A trip to the Kosel

Of course we couldn't let Bain Hazmanim go by without going to the Kosel. Yisrael was really looking forward to it, since he learned a lot about the Bais Hamikdash and the Kosel in Cheder during the three weeks. He was a little disappointed - I think he was expecting a bit more than a wall, even though we kept telling him that that's what the Kosel is.

Bentzi took Yisrael with him to men's side to daven, and I took Bruria, where I had her kiss the wall, and I asked her to daven to Hashem. So she said "Shema", and then I told her to ask Hashem to help her be a Tzadekes, to which she answered, "Only Mommy be a Tzadekes!"

I think the part they enjoyed most was the water fountain in the Kosel Plaza... I hope that BE"H as they grow older, they'll get a deeper appreciation...but I figured we have to start somewhere!

The Mini Zoo here in Beitar

I must give the City of Beitar credit- whenver there's vacation, they really put together some nice activities for the kids, at very low cost. Its gives families something to do without having to shlep too far. Most of the activities were geared for kids a bit older than ours, but they did put together a GREAT mini zoo which our kids loved! They brought in rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, chickens, ducks, goats, snakes, a turtle, a camel and a horse!

Yisrael got to ride on a horse-drawn wagon (Bruria was too scared) and he loved petting the turtle!

Outside, they had a bunch of jumping castles set up, which was also lots of fun- even Azriel Shraga liked it! And of course, they were selling popcorn and cotton candy, which we just HAD to buy!

Too Much Hustle and "Bus"tle

I think that is a great way to sum up our Bain Hazmanim! I don't think I've been on as many buses since we moved to Beitar as I have during the past three weeks! B"H we really had a great time, and we tried to come up with some fun things to keep the kids busy. It was great to spend some nice time as a family, even if we didn't do any "MAJOR" trips!

The truth is that the kids LOVE the bus, I think they'd be happy just to go for a bus ride and then come back! Even little Azriel Shraga loves the bus- he learned how to say "BU" and screams for joy as soon as we start getting on!

Of course Bruria INSISTS on sitting next to Tatty (she has become VERY attached to her father the past few weeks) so the boys sit with me. Yisrael has his eyes glued to the window the entire time, and gives me a running commentary on everything he sees outside. Its a good thing that the ride to Yerushalayim is entertaining -there's three long tunnels- every time we get inside a tunnel, Yisrael exclaims, "It's tunnel time!" and when we get out, Bruria says "Buch Hashem we came out of the tunnel!" Azriel Shraga just tries to climb over all the seats and says hello to the people sitting near us...I guess in a few years he'll be happy to look out the window...

We basically ended up going to Yerushalayim twice a week, and on the rest of the days, we did more "low key" things like going for ice cream, playing in the park, swimming in the backyard, etc.

All in all, it was very enjoyable!

Teaching Good Manners

I try to teach the kids to be respectful, and to speak nicely. Whenever they ask for something, I always remind them, "How do we ask nicely?" and when I give it to them, I always ask, "What do you say?"

The other night, I gave Azriel Shraga a bottle before bedtime, and without even realizing it, I asked him "What do you say?" - and he quickly answered me, "Toda!"

(He must have gotten that from his sister, who always says "Toda" instead of "Thank You"!)

Can you believe it?! My little guy is bi-linugal already! (is that possible, if his total vocabulary consists of less than ten words?!)

"When I'm a Zaidy..."

Yisrael has become obsessed with thinking about getting bigger. He is always asking questions like "When will I be ben Arba?" or "When will I be big like Eli?" (our bar-mitzvah bochur neighbor) or "When will I be big like Tatty?"

He also started asking me when he is going to have kinderlach- will he have kinderlach before Azriel Shraga, will they be boys or girls....

Well now he's really moving along...he asked me when his kinderlach are going to be big like Tatty! I told him that when his kinderlach get big, they will have a Chasuna, and then Hashem will give them kinderlach...and when his kinderlach have kinderlach, he will be a Zaidy!

He pondered that for a moment, and then turned to me and stated, "When I be a Zaidy, I will eat lots of salami!"

Is that all that Zaidy's do???

Fun in the park

I always forget to take my camera when we go to the park, but last week I actually remembered- so I had a lot of fun taking pictures. Yisrael rode his tricycle (and shared it with Bruria) and when we got there, there was no one on the swings, so I got to put all three on at once!

Tzitzis already?

Yes, I know boys are only supposed to wear tzitzis once they are toilet trained, but Azriel Shraga must hold otherwise. Any time he finds a pair of Yisrael's tzitzis lying around, he tries to put them over his head. Usually, he just ends up draping them over his shoulders, but today he actually got his head inside the hole on top! He was SO proud of himself. Of course he had dirty diaper just then, so I quickly took a picture and then pulled them off so I could change him. He was quite upset with me when I took them off- I ruined his mitzvah!

May we be zoche, בעזרת השם יתברך, to see him fulfill many mitzvos, in the proper time!

Azriel Shraga loves junk food

Any time I give out a snack to the other kids (or sneak one for myself!) Azriel Shraga's little junk food radar lets him know, and he quickly comes to me to beg for some! Its pretty funny how kids can detect these things!

One day last week we had popsicles- I gave Yisrael and Bruria their own- and Azriel Shraga was VERY upset. So I shared mine with him (or should I say that he shared his with me?) - he ended up eating most of it- and boy was he pleased!

Bruria has the "tickling gene"

Well Bruria definitely has the "tickling gene" (for those of you who don't know what that is, its a Berlinger gene which makes the carrier have a strong liking for back tickling).

Bruria has fallen in love with having her back tickled. She will wake up in the middle of the night, and instead of asking for a drink like she used to, she cries out "tickle my back!". During the day, she comes up to me, picks up her shirt and say "tickle me"! (Its a great way to distract her when she gets upset or wants to beat up her baby brother!)

Opa, you should be proud of the mesorah you've passed on to your great grandchildren!