Befores and Afters

We have been busy making some changes around here. Follow along below and enjoy the ride!

Which one is before and which one is after....you be the judge!!!

When we moved in, Mordechai wanted an office. There was an unfinished room in the basement. This is what Mordchai's "office" looked like before the process began.

This is Scott, our handy man!

Zevi and Goldie had a BLAST helping! Zevi picked the color, "Cosmic Dust". It is pretty much ivory. The other part of the fun was that we kept it a surprise/secret for Mordechai!!

And the finished project!

Summer Lovin'

I put my guests to work!!

Pizza Night!

Rock Climbing

Nascar Racing

After the Bumper Boats - soaked!!

Fun at the Mills Mall.

We told Zevi we were picking up some friends' parents so he was waiting for the "Zeffrens" but really it was Abba. The video is at the end!




We are having a blast with Goldie this summer! We have done some painting, yummy baking, gone to the Science Center, visited with Mordechai, gone to see Toy Story 3 in the theater and then to the Nascar Speed park at the Mills Mall in St Louis.


Goldie has been working hard at camp (while I sit at home eating bon bons-ha). The kids LOVE her!! Today she saw three of her campers at the JCC (we had a personal trainer - why does Golide NEVER hurt afterwards???) and they wanted her to watch them swim. They gave her hugs and kisses and it was soooo cute!


Friday is her last day in camp and then we are off to Chicago for a few days. We are going to visit my cousin Chris (it's even his bday!) and then to see some friends in Skokie. Monday we are planning to see the aquarium in the morning and the Museum of Science and Industry in the afternoon.


This visit is coming to an end (boo hoo) and with it summer. But we still have a few more fun things planned!

Summer in St Louis...

There is a lot of love in this box!
Goldie and Mimi (notice the nails...Do you lilac it?)

Off to save the world, ma'am!

One last hug before he goes...

I decided to take all the neighborhood girls out for a fun day 0f shopping and ice cream. These are the cuties who come over when they have nothing to do and say, "Mrs. Schwab do you need any help?" They have unpacked boxes (23 one day), unloaded the car, helped make dinner, polished the silver and yes, even helped me make my bed!! What a great neighborhood we chose. These girls (and yes, there are others) are the best!

Girls Day Out!

Cute idea from my heroine, Aviva Kesiva (AKA Donna Zeffren)

We got "Naked" at Avi's bar mitzvah!!!!

L'chaim!

What a handsome man.

And his cake.

A yummy, pretty cake just because I felt like playing around!

Zevi and Mommy just before Shabbos. (Matchy matchy)

Playing the Wii with Lozzy.

The kids in Zevi's class made Mordechai a sign for Memorial Day. Cute!

...is like an armpit. SOOOOO HOT! Goldie arrived just after Mordechai left. He gets to spend 2 months in the Gulf helping the people who are cleaning up the mess. (Thanks so much BP!!!) He travels between Mobile, AL, New Orleans, LA and Pensacola, FL. We miss him lots but have been keeping busy.

I catered my first big event with the local caterer. I did all the desserts out of his kitchen at the Crown (an independent living facility nearby). It was a lot of fun and I made my first tiered cake with fondant flowers. The ba'al simcha said he was "blown away by those cakes" and my very favorite comment was while someone was eating a cream puff, he looked at Jon (the caterer) and said, "What did she put in these? It must be heroin becase I can't stop eating them." Hilarious!!

We got a Wii and if we weren't popular before, we are now!! It is so much fun to play with all the kids in the neighborhood. Zevi and I went to Baltimore for Avi's bar mitzvah and some of the girls said to Mordechai, "Rabbi Schwab, you will be so sad without your family. Don't worry we will come visit you!" Well, he got a little break and just stayed home alone!

We are almost half way to Mordechai coming home for the summer and (SHHHH) he is coming for a surprise visit this Thursday night. Zevi thinks we are picking up another family's grandparents is quite annoyed they can't do it themselves. Can't wait to see his face!!

Zevi keeps playing outside without bug spray so he has another 50 bites, including more than 10 on his face. He did not want to go to camp this way, so he was home on Benadryl all day. But Goldie had her first day of working at camp and is making little girls happy every day~ she is very cute with them!

Now we are just trying to keep the visit a surprise for Zevi...but will post photos of his great appearance!