In This House...

 In this house we do Dreidels. Santa. Matzo. Easter Bunnies. Hearts. Leprechauns. Fireworks. Pumpkins. Pilgrims. Family... 

This weekend brings our family two holidays that I will hard boil dozens of eggs for.  First we will have them at our Passover table and then we will color them!  In December you will find a Menorah lit in our front window right in front of our Christmas Tree. My wish to everyone year after year is "Happy Mixed Up Holidays...From A Happy Mixed Up Family"  In our household we have learned many things about religion from Judaism to Christianity.  Thirty years ago I met an amazing man and fell in love.  One problem, he wasn't jewish.  It was always in the back of my mind that I would marry a jewish man because, well, that's what my parents, grandparents and society made me believe.  As the years went by, and we fell more in love, Eric and I figured out that religion would not stop us.  Love, Strength, and Happiness, that is what was important.  Let me add though that I consider myself extremely lucky that Eric was so open as to how we raised our children!

If you feel deeply about something, you make it work.  Our parents and grandparents were completely supportive, as I am sure they were also a little uncertain as to how we would make this work.  As the years went on I found that there were many interfaith families among us. There were synagogues that welcomed families like ours and reached out to the non-jewish spouse to help them learn through the years.

Raising kids with parents of two religions is challenging at the very least.  If my husband was going to be supportive to help me bring up our kids jewish, I wanted him to enjoy the things that he grew up with.  Therefore we did raise our kids jewish, yet we went to church on Christmas and Easter as well as creating many traditions and memories around those holidays.  Being in an interfaith marriage we have found is a lot of give and take.

 We have instilled all of the tools in our kids to live a full jewish life.
Bris. B'nai Mitzvahs. High Holidays.
Hebrew School. Camp. Israel. Chupahs...

Young kids will just go with what their mom and dad are teaching and think nothing of it...Going poop on the potty is something learned just as being jewish is...hence my "Out of the mouths of babes 2" on the right sidebar of my blog...True conversation between a 5 year old and a 3 year old.  But as your kids grow they will begin to see things differently and in their own light.  My daughter married the man she fell in love with just like I did, and he is not jewish either.  Once again...Love, Strength, Happiness...  They will learn together to balance what is important to each of them, then together instill that into their own children.  Jake took in everything that we taught him but I was never sure how he really felt until last week.  As I have said before, he is at basic training for 8 weeks and we got to talk to him last Sunday.  Sadie asked what he did that day and he said it was "Grilled Cheese and Jesus day."  We all had to laugh a little at what he called it but deep down  I thought, well good, he is getting a bit of g-d in his life and who cares how.  Then he proceeded to tell us that he took several friends that he met to Shabbat services on Friday night.  Who knew that there would be Shabbat services on an Air Force base!  I guess lighting Shabbat candles every Friday night left an impression  :)   Sadie had her Bat Mitzvah just last year, so she has a while yet until she will have to truly figure things out without Eric and I.  You can teach your kids about everything you believe, but ultimately the way they live their lives is a decision that they will make.  They will take it upon themselves and may take a different view on religion and life.  You may or may not see eye to eye, just as our parents did not always do, but giving your kids your blessing...that is what will mean the most.  You have done your job raising them, teaching them, and supporting them, (which will never stop) but now it's up to you to trust they will take what they have learned and live a happy life.  Because you know what?  No matter what the circumstances, everyone has
happy mixed up holidays with their happy mixed up family!

Christmas Trees                         Haggadahs                          and Santa

Me and My Dog

Yes, I talk to Cody...Yes, he talks back

Here is a little conversation we once had.

Enjoy!

sum·mer camp

1. Webster Dictionary Definition:  a camp providing recreational and athletic facilities for children during the summer vacation period.

   
   
2. Urban Dictionary Definition:  A place where parents send their children summer after summer. usually the place where a child experiences their first kiss, first boyfriend/girlfriend, lots of firsts. a place where everyone is your bestfriend, all the counselors are your family, and you trust everyone. a place where there are no secrets, everyone knows everything.
3. 
   
4. 
   
5.      As a mom sending your kids to summer camp will be either a hard decision or a really easy one.  You either can't wait for a little summer freedom or you will spend your summer freedom writing letters, and waiting for the daily pictures to be posted! (As you can imagine, I was the 2nd mom).  Either way, this will be the best thing you can do for your child as well as yourself. 

     As a child you are either the kid who waits patiently (or not so patiently) all year long to get on that greyhound bus or the kid who cries until mom and dad have to physically put you on that greyhound bus. (As you can also imagine, I was the 2nd kid).  Don't get me wrong, Camp Interlaken memories were some of my best childhood memories, for me, it was just the anticipation of getting there!  You have the best friends of your life at camp, not to mention having counselors who you looked up to like they were G-d.  They laughed with you, cried with you, protected you, and watched you grow.  Little did the campers know these counselors were just kids themselves learning and growing as the summer went on.

   Because they were my best memories for 8 summers of my life, we sent all 3 of our kids to experience the same camp as I did when I was their age.  I felt extremely lucky to have a husband who didn't understand the "camp thing" to still support me in sending off all 3!! Each of our kids had a totally different experience. Dani went for 8 summers, Jake went for 4 summers, (because hockey trumped camp), and Sadie went for 2 weeks, as she is my homebody, and I was proud of her 2 week challenge! None the less they all have their own special memories.

Entrance to Camp Interlaken

This year will be our camps 50th reunion for everyone who attended Camp Interlaken JCC in the Northwoods of Eagle River, WI.  I will go, and relive my best childhood memories with my daughter, my sister, and 2 lifelong friends...no husbands, they just "wouldn't get it". (Mine will be fishing in Canada at his own camp with the rest of our kids.)   In my imagination, on the way up, we will eat our candy, chew our gum, sing old camp songs, stop for lunch (maybe to include a beer on this trip to camp), and slowly drive through Minoquoa for fudge and finally arrive at "The Camp Entrance!" where the buses turned in...  And this is where the summers come flooding back...

6 hour bus ride with your friends, sony walkman, countless cassettes, pillow, and bags full of candy. Which we knew would be taken away when we arrived... (~Treif (טרײף)  — is the Yiddish word for food that does not conform with the Jewish dietary laws of kashrut). 

 Song session, Ski Point, skipping around the room, Shabbat Walk, The Bridge, The Back Road, Lake Swim, Tush Ball, Flag Rectangle, The White Chairs, Chugs, Schticks, Amanut...

                                                                                               (Activities, Skits, Art)

These are only a few of things that if you went to Summer Camp you will never forget.  Because I went to a jewish summer camp many of these things are in hebrew and very traditional...But no matter if it was hockey camp, YMCA camp, Church Camp, or any other, you have experienced them all in some way, they are your lifetime memories of summer camp.

"Keep The Letters Coming"

It is 2015 and we are buying stamps and all writing letters

Rewind 40 years...you wanted to talk to someone and you would sit against the wall and wait either for the phone to ring or wait for your mom to hang up the telephone so you could use it...
Fast Forward 10 years and your parents finally got you your own line... (still attached to the wall)...
5 more years and you didn't have to get off the phone in case "that call" came in because you had call waiting!
Another couple years and you didn't have to sit home because they could leave a message, and then came the days of caller I.D. so you knew if you should answer it or not!

But, before all of that we had letters... when you would run out to the mailbox to see if you got a letter from your sister at camp, from your brother at college, or a postcard from your mom and dad who are on vacation.
These were the things worth waiting for...
once again, the little simple things in life.

Fast Forward 25 years...
Email
Texting
Facebook
Cell Phones
Facetime
Snapchat
Instagram...I could go on and on.

 We have all gotten so used to instant gratification when missing someone that the feeling of waiting for that call or letter is no longer known.  Don't get me wrong, it is much easier now, and I would take it in a heartbeat over the days when my husband was in Saudi Arabia for 3 months. That was before cell phones were "the norm".  He would sit in line at the base and wait his turn to call, and hopefully I was by the phone at home so he could talk to the kids and I...It was anything but personal being that it was most likely being recorded and timed.  But just hearing his voice made it all worth the wait...and the letters...Yes, I still have them all!!

In the past 3 weeks I have not had the instant gratification of knowing my son is O.K. at basic training.  I know deep down that he is fine and I am most likely missing his cell phone more than he is.  I can't text him, email him, call him, see if he's online...nothing!  I run to the mailbox everyday.  I keep my phone by my side every minute NOT on silent!  The hardest part of the last 3 weeks came on Saturday night...I ran upstairs and Eric didn't recognize the number on my phone because Jake was calling from a pay phone...A what? Yes, they do still exist and I missed a call from one!  Not from his cell phone that would have shown "JAKE"  on my screen, but a pay phone!  I listened to the message, stared at the phone, and cried.  He said  "Sorry I missed you guys, Can't wait to see you, Hope everything is good, Keep the letters coming!  I Love You!"

"Keep The Letters Coming"  My 22 year old asked us to keep the letters coming.  Something so simple obviously means so much...We will keep the letters coming buddy!

HERO; an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles 

Everyone has a hero in their life, most likely more than one.  If there is one that stands out on a certain day, tell them...and most importantly, tell them why.
I wish I would have...

You are my hero, you are my mom. 
You left me at pre-school and I cried, but you came back. 
You almost left me when I was 18, I cried, but you fought your illness and came back again.
You left me again 15 years later and still I cried, but you didn't come back.
You fought for many weeks to stay, you decided it was time, and it's ok because it was.
You fought for many things all of your life. You never gave up.
You had polio and heart disease.  But you conquered life with an unsurmountable attitude. 
You spent your youth in hospitals, You always smiled. 

You were told you wouldn't walk as you grew, you were a high school majorette. 
You fell in love with your high school sweetheart, You walked down the aisle to him.
You were told you couldn't have kids, you had 3.
You were told to slow down, you opted for a cane.
You spent your last 15 years in a wheelchair, You never complained. 
You had 7 grandchildren. You loved nothing more than someone riding on your lap.  
You had 1 granddaughter that you never met, You have a namesake. 
You are my hero. You are my Mom...and I miss you     

60 Birthdays 

60 birthdays, that's how many birthdays my kids have had all together. Thats a lot of cakes, presents, parties and wishes!   For the first time in the history of my kids birthdays, I was unable to wish my son a Happy 22nd Birthday due to his being at Basic Training.  I would have done anything to call him or give him my traditional package of Spring Oreos!  This made me realize how the little things in life really are the big things.  I'm sure that you all have your own traditions that your kids look forward to.  Whether it be a birthday breakfast, special cake, special decorations or a gift, your childs birthday is something looked forward to for 364 days a year by your little one (or not so little one!).  Birthday parties have changed over the years!  

For those from Milwaukee, Barnabys was a big one!  

My 6th Birthday Party (at Barnabys)

  However, most birthday parties were given at home.  From Magicians, to guitar players, to Baskin Robbins Clown Cones, birthday parties used to be so simple. Have some cake, open presents, play some games and go home!  Now days if you don't go to some huge jumping emporium, go paint a beautiful canvas, or hire someone to come into your home and put on a party for you, it's not enough!  When did kids become so used to trying to out do the last party?  And when did they get to decide who gets invited and who doesn't?  Wasn't it always the right thing to invite your entire class?  Even 4 year olds are talking about who's coming and what the entertainment will be!  I know that I am just as guilty as any other mom, I always wanted my kids to be happy and that I would do whatever it took to achieve that happiness.  it just took almost 25 years of celebrating birthdays to realize what was slowly becoming "the norm".  As kids get older it becomes more about the traditions that you have set, and that is a welcoming feeling.  Every birthday my kids come down to some presents, cards, and confetti decorating the kitchen table.  Once they are no longer home on birthday morning it becomes a little sad for me, but I know they are remembering our morning traditions.  I know that the big birthday party thing will not go out of style anytime soon, but as long as the little tradtions carry on,  that will make everyone feeling happy, full, and special!

 

While we try to teach our kids about life, Our kids teach us what life is all about

               What do you worry about the most when it comes to your kids? What do you lose sleep over? It could range from happiness to health to what kind of mood will they be in when we wake up in the morning!  That would be my worry with Sadie (14) right now!  Speak of the devil, just came down saying "I lost my remote and I can't turn off my TV."  I went to look, couldn't find the remote or anywhere on the TV to turn it off!  It's a smart TV, it should know how to turn itself off!!  Ok, back on track...The worries change as the years go by. When they are little you are always right there to give a hug and a kiss when something, anything is not right.  Regardless of the reason, that seems to work.  When your kids go off to college you then become a phone call away, easy, right?  Well, what if all of a sudden it's a little harder than just a phone call away.  Last fall my daughter Dani and her husband Joe moved to Bahrain (An Island off off Saudi Arabia) to teach for a year.  I had gone from talking to her everyday to counting the day until I could talk to her again.  I wanted to be there for her every emotion just as I always had been.  I sent Dani off with letters to get her through good times she wanted to share and bad times she wanted to cry about.  They were called "Open When" letters.  Each letter had a quote and a bit of mom advice for any situation.  With Jake being gone at Air Force Basic Training right now I'm feeling a little helpless.  I didn't write him the "Open When" letters because, well, he's a guy! I send him the Minnesota Wild Box Scores!  But I still worry and cry every day!  My most recent worry for him was when I stripped his bed to wash his bedding.  I came to realize that he was sleeping with 9 (YES 9) pillows.  Guess what, I started to cry! He was only going to have 1 pillow at basic training and that broke my heart.  Yes, a little overboard but mom's, you know what I'm saying!  I know,  as my husband would say "A little bit of discomfort!"  This has been his mantra to our kids for years!  And in many ways it would toughen them up.  Still. it will always be a mom's job to worry about every aspect of their childs life, even if it is as trivial as pillows!!   It turns out our kids comfort really is just as important as their emotions and their health!

The "Open When" Letters

Have an amazing day!!
 I unfortunately am going to a funeral today so I have a feeling my next post might be about MY mom!

So here goes nothing…My first post on my first blog.  Lets start with the name of my blog, "Simple Mom (and her dog)"  I believe to be a pretty easy going, happy, simple person. I love life, my family, my friends, my dog.  The "Simple" part comes from a song that my husband Eric introduced me to that became a big part of what I wanted for my son.  The song "Simple Man" is a song about a mom telling her son to live a simple life.  I feel that is important for all 3 of my kids to learn and live.  (And Her Dog), Well I tend to talk to my dog…a lot!  People think that he and I have this weird relationship but I think it's just one of those things that was meant to be.  I always wanted to have the same dog that I had when I was little.  

The chances of finding a 115 lb dark yellow lab with an old wise personality is not very likely. Well, my oldest daughter Dani picked out this puppy and he turned into the exact dog I had been looking for!

I decided to start a blog because I always have so many things going through my mind, things I like to share.  It may be about family, food, fitness, faith…whatever seems to be on my mind that day!  I have been a military wife, a stay at home mom, a hockey mom, a business owner, a pre~school teacher, and a daycare helper due to my love for kids!  I am a wife, mom, (military mom too!), daughter, sister, sister-in-law, mother-in-law, aunt, friend and am waiting for the day to be a grandma! I have planned 3 B'nai Mitzvahs and 1 wedding!

I have lived in many amazing cities in the past 25 years, moved 9 times!  I love to travel but the best part of my life has to be our cabin in the Minnesota Northwoods!

I hope you enjoy the things I have to share!