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Shanah tovah, everyone! Happy new year!

May your new year be filled with light, joy, and good health!

Every year for the holiday, we eat apples and honey to remember life’s sweetness.

This year we have something special to celebrate: grandma (my mother Judy) is turning 90 next week. We’ll be flying out to San Diego to spend the weekend with her. And she’s asked me to organize a wine tasting for her and her friends. We’re all looking forward to it.

Georgia (above, left), age 11 going on 12, started middle school at the end of last month. She’s enjoying playing violin in the orchestra and her creative writing elective.

Lila Jane (right), just turned 10 and starting 5th grade, is now a “big kid” at her elementary school. She’s one of the top cello players in her class and says she wants to be a music teacher.

Poo, poo, poo… we have a lot to be thankful for. Too many blessings to count.

Every year before the High Holidays, I turn to the excellent writers at Chabad.org for inspiration for the year ahead.

Here’s the passage that I can’t stop thinking about:

Our Sages tell us that when we emulate G‑d to provide new life to others with generosity and love, this paves the way for the awesome gift of Rosh Hashanah, the gift of new life, that G‑d lovingly grants every one of us.

Happy new year.