Blanket Games

I just found this post that I had written in the beginning of August, but must have forgotten to publish!  Enjoy!

My kids LOVE to play games with their pillows and blankets- piling them all onto one bed, making a super cozy spot to lay down, or building tents using the bunkbed as a base, or cuddling up in the crib with all the bedding they can get their hands on!  (Most of this shtick usually happens on Shabbos afternoon during my nap, which is why I don't have any pictures of it).

Well apparently, Hillel has learned the tricks of the "Blanket Game" quite well.  One morning, I came to take him out of the crib, and found him in his bed, sitting inside a basket, all cuddled up with a few blankets- something I'd totally expect from one of his older siblings.  I was shocked, and figured Bruria must have set him up, but she was fast asleep, as were the rest of the kids.  He must have pulled the blankets and baskets off of the changing table which is next to his bed, and had fun with them- seems he's a fast learner!  (Unless its in his genes?  We'll have to devote some other blog post to the nature vs. nurture debate!)

Cute Quote: Too much food!

One Shabbos a couple of weeks ago, Yisrael didn't finish off all of his cholent (KA"H he is a great eater and this usually doesn't happen.)

Mommy:  Yisrael, please finish your cholent so I can give you dessert!
Yisrael: But my stomach is going to burst if I eat any more!*
Mommy: Then why did you take so much?
Yisrael: Because my new glasses make things look smaller than they really are, so it didn't look like so much when I took it!

Since then we've made sure to warn him that he shouldn't take too much just because of his glasses' distortion!

* Theoretical question- did you ever wonder how kids whose stomachs are so full that they are about to burst, somehow manage off to polish off their dessert without any difficulty whatsoever?

Bubble Fun

The boys started Cheder on Rosh Chodesh Elul, but as with every Rosh Chodesh, they had a shorter day.  So for our afternoon activity, we had blast playing with bubbles!  Over the summer we had gone to a "bubble show" here in Beitar, where the performer showed some really cool tricks, and gave outa  superb recipe for homemade bubble mix- something I have tried to make many times in the past but never worked quite right.  Well his recipe was amazing, and the kids had lots of fun doing all sorts of activities with bubbles!

Here's the recipe (I figured this is a good place to "write" it down, so I'll have it for next time!)

• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp high-quality dish soap (he suggested "Fairy" brand sold here in E"Y)
• 1 Tbsp sugar

Obviously this can be multiplied by any amount (I think we doubled it).  

Enjoy!

Yungers in Action: Having a Ball(oon)

First of all, we have yet to mention our trampoline on this blog yet.  We decided to get a big trampoline for the backyard- it wasn't cheap but it was well worth the investment- the kids really enjoy it and spend so much time out there, we almost feel like we added a room onto the apartment!

One afternoon, I gave the kids each a punching bag (balloon) which they filled with some rice before blowing up.  They then had a blast jumping in the trampoline with their balloons....until one by one, they all popped  :(

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BBQ in Gan Sacher

Actual Date:  8/24/14

As the grand finale to our Bain Hazmanim, we went for a family BBQ to Gan Sacher in Yerushalayim.  The park was packed with all sorts of people- tons of frum families, as well as some interesting characters- a group of Karate students practicing their moves, and some jugglers showing off their skills.  We had a lovely time relaxing on the grass, roasting marshmallows while the BBQ got ready, and then enjoying delicious food.  Yehuda Leib and Hillel loved the vast grassy area- they kept running around and around, giggling and enjoying their freedom.

Afterwards we went to the playground, where they have amazing manual "gym" equipment.  The kids had a really fun time trying out all the various different types of equipment, feeling how each one required them to push or pull their muscles in a different way to get it to work.  The kids could have stayed there for hours, but their poor parents were too exhausted, so we all headed home happy and tired!