What we've been up to

I figure now that I am home sick, I have some blogging to do. Ha! As if I have anywhere else to be!!

I am remembering this now; the first year that we made aliyah back in 2002, we were all sick the whole first year. Unfortunately, it seems like it's gonna be a similar year. Maybe we were just off to a bad start, and this is the end of it! Well, whatever this is has had me on my back for two days. I am not better today, but at least going on the computer doesn't make me want to throw up. Ok, enough wallowing.

First of all, I have to say how amazing it's been here. As soon as word was out that I wasn't feeling well, the phone calls, FB messages, etc. started pouring in. Kids were invited out for play dates, and dinner showed up from an OLD high school friend who I haven't spoken to in FIFTEEN years! Seriously, I was floored. 

Succos was amazing in every way. Our succah was beautiful, we did lots of trips, had an amazing Simchas Torah, kids were happy all around, BH! They are off to school again this week, and thank G-d it was an easy send off. 

A seems to be doing particularly well. He is totally understanding most of what he's learning, and has been up to speed in all of his classes! He is still hesitant to speak much hebrew, and I would like to see him with some more friends, but slowly...we are getting there.

J is doing good too, with lots of HW lately, but she plugs through even when it's hard. Ulpan has started in earnest and each one of them LOVES their teacher and seems excited about learning Hebrew.

B is also doing really well. He's my social one, and already has lots of friends, and is rarely seen at home before dinnertime. He seems to have the biggest language block so we are working particularly hard with him at night. 

S still sniffles as he enters school every morning, and we can't really figure out why. He goes right in, has LOTS and LOTS of friends "Hey! Yisrael! You are here! Come, come play with us!" (Must be read in Israeli accent). He is already speaking some basic Hebrew. He has never asked to stay home, LOVES his homework (?) and chatters about everything that went on that day. Wish we could figure out why he is still sad in the mornings :(

R is doing GREAT! Much better! No crying when he goes off! He has an amazing Gan which focuses on teaching kids hebrew so that by next year they'll be fluent. He LOVES his morah, and is making friends.

N is too much for me. There, I've said it. I am actively seeking a place to put him a couple hours a week. His shenanigans have not gotten better. Here's a little example for you. On shabbos he did the following in a span of ten minutes:

He found a large saw and brought it in to us complete with sound affects. When we took it away, he climbed onto the dining room table, and put the largest Cutco knife that we own into his mouth, POINT first. When we gently took that away, he spilled a whole cup of RED Crystal Light onto himself, the table and floor. While I was cleaning that up, he found ANOTHER knife and started licking it. What we did not realize was that this was the same knife BAW had been using to cut Jalapeños not too long before. He started screaming and sputtering. After finally calming him down, he took a shot glass off the table and threw it on the floor where it shattered into a million pieces. Have I said enough? Do you get the picture?! 


And people want to know why I am not unpacked yet. Frankly, it seems that I can't even clear off the shabbos table in time.