BLM

 

In hopes of contributing to the Black Lives Matter movement, Jawsh and Zach, created a small batch of custom shirts.  They raised over $500 to donate to BLM LA.  I am so incredibly proud of these two... aren't you???

Murals

Noah is taking Advanced Art at school and he was tasked to look for murals around our neighborhood.  As we drove to the Rabbi's house to pick up Hebrew books, we asked the boys to look out the windows.  We were so surprised to see so many murals!  We knew they were there, but just taking a moment and looking really opened our eyes to the diversity of art all over the walls from a 5 mile stretch from Playa Vista to Santa Monica.  Noah would hop out of the car a few times to take a picture with a mural or two, and this was one of my favorites.  A bear lounging makes me feel so happy... does it do the same for you???

Beachtime

The boys love the beach... I'm so thankful.  They had a wonderful time swimming and boogie boarding and for a moment, I forgot that we were in a pandemic.  Isn't that wonderful???

South Coast Botanical Gardens

I read that the South Coast Botanical Gardens limits visitors and is so large that social distancing is easier to do at this garden... and I would have to attest that it is true!  We came to the gardens and were so blown away by the beautiful landscaping, plants, flowers, and sculptures.  It's very close to Palos Verdes so the air quality is really nice and we enjoyed spending time there.  The boys are starting to play Pokemon Go so they liked finding Pokemon while we walked.  When will we visit again???

UCLA Sculpture Garden

 

We decided to head back to a part of the UCLA campus that Jawsh is very familiar with... north campus!  The north campus houses the arts, media, humanities, and public policy whereas south campus houses the math, science, medical, and engineering buildings.  We took a walk through the Sculpture Gardens and Jawsh showed the boys where he spent most of his days as an undergrad in what is now known as the Broad Art Center.  Will the boys want to attend UCLA???

Happy 15

We went back to the exact spot we were married (7-24-05).  15 years!  We are still coming back to Shutters to reminisce but this year was definitely different.  We did not enter the hotel to take a picture up on the terrace as we usually do, the summer boardwalk was quieter, and we did not go inside to dine.  It was still nice to be there but we decided to pick up some cold brew dairy free ice cream for Jawsh and we headed home.  The boys made us appetizers, dinner, and we had the ice cream for dessert.  This was definitely a new way to celebrate 15 years, but I am so thankful to celebrate this milestone with Jawsh.  What will we do for our 16 year anniversary???

Braces

Even through the pandemic, orthodontic treatment must continue but thanks to technology, Noah can now scan his braces from home!  Isn't this crazy? This is how Dr. Waldman follows up with Noah!  What will be next???

Nightly walks

 

We are really lucky to live in Playa Vista because there are over 20 community areas to walk.  Today we walked by Playa Vista's Central Park next to the Bandshell.  It's well landscaped and there are plenty of trails that allow us to stay socially distant from others.  We definitely miss the summer concerts and the sounds of kids playing but it is also a nice quiet walk that allows us to just enjoy the moment.  Where will we walk tomorrow???

UCLA Botanical Gardens

 

As a graduate student at UCLA, I never knew there was a botanical garden on campus!  Jawsh received his degree at UCLA and in his 5 years, he had only visited once.  So, today we ventured to the UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden.  It is 7.5 acres of frost free plants organized into themes such as desert, aquatic, mediterranean, and Hawaiian areas.  There were many trails and a small creek running through the garden with many people lounging on the grass or benches.  We enjoyed our time there but there was a Korean unicycle at that was cycling through the trails so we did our best to avoid him.  We had a nice time walking through the garden and it was a nice change of scenery for us.  When will we visit again???

Omelette

 

Back in the kitchen, Micah made an omelette with Chef Yosses.  Micah added jalapeños and onions but he did not like it.  He still prefers a plain omelet with ketchup.  Oh well, we can't win them all, can we???

Black American History

In lieu of the annual Westchester Parade which was cancelled due to COVID-19, we caravanned with the W Family and we drove around the community to look for Black American History signs.  I created a scavenger hunt bingo board and we drove around for about 1.5 hours reading the history of Americans who have made a difference.  This was definitely different than watching Micah walk through the parade with his Championship soccer team or All Star baseball team, but we enjoyed our time.  When will our holidays go back to "normal?"

Smoothie Time

Thanks to the UCLA culinary class, Micah has been learning from the former White House pastry chef, Bill Yosses.  Mr. Yosses showed the students how to make healthy smoothies instead of drinking soda and junk food.  Micah made three types of smoothies:  ginger/turmeric/pineapple, blueberry, and green apple/green tea.  Micah actually enjoyed drinking the ginger/turmeric/pineapple, which was very surprising!  This class has exposed Micah to new flavor combinations and has encouraged him to try new foods.  What will he try next???

Perfecting the cookie

 

Micah has been finding solace in the kitchen.  He is taking a summer school culinary class through UCLA so he finds himself learning about nutrition facts, healthy diets, and much more.  In the meantime, he has perfected the chocolate chip cookie so well that Noah requests that Micah make the cookies!  I try not to feel offended.  Will Micah find a calling in the kitchen???

Happy birthday Daph

Quarantine birthdays via House Party is the new way to celebrate.  It was Daphne's birthday and the cousin's sang to her and wished her the best 10th birthday.  I wonder how long we will be social distancing...  will we celebrate all of the summer birthdays like this???

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to my partner in life...  this pandemic has really made it very clear that we are in sync in how we raise our boys, how we view our world, and what is important to us. We gifted Jawsh handmade cards, repurposed flowers (which he really appreciated) and Micah pretended that we went out in the world and bought him coffee beans (unfortunately the bag was empty).  Happy Father's Day to the best Dad...  we stayed in this year... what will we do next year???

Post party

After Noah's Bar Mitzvah, we had dinner and then Noah met with his friends for a post party.  We hired a mentalist, Jon Finch, to meet with the teens.  He did card tricks, read minds, and amazed us all.  After the mentalist show, Noah hung out with friends talking and playing video games past midnight.  We think he had a great time.  How will he feel tomorrow???

Noah's Bar Mitzvah

We are so proud of Noah...  he had a wonderful Bar Mitzvah with family and friends Zooming in to watch and support him. He did such an amazing job going through the service and his speech was so relevant and inspiring.  To say that we are proud of him is an understatement.  Even though we had to celebrate this huge milestone distant from all of our family and friends, we still felt the love and support from them.  How will Noah look back at this time in his life???

Noah's photoshoot

The pandemic has affected all aspects of our lives and yet we still are so blessed... we have our health, our home, our jobs,  and Noah's tallit came in time for his Bar Mitzvah.  We are so fortunate to live in Playa Vista because there are so many beautiful landscaped areas.  We went to the Central Park and took some photos of Noah.  He was cooperative, for the most part, as it was hot and he wanted to get out of his suit.  Will he remember these days when he gets older???

Last day of Hebrew class

Today was the last day of Hebrew school for the boys so they celebrated by making a cookie in a cup.  The kids met over Zoom and microwaved all of the ingredients and then they played games with their teachers.  I am very thankful that the boys have a place to see friends and have a little bit of normalcy during this time.  When will they start Hebrew class again???

BLM

 

The Black Lives Matter movement was important enough for us to come out and support our local community.  It was definitely a large turnout of over 500 people.  We found the corner that was least populated and stood firmly for equal rights for all.  It's been so long since we have been around people that it was definitely making me feel uncomfortable at times.  We saw neighbors, friends, and kids from my elementary school with their families which made this feel like a community that I am proud to be a part of.  We have been reading Stamped with the boys, discussing racism, and hopefully the future they live in will learn from the experiences that we are having now.  When will we all be able to say, Black lives matter???

Face Masks

Noah was assigned to make a face mask by his science teacher.  He constructed it out of Bounty Paper Towels and rubberbands.  He did a nice job creating this although he can't really wear it outside.  We are continuing to social distance, we are wearing face masks, and not going out.  It's been 11 weeks.  Is this our new normal???

Just keep swimming

Micah created this drawing and Jawsh had some fun animating it.  As we head into another month of distance learning, social distancing, and Zoom everything... we just have to keep on swimming.  When will this end???  

Night walk

We have been taking walks together throughout the day.  Night walks are especially fun because there are less people out and we can enjoy the sounds of the frogs from the creek.  Here are my guys...  we are lucky that we all get along.  How long will this last???

Rice Krispies ala Lucky Charms

The Tuesday tradition of Rice Krispy Treats continue.  Tonight the boys picked out the marshmallows out of their Lucky Charms cereal and added it to the mixture.  What will they think of next???

Beach antics

We are very fortunate that we live about 5-10 minutes from the beach.  We are still not going towards the water because there are just too many people without masks and not social distancing.  However, there is plenty of beach for everyone and we have enjoyed our time there.  Jawsh and Noah have been throwing the football around and Micah has been into digging holes.  I don't know why... he just really enjoys it.  So, as I sit and watch the waves roll by and breathe in the salt air, I am thankful that our family is healthy. Will we head into the waves next time???

2 Point Perspective

Noah and Micah both have Art class and have been working on different pieces but sometimes their assignments overlap.  The boys were both assigned a 2 point perspective piece and they drew their bedroom.  They did a nice job drawing and it doesn't hurt that their Dad is there to help them along.  What other art assignments will they complete this term???

Remote Teaching

15 years of teaching has not prepared me for this moment... teaching remotely is quite a challenge!  Zooming with my first and second grade students, lesson planning, and making sure that the curriculum is being taught well can be really stressful.  There are a lot of factors that we are all dealing with and it's hard to tell if I'm being effective.  While I am teaching, Jawsh is in the living room working, and Noah and Micah are working in their bedroom studying.  Micah has been Zooming with his math/science teacher daily, but Noah's teachers have not scheduled online classes so it can be pretty frustrating.  When will this end???

Venice Canals

As each Mother's Day passes, the less I want to have a day to myself but time with the boys.  Although we are still in full quarantine mode, we took some time to take a walk at the Venice Canals.  The Venice Canals are near Venice Beach and there are four canals that are about a quarter mile long.  There are beautiful bridges and homes.  I have never been and I was pleasantly surprised by the walk.  The paths were a little narrow which made it tricky if people walked past us so we would find ourselves on the steps of someones front yard to make sure we weren't too close.  All in all, we had a nice time and I was thankful that there were not too many people and that we were able to able to enjoy the beautiful weather outside.  When will we visit the canals again???

Purim Play

Before COVID-19, the boys were working on a play about Purim with their peers in Hebrew School.  We got to view it today over Zoom during Shabbat.  It was fun to watch the kids reenact Purim.  Micah played Moses and Noah was the narrator.  What play will they act out next???

Rancho Palos Verdes

Today we took a scenic drive down the coast in Rancho Palos Verdes.  There was so much marine layer that it looked like we were above the clouds.  It was a beautiful day to drive... we could see Catalina Island and Malibu.  When will we take our next drive???

Happy Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day, all of the cousins participated in an Earth Day contest.  Noah made Darth Vader out of a toilet paper roll and Micah made ObiWon Kenobi out of a Yoplait cup with Jawsh.  Sophie made a cactus plant holder and Daphne made various items out of a t-shirt (i.e. bracelets, dog clothing, etc).  Kaitlyn made a Timothy Chalamet doll and Emma made a flower out of paper.  Out of all of the recycled items, the Denver cousins won the first annual family contest.  What will they make next year???

Mofettas

In honor of Shavuot, a spring holiday known as the "Festival of the Giving of the Torah" the boys made mofetta. It reminded the boys of crepes. They participated with their Hebrew class and joined a Zoom with a Kosher chef. They had a great time and added whip cream and fruit topping. When will they make this again???

Halmoni's Chicken Tacos

We had quite the surprise when my Mom and brother dropped off groceries for us.  The boys were so excited to see that my mom dropped off her marinated chicken and we made tacos.  It's amazing how food connects us.  When will we get to share a meal with our family again???

Happy Easter

Although the boys were happy to receive their Easter baskets they were definitely disappointed that they did not get a chance to celebrate with their cousins.  Their cousins also felt the same way.  Throughout the day, they were calling one another but it wasn't the same.  We know that we want to keep everybody safe by keeping socially distant but it's also very hard to do.  When will we get to see the cousins again???

Pandemic Puzzles #2

The second pandemic puzzle has been finished. This is the puzzle of the world that the boys enjoyed so much more than Star Wars. They thought it was easier because there was so much color and they finished the puzzle within hours! Will they do the MC Escher puzzle next???

California Poppies

We have been home for three weeks now.  Mask wearing, socially distant, ordering groceries, and remote learning is our new reality.  We decided to venture out to the Antelope Valley to see the poppies.  It's been a while since we have been out and it was a good day trip.  It was extremely windy, so much wind, that my ears were hurting! The boys loved running through the fields without a mask (there was not a lot of people around) and we enjoyed looking at all the poppies.  They looked so beautiful, bright, and waxy!  When will we head back???

Star Wars Puzzle

The first puzzle of the pandemic.  This one was challenging with 1000 pieces plus all of the black from Darth Vader didn't help either.  The boys worked together and were happy that they finished the puzzle.  Since they have time, I am going to bring out the MC Escher puzzle out next.  How will they do with that puzzle???

Rice Krispies

Tonight the boys made Rice Krispies.  Although they wanted to make cookies, flour is hard to find at stores.  We were able to order Rice Krispy cereal and marshmallows so they enjoyed making that.  They did a great job.  Will they start making treats now???

Skateboarding

The boys have a few weeks to learn how to skateboard now that school is officially out for a break due to COVID-19.  We know that we have to stay socially distant from friends and family now.  What will the next few weeks bring???

Google inspired

These Google illustrations were drawn by Noah (top) and Micah (bottom) with the theme of kindness.  With all that is going on in the world, our hope is that we can all show kindness right now.  How will we show kindness to others???

Cousins are our first friends

The boys love spending time with their cousins. They have so much fun together and they always seem to find the fun in whatever they do. As the girls get older, we see the boys playing with Liam a little more but we can always find Emma giving the boys a makeover (and Kaitlyn on her cell phone).  What will they get into next???

New car

After a lot of deliberation...  we finally decided on a car that we both liked.  Jawsh wanted a Hybrid or Electric car and I wanted a SUV type car so we landed on the RAV 4 Hybrid Limited.  It took a few hours to go through the process but we are glad that we finally decided on a car together.  Our last car, the Honda CRV, lasted for 15 years and we hope that this car will do the same.  What will the boys think of the new car???

Noah's First Meet

Noah swam in his first swim meet today at Santa Monica College.  He swam with the Playa Vista Swim Team.  It was his first swim meet and he didn't know what to expect.  Jawsh and I split up... I took Micah to his soccer game and Jawsh went with Noah to his meet.  Noah did very well swimming the 100 years in 1:22.  This was a record time for Noah!  Will he want to swim in another meet again???

Happy Birthday Jawsh!

Happy Birthday to Jawsh!  We went to Scopa to celebrate so he could order one of his favorite meals:  Honey gem Lettuce Salad, Branzino, and Delicate Squash with a Negroni Bianco.      It was such a nice dinner and we hope that all of his wishes come true!  What did he wish for???

Region Champs

Congratulations to the Blue Jets for winning their Region!  They are headed to Sectional Championships and if they win the next match they will head to Arizona to The Western States Championship Game to defend their Championship from last year.  This is a great feat for our boys and I am so proud of their tenacity, heart, and grit!  Will they make it back to Western States???

Visiting with GA

Here is a great photo of the boys and Grandpa Art.  We are so thankful that the boys get to visit with him.  Noah and Grandpa Art have been writing letters since Noah was in first grade and they affectionately call each other "Penpal."  The last night we were in Reno, Noah and GA spent sometime talking at the table about GA's experiences growing up and living through World Wars I and II.  Will the boys remember these wonderful memories as they get older???

Fun in Reno

This weekend we ventured to Reno to visit family.  The boys loving visiting and staying at Bubbe's house.  It's almost a tradition to land in Reno and then to head to Sup for a healthy lunch.  The boys loved seeing the snow and hanging out.  We also went to a comic book/coffee shop (Jawsh's world colliding) and then we visited with Grandpa Art.  What will tomorrow bring???

Soccer mom

A lot of my free time is split between my responsibilities at home and my responsibilities as the team soccer manager.  I never thought I would be a "soccer mom" but here I am.  There is a lot of behind the scenes work but it makes it all worth it when the kids play hard and have fun.  This is a special team and they look like they are on a winning streak.  This weekend, The Blue Jets came in first place in the Hawthorne Holiday Smash tournament.  The final score was 2-1.  The boys were so happy and they really liked the medals (it had a snowman with a soccer ball) and the scarves they received.  Will they make it to Western States again???

HNY

Our family likes to head to the beach every new year... this year we headed to Manhattan Beach.  We had brunch, walked down the pier, and watched surfers and fishermen.  It was nice spending time with the family and looking forward to all of the wonders of the new year.  Going to the beach shows us how vast this world is... watching the waves and seeing how expansive the sea is reminds us to have gratitude for the new year.  What will the new year bring???

Mandoo

After sleeping in from last night's festivities, we celebrated the new year by making Korean mandu. Mandu are Korean dumplings filled with minced meat, tofu, green onions, garlic and ginger and usually served with kimchi, and a dipping sauce made of soy sauce, vinegar and chili. They are time consuming to make but worth it once you get to eat it!  The boys made a few then they lost interest and went to play with their cousins.  The mind was delicious nonetheless.  Will they remember these traditions when they get older???