Lionden Landing

This is the first year ever we have had no paper decorations in our Sukkah.  We try every year to have new decorations for the Sukkah.  (These photos were all taken after the holiday since I ran out of time before.  The table really did look more festive during the holiday.)   Our walls are fabric.  Every year we add a new handprint.  Typically it is is Froggy's right hand but this year the cast made it be her left. It will make for a helpful reminder years from now about exactly which year she broke her arm.  We also try to add more stamped fruit each year to fill it in.      We added a chandelier thanks to Design Megillah   We made polymer clay apple to welcome the Ushpizin .  One side is painted with the male guests and one with the female guests.    We also made little pumpkins and stars.  You can get an idea of the relative size in the picture below. I want to find a better way to han...

I finally finished Froggy's new kippah.  I learned a great deal from the first one I made for her.  This one is so much better.  She picked the yarn herself.  The colors a bright and bold and suit her immensely.  They remind me of Softa.  The yarn was hard to work with because it split terrible and it is fuzzy but those same traits make it a softer and yummier to wear. 

Each year we try to add at least one more mitzvah that Froggy understands and is able to participate in completing.  This Pesach Froggy is learning about Counting the Omer.  To help her and make it fun we are making a candy omer counter .  Thanks to Amy at Homeshuling for pointing me at the idea.     First we cut tissue paper squares Then we wrapped Kosher for Passover Candies   We wrapped each of the candies in two layers of tissue paper.  Then we numbered the bottom of each candy And strung them on a string and hung it near the kitchen We had so much fun making ours we even made one to take to our host for Second Seder.

Ta da!!! It is done.  Every since I started knitting again I have wanted to do one of this and it is finally done.  Thanks to a good friend for help along the way and guidance in blocking I think it came out just right.  It did not even take very long to make.  I was very worried that the fine yarn would cause trouble for my hands but it was so small and light that it was great. And I am very much looking forward to wearing it to shul for Shavuot.

So we are running late this year. We got the sukkah up just in the nick of time and welcomed Sukkot in our sukkah last night but it was a naked sukkah. We lost two of the walls from last year to mice damage in the shed. So the new walls were bare. Today we decorated it. We painted / stamped apples, pears and grapes on the walls. We put a few leaves on the walls but instead of being a pretty fall russet color, they look black. Froggy did much of the stamping all by herself. The mid-height ones we did as a team and the tallest I did by myself. She also stamped her hand print next to the one from last year. We cut out apples as well to hang but did not get to that. Hopefully tomorrow we will cut out pears and grapes and hang all the fruit. Hopefully next year we will be added decorations and filling in blank spots rather than starting over. The walls will be stored inside this year after Simchat Torah.

We welcomed the New Year with so much joy. Froggy is a spirited child which can be a challenge sometimes but also means that she brings more joy to many events than another child would. Since Froggy turns three on Simchat Torah, the traditional age to start religious education, we spent some time learning about the holidays beyond just reading books. I like crafts and household decorations so one of the things we did was go to a paint-your-own pottery store. We made an apples and honey dish in the colors of our house. It formed the centerpiece on our holiday table and received much use and praise. We made our own cards together and mailed them out. There is a reason that people have started at this age over time, she was ready this year and absorbed it all like a sponge. At the end of Tashlich, she came to me with a huge grin and said "Mommy my insides are all scrubbed clean now." Yom Kippur was hard. The services are so long and even the family service is not reall...