Fall Plans

Its such an odd Sukkot this year. The weather has hit triple digits (104 in Beverly Hills yesterday!) and we don't have a sukkah this year due to construction on our building. So we've been either going to friends' sukkot or using the sukkah at the Beit Knesset. I'm really having a difficult time getting into the holiday spirit. Needless to say, Sukkot will be a big deal next year and every year after!

This has given me time to think about our fall activities, though. There are always so many things I want to do and it seems like I either miss the opportune time or other things hijack my plans. So I tried to think of a dozen things I want to do in October and November.

First I'm going to plan more outings for the places we have passes to. The Skirball, Arboretum, Huntington Library and Disneyland.

The girls have been asking a lot about knitting and yarn so I'm going to introduce finger knitting and potholder looms.

Last year I bought the book Before Five in a Row and never really used it. So I've ordered four of the books from Amazon (part of their 4-for-3 deal and free shipping)  for us to do. We also already own three of the books so that's seven weeks of books!

We'll be starting Hebrew classes after the holiday, too. This is actually good for me too. We've been using more and more of our Hebrew and I feel a lot more confident when speaking. So far Shira is the only one who will speak Hebrew but Chaya and Batya understand what I ask them.

We will also be adding to our Shabbatot. Starting this Shabbat there are a couple "rules" going into effect. First, everyone has to share a d'var Torah. Even the girls. For them it can also be showing some art or project they did and explaining what it is. I'm also going to start teaching the girls z'mrot. Aba isn't a big singer and I don't know any z'mrot so the girls aren't used to this even though they love singing and songs. I've picked a couple from the many Shabbat cds we have and we'll learn a couple at a time. Lastly, we will be having a Shabbat Princess every week. The Shabbat Princess will help Aba with kiddush and hamotzi as well as choosing the dessert.

Bad Planning

My freezer is full.

Packed.

Stuffed to the gills.

As part of my attempt to have fun this summer and not become overwhelmed with September's holidays, I undertook a major preparation, preserving and packing campaign. I wrote out a month full of menus for July. I cooked a month's worth of rice and quinoa. I soaked and sprouted a month's worth of beans. I hulled, pitted, washed, peeled and cut the various batches of fruit picked or bought for a steal at the farmers market. I cut apart six chickens and repackaged a month's worth of meat. All of this got labeled and put into the freezer.

As we use up the weekly produce, I save the bits heading towards decay. I chopped onions, carrots and garlic and sauté them in some coconut oil. I whiz melon in the blender, strain and pour it into ice cube trays. Left-over chicken bits are picked clean. All of this is packed into jars, bags and boxes and head into the freezer.

I am using what I freeze. Last night Aba finished off the last of the grapes, the girls had watermelon popsicles and I removed 2 pounds of ground beef, some veggies and buns for dinner. I did put 2 more meals' worth of sloppy joes into the freezer, though.

The problem lies with space and containers. I've written out a schedule to prepare the main proteins and baked goods for the Yamim Noraim and Sukkot. (This year they come early and fall Wednesday night to Friday night. Adding in Shabbat, we have three day blocks September 3 to October 3.) This week I should be making six batches of Moroccan fish. But where shall I put them? I don't have any of the ingredients in the freezer to remove.

Even if I switch it with next week's cooking (cookies) it won't help. I don't have flour in the freezer so I'd be adding instead of taking.

I'll have to play around in both freezers and see what room I can make. And add more containers to the budget.

That said, there are less than two months until Rosh haShannah. If you are like me and want to have time to prepare yourself and your children for the beauty of the Yamim Noraim and Sukkot now is the time to start thinking about menus and cooking.