Chocolate cookies and a shofar!

As mentioned in a previous post, we received our first Package from Lev Ha'Olam.

In this Package was a box of delicious cookies. Silly me, thinking I could leave them on the kitchen counter and that no one would attack the box... Silly silly me!

I came home to find the box gone and I caught the little munchkin in action (none too happy was he!).

Caught you!



However, his long face turned into a smile when I told him that he could actually have some.. Or rather: ONE at a time.

Big J tried one too and LUUUUUVED it :-)

We also got a shofar (ram's horn) and took turns trying to make it work. I'd been wondering if it was just for decoration.. But no no no! Lil C blew and ta da! Then of course big J had to prove that he was just as good at it, even better at it than anyone else (but as I do not have a video of that (how unfortunate indeed!), there is no evidence...).

A taste of the Blessed Land

Today our package arrived from Lev Ha'Olam.

We have been waiting ever since the second we clicked 'order now', haha!

After a month's waiting, It. Is. FINALLY. Here!!!

Seems the box had been stopped by the customs, and opened and checked. Well, they'd better get used to packages arriving as they will be continually coming from now on! HOORAY!



The pick-up slip arrived in our mailbox!

The Package is now in my hands :-)

So now.. WHAT IS EVERYTHING? :-)

Dried mushrooms.. Mmmm that will be in the next meal!

A shofar made out of ram's horn, I can just hear it!

The box was full of treasures from Israel

This however will be mine and mine alone:
dark chocolate (healthy too!)

As we are following the news updates from the people at Lev Ha'Olam, it is a privilege to be able to directly support our wonderful friends, as they struggle to keep standing while literally in the line of fire. May He continue to bless their efforts!

Psalms 121
1: I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2: My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
3: He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4: Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5: The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6: The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7: The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8: The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

He still brings me flowers!

I am not one who likes to waste money on useless things like flowers for myself. Why spend a lot of money on flowers when I can use this money on USEFUL things like.. cake decorating tools.. or scarves.. or handbags...?? ;-)

Truth be told, I do find it nice to receive flowers, but hubby thinks I don't.. I think..

It might have something to do with a plant I killed one very very hot summer. It wilted after the first day. Was dead the second day. Hey, how could I know that placing it on the window sill in full summer sun would kill it?! And how come the flower shop lady did not water the plant before selling it!

But nah, couldn't be that...

And then we went to Holland!

Well, in truth, we were in Holland over a month ago.. and it was a BLAST!

I saw cheap plane tickets (Ryanair) (who else!) to Charleroi in Belgium, and I thought it would be fun to try out that route. It still involved travelling several hours to NL to visit the grandfolks but for that price it was worth the try.

Why did we 'have' to go to Holland you may well ask! Well, firstly my lil bro D and his partner W were due to have their second bean somewhere in August AND as it would be foolish to get there before the babe, I decided to do the old 'two birds one stone' routine, namely (and secondly) go to Holland for my mum's 55th.

So tickets were bought, my mother-in-law drove us to the local airport, and off we flew to Charleroi. Painless flight. We arrive in Belgium. Silly me, thinking I could speak Dutch in south Belgium.. I try the lazy approach: 'Do you speak English?' 'Non' 'Oh, do you speak Dutch?' 'Non' *exasperation hits* 'Bon, je voudrais bla-bla-bla'. Anyway we get train tickets to Lelystad and yeehaa, the REAL trip has started. Exciting for the kids who have never been in Belgium, nor in an old rattling train. Quaint.



Some kids are just plain crazy,
this was one of the most normal looking photos I took!



The munchkins at Charleroi Sud



Pity we had to sit in a train when THIS was the weather outside!


Long story short, we ended up travelling for 7 hours, on a day with BEAUTIFUL weather. But we finally arrived!! Next day was a visit to princess L. Overload of photos of her, unfortunately none of the little sweetie pie O. I did get him a Cars blankie tho.. *must remember to take photos of lil O next time in Holland*

Lil C and lil L - eldest and youngest Barnie grand
(note the Cars blankie behind them)



Proud lil J holding baby L



Aunty lovin' lil L

I got to squeeze in some alone time with my baby bro W, while D and M 'babysat' my two beans (they kept lil O occupied, so who really babysat who!?) ;-) Uhmm, no photos of that outing either. Moving on! Next was The Cake. A birthday, and especially a 55th birthday, just cries out for A Cake.

I had prepared the cake deco beforehand and smuggled it down to the kitchen to continue working on it. After the cake was baked and when mum was out of the house, the secret decorations began.

The making of the bracelet



The Pandora Cake

Mum and I made some Peruvian style sandwiches, Simply Scrumptions Sandwiches!! The result? See for yourself! The Cake was a Pandora Cake, as the birthday girl was getting a mum bracelet: one charm for each of us 4 kids whilst my dad gave a dad charm. It was as I previously said, a BLAST!



Birthday girl :-)



Party table, lots of goodies!
(Simply Scrumptious Sandwiches on the left)

However, the way back home was slightly hectic. That is, if running till you are out of breath and making it in time even tho you are 30 minutes off schedule (NOT my fault, I think.. I blame the train as it did NOT leave as my schedule said it would).

ANYWAY, that is the first and last time we travel to Charleroi if we are going to NL. It was cheaper but the long hours were not worth it. Unforgettable? Sure was!