This is a busy time of the year with several Jewish holidays so close together. But it is also a fun time of the year. One of my favorite holiday traditions is decorating the sukkah. Over the years I have seen various ideas for sukkah decorations. I thought I would share a few of those... Continue Reading →
Traveling for the holidays?
As those of you who have been reading my blog know, I love checklists. Sometimes my lists even have their own lists! Even though we have not traveled anywhere in a while, one of my most helpful checklists is my travel packing checklist. I have used it for longer vacations as well as just weekend... Continue Reading →
Small things that make a big-“time” difference
I love finding new ways to be more productive, especially with my hectic life of raising four kids and working full-time. Some of the things I do come from my need to organize everything, but they help save time (and sometimes money), too. Here are a few ideas you might try: - Paper everywhere: Have... Continue Reading →
Review: Jewish-Life-Organized.com
(updated 3/17/17) I came across the website Jewish Life Organized after reading an article in one of the national Jewish magazines around Pesach time a few years ago. I am always trying to make my preparations for the holidays more organized and efficient. This site has all that and so much more! The author, Rivka Slatkin, is wonderful! She... Continue Reading →
Color-coded kashrut
Keeping kosher involves a bit of upkeep, with respect to keeping up with alerts, checking food labels (even of food you normally buy), planning meals, adjusting recipes sometimes, etc. However, there is something we have done that makes keeping kosher easy: color-coding. Almost everything in our kitchen is color-coded so that it is easy for... Continue Reading →
Review: Aish.com
Many of you may already be familiar with Aish HaTorah's website. They are an international Jewish educational organization that is amazing. Both my husband and I had the opportunity to study at their programs in Israel. Their website is full of wonderful features, articles, and videos. The thing I like best about Aish is that... Continue Reading →
Review: ShopSmart magazine
(Updated 2/14/21) ShopSmart Magazine ceased publication July 2020. I am an avid reader of magazines. My love of magazines dates back to my preteen years when I was obsessed with tv, movies, and girl issues. Now I am a mom, wife, and teacher, and I look for magazines not only to entertain me, but to inform me.... Continue Reading →
My label maker is my friend
When I first started teaching, I bought a label maker. I used it to label all of my art supplies and other teaching supplies in my big cabinets. I loved to open the doors and see all my neatly arranged and labeled plastic containers. Now I do the same in my home. Labeling has many... Continue Reading →
Birthday parties without the (wallet) blowout
Our triplets’ birthday is coming up soon and I have been trying to start planning their party. This is the first year that they are actually aware that they are having a birthday and that there will be a party. I was so disappointed to realize that doing a party away from home was quite... Continue Reading →
Don’t go broke, teachers!
Being a teacher can be costly, because you often spend your own money to get things for your classroom. Here are a few tips I have used over the years as well as some from Scholastic.com: BOOKS FOR YOUR CLASSROOM: - Swap books on http://www.paperbackswap.com (see my previous post on “My favorite find – swapping... Continue Reading →
Surviving on a tight budget 