Yesterday was a whopping 93 degrees, that’s the temperature that our car registered.  It was HOT.  Ben walks out of the house every morning and tells me that it’s just like Florida.  I wonder when he’ll stop and realize that it’s just like Israel!!

Eric woke up early with the kids b/c I couldn’t move after the night of dancing the night before.  He got the kids out to school and then he went to ulpan and I got my tuchus out of bed just in time to make it to playgroup.  Keren had a pretty good time.  I think I enjoy playgroup more than she does…

We got home at 10:30 and I gave Keren something to eat and before I knew it Ben was dropped off at 11 b/c his day was over!  He had a short day yesterday b/c last night he had his party for finishing בראשית .  Ben and I snuggled on the couch and watched a movie while Keren slept and Eric ran out to get some groceries.

We picked Talia up from school and went to eat some falaffel for lunch.  Then the kids did the usual rounds of English chug.  Talia could not learn how to spell the words for her spelling test no matter how many times we went over them.  Instead of her usual 100 she got 2/6 right!  I knew she wasn’t going to get it.  They were words like – What, When, Where.  She just couldn’t get it.  Oh well.

The kids played outside the rest of the afternoon and Eric finally threw out the pieces of the shed.  We sure did not get our money out of that purchase!!  We never followed up to the company when they told us they would sell replacement parts and now it’s too late.  Anyway, we play on building a real shed that will sit outside our new house in Even Shmuel, so we won’t have a need for this one.  Now the front of our house is nice and clean and so is the back.  I also cleaned up all of the toys in the back.  Spring cleaning in 90 degree weather in February.  Crazy!

At 6 we took the kids over to the shul to watch Ben in action.  He was adorable.  As usual, the thing went way too long and the kids were tired and hungry and forced to perform song after song!  I enjoyed it.  I love those things.  I’ll have to get Eric to put some video (there is tons of it!) on line and I’ll add a link another time.  Meanwhile, here are some stills:

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We got home at 7:30 and the kids were in bed by 8.

I just came back from dancing and it’s 11 pm so I am going to make this a short one.

Shabbat in Modiin was nice.  Neither of us slept but the kids slept so that was good.  In fact, Keren went right to sleep without even a peep!!  We were exhausted the rest of the day but we had a nice time despite it.

We booked as soon as Shabbat was over.  The kids were sooo tired from a whole day out at lunch and then at the park that we got them into bed at 7 and they went right to sleep.  We also went to sleep really early.

Today was your typical Sunday.  School, the park in Modiin and then a birthday party for Talia in the afternoon.  One for the 5thgrade girls came to play with Ben and Keren while Talia was at her party.

Tonight they had a dance thing at the shul for women only.  They had a great DJ there and we basically danced from 8:00-11:00. I am DEAD now.  We had such a great time!!  I am totally going to institute dance night at the new yishuv.

I can’t write anymore, I have to get into bed.

I forgot to mention in yesterday’s blog that Keren finally agreed to sit on the back of my bike and wear her little helmet!  We went to the play in the evening yesterday and we all rode our bikes there together. It was so cute.  In the past she wouldn’t sit on the bike for more than one go around on the patio outside but yesterday she was giggling while I took her on the bike. 

This morning I went to Ben’s school and read the kids a story.  It was NOT easy.  They gave me something to read since I hadn’t brought anything of my own and I had about 3 minutes to look at it before I had to read it and explain it to the kids.  Oy.  I was glad that the teacher was there b/c she helped me a lot.  It was not my most favorite thing to do.  Ben was very happy, though, and really enjoyed sitting next to me.  Keren made trouble, as usual, and started pulling off the boys’ kippot.  The teacher grabbed her and she wasn’t so happy with that until the teacher gave her a chocolate waffle.  That worked!!

We came home and I had to make another dessert for the people we are eating by on Shabbat b/c my other dessert kind of fell apart (I am not sure why) and I am going to bring it b/c it tastes good but I don’t want them to have to serve it if they don’t want to.  I think we are going to be 40 people at lunch on Shabbat!

Next Keren and I went to get flowers for the people we are sleeping at.

Now Talia is home and we are going to do some homework that she has to do on the computer.  Her computer keeps giving us a blue screen so I am going to let her use my computer to do her homework. 

I assume that I will have to get Eric at some point today.  He didn’t e-mail me to let me know that he is on the flight lie he usually does so I hope he is actually on the flight.  I’ll wait for him to call me and see what he says.  Wonder what happened…

Have to pack us all up too. Uch, I hate that.

Shabbat Shalom.

Yesterday was beautiful and warm so after Keren and I did the grocery shopping we came home and ate breakfast and then went back out to the park in Modiin, where we hadn’t been for a while.

In the afternoon the kids came home, ate lunch and made cards to bring to my grandfather in the hospital.  We met my grandmother at her apartment and then went from there to the hospital.  We saw my grandfather, who was very, very happy to see the kids.  Instead of sitting inside, this time we sat outside and the kids played hide and go seek and other games that we came up with for them.  There is a really pretty area in the back of the hospital with grass where they were able to run around.  My grandfather enjoyed watching them. 

We left him and we went out to eat with my grandmother and great aunt.  We went to the same place we’ve gone the last few weeks.  I think next week we might try another place b/c Ben is getting sick of it and I think my grandmother might be as well.

Today we picked up Foster bright and early.  Ben threw a bit of a fit b/c Talia wanted to come with us, whereas it’s usually just the 2 of us or sometimes Keren comes with the 2 of us also.  He didn’t want Talia to come.  While he was crying he announced that I don’t care about him just like his teachers don’t care about him. It’s not the first time he’s said something like this about his teachers.  I took him to school today and told his assistant teacher what he said and she said that i should really speak to the real teacher (who was not there today).  So tomorrow I am going to discuss it with his main teacher. This might be the reason that he tells me he doesn’t want to go to school often.  I don’t know.

Anyway, today was WARM.  I think it might have hit 80 here.  So we walked to school today and then I came home with Keren and we watched some TV and had some breakfast and then went to run some errands.  Ben told me this morning that tomorrow he is going to be the אבא של שבת in school and I had to run out and get him some candies to hand out.  Luckily, I already had the grape juice and cups, I did not want to have to run out and get that stuff on a Thurs.  We also had to exchange money b/c I was out of it!

I got a call on the way home that Ben’s swim was cancelled today due to a broken pump in the pool.  So I had to arrange for Ben to get home with Robin b/c Keren would still be asleep when he gets out b/c she only starts her nap after Foster leaves at 12.  I knew he was going to be very upset when he found out so I was glad not to have to be the one to tell him!  Ha!  Better Robin than me

So Keren and I dropped the candies and the car at home and walked to pay a shiva call.  A friend of mine from Ulpan last year just lost her husband to cancer.  It was very quick.  It was his third marriage (they are much older) and his children were sitting shiva somewhere else and she decided to sit here by herself.  So someone organized hours for people to go during the day so she wouldn’t be alone.  So I brought Keren with me and I was so happy to see Robin there when I got there b/c when she saw me, she and the other woman left and it was my turn to sit there and Robin took Keren home with her.  So that was great.

In the afternoon Talia had her chug and I took Ben and Keren to the park.  At 4:30 we all met at the Moadon Noar and went to the performance that was put on there.  Talia and Ben said it was great.  I, unfortunately, had to stay outside with a very noisy Keren who kept trying to get up to the stage.  She was adorable, however, in the beginning when they were just playing music and she was dancing!!  I bought the kids slushies and everyone was happy. 

I have to go check the weather report b/c if it stays this warm we’ll have to pack short sleeves for Shabbat.  We are going to Shefa and Aharon’s house for Shabbat.

My day started pretty early.  Ben came up at 5 to tell me that he was sweaty and it was my fault b/c he hadn’t taken a shower the night before.  It was my fault b/c I left the heat on for them, bad mother that I am, and so he woke up all sweaty at 5.  At 5:30 Keren woke up, probably from the noise Ben was making in is room now that he had decided that it was morning.  I went down to get Keren and told Ben to go back to sleep (he was playing with the Leapster in his bed).  Of course the 2 of us didn’t go back to sleep!!

At 7:15 Talia came up and climbed into bed with us.  Ben came up shortly after.  I decided it was going to be a lazy morning and I stayed in bed a little while longer before getting up and getting them dressed and out.  By the time we got to school it was close to 9!

Keren and I hung out at home this morning.  I was too tired to move and so was she.  We watched TV and played with toys and then I fed her and put her in for an early nap.  I dragged myself into bed and slept for a little while too, though not as long as I had hoped. 

This afternoon I decided to give the kids a meat lunch.  My friend Ilana gives her kids meat lunches and then they don’t have a big dinner.  I decided to try it today b/c the kids have been coming home so famished and then they are eating the rest of the day or begging me to eat dinner really early.  So I made a big meat meal of sloppy joes and rice.  Ben came home and ate it.  Talia came home a little while later and said she wasn’t hungry b/c she ate 2 of her lunches at school today just before she came home b/c her teacher was absent, or something like that.  Of course! 

After Ben’s English and after I took Talia to her English, Keren, Ben and I went to the bagel store to pick up dinner and then spent the rest of the afternoon at the park next door.  Of course, while we were there,  Ben insisted that he was STARVING!!  So much for the meat for lunch theory of my friend.  We had a great time at the park despite the fact that I think we left Ben’s shirt there.  I’ll go back tomorrow and see if I can find it.

Side note about Keren:  I taught her last night to lay on her belly in the bath and she LOVES it!!  She is so cute.  Oy!  She hangs out in the bath now on her stomach and kicks her feet and is so content.

Today we had playgroup at our house!  Three other mommies and their children came to play.  Keren was really excited.  I took out a bunch of toys and put them all in the living room and all the kids played really nicely.  In fact, they all stayed until 10:30, rather than 10.  So we had our first successful mommie playtime at our house.

Talia got all of her spelling words right today at English as well as the bonus word!   I think it’s the first time that she’s gotten everything right.  She was so proud of herself. 

Nothing else out of the ordinary happened today.  Ben went to his friend Gili’s house after English and stayed there until 5.  Talia wanted to go to her friend’s house as well but she was rude to me and I punished her.  In the end it didn’t even matter b/c her friend never called.  She was pretty antsy tonight and after we picked Ben up from Gili’s house she asked if she could take a walk.  She and Ben wound up hanging out down the block on a bench.  They came home for dinner and went right back out until 7!  They had a piece of paper and a pen and they said they were writing down the names of flowers.  I was just happy they were getting along.

Oh, Keren counts.  Here is how she counts:  1, 2, 3, 6.  No mention of the numbers 4 and 5.   She is so funny!!

I forgot to write about Keren’s first time out on Friday night.  It was hysterical!  Eric was in shul and Keren kept biting the kids.  After the third time that I told Keren that if she bit one of the kids again that I would put her in a time out, she bit Ben again.  So I put her in a little chair and I made her face the sliding glass door and she started to cry.  She got back up and I put her back in her chair and she sat there crying.  When I turned around to go back to playing with the kids, I noticed that Ben was crying.  I asked Talia why he was crying and she told me that he felt bad for Keren.   After about 20 seconds Talia also burst into tears.  So I had the three of them hysterical crying.  I had to take Keren out of her time out b/c Ben and Talia couldn’t keep it together.  It was hysterical!!

This morning Keren and I met my friend for breakfast.  It was nice until Keren started melting down.  Oh well.   She was up pretty early this morning so I guess she had to nap a little earlier than usual.  She brought me 3 books to read, yay!  I was out of books and Eric is away for the week so this will give me something to do.

Robin called and asked me to take Eitan home with us and we wound up going to the park for a little while with Ben, Eitan and Gili (I asked her to come along to the great excitement of her mother).  We came home and I fed the kids lunch and they played nicely.  Talia came home and we did a little bit of homework  and then in jest I told her that I wished she was old enough to go to the makolet for me to which she replied that she is old enough to go and she wants to go for me!!   So I sent her to the makolet with a plastic sandwich bag full of coins and a list consisting of 2 potatoes and a bag of carrots.  She came back with the two things and said she would have been back sooner but she couldn’t find the area where they keep the vegetables until she decided to ask someone and then saw that they are kept by the door that she used to come into the store.  She was so cute.  She brought me the receipt and told me what the change was that she got and how much she spent, etc.  I think I might have to make up a few more makolet trips for her in the future b/c she had such a good time and felt so grown up. 

Eitan went home soon after that.  Talia had her “bayit cham” at her friend’s house so we hopped in the car and delivered a bunch of Bar Mitzvah presents and then I took her to her friend’s house in Lapid (neighboring town/yishuv).   Three 5th graders came over at 5 to play with the kids.  They come as part of some kind of school project or something like that.  It took a while for Ben and Keren to warm up to them.  At one point I even asked Ben if he wanted them to leave.  He said no and after about 20 minutes he was playing with them.   They got a kick out of Keren and enjoyed playing with her a lot.  Two of the girls were pretty outgoing and one was kind of quiet.  It was nice b/c I was able to finish making dinner and make lunch for the kids for tomorrow while they played and were happy!  I am looking forward to next Sunday when they come again.

Eric is upstairs packing as I write this.  He is leaving tonight so he can get in for Eric’s sister Ayelet’s engagement party.  Of course, since he’s booked his flight, they have changed the party to Sat. night, tonight, so he will be leaving us a day early for nothing really.  We are going to take advantage of him being there on a Sunday and I am going to send him with a big shopping list

Friday we went to get Ben a new passport.  His passport finally expired.  He has this horrible picture of him as a baby all smushed up on there that looks nothing at all like him.  We took him and Keren to Tel Aviv for a 9 o’clock appointment.  It was pretty simple and we were out of there in an hour and home in time to take Ben to school for the last 2 hours.  We told him it was his choice if he wanted to go or not but he chose to go b/c he wanted to go to the Shabbat party and get his candy.  You know Ben, if there is candy involved he has to have some.

About an hour before Shabbat I was heating up the soup and making the kids shnitzel for dinner and I looked outside and happened to see a big spark on the power line.  Then half the lights in the house went out.  It was basically the upstairs and some downstairs lights.  We put a lamp in the kitchen and plugged the freezer in the storage room into another outlet and prepared the kids that it was going to be VERY dark in their rooms but we would leave the shades open so they would have the lights from the street lights.  After I lit candles we saw a guy up on the ladder fixing whatever was broken and the lights all went on!  So Eric scrambled around the house undoing what we did and making sure that we were set for Shabbat and fixing Shabbos clocks.  It was pretty hectic. 

Of course, while all this is going on my neighbor’s brother and sister-in-law show up with their stuff at my front door.  She was supposed to call me if they were coming but I guess she didn’t want to put me out b/c they just showed up and I hadn’t made the beds or anything!  He came with all the bedding and everything so I think she didn’t tell me on purpose.  I think she wanted to send them with the bedding so I wouldn’t have to do it all.  I’m not sure.

Shabbat was LOOONG.   The kids fought today while Keren napped.  It wasn’t a very pleasant afternoon.  At 4 Eric took Ben and Keren to the park (despite the freezing weather) and Talia went to a friend’s house to play.

I had some funny things to write about the kids but I can’t think of anything at the moment.

Check out Keren’s kissy face:

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Today was a windy and rainy day so Keren and I stayed in this morning (after doing the shopping) doing laundry and coloring while Eric went to Uplan.  Eric had to stand up in class today and give a speech about the place where he grew up.  Actually, he was supposed to have done it a month ago but somehow got away without doing it for this long. 

This afternoon I took the kids to visit my grandfather in the hospital he is in now for rehab.  He cried when I walked in with the kids and hugged Keren.  Luckily the kids didn’t get freaked out b/c he usually teases them like that but this time he was serious.  He was very happy to see them.  He looked good.  He was in his wheelchair the whole time we were there and he is now able to get in and out of his chair without a nurse, so that is a big improvement since the last time I saw him.

We got home late and Eric helped me get the kids into the house b/c it was pouring when we got home.  We tucked the kids in and I cleaned the chicken and folded the laundry and now I am watching a little American Idol before heading to bed.

Hell of a day Eric and I had today!  We had to take this stupid, ridiculous test today to get into the yishuv that we want to live in.  You would think that it’s a meeting with people on the vaad and they ask you questions about yourself or something like that.  Well, it’s not!!  Today was a day full of copying pictures, drawing a tree and making up a story about that tree, telling a story about 3 pictures that they showed up, drawing pictures inside circles, making paper airplanes and participating in other stupid stupid stupid activities.  Thrown in there were some questions about ourselves and an interview with a woman who, I’m sure, doesn’t live on the yishuv and is employed by the testing center.   Oh, and it was in Hebrew!  We were told that we could answer in English and not have to pay an extra 150 shekels to have them translate it but in the end they charged us (but not our friends who took it last week) and by the end we said that as long as they were charging us that they could give us the rest of the test in English.  So the hard stuff was in Hebrew and the easy stuff was in English.  Oh well.

Meanwhile, what to do with our kids when we have to be there from 8 am to 2 pm??  Well, thank you thank you thank you Robin Zemel for rescuing us!  We zipped out of the house at 7:40 this morning (we were told we could get to the testing center in yerushalayim at 8:30 instead of and dropped Ben and Keren off at Robin’s house and then took Talia to school.  She took care of Keren all day and made sure that Ben went to and from school and English.  Talia went to a friend’s house and her mother took her to English and then I picked them up from gymnastics at the end of the day.  Robin went so far as to tell us to go out for lunch after the horrific morning that we had.  She said she had everything under control.  We went!!  I wonder if we can take her with us to Even Shmuel, assuming that I drew the right pictures this morning, that is!

After a day like today I don’t feel very much like blogging.  I will just say that tonight when I picked Talia up from gymnastics she was helping the other girls clean up like she was supposed to be doing.  They all pick the mats up over their heads and carry them over to where the teacher piles them up.  I noticed tonight that Talia is so short that she kind of jumps as she walks to lift the mats up b/c the other girls are so much taller than she is and they lift them up higher then she can actually reach.  It’s so funny!