***Please have Raphael Gavriel Simcha Chaim ben Shulamis in your prayers – (Note name addition, things are very serious. )he is a young man (early 20’s) who has a brain tumor. It was mostly removed several months ago, but it has grown back. He has remained in the hospital.***
We’re half way done the first half of the last set of Yomim Tovim, in other words – the middle of Sukkos. 🙂 The weather is beautiful, with just one meal being rained out on us. It is definitely getting cooler, but still warm and I still do not need to wear a jacket – and that is coming from someone who wears jackets because she gets cold easily. Yesterday I went for a bike ride, and I got in not just one, but two nice bike rides today. I really enjoy looking at all the wonderful colors.
The little one has his own lulav and esrog and is very proud of it. I even found last year’s lulav holder for him as well as a nice box to put the esrog. When we got to shul, he was very excited to show it to his friend and share it with her. The second day I made a point to get to shul earlier than we usually go so that he could make it for Hallel where they walk around the bima with their lulavim and esrogim. We got there on the last circuit, just enough for a 3 year old to have fun and not get bored. 🙂
Yesterday started off nice with a bris (Yom Kippur baby!), buying a very excited 3 year old new Shabbos shoes for his got ruined and then a 
wonderful Room613 Virutual Sukkos party. For those who are not sure what a virtual party can include, there were stories, songs, fun Sukkos riddles and a talent show. Yes, a talent show! There was a comedian telling riddles and jokes, bike tricks, karate tricks and a wonderful pianist. Modern technology is amazing, with a laptop and a video camera, we were able to walk outside one of the homes of the boys and watch him ride his bike outside and do some tricks. It was not perfect, the video cameras have a bit more to be desired sometimes for they did occasionally freeze up for the audience. Aside from that, it was a lot of fun. I have to put a nice plug in for homeschooling – it’s hard to watch bike riding tricks in a school, but it was so easy to do in a homeschool setting!
I had wanted to do some learning about the rest of the holidays. I figured I have three days before Shabbos, and perhaps something (most likely not) on Sunday before Yom Tov. That was my plan. As I mentioned in the last post, I love all the Yomim Tovim, however, it is hard to find all the time I would like to take to teach about every Yom Tov – before the Yom Tov. We only had a couple of days after Yom Kippur before Sukkos, and so I figured it would be great to learn the rest during Chol Hamoed figuring it was a great way to increase Torah learning a little bit and not have a free for all holiday. So I planned.
After the bris yesterday, I had one boy make a spontaneous play date (which turned into a sleep over) and another boy had the brother over to our house for his spontaneous play date. Boy number 3 was happy as a clam to turn the radio on and call “CQ” in hopes to reach people in other parts of the world, which he did. (Amateur Radio aka Ham Radio.) He also spent some time learning so he can upgrade his radio license from Technician to General so he can use more frequency bands.
After lunch today I had three boys come to the house (one was mine and the other two were the brothers from the spontaneous play dates). One brother stayed to play with one of my boys and the other brother went with one of my other boys to yet another house for several hours! My oldest, was still happy as a clam learning outside in the sukkah for his general class and talking to people on the radio. I do not really mind. It is hard to play with friends who are at school during the day (imagine that!) We also had a wonderful sukkah party for the Cub and Boy Scouts in our sukkah and a Mazal Tov to my oldest for earning his Second Class rank for Boy Scouts tonight! 😀
We did not get to sleep in the sukkah the first few nights for it did rain and drizzle on and off, however, last night and tonight the boys took advantage of the wonderful weather. Unfortunately Mommy and Daddy are not out there for Daddy is a bit sick and does not want to get sicker. I really enjoy the fresh air – it is not too hot nor too cold, just nice and cool and fresh and I wake up really refreshed in the morning when I do get to sleep outside.
I still have my plans… Baruch Hashem we still have tomorrow! I am determined to get some learning done (will have to say no to play dates….. 🙁 )
It is late, and I’m off to finish making challah, so hope everyone has a wonderful Moed, Shabbos and Yom Tov!