It’s a bit embarrassing. I didn’t even tell my friends. But now that it’s over, I confess: my new year’s resolution for 2013 was to take driving lessons.

Yes, I already had a driver’s license. I’ve had a license since I was 17 and living in the New York suburbs. But I left for college in Boston shortly before my 18^th birthday, and ever since, I’ve lived within walking distance of Boston’s T or Washington’s Metro system. I never owned a car and never really needed one. I took the train or a bus nearly everywhere. Read the rest of this entry →

• Posted in Parenting
• Tags: driving, fear, resolutions

We’re now well into January and I’m just getting around to my reflections on last year. While I’m always excited to welcome the new, last year was so profound I wanted to soak it all in for a bit.

If you’ve been following along this past year I made a list of 25 things I’d like to do in 2012. I found out I was pregnant with my second child four days before that post ran on Kveller. I wasn’t sure if I was being overly ambitious with my list given I was dry heaving into the trash can every time I tried to feed my toddler, but I’m so happy I stuck with it. I’m so happy I worked on me last year.

The things on that list that I pushed myself to do, I can honestly say made me a happier, more fulfilled, and better person. Our family motto is “living an intentional life” and I felt like even by doing something as simple as growing out my hair–I was living intentionally. Read the rest of this entry →

• Posted in Parenting
• Tags: giving, new year's, resolutions, year in review

I have come to the conclusion that there are always things that we do which really annoy our spouse. Not major things, typically. More like annoying little habits. Or irritating mannerisms.

Not one of us is immune from such behaviors. Not you. Not my husband. Not even me.

Which is why I decided last New Year’s Day to take on an Attitude Resolution. I would choose one thing that Warren does that really bugs me… and let it go. Just simply let it go. Not let it bother me and just. Let. It. Go. That meant really letting it go. No snarky comments. And no announcement of my newly-acquired outlook. For to do either one would negate the entire premise of a changed attitude. Read the rest of this entry →

• Posted in Parenting
• Tags: featured, new year's, resolutions, spouses

Rosh Hashanah, people: New Year’s resolutions. And these are the kind that get you written and sealed in the Book of Life, so let’s take it seriously, shall we?

I find I make resolutions like, “I want to be a better person,” “I want to be a better parent,” “I want to go to the gym more,” EVERY YEAR. These are all worthy goals, and I’ll be writing more about good ways to pursue them. Well, at least the first two. I mean, I’m almost 35 weeks pregnant over here, people. I get winded walking to school/the refrigerator. Read the rest of this entry →

• Posted in Traditions
• Tags: resolutions, rosh hashanah

We’re almost half-way through the calendar year and I’m still plugging away at my resolution list. I actually adore this year’s list as it includes daily reminders like {grow out my hair} so each time I think about how I don’t want to blow dry my shoulder-length hair, I am reminded of how badly I want it to be long again. It also includes things that have taken a little preparation, like {leave my toddler in loving care to spend an overnight with my husband}.

Yes, you read correctly. I left my precious 2-year-old with his Doda while my husband and I attended a wedding. I’m pregnant so obviously no fun was had I couldn’t drink but despite a few contractions, I did {dance with my husband}. I’m so happy to have achieved this milestone before the birth of our second son, it was just something my Mama-heart needed to do (did I mention he was totally fine and didn’t even look up from playing when we came back to get him?) Read the rest of this entry →

• Posted in Parenting
• Tags: resolutions

Seeing as though most New Year’s resolutions are abandoned by the end of February, it’s puzzling to me why people even make them in the first place. I could vow every year to get down to my college weight, and at the end of the year the only thing I’m left with is some tummy pudge and an idea for next year’s resolution.

In early 2009, I was struggling to get pregnant. I wanted to feel successful at something and keep my mind off my own fecundity so I made a bucket list of 50 resolutions that I would accomplish that year. My list included everything from “delete my MySpace account” to “floss more” and “have something published.”  Fifty was an incredibly ambitious list, but it kept me true to the things I wanted to change in my life, simple things I sat around wishing I did more of, or goals that I needed to put down on paper to make myself accountable for.  The best thing about my list was that everything was doable. I didn’t set lofty goals like “lose 50 pounds” or “read 200 books” or even “get pregnant.” Rather, I named things that could be done with a little thoughtful time and motivation. Things that I had control over. Read the rest of this entry →

• Posted in Parenting
• Tags: new year's, resolutions

The secular New Year is right around the corner, and many of us are thinking about resolutions. For some of us those may include taking better care of our bodies, or tending to our relationships. Others of us, however, may be thinking about our spiritual or religious practice. If you’ve been looking for a way to increase your Jewish knowledge or observance, mitzvot are a great place to start. .

The word mitzvah is often understood as “good deed” but it actually means “commandment” and there are officially 613 of them. You’re probably already observing some of them, such as not cross-breeding animals, and some of them might not apply to you, unless you were actually wondering whether or not you can marry a third-generation Edomite convert (as far as I can tell, you can).

The start of the secular New Year is just around the corner, and it’s a great opportunity to begin adopting other mitzvot into your life. Even if you don’t consider yourself to be terribly religious, there are many ways to modify the mitzvot so they will be meaningful for you and your family.

So, in mostly no particular order, here are my Top Ten Mitzvot For the New Year:

1. Celebrating the Jewish holidays. You might already be lighting candles during Hanukkah, attending a seder during Passover, or dragging the family to services for Rosh Hashanah, but perhaps this year you’ll consider eating some new foods for Tu Bishvat, dressing up for Purim, or building a sukkah. I’m even planning to fast for Yom Kippur this year!

2. Teach your children. According to the Torah, Jewish parents are obligated to teach their children Torah, a trade, and how to swim. In addition to signing up for swim lessons down at your local JCC, now is a great time to start teaching your children about Judaism if you aren’t already. Kveller has a ton of wonderful ideas, and the PJ Library sends free books to Jewish children. Read the rest of this entry →

• Posted in Parenting
• Tags: Jewish living, mitzvah, new year's, resolutions

Shana tova, y’all! A couple of weeks ago, we announced a contest for the new year: give us your best resolution, and we’ll send you a cookbook.

Like so many of our contests, it’s hard to choose just one winner. Because really, a resolution is what’s best for you, and who are we to choose the best? But we’d made a promise, and so we’ve done the hard work and chosen a winner.

Congratulations to Jennifer Steinberg of Wilmington, Delaware! We love her resolution and its honesty–and its unintentional pun:

Jennifer’s resolution: My resolution this year is to have more, *ahem*, intimate time with my husband. With two kids and work and community and synagogue stuff, we just got really busy this year and I think it’s time for us to make a point of reconnecting more frequently.

Jennifer, keep your eyes peeled for a cookbook coming your way!

And even though we couldn’t send you all a cookbook, Simply Southern With a Dash of Kosher Soul wanted to share a recipe with you–for their Splendid Apple Pie. It uses a sugar substitute, so if your resolution was to get healthy, this is a great first step. Enjoy!

• Posted in Activities
• Tags: contest, cookbooks, resolutions, rosh hashanah