Planning Progress Report: November

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'Only 7 more days... eeeek!
November is here... in fact, it's half over as I (Jack) write this.  Lizzie and Michele are running around like little electric bumper cars.  The kind that race around on the floor, bump into each other, twirl around a couple times, and then race away on a new venture.  Cari has made and frozen cookies...Margo, Liz, and Jen made more cookies today.  Music lists are going to the DJ... Michele has rented tablecloths, bought votives for the party and planned her baking for the week.  The RSVP's are all in (about 100 people) and the final numbers have been reported to everyone who needs to know.  Shayna has finished her Hebrew practice! 

All the women and girl's outfits are bought or picked out and Michele even bought Michael a new tie.  John brought a suit all the way from College Station for us to take to the cleaner, after he and I visited the tailor and she told him it fit perfectly.  Katie has asked us NOT to bother her about her outfit!  I got a new a new suit cause the old one just couldn't be let out enough, according to Gloria. And, tomorrow I smoke salmon with Stuart and later we all go for a dress rehearsal at the "J"... ending with pictures of us in our finery. 

There's still a week to  go and everyone is EXCITED!

Planning Progress Report: October

October is the month when the B'not Mitzvah prep really takes off.  Rabbi is working with the girls on their D'Var Torah speeches, Amy the Hebrew Coach is cracking the whip, the girls (moms and girls) are getting their wardrobes all together, the menu for the Kiddush is set and Cari has met with Liz for planning the color and textures of the foods (even though she might not be in Austin for the actual event), and the invitations are out and the RSVP's and questions coming in.  It is all coming together and everyone is getting excited about the big event being just around the corner!
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Planning Progress Report: September

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This has been a busy month for the mothers and the gir!s!  The girls are starting to draft their speeches and have been participating in various little parts of services, while continuing to go to Amy for Hebrew and Rabbi Baker to work on rabbinic comentary on their Torah portions.  Liz and Michele have sent out the "Save the Date" emails and selected and ordered the invitations to be mailed.  At our Rosh Hashanah Luncheon we discussed the B'not Mitzvah Kiddush luncheon menu with Cari... and it sounds delicious and very colorful.  "Color is everything" according to Cari... and I agree.  Shayna completed her service project, reported under Shayna's Interests Page.


Planning Progress Report: August

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Shayna's Project
During the past few months, the girls and their moms have selected their caterer for their party (guess who?), continued studying Hebrew, met with the Rabbi, and Shayna has found a dress. 

This month Shayna is working with her dad to develop her community project: volunteering for and leading a team for the annual PKD Walk for a Cure.  Click on the picture to visit her Team Tikkun Olam page.

We have designed a "Save the Date" flyer which will be going out electronically towards the end of August or early in September.


Planning Progress Report: April

The girls have been studying their Torah with the Rabbi and their Hebrew with Amy weekly, and seem to be making some progress with both.  As a dad observes Shayna push through her homework assignments with some prodding from parental units and a lot of motivation on her part, she is making progress.

The picture at left is from the girls' attending Kol Halev's Purim Celebration on March 9th.  Both of them have been attending services more frequently and at least on Shayna's part, we see some more critical kinds of thinking as she moves through her written homework assignments from the rabbi.  (stay tuned for some examples here soon)

Choosing the Social Hall

Michelle and Liz finally found their "perfect" location for the evening Social after the Bat Mitzvah, the Ben Hur Shriner Auditorium!  The friends have looked at a number of places; their too fancy, not fancy enough, too small, too big, too expensive... etc. etc. and, as one of the Dads, I for one, and glad they've come together on this place... and I also agree with the Shriner's mission of helping youth and families with medical problems they can't afford to deal with; this somehow seems serendipitous with the girls' interests of "saving animals".  Are we not all G-d's animals?