On the Move + Weekend Round-up!

So much commotion has been going down in the cozy little home of ours! We are so excited to announce that, thank God, we signed off on a duplex lease last week and are mid-move to the glorious city of Los Angeles!!  While we have been looking to move for about a year now, we did not expect it to happen this fast (but some incredibly undeniable offers have been thrown our way and so we jumped at opportunity!), and we're still sort of in shock-drop-and roll mode; packing up boxes, picking paint colors, but not quite grasping the entirety of the transition just yet... But, with the hecticness of the holidays behind us now, and on the recovery from our annual post-Tishrei sick week, reality should be hitting home any time now. :)

About those opportunities; Manasseh has been offered a really fulfilling job that is right up his favorite alley - revamping the youth program for our new Shul and community, Shaarei Tefilah. We are supremely excited to be joining such a young, growing, and thriving community, and can't wait to get started. The first plan of action will be renovating the youth rooms (Freidafroo style!), and the before and after photos should prove to make some really fun blog posts in the next few weeks - look forward!

Also (yes there's even more!), I'm so totally stoked to be announcing that I will, God Willing, be starting a Mommy & Me class!! As a collaboration between Congregation Shaarei Tefilah and a wonderfully kind group of women behind the organization Yad Le'Ima, I was offered the job and can not be more excited to get it off the ground!!! If you live in the greater Los Angeles area, have a child under 2 years old, and are looking for an insanely awesome way to spend a weekday morning (a creative round of exploration and bonding for the tots, a lovely morning of coffee, socializing, and parent-networking for the moms!), stay on the lookout for the exact dates and times and how to get yourself and your brood signed up to the classes! I will keep you posted, but if you know you are interested right off the bat, please email me (freidafroo@gmail.com) so that I know if I am looking at some crazy number of mamas! :)

At the moment, I am pondering how will get through our last Shabbos in Long Beach, being that Freida has diligently dumped all her toys into some empty moving boxes and her room is practically reeking: vacancy. On the upside, she's been sleeping in our bed, which has proved to be super cozily delicious!  Thankfully, our move in date is Tuesday, November 1st (!!), so it won't be long now. Can't wait to give you a peek at the new place, and share the transition and home improvements with you all...!

On a side note, being that I've been so swamped, I've been feeling guilty and figured I'd at least leave you with a little weekend round-up to make up for lost posts. Here are some things I would have blogged about had I had the time:

- Crewcuts for Babies debuted this week - sheer deliciousness!

- Clever wall treatment for a shared bedroom.

- How to make your own pinatas!

- These office prints made me laugh out loud.

- Great gift for moms of boys!

- Handmade Charlotte at Anthropologie!!

- Black smoke is back!

- Hoooked Zpagetti looks awesome!

- Autumn soup at it's best!

Wishing you all the lovliest of weekends!! Enjoy the beautiful fall weather, and take advantage of all the pumpkin patches and fall festivals going on in your town! I'm very much looking forward to the peace of Shabbos, and relishing in the last weekend with our family here on this side of town.... here's to bittersweet beginnings!

Garlands Gone Wild

I know that, for the most part, two days prior to the chag is not the very best time to land upon design ideas for the inside of one's Sukkah - as you're all likely bringing the heat in the kitchen. While I'm not yet blessed with a yard of my own, nor a Sukkah that can hold and entertain guests, I am blessed with a wonderful sister who's home (and outdoor dwelling) I will be frequenting this holiday; therefore I am only just happening upon and curating some last minute Sukkah decoration inspiration as I am not a slave to the stove this holiday season.

Garlands have made a gigantic comeback as a well-welcomed blast-from-the-far-away-past, and seem to still be lingering as an "it" item on the decoration front for the 3rd year in a row! Charming, peaceful, and whimsical, it's no wonder this simple strand of happiness graces everything from children's rooms to party buffet tables - the concept of this string of things is simply wonderful. Here's a little roundup of some of my (easy and not-so-simple) favorites - especially as a way to deck out those wooden walls!

Paint Chip Carnival Garland - easiest no-budget, no-sew DIY ever!

You can make this in any color combo out there, but my favorite is going with a one-color theme in a myriad of shades (you can check out the pinks one I made for Freida's room). Of course, some natural shades of autumn would be just perfect for the Sukkah-vibe...

Dixie Cup Lights Garland - low on time + low on money: you've got yourself an enchanting strand of night lights!

Little Dixie cups, an assortment of pretty paper, and a strand of Christmas lights come together and bring you to the most fabulous form of DIY outdoor/indoor ambiance-enhancing lighting!

Tissue Paper Tassel Garland - Confetti System craving? DIY!

Tassels just might be the hottest thing out there at the moment, and these little tissue paper duds truly deliver! Easy-as-pie tutorial makes this party-on-a-string something for every party-girl to covet for their wooden walls!

Yarn Balls of Light - the most fun and fantastical way to light up!

I've been obsessing over the French lighting company La Case de Cousin Paul, and finally discovered a way to make a similar DIY version of these colorful little yarn balls - just add a strand of brilliant light! While I can't wait to create some of these beautiful rows for Freida's bedroom, I also think these would be fabulous Sukkah lighting options - bring some enchanting wonderment to the natural nighttime eatery.

(Long) Weekend Round-up!

Hope you all had a fabulous extended weekend and squeezed out the very last essential drops of summertime - just enough to get you through the year! :)

Labor Day always brings about mixed-emotional nostalgia for me. Sad to see summer go and just-happy-enough to head on straight into autumn. And with the Jewish month heralding a bitter-sweet end to the past 12 months and a brand spankin' new year just around the corner... the seasons turn and I'm ready - bring it!

Anyways, while I devise a plan to enhance my new year and create some tangible resolutions, here are a few things I've been meaning to share with you:

- dinosaur trend; an adorably edgy DIY for your tresses.

- the world via Suri Cruz (been laughing at this all weekend)!! 

- cutest-ever lunch labels (PDF) to spice up the brown bag!

- most perfect polish for fall.

- we're currently loving the Green Album!

- most gorgeous 4 piece crib set - still at a measly $71 (!!) someone grab this!

- simple dinner deliciousness!

Hope you're weekend was just lovely!! And best of luck in returning to the trenches....! :)

(P.S. Malibu beach, baby.)

Goat Milk Organic Undies

We had a little yeast infection scare with Freida today... Brought her in to the Doc because she was complaining of pain each time she used the potty yesterday. Turns out, thankfully, she doesn't have an infection, just a slight irritation/heat rash. Crisis (and a round of antibiotics!) avoided.

But it got me concerned about the possibility for little girls - especially newly potty-trained - developing bacterial infections down there. Especially in the summer. Tight moisture wicking bathing suit bottoms, sweaty little undies rubbing against denim cutoffs, millions of too-excited-to-properly-wipe trips to the toilet, and much too many sugar-laden freeze pops just up the odds.

Even though Freida has been wearing 100% cotton undies, I decided to have a quick look around the web for lightweight, loose-fitting, cotton panties. Happened upon a shop filled solely with the most simple European-style organic cotton underwear separates for kids - right out of NYC! Got quite a blast from the past when I laid eyes on these singles --- my own mom had me wearing organic cotton pointelle undergarments just like these until I was in the 5th grade! Well, now I understand. This line of Goat Milk kidswear is so charmingly organic, it makes me feel like I can put the closest thing to nature on her delicate little body. Light, simple, soft, and natural. You can check it out here, and you can also pick some up at Sweet William shops in NY.

  

City Find: Wagner Farm

During our first week here in Skokie, we took a morning trip to a little historical tribute to farming families in Glenview, IL: Wagner Farm. We've passed by this little farm-life restoration many times on previous visits during our treks to Glenview's Trader Joe's (Hello Skokie. Get on the TJ bandwagon!), but for some reason we never thought to stop, until now. We had a wonderful morning learning about dairy cows, fresh chicken coop eggs, and watching the sheep try to stay cool in this humid Midwest heat.

Wagner Farm is one of the very few still-standing farms of Cook County, and is surrounded by vibrant suburban life, homes, and major roadways. The Wagner family owned, lived, and farmed on this property from 1855 until the death of Rose Wagner in 1997!!! It now functions as a museum-like tribute to this farming families history. Aside from the farm animals and green gardens, there are indoor interactive exhibits where children (and adults!) can learn about whole food and it's origin, including their "shop through history" 1930's grocery store. Also on location and open for exploration is the original farmhouse - the home of the Wagner family - with furniture and all! So interesting!

Their tagline is "If your kids think that milk comes from a carton, corn comes from a can, and chicken from a cellophane wrapped package - it's time to visit Wagner Farm!". If you're in the Chicagoland area and looking for some fun and educational trips to do with young children in tow, I'd highly recommend stopping by for a visit. You can check out more about the farm and it's programs here.