fall is here

{two} Weeks at a glance:

• celebrated Simchat Torah by reading the entire Torah in one evening {1 hour, 3 mins!} with our wonderful community! {for a fantastic review, check out this post}
• continued Passion & Purity with Mary and the Matthews Bible study with my Matthews ladies {!}
• attended a bachelorette party for Julianna {BY MYSELF!! – Greg was home with the berry}, hosted by Christine & Mary at the “Squicciarini Urban Farm + Theater” …watched Father of the Bride & enjoyed my first cup of hot cocoa this season {yay for winter!}
• made my annual visit to Matthews Historic Cemetery for my grandmother’s yahrzeit, along with Mums + the girls… there is a beautiful prayer in the siddur that we read at the gravesite, followed by teatime back at home. It was emotional to bring Sophia for the first time, almost as if I were introducing her… and I have been thinking about expanding our yahrzeit tradition as there are more grandchildren, over the next few years.
• relaxing Erev Shabbat dinner at The Residence with my family, Ana Sochia, Jonathan Upham, Johnnie May, his daughter Gabby, and Jennie Gonzalez {I brought Giada’s mushroom crostada, always a hit}
• Sophia’s first “kid” activity!!! My baby went with a group of Bella Torah children -without me!- to christen Josh & Julianna’s new {empty} apartment with a visit {I was told she listened respectfully to Uncle Joshua’s Bible teaching and behaved herself quite well}
• helped friends & family move Josh & Julianna into their apartment + Isaac into his new townhouse, complete with two mezuzah-hangings afterward…
• hosted a SURPRISE lingerie shower for Julianna on Rosh Chodesh Heshvan… a huge thank-you to Angela Voskuil & Rachel Allison for helping me put the party together! We nibbled on strawberries & Godiva truffles, sipped chocolate wine, opened {gorgeous!} gifts, and played a fabulous game of lingerie Taboo… so much fun!
• visited Ana Sochia for cinnamon tea + Irish oatmeal and a fascinating story about her life
• escorted by my dashing husband to Julianna’s rehearsal –> dinner… first down to Rock Hill to see the stunning wedding venue {Brakefield at Riverwalk} and then on to Georges Brasserie in Southpark for an absolutely delicious dinner of fresh trout! {Amelia Perez was kind enough to berrysit all evening for us}
• visited Bartoast {Greg’s parents} for brunch with Aunt Julie & Uncle Jim… I brought Aran Goyoaga’s delicious toasted muesli, and we had a delightful time catching up + a walk in the neighborhood
• dropped in on the CCMC birthday party to see my dear friend Jackie, meet her daughter & grandson, swap baby clothes, and show off my beautiful Sophia {grin}… also had the chance to meet Greg’s new business associate, Eric Fransen
• yet to come: wedding week!

=)

bathtime

Week at a glance:

1. first experience with Greg working from home! {this is going to be a new phase for us, on weeknights and Sunday afternoons}
2. typical date night –> madly running errands all over Charlotte, one of which was the long-overdue purchase of a new vacuum {one day we are going to buy a Miele, but for now we settled with a middle-of-the-road Bissell with excellent user feedback and a good HEPA filter}
3. vacuumed the apartment! {grin}
4. had a quick coffee date with Mary, continuing in Passion & Purity
5. started using My Fitness Pal {love the iPad app!} to record food/exercise in an effort to be a little more health conscious
6. spent an enjoyable morning visiting Diana Nunez and her lovely daughters in their new home
7. attended the Bella Torah Kol Nidre service as a family, dressed entirely in white {per tradition}… Greg wore white slacks and a shirt, along with his kittel; I wore a white eyelet skirt with a ruffled Loft wrap top; and Sophia looked like a tiny angel in her white Ralph Lauren pjs {the description is necessary because we neglected to get a picture, due to the solemnity of the occasion}
8. observed Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year, with {parts of} all five of the traditional prayer services – truly a day spent in prayer! {the berry & I did not fast this time… maybe next year I won’t be pregnant or nursing 🙂 }
9. broke the fast with the Squicciarini/Spurlock families + Isaac, Brock, and Mr. Wright… bagels, lox, fruit, cheese, and a cherry tomato clafoutis made by moi {yummy, but anything would have tasted good}
10. met Christine at Natural Blendz on Monroe for a “blue mango” smoothie followed by thrift store shopping
11. started building our sukkah! {Greg is using the same pipe/lattice method as last year so the construction should be pretty fast}
12. went out alone {after Sophia went to bed Thursday night, leaving her daddy here to work}… savored the carefree nature of browsing through a store with no car seat, stroller, or diaper bag {grin}
13. had a really nice long conversation with my mom-in-law about the upcoming holidays
14. challenged myself {along with Hannah Lorence} to walk 4 miles at the greenway in Piper Glen, and did it!
15. made plans… {1. our “tapas & tabernacles” event next Monday; 2. what Sophia & I are going to wear to Julianna’s wedding; 3. October’s Rosh Chodesh celebration; 4. a babysitter for Sophia during Julianna’s rehearsal dinner… etc.} {help!}
16. spent a quiet Erev Shabbat here with Greg, perusing a section of Legislating Morality {Geisler/Turek} relating to abortion
17. yet to come: lunch/portion discussion with friends, finishing our sukkah, and making soup in preparation for tomorrow night’s party!

=)

more reasons to smile

Week at a glance…

> welcomed Julianna & Peter home from KY
> tried new food! Thai fish cakes… interesting texture
> got a super sweet email from one of my friends that made my day {thank you Hannah!}
> date night errands with Greg…
> lunch with my big brother
> made progress in Passion & Purity with Mary; discussed “does G-d want us to be happy?”
> joined a fun group of girls to support the National Network to End Domestic Violence by donating gently worn underwear to women’s shelters in Charlotte, an event publicized by Soma Intimates in Southpark {rewarded ourselves with lunch afterwards at Earth Fare}
> took Sophia to visit an orphanage {Thompson Child & Family Focus} and told her about children that don’t have mommies & daddies
> had a girls day out with my baby! {pedicure + eyebrow wax… 2 things I haven’t done since before she was born}
> got a package I’ve been waiting for {a pretty photo book of Sophia’s baby pictures… surprise gift for Greg’s mom!}
> visited a new cafe in Pineville with my mother-in-law, sipped Tazo Lotus green tea in the sun
> had dinner at The Residence with family + the Stelzls {my cousins}… always enjoy conversation with Uncle Dave!
> made the decision {with Greg’s approval} to donate 10″ of my hair to an organization supplying cancer patients with wigs {nervous about it! But my hair grows very quickly, and has gotten very long… seems like an appropriate time to cut it for a good cause}
> we got approved for a mortgage {the house search is officially under way!}
> yet to come: dinner with my niece {I became an aunt when I married Greg… we have a niece and nephew in Massachusetts. Alexis is visiting Nonni for a few days}; first Bella Torah service since the July break; and second week of our liturgical prayer discussion on Saturday nights!

=)