OOps, photo is not in the right place, but isn't the granite stunning?

Nechama and I made our own Arch!

Zevi and I at the top!

Look what some people will do for the promise of Chocolate Decadence!!

Mordechai and Angela

Nechama's birthday cake

Lovely new dining room chairs!!

What a comfy couch!

The cutest pillows ever!

Passover was amazing! We had a wonderful time with our friends and relatives! The Goldmans came from Baltimore and Angela (our niece) came from Lawrence, KS and we all had a blast!!! The girls had a huge sleepover in the Tundra (basement) and the boys had their own party in Zevi's room. Of course, the best room in the house was reserved for Stuart and Debbie.

We did a little sight seeing and a lot of cooking [and eating:)]. We did the Arch and it was fabulous. The kids had a great time and over Shabbos and Yom Tov even had lots of guests of their own. At one point there were about 10 girls and ladies sitting in the living room, on couches, arms of couches and other chairs. Mordechai looked at me from across the room with an expression that said, but we don't even have a girl!! All in all we all had a wonderful time!!

Zevi is healing well, Baruch Hashem. His face is not completely perfect; there looks to be a hematoma under the stitches, so we are going to see a specialist in plastics next week.

I have been busy with lots of projects and...you guessed it: shopping! The couch and pillows are new and stunning and last night I covered the chairs and they are AMAZING!!!

Today I hooked up a phone system (Vonage) so we have a home phone! Our number is 314-256-9975. Give us a call or come visit! We can fit lots of people in our cute little house.

My mom and her hubby are coming this weeked for a visit. We are planning to do the Anheuser Busch Tour, so look for updates next week!!

On Tuesday

On Tuesday

Goldie love


Helmet

Hanging the mezzuzahs

The basement

As you go down the stairs

Breakfast nook

Pesach kitchen

Pesach Kitchen

Guest Bathroom

Guest room

Dining room

Front room

Front room

MAZEL TOV! We closed on the house Friday at 3:00 pm. We are now home owners!!! I love this house and neighborhood and community and am sooooo happy! Zevi is a social butterfly...he is rarely home. His friends vary in ages from k'ton ton (5) to 5th graders (10). His favorite little girl in the neighborhood is Esther Malka, Esti. She is this tiny little ball of fire. Apparently, she used to want to marry someone in her class until a "new boy" moved in and now she wants to marry him. He got this cute little look on his face and said he knows who he wants to marry too. They play for HOURS together!

Since his accident, many of his friends have visited. His whole class made him refuah sh'leima cards (get well soon). They even brought him presents. He could not eat for many days since when he chewed, his cheek hurt. So he drank milkshakes and slurpees. Then Wednesday he requested Potato Leek Soup, his favorite. So we made it and he ate several bowls. By the next day he was much better and is up to eating again!!

The Goldmans are coming for Pesach and they sent Goldie early. What a champ! She has been on Zevi duty (He requests her for EVERYTHING. Get ready Avi, you're next!!), lots of KP (kitchen patrol) duty and unfortunately I ran out of time on Friday before the house closing and she had to clean our bathrooms. She wouldn't take any money, but I promised her a pedicure!

We had our first meal here on Shabbos afternoon. It was delightful to be in our own space.

Zevi had a busy Shabbos: a young girl from across the street offered to walk him to the shul we normally go to (the Agudah) and then bring him to the one we were going to for the bar mitzvah (Sha'arei Chesed). Ok, so he went to shul WITHOUT US. Goldie and I went to shul later and he met us there (Mordechai was already there). Then he left with Rafi, a neighbor and his family. We picked him up for lunch (they got a little break!). Zevi left straight after lunch and we only saw him for a few minutes in the afternoon before he went back to shul with a group of older boys. He has a rich and varied social life and we couldn't be happier!!!

We are very excited the Goldmans are arriving today Bezras Hashem. They left last night and are planning to arrive today sometime. Goldie and I are heading to the gym now. We have a heavy schedule for the day!
BTW, we went to Marshall's on Friday and I got the dress!!!!!

Well, I was hoping to be able to share some new photos of the house with everyone this evening. Have you ever heard the expression, "Man plans and God laughs"?
Today started off with a delivery from Sears. The new freezer is here! They "wore" it into the house, got it downstairs, and voila! it works! Amazing.
I ran some errands, went to Scott Air Force Base for some shopping at the Commissary (I feel violated by the outrageous prices at the local grocery store.) Picked up Zevi from school, got his glasses adjusted, dropped him off at home and headed to Marshall's to score some warm and cozy blankets and a mirror for the hall. Lo and behold, I found some cute clothes to try on so I headed to the dressing room. I had just gotten the first adorable dress on when my phone rang. It was Mordechai with a screaming Zevi; he had an accident and was "bleeding badly". 911 had been called so I rushed out of the dressing room and hurried home.
He was COVERED in blood. An ER doc who lives nearby had come to see how he was and the neighborhood was gathered nearby. The nice red University City Fire Department ambulance came screaming up the block. Zevi was crying, clutching his knee, saying over and over, "I am going to die today."
They loaded him up. Scary to see your 7 year old in a spine immobilizer, going into an ambulance. I rode with him and Mordechai followed AGAIN to Children's Hospital. (We were just there a few weeks ago for his chin. He got glue that time.)
Baruch Hashem he was wearing his helmet! He apparently blacked out and can't remember what happened. I called one of the older girls over who had seen what happened. He was riding his bike with his helmet on and he was looking behind him. He hit Mordechai's parked car (and he dented it!) and passed out. He was bleeding pretty badly from his nose and cheek and it looked like there was a big cut on his head. In the end he has a concussion, fluid on his knee and a cut on his cheek that required stitches. He said if either of us takes a photo of him our face will look like his. (His "attitude" remains unchanged by his accident.) It must have been very scary because he kept crying saying he was scared. I asked him what he was scared about and he was convinced he was going to die. BH he is ok, but he refuses to be seen by his friends since he looks so ugly. He has quite a shiner and is totally swollen. He is on crutches with a knee immobilizer. Oh my! What an evening!!! To finish it off, we got all the way home and as we pulled into the driveway, he puked in the backseat of the van! As if we weren't exhausted enough!
So maybe later this week, after Goldie arrives (she is coming early to help me for Pesach cooking, and now Zevi duty!) I will be able to take some photos.
Many friends called to check on us and one even brought us dinner (we got to the ER at 5:45 pm and left at 10:30 pm). Everyone had heard about what happened and was concerned. It felt nice to be so thought of!
So tomorrow is another day and hope it brings a fresh new car smell at the car wash and a boy who feels better!

New House!

The Schwabs on the carriage ride with part of the Arch in the background.

Iceskating at the outdoor rink.

Fun with friends

The Arch as you drive into the city

Here are the teenagers dancing and making merry!

This is "Mordechai" being paraded around (pun intended)!

Zevi and his newest and bestest friend, Binyamin Yehudah. They are 12 days apart!

Ok so I really can't figure this downloading out! This is the living and dining room, from the dining room.

Kitchen 1

View of the dining and living rooms, from the living room.

Outside of the house!

Kitchen 2

The Tefillin Cake

The Princess Cake

I thought blue would be appropriate!

Chocolate at its best!

First of all we went ice skating at an outdoor rink! We made it there the Tuesday before it closed for the season. The kids had a blast!! Then we had Purim here last week and it was sooo fun! Zevi dressed up first as a Cohen Gadol (the costume was too itchy so no photo) and then as....an Army soldier! His friend did as well. There was a parade, complete with Mordechai (not the Rabs) on a horse, a camel and llama (see the story of Esther for more information). It was a lot of fun! At some homes we delivered shaloch manos to, the teenagers came out and danced in the street with Mordechai and Zevi!! Loads of fun! I made yummy challah and even made one like hamentashen.

Next I met this wonderful woman, Donna Zeffren. She is amazing! She works for the website that I have used to teach Zevi for the past 4 years, http://www.chinuch.org/! She actually designed the booklet that I printed to teach Zevi kesiva (Hebrew script). Yes, we met Aviva Kesiva!! Anyway, I had the zechus to help her a little with her son's bar mitzvah which was this past Shabbos. See the cakes above. It was amazingly fun!! Everyone loved the cakes as well!

Now for the biggest news....we are moving into a house...tomorrow!!! We should close by Pesach , bezras Hashem. So the movers will be here at 8 am and we will be in like Flynn! It is very exciting! All donations should be sent to (hahahaha), I mean our address is

7820 Balson Ave

St Louis, MO 63130

We are going to be wireless (thanks G) so my cell will remain the same.

I finally saw a physical therapist for my back. The ligaments and soft tissue were damaged in my October fall, so not only do I have to go for torture, I mean treatment, 3 times a week, I also have to wear this attractive brace-like belt. But hopefully I will get better soon. No Zumba, walking, running, pilates OR yoga. AGHHHHHH! No stress relief in sight!

Sunday we tried to see the Arch, but it was too long of a wait, so we went on a horse drawn carriage ride, driven by Zevi. He is very taken by the Arch and draws it everywhere! Over Pesach we will make better plans and take the tour.

Mordechai is enjoying his new work environment and funnily enough, Rabs lives on! Sometimes Chaplains are called Chaps so this one guy asked if he could call him Rabs! I laughed so hard!!! It's almost like you are here with us Gia! Anyhoo, he is at a Chaplain's conference this week, so he will come home to box on top of box. The house is great. I see I didn't do it justice; next post I will!

So be in touch and I will post more photos when we are done!

PO Box Address

Well, no house yet. But we do have a post office box now!
The Schwabs
PO Box 32912
St Louis, MO 63132

Zevi is LOVING school! There are 20 girls and 9 boys. Apparently the first week of school, one girl gave her mom the "Zevi Report" after school each day. She is coming over for lunch tomorrow...I can't wait to meet her!

I subbed this week in the kindergarten class...they were soooo cute. And I went to Zumba for the first time today since I broke my sacrum in October!

Zevi went swimming this week at the indoor pool with one of his friends and he loved it. The JCC facility here is amazing. I think I have been there 4 times this week.

Hope to report house news sometime next week.

Still loving St Louis....missing all of you!

Arriving in Gan Eden

Mazel Tov!!! We made it to St. Louis, or as we affectionately call it, Gan Eden (The Garden of Eden for those non-Hebrew speakers). We arrived safe and sound on Thursday just before the next big snow! It wasn't so bad and we had a lot of fun. Our first Shabbos here was fabulous. I keep forgetting this is our new home and we are not just visiting our friends, the Cohens. I am trying to remember names, but there are so many of them and only 3 of us. We seem to be the talk of the town. We even went to the local grocery store (oh btw the WHOLE BAKERY WAS KOSHER...Gan Eden!) and someone stopped me and introduced herself!!!

Today was a big day: Zevi's first day of school and Mordechai's first day of work. Friday we surprised Zevi and took him to snack time at school. He had so much fun he didn't want to leave! So, Mordechai and I went to Krispy Kreme, got a couple of dozen donuts at the drive thru and went back to my friends' home...Gan Eden.

Over Shabbos, we had lunch with a family who has a 1st grade boy and then he had a play date at ANOTHER kid's house....Gan Eden.

Today we woke up at the crack of dawn (ok, so it was 7:30 am, but it was snowy and cold, so cut us some slack). After a few minutes of being cold and not really awake, my little love drop looked at me and said, "Mom, I don't think I will ever get used to this." We thawed out (thanks for the space heater Cohens!) and got ready. He had a great time! His teacher asked him if he could count by 2s and he gave her a very Zevi look and said "Of course!" (I just hope the duh was under his breath!!)

Mordechai is doubling as a janitor, if anyone needs any help! Tee hee! It's hard to get used to ANOTHER uniform!!!

And I spent the day on the phone with the bank trying to secure a mortgage. FUN FUN FUN! At one point I was almost in tears, so I took a break and went to sign up at the JCC and I ATE LUNCH THERE!...Let's all say it together now....Gan Eden.

Tomorrow my friend and I are going to the JCC gym (Robert is charging now on my Ipod!) and to Weight Watchers. Wednesday and Thursday night the Bais Yaacov here is having their production and I am going to help with make up!! I am very excited! The family we are staying with has a 9th grader and I have met some of the girls while here. Should be a blast!

Will post when we get a new house...wish us luck!!

The Big Snow Storm

So, we are "trapped" in Raleigh, staying with a great family who is taking amazing care of us! (Thanks Stacey, Hunter, Sydney and Jenna!) I repaid their kindness by getting my car stuck in their lawn and proceeding to destroy said lawn. The nice neighbor (fellow Navy man) came over to help clear the driveway. Note to fellow North Carolinians: if you don't have an ice scraper, your kid's toy hoe can substitute in a pinch!!! The kids had a blast playing in the snow, playing house and just having fun together. I got to do nails and hair, since my friends' kids are girls! I may have overdone it-they were gorgeous!!

Zevi and are here still here in Raleigh; Mordechai had to return to Camp Lejeune to check out, but will join us this afternoon. The plan is to set out tomorrow to hit Kentucky either later tomorrow night or Wednesday.

I just want to add that the McGhees also made this AMAZING General Tso's Chicken and we were lucky enough to have it on Mordechai's Hebrew Birthday! The food was delish and the company divine! We wish we would have met you sooo long ago! Can't wait for you to visit us here in St Louis!!