Little Yellow Notepad

Mushroom dip

1 large onion, pulsed a few seconds in the food processor, until there’s no big chunks 

1 lb fresh mushrooms, pulsed a few seconds in the food processor, until there’s no big chunks

2 cloves fresh garlic 

2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 

½ cup of mayonnaise 

In a large frying pan, Fry onions in 2 Tablespoons oil, after a few minutes add the mushrooms, mixing them.

Allow to simmer a few minutes and then add soy sauce and apple cider vinegar. 

Simmer for 45 minutes – 1 hour, until well down. Add mayonnaise to your liking. This lasts in the refrigerator for a few weeks and can be made in advance.

Continue reading “Easy recipes to enhance your Tishre” →

I remember the day the biggest ball dropped.

I didn’t actually drop it – it kind of landed from above. 

Onto our Shabbos table.

My husband and I were hosting a journalist for a Shabbos meal; she wanted to do a column on our newly founded Chabad House and having her over seemed to make sense.

There were signs the ball was going to drop, but we missed them. Primarily, kids giggling and squeeling at the stop of the steps. 

And then it was launched – the big exercise ball that was supposed to stay in my bedroom had been rolled out and it landed squarely on the Shabbos table.

Continue reading “Six Habits of Moms Who Actually Enjoy Tishrei” →

Why is he wearing the same shirt as yesterday? 

I start panicking.

I know he has enough shirts.

I sent a dozen.

But it looks the same as yesterday’s!

Oh, one second.

I forgot, two of the T-shirts have similar sleeves.

I mentally go through my son’s wardrobe.

I try to remember what he’s been wearing every day of the week since camp started; I mentally go through the photos I’ve seen of him so far.

Maybe it wasn’t the same.

I make the picture bigger.

Continue reading “Could it be the same shirt??” →

“It’s my chair! I called the spinning chair first!”

“No, it’s my soup chair!”

“It’s my mandelin chair!”

I’m staring from one kid to the other, trying to figure out what this all-out brawl is about.

I didn’t know we had a spinning chair, a mandelin chair or a soup chair, whatever that means.

They’re all grabbing one of the bar stools, of which we have 6 identical ones.

With tears streaming down her face, my 4 year old continues insisting, “It’s my mandelin chair, I called it first!”

My 5 year old is still adamant it’s a soup chair and my 6 year old is determined to get the spinning chair.

Continue reading “The Spinning Chair” →

Hi my name is Goldie and I suffer from principalaphobia.

I was born being scared of principals and their offices. It didn’t take any harsh and scary lectures or speeches or lessons; it was just part of my DNA. The principal says, and I do; and then I just stay under the radar and try to go unnoticed. Because one thing is for sure: I did not want to ever be called into the principal’s office.

And then I got married to an amazing husband who has endless tales about principal office visits. When I told him about my phobia, he stared at me blankly.

“They’re just people,” was the best answer he could give me. He had a good point. But I wasn’t there yet; I didn’t have the capacity to think past the fear and intimidation. 

I became a mother and that’s when the real life learning really started.

Continue reading “Principalaphobia” →