Keeping Busy

Get this girl to an amusement park stat! We spent Tuesday morning at the park again and Estie made a mad dash to the train 'ride.' I put ride in quotations because it was pretty dinky, but Estie was in love, once again. Check out that smile

Chaya Bracha felt a little left out, but she cheered from the side.

After the train it was on to a 'gymboree' area. Check out these cuties.

Seriously, they had so much fun. It was a great day.

Watching a kid's show on Daddy's shoulders. I think they are confused about what's appropriate for kids around here. The first act was pretty much a Vegas warm up routine with scantily dressed women, hula hoops and unicycles. The 'ring leader' was wearing a tux with no shirt. The music was deafening. Then the main act came on and sang a song about how school is shtuyot/nonsense. Great message guys.

Estie and Chaya went home to nap with Daddy and Lev and I went to the main stage to watch acrobatics, singing and dancing. Then we took an hour break at home for lunch before returning to the park to watch the parade. It was the annual Christian's loving Israel parade where thousands of religious Christians from around the world come to Jerusalem to tell us that they love us. Lev remembered the parade from last year along with the rules: Give all candy to Mommy to check that it's kosher (if it's not she'll replace it with something that is) and Get as many flags as possible (the members of each country's delegation give out their country's flags). Lev vowed to get 10 flags, but soon upped the number to 25. We ended up with 28. It was a good lesson in accepting gifts and being grateful, even if you already have what you're getting and even if it's not kosher. All I can say is: the world loves a blonde child.

Before the parade, we met the 5 Spanish delegates from Madrid! They were recording Lev, so he said 'Hi Uncle Phil!'

Watching the parade with Savta Bubbie. The girls stayed at home and I really enjoyed being there with Lev. He was the perfect age for it.

There were Israeli businesses in the parade. Doda Rachel's bank's delegation was dressed as the high priests from the Temple. Only in Israel.

On Wednesday morning the big kids went to the shuk with me for about 1.5 hours. We all survived and got all the groceries we needed! Then we went to the new soft serve ice cream place down the street which was having a deal of 5 ice creams for 20 shekel. We took Amit, our neighbor's grandson, with us. It was pretty chemical tasting, but it was a nice treat.

The Beeps likes her chocolate. Yup, she's the third child.

I love how Chaya Bracha plays with the big kids.

Estie and Jake taking a nap together. Lev refuses to call him Jake, preferring the Hebrew Yaakov.

Proud Aunt and Uncle

Our last meal in the Sukkah until next year. Chaya Bracha ate three turkey dogs!

And she's off! Our neighbor's granddaughters love taking Chaya Bracha out for fun walks and activities.

See ya later.

My other biker chick. We got her a bell with flowers on it, so she doesn't feel bad about getting a hand-me-down. The reality is that it was a hand-me-down for Lev too, but they don't realize that.

Today was Simchat Torah and they enjoyed eating TONS of candy. It's crazy. B"H I had a huge pot of chicken soup and we got them to eat some of that throughout the day as well. Between synagogue, playing with the neighbor's grandkids and the two baby puppies one our street, the kids had a great day. BTW, Chaya Bracha loves making nice to babies, human or puppy.