For the Home

I’m very passionate about Israel and it’s always been my desire to share that passion with my children. It was a sad day in our home when we missed out on the great deal to Israel earlier this year, but thankfully, my husband managed to snag an almost as good one a couple of months later.

Pick a day to start. We would love to begin on Motzaei Yom Kippur, but if your children are fasting, they might not be up to it, unless they drank coffee and are now all hyped up.

The children’s wear brand Pastel perfectly caters to the parent or loved one looking to encapsulate the energy, vitality, and creativity that exists within each child.

In general, we buy good backpacks that we expect our children to have for at least two years.

If they could do it, why can't I?

Yom Tov is about spending time with your family. And while for some families the big once-in-a-lifetime experience is great, for others something low key is the way to go.

While we prepare, we can share our positive insights and how-tos, and recipes, and keep raising the happiness level all around.

Given the subject matter, it seems appropriate for this cookbook to open with a chapter on food safety since giving your family food poisoning by feeding them spoiled ingredients is definitely something to be avoided.

Given that this is a consumer column, you can rest assured that I spend countless hours coming up with creative and innovative money saving ideas, but for a change, I am going to try something different and share some of my pet peeves, those moments when you can't believe how much you are paying and how little you are getting in return, when you find yourself shaking your head in disbelief and wondering aloud, "Are they serious?"

This past Lag B'Omer, we were blessed to make our first upsherin, where we celebrate our son’s first hair cut. It’s a wonderful milestone that mimics the three years that we refrain from plucking a tree’s first fruits and symbolizes the entry of the child into the world of Torah learning. It’s a clear sign to everyone; this boy is no longer a baby.

Maybe we don't have to lose that growth and unity that we have achieved, especially with the situation in Eretz Yisrael right now.

The list of potential sartorial mishaps goes on and on, but thankfully, there are plenty of fixes to save the day as well as steps you can take to prevent problems from ever occurring in the first place.

The seudah will be done as a pot-luck with my two sisters, and I will bring challah freshly baked that day. The only thing remaining to worry about is costumes.

The number one way to avoid many of the typical challenges that could delay a child’s success and growth in the coming years is by utilizing a well-thought out routine.

Of course, before you send out the invites, the bride must decide if she would like a registry or will be accepting whatever creative gifts the guests bring.

So often, when it comes to furniture in a home with children, there is a tug of war between functionality and beauty. Either get the industrial strength dining chairs that are ugly but never stain, or the elegant chairs that will force you to exercise your vocal cords all the time. There are those, of course, who get the beautiful chairs and cover them with industrial strength plastic, but they're not fooling anyone. I personally prefer the happy children.

What do you do with fruit that has turned just a little soft and squishy and that no one in your household wants to eat?

But his third birthday was rapidly approaching, and I wanted him toilet trained before our family trip to Israel a couple of months down the line. Giving up wasn’t an option.

The traditional recipes she used throughout our lives brought comfort and love to both our family and strangers alike.

It’s coming before we know it! I’m not worried, because I’ll use some of my favorite go-to dishes such as my succulent chicken with squash recipe.

While hibernating at home may feel like the best thing to do during the winter, there are plenty of outside activities to take advantage of, the most popular being ice skating.

For my upcoming birthday, instead of waiting for my friends or my husband to make me a “surprise” party, I decided to throw one myself. I settled on a cozy and intimate evening, celebrating my birthday with professional cake decorating and fruity cocktails with my nearest and dearest. But as with every gathering I plan, things started to get out of control.

The Open Kitchen is so appealing you practically want to eat the pages as you turn them.

If done properly, painting a room can be done in just a few hours with minimal cleanup. The key is, of course, preparation.

To avoid all this waste and unnecessary anxiety, let’s break the task down step by step and tackle each one at a time.

What do your house keys and your cell phone have in common?

It's time to force myself to think about apple cider, cuddly sweatshirts and the end of daylight savings time.

This summer, why don't we try to do better and cool off without blowing our retirement fund?

I polled my kids to find out what stood out in their minds, hoping that their recollections went beyond a cranky mommy who wasn’t always at her best.

For those of us who have no choice but to drive, we need to find ways to make that overpriced tank of gas last as long as possible.