It finally rained! Shmuli enjoyed playing in the mud, and of course getting very dirty.

Chanukah Fun

This evening we had the Jacobs family over for Chanukah dinner. We all had a nice visit, ate latkes and sufgynot and play dreidel. I'm afraid we didn't get too many pictures during the evening... too busy I guess!

Let's get this package opened! 

Michael visits with Grandma and Grandpa 

Here is Kara practicing with her new camera. 

Natan and Michael are now able to get themselves into this little cart and wait for a ride! I guess that they are accustomed to being in tight places with each other...

This is a very nice picture of our front window during Chanukah taken by Shmuli with his new camera. 

Here I am with the twins, serving their new favorite- latkes! 

Happy Chanukah!

Well, Chanukah is upon us, and the kids are certainly enjoying themselves. Natan is fascinated with the decorations around the house, and just looks and looks. Michael is busy trying to touch and hold everything- sometimes he succeeds and sometimes we are fast enough to stop him (and of course sometimes we "don't notice")! Shmuli has been busy helping Robert put up some decorations and prepare the menorahs. He has learned all the Brachos for the occasion, and it was such a pleasure to watch and listen to him.

Shmuli with his Shamas, ready to light his menorah. 

Here are Robert and Shmuli making the brachos for lighting the Menorahs. 

Here is Shmuli lighting his menorah.

Michael and Natan are enjoying eating their latkes. They also liked the applesauce. Yum!

Robert and Shmuli turning the menorahs so that they are facing the right way out the window. 

Chanukah S'meach y'all! 

In the evening, Shmuli has taken to enjoying drives to look at the city lights. This is a great time for him to do so, as it becomes dark so early in the evening. Here is a picture Shmuli took of the city lights in the direction of downtown.

Here are my boys!!!

Here are Michael and Natan, worn out from the exciting walk we took through our neighborhood. It is a rare occurance for both to fall asleep during a walk- usually it is one or the other. 

Natan really enjoys playing the piano. He seems to take care to push one key at a time. Michael often joins in with some dramatic pounding on several keys.

Today Shmuli received his very own Chumash!

Today was a very special day for the second grade class at school- all of the children received their very own Chumashim. And of course, us parents are very proud of our children today. The children have been studying so hard, and are now able to read Hebrew with enough proficiency to read and study on their own. We were very proud of our Shmuli, and he participated so nicely with his class- and even sang a solo during the performance. Mazel Tov!

Here is Shmuli receiving his very own Chumash from his much loved teacher Mrs. Amster.

Here is Shmuli and his Rebbe with his newly received Chumash.

Here are Shmuli and some of his classmates waiting to sing their solos in the class presentation.

Here is Shmuli's class singing the songs they having been learning at school for this special occasion. Shmuli is in the back row, the second one in from the right.