Whats her name?

Zachio has started back up at school. He just finished his second week and is enjoying it greatly. Seems to have a new friend every day! The other day I was trying to figure out how to pronounce his new teachers names. I was looking at the handout provided by the school and one of his teachers names was incomprehensible. Mrs. Alexandooooooooruuuuuu or atleast that is what it looked like to me. So I did what any sane person would do, I asked my trust side kick (Did I mention that he is only 3). He looks up at me with his big brown eyes and screams:

Mrs. Isaacalexanderdo!

"What? Mrs. What?" I ask?

Mrs. IsaacAlexanderdo! Isaac Alexanderdooo!

"Her name is Mrs. Alexanderdo" I reply as a small light goes on in my head.

Zachio's middle name is Alexander. So in his mind, Alexander always is preceed by Isaac!!! I wish the world was that simple!!!

Some pictures just need to be posted!

Secret Recipe?

Zachio and I took it upon ourselves to make this child-hood favorite? Any guesses to what it is? You all played with it as children. Some of you, me included even ate it on a regular basis.

Here is the pot after we cooked it. I learned that one should not use new pots when playing chemist with a 3 year old. (Brillo pads are magical!)

The proud baker/chemist.

Playdo! Homemade Playdo that is. 5 minutes of cooking and countless hours of fun.

Dressing himself: Erkel in the making!

Zachio insisted on getting himself dressed. Think he takes after Zadie (his grandpa).

My loving fatherly response!!!

Back in Action (or atleast the Country)

Unfortunately, the weather was only nice for the last 2 hours of my visit to Brazil. But I had a great time with a great friend! The conference was even good ! All in all it was a great trip - well worth the 10,000 miles and 23 hours of travel!






Daddio and Gina, together again at last! (Whats a decade between friends!)





The View from Gina's apartment.

How do beat the heat.

Currently it is over a 100 degrees with the heat index here in central Illinois. So in order to beat the heat this weekend, Zachio and I played in the sprinkler! Now if I can figure out a way to mow the lawn while keeping Zachio entertained I'd have it made.

So after cooling off with the sprinkler in the backyard. Zachio and I headed in. In an effort to keep the majority of the water outside and off the hardwood flowers, I covered Z in a towel and removed his suit while outside. Mind you with this technique there is absolutely no nudity- just a small child in a towel. Zachio - who can stand for none of this - quickly throws the front of the towel over his head - reminding everyone of the success of his Bris! With his head (and eyes) completely covered he bolts into the house in a full sprints. Until this point in time I never knew little boys ran on sprinkler water! After several minutes of me chasing the naked blind wonder through the house I finally get some undies on him (What does that say that it took me several minutes to catch a blind 3 year old.....hmmm....).

After I get him dressed, Zachio declares he wants to play hide and seek inside. I quickly agree (beats doing any chores). He volunteers to hide. Zach is at the developmental stage that if he cant see you - logically you can't see him. Check out the his hiding spot! Keep in mind that he is bellowing "YOU CANT FIND ME" as he is standing in the middle of the hallway.

As a mature adult I beat the heat in a completely different manner. Tonight I am flying to Brazil, where it is the dead of winter. It even got into the 50s last week!!!!. True when I started planning this trip 10 months ago, I had no idea it would be winter there now. So the only people in the tiny bathing suits that eveyone associates with Brazil will be Americans and European tourists. Such is life! I am going to Brazil to visit my good friend Gina and... go to a conference - for work - yes of course - you go to Brazil to work!

Good luck beating the heat - my suggestion is to hang out with a toddler - they always seem to know how to stay cool!

When you give someone a Mezuzah...

First they are going to hang it in their doorway.

Go for a walk to the park...

Play on the swings, slide down the slide...

Play fireman (there is a fire engine in the park), climb the ladder...

and go on a fire fly hunt!!!

PS - If you need a fire fly catcher - I know a really good one!

Thanks for the mezuzah!