That's right, besides being my friend, Kelley also happens to be a rabbi. As such, she and Rob spend an inordinate amount of time doing Jewish things. Which works out for us, because we don't, and so we have a really good time being fake Jews, in the wrong desert.
Rob drove us from the airport to shul, where we attended our very first baby-naming ceremony. The ceremony was nice, and the baby was gorgeous (though I was partial to another little baby--Romi!). However, I can't describe the reception afterwards, because Mark picked that time to show Tucson how a really bratty California boy acts when he's super cranky. So I showed them what a really mean mom looks like by dragging him out of the food line, and out of the shul. Because I was so mad, I didn't even put my bagel down--I just walked right out of the shul, fuming, dragging Mark in one hand, and a bagel on a paper plate in the other. It was pretty comical.
Even though we'd been in a Jewish temple, Mark and I had a serious "come to Jesus" discussion on the car ride home, and it worked. His behavior improved, and I am happy to say that he is still alive and breathing (it was touch and go for a while there).
After lunch, we hung out at home, just visiting. We spent the better part of the afternoon telling Romi how cute he is, and then smothering him in kisses. He laughed at us, and rolled all over the carpet--it was very entertaining. He really is just so dang cute, and watching his parents attend to him is pretty cute, too.
Mark found Star Wars Monopoly, and convinced Kelley and I to play. Kelley was really pathetic, and at one point was down to $6. While Mark and I laughed and taunted her, she somehow collected enough rent to buy apartments, and then towers, and ended up running us into the ground. I'd like to report that she had some remorse about this (we are guests, after all), but she did not. Bad Star Wars tycoon!
Then it was time to make dinner. It was the first day of Hanukkah, which meant latkes and applesauce! If you've never had a latke, then man, are you missing out! Basically, it's a big ol' fried lump of potatoes, with homemade applesauce or sour cream on top (or, in my case, applesauce on the side and ketchup on top). The only thing that would've made it better was a tortilla (I bet that's how the Mexican Jews eat them!).
Rob put on some Hanukkah music, and Mark, Kelley and I went to work peeling potatoes and apples. This was a bit of a challenge, since Kelley has the worst peeler ever made, and I was counting down the minutes until I sliced my hand open. She finally took the dang thing away from me, and gave me a new job--peeling fiery hot potatoes. Ever played a real live game of hot potato? I don't recommend it, although it didn't seem to bother Kelley. (The irony is that when I was washing dishes, she stuck her hand in the water and said, "Wow, that's hot!")
Soon enough, the food was ready, and it was time to pray. The one thing I've learned in this household is that you can't pray too much. (During one visit, I was talking to my mom on the phone, and said, "I've gotta go, it's time to pray!" She said if I had been anywhere else, she would've been really worried!)
Kelley and Rob sang the prayers, and lit the first candle on the Menorah. Then they gave Mark a present--Star Wars Legos, which were a big hit (we all enjoyed them!). Mark and I gave Romi some cute clothes for Hanukkah, but they weren't as much fun to play with.
And so I spent my first day of vacation in the very best possible way--with my close friends, and my son. That's what vacations, and holidays, are really all about--sitting around on the couch, laughing, making the baby laugh, and just having fun together. It's the best present (Christmas or Hannukah) you can really get--even better than Star Wars Legos!
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