TPH calls it "Spawn of the Devil", and for many it may bring to mind Ed Norton's OCD character in Fight Club, but you know you all have a soft spot for IKEA, necessary caps or not.
We love it, we hate it, we despise it, we crave it. And we always, always go back for more.
For those of you who have never been, you are missing out. Really. It's one of those experiences that a person must complete once in order to say that they have lived life to it's fullest. Furniture store? Nope. Housewares? Gigantic understatement. Imagine 2 football fields worth of furniture, housewares, restaurants, kids' playing areas. It's not a store, IKEA is an experience.
It has earned it's nickname in Casa "W" as "Spawn of the Devil", during one particularly draining trip there, when we were ready to get out of there, and fast. That's when we discovered the engineering/architectural design genius of IKEA, wherein you CANNOT and WILL NOT exit, until you have seen every single Woonkamer, Keuken, or Farfenshnizelboigenheim. You are forced to go through isle after isle of cheery (yet almost creepy in their perfection) displays. On this particular trip, the kids were cranky, and TPH was hungry, and let me tell you, I don't know which is scarier. Suffice it to say, that was our last trip to IKEA together, and I have been left to navigate IKEA's catacombs alone ever since.
Yesterday, after breezing through with J (whom, like her mother does not going into a catatonic state when shopping there), we were on our way out, when a guy with a wild look in his eye flew by us into the warehouse section muttering, "La'Azazel! Eifo Ha'Kupot?!" ("Oh hell! Where are the registers?!")
Well, TPH, you won't come with me, but after I saw that, I know you'll always be there with me in spirit.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Home
There are some funny emotional moments that I have been having here.
Like when we found out that S's amazing Rebbe was the same one that A had back in 1st grade when we used to live here.
Or when I pass by our old apartment and find 20 foot tall trees where I lovingly planted and nurtured small saplings.
Or like, when R looked up at me at the playground in the shopping center and said, "Imma, this is my favorite playground ever!" and I was reminded of my older kids saying the exact same thing at the exact same playground 6 years ago.
Or when I ran into an old acquaintance and she said, "Oh good! You are here, I was getting worried, I haven't seen you around lately!" Yeah, like in 5 years...
It helps make the blow softer; leaving one home for another home is easier than just leaving home.
Like when we found out that S's amazing Rebbe was the same one that A had back in 1st grade when we used to live here.
Or when I pass by our old apartment and find 20 foot tall trees where I lovingly planted and nurtured small saplings.
Or like, when R looked up at me at the playground in the shopping center and said, "Imma, this is my favorite playground ever!" and I was reminded of my older kids saying the exact same thing at the exact same playground 6 years ago.
Or when I ran into an old acquaintance and she said, "Oh good! You are here, I was getting worried, I haven't seen you around lately!" Yeah, like in 5 years...
It helps make the blow softer; leaving one home for another home is easier than just leaving home.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
First Day of School
Well, here we are more than a week later...more than a VERY busy week later!!
The kids started school last week, and have surprised me with their courage, bravery and great attitudes! They all seem to like the friends, teachers and schools! Granted, there have been several meltdowns, but I guess something would be wrong if there wasn't...
The first day of school we dropped everyone off without a hitch. Keep in mind, this entails getting everyone up, and out by 7:20am and WALKING them to school up a very large bunch of hills. But we did it. The kids were nervous, but there were no tears and they marched boldly in to tackle the first day of the rest of their lives.
I got home about an hour later, after some shopping, and lo and behold there was a lunch lying forlornly in the middle of the living room. I had 13 minutes to get it up the hill in time for "Aruchat Eser" a weird Israel meal that they eat at 10am which is not breakfast or lunch. So, I called a taxi, and RAN to get it there before said child found he was without a lunch and had a (nother) reason for tears. I literally walked into his classroom as the teacher said, "Time to eat!" Peeked in on the other two boys who were both smiling and talking to other kids :)
I am still amazed every day by how surrounded we are by a Torah lifestyle here. As I was walking out, I passed two boys that looked to be in about 5th grade. They were talking about money. I missed what the first kid said, but as I passed, the other said, "Well, this month, I am giving all of my money to Tzedaka. Because we know that in Elul if we are Rachmanim to needy people, then Hashem will be a Rachaman to us!"
Needless to say, I walked out in tears, and most definitely not because I was sad to leave my kids! :)
The kids started school last week, and have surprised me with their courage, bravery and great attitudes! They all seem to like the friends, teachers and schools! Granted, there have been several meltdowns, but I guess something would be wrong if there wasn't...
The first day of school we dropped everyone off without a hitch. Keep in mind, this entails getting everyone up, and out by 7:20am and WALKING them to school up a very large bunch of hills. But we did it. The kids were nervous, but there were no tears and they marched boldly in to tackle the first day of the rest of their lives.
I got home about an hour later, after some shopping, and lo and behold there was a lunch lying forlornly in the middle of the living room. I had 13 minutes to get it up the hill in time for "Aruchat Eser" a weird Israel meal that they eat at 10am which is not breakfast or lunch. So, I called a taxi, and RAN to get it there before said child found he was without a lunch and had a (nother) reason for tears. I literally walked into his classroom as the teacher said, "Time to eat!" Peeked in on the other two boys who were both smiling and talking to other kids :)
I am still amazed every day by how surrounded we are by a Torah lifestyle here. As I was walking out, I passed two boys that looked to be in about 5th grade. They were talking about money. I missed what the first kid said, but as I passed, the other said, "Well, this month, I am giving all of my money to Tzedaka. Because we know that in Elul if we are Rachmanim to needy people, then Hashem will be a Rachaman to us!"
Needless to say, I walked out in tears, and most definitely not because I was sad to leave my kids! :)
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
8 hours and Counting...
The backpacks are packed and lined up neatly by the door. The floor is washed. For the most part, lunches are made. Kids and TPH are snoring softly, and I am the only one still wide awake with real "day before school starts" jitters.
Everything that you have heard from me until now is all for this moment. We are embarking now on the rest of our lives as true Israelis, enrolling our kids in schools of our choosing, schools that will help us mold and shape them into the Bat Yisrael and Bnei Yisrael that we have envisioned each of them to be from the moment we were entrusted with them. Tomorrow we begin to truly give them Torat Eretz Yisrael.
This week has been absolutely crazy. There is no other way to describe it. We have schlepped from meeting to meeting, from school to school, from classroom to classroom, and met teacher after teacher. We have spoken with principals, guidance counselors, and countless other parents who range from completely clueless to totally helpful in every way. We have met kids that have been through the system, and kids that are starting fresh like our own. Our kids have bounced around with us from place to place, watching, waiting, absorbing.
Surprisingly, they seem OK. It seems like the excitement, the potential of what is out there is balancing out the jitters and nerves. Yes, they are terrified of all of the basics (think MATH, SCIENCE, etc) in Hebrew. But after all of these meetings, they (the big ones) are finally starting to understand why we have uprooted them from the comfort of their home, from their family and friends to come here.
Everything here is real. I don't know how better to explain it. When the principal of the boys' school stands up and talks for 1/2 hour about love for each and every person, and each and every Jew, and each and every Rabbi that teaches Torah, the whole move has been worth it. When I see the "old" girls welcoming the new girls with huge smiles and outstretched arms, the whole move has been worth it. When I pack my daughter's bag with Mishnayos, the whole move has been worth it.
Don't get me wrong, and don't think that I still have my "aliyah glasses" on. I left those waaaay back in 2002. :) I know that tomorrow will also be the beginning of some very hard times ahead of us. Homework, friends, language, the challenges are in front of us, and cannot be ignored. But when I step inside those buildings tomorrow and officially send my children off with a heart full of prayer I'll know and will not doubt that this whole move has been worth it.
Day Before School Jitters
I don't know who is more nervous about the kids starting school tomorrow: me or them.
Here is a snippet of conversation from this morning that says it all.
Me: "What's Aruchat Eser?"
Them: "Breakfast!"
Me: "What's Sherutim?"
Them: "Bathroom!"
Me: "Good! What's Please? Thank you?"
Them: "B'vakasha! Toda!"
Me: "What's Aruchat Tzahariyim?"
Them: "BASEBALL!""
Um, we're almost ready... :/
Here is a snippet of conversation from this morning that says it all.
Me: "What's Aruchat Eser?"
Them: "Breakfast!"
Me: "What's Sherutim?"
Them: "Bathroom!"
Me: "Good! What's Please? Thank you?"
Them: "B'vakasha! Toda!"
Me: "What's Aruchat Tzahariyim?"
Them: "BASEBALL!""
Um, we're almost ready... :/
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Quick update
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!!!!
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!!!!
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!!! :)
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