How to Build a Sukkah*

*When you're pregnant and dodging rainstorms...and your husband just can't be home that day.

1. Bring in reinforcements. Bubbie and the 3 year old daughter will work great.

2. Lay out the sukkah pieces carefully so as not to get any of the mouse-nest debris on you. Ew.

3. Make sure that one of your children is really excited to help and give her a job to do that you don't mind her doing in her own time. As in, "give me one of those zip ties" and then wait about 5 minutes while she picks out just the right one for you. (Perhaps better than the other child, who is completely uninterested in the whole process and spends the time digging for worms.)

4. Marvel at the ridiculousness of the fact that last year the Sukkah was built in coats, hats, and mittens.

5. Refer back to #1, reinforcements should also include Zeyde AKA Master Sukkah Builder.

6. Laugh a LOT at how fast it goes when you buy the large-size zipties as opposed to piecing together the little ones that you have left over. Laugh also at how much faster it goes without too many helpers.

7. Wait to put up the schach until after the massive storm that is predicted for that night...

And that's how we built our sukkah this year!