ideas)
http://www.dragonsaretooseldom.com/kids_activities.html (kids activity ideas)
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/interactive/ (online interactive games and activities - literacy, math, science)
http://www.allkids.co.uk/hobbies-interests-activities/index.html (links to childrens' hobbies and interests)
http://www.entertainthekids.com/ (paid membership site - activity/craft ideas)
http://www.gameskidsplay.net/ (rules/instructions for some games/activities to play with kids)
http://en.origami-club.com// (origami site from beginner level to advanced with instructions)
http://fun.familyeducation.com/play/outdoor-activities/33394.html (outdoor activities for kids ages 6-10)
http://www.pilkey.com/games.php (cute online games)
http://activitypad.com/ (printable preschool activities, word search puzzles, mazes, kids games)
http://www.superkids.com/aweb/tools/math/fraction/reducing/ (math worksheet generator)
http://worksheets.theteacherscorner.net/make-your-own/telling-time/ (telling time worksheet generator)
http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/time.html (telling time worksheets, math worksheets, reading/writing worksheets, phonics worksheets, grammar worksheets, spelling worksheets, etc.)
http://www.coloring.ws/ (free coloring pages, games, puzzles)
http://www.kidsknowit.com/interactive-educational-movies/index.php (free online annimated educational movies)

Now. I never want to hear you say you're bored again! Ya hear?

Feeling Crafty...

I have been feeling SO frustrated that I have no time - well, energy, to be more precise - for doing anything creative. I am sick of it being cold and dark when I get home from work and not being able to get out of the house and DO stuff with the kids and I'm sick of them spending every evening in front of the TV. So this past Friday I spent the whole morning running around town to a fabric store and 2 craft supply stores and picked up some basic craft supplies. I have been finding some great, cute, fun, easy-looking craft ideas on the internet and want to do some with Y.

So here's what we came up with.......

Some cute bookmarks made out of large colored paper clips with ribbons tied onto them.

And these magnets made out of stacks of old buttons that we glued together and glued a magnet to the backs of them.....

These two projects took me and Y a good hour.

And last Saturday night E fell asleep at 6:15 <shocked> so I actually had an evening and spent 6 hours making this necklace.

All three projects very satisfying and great fun.

I just heard a really cute joke....A new immigrant to Israel was asked, "In one word, how would you describe Israel?" He replied, "Good." Then he was asked, "In TWO words, how would you describe Israel?" He replied, "Not good."

The more I think about that, the funnier it gets. But maybe that's just me?