Hot Hot Hot

I never thought I would say that I truly miss the New England weather where one day it is a billion degrees and the next day it is freezing. I would kill for just one cold day!!
Anyway, we decided to suspend the rules of the Nine Days and we took the kids swimming on Friday. We went to Netanya where the Nussbaums were staying at Debbie's parents' apartment. We considered going to the beach, but decided it would be easier to just go to the pool with the kids. We stayed for a couple of hours and then came home to get ready for Shabbos.
We had a quiet dinner at home and went to bed very early. In the morning, Simon woke up calling for me and David made me go. I gave the kids breakfast and then took them to the park, thinking that it would still be cool out at 8:30 in the morning. It wasn't. It was SO hot and Simon only wanted to play in the spaceship thingy at the park which was directly in the sun. He finally agreed to go to the shady part of the park and played with a little boy named Netanel who only spoke Hebrew and who Simon thought was a girl because he had long hair in a ponytail.
We came home around 9:30 and put Eli for a nap and then David, Simon and I just hung out because Simon really didn't want to go to shul. We went to Andi and Arron's house for lunch and Simon and Eli had a great time playing with all the toys that they have and all the other kids who were there.
When we got home, despite some protestations from Simon, we all napped from 3 until 6. Then we went to the park across the street and joined a bunch of people for Seudah Shlishit. We hadn't planned to join them, but one woman saw us and recognized us from meeting us in shul last week and invited us. Someone's 12 year old daughter asked if she could borrow Eli and play with him in the grass with some of her friends--something else to add to my list of things that I love about Israel! Eli loved the attention of all of his new girlfriends.
I forgot that I was in the middle of this post and hadn't actually published it yet...it's now Monday afternoon. Yesterday morning was Simon's first day of vacation. Eli still goes to daycare at Becky's in the mornings so at least that makes it easier to do stuff with Simon in the mornings. We met his friend Boaz at the mall and Simon finally got to play in the castle that he always asks about everytime we go there. It's usually not open until 4pm, but it is open all day during vacation. It's great--it's a pretty small play area with train tables and cars and magnetic toys and lots of fun stuff. They only let you stay for an hour so it doesn't get very crowded. And it only costs 12 shekels ($3). Tali and I took the boys to get pizza after they played and then Simon and Boaz entertained themselves by riding on all the ride-on toys without putting in any money.
After the mall, Simon and I picked up Eli and came home and somehow I got both kids to take a nap at around 2:30. I had to wake them at 4:30 to go to sports class. In this class, for the first time, they played a game that had winners and losers. Every week they play a game where the kids all run around and then when Dion blows the whistle they have to sit down. This time, whoever was last to sit down was out (only Dion didn't call it "out" but rather they had to help him blow the whistle and stand next to him). I am proud to say that Simon was the last man standing and won the game! That got him a cool stamp on his forehead that he needed to look at in every mirror (or shop window) that we passed.
As class was ending, Debbie called to see if we wanted to meet them in the park. I said I would stop at the macolet (mini-market--they are on practically every corner here) to pick up some food for the kids for dinner and then would meet them. The macolet that I had seen near the park actually turned out to be a candy/liquor store so we turned around and left before Simon could convince me to get him candy for dinner. The closest restaurant was Burger Ranch so we went in to see if there was anything pareve since it's still the 9 days (though it feels like it's been way more than 9 already). I got a tuna sandwich and an egg sandwich and we went to the park. Eli ate all of the egg pieces from the sandwich and Simon ate 3 bites of the tuna sandwich. I was not very impressed with the quality and I think Burger Ranch should stick to burgers. Anyway, the kids had fun in the park with Maya and Orly. David came and met us there on his way home and then he and Simon walked home and Eli and I drove. Then David took Simon out for a quick bike ride and then eventually we got the kids to bed.
I was about to watch Big Brother while David was going to put Simon to bed, but Simon heard me say what I was doing and he said "I want to see the big brother too because I am a big brother. Please can I watch it with you?" He said it so nicely that I said ok, and he watched a few minutes with me. He actually seemed pretty engrossed in it so I had to pause it and tell him it was over so that he'd go to bed!
This morning, Simon and I went to Ikea--they are having a big sale and the place was a mob-scene. We got the rest of our dining room chairs, a little table and chairs for Simon, an end table and a chair for the living room. I also picked out a storage cabinet for the entry-way and a possible storage cabinet for the living room, but it was too much of a pain to get them today so I will have to go back. The babysitter is starting on Wednesday, so maybe I'll go when she is here. I want to finish getting everything before the sale ends next week.
Yesterday David asked Simon what he did and Simon said "I went to school" then he paused and said "wait, no I didn't!" Today he told me that he wanted to go to school--I really wish there was a camp for his age in August. He is definitely already bored of me. After Tisha B'Av we are going to start going to the beach in the mornings.