Great Expectasia: Backblogged again. Eight months. Oy

Well, I continued to not post, because the transition continued to be hard. But there are good things too. The spring was a roller coaster of "what are we doing." And then finally we (ok, I) said, enough, we are staying here, and here we are. We decided the public middle school is not a good fit for Elie and wouldn't be a good fit for Koby, so they both found schools (not the same one, unfortunately) that are better fits.

As we start this school year, we're mostly in a better place. Hopefully Koby will get the support and challenge that he needs (all signs are pointing towards a positive direction at this point). Elie is in a more challenging school and also part of a high level music conservatory there, so he's happy. And Sam is staying at Newton South, which seems to fit her needs (though she says she hates it if you ask her).

Sam still rides once a week, she's participating in crew for theater at school, she is managing a dance troupe of her friends, and she dog walks (a lot!) for money. She has a WONDERFUL group of friends (truly, I love them). She is obsessed with Heathers.

Elie plays a lot of saxophone and piano. He is playing less table tennis, though he has a league tonight, so let's see how that goes. He just had his bar mitzvah and KILLED it. We had a super wonderful weekend with so much family and friends, and it really celebrated HIM. He read a shit ton of torah, he played sax for the guests. All positive reviews. He still hangs with his neighborhood besties, thank goodness. He is playing soccer at school, and he's also playing on a travel town soccer team. He's trying to organize friends into a band.

Koby continues to have a tougher time, but I think his new school will help settle the innards. He needs to be challenged, and he needs to learn some skills, and we're working on both. He's so energetic and fun. He is playing flag football at school and on a team on the weekends. He plays baseball, and he's continuing with singing lessons - and sings alllll the time. He reads a lot, knows everything, because he is obsessed with looking things up, and he loves to be at his friend, Ethan's house, up the hill.

I have picked up the working side of me, growing Hava NaBaby with Miriam. We're piloting in two cities later this year, and it's all happening! I'm learning a lot! I'm also running a lot (ten miles yesterday!), and playing a lot of tennis. I read a ton (thanks to not sleeping a ton), and I still enjoy cooking and baking a lot.

Matt traveled a lot less last year, and he has two big trips coming up this fall. He's still playing soccer on the weekend, which he loves, and he does a ton around the house. He's working on adjusting to life here in America.

Maizey continues to be the best dog in the world.

We had a wonderful summer. We all spent some time in Michigan with grandparents. All but Sam went to Michigania. Sam went to a new horse camp, which she LOVED, and then she did another horse program in England, which she also LOVED. Matt got to go with her and stay in London for the weeks and Bath for the weekends. We all miss England. The boys both went to Bauercrest for the second month, and they had THE BEST TIME. LOVE LOVE LOVED it. Matt and I went to Maine. I had some time by myself, but then I got sick. But it was a pleasure to be sick alone and not have to mom while being sick. So I didn't mind.

pics not in perfect order:

Elie, Evan and Koby went out to play football in the POURING rain on Sunday. RH day 2

RH dinner at the Poscovers. So lovely

First day of school at Rivers. Taking the school bus

first day of school at Belmont Day School. Also taking the school bus. But it's a van

On a walk with Maizey, Hubble and Betty at Mt Misery. Also with Caleb, Evan and Caroline

We took care of Betty for the weekend, and it was lovely.

She cuddled with everyone

Even Evan

Everyone

Elie and Evan at Mt Misery

After a long run

We won a watercolor portrait painting in the Bowen Raffle last year. We asked him to paint Maizey. We LOVE it.

Elie, Koby, Maizey and I went to Purgatory Chasm. Though the website said it was open. It was closed. We hiked on other trails. Still beautiful. Not worth an hour drive each way.

First day of school for Sam. with Kerrie Ann

Elie and his friends went fishing a lot this summer

Even at 6 in the morning.

A Davidified Diane original. Elie's bar mitzvah weekend. He was tired.

Bar mitzvah brunch

what a spread

Maizey was happy to spend any time next to my mom on their chair

After the party

Playing sax with Keitaro

Friends from different places in one place!! LOVE it. Love them all.

We set up a tent in our backyard. It was beautiful and worked!!

Susie and Koby getting the flowers and picture frames ready

Maizey got all dressed up too

Koby and all the dogs in the morning. He loves them. They love him

Bar mitzvah boy. The week before, we went to Michigan for the week.

Koby performed for us all

Papa and Elie went canoeing and fishing (at the same time). Maizey loved Michigan.

Judy made Koby a small Maizey!

We toured this super interesting Amazon facility! Recommend!

Fishing at the end of the point in the evening.

Maizey loved the water

And Jeremy

And she met her sister! They were together the first five months of their lives. They did NOT remember each other and did not like each other. :(

DQ with Papa and Savta

Only bar mitzvah practice in the spot with the real torah. He was so prepared.

Camp pick up. Love Bauercrest.

Her spot.

A big tree fell in our backyard!!

Elie and I went to the Charles River Jazz Festival. Elie's teacher is one of the founders of the Boston Jazz Foundation, and they organize this. Elie has been raising money for them. Jazz free and accessible to all!

A pic posted of Koby at camp. Tea in his water bottle. The water bottle didn't make it home from camp.

Matt and I got away to Maine for four days. On the last day I went for a long run, and it was TOTALLY cloudy! There was supposed to be a beautiful light house here. Who knows.

Camden Maine. It was lovely.

Do you see me swimming. In the middle of one of our hikes.

I like the crosswalks in Camden. Stop. Wait. Wave. The wave part was funny.

We liked the food and beer at this place.

At the top of the hike on the first day. It was long and steep! My knees were not happy with me! I think I'm an old lady now!

We stayed in a small cabin near the main house on this property. I could wake up before Matt, have my tea on these comfy chairs with this view. Lovely lovely lovely.

We went to the Botanic Gardens and saw 5 (I think) of these giant trolls. There's also one in the UP in Michigan!

see the troll between us?

More beer. And letter writing to the kids.

Lovely night at Roshni and Sagar's. They didn't tell us they were having a whole party, so we were not dressed and brought weird things and ate dinner before we went. I need to do better. But man it was so nice.

Maizey couldn't believe Sam came home from camp.

Sam at SJ Riding Camp. She LOVED it.

They literally had nowhere to put their stuff other than these spots under the beds. Bananas.

Elie at Bauercrest.

Cousins!

Koby at camp

He couldn't be happier.

Neither could she!

We went to see Gatsby

Cousins on the way back from Michigania (on their way there!)

year 49 for my family

Saturday was fine. Sunday was super hot. Monday was super hot. Tuesday was great. Wednesday was hazy and then we realized it was smoke and TERRIBLE. Many people left. We stayed. Hopefully we won't die from that.

Real photo below. AI image with Maizey and Sam here.

Real image.

HAZY sky bocce tournament

hazy!!

look at that! You can't see the lake!!

mountain biking before the haze.

nancy wins the award for the best non-grandparent. she drove over an hour and went to Sam's camp's show and visiting day, took Sam to lunch, bought her shit and took her back. She's the best.

maplehurst before Michigania

sailing on elk

we went to see uncle dan in a show up north

sleeping bear dunes

hank from london came over! we spent the day with him, and then they begged to come back and have more time together. we miss him so much.

koby's last day of school with his teachers from 5th grade.

koby's baseball team won the championship!

elie, evan and maizey supporting koby

elie trying to raise money in newton center

koby and i went mountain biking a bunch this summer. he's super fun to go with

this is at cutler park, right near our house

the morning scene on the field. everyday.

koby's paintball birthday party. my nightmare

they look scary

newton south high school 5k

a lovely walk in Boston with Sarah Grafman before we went to see the Klezmatics

Elie and I went to Symphony Hall to see a Jazz tribute concert

life. sam, stella, maizey. normal

Elie saying goodbye to Jeff, his bar mitzvah tutor, after the session sometime. We love Jeff.

Dinner out to celebrate Sarah's dissertation defense!!

after a half marathon in western mass with caroline and alli

before the race

Visiting with Pam and Marc in western Mass

A day with Miriam in New York City - partner in Hava NaBaby crime

This is maybe my favorite thing ever. Read what he wrote about himself (as an important Jew)

Fogelman/Sachs hanging

jer came! so we cookied! Obviously.

Benjamin's bar mitzvah

betty

hike in the lake district in April, in England

goat. england.

goat giving birth.

what a view

new baby goat

where we were staying when we were there. what a garden.

at the top of elie's favorite hike

those are coins in that tree stump! how?!

England is so pretty

Koby misses Dream so much! They were so happy to see each other

I got to run with my running group!

Brady!

We went to Gwen's birthday party, which of course was some sort of Scottish dancing party with live music. It was way fun.

project. 6th grade. Oak Hill.

Freshman dance. 9th grade. Newton South. Sam hosted a "get ready" party. They had fun!

life. sam tried out contacts.

studying torah

passover!

Diane gave her guitar to Elie. He loves it.

A visit to Ann Arbor with Jill, Ben and fam

Passover. Josh goes to camp with them.

Passover

passover

Ethan's bar mitzvah!

Koby was Albert in Bye Bye Birdie. it was wonderful!!

Suffs was GREAT.

i went to Malaga to run a half marathon there with my london running group. It was an amazing long weekend.

friends. after the race. grateful.

after. slow. oh well.

during. It was hot.

More friends. Love them

malaga is beautiful.

got to see London friends too on a short stop in London. Larissa hosted, and it was SO NICE!!!

Maizey found the spot by the heat vent.

instruments everywhere. always.

sam threw a first birthday party for maizey. she and madeline were putting up a doggy pinata

maizey in her pretty tutu

Koby and I went to see his favorite artist, Nathan Evans, perform in Brighton. It was AMAZING.

We got stuck in Munich for THREE days on our way home from Austria because of a storm in Boston. We toured an amazing brewery. Maybe the oldest in continuous use or something? Kids were allowed to taste non-alcoholic options.