During services Friday night, Linda reached a milestone with her Hebrew studies. A little background: Our prayer pamphlets for the service have the transliteration of the Hebrew text below it so that everyone can 'read' and speak the Hebrew prayers. Despite not having learned the entire "Aleph-Bet" (alphabet) yet in our Hebrew class, she started following the Hebrew text versus the transliteration! I was so thrilled for her, as she was really recognizing letters and words as we were singing and speaking them!!! I knew that she was doing well and really studying hard but I am so impressed with her determination and success in this challenging endeavor. Way to go, hon!
Friday night after services, the Kulanu group was invited to the Rabbi's home for Shabbat dinner. There were about 11 of us plus the Rabbi & her partner. One of the couples brought their two children, but they were very well behaved and watched TV in the other room. Linda & I were fortunate to sit with the members we're closest with plus the Rabbi, where she entertained us with her 'coming out' story and how she became a Rabbi. She's a very inspirational and interesting person. Her partner is very nice, as well, but due to her schedule (she's still in Rabbinical school and has Rabbi duties at a private school about an hour away), she doesn't attend services at our Temple that often. It was very nice to see the art, books and furniture that the Rabbi surrounds herself with.
My nieces Maisie (7) and Noa (5.75) came to the 'burbs Saturday morning for a sleepover at my ex's home with Sophie, but to spend a few hours with Linda & I in the morning and early afternoon.
I had found a farm about an hour upstate to do a monster truck ride and go thru a corn maze with the kids and Saturday morning was perfect weather-wise. Sunny and crisp - high 50's and low 60's. We headed out about 10:30 and the girls were in rare form for the ride up jamming to an Outkast song called "Hey Ya" and having fun coloring!
When we arrived, it was a much bigger (and ultimately more expensive) outing than originally expected. The corn maze was on a few acres, versus the fairly small ones I'd been to in the past. It was done in the shape of a Sheriff's badge and the kids were all made 'deputies' who had to find the 10 escaped convicts somewhere in the maze.
There were 3 bridges in the maze that allowed you to see over the top of the maze giving a nice view of how much land we had to cover:
And here are the 'deputies' now!
The other event was riding in the monster truck! Here is the truck:
And here we all are IN the truck before taking off on the wild ride! It was AWESOME!
Everyone had a great time, though we got back later than I had promised my ex that we'd have them back!
Saturday night, Linda & I went out for a nice dinner at a local French restaurant using a gift card from her company. Great food and great conversation. Nice date night, hon!
This morning, we helped set up for the book fair at Temple and then attended our Intro to Judaism class - the topic was Shabbat. Discussions as to why and how Shabbat is celebrated inspired both of us to try and look at Shabbat a little differently. Yes, we celebrate the the Shabbat by attending services on Friday night, but it's not so much that there is a 'right' or 'wrong' way to celebrate, but rather to do what is comfortable for us in making it special from the rest of the week. Linda & I discussed this over lunch and thought that one thing we would incorporate is to not going on-line during Shabbat starting next week. We'll talk to Sophie about what she feels would be something for her to do that would be her way of celebrating Shabbat. I'll let you know what she decides!
Linda & i are having a nice quiet evening at home tonight watching our favorite shows - "Desperate Housewives" and "Brothers and Sisters". It's been a very full and happy weekend.
That was a very full weekend! The corn maze sounds like fun. We're liking the show "Brothers and Sisters", too.
Posted by: SassyFemme | 10/22/2006 at 20:25
It was full and they usually are! Between Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters, it was a full tv viewing evening! Great shows!
Posted by: val | 10/23/2006 at 07:39
Hey!! I wanna ride in a monster truck!!! :)
Sounds like yet another splendid weekend. :)
Posted by: Tina-cious | 10/23/2006 at 09:07
Tina - - you woulda LOVED it!!! So much fun bouncin' around in there!
Posted by: val | 10/23/2006 at 11:39
WOW that truck is huge. We also had a hayride night through our synagogue Sat. night - hayride, bonfire, singing and s'mores! What more could you ask for? The kids had a blast and the weather was perfect. Glad you guys had a good time! Sounds like your rabbi is a great person - seems like you and Linda spend quite a bit of time at the Temple - glad you are enjoying it (you know, not like I have a vested interest in things like that :-))
Posted by: ezerknegdo | 10/23/2006 at 19:33
EK... bonfire and s'mores sound great! We are thoroughly enjoying our Temple and our Rabbi's, thank you! ;)
Posted by: val | 10/23/2006 at 21:16
what i want to know is how do you get jewish polkehs up into that monster truck? notice i didn't mention the tush but that goes along with the jewish thighs...oy in my next life i'm going to have fat hair and skinny thighs...great post and wonderful pictures...i bet you all had a grand time...stay safe
Posted by: marallyn | 10/24/2006 at 09:22
Marallyn... there was a nice ladder thingee to climb up - nothing dangerous and any sized person would be able to do it! Thanks for stopping by! ;)
Posted by: val | 10/24/2006 at 14:25