Thanksgiving

On Thursday we had our annual Thanksgiving dinner with all the Americans we can find (which isn't too many on our side of town). We did allow a token British couple, but only because they lived in New Jersey for 3 years so they appreciate the importance of Thanksgiving. We did tell them that they had to come dressed as pilgrims and while they figured out that we were kidding, James did come with an Indian headdress, which was hilarious and greatly appreciated! David made the turkey (Sarah's recipe) which was amazing. All the food and company were great so it was a big success.
It meant a late night on Thursday night, but we were able to have somewhat of a lazy day on Friday because we were invited out for both meals--I love a Shabbos like that! I didn't have to cook or clean. We couldn't do much Friday morning because we had a 3 hour window when we had to wait for our gas masks to be delivered. Iran can attack us now, we are ready because we have boxes of gas masks with big signs on them saying "DO NOT OPEN." Apparently, if (and hopefully it never happens) they are needed, only when the siren goes off are you meant to open the box and read the instructions. Because if an air raid siren is going off, I will definitely be in the frame of mind to read instructions on how to work a gas mask!!!!! For anyone who is worried, they aren't distributing them now because there is a particular concern that they'll be needed now--it's part of a bigger plan that started a few years ago in which the government collected all of the gas masks and upgraded them and is now redistributing them.
By the time they were delivered and we went and ran a few errands, it was already time to pick up the kids. I picked up Simon and then took him to go get Eli--he told me he wanted to go in and get Eli himself. They were so cute coming out, holding hands. And not fighting for 2 seconds, which is always nice!
David took them to Park Herzliya so I could begin my war with the laundry...the laundry is currently still beating me but I will prevail!!!!!!!
We went to the rabbis house for dinner, which involved going to shul on Friday night. All of our friends who saw us there immediately guessed that we were going to the rabbis house because no one could fathom any other reason why we would actually go to shul! Also, apparently I was dressed very frum even though I didn't think I was! Dinner was really really nice--the kids were mostly well-behaved and Simon is now obsessed with the rabbi's youngest son, Yair, who is in 3rd grade.
We were home a little after 9 and the kids were in bed by 9:30--I think they slept fairly late this morning and then they played really nicely together (thank goodness for the magna-tiles!!) for a long time. At one point I heard Eli say to Simon "Simon, let's play that we are the two daddies."
We went to Tali's for lunch--it was so nice to hang out with them as we haven't seen them in a long time. Simon and Eli and Boaz and Uri played amazingly together--on the way home Simon and I were talking about how Boaz was his first friend and how it's so nice that they are still such good friends even though they haven't been in school together since they were in Gan Frieda.
I'm not sure what we did once we got home from their house because I went to lie down "for a minute" and slept until Shabbos was over.
Then, Simon, Eli and I colored some pictures (meaning Eli gave instructions as to what colors Simon and I should use), Simon did his homework and the kids went to bed.
I went out for coffee with Abby and David told me that while I was gone the laundry was making fun of me...the war is still ongoing and I am going to win the next battle and then go to sleep!!
Oh, forgot to say that on Thursday afternoon, Eli went to his friend Yoav's birthday party which had an outer-space theme. Eli LOVED it--he came home with a "jet pack" made out of a cereal box and 2 iced-tea bottles and he showed me how astronauts fly!