Elie-isms

Elie's my little guy with big personality :-)  Lately some of the things he says and does are just so funny and cute.

I keep a chart for each of the boys where they earn stars to "buy" rewards.  Moi took Elie to the gift shop at Legoland to look for a Lego set.  When he found the one he wanted he plops it on the counter and the cashier asks him if he has enough money.  Elie says, "Yes, I have 44 stars."

Elie and I went to a Padres game together.  Elie tells me he has to go potty.  I say, "Ok let's go!"  He says, "No I will go by myself!"  I finally convinced him that wasn't a good idea.

Babi got the boys a huge pack of superhero underwear at Costco.  The boys love them and like to sort them in various piles.  Elie will also where three pairs at once because he just can't get enough of them.

He also has superhero socks that he likes to mix and match.  Maybe so that he doesn't have to commit to just one character?

Elie has a new pair of those black and white checkered Vans that he loves.  As we were walking out the door I noticed he was wearing one of those on one foot and one of his old Puma slip ons on the other.  It actually looked pretty cool so I let him.  Little trend setter!

Elie loves his Thomas the Train backpack that has the wheels and handle so much that he wanted to wear it to sleep.  In the middle of the night he came in to our bed, still wearing it :-)  I could hear it clanging around as he's trying to get in the covers.

Asher's Preschool Graduation

Videos of Elie

Visit to the USS Midway Museum

Last week we visited the USS Midway Museum.  The boys absolutely loved it and didn't want to leave.  We practically had to pry Elie out of the exhibits. 

A little mouse

I found a little mouse getting into the cookie stash.  He seems to think that if he doesn't look at me then I can't see him :-)

Nice Shades!

Last Week in Israel :-(

Sardines on buttered toast, so yummy!

UH-MAZING fois gras I had at a fantastic restaurant called 1886, in Jerusalem

 We had lunch at this place near the souk in Tel Aviv with some real gems on their menu...  above you've got the calf feet soup...

                                                           Lungs in sauce...Hmmm

                                            And of course... ox testicles! 

Left to right: Anita, Mordechai, Yona, Chaya, Meier, Me, Moises, Salo, Elie, Asher

The view from Babi and Zeide's

What Happens with Babi and Zeide Stays with Babi and Zeide ;-)

Asher's Amazing Memory

 Asher was looking through pictures on Moises' phone.  When he came to this one (above photo), he says, "Hey I saw a book that probably had this in it!"  So he runs into Zeide's office, grabs a book from the shelf and brings us this book (below). "See, look," as he's pointing to the top left corner.  "It must be somewhere inside this book since it has it on the front!"

More from Zeide...

Zeide's Pictures...

 Here are pictures from the adventures the boys went on while Moises and I were in Jerusalem.  They had been acting a little naughty since we arrived in Israel.  Babi and Zeide were a little nervous at the idea of us leaving the kids with them for a couple of nights.  After the first day we called to check in and Babi said they were behaving so well, saying please and thank you, picking up after themselves, doing what they were told and no fighting with each other!  Maybe we should leave them here for the summer and Babi and Zeide can return them to us in August?!!!  That's a great idea!!!

Israel 2013, Week II

 Ha Tachana

Moises, Asher and I (Elie stayed with Babi and Zeide) went to HaTachana (the old train station bordering Jaffa and Tel Aviv) to have lunch.  This train station use to connect Turkey to Egypt during the Ottoman Empire up until 1948, when Great Britain terminated the Ottoman rule.  Nowadays, it is a monument with great little boutiques, restaurants, cafes and a place to just stroll around.  We went to a great tapas and wine bar called Vicky Cristina.  It's outdoors under the oldest tree in Tel Aviv.  After lunch, Moises sat down to do some work at a coffee shop while Asher and I goofed around on the trains, took pictures and then decided to go back to Vicky Cristina to have some flourless chocolate cake that I had my eyes on at lunch ;-)

 

Run like the Wind Asher!!!

Asher telling me he loves me: "I", as he points to himself.

"Love", as he draws a heart in the air.

"You, you, you!" pointing to me.  (A little something he learned from Papi (Moi) :-)

Flourless chocolate cake

Jerusalem

Moises and I spent a couple of nights in Jerusalem sans kidlets.  The boys stayed with Babi and Zeide.  It was so nice to have a couple days of peace and quiet!!!

On the rooftop of our favorite hotel in Jerusalem, Mamilla.  You can click here to check it out.

At the Israel Museum

Mahane Yehuda

I am perfectly content wandering through the market all day and just get lost!  I love exploring all the different spices, flavors of halva and other goods they have.  I always buy a few different spices or blends to take home with me to the states. 

Spices

Any kind of halva you can imagine!

Spice Blends

Beautiful rows of dried fruit and nuts.

 Mahane Yehuda Restaurant

We went to this quirky little restaurant on the outskirts of Mahane Yehuda that had amazing food and upbeat atmosphere.

The kitchen

The check arrived in this adorable vintage clutch.

Day Trip to Hebron (West Bank)

Moises and I hired a tour guide to take us to Rachel's tomb (located in Bethlehem) and then the tombs of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Leah (all located in Hebron).  Bethlehem and Hebron are in the West Bank so you really need to go with someone who knows the protocol.  The main roads are under Israeli control even in areas populated mostly by Palestinian Arabs.  There are check points run by Israeli soldiers at the territorial borders where they allow vehicles with appropriate plates and people with work permits to enter Israeli territory.  The Israeli government forbids Israelis to enter Bethlehem to avoid the liability to protect or rescue them if anything should happen.  Because Rachel's tomb is in Bethlehem, the road that takes you there has 30-foot cement walls on either side and security towers with Israeli soldiers stationed inside. 

Outside the tomb of Rachel

They have built a solid structure around the tomb to ensure safety.  You can go here to see pictures of how it has changed over the years.

The roads along the way to Hebron had high chain link fences to prevent Palestinians from throwing stones at the cars.

The tomb of the Patriarchs.  Until 1929 Jews were forbidden from entering the site, and were not allowed past the seventh step leading up to the tombs.  Today the building is divided into two sections, Muslim and Jewish.  Only Jews are allowed into the tombs of Abraham, Sarah, Jacob and Leah while only Muslims are allowed in the tombs of Isaac and Rebecca.  However, the Jews are allowed full access during the 10 Jewish Holy Days throughout the year, and viceversa for the Muslims.

Abraham

Sarah

Jacob

Leah

TIPH (Temporary International Presence in the city of Hebron) monitors the situation in Hebron and reports on breaches of the agreements on Hebron between the Israeli and the Palestinian side, as well as international humanitarian law and international recognized human rights standards.