Apple Crisp and Rosh Hashanah

With Rosh Hashanah almost here, it has been quite the busy day - make that a busy week so far! RSVP lists, menus, shopping, setting up guest bedrooms (thanks for visiting Yossi and Zlata - makes our celebration so much more fun!!), cooking, baking and who knows what else! 

With all of the hustle and bustle, it is still not lost on me that one year is ending, and another, brand new year is about to begin. As I drove myself to work this morning I had some quiet time to contemplate the year that is coming to a close. As I made my way through my memories of the year I enjoyed looking back and seeing the many wonderful blessings Hashem has bestowed upon me and my family. Good health, the necessary money to cover our needs, pride in my children, success in the things I have done and the list goes on and on. It occurs to me that sometimes our lives become chaotic - and then we can find ourselves focusing on our stresses and things that don't appear so sweet. 

In the last couple of weeks I have started a new daily ritual with Mushky. A friend had made a suggestion, and it  turned out to be a lovely addition to my daily life. Adjusting to a new school and to life in a dorm can be a daunting task - and I set out to help my daughter, and myself, focus on our daily blessings and highlights. 

We now have this great tradition. Each night we message each other and start by sharing a victory. We share something that we have accomplished, but that was hard or challenging for us. I have loved picking out something each day that makes me feel super accomplished and hearing what Mushky has to say has been a great way to watch her grow. 

Next we share three things we are grateful for. Even on a rough day, we can always find things to be grateful for. I have really enjoyed seeing what my daughter is grateful for each day. 

Then we share a highlight for the day - this is great - it forces us to truly reflect on our day and pick the one thing that "made our day"!

After a couple of days of doing this, Mushky suggested that we begin adding a daily goal. I LOVED this idea...I now go to sleep each night with a solid goal, that I have shared with my daughter - which makes it real! 

As Rosh Hashanah rolls in, I have taken some time to think about my victories, highlights and what I am grateful for in this past year - this activity between me and Hashem - and then I came up with some goals to work on in this coming year. 

May each and every one of you be blessed with a sweet year filled only with openly revealed blessings and may we celebrate the ultimate celebration, the coming of Moshiach, very speedily. 

-Rashi

Here is a recipe for the apple crisp we will be eating for dessert tonight:

Apple Crisp

8 apples (gala or pink lady)

Orange juice

Cinnamon

Oats

Sugar

Flour

Oil

Peel 8 apples and slice thinly. Place in a 9x13 pan. Mix apples with some orange juice and cinnamon. In a bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups each of oats, sugar and flour. Pour oil into the mixture and mix until you have a crumb mixture. Sprinkle crumbs on top of apples. Sprinkle some cinnamon. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours on 350. Enjoy!