After four months of fun but hectic times, I am VERY ready to slow down! Welcome Cheshvan and Chodesh tov from my heart to yours!
Cheshvan is almost here. This year more than ever, I am so happy for this month and the fall season to finally arrive. After four months of fun but hectic times –Miami trip, son’s engagement, summer vacation, wedding, seemingly never ending back to school/yeshiva shopping, topped off with the high holiday season, I am VERY ready to slow down.
I literally breathe a sigh of relief as the weather gets cooler and the days shorter. What a reprieve to my introverted, homebody personality. I am more than happy to settle down, focus on my fall-winter routine, and enjoy the season. I love the cooler weather, making more soups for dinner, going to sleep earlier, and lemons, and bananas are back in season – yay! I love getting everything in order – the house, the paperwork, neglected errands and appointments.
I also love how there just seems to be more time for homemaking and old world food preparation like fermented lemonade, probiotic sauerkraut, sourdough bread and jams. This week I will be making a new sourdough starter, fermented lemonade and esrog jam. Next week will be my first butternut squash soup of the season as well as a slow cooker recipe, not sure what yet. Tomorrow I will be taking the blankets, sofa throws and sweaters out to wash. Also, this week, I will be doing the first fall craft – a bird made with fall leaves, with my two younger boys, as well as embark on our autumn door decoration project.
I am more than happy to settle down, focus on my fall-winter routine, and enjoy the season!
The house is about to get a lot quieter now that my 22 year old is married and my 14, 16 and 20 year old boys are off to yeshiva dormitory and army. For the first time in over 20 years it’s just my husband and I and our two younger kids at home during the week. I have to admit that I am really looking forward to the quieter life. Of course, it’s nice to have all the kids around but having a lot less tasks, chores, routines, car rides, homework, PTA conferences, phone calls from teachers and so on, is NICE!
Cheshvan is a time when on the one hand I’m embarking on new projects and goals, while on the other hand, I am looking to see what I can cut out of my life so that I am only focusing on things that I love and enjoy. This is definitely a process but considering how and with whom I spend my time and energy as I get older is becoming more and more important.
I want to give more time to my relationship with Hashem this season. I want to wake up earlier and get my thoughts and vision for my day in order. I want to talk to God first thing in the morning and throughout the day a lot more. I want to invest more in my relationship with Him than my phone, social media, and social outings. I know, what a concept.
I want to talk to God first thing in the morning and throughout the day a lot more!
I would love to become more self-sufficient this season as well as teach my kids more responsibility and self-sufficiency. Growing my own cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes. Learning how to forage wild greens. Teaching the younger kids more household chores and life skills such as doing the laundry, preparing a basic meal, washing the car, washing the windows, changing a light bulb, writing thank you notes, money management, grocery shopping, waking up independently (please!), and weeding and cleaning the garden.
So, this is it ladies, my hopes and dreams and thoughts on the awesomeness of slowing down in Cheshvan. This is the time to appreciate and truly enjoy our blessings: our relationship with Hashem, our goals and dreams, homemaking and taking care of ourselves, our husband, and children. Enjoy a cool weather walk, making your favorite hot drink, making use of that extra hour of daylight savings, lighting some scented candles around the house, and getting that book you’ve been thinking and anything else that is just relaxing and enjoyable to you.
Chodesh tov – from my heart to yours.
