On Saturday, October 9th, 2021, Julianna and Chloe had their joint B’Not Mitzvah. They worked incredibly hard practicing and preparing and, not surprisingly (at least to my wife and me), were incredible. As part of their service, we wrote a blessing for them and then read it to them. This is that blessing… Chloe and
Category: Matt
The Mailbox Again
It has been almost 2 years since Chloe and Julianna have gone to overnight camp. It has been roughly 1.5 years of us being together, all the time. Because of COVID-19, their summer camp like so many others, was closed in the summer of 2020 but here we are. Here. We. Are. Today is drop-off
Mothers’ Day
There’s been a lot of gardening going on around here. My wife, who will be henceforth known as D, has started to really enjoy gardening. This is likely in her blood (her mom also likes it) but COVID has been a catalyst and over the past year+, she has spent a lot of time planting
For The Win
“Some day soon though, things will get back to the normal we all crave.” Me. Exactly 1 year ago. Today Chloe turns 12. It feels like just yesterday that I wrote last year’s birthday post. How is that even possible? Have you ever been to summer camp? As I reflect back on the past year,
Her Teen
Today, Julianna turns 13. I am fah-reaking out. She’s a teenager, like, officially. I mean, now we are going to have to have puberty and relationships and…and…MAKEUP. I’m not equipped for this sort of thing. What am I going to do when she brings home some person she wants to date, introduces me followed by
Always Forward
Previously… Donald Trump is going to be our next President. We live in a country where there’s something called Democracy. Not every country gets to have this. The idea is that once you get to be 18, you get a chance to vote for the things that are important to you. Sometimes the vote goes
Making the Best
Today Chloe turns 11. Now, both her and Julianna have had to celebrate their birthdays during the Great Quarantine of 2020. I find myself feeling a bit conflicted about how to handle the emotional ups and downs both girls have felt about their birthdays happening during this time. For Julianna’s birthday, we asked a bunch
The Matriarch
Well… My grandmother died today. She was just about to turn 95 years old. This is a weird one. My grandmother, Rhoda Brand, had been battling dementia. It is difficult to know exactly when it really took hold but I’d say it has been roughly 8 to 10 years where I can remember being able
Quaranteeny Bit Crazy
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Today I dyed part of Chloe’s hair blue. Here’s proof: In the “Book of Parenting” that lists all of the things that you will likely do at some point or another during your time as a parent, this was unlisted. It was the first time I took on
Et Cetera
Today, Julianna turns 12. Every year, since she was 3, I’ve been publishing a post on this day. You can read them here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. These birthday posts have gotten harder and harder to write each year. I generally start thinking about them a few days in advance