I've been trying to find a few minutes somewhere to blog, and it just has not been happening for me lately!! I am hoping with the start of school I might have some of my life back, but am not betting on it, since the holidays are so early this year...
We've been busy!! J finished her 3 week stint of camp, and I just don't have enough good things to say! BH it was a good choice; we had a hard time deciding between camp and ulpan initially, but went with camp so she'd meet friends. Thank G-d, she met some amazing girls, and has a real handle on who's who in the neighborhood...I know, I know, she's a girl...
I went to her end of camp "Concert" where they had 125 girls in a combination of dance, drama and choir. J is in drama; no surprise here. :) She played a girl with a stutter, and was phenomenal! But I did promise her no more blogging about her. Sorry J! I'm allowed to be proud of you just a little!!
It was such a totally amazing feeling going into an auditorium filled with excited girls, and their mothers, aunts, grandmothers, etc. As they got on stage and started to sing, I got such a good feeling that J is going to be just fine here. Each girl was more gorgeous than the next, beautifully complimenting each other's talents and strengths. The woman in charge of camp "Captain A", they call her promotes good middos and chessed all throughout camp. Their trips were fun, but also included things like packing food for the needy at Yad Eliezer in Jerusalem.
All around it was a great experience, and she came away with some real friends, BH!!
Boys finished 2 week summer ulpan, and I don't know how this is possible, but S is speaking hebrew! Bigger boys were a bit reluctant about the whole thing, but hopefully they picked something up that will help them. At least they also met other new kids, and will have some familiar faces in class on the first day.
Shabbos here was beautiful, again. I LOVE our new shul, and with the arrival of the new Rabbi, TPH is feeling very good about it, too. He came home lively, and excited and had lots to share with me about the shiur. I also stayed for the women's shiur which is a good hour of intense study on the parsha. It's so good to have a local shiur that is challenging and fascinating!!! BH!!
We are doing good...CANNOT wait for the arrival of Sister D this week!!!! :)
Alls good!!!!
Showing posts with label Summer 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Summer 2010. Show all posts
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Patient Update
Just as we started settling in, and used to the not so humdrum lifestyle of a Ramat Beit Shemean, things took an extra crazy turn this week. For those of you on FB, you've seen it already:
J broke a crown off her front tooth, rendering her the best pirate look alike we've got, according to her brothers. She took it in stride, but like most things here, we don't really have a dentist (well, now we do!) and were clueless about dental insurance. BH, it's not even 24 hours after "the event" and she is newly crowned, and smiling again.
A broke his arm. Plain old broken. A soccer injury that resulted in a fracture above the wrist that will take 3-4 weeks to heal. He is finally ( FOUR DAYS LATER!) in a cast and on the mend.
No, I do not beat my children, although sometimes I most definitely think about it.
B Thank G-d is holding steady, although he did get a suspiciously "serious" stomach ache when he found out that A would not be going to Ulpan today. It was the typical crying and writhing on the floor, until I finally let him stay home, and very miraculously (thanks be G-d ;) he was cured as soon as the other kids walked out the door.
S is fine now, but check out my FB for some seriously scary pics! For a family with 2 dogs, a ferret, and a guinea pig, who would've guessed that we have an animal allergy? But this is the second time it happened, and both times it was at the petting zoo at Kibbutz Tzora. BH, the woman standing next to me when he broke out just happened to have Benadryl in her purse. Amazing.
and R, my main man, finally has an inhaler. His asthma is bad this week, with his summer cold, and our doctor here told us enough with trying the liquid albuterol, time for the real thing. Seems to help, so that's fine with me. Since he's been sick though, he's been in my bed every night. BIG secret: I LOVE IT. He is not of the snorers, the teeth gnashers, or the sleep talkers. He is the only one who is ever allowed to spend the whole night ;)
N has the cold of a lifetime, with a really yucky looking sty in the eye (that's NOT amore). He's still on anti-biotics from his staph infection, and I think we just have to wait the cold out. Best is when he tries to say "Ernie" with a stuffed nose.
TPH has spent the day ferrying kids from Ulpan to Doctor to Ulpan to Dentist to Camp to Cast. He is not feeling so hot either, and he had a fever over shabbos.
Big Mama K is doing surprisingly well, BH...isn't it always that way? Lots of grocery shopping today, online and in store :) Enjoying my new oven and trying to get settled...it's slow going, but at least it's going!! Can't wait to see 2 siblings sooooon!!! :)
J broke a crown off her front tooth, rendering her the best pirate look alike we've got, according to her brothers. She took it in stride, but like most things here, we don't really have a dentist (well, now we do!) and were clueless about dental insurance. BH, it's not even 24 hours after "the event" and she is newly crowned, and smiling again.
A broke his arm. Plain old broken. A soccer injury that resulted in a fracture above the wrist that will take 3-4 weeks to heal. He is finally ( FOUR DAYS LATER!) in a cast and on the mend.
No, I do not beat my children, although sometimes I most definitely think about it.
B Thank G-d is holding steady, although he did get a suspiciously "serious" stomach ache when he found out that A would not be going to Ulpan today. It was the typical crying and writhing on the floor, until I finally let him stay home, and very miraculously (thanks be G-d ;) he was cured as soon as the other kids walked out the door.
S is fine now, but check out my FB for some seriously scary pics! For a family with 2 dogs, a ferret, and a guinea pig, who would've guessed that we have an animal allergy? But this is the second time it happened, and both times it was at the petting zoo at Kibbutz Tzora. BH, the woman standing next to me when he broke out just happened to have Benadryl in her purse. Amazing.
and R, my main man, finally has an inhaler. His asthma is bad this week, with his summer cold, and our doctor here told us enough with trying the liquid albuterol, time for the real thing. Seems to help, so that's fine with me. Since he's been sick though, he's been in my bed every night. BIG secret: I LOVE IT. He is not of the snorers, the teeth gnashers, or the sleep talkers. He is the only one who is ever allowed to spend the whole night ;)
N has the cold of a lifetime, with a really yucky looking sty in the eye (that's NOT amore). He's still on anti-biotics from his staph infection, and I think we just have to wait the cold out. Best is when he tries to say "Ernie" with a stuffed nose.
TPH has spent the day ferrying kids from Ulpan to Doctor to Ulpan to Dentist to Camp to Cast. He is not feeling so hot either, and he had a fever over shabbos.
Big Mama K is doing surprisingly well, BH...isn't it always that way? Lots of grocery shopping today, online and in store :) Enjoying my new oven and trying to get settled...it's slow going, but at least it's going!! Can't wait to see 2 siblings sooooon!!! :)
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Coming up...Summer Ulpan
So glad that I am past that really yucky day on Friday. We really had a beautiful shabbos this week, despite the still high temperatures.
It was my first week making both meals at home, and hosting guests to boot! Like CSR said, having guests is the best, because it means that a sense of normalcy is returning. Don't get me wrong, only about half of our stuff is unpacked. ie: 40 boxes of sefarim neatly lined up against the wall where the book shelves are going. Once they are bought. And assembled. Or the fact that when I DO finally get to my in-laws to throw in a load, I fold the clothes and put them away...in their rightful boxes. But slowly, slowly. We'll get there.
Tomorrow is a big day for A, B and S, who are all starting their first day of 2 weeks of summer ulpan. It's a program geared for new olim and we thought that the boys all really needed a jump start on their Hebrew. They are nervous, and rightfully so. I have heard every complaint tonight from, "My head hurts." "I feel sick." "I lost my glasses." to "I stubbed my toe."
When none of those worked, it got a little more desperate: "I am not going!" "You can't force me!" "It's Stupid!"
It's only from 8:30am to 12:30am everyday, so I think they'll manage. All the kids going are in the same boat, none of them speak Hebrew, and all of them are new to the area.
One of the hardest parts of being a mother that I am just discovering lately is being brave (or faking it) when you really don't feel that way at all. When you want to cry and yell and stomp your foot with the best of them, but can't. When you have to smile (tersely, never but never fake) and say, "I know how hard this is on you. You are really brave. You'll do great." and gently push them out the door. It's not easy.
I'm just hoping and praying everyday that one day they'll thank me.
It was my first week making both meals at home, and hosting guests to boot! Like CSR said, having guests is the best, because it means that a sense of normalcy is returning. Don't get me wrong, only about half of our stuff is unpacked. ie: 40 boxes of sefarim neatly lined up against the wall where the book shelves are going. Once they are bought. And assembled. Or the fact that when I DO finally get to my in-laws to throw in a load, I fold the clothes and put them away...in their rightful boxes. But slowly, slowly. We'll get there.
Tomorrow is a big day for A, B and S, who are all starting their first day of 2 weeks of summer ulpan. It's a program geared for new olim and we thought that the boys all really needed a jump start on their Hebrew. They are nervous, and rightfully so. I have heard every complaint tonight from, "My head hurts." "I feel sick." "I lost my glasses." to "I stubbed my toe."
When none of those worked, it got a little more desperate: "I am not going!" "You can't force me!" "It's Stupid!"
It's only from 8:30am to 12:30am everyday, so I think they'll manage. All the kids going are in the same boat, none of them speak Hebrew, and all of them are new to the area.
One of the hardest parts of being a mother that I am just discovering lately is being brave (or faking it) when you really don't feel that way at all. When you want to cry and yell and stomp your foot with the best of them, but can't. When you have to smile (tersely, never but never fake) and say, "I know how hard this is on you. You are really brave. You'll do great." and gently push them out the door. It's not easy.
I'm just hoping and praying everyday that one day they'll thank me.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Stupid
Today is Stupid. Stupid heat. Stupid dirty floors that don't stay clean. Stupid messy house. Stupid no stove or washing machine yet. Stupid. Stupid.
I try to be positive, but here is the cause of said Stupid:
Last night J and I were trying to get her to camp for a sleepover by 5:45pm. We were late (stupid #1), and in a rush to get S to the doctor, so we didn't make up how she'd get home (stupid #2). Normally I pick her up, but sometimes she likes to walk.
Today, knowing there would be confusion on her part, I set out early to get my FIL's car to go pick her up. I went outside and called a cab (stupid #3). I stood outside in the most unreasonable weather imaginable for 10 min. then called the taxi company again.
"Hi, I just called for a cab a while ago to this address. He's not here."
"The driver said that you didn't come outside." (stupid)
"What? I've been outside the whole time!!"
"No. You didn't come outside, but it doesn't matter, I'll send another one." (stupid)
"It most certainly does matter!! I WAS outside!"
"Calm down, another one is on the way." (extra stupid)
By now it's 10 minutes until camp pick-up time. Another 5 min. goes by. I call the OTHER cab company. "Sure, he's on his way." BTW, here you do not EVER call the OTHER company once you have called the first company. On penalty of death. Just because.
Five minutes later two taxis come up the block. I hop in the first one (stupid?), which happens to be from the OTHER cab company. The driver of the cab I did not take starts flashing his lights, and beeping like crazy and acting like he is going to rear end us (stupid). As we make the turn, the angry driver of the other cab CUTS US OFF (ok, so incredibly stupid that "stupid" just isn't good enough)so we can't drive any more and gets into a shouting match with my driver. Um, seriously, I thought he was going to get out of the cab and punch me.
I get to FIL's house, shaken, and sweating from body parts that i didn't even know I have, but otherwise intact. It is 12:02 pm when I pull up and LOADS of girls and sleeping bags and pillows and backpacks are strewn all over the place. Mine, however, is nowhere in sight. I wait 10 minutes until they all pile out of the building. I ask around. She isn't there. Panic sets in.
I run back to the car only to find that I've been blocked in by many, mumbling mothers, mighty nice. After another 10 minutes I am back in the car and frantically scouring the street for her. Keep in mind, it's not that I fear her walking home for any reason other than the heat. It is 107 degrees today. She is wearing black (please do not ask) and carrying a HUGE bag and black sleeping bag and a pillow. By now, in my eyes she is the world's biggest sun magnet. By time I get home, I haven't seen her walking and I am almost in tears. I have called home, and at home they tell me she is not home, and she is not at school or anywhere in between. It's sweltering. There is no where for her to go!!
I go inside and there she is sitting on the couch, beet red and in tears. Poor girl!! She didn't know if I was coming, she couldn't call and so she just walked home! :( I felt awful!! I STILL DO!! :(( I hate when I fail my kids and it could totally have been avoided.
Anyway, that's the cause for Stupid everything today.
I try to be positive, but here is the cause of said Stupid:
Last night J and I were trying to get her to camp for a sleepover by 5:45pm. We were late (stupid #1), and in a rush to get S to the doctor, so we didn't make up how she'd get home (stupid #2). Normally I pick her up, but sometimes she likes to walk.
Today, knowing there would be confusion on her part, I set out early to get my FIL's car to go pick her up. I went outside and called a cab (stupid #3). I stood outside in the most unreasonable weather imaginable for 10 min. then called the taxi company again.
"Hi, I just called for a cab a while ago to this address. He's not here."
"The driver said that you didn't come outside." (stupid)
"What? I've been outside the whole time!!"
"No. You didn't come outside, but it doesn't matter, I'll send another one." (stupid)
"It most certainly does matter!! I WAS outside!"
"Calm down, another one is on the way." (extra stupid)
By now it's 10 minutes until camp pick-up time. Another 5 min. goes by. I call the OTHER cab company. "Sure, he's on his way." BTW, here you do not EVER call the OTHER company once you have called the first company. On penalty of death. Just because.
Five minutes later two taxis come up the block. I hop in the first one (stupid?), which happens to be from the OTHER cab company. The driver of the cab I did not take starts flashing his lights, and beeping like crazy and acting like he is going to rear end us (stupid). As we make the turn, the angry driver of the other cab CUTS US OFF (ok, so incredibly stupid that "stupid" just isn't good enough)so we can't drive any more and gets into a shouting match with my driver. Um, seriously, I thought he was going to get out of the cab and punch me.
I get to FIL's house, shaken, and sweating from body parts that i didn't even know I have, but otherwise intact. It is 12:02 pm when I pull up and LOADS of girls and sleeping bags and pillows and backpacks are strewn all over the place. Mine, however, is nowhere in sight. I wait 10 minutes until they all pile out of the building. I ask around. She isn't there. Panic sets in.
I run back to the car only to find that I've been blocked in by many, mumbling mothers, mighty nice. After another 10 minutes I am back in the car and frantically scouring the street for her. Keep in mind, it's not that I fear her walking home for any reason other than the heat. It is 107 degrees today. She is wearing black (please do not ask) and carrying a HUGE bag and black sleeping bag and a pillow. By now, in my eyes she is the world's biggest sun magnet. By time I get home, I haven't seen her walking and I am almost in tears. I have called home, and at home they tell me she is not home, and she is not at school or anywhere in between. It's sweltering. There is no where for her to go!!
I go inside and there she is sitting on the couch, beet red and in tears. Poor girl!! She didn't know if I was coming, she couldn't call and so she just walked home! :( I felt awful!! I STILL DO!! :(( I hate when I fail my kids and it could totally have been avoided.
Anyway, that's the cause for Stupid everything today.
They make me proud :)
Just have to write a quick note to say how proud of "J" I am!!
I cannot imagine how hard it must be for ALL of my kids to move overseas, change schools and have to make a whole new set of friends, all in one summer! Especially hard I would imagine would be for J, a "going into 5th grader", my only girl. Girls are socially more aware at this age (read: eons ahead of their Neanderthal boy counterparts ;) and friendships have already been formed, some that may even be for life.
Enter J. A shy but courageous young lady, who goes to a brand new camp, not knowing even ONE girl, with a smile on her face. She gently introduces herself and begins the slow dance of making new friends. Not once has she complained or said that she wishes she could've stayed back in the states. Her attitude is going to make all the difference, and her brave determination is something that I am in awe of.
Love you, J!!
I cannot imagine how hard it must be for ALL of my kids to move overseas, change schools and have to make a whole new set of friends, all in one summer! Especially hard I would imagine would be for J, a "going into 5th grader", my only girl. Girls are socially more aware at this age (read: eons ahead of their Neanderthal boy counterparts ;) and friendships have already been formed, some that may even be for life.
Enter J. A shy but courageous young lady, who goes to a brand new camp, not knowing even ONE girl, with a smile on her face. She gently introduces herself and begins the slow dance of making new friends. Not once has she complained or said that she wishes she could've stayed back in the states. Her attitude is going to make all the difference, and her brave determination is something that I am in awe of.
Love you, J!!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Hot Enough for You??
The heat is slooooowing us waaaaaaaaaay dowwwwwwwwwwnn. I feel like everything is in slooowwww motion out there. We have hit record highs of 95-105 this week, with "feel like" temperatures of 110-118. The streets are emptier than usual, as most smart people are inside most of the day.
This was a GREAT week for us with the arrival of BAW's brother and sister in law, their four girls and her parents and GRANDMOTHER!! I watched the NBN arrival video to get a glimpse of them, and like most people, I was in tears. It was truly a beautiful start for all of these incredible people beginning their journey.
Today I went (all by myself!) to sign the kids up for health insurance. They are all set up, and except for me (it's another one of these 'status' differences) the whole family has health care!! I have to wait either 6 months or pay 9,000 shekel, so trying to figure out a way around that for now. Maybe private health care for the first 6 months. TPH should also have the same stipulations as me, but it's often that things slip between the cracks here, and we think that's what happened with him. In any case, we are not complaining.
Took the first kid to the Doctor today which could've been a lot worse! Doctor was an American, clinic was clean with nice toys, and most importantly, GREAT A/C. :) The pharmacy for the same provider is right next store to the office, which makes the whole process ridiculously simple, thank G-d!
OH! Other good news: stove and washing machine are arriving on Monday and should be set up and ready to go by Tues. or Wednesday. G-d forbid the people who deliver machine could also install the machine.
I am feeling really, really good about my Hebrew this time, and it was making me think how much easier it is coming to Israel in my 30s than it was when I came in my 20s. Last time, I still had the self consciousness to not allow myself to speak Hebrew for fear I'd make a mistake. Sadly, it made the whole experience much harder for me and I missed out on meeting some really great people. This time, I just throw it all out there. Sure I make mistakes, and I even had the guy at the bank chuckle at me today when I used the wrong word, but it wasn't a mirthful chuckle, more like he thought I was another one of those "funny little Americans". I have had some great conversations with cab drivers, and am just feeling over all more capable.
Having an Israeli husband is a MAJOR crutch. There is a lot of, "Can you call..." "Can you go..." but this time he really insisted that I do a lot of those things despite my whining and carrying on. And once again TPH was right.
Thanks, babe.
This was a GREAT week for us with the arrival of BAW's brother and sister in law, their four girls and her parents and GRANDMOTHER!! I watched the NBN arrival video to get a glimpse of them, and like most people, I was in tears. It was truly a beautiful start for all of these incredible people beginning their journey.
Today I went (all by myself!) to sign the kids up for health insurance. They are all set up, and except for me (it's another one of these 'status' differences) the whole family has health care!! I have to wait either 6 months or pay 9,000 shekel, so trying to figure out a way around that for now. Maybe private health care for the first 6 months. TPH should also have the same stipulations as me, but it's often that things slip between the cracks here, and we think that's what happened with him. In any case, we are not complaining.
Took the first kid to the Doctor today which could've been a lot worse! Doctor was an American, clinic was clean with nice toys, and most importantly, GREAT A/C. :) The pharmacy for the same provider is right next store to the office, which makes the whole process ridiculously simple, thank G-d!
OH! Other good news: stove and washing machine are arriving on Monday and should be set up and ready to go by Tues. or Wednesday. G-d forbid the people who deliver machine could also install the machine.
I am feeling really, really good about my Hebrew this time, and it was making me think how much easier it is coming to Israel in my 30s than it was when I came in my 20s. Last time, I still had the self consciousness to not allow myself to speak Hebrew for fear I'd make a mistake. Sadly, it made the whole experience much harder for me and I missed out on meeting some really great people. This time, I just throw it all out there. Sure I make mistakes, and I even had the guy at the bank chuckle at me today when I used the wrong word, but it wasn't a mirthful chuckle, more like he thought I was another one of those "funny little Americans". I have had some great conversations with cab drivers, and am just feeling over all more capable.
Having an Israeli husband is a MAJOR crutch. There is a lot of, "Can you call..." "Can you go..." but this time he really insisted that I do a lot of those things despite my whining and carrying on. And once again TPH was right.
Thanks, babe.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Ma Ma Ma Ma Mai Ma
I'm ready to come clean. I am ready to admit it....
I LOVED THE YESHIVA BOYS CHOIR CONCERT LAST NIGHT!
Ok, there I said it. I am not a 10 year old girl, I am a very happily married American/Israeli housewife. But it was SO MUCH FUN!! J was actually a wee bit embarrassed of both her parents who were happily clapping along with big goofy gins on our face. The band was great, and the kids were great too. Eli Gerstner was there and did lots of singing as well.
We made a real night of it. Special thanks to Saba for watching the 3 little guys so that we could make it a special night with the 3 big guys. We went out for burgers and then to the show and it was lots of fun. At one point they asked who was there from Beit Shemesh and a big cheer went up, but then he continued to ask, and people from Yerushalayim, Netanya, Modi'in, and lots of other places were there, too. It was a really nice crowd.
Another thing that's been so great since we got here is all the people that remember us!! It's so nice! We were walking in to the show, and so many women came over and said Hi. It's just embarrassing for me, because for some reason I am terrible with names, and I couldn't for the life of me remember anyone's names!! :( So I finally just gave up and kept saying, "oh my gosh! I am soooo sorry!! What's your name again?" Ok, felt so dumb.
The heat is unbearable...it got up to 96 degrees today, with a "feel like temperature" of 117. We spent almost the whole day inside. Poor J was home today suffering terribly of heat stroke from a full day of camp yesterday. The camps are very good about staying inside, but we (especially red headed) Americans are super sensitive to the heat. She's excited to go tomorrow, but I'm very apprehensive. :(
Not much else to report. Hopefully we'll be back to our regular scheduled programming when the heat dies down a bit!
I LOVED THE YESHIVA BOYS CHOIR CONCERT LAST NIGHT!
Ok, there I said it. I am not a 10 year old girl, I am a very happily married American/Israeli housewife. But it was SO MUCH FUN!! J was actually a wee bit embarrassed of both her parents who were happily clapping along with big goofy gins on our face. The band was great, and the kids were great too. Eli Gerstner was there and did lots of singing as well.
We made a real night of it. Special thanks to Saba for watching the 3 little guys so that we could make it a special night with the 3 big guys. We went out for burgers and then to the show and it was lots of fun. At one point they asked who was there from Beit Shemesh and a big cheer went up, but then he continued to ask, and people from Yerushalayim, Netanya, Modi'in, and lots of other places were there, too. It was a really nice crowd.
Another thing that's been so great since we got here is all the people that remember us!! It's so nice! We were walking in to the show, and so many women came over and said Hi. It's just embarrassing for me, because for some reason I am terrible with names, and I couldn't for the life of me remember anyone's names!! :( So I finally just gave up and kept saying, "oh my gosh! I am soooo sorry!! What's your name again?" Ok, felt so dumb.
The heat is unbearable...it got up to 96 degrees today, with a "feel like temperature" of 117. We spent almost the whole day inside. Poor J was home today suffering terribly of heat stroke from a full day of camp yesterday. The camps are very good about staying inside, but we (especially red headed) Americans are super sensitive to the heat. She's excited to go tomorrow, but I'm very apprehensive. :(
Not much else to report. Hopefully we'll be back to our regular scheduled programming when the heat dies down a bit!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Da-Na-Na-Na-Na-Na Bat Cave!
Wow. It's been a really long time. But no apologies; life first, blogging second.
The past week and a half was a busy blur. Even one of the kids said to me today, "It can't be Thursday! We just had Shabbos!" With the arrival of the lift came lots (and oh boy do I mean LOTS!) of organizing and reshuffling the crew. New bedrooms were designated, lots unpacked, and smiles returning. B said to me last night, "Imma! Our house is live-able!" Good, B, cuz I wasn't going to put you out in the barn.
Another fond (at first, and then increasingly annoying) part of setting up a new house is the building of new IKEA furniture. There are two IKEAs very close by (eat your heart out R-people!) but we haven't gotten there yet. We DID however, find a bunch of brand new stuff in our old garage that we never got around to building and stuck on the lift. No, not because we were organized and well thought out; we had no idea what the boxes were. Simply because it required less schlepping to have the movers stick the boxes on the truck that for us to haul them to the curb! Lo and behold they were excellent saves! One really great dresser, and another unit like I had in my old playroom: now we have 2 ;)
So after those were built and hauled where they need to be (I swear IKEA furniture gains 50 lbs once it leaves the box) LOTS of unpacking took place this week. We did stuff a bunch of stuff into Saba's machsan, and will stuff a bunch more, but hey, as B says, we are finally "live-able"!
Few trips we did this week: took whoever could fit into Saba's car to the zoo in Yerushalayim, which was a big hit. It's amazing how different the animals are here. Kids had a great time, but were HOT and cranky on the way home. Stopped at the mall for KFC for dinner, and tortured them by keeping it in the car until we got home (NO EATING IN THE CAR!). I had a terrible migraine and lost the rest of my day. We drank and drank and drank, but sometimes the heat just gets the better of me :(
Today I took everyone to one of our favorite family trips: The Bat Cave! No, not where Bruce Wayne hides out, but in Hebrew "Ma'arat Ha'Teumim" Cave of the Twins...inside there is a stalagmite that resembles a pregnant woman and it's a segulah that any woman who drinks from the spring at the bottom of the cave will become so fertile that she'll give birth to twins. No, this is not why we went.
There was also a treasure found in the depths of the cave from the time of the Bar Kochva rebellion, as it was used as a hiding spot for Bar Kochva's warriors during the rebellion.
It's a great rocky, 30 min hike that suits just about any age group. It does get hard with a large baby on your back, so this time BAW who had work to do, stayed with said large sleeping baby. We had an awesome time, even though the sun was strong! I didn't bring enough water, so me and Uncle S were quite thirsty by the time we got back into the car. But all in all, lots of fun was had trying to get a rise out of the literally thousands of shrieking bats hanging on the ceiling of the cave above us.
Can't believe it's Shabbos again! Have a good one! Enjoy your August!!
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