Mama's getting her relax on

We recently renovated our bathroom to include a double vanity and a large Jacuzzi tub. Here are pictures of the way it was before (this is when we bought our house 4 years ago, so we had decorated it differently, but these are the only "befores" that we have):



And after:








I love my new bathroom! I now have a nice place to de-stress after a long hard day's work of being a mommy!

We have babies!

Baby birds, that is. A couple of weeks ago I noticed a robin flying into one of the hanging baskets on my porch with twigs and things. A couple of days later I noticed she had built a nest. A few days after that, I noticed that robin sitting on that nest almost constantly. Then today as I was in the living room, I heard some high pitched peeping and saw the robin flying "home" with a worm. Later this evening while Sophie and I were playing outside I grabbed a step stool and took some pictures. They aren't the best quality, as I was standing on my tiptoes on the step stool and just sticking the camera into the hanging basket, without knowing exactly what I would capture. Here they are:

The mama bird, who flew into the yard as soon as I got close to the nest:


The nest:
Sophie walking (because she is so cute and I can't post without at least mentioning her):
Hungry baby birdies!
They are so little- their eyes aren't even open yet!

Adventures With The Boat

On Sunday my check engine light came on. Being the responsible driver that I am, I dropped my car off on Monday. On Tuesday, in the middle of entertaining 6 toddlers and their mommies the mechanic called to say I would be out of a car for the rest of the day and out of about $1,000. I was more upset about being stuck at home all day with Sophie (who needs lots of entertaining and stimulating by activities outside of the house) than I was about the cost of repairing my car. Luckily, Aunt Devorah invited us to go swimming with her and Leah after nap time (okay, we invited ourselves, but she was nice about it!). I had bought Sophie a new pool float the week before. It was a big motorboat and I knew Sophie would love it! Stupid me inflated it for her before nap time. She loved climbing in it, sitting on it, etc., and was most displeased when I moved it to a high place and carted her off to her crib. After her nap we got ready to go to the pool. Since the car was in the shop, we walked. Sophie held the boat on top of herself in the stroller for most of the walk, then I took over, pushing the stroller with one hand and carrying the boat with the other. She had a great time floating in the boat for about 10 min. Then she just wanted to be in the water (I assume because Leah was). An hour later we were all ready to leave. I decided to call into my home voicemail to see if the mechanic had called. He had! The car was ready! Since the pool is on the way to the shop from our house there was no sense in going home first. So we walked to the shop dripping wet. I decided to try to deflate the float so as not to look like a moron. But no matter how much I pushed and squeezed, that thing would not deflate. You may have seen a wet lady walking up Marnat Road pushing a stroller with one hand and carrying a ridiculously large and obtrusive motorboat float with the other. That was me. We got to the shop, I dropped off the float next to my car before paying the guy and driving home. Good times. Here are some pics:

Summer Fun

We have been having tons of fun so far this summer! On Wednesdays we go to Little Me, a preschool-like class where we play on the playground, play at the water table and in the sprinkler, have a snack, make a craft, have circle/singing time, and then play some more! On Thursdays we go to Music Together, which we have been doing since January. Sophie has a very musical ear and really enjoys singing songs and "playing" intruments. We have a playdate at least once a week. We also find random fun things to do like swimming, playing at the park, and going to the zoo! We are trying to form a weekly playgroup with other mommies and kids. We love the summer!

Israel Day 15

On Tuesday we went to the beach in Tel Aviv. We came back and had a sushi dinner before packing and heading to the airport at 2am!

Israel Days 13 and 14

On Sunday we went to the Israel Museum. We saw the model o the second Temple, walked through the gardens, saw the Dead Sea Scrolls, and looked at the modern art exhibits. On the way back we saw the Knesset and Supremem Court and stopped at Maoz for schwarma. Sunday night was Shavuot, and we all had dinner together.

Monday was Shavuot. After lunch and naps we walked to the Kotel and back through the Arab Shuk.

Israel Days 11 and 12

On Friday we went to Geula to shop for Shabbat. Then we went to the Weisband’s house in Ramot for lunch. We all had dinner together at the apartment.

On Shabbat we ate lunch together at the apartment. After Shabbat we went to Café Rimon for dinner.

Israel Day 10

On Thursday we toured the Old City. We began in Ir David, where we saw a film, and then archeological sites, including what was once a mansion thought to be owned by a family of wealthy Kohanim. We walked through Chizkiyahu’s Tunnels. We went to the Menachem Begin museum for lunch and saw some ancient tombs just outside. We then entered the Old City through the Zion Gate and visited the Burnt House, several archeological findings, and the rebuilding of the Churva and Rabbi Akiva’s synagogue. Later that night, we went to Darna, an authentic Morocan restaurant and shared a huge plate of lamb and couscous.

Israel Day 9

Wednesday morning we set out for Tzfat, where we learned a little about the history of the city from atop a park in the New City. We then walked through the Old City and visited the beautiful shuls , shopped for art, and ate lunch. We went to the Dalton winery. We drove up to the Naot Factory and down through the Hula Valley. We stopped at Mitzpeh Koach, before heading back to Yerushalayim.

Israel Day 8

On Tuesday we headed up North. After a pit stop at our tour guide’s house in the Shomron, we drove up to the Golan taking in the scenes of the Golan to our right and the Kineret to our left. We went to Tel Saki, a currently unused army outpost that was once ground zero during the Yom Kippur War. We stopped at a lookout point to take in the view of the Kinneret. We went to a visitor’s center for lunch and saw an audio visual presentation of the history of the Golan and Israel’s defense of it. We then visited the Golan Heights Winery. We drove down to Kibbutz Ginosar on the Kinneret, where we spent the night.

Israel Day 7

Monday was Yom Yerushalayim. The Rosenbaums came in and we met them at Gan Saccher to march in the city-wide parade with thousands of other people. Chaya Halbersberg Bernstain (my best friend from kindergarten-fifth grade) and her husband, Yochanan, drove in and picked us up for dinner. We ate at Joy in Emek Refaim.

Israel Day 6

On Sunday we went to the Dead Sea. We stopped at Mitzpeh Orit, a memorial for a girl who was killed that sits atop a beautiful vista overlooking the start of the desert. We then made a pit stop to pick up breakfast and ride a camel! We drove past the many date palm orchards and saw ibex cammoflaged in the rocky terrain. We arrived at Ein Gedi and hiked , stopping at waterfalls along the way to stay cool. We then saw the remains of an ancient synagogue complete with a beautiful mosaic floor. Then we went to the Ein Gedi spa at the Dead Sea, where we ate lunch before relaxing in the mineral-enriched pool and heading to the beach to cover ourselves in mud.