21 years ago

21 years ago she joined the family tiny, suntan, quiet and a full head of hair, the curls didn't come until a few weeks later.

She took her sweet time before she talked... yeah I know you would never believe that know.

she loved to be a the beach..... just a week short of her first birthday and look at those curls

...and her hair and curls kept growing

and for that matter so did she in to a beautiful

18 year old and finally in to

and now before I knew what happened another one of my little girls is now 21.

Regional Convention is a STS USY Sweep!

Could it have been any better.... Well yes it could I could have been there but then we would have missed Morgans graduation but other than that how much better could it have been.






We had Sarah, Kokasi and Igaal here to share the event.








Ashleigh nominated Sarah as President of Far West Region and Sarah won, so did David Weingarten as Regional VP of Mem/Kad, Gil ChenZion is the VP of Israel Affairs and Matt Alfaso is the VP of Communications.

but that's not all......

Scott was named USY Director of the year, Molly Kestin received the Citizenship Award and Ashleigh looked really cute in her dress (here I was sitting in the Orlando airport and everyone was sending me text's and facebook messages that she looked great but no one sent me a picture, but doesn't she look great).




And last but not least they received the "Chapter of Excellence"

STS USY - Rocks!!!!!

We are in Florida

o.k. so we have actually been in Florida for a few days.... We are here for Morgans Graduation...

yes you read that right Morgan is a graduate... but more about that in another entry...

this entry is about a great BBQ joint that we found right across the parking lot from the hotel

Sonny's BBQ Pitt ohhh so good.

We enjoyed it so much that we ate there Friday night (just Barry and me) and then we had dessert there after Morgans graduation That would have been Barry, Nathan and me.

But Barry liked it so much (o.k. so did I) that we went back there tonight for dinner and it was still just as good.

The other part of Sonny's that we truly enjoyed was the service that we received from Paige. She was just so much fun and very helpful.

and very funny.... so Paige when you read this we looked for you on facebook but do you know how many Paiges there are? 20 pages worth so you need to find us.

And We Have A Graduate

At approximately 8:45 p.m. on Friday May 22, 2009 Morgan Elizabeth Cohn became a graduate, with Honors (note the tassels and medallion). And even though we had some pretty torrential rains at about 3:30 earlier that day I kept talking to Wadah and Bubbie Celia (both of blessed memory) asking that it not rain on her night....and they did it, they took care of her and did not let it rain.

Everyone was there Morgan (of course), Nathan,

Barry (he isn't a proud Papa is he?),

Bronwen (that would be mom), David (that would be step-dad), Vern and Geri (that would be David's Parents no pictures),

Precious and Star (the service dogs)

and Me ( I really was there just no pictures to much frizz).

Visitors from afar

On Tuesday May 12 at about 12:30 in the afternoon I received a text that said "They Have Arrived" I know who are they? Where are they from and Why are they here?


Well the who are they part is easy ....



they are (from Left to right) Sarah Perachim, Kokasi, David Weingarten (he is from here) and Igaal Sizomu.



The Where part is not that difficult either:

They are part of the Abuyudaya tribe from Nabagoye, Uganda. Igaal's father Rabbi Gershom Sizomu was our (Shomrei Torah Synagogue) Rabbinic Intern while he was studying to become a Rabbi and who is now the First Chief Rabbi of Uganda. Anyway I digress ...





The Why are they here part? well that is a little more detailed:







The reason that Sarah, Igaal and Kokasi are in town is because David Weingarten President of our USY chapter thought that it would be a great thing if we Shomrie Torah USY because a sister chapter to the Jewish Youth of the Abuyudayan and helped them start their own Chapter.










So Sarah, Igaal and Kokasi have been out here in L.A. for two and a half weeks learning all about how our chapter works, staying with different USY families ,
Sarah actually stayed with us ....she even got to spend time with Shomer...they had a good time together

They saw the Jewish sites in Los Angeles, promoting the crafts if their village , going to Far West Regional Convention and probably the most important thing

They went to Disneyland

a mothers day moment

I have often said that if I need one day for my children to acknowledge what I have done as a mother than I have not done a good job....and it has been just another day.

But the day is an opportunity for me to thank those who made me a mother Celia, Nathan, Samantha, Morgan and Ashleigh and because without them to love and share with it would be a very boring life. I also want to thank my mom who taught me by example how to be a great mom and when the time is right how to be a great Bubbie.

Just one more year

How else should you celebrate a 17th birthday?
















She wasn't actually suppose to be here until June....but far be it from Ashleigh to follow someone elses schedule and at 12:03 in the morning on Tuesday the 5th of May I ended my childbearing years with Ashley (that was the original spelling) Tucker also known as Esther Yisraella. She was named for my Grandmother Esther Johnson and her fathers Uncle Robert Eisenstein.




She was a sweet little girl who loved to climb in a chair and ask for a story







and over time she started to grow into an amazing young lady





we have had the pleasure of celebrating her birthday over the years



and the fact that she was born on a holiday recognized by people other than her family can make for a very interesting celebration.




Especially since she would take Persian food over Mexican food any day. Unless Bubbie is letting her taste her Margarita...a little earlier than 21st birthday.



So this year...my co conspirator (Lloyd) and I decided that the proper way for Ashleigh to celebrate her birthday would be for us to fill her car with balloons and write a note or two on the outside so that everyone would know that our sweet little bundle of joy has grown up to be an amazing person.



















She has some amazing insight and a great sense of humor. I am looking forward to the next 364 days before we set her loose on the world...and then look out.

A White Pair of Vans

What do you do with a pair of white slip on vans?

well some people would say ...wear them

others might say to find some what to scotch guard them so they can stay white

but if you Ashleigh you say ..."why it's a blank canvas...I've got to paint them!!!!"


and that is what she did...

Now this wouldn't be the first time Asheligh decorated her tennis shoes. 2 years ago she did her first pair of white vans... but that was just her name.

So she gathered all my paints and brushes, planed it out and then went to work





The details that she put into this is very impressive, each shoe is different...one has Jerusalem on the heal and the other has Los Angeles....


She even pays tribute to her Pilgrimage group also known as "The 808"








I have no idea how she comes up with some of her designs all I can tell you for certain is that I am sooo glad we have a replacement for the first pair of white vans she altered.