Happy Chanukah from Bubbe

This weekend marked the start of Chanukah. To celebrate Bubbe came to town for the weekend to help us celebrate.

Bubbe got into town on Thursday. Dad took the day off from work and took Turner to swim class. It was the first time Dad has gone to Turner's swim class, and he was pretty impressed. Besides seeing how much Turner enjoys being in the pool, Dad thought that the warm water at the rehab pool was his kind of water temperature!

After Turner and Dad got back from swim class, Dad and I drove to the airport to pick up Bubbe. When we pulled up to the curb, Dad let me get out of the car and I ran full-speed to Bubbe and gave her a HUGE hug.  She was excited to see how happy I was to see her. I was also excited to see Bubbe's suitcase full of presents. We brought Bubbe back home where she got to see Mom, Hazel, and Turner.

Since Dad had the day off, we decided to show Bubbe how good we've gotten at riding our bikes, so we all went to the park.  Hazel and I rode our bikes and Turner rode in his little car.  At the park, Hazel and I pretended the playscape was a boat.  Turner went up and down the slides and rode on the swings.  Dad showed Bubbe how to make Turner laugh on the swings by pretending to get knocked over by Turner.  Bubbe took some fun videos.

Thursday night we went to one of my favorite restaurants - Bamboo Bistro.  It was Dad and Bubbe's first time there.  Turner really loved his noodles and had a lot of fun eating them.

Friday Dad had to go to work, so we got to spend some quality time with Bubbe. We showed Bubbe my classroom at school and after school we got to show her Hazel and my swim class.  Bubbe was impressed at how good we did swimming, even though we were trying to show off by not listening to our teacher as much as usual.

Bubbe realized she had forgotten her phone charger so we took her to the Apple Store Friday night. I was happy to show her all of the fun things they have to do there. Dad met us there after work and we all went to California Pizza Kitchen for dinner. When we got back, we celebrated our first night of Chanukah, a night early so we'd have an extra holiday night with Bubbe.  Mom had gotten us a super fun new menorah last year - it has fun animals on it riding in an ark.  Hazel picked out some candles for it and we said all of the prayers.  And then we got to open presents from Bubbe!

I opened mine first - it was a race track and some cars.  Hazel and I took it to the top of the stairs and let the cars race down the stairs on it.  It was super fun.  Hazel got a Hello Kitty alarm clock, a giant Hazel-sized Hello Kitty, and a Hello Kitty bed set.  She's pretty into Hello Kitty, so she was very excited.  I also got a stand for all of my cleaning supplies, which is awesome. I'm still really into cleaning - like mopping, sweeping, and vacuuming.

Turner opening presents

Hazel in Hello Kitty heaven

Hazel got an ambulance!

Hazel and Turner show off their presents

Cleaning up at Tot Shabbat

Saturday morning, Bubbe and Dad too all us kids to Tot Shabbat.  It was very crowded - there about three times the number of kids there that there normally are.  We sang all of our favorite songs, including some special Chanukah songs.  Bubbe helped us make our very own menorahs as part of the craft.  Then we all played on the playground for a while. Bubbe took some videos of Turner crawling around. Hazel and I swept the place up, played on the playscape, rode around on a tricycle, and generally just played.

We made these!

When we came home we had a quick lunch and then Bubbe and Mom helped us make cookies!  We made cookies shaped like dreidles, menorahs, chickens, dinosaurs, and even gingerbread men.  It reminded me of when we made gingerbread men at school last week, and the gingerbread men all ran away!  This time, they stayed put. We decorated our cookies with toppings and icing.  It was very fun and very delicious.

So many toys!

After filling up on cookies, we had nap/quiet time and then celebrated an early Chanukah.  This time it was my turn to pick out the candle colors.  After lighting the candles, we got more presents from Aunt Laurie and Uncle Jonathan.  I got a crane that I can put together and take apart myself.  I LOVE it!  Hazel and Turner love playing with it too, so its giving us lots of practice sharing.  Sometimes we do better than other times at sharing.

Mom making Latkes.  Yum!

Saturday night Mom made some really yummy and healthy latkes.  We ate them all in one meal, and then Bubbe, Dad, Hazel, and I played dreidle with Reese's Pieces.  Both Hazel and I declared that our favorite dreidle letter was gimel since that's the one that let us eat all of the Reese's Pieces.

Hazel and I painting

Usually in the mornings when I wake up I go play quietly by myself.  But Sunday morning I marched straight into Mom and Dad's room at 6 a.m., turned on the light, and started playing with my new crane.  I did it because I wanted Dad's help taking apart and putting together the crane.  Mom and Dad thought it was funny.  Fortunately, Bubbe was awake, so she played with me, Hazel, and Turner so Mom and Dad could sleep in a little bit. While they were sleeping, Bubbe helped us make sand sculptures.

After Mom and Dad finally got up, we all went to the running track at the nearby middle school so I could run with Mom.  I was only able to do a few laps, then Dad took Hazel and me up into the bleachers where we could cheer for Mom.  Turner found a ball to play with.  Hazel and I also did some short races on the track, and even did a full lap with Mom helping.  It was good to get some exercise, especially after all those cookies and latkes.

Hazel with her Hello Kitty car

When we got home, we did another early Chanukah while Bubbe was still in town. This time we opened our presents from Aunt Susan and Uncle Stuart, Aunt Pat and Uncle Neal.

Hazel got a remote control Hello Kitty scooter (we had to practice sharing again), and a Bunny Hop game that we all agreed was really fun.  I got a giant box of cars that I can race on my new racetrack.  Turner got a Thomas the Train that goes all by itself. We played with our toys for a little bit, then it was time for Bubbe to go back to Atlanta.

Turner, Dad, and I drove her to the airport, where I gave her another big hug and we said goodbye. We were sad to see Bubbe go, but at least she left behind so many fun presents for us to remember her by.


Sunday night we went to a Chanukah party at our synagogue. We got to eat latkes, play dreidle, sing songs. light the menorah, and run around a lot. It has been a really fun Chanukah so far and there are still five more nights to go!

Here are pictures from our fun weekend.