The Brady Bunch...The Complete Series!

Okay, I know I live vicariously through my kids so it wasn't a stroke of luck that they are now hooked on "The Brady Bunch" - my all-time favorite show when I was their age. Turns out the complete series is now available on DVD and my kids have been watching episode after episode and loving every minute of it. In fact, as I write this, they're now on season four when Marcia gets her braces and she's totally depressed because she thinks she looks really ugly. Can't wait till she gets bopped in the nose with that football, or the kids start singing those cheesy songs..."I think I'll go for a walk outside now, the summer sun's calling my name" - come on, you know what I'm talking about! And then there's Johnny Bravo and Davy Jones and Joe Namath...and the Grand Canyon and Hawaii and...well all I can say is I'm thrilled I've finally got them away from "Fairly Odd Parents" for a few minutes and while I'm sure "The Brady Bunch" will wear out it's welcome eventually, for now, I'm thrilled to take a walk down memory lane right along with my kids! To get your Brady fix today, Click Here! Or to return to Role Mommy, Click Here.

The Matzo Ball Boy by Lisa Shulman

As we approach Passover, I'm always on the lookout for great books for my kids that'll keep them entertained because let's face it - the Waldbaum's Haggadah from 1976 that my dad schleps with him every year to our seders really doesn't hold their attention - except when they get to stick their fingers in the wine and start singing about blood and frogs and locusts, but I digress...

I just read The Matzo Ball Boy to my son tonight and thought it was terrific! I loved the fact that I could read it to him with the Jewish inflection my grandmas used to use on me and my son loved hearing the story not once, but twice. Who knew? (shrug shoulders and use inflection for effect).

Based on the tale of the Gingerbread man, our hero, the matzo ball boy tries to escape the Bubbe that created him with love, care and lots of Jewish guilt, the schneider, the yenta and her family, a wolf and a poor man and his wife. I always love a good children's book that's thoroughly entertaining for adults and this one completely fit the bill. So if you're getting ready to get the kids psyched for Pesach, then look no further and buy them a copy of The Matzo Ball Boy! Trust me, if you buy this book, they'll be the toast (oops the matzoh) of Hebrew school!

Dylan Finds a Toy

Dylan is rummaging through my desk drawer while I'm trying to finish up my work.

"Mommy - move out of my way! I'm looking for something."

After a few more minutes, he smiles and exclaims, "I found it!"

I look down to see he's grabbed a tampax and is looking at it as if he's just found a prize out of a cereal box.

Though it takes a few more minutes to convince him it's not a toy disguised in a wrapper, he finally does give it back.

Looks like I need to keep him out of my drawers...