end of Hanukkah 2012

 The 5th night of Hanukkah our front window is starting to really glow!  It was art night and the kids got some new art supplies, markers, paints, colored pencils, drawing pads, etc.  Fun and useful gifts!

 On the 6th night the kids got to open gifts from Aunt Rebecca and Uncle Brian and Mama and Daddy - it was an exciting night, especially because the next day the kids had NO SCHOOL!!!

 Zoe got a nail set and Zachary got a catapult and trebuchet.  They both loved their presents, thank you Aunt Rebecca and Uncle Brian!

The 6th night was also book night from Mama and Daddy and the books the received included Zoe's first dictionary and Zachary's 3rd Guiness Book of Records (the 2013 edition) and they were both excited.

 And, the 8th night of Hanukkah - didn't our window look great!

 Snap Circuits Light for Zachary and Zoe's very own microphone (even though she keeps calling it her  microscope).  Both kids also got gelt from Aunt Marcia, thank you so much!

3rd and 4th nights of Hanukkah 2012

Here are photos from the 3rd and 4th night of Hanukkah at the Schulman's:

 This picture came out blurry so we could capture the glow of the candles on the 3rd night.  Mama posed this time with the kids.

 Zachary got a game he had been wanting, and his reaction upon unwrapping was, "YES!"  Mama and Daddy were very pleased.

 Zoe got the hair salon chair for her dolls that she had been wanting and as you can see above, her reaction was a giant hug to Mama - and she said something to the affect of, "This was what I really wanted!" Again, Mama and Daddy were very pleased, we love when the kids are happy on Hanukkah.

 The 4th night of Hanukkah was GG and Zadie's gift night and we skyped with them via Glenn's new iPad.  So as we snapped some pics, the kids made a more silly pose followed by 'normal' smiles.

 Here we are skyping - we sang the brachot and Maot Tzur with them before they watched the kids open the presents that they had sent.  GG and Zadie enjoyed our virtual menorah lighting together.  We enjoyed it too.

 Zoe got some of the 'girly' legos, a nightgown set for her and her doll, and a hanukkah set for her doll. She was thrilled.  Although the nightgown was short sleeve, Zoe and her doll slept in them anyway, she just couldn't wait. Her doll, Rebecca Rubin, is already enjoying her hanukkiah and dreidel.

Here is Zachary with his new safe and lego set.  He was so excited both to build the legos (which came with a lego light brick - too cool), and to put his money into the safe.  The safe even counts the money so he enjoyed seeing how much money he actually has, and Mama was happy the money was being moved from various bags and things it was currently stored in throughout his room.
Thanks GG and Zadie for the wonderful gifts.

Zoe's TV debut ...

http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/ct_style/stage-8-presents-the-southern-connecticut-hebrew-academy#.UMZ5Z4e9KK0

Zoe and her 1st grade class at SCHA sang Hanukkah songs on the local news station.  It aired yesterday for the 3rd night of Hanukkah.  They were adorable!  Enjoy

1st 2 nights of Hanukkah

Here are the kids on the first night of hanukkah - we set up our hanukkiot (menorahs) in the kitchen window this year as now that we have the piano our 'old' spot isn't available.  This works better as now when we display our burning candles people might actually see as they drive by!  Of course we still have our light up menorah in the window too - and the house is decorated with lots of the kids old decorations from preschool.  We are using both hanukkiot the kids  made and hanukkiot we already had each night - always fun to pull all that stuff out.  No one made a hanukkiah this year, they are too big we guess.
First night was movie night, the kids got new DVDs and they watched one afterwards (Tom and Jerry). Daddy got an iPad, which he loves, well, we all love!  And Mama got a bound book of the blog so far, what a treat to look at the last 3 years of posts, can't wait for you to see it too.

On Sunday was the shul hanukkah party which Mama helped to organize.  The kids had a lot of fun - and here you see them showing the hanukkah cookies they decorated with edible paints.  They enjoyed eating them too - but they were very sweet, as Zoe gave Mama a taste of hers.

After the Hanukkah party , we lit our candles at home and Daddy and the kids posed for another picture.  The kids each lit their own hanukkiah, but Daddy helps to put the Shamash in after they light. 

The second night was presents sent from  Grammy and Grandpa - Zoe got a fashion designer set and Zachary got the Crayola light designer.  They also each got a book of Judith Voirst poems, which Zoe and Mama read some of at bedtime.  They were both excited, although the light designer was the big hit (we can see why this is a 'hot toy' this year) - kids had a lot of fun playing with it that night and in the morning.  However, Zoe also designed a beautiful dress with her kit and we think she will enjoy it for a while, plus it is a lap desk so it is good for travel.

Everyone had fun testing out the new gifts.  Thanks Grammy and Grandpa!!!!

(UN)Thanksgiving 2012 Schulman Style

It is now our annual tradition to make homemade ravioli on thanksgiving.  Daddy and the kids make the pasta while Mama makes filling and sauce.  The kids are really becoming experts at rolling out the dough - they know what to do on their own and this year made some of the raviolis by themselves.  

 The raviolis were delicious - we made three types, plain cheese, sweet potato and cheese, and mushroom.  We had cream sauce on top, it was the best yet!  We also had cheesecake which Daddy and the kids made the afternoon before.  Daddy is our resident expert pasta maker, but soon the kids will be too!

Notice the straight noodles drying from the chandelier - what a lovely centerpiece for our delicious (un)thanksgiving dinner.

10th Anniversary

Here we are posing before going out for our anniversary dinner.  Ten years, where has the time gone.  We sure have done a lot in 10 years, and we are grateful for all of it.  You can see Mama's baby belly in this picture, and that was before the ice cream we ate.  Here's to another 10+ years!

Zachary's 1st Diorama

Zachary made his 1st diorama for school.  It was for judaics and represents a battle between five kingdoms and four kingdoms.  It was very creative to build it this way (good idea Daddy).  Good job Zachary.

Making storm cookies

Mama and the kids made storm cookies in lieu of Hurricane Sandy - everything the storm blew in:  chocolate chips, dried cranberries, dried pineapple, marshmallows, nuts.  They were delicious.

Zoe lost her 2nd tooth

Zoe lost her 2nd tooth, well actually, it was dangling and Mama 'took' it out for her.  So now she has a gap and she is very proud of it.  Wonder if the tooth fairy can make it through hurricane Sandy and leave her a present?

Today Zoe went to her close friend Jacob's birthday party at the Eli Whitney Museum and made a remote control car - she decorated it and assembled it.  Pretty cool, huh?

update on visit from the Tooth Fairy

Zoe woke up early today to see what the tooth fairy brought her. She then 'woke' up Zachary, but wouldn't open her envelope until she could share it with Mama and Daddy.  She did find a note from Zachary under her pillow saying "Congratulations" and with 26 cents taped to it.  It was his idea, his money and his secret!
Zoe came in to Mama and Daddy's room and first asked if Mama was the tooth fairy, but Mama could tell she didn't really think this - she just needed to check.  Then she asked if we could come and open her envelope together.  We went to her room (well not Daddy, he keep snoozing) and we opened the envelope and saw all the money - which we counted together: a 2$ bill, 3 $1 dollar bills and 43 cents.  Plus the 26 cents from Zachary = $5.69 cents.  Funny it works out to almost the same as what Zachary got for his first tooth (not that they remember) see the link below:
 
http://zacharyandzoe.blogspot.com/2011/02/zachary-lost-his-first-tooth.html

Then she asked Mama to read the note - which was very sweet and signed with love from The Tooth Fairy.

She will be back soon as Zoe's other bottom tooth is loose too.

As you can compare the pictures - Zachary lost this same tooth first in February of 2011.

 Zoe 10/2012                                                    Zachary 2/2011

Enjoy these pictures of Zoe showing off her hole and the kids together, and compare to when Zachary lost his 1st tooth in 1st grade just 18 mo ago ... wow!

Zoe's 6th Birthday

Zoe Claire at age 6 ... aint she sweet

Zachary gave Zoe a headband making kit - just perfect for the girl who wears headbands everyday.  Zoe posed with each of her presents, and we got Zachary to join her for his gift.

GG and Zadie were with us both for Zoe's party and for her actual birthday.  We celebrated with her favorite dinner and cheesecake for dessert.  Zoe loved the singing and all the celebrating, as you can see by her smile at her candle adorned cake.  Zoe also celebrated that day at school with a party in her class - what a great birthday!

Cousins Josh, Ethan, and Peyton came to visit for Zoe's birthday party and the two princesses spent a lot of time together - we call Zoe the purple princess and Peyton the pink princess.  They are just so cute together and they do love each other A LOT!

Zoe shared her birthday party with her good friend Aliza.  It was a fun party at Andie's Bounce Barn and the girls and all their friends bounced all afternoon.

Family picture at Zoe's party - Zachary looks a little out of it, just not a good smile, but it was hard to get a good shot at that moment as everyone eagerly awaited CAKE.  Happy Birthday to our beautiful girl!

Zoe enjoyed opening each card and present - so grateful this year (wow she has matured so much).  What a great birthday!

Zoe lost her first tooth

Zoe lost her first tooth today at school.  She was SO excited that the school admin sent this picture to Mama.  She got a 'tooth necklace' and although she has questions about the tooth fairy she is expecting a visit from her tonight!  Zachary also wants to give her a present for losing her first tooth.  What an exciting day for Zoe Claire.