New Favorite Holiday

My favorite holiday used to be Passover, but that changed back in 2007. So for the past five years I have been trying to create new traditions for my "new favorite holiday," Shavuot. Shavuot starts 7 weeks after the first day of Passover. It tends to be a lesser known Jewish holiday - maybe because as a friend recently said it is after most of the learning during the school year is done, or maybe because only 7 weeks after all the work of passover another holiday is almost too much to think about.

5 years ago we made our way to Bethany Beach - we rented a house with NES (who was pregnant with L), her lovely husband M, and E who at the time was 16 months old. It was a testament to our friendship - can  you imagine 9 of us, in a 3 bedroom house for a week - two of the days being holidays with NO TV or electronics of any type. It is one of my favorite memories.

And then we did it again the next year! L was almost 6 months old and this time with 10 of us in one house. 

It is amazing to know we have people in our lives that we choose to spend time with and see benefits all around! I think that trip with Bob and L really began their love affair. This is one of my favorite pictures! (He wanted her to look at the camera).

Unfortunately in 2009 things got more difficult Bean got sick, and over the weekend of Shavuot we were in Vancouver and Seattle for J's Grandma's funeral. And we didn't get our "get-away." In 2010 while we got to cohabitate with NES and family we didn't get our "get-away" either. Rinse repeat 2011 sans the baby and snow - though we did get to spend a Shabbat at NES's home in November.

One of my favorite traditions from our Beach Shavuot was fondue, the boyz men didn't like it as much as NES and I, but they put up with us. So while we haven't gone away the past few years, we have brought a little bit of the beach memory/tradition to our home.

Gather 3 fondue pots, 7 children and 4 adults and you have my favorite ingredients for my new favorite holiday! For the past few years we have done just that.

Not going away has blessed us with the opportunity to add new friends to our tradition - we have welcomed  S and M and Little SJ. So make that 8 children and 6 adults.

And while it isn't a "get-away" it is nice to know that we have friends who "get" us, accept us and have helped create new traditions and memories for my new favorite holiday.

I look forward to Shavuot 2013 - when it is only a few days past Mother's day. Maybe we will "get-away" maybe we won't - but the Minhag has been set - fondue and friends are on the menu.