Packers loses!

Minnesota - Green Bay outcome

Ready for the big game!

The Battle of the Wills

I asked Riva if she wanted to watch a show or read books before bed. She said how about a show and one book. I told her ok, but then she will go to bed.

After the show, she got in bed and said how 2 books? I said no since we made a deal for 1 book and a show. She asked if she could read a book. I said no. She said maybe mommy will read a book. I said I'll check and then came back and said Mommy said no.

She wailed and screamed for a while. We closed the door to our room. She said don't close it and opened it and continue to wail and scream. I closed it again. She ran in and said I want to talk to Mommy and I said Mommy does not want to talk to you. I finally closed it and lock the door.

She screamed and cried more saying I'm scared and I'm super scared and something serious will happen. Finally Jana opened the door after 10 minutes and she was there with a note saying

"Mommy Daddy. Pless HELP Me. Love Riva"

She finally quiet down and Jana put her to bed. We later found the kids dictionary opened in the office to the word "help".

Riva's 1st tooth

More about Riva's lost tooth at
http://www.rivabrody.blogspot.com/



Riva took a bite of pizza and then said she felt a rock in her mouth.
Lo and behold, she lost her first tooth!!!!!

That night as we were getting ready to go to bed, we had the following conversation

"Is the tooth fairy real?"
"I don't know. I never saw one before."
"When will the tooth fairy come?"
"I hear they come when you're sleeping"

A long pause....

"I have many questions to ask the tooth fairy..."
"Like what?" I asked.
"I don't know...just many questions..."
"Hmmmm....why don't we write them down and put them under your pillow and we'll see if the tooth fairy will answer them. Let me go get a pen and paper..."
"Ok what questions do you have?"
"I don't know...I have many questions. I don't want the tooth fairy to take my first tooth. How about if I put my 2nd tooth under my pillow."
"Hmmm... You know what I think - I made a mistake. I don't think they take tooth if you don't want to them to take it"
"How do you know they want take it?"
"Umm...come to think of it, my friend when I was a kid told me that."
"Who is your friend?"
"Umm...Tom"
After a few moments of silence, she said "Dad, I don't want to put my tooth under my pillow."
"Why don't we call GG and found out if they'll take it or not?"
"Ok.."
I dialed up GG - " Hi GG. I was wondering if you don't want your tooth to be taken, will the tooth fairy take it?"
"No" she said.
"Oh cool" I said as I gave the phone to Riva.
Riva listened a bit and then said "How do you know GG?"
I responded "Why GG knows everything!"
After she hung up, we went back to her room and she still had a sad face so I told her you don't have to put it under your pillow.
"Let's just put it in a box."
I got a small box and put the tooth in it and just as I was walking back into her room, she said, "No Dad. I don't want to put it there because she may take it." "Ok how about my room?" I asked.
We went into my room and I asked if putting it on my bookshelf was ok and she said "Can you hide it?"
"Sure....how about behind the books?"
"That's be fine" And the we went to tuck her into bed.
She still had a sad face afraid the tooth fairy would take her tooth.

I looked her in the eyes and said

"Riva, Dad is going to make a promise to you. Now sometimes Dad can't promise you things and won't make a promise to you and sometimes Dad can only promise to TRY, but can't promise to deliver. But here I will make a promise - I promise you the tooth fairy will NOT take your tooth. If she comes, I will make sure she does not take your tooth. Just trust me on this, ok ?"

She nodded her head and went to bed.

The next morning, Riva found a shining golden dollar in the box with the tooth.

What about me????

Mom (Ginger) said "What about me? Am I part of the Santa Barbara Brodyz?"

Of course you are!

Welcome to the Brodablog !

Thanks to the Takahara family and their new Takablog!



These guys are one of our best friends for the last 10 years. I emailed Maka and said "Gosh...you inspired me. I love the Takablog and wish I could do it." and he responded "Dude, you are the inspiration for this! when you showed us your little book of all those little precious and funny moments with your kids." I said "Oh yeah...." and then checked out this website and decided to put things on line to share with everyone. And that's how the Brodablog began!!!!

More information on the Takaharas!

http://homepage.mac.com/cmtakahara/Personal.html http://homepage.mac.com/cmtakahara/iblog/index.html

Brian and Frieda!

My friends Brian and Frieda are now Alpaca famers. Here's an excerpt in their yearly letter to us:

"In July we took our ribbon winners in the town parade. They were a hit, especially when Rolling Thunder decided to go to the bathroom in the parade....with the announcer merrily telling everyone about the event...At the end, Brian brandished his pooper scooper ilke a sword to the crowd and they roared with approval. Everyone who saw it happen remind me constantly as I buzz around town."

Check out their websites:

http://www.islandwestalpacas.com/

http://purelyalpaca.com/

and Brian's brainstorm and best seller - Paca Poo Chocolate!!!!

http://purelyalpaca.com/product_info.php/products_id/176?osCsid=5a94e9d93c3d6a50be2940217ea8f29b

Happy Hanananankah!

Merry Festivus to you all!

Festivus - Non-denominational alternate Christmas-time holiday. Festivus was created by Frank Costanza after getting into a fight in a toy store when he and another man both grabbed for the last doll in the place. Frustrated at the commercialization of Christmas, Frank created Festivus. The pseudo-festival (celebrated on December 23rd) had a traditional undecorated eight-foot aluminum pole (no tinsel, or ornaments), a father-son wrestling match ("The Feats of Strength") and the ("The Airing of Grievances") when each member at the gathering sat around the dinner table and insultingly counted down the reasons why other family members were such a disappointment throughout that year.

More information at: http://www.karber.net/seinfeld/festivus/default.htm

There is no hope!

My friends Thomas and Katia Albright had a baby girl Mia. Her Daddy is already messing with her mind and subjecting her to a life of misery (see Packers clothes). For more information, go to www.packers-suck.blogspot.com

Tank you mom!

Dear Judah,
Just a note to tell you how much I love you! You have been such fun and a joy to all you come in contact with. Always smiling and you inherited a wonderful giggle from your father. You are very giving with hugs and waves and hellos! You are not shy and love other kids and adults. You have a lot of energy but are not an overly rambunctious boy, you hold hands when safety is needed and you listen to stop and stay close, for that I am very thankful and relieved.
You are creative, loving your dot art, paints and chalk, you love markers as much as your sister and I hope to encourage this artistic side of you. You love letter recognition and are great at puzzles already. Dad has started you on flash card word recognition and you welcome this game I hope you continue this excitement of learning.
We all love the way you interact with your 7 month old 55lb puppy. She is way bigger than you and you are her boss, poking, climbing and hugging her with out a care in either of you.
Your love for music is infectious, always wanting the music on, singing along in your own way, dancing to anything you hear, appreciating all type of music a instruments as well… you have great rhythm keep it up!
Just thank you for being your cute, wonderful self, and not to forget how you always say “tank you mom” without prompting when you are given something, hee hee… I “tank g-d for you!”
Love Mom 11/30/04

I'm going to be the Bad Guy!

Judah, Riva and I were eating dinner. Riva and I had the following conversation:

"Dad, talk about your day"
"Well I had lunch with my friend John and Bryant and Bryant is publishing a book"
"What's the book about?"
"Terrorists"
"What's a terrorist?" Riva asked.
"Umm...they are the bad guys trying to blow up the world" I said.
"Why?" Riva said looking confused.
"I guess they are unhappy people" I replied. "But it's only make believe story. The good guys always win anyway"
"Oh phew..." Riva said.
"And Bryant is going to write a sequel" I added.
"What's a sequel?" Riva asked
"It's like part II. Like Shrek II. "
"And guess what" I said raising my voice.
"What?" Riva said perking up.
"I and John may be in it! And guess what we are going to be? The Good or the Bad Guy?"
"What?" Riva eyes widen.
"We're going to be the Bad Guys!!!!"
"Oh...." she smiled... "I thought you were going to be the good guys. Why?"
"Because it'll be fun! I'm the good guy in real life. I want to be different in the book. It's like what you played the bad queen Vashti in Purim"
"Oh yeah. Did you know that men sometimes play women in the play and women play men. My friend Joseph played Queen Esti and my friend Leah played Mordechai."
"Yeah, it all make believe and fun."
"Dad, is there a little girl in Part II?"
"Um...I dunno...why?"
"Um...I'm just wondering..."
"You're wondering if there is a little girl and if you can be the little girl?"
"Yeah..."
"Well it couldn't hurt for me to ask Bryant. If there is, would you like to the good little girl or bad little girl?"
"Good little girl"
"Ok I'll ask him..."

And we went back to eating our chicken nuggets and brocoli.

Jingle Bell, Batman Smells

Riva said to Mom: "I hate to tell you this, but I sang Jingle Bells today at school. Some of the girls were singing and I joined in."

"That's ok," Mom said "There are bells everywhere. It's not just for Christmas."

Of all month, I hate December. I believe in giving gifts, being nice, and everything 11 months of the year. December is the month I just lie low. The only reason I celebrate Hanukah is for the kids so they don't grow up seeing all the X-mas stuff like Las Vegas and get suck in the vortex.

Here's a classic I love:

Jingle Bell Batman Smells,
Robin laid an egg
the Batmobile lost a wheel
and the Joker ran away
Hey!

http://www.icqgreetings.com/xmas/batman.htm

-Eric

"BLOG" is the 2004 Word of the Year

Merriam-Webster's Words of the Year 2004

Based on your online lookups, the #1 Word of the Year for 2004 was
Blog noun [short for Weblog] (1999) : a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer

http://www.webster.com/info/04words.htm

Maka's Sagely Advice on Marriage

"Cheryl threw the cell phone and I made the dumb comment, “You need some anger management.”

My marriage advice: Avoid that phrase"

A blog comment by Maka that had me laughing out loud....I'm pretty good with these dumb comments at times too...

More at http://homepage.mac.com/cmtakahara/iblog/C1363887712/index.html

Sister in Law and Jerry Springer

My Sister-in-law Laura used to date Jerry Springer before she settled for my brother. Here's a photo of her and Jerry when we went to the Jerry Springer show in Chicago several years ago.

Katie Girl

Jana and Judah came to my work and surprised me. We sat around the office and just hung out away from the busy go-go of our lives. Out of the blue, Jana asked what our good friends the Moisans were doing. I said good question and emailed them right away. An answer came back real soon and lo and behold, we find out our friends the Moisans have a new baby girl - Katie Girl! Love that name. I always call Judah "Judah boy"

Here's Katie Girl website: http://www.katie-girl.org

With each child, the world begins anew...

Our friends Solomon and Melanie had a baby boy Koby. Mazel Tov - Melanie and Solomon!

Rabbi Sol send a nice rabbinical Midrash quote that I thought I share:

"With each child, the world begins anew."

More info at http://homepage.mac.com/salomoneg/PhotoAlbum29.html

Check out the Brodyz in "The Incredibles"

My friend Jim

The Grand Nephew of Muktuk Marston!

http://www.dailynexus.com/news/2004/8439.html

Shabbot Boyz

Judah and Joshie were the Shabbot Boyz and are partaking the blessing of the bread with Rabbi Cohen

Papa brings us a piano -Part I

Papa drove to San Diego and picked up the Piano from his cousin. It was the same Piano Papa used when he was 10 years old and has been in the family for 65 years.

Papa brings us a piano - Part II

Riva comes home and plays the piano with Papa.



Thank you Papa

Isn't God Jewish?

Riva went to the Annie play yesterday with Jana. In the middle of the play, they were doing the Christmas song and Riva said "I see lots of Christmas and I think there are more Christians than Jews"

At bedtime, I asked her about that and she had a little sad perplexed face wondering why they were more Christians than Jews after I told her that is true. She asked "Isn't God Jewish?"

I told her "Well noooo....God is not Jewish. There are many religions in this world who pray to the same God but have their own tradition and style. There is Moslem...Buddahist...Hindu"

What's Moslem" she said ? "
What Buddahism?" she asked?
"Ahhhh..." I replied "I think we should go on the internet tomorrow and look up these religions."

I told her that there are black people and white people. There are Jews and Christians. There are tall and short people. Just like that, there are many different religions. If it wasn't like that, we be one boooorrrrinnnggg planet like Mismo where everybody is the same.

She replied smiling that if she was on Mismo, everybody's name would be Riva and if someone said "Riva", everyone would respond "Yes?"

"But the great thing about all this..." I continued "...is while there are many many different religion, guess how many God there is ?"

"One!" she said.

"That's right," I replied "We Jews have our own special tradition, heritage, religion and central to all that is one God. We are all God's children and God doesn't care whether we are Jewish, Christians, Hindu, Moslem. What do you think God cares about? What do you think God wants us to do?"

"Be kind?" she inquired?

"Exactly! God wants us to be good people, good neighbors, acceptance of others, give tzedakah (charity), performing tikon olam (repairing the world) like for ever tree we chop down, we should, plant a new one."

"Like Papa Bear in the "Bernstain Bears Don't Pollute!" For every tree he cuts, he plants new ones."

"Right! and now time to say our nightly Shema

"Shema Israel Adonai Elohainu Adonai Ehad" -Hear O' Israel, the Lord is our God and the Lord is One!

She went to bed looking more at peace with the world around her.

The Brodyz go to the Dentist

We all went to the new dentist. Riva was so excited and went by herself with the Dental Assistant and was the perfect patient. Judah was so impatient wanting to go on the chair and kept saying "Own Doctor!" and "My Turn!" I keep telling him to be patient. When Riva was finished, I asked the Dental Assistant to give him a fake checkup. He sat in the chair while she went those the whole thing including squirting water in his mouth. She was like "Wow...they usually don't sit still and cooperate like that at that age"

Riva had cavities..... :-(

Shabbot Shalom from Jana

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but the moments that take our breath away. Have an amazing day!

Camp Papa @ SB Zoo

Papa came down with Cousin Breanna, Austin, Kenny, and Sydney. They along with Jana, Riva, and Judah went to the Zoo.

Winning is not everything....

It's the only thing! We went to Riva's art show at Brandon last night. Riva did a drawing of her hero - Jackie Robinson. She told Jana that Jackie was her hero because he had the courage not to fight back.



She remembered the story because for many years, I've read her the story "Teammates", the story of Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0152842861/002-3042658-4217639?v=glance

and "The Value of Courage: Story of Jackie Robinson"

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0307699595/qid=1099671368/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/002-3042658-4217639?v=glance&s=books

I was very happy to see Riva learning about real life heros. I hope that parents will read to their kids stories like this and other real life heros - Martin Luther King, Golda Meir, Albert Einstein, Helen Keller, etc. It connects them to the real world unlike Spiderman or Superman.

Well at the Art show, Riva cried because she didn't win a prize. Jana said it came from me. I said "Who me? What did I do?" and she said it's the inherent Brody competitive spirit. Well I can't argue with that - Jack, David, my Dad, Uncle Norman, Gene - we all got it.Riva - Life is not about whether you win or lose. It's about doing your best, being yourself, giving tzedakah and helping making this world a better place. Let's be good sports and be happy for others who win.

Also remember that the only time winning matters is when the Minnesota Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers!

Scott got a new howse!

Judah was in the back seat today and said "Scott got a new howse (house)"

Last night at dinner table, we read the torah portion about how God sent 3 angels to Abraham who was one sick dude due to circumsizing himself (ouch!). Abraham welcomed these unsuspecting angels and fed them. The commentaries explain that we should strive to emulate Abraham and always welcome and invite people over for shabbot or visit people on shabbot and when they are sick.

So after dinner, we spontaneously decide to go visit our friends, the Ehrnsteins, who just moved and wish them a happy first shabbot in their new house.

Riva the Poet

At Hillel, Riva wrote some metaphors in poetry class today. Here are some of the metaphors she wrote:

"I am a kitten. I like to act like a kitten."

"I am a dog because I like to run and be friendly."

"I am a book because you can open me and look inside me."

Vroom vroom papas house

Jana told Judah we are are going to see bubbe and papa and he said "vroom vroom papas house, Austin too! Breanna too!

See you in the morning Dad

Riva came by our office 2nd time and gave us a smooch and said "See you in the morning Dad."

Halloween 2004

Artful City New Web Site!

Check out Jana's new web site !

www.artfulcity.com

Much thanks to Carla Billings!

Riva from 3 months to 2 years

Sukkot 2004

What is Succot or Succos or Sukkot ? In Leviticus. 23:42, it said you shall dwell in sukkot seven days...in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I the Lord your God.

Sounds stupid and like a waste of time some tell me. Well I say when Christians chop down trees and decorate them with lights and ornaments for Christmas, it makes no sense to me. We Jews build a temporary structure every year and decorate them with the same Christmas lights and hang up fruit and vegetables. The Sukkot reminds us of how fragile life is. Shake it and it wobbles just as our house would during an earthquake. After one week eating in the sukkot and sleeping under the stars, we connect ourselves to nature and thank G-d for shelter, the fall harvest, and most importantly being alive.

Much thanks to the Diskins, Ehrnsteins, Wassermans, and Gaynes family for their help in building the Sukkot!

More info on http://www.sukkot.com/

Scott Ehrnstein - Scott Bakula

We had a great time with the Havurah at Opal tonight. When we came home, Jana was watching "Quantum Leap" and said doesn't Scott Bakula looks like Scott Ehrnstein?

For those who know Scott, check it out and tell me what you think !

http://www.topcelebritypages.com/l/Scott_Bakula.html

If these Timbers could speak

During World War II, a Japanese submarine
shelled Ellwood Oil field in Goleta, our very
own backyard.

Santa Barbara Brodys from 1996 to 2004

Riva's School Photos

Judah from 3 months to 2 years

What is Success?

Mike played basketball with us at lunch time in Robbs Gym. He had a stroke on the court and died between my job at the Graduate Division and Institutional Advancement. Here is the quote copied by Dr. Michael Reuben Stevenson (July 15, 1942 - March 31, 2003), found on his desk 3/31/03 before he died:



What is Success?

• To laugh often and much.
• To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children.
• To earn the appeciation of honest critics and endure the false betrayal of false friends.
• To appreciate beauty.
• To find the best in others.
• To leave the world a bit better, whether by a heathy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition.
• To know eve one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have successed.

A hot day at Goleta Beach

I want to hold baby Eja!

The Brody Cousins had their pictures taken at Sear. Elli and Riva both wanted to hold the new baby Eja. We decided to take turns. Elli would hold her in the first one and then Riva in the second one.



In the first one shown here, Riva bit her lips. On the second one when she got to hold baby Eja, her eyebrows were pointed downwards and she had the angry face because Elli got to hold baby Eja first. We tried to get her to smile but she wouldn't let it go thus no pictures of Riva holding Eja.

Riva - a lesson for the day - it doesn't matter who goes first! The smart people always let others go first and always go last !

Judah can't keep his hands out of his mouth whenever we take a photo.

Brody Cousins

In 2002, Judah fall over to the left.
In 2003, to keep Judah from fall off to the left, Riva held on to him and he fell to the right.
In 2004, Judah couldn't keep his hands out of his mouth.

The Butterfly Exhibit!

Jana's Surpise BD Party

Brodyz New Addition: Star Light Pooper

Thanks to the mom Penny Polonious Pooper and our new in-law Grandma Grace and Grandpa Joe. When Judah and Jana saw this picture where the white "X" marks the spot, he said "Star" hence the name.



More pictures at http://www.opl.ucsb.edu/grace/penny/pennypups.html