Yesterday was another cold, rainy day so Keren and I quickly did our food shopping after dropping the kids off at school and then we ran home and stayed in the whole morning. When it was time for a nap I put her into her crib and she started to cry.  I thought it was probably because she is so used to going out and she wasn’t tired at all (even though she woke up at 6:30 again!).  I the end I snuggled with her and gave her a speech about not crying when I put her in and she didn’t cry and went right to sleep.  I think she listened to me

When the kids came home from school I gave them lunch and then took Ben over to Robin’s house.  Talia, Keren and I continued on to see my grandparents in Petach Tikavah.  My grandmother had something removed from her finger and wasn’t able to drive so we went to them instead.  Ben didn’t want to go b/c he had a  bday party so he stayed with Eitan all afternoon and when we came home we picked him up and he was showered and in pajamas and ready for bed!  I love Robin!!

Anyway, we had a nice time there and I was able to help Talia with her book report while my grandmother played with Keren.  So that was a big help b/c that book report is due on Monday and Eric did the last one with her and I had to do this one with her and I was dreading it.  It’s a problem that Keren is always around and looking for attention.  It doesn’t give me any time to do homework with Talia. I think that next year when Ben starts getting homework I am definitely going to need to bring someone in to help during homework time to either do it with them or take care of Keren or the kids not doing the homework.  We really had a nice time there and went out to dinner with my grandparents and Aunt Suzie.  My grandmother suggested that we could start coming to her some weeks. I told her that it’s very nice but the whole point of this Wednesday visit started b/c she offered to come and help me so I could go shopping or cook, etc.  Now it’s turned into just a weekly visit with my grandparents which, while nice, doesn’t help me at all if I can’t get anything done!!  I told her that I would love to come another day but on Wednesdays I am already starting my Shabbat preparations.  So we’ll see what happens in the future.  Certainly on a Shabbat where we don’t have company, like this one, I can go there on a Wednesday afternoon.

This morning I schlepped out at 7 to get Foster from the bus and when I got there and turned my cellphone on I got his message that he had missed the bus!  So I went home to the kids, who were getting dressed and finished up and took them to school.  In the end he got a ride here b/c there was no way I was going back there for him 30 minutes later.

I went to Yerushalayim today with Robin and another friend from the yishuv.  We all needed gifts for past and upcoming Bar Mitzvahs.  Keren was pretty well behaved and we also stopped to get a bite to eat.  It was a really nice morning and we lucked out with the weather.  It somehow was nice and sunny in Yerushalayim even though it was rainy and gross here.  When we got home I transferred a very sleepy Keren into her bed and crossed my fingers that she would stay asleep!  She wound up sleeping for 2 hours.  Guess we tired her out in Yerushalayim.

Ben went straight to a friend’s house after swim and then from there went to some kind of Tu B’Shvat arts and crafts thing that they had in the shul.  Here is the project that he made:

Meanwhile, Talia came home and then went out to her survival chug and came back with the muddiest shoes I’ve ever seen.  It tooka while to clean them and it is going to take days until they dry out.  She said the were racing in the mud.  I, of course, was just thrilled!  Take a look:

When she came home she invited a friend to play and they played nicely until 6.  At 6 I took her friend home and picked up Ben. 

We got news today that we won the michraz and we now own a piece of land (pending approval from the vaad hakabalah, of course).  Very exciting news.  All 4 families all won their land!!  Incredible!!

I took a cute picture of Keren the other day wearing her dress up Barbie shoes: