21st Century Baby

Its gotten rather difficult to get any work done by the computer with Nissim around- he just reaches for the keyboard and types away!

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מים גנובים ימתקו

(or in this case, stolen spaghetti and meatballs!)

Backround:  Nissim is usually very fussy about what I feed him- he doesn't like food that has clumps in it, and whenever I try giving him foods to hold and nibble on (and hopefully chew and swallow), he refuses to touch them (unless its a wafer, then he has no problem devouring it!)  Well today, Naftali left his plate of spaghetti and meatballs in Nissim's reach (why he wasn't eating at the table is another story) and Nissim was more than happy to gobble it up!  Isn't he just delicious in this picture?  I could eat him up!

A Sukkos Seuda with our cousins

After going to the Kosel and being "Oleh Regel" with the family, we joined up with the Bergs and Rokachs in the Blumenkopf's Sukkah for a sumptuos Chol Hamoed Seuda.  Each of us pitched in with the cooking, and we enjoyed an absolute feast:  fresh rolls with an assortment of salads, potato knishes with mushroom sauce, split pea soup, and a main course of meat, chicken lo mein, rice, and potatoes  (did I forget anything?!)  Dessert was our favorite part- cake and delicous rhubarb/apple sauce for the adults, and edible Sukkahs for the kids!

The kids had a blast playing with their cousins- they found slugs in the yard, had fun blowing up balloons, and of course, building their own Sukkah dessert with wafers as boards, green sour sticks as schach, and chocolate lentils as decorations!

Family Hike in יער מטע

Beitar is situated in one of the most beautiful areas of the country.  When you head out of Beitar and make a left, the road runs through many miles of beautiful forests- the view is quite captivating (which can be dangerous, if you're the one driving!)  Over Chol Hamoed we went for a hike in one of the nearby forests, called יער מטע- about 15 minutes west of Beitar, on the way towards רמת בית שמש.

We took an easy trail- and the kids really enjoyed following the markers and finding all sorts of plants along the way.  We found pinecones, acorns, ערבות (very appropo for Sukkos!), wild berries, and more. 

The second part of our trail took us to an ancient water cave that had been dug up during the time of the Romans, where they would store water to last them during the summer.  Bentzi and the boys had fun climbing inside, while Bruria, Nissim and I stood at the top and took pictures.

We really enjoyed- it was a beautiful afternoon, and we were able to enjoy each other's company amidst the calm, beautiful forests of הרי יהודה.

Yisrael's getting big!

Its amazing how fast kids grow- they go from tiny little newborns, to curious infants, to troublesome little toddlers, to eager schoolchildren...until before you know it, they're old enough to have their own set of ד' מינים!

Yisrael is SO proud of his ד' מינים, which he bought together with Tatty.  On the first day of Yom Tov, he got up bright and early, got dressed on his own, and was so excited to take his Lulav to Yeshiva that he didn't even want to eat breakfast before he went!

He also enjoys acting as a big brother, helping his younger siblings shake his Lulav!

May he always be filled with an enthusiasm for Mitzvos!

Sit down, please!

Disclaimer:  I have started strapping Nissim in so he can't stand up in the high chair...
but I let him do it this time so I could snap a picture to share with you...
isn't he adorable?