My Life as a Movie

Every once and a while I like to think about what my life would be like as a Hollywood blockbuster film. Okay, maybe a little Indie one.

What would the soundtrack be like?
Who would star?
What would be the budget?
What would it be rated?

Well, today my friends, I think it would be rated R. This morning, my darling, precocious A dropped the F-bomb, or at least something that sounds awfully like it. Either way, since it was used in an expletive manner after she dropped something, we all know what she meant.

When I (calmly, I thought) asked her to repeat what she said, she burst into tears. She is much like me in that way. I hate getting caught doing something wrong!! So I took her away from B & C,(no need to embarrass her further) and tried to talk to her about it. When she still wouldn't tell me the word, I told her "If it is so bad that you don't want to tell Mommy, then you should never say it again."

Everyone keeps asking me where she heard it. Now, I take full responsibility for teaching them "Shoot!" And we had a babysitter who taught them "J****S C****T!" (That one was easy to un-teach "Those aren't words for Jewish people") This one however is not me!!

I am open to suggestions.

An Open Letter to the Insurance Company

To Whom it May Concern:

First, we want to thank you for the manner in which YOU have been managing our family's health care. Just in case our DOCTORS weren't doing such a great job, we know that you will keep them on their toes. Due to your regulations and ridiculous drug formulary list, they are forced to take creative care to a new level. Please continue to be last word in our care, after all, what to those doctors know anyway?

The reason we are writing today, is to officially put you on notice regarding the following:

1. People get sick on Sunday. People have emergencies and accidents on Sunday. Also interesting to note, banks, stores, movie theaters, and libraries are all open on Sunday. Even liqueur stores are open on Sunday. However, we would like to commend you on your stalwart commitment to NOT be open on Sunday, and only supply your subscribers with a Phone-a-Nurse who is not authorized to approve anything regarding our care. In response, my family has been committed to get sick and have emergencies on Sundays.

2. It IS possible for 2 (or more) people in one family to share the same last name, ID number (which you assign), and birthday! It sounds crazy, like something from science fiction, but believe us it happens. Your computer system does not seem to understand this phenomena and therefore has no override for such situations.

3. Regarding item # 2: Sometimes, said people need the same prescription. Especially for antibiotics. When they can't fill the prescription because your system won't recognize a different FIRST name, the pharmacist must then resort to creative care (see above.)

4. We have been informed that as of January 1, 2009 we will be enrolled in with another insurance carrier. It is our sincere hope that this company is as controlling of our care, as inflexible, and as unhelpful as you have been for the last four years.

Good Riddance,

Trip'n Mommy, H, and the TRIPLETS: A, B, & C

But I Never Win Anything!

I just won this!

From The Chosen Blog and PopJudaica!!

All I had to do was tell them my favorite Holiday beverage.

My answer:

New favorite beverage for Shabbat, holiday, a rough day, or any excuse I can come up with is Gamla White Riesling.

Yum.

I think we need to get a bottle and celebrate!!

Happy Chanukah!

Hanukkah Hullabaloo

Gave the Trips their first present tonight after we lit the Chanukal Licht.

Needless to say, any game the plays funky music, tells them to "crawl to a square," and screams "FREEZE!" is going to be a hit with 4 year olds.

But the BEST part!! It has four purple tiles with the Cranium characters. You know: Data Head, Creative Cat, Star Performer, and Word WORM!! A game with a purple wormy! You should have seen B's smile.

Things I've Done

Stolen from Trilcat

The idea is that you color or cross out the things you've done.

I am kinda embarrassed about #85, and not really sure if it's true. I mean, front to back? No. In pieces, very possible.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang/played a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Made a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

The Report

Okay, so the Parent Teacher Conference wasn't ALL that surprising. Here is the summary:

1. My girls really look alike and sometimes the Morahs call them by the wrong name.

Our reaction: NO, they don't! We also call them by the wrong name all the time. At least she never calls them by the dog's name (we do!)

2. They are VERY close and loving, and the Morah has to make an effort to make sure they go to different work centers and sit separate at Ma'agal (circle time.)

Our reaction: Awww. We didn't realize they love each other so much. It makes us feel so good as parents. Thank G-d she separates them!

3. When one is absent, the other really shines. She recommends splitting them up next year.

Our reaction: Damn! It makes it MUCH harder on us, but if it is best for the girls....

4. A is very verbal.

Our reaction: Really?!

5. B is very, umm, determined, opinionated (insert any nice word for stubborn and bossy)

Our reaction: You don't say?! Actually, we see her as a bit Type A... But how is it affecting her socially?

Morah's answer: B is doing fine socially. She is not so bossy that the other girls don't want to play with her. She is also open to mediation when then Morahs step in.

Our reaction: Baruch Hashem!

6. A is more easy going, has a generous nature (will give things up if someone else wants it)

Our reaction: We see this at home (have for some time) and are trying to teach her siblings not to take advantage.

7. B needs practice writing her name, and give positive encouragement and don't let her become frustrated.

Our reaction: Oh, is she easily frustrated?! No problem, we will work on this.

8. The Morah sees no issues for them academically.

Our reaction: Baruch Hashem!!

We also heard how well-adjusted and sweet they are from the Preschool Director.

The entire experience was humbling, encouraging, and generally painless.

We really do thank Hashem everyday for the multitudes of blessings that he has bestowed on our family. We pray for his goodness and blessing to continue and our children continue to grow and flourish and follow in His ways and the ways of Torah.

Shh...Don't Tell

The Chanukah presents have started to arrive!

I am trying not to go overboard, since I know they will get from the grandparents and great aunts and uncles.

This is what has come so far:

Since our trip to Israel, A has really been into taking pictures. I thought about getting her a cheap digital camera, but then I saw the The Vtech Kidizoom Digital Camera She's going to have to share it, but I think after the initial novelty wears off, that won't be a problem. If it is a really big hit, their birthday is just around the corner. Funny, the price has skyrocketed since I bought it! I hope it goes down again...

I wanted something that they could all play together, so I was on the lookout for some board games. Zingo is a great game for Shabbos and came recommended by another parent. It's always good to have something to help them burn all that extra energy (x3!!!) and Cranium Hullabaloo seems like just the thing!

There's more coming...from here.
But more on that later. H is waiting for a belated dinner.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Tomorrow is going to be a historic day in the Trip'n house. H and I will be attending our very first official Parent Teacher Conference.

We have two appointments, scheduled consecutively, to discuss A and B with their lovely Morahs.

I am a pretty in-tuned, realistic mother. I think I know my kids with all their pluses and their faults. I am pretty sure I know what is going to be said.

So why am I so nervous??

Savta & Saba are Home!

And the universe is back in balance...

I know I shouldn't begrudge UM & AM any time that Savta & Saba are there because we have them the rest of the year. However, my life is so much easier, so much more right, when they are only 4 blocks away.

Don't get me wrong, Grandma & Zaide step up and help out as much as we ask them to, but it is just not the same.

My heart's doing a little happy dance.

Nachas Alert

Every once and a while, one of the Trips says or does something completely out of the blue that makes us think that we are getting some value from the exorbitant tuition.

Last night, I was looking for a smaller pocketbook to take to a shul sisterhood event (instead of the monster mombag that I take to work, etc.) I asked A to "Do a Mitzvah" for Mommy and see if it was hanging on my closet door. Usually one to be happy to help on tasks like this, this time A dawdled, hemmed, hawed, and basically didn't do it.

C says to me, "Mommy, I have something to tell you." He make me lean down so he can whisper something in my ear. On the first listen, I knew he was telling me that A needed something, but I couldn't decipher what that thing was! I was thinking "Yeah, a fire under her little tush..."

Well, in a manner of speaking so was he. We were finally able to figure out that C was saying that A needed Zrizus (Zrezut)!!

I asked him if he had it, and he RAN upstairs and got me my bag.

HUGE nachas.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

One of the hardest things about returning to the US from Israel has been the return to the "holiday" season. When we left, there were whispers of Thanksgiving. We came back to full-on Christmas assault. Needless to say that we didn't really notice it was December in Israel.

As the Trips get older, they notice more and more. We needed to discuss Halloween this year, and I actually turned off a couple of Noggin shows. Santa is MUCH harder to avoid. A few of our neighbors are actually (gasp!) non-Jews, and generally put up tasteful decorations. Yesterday, the Trips were watching the lights go up as H was coming home from work. He was greeted at the door by them declaring "It's Christmas!"

Oy.

It is a great story to help me in my Aliyah campaign though!

The fight of the 18

Thanks to treppenwitz for sharing this!

From the website:

We look to the hero of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising for inspiration. In April 1943, a young Jew named Mordechai Anielewicz showed that a fearless handful of committed men and women can make a rebellion and he forever laid to rest the myth of the passive Jew.

All I can say is...It's about time!

(Anyone know who the speaker is?)

Uh Oh! Jetlag!!

Just finished the last post and called home to check in with H...All 3 Trips are asleep on the couch. It's 6:30pm. They have not had dinner yet.

Not Good.

We're Baaack!

So we've been home for a couple of days, and you would think things would be back to normal. I guess that depends on your definition of normal. A has not been to school yet, due to a funny little bug that starts with vomiting, moves on to a fever and congestion, and ends with a croup like cough. C had it too, but went back to school today. B is fine, if you call whining, kvetching, and beating on siblings fine. Ah, life with 4-year-olds. Oops, I mean 4 and 3/4...

Eruv Shabbos last week I received an upsetting email from my boss that included a list of all the projects that I was supposed to complete in the past year, but have not. I have never been one to deal well with failure, and this one hit especially hard. The fact that the email ommitted all the extras that I have done, and the real causes for the delay in the completion of those projects made it tougher to swallow. The advice I have received is "Don't respond, just get them done." It has made my return to work very hard.

The Mumbai Massacre reminds me that Jews are not safe ANYWHERE in the world. Aliyah is on my mind all the time.

Boy, this is a kvetchy post. Maybe I caught it from B! I guess I need 8 unpacked suitcases, a clean house, a stocked fridge, a good meal, feverless kids, and a full night's sleep...when is Shabbos?!