Things about me you didn't know

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I realize that you might know a lot about Baby Bear and Mini and not so much about me.  I also sometimes lose myself in my children (for the good and bad) and decided to focus on myself for the minute. 

1. I have one less set of ribs
{it must be genetic because my aunt has the same thing!}

2. All of the first born girls on my dad's side are named after my great grandma Esther (Brooke Esther)

3. My parents almost named me Barry. Bonnie and B'nai were also in the running. Can you picture me as a Bonnie?? They came up with Brooke last minute.

4. My brother Ben also has a B name. We call my sister Bissa/Biss (Marissa) so that she can have a B name too!

4. I everything to do with art except for drawing since I don't feel that I am so good at it.

5. Wanted to be a Rabbi when I was in High School and some of University

6. I can't spell and am so glad for spell checker!!

7. I had to take Hebrew pass/fail in college because I was so bad at it! (I took Hebrew and Spanish) I love languages.

8. I have really bad handwriting.  I wish that I had handwriting like my cousin, I think hers is the best and have since I was really little.

9. I don't like beef and lamb of the bone. I was a vegetarian for 6 years and now I just don't really eat it. If I do it would have to be Kosher, but I think the texture is gross! I don't like cheese and I am lactose intolerant too. I have even gone back and forth between being Raw Vegan before I had kids.

10. I love jewelry and gemstones and always have. I used to go door to door when I was really little and sell my beaded things to neighbors. I was like 5 maybe.

11. My cousin and I have a summer camp in my backyard for 3 years. It was called Camp Fun in the Sun. It was all the neighborhood kids my sister's age. I would even walk them home!

12. I had my adenoids taken out when I was little.

13. I played soccer in high school on on the Maccabi Detroit soccer team. I was really bad but we won bronze!

14. I don't understand how to play football no matter how many times it has been explained. I somehow understand when U of Michigan plays. Go Blue!!

15. I dressed up as a Michigan State Cheerleader for Halloween with my cousin Erica and used to want to be a Spartan. Good thing I got over that!!

16. I have coral in my foot.

17. My parents did not meet my husband until after we go married. We got married so that he could get paper to come to the US and have a wedding there. In hind sight I wish that I would have made everyone come to Israel. We only wanted to have a justice of the peace type thing, but you need a minyan. It ended up being around 30 people and we had a party after.

18. I used to have a dog named Max and I still cry when I think about him. I never thought I would love anything more then him and the love for my daughters far surpasses.

19. My husband and I have 2 wedding anniversaries. A Hebrew date when we were legally and religiously married and the English date of the one in the US.

18. I like to sew and even made some quilts and a chuppah for my bestie

19. I like to return things. Not sure why but my aunt says that I always would buy stuff then return it.

20.The best falafel in the world is at the Beer Sheva bus station. 

21. I had a parakeet named T.C for Too Cute when I was in elementary school.  My parents came home really late and I was home alone and I was scared and put the bird cage next to me. The went out the next day and got our old dog Taffy the next day.

22. I really miss the home that I grew up in and my parents sold 2 years ago.

23. I wish that I could make everything homemade from scratch for my family.  {I really try}

I originally posted some {screen shot from my Facebook Feed}

 of these I came up with a few years ago and some are new.  I really tried to keep it about me and erased some things that were about my kids and I. 

Fun things to do for Fall in Michigan

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note: Let me just start by saying that I hate the term "bucket list" since it refers to "kicking the bucket".  I am blogging with the SITS girls fall challenge, so I will change mine to fall fun in Michigan!

image from michigan.org

1) Watching the leaves change colors & Making a collage

     This is my favorite part of living in the midwest.  Season change is so beautiful and awe inspiring to share with your loved ones. I want to make a fall collage with the girls of different leaf colors.  Mini is really good with her colors.  It wasn't until age 3 that Baby Bear could name the color  no matter how hard I tried.  We will also do some obligatory leaf rubbing pictures too. 

2)Apple Picking and making delish baked apple dishes

We go the first week in October, so pictures to come!

3)Cider Mill & doughnuts

Ok, I admit it... I was at the Franklin Cider mill on the opening weekend, but we only took Baby Bear, so family trip is still on the table.  

4) Running outdoors

I went on my first official outdoor run today.  Shout out to my friend who inspired me to go! I was told that my foot doesn't work enough to run, so I will keep working with my athletic trainer to make sure everything is all right.  

5)Build a Sukkah & Shake a lulav
We like to celebrate Baby Bear's birthday on Sukkot (the Jewish holiday where you make an outdoor booth to live in.)

Unicorn Food, Mermaid munchies and all things Princess

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Baby Bear has been really crazy with her eating habits.  One would think that when you get an endless supply of "kid food" at camp that Baby Bear would eat so well.  Not so for this picky eater.  

You might remember this angelic face from last year that would eat about anything! But lately food has been a big issue for us.  I don't want her to grow up with food issues, so I am really sensitive to how I approach this issue.  

Problem 1: If she doesn't eat, she gets really moody and the whole problem gets escarbated. 

Problem 2: She tells us what she wants and then won't eat it

Problem 3: Veggies are mostly always turned down

Solution:  Make believe!

Rules: 1 meal & if you don't like it you can eat fruit, veggies or nuts instead {no exceptions!}

Baby Bear loves Mermaids, Unicorns, Princess and all things girly fantasy.  I got the idea in my head that I would tell her that I got a Mermaid recipe and made it for her dinner.  I called it "Mermaid sweet beans" and it was really just beans and rice. She tried it and was really excited.  She didn't LOVE it, but she actually tried it and took a few bites.  Sometimes she just fights us and won't eat anything, so I'll take it as success.  So far her favorite is the birds nest: soba noodles, with chicken cut up in squares on a broccoli tree.  

The Many Faces of Mini

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Mini is a fan of the selfie video

Spending some time with Baby Bear

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Mini is changing and growing so much that I felt like I was spending all of my time with her.  I wanted to do something special with just Baby Bear.  She is an incredible kid and I don't want to miss out on making her feel special. 

I gave Baby Bear a list of things that we could do.  I wanted it to be something quiet and not so active so that we could just be together.  She loves arts, so I suggested a paint your own pottery place and mani/pedi among a few other things.  I was pushing hard for the pottery, but she wanted to get her nails done (a first for her!)

This is also the first scheduled Mom & daughter date.  In the car she asked a few times why we were not taking her sister.  I told her it was special time just the two of us. She insisted that she really wanted her sister too!  I love that she wanted her sister to be a part of it, Mini just wants to do everything that Baby Bear does!

 

Notice how she is wearing a dress and a crown.  She is always a princess and she chose green sparkles on her toes and dark purple on her hands.  She picked some silver sparkles for my toes.  

It was really hard for her to sit still and wait for it to dry at the end, but she loved being pampered and doing something special with me.