Dinner Time

Itieli's got the giggles!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3pJ0_lTApk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Itieli Finds Food

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-EP95tN5Gg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

This exemplifies our road trip perfectly

This is what most days were like on our road trip in the summer, in between the fighting, yelling, etc. Can you see Itieli laughing?

Itieli is 9 months!

Thank G-d we had a new baby boy nine months ago! But I bet you don't want to see all the pictures I've taken since he was born, so I'll just show a few. PS- I'm not a horrible mom! Don't tell him!

Wait! That was only January! Oh well, eventually I'll catch up!

Videos from Achinoam's Party!

More to come...

Achinoam's Chanuka Party 2012

Fixing the hair

Examining her cool light-up ring

Candle-lighting

Some of the cool Abbas were recruited to participate. More on this to follow..

Spontaneous Abba hug

Magic!

Finale! Lightup sticks! 

Pictures from Gedalya's Shabbat Program

On Friday last week I showed some videos from Gedalya's shabbat party at Bilu..

One part of it that I thought was so smart was that they used 6th graders to act out the play. The 2 men in the play are the Rabbis from the school and they brought in a music guy. The students from the main school learned something and so did the gan chova kids- 2 birds with one stone- great!

They told the story 

Then we sat at a pretend shabbat table and Gedalya told everyone how much he loves my chicken! I melted..

One of the Rabbis taught the kids about safrut and everyone made their name in beautiful letters. 

And at the end we sang וזכיני לגדל...the bracha I make with the candles before Shabbat. I was bawling...My baby is growing up! Gedalya laughed...his Ima is ridiculous! Can't control herself! Yeah that's me!

Videos of Achinoam's Mesibat Siyum

This is going to be our last installment of videos of mesibot siyum (don't all jump for joy at the same time!). This set of videos is mostly me sitting next to Achinoam and the music is strikingly similar to Tzviya's graduation. Oh well, she is so cute in her own right, that it doesn't matter. Next time you see Achinoam, ask her to sing you אצא לי השוקה! Enjoy!

Mr. G at his Graduation

With Estee, his Gannenet..

With Ella..

Nice tie! With Abbale...

Proud Ima!

Achinoam: "I want a popsicle too!" So Gedalya gave his to her. What a guy!

Another proud Ima moment!

Gedalya next to the picture of all the kids moving on to new paths.

Waiting for all the kids to arrive...

Soccer Videos

These are some great videos of Gedalya and his team at the soccer final. Here you get a glimpse of what it was like to be there, and some of the crazy parents shouting from the sidelines (ahem, not me!)

Tzviya Sings Shurum Zurum!

This is Tzviya at her best! Better than at her mesibat siyum where she protested because the room was too hot, which it was (videos to follow)! She LOVES this song, so the next time you see her, ask her to sing it for you!

Videos of Tzviya's Mesibat Siyum

And if you didn't grab your coffee yesterday, sit back, relax and enjoy Tzviya's beautiful performance of "A Race to Good Health". All the songs are about being healthy and these kids are just so cute!!!

Kids at their Craziest

Just something to perk y'all up on this Monday morning...

Gedalya was superman here (they painted his face at a party).

Achinoam trying to run away from me...

Videos of Gedalya's Mesibat Siyum

For those of you who couldn't be with us for Gedalya's mesibat siyum, we recorded some of it for your viewing pleasure. The theme was "Going on your path" (ie: going from gan to kita alef!) Somewhere in there is a great comedy routine, lots of fantastic dances, and the last video is Mr. G getting his diploma. Each video is a different song. So go get a cup of coffee and a muffin, sit back, and enjoy! And don't forget to leave comments!

Ima time with Achinoam

Being able to spend one on one time with your toddler is truly precious. That's why when her gan said we were going on an hour bus ride in the blazing heat to a huge gymboree with a million 3 year olds, I immediately said 'yes'!  Wouldn't any good mother?

It wasn't the bus that made my decision so clear, or the heat. 

It was the fact that I knew she'd remember this day for a long time.

She still talks about swimming with Avrahami and Talia.

She was so happy to be with me and in the water...

She did everything I said!

(that was just an added benefit)

I didn't let her go up any stairs or slides, so this was as far up as she and her friends got. But it didn't stop them from having 3 hours of fun in the water, just running around and splashing. 

Three cheers for Ima time!

Shabbat shalom from Gan Chova Bilu!

Gedalya had a beautiful shabbat party at his gan a few months ago. They sang songs, learned about shabbat, and watched a play. This was the final part and I was a mess...yup, that's why the video is so shaky. The program was a huge success.

Shalom Aleichem

Adon Olam

Videos from Achinoam's Birthday

Singing happy birthday to you!


Pin the tail on Minnie (they figured out this game pretty fast)






Close-up of her cake


One second being tossed up in a chair (she kind of liked it, kind of cried)

Getting to the Finals

About a month ago, Gedalya's soccer team competed in a real tournament.

Here they are getting ready for their first game.

Pep talk with coach HULI.

They learned many lessons along the way. First, to respect the other team. They shook hands with all of them before and after the game.

They learned how to work together. 

And in the end, even though they came in second in the finals (which is fantastic), they learned that it's really not about winning, it's about having fun playing together. 

What did I (the Ima) learn? Bring a lot more snacks, leave the other kids with a babysitter, and it's very easy to get sucked into being that parent screaming from the sidelines, but what's important is the support for whatever the outcome is, and of course the ice cream after!

Ode to the Gymboree

Oh Gymboree how I love thee

You tire me out with your trampolines

You make me laugh and giggle

BUT

 be careful not to overstay. Getting 3 hyper, overtired children in the car and to sleep is not easy! Oh Gymboree. 

A's Minnie Mouse Birthday Party!

A big June event in our house was Achinoam's Minnie Mouse 3rd birthday party. She requested it be a Minnie Mouse party since she loves minnie (for some reason which we still can't figure out). 

So naturally, like any good mother, I stayed up till the wee hours making decorations. Luckily the cake wasn't too difficult- and tasted amazing!

To top it all off, we got her a huge bouquet of balloons, which she was ecstatic about. See below- she had that smile plastered there the entire party!

So did Tzviya, by the way.

She got Minnie as a present- loved it~

Tzuri had a blast too!

Abba also enjoyed himself! 

Here are the rest of the pictures. Enjoy the party!