The Salingers

shalev's first day of kindy!!

2011-09-09T05:10:00.000-07:00

He did it! he made it through his first big day! And he LOVED every minute of it. He's such a big boy now!

He goes to kindy 5 days a week, from 7:45am-2pm. (i know, its a long time!!) But he's loving it, and he has his best friend there with him. So cool!

A Beautiful day at the Biblical Zoo

2011-06-15T05:38:00.000-07:00

Cyprus

2011-06-10T10:58:00.000-07:00

This year my younger sister and her fiancee celebrated their civil wedding in Cyprus at my parents house, and guess what.. i was able to attend! Just me!! Without kids!! wow!

So for 5 days i was blessed with some precious time with my sister and all the friends and family members who were also able to attend.

Here are just a few photos of my time there... (this really does not sum it all up though! this is just a small glimpse).

My sister, mum and I

One part of the yummy breakfast my dad prepared every morning!!

While there, mum took us all to a GORGEOUS place in Cyprus called Cape Greco. What a stunning place! the colour of the water was breathtaking!!

Back at my parents home. A celebration lunch awaits!

Israel Independance Day ... 63 years

2011-06-10T10:25:00.000-07:00

This Independance day we went to the Shores of Tel Aviv, watched the air show, ate icecreams on the beach, walked the beautiful streets of Tel Aviv, and visited the declaration hall.

It was an incredible day!

Reuvens 1st birthday

2011-06-10T10:15:00.001-07:00

Yes, yes i know that his birthday was in May.. but since i havent had time to update this recently i have decided to show you a few of our special events that have occured over the past few months. (and then i will continue to update as normal)

So this year we celebrated Reuvens 1st birthday on the same day as Israel's 63rd Independance day. This was very special.

I made a simpler cake this year.. but he still LOVED it!! (as did his two brothers!)

Reuven's surgery..

2011-06-10T04:11:00.000-07:00

How can we THANK YOU enough for your prayers, care, love and support during the surgery of our little Reuven. The surgery itself went very well, he was a brave wee boy!!
The whole procedure of the surgery ended up being about 4 hours, which was expected, and the surgeons were very happy with the result! We wont be able to see his fingers nor the toes for another 10-14 days, until then he cannot have the bandage removed in any way.
On the foot they were able to remove the 6th toe (which sat tucked between the 4th and 5th toe) but had to re-join the 4th and 5th toes as the surgeon did not like the idea of having to do a skin graft for such an unnecessary area of the body. He prefers not to take good skin from the body just for this area seeing as he will have more skin grafts to come in the following surgeries. Later in Reuvens life we can have these toes seperated but even this the surgeon felt was unnecessary seeing as hes a boy and is hardly going to care about those 2 toes!! (well, we'll have to wait to see what Reuven has to say about that as the years go on!)
Regarding the fingers, all went well also. The surgeon was able to seperate the little and ring fingers easily (though it did take 3 hours or so!!) and was able to use a good amount of Reuvens finger skin to close the seperation, therefore only needed a small skin graft from the abdomen. We are so happy about this! The surgeon mentioned that we are only at the beginning of a 'journey' here, and even with the little finger we may expect another surgery depending on its individual function and ability

It was an emotional morning for us, arriving at the hospital, taking him down to the sugery room, dressing him in his hospital gown, having him fasting from food since the night before and from drink for 2 hours prior, seeing all the doctors and nurses checking him, having the surgery delayed by about an hour and a half.... and THEN the Lord in His GOODNESS brought to us two wonderful Medical clowns!!! I had never thought much of these clowns before, but i tell you, they helped our dear Reuven get through the really hard last hour before going into the operating room. Two women, in the mid-40's, dressed up in bright dresses wearing red noses.. wow, how they brightened the day of Reuven! we have actually never heard him laugh so hard. It was such a comfort to my heart as i saw my baby laughing and smiling amidst all the scaryness of the hospital. And then it was time. And as he was taken away, he lifted his little hand with the joined fingers and waved goodbye to me smiling as he went. Even as i write this it brings tears to my eyes, it was one of the most precious moments in my life.

Dave was able to go into the operating room with him as they put him to sleep, and then soon after had to return to wait in the waiting room with me. It was a long wait. Seemed like forever... then they announced that he was out and all had gone well. PRAISE THE LORD!!
The waking up process wasn't easy to watch as he came in and out of a deep sleep, but truly the Lord was gracious, he barely cried that first day more than a few wimpers. He has been uncomfortable at times due to the pain of the 3 wounds, but has literally smiled almost the whole way through. We thank the Lord for the beautiful character that He has given to Reuven, truly a gift of happiness.

The challange was bringing him home and not being able to let him stand on his foot for 2 days. A big challenge for this active guy!! But we've made it through those first 2 days.. and now our challange is keeping Reuven from jumping off the high places he manages to get himself onto. His brothers have been AMAZING with him!! very understanding, and very compassionate. Shalev especially has been so good about giving alot of TLC. Yoav is good but still learning.

We KNOW that the Lord has answered your many prayers!! Thank you for lifting us before Him. Thank you for your words of love and comfort. Its never easy seeing such a young child go through such a big thing, but we are daily encouraged by the fact that in even the smallest of details the Lord takes care of us, and we can truly say that we have TASTED and SEEN that the LORD IS GOOD!
Thank you dear ones.

the big boys.. best of buds

2011-06-10T04:09:00.000-07:00

who stole the cookie?

2011-04-09T10:22:00.000-07:00

I just came across these photos that were taken in our old house at the beginning of the year.

I think that this has to be the most classic photo! And it was not set up!!

I came into the kitchen and this was the scene that i was presented with... haha!

so.. who did steal the cookie from the cookie jar??

well sadly i dont have a photo of him holding his prey...

but i found my dear Yoav standing not too far from the scene saying.. "it was yummy".

a few crafts...

2011-04-09T10:15:00.000-07:00

This was a simple wooden board, which i painted with blackboard paint and then glued pretty scrapbook paper onto one side. Then using SUPER duper glue i glued the forks in place, and then glued the cute little jug for the chalk. The jug also gives this piece support when needed to stand upright.

Just a few handmade gifts I mangaed to make for my mums birthday. For some reason i dont have photos of all the gifts i was able to make.. but here are 3 for now.

two photos i love from this week...

2011-04-09T08:48:00.000-07:00

We're back! boating around..

2011-04-09T08:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we enjoyed an incredible day at the Park... had a picnic, ate delicious carrot cake, walked in the sunshine, and rode on the sweetest boat ever! all round amazing fun!

A great way to spend a real 'family day'.

melting snowmen.. cookies.

2010-12-14T00:33:00.001-08:00

My winter cookies!

The cold wind has come, the chilly breeze is here! The rain (with all its mud) has poured and the windows are steaming up! Welcome winter!! feel free to hang around a LONG time.

Happy Winter!

Shalevs art class:canvas painting.. lines and shapes

2010-10-20T06:47:00.000-07:00

This school year I have begun teaching the kids some basic skills in cooking, art, and music.. as well as the basics in recognizing letters and numbers, counting, shapes and colours, etc..

I dont usually take photos of their 'schooling hour' but their art 'classes' have been so much fun that I've so enjoyed capturing these shots for the kids to see and rememeber their works of art and their progess. Below Shalev is learning about colours, lines (keeping within the lines) and making patterns with lines. He had a lot of fun doing this one.

Nana and Popa bought these fun little 'garden foam stickers' for the kids.. here is what shalev did with them...

Autumn has arrived in the hallway! The kids have been filling it with the fresh feeling (and smell) of Autumn.

Our walk amongst the trees..

2010-10-20T06:23:00.000-07:00

We dressed in Autumn colours and went for an 'autumn walk' through some near by forests. It was a beautiful day.. a beautiful location.. and a beautiful moment to capture the children 'one by one'.

...and to top off this awesome adventure, dave stumbled upon these fantastc half planks of wood. They have a beautiful deep wood smell, and are now one by one being selected for different crafts.

Yoav is 2!

2010-10-20T06:07:00.001-07:00

Last weekend we celebrated Yoav's second birthday.. wow, our middle son has officially entered the 'terrific twos'. (yes, I am trying to be optimistic!)

We celebrated with a few friends, a few balloons and a few goodies to munch on, including the Fireman Sam cake which took a night and a morning to complete.. But i just got such a 'jump of joy' seeing Yoavs face when he finally recieved his cake at the party.

The House is meant to be on fire!! (It was a real 'throw-together').

We love you our big special 2 year old...

so what surprises do you have instore for mummy this year?

Autumn...

2010-09-12T06:06:00.000-07:00

Happy Autumn!

I'm so glad for this new Season to begin... we are all getting just a little tired of the

long and hot Summer days.

This last weekend we turned our clocks back an hour, since then our evenings have been darker earlier and mornings have been brighter but the best part is that they're cooler!

*Big smile*

Over the holiday period of Rosh Hashana we traveled to a few near by parks, reserves and forests. The beauty that sits all around us is just mind boggling! and boy does it feel good getting out into the thick of it.

Here we are at a nearby Reserve with an open pond area;

way to go Dave!

2010-09-12T04:24:00.000-07:00

A new era has begun... and an old one has passed.

Dave did it... he finished his job, and he finished well.

He cut the last piece of the chain and danced for joy!!

We celebrated with a few dear friends and greeted in the new days ahead.

Ironically it has just been the Jewish New Year here in Israel so we really do feel like a new beginning is at hand.

What a blessing.

Well done daddy!!

4 years married...

2010-08-15T06:01:00.000-07:00

Thank you Lord for 4 wonderful years!

new craft corner+tidier office+baby in other room= sanity!

2010-08-15T05:52:00.000-07:00

My darling husband worked on a major project this weekend... making mummy a new office/ craft corner in the bedroom, thus clearing and sorting out the office area in the lounge (daddys new office space). And all of this was possible because of the other big move- Reuven moving into the big boys room!

So here is Daves hard labour caught on camera so far~

(the craft room pictures are yet to be taken)

Thank you my precious husband for the big move and the huge clean up you did!! I love you.

Our little artist...

2010-08-15T05:46:00.000-07:00

Is this not just the coolest airplane painting out??!!

Go my big boy! Shalev you are indeed one clever little artist!

a single word...

2010-08-15T05:41:00.000-07:00

peaceful

oh and super-duper comfortable!!

Handmade Baby #4: Wall Art

2010-08-15T04:27:00.000-07:00

It's baby shower time!

2010-08-15T01:24:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it feels like this to you also, but to me it seems as though every woman out there is pregnant right now or has just given birth!

it must be the season!

Anyhow, one of these woman is a dear friend of mine, she will be giving birth to a beautiful baby girl in about 4-6 weeks time. We celebrated her baby shower last night and had a real 'girlie' time. The theme was pink and white, something im not too used to around here, but it was a real joy to be amongst something 'girlie' for once!

I was literally rushing out the door while taking these photos so i didnt get to take many shots nor of the party itself as i left my camera behind, but here are just a few of the cupcakes and the cake i put together for this fun little party!!

Our Summer 2010 (so far): part 5

2010-08-11T12:11:00.000-07:00

Hosting friends and traveling the Land:

This is a real highlight in the summertime.. being able to host friends and family as they come and travel the Land of Israel. One of these people was a dear friend who came to stay for a week, and during her stay we were able to travel to Jerusalem, Haifa and the Galilee.

It was a blessed time.

I just love this photo of Krystle and I looking towards the Wailing wall in Jerusalem:

Our Summer 2010 (so far): part 4

2010-08-11T11:44:00.000-07:00

The boys:

our sweet boys = a lot of fun!

(and laughs and giggles and smiles and mischief )

During the Football World Cup our Shalev became a football pro! and an addict!

He just loves playing soccer and is very good at it too.

And as you can see, he was going for Holland (but only after NZ dropped out!!).

Our Summer 2010 (so far): part 3

2010-08-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

Relaxing and chilling... around home.

This is one of the best parts to the summer holidays, the relaxation!

We've all enjoyed eating breakfasts out on the balcony, hosting guests who have come to visit Israel for the summer, watching family movies together indoors on those hot summer afternoons, sitting on the balcony soaking in some sun (and enjoying the cool breeze in the evening), and the boys have very much enjoyed their 'turtle pool' which cools them down on the days that we cant get to the 'big' pool.

These are just a few of the many treasures to the summer that we've been enjoying here.

Our Summer 2010 (so far): part 2

2010-08-11T11:16:00.000-07:00

A few summer crafts:

Here are just a few little fun activites we've been doing... more to come!

Our Summer 2010 (so far): part 1

2010-08-11T11:06:00.000-07:00

The swimming pool!

How could we have managed this summer without it?? We were blessed with the ability to be able to make a membership at one of the local pools this summer, and what a difference it has made to our hot days!

Daves very first cheesecake!

2010-08-11T05:39:00.000-07:00

With the help of his keen little helper Shalev and my sister Emelia, Dave put together this incredibly delicious Orange Cheesecake!

amazing work hun!

not bad for your first time ever at baking!!

WOW!

this is how we fit 3 children into a 9 sq mtr room (in fact its not even 9!).

2010-08-10T06:37:00.000-07:00

The boys are all moving in together... meaning #3 is joining his big brothers.

So we've had to be a little creative with working this one out in such a small room! but thanks to Ikea we've found a solution and the boys love their new room and their own little spaces.

Shalev is up the top and Yoav is down below:

Shalevs little space: Baby Reuvens new bed (cot):Underneath the bed: (the ever changing play space)

And here's a little photo frame Shalev and i made yesterday in our 'nap time crafting hour!'

cutting the chain!

2010-08-06T06:19:00.000-07:00

We're counting down the days around here by cutting the chain... one ring at a time.

What are we counting down for..? we're counting down the days until Dave begins his new job! Yippee yay!

September the 1st will be a new beginning for us as a family, a step to stability and normality!
This will be a job which will let us have Fridays with our Daddy again thus making our weekend a 2 day weekend every weekend!

Daddy will be home with us every evening at 5pm and not sometimes 10pm, sometimes 7pm sometimes 5pm.

These are just two of the blessings that this new job will provide for our family!
So many more blessings are instore for both Dave and myself, and for the children.
Thank you Lord.

We just need much grace to get us through the 25 days that are left!
We would appreciate your prayers!!

Our little smiler!

2010-07-20T12:49:00.001-07:00

HAIRy scary!!

2010-07-20T10:50:00.001-07:00

So here are the boys from the 70's...

... yes i was gazing at this photo just a couple of days ago and thought to myself

"oh my! look at my boys hairdoo's!! boy oh boy they need a good chop".

So i went for it and gave them a summer hairdoo! though i have just realised that in the photos they dont look a whole lot different! haha... but actually they are.

new summer hairdo!...

after..

Libelle Jewlery...

2010-07-19T07:49:00.000-07:00

My dearest sister in the whole world.. yes my only sister! has just begun putting her talents to jewlery making.. and i think that the necklaces she has produced so far are AH-MAY-ZING and just totally gorgeous!

Here are 2 of her designs thus far (one above, one below).

Libelle Jewlery

Reuven

2010-07-18T00:02:00.001-07:00

I havent posted much about anything lately as i've literally had no time! We've been so busy 'living summer' around here. We've even begun enjoying going to a beautiful swimming pool a few times a week, this has helped us cope with the long hot summer days.

I unfortuntaley don't have many photos of Reuven and all the smiling hes been doing, he is by far our most smiley baby!! he does nothing but giggle, goo goo and smile! He's growing super fast... and at 9 weeks i can now say that he's a solid all night sleeper and has been for over 3 weeks now, what a blessing those extra hours of sleep add to my day. Thank you Lord.

I will endevour to get a few more shots of him this week, and especially a few of him smiling his breath-taking smile!

here's a shot of our super strong baby... (he's been turning over since he was 3 weeks old, and has been lifting his head very high from about 4 weeks... so yes we have another super strong shalev in the family!)

Our Shalev is 3!

2010-07-10T11:56:00.000-07:00

We are so thankful to God for the 3 beautiful years that He has given to Shalev.

He has made it through the 'terrific twos'.

Shalev had a wonderful party! colourful, fun, and happy! just the way it should be at a 3 year old party!! 9 little children came.. (plus 2 babies) and he had a blast!

The helicopter cake! Shalev just LOVES helicopters right now, so a fying cake was just the right thing! it didnt really fly, but the propella's went round!!

Happy birthday big guy!

Our Daddy...

2010-06-21T06:02:00.000-07:00

I know everyone says that their daddy is the greatest... but really... this daddy is the greatest! hehe

Every Soccer loving daddy needs a kit to get him through the games... so the kids and I put together this little bundle for our special daddy.
Our precious Daddy needs quiet time too, so i designed a doorknob hanger just for him. I hope the boys will get the idea.

The boys put together (with a little help) these well needed bookmarks for daddy. He has so many books on the go... so these cool little markers will keep daddy on the right page!

We love you... Our special daddy!

Happy Daddy's Day!

Reuvens '0' birthday party!

2010-06-07T05:22:00.000-07:00

our family of 5...

2010-05-26T05:34:00.000-07:00

Reuven Nadav Salinger

2010-05-16T01:03:00.000-07:00

Our third son, Reuven Nadav is here.

Reuven (the english form being, Reuben) means 'behold a son!', and Nadav means 'generous'.

We truly feel SO blessed for this beautiful and generous gift from God... another son.

Reuven was born on Wednesday the 12th of May, weighing 3.4kgs. The C-section was in the end an amazingly joyful experience and we are just SO thankful to the Lord for the peace and comfort He gave.

We are all now home, and are so enjoying being a family of 5.

Though a little more sleep would be appreciated by all.

Cuddles!!

2010-05-05T11:17:00.001-07:00

Handmade Baby #3: Aged wooden blocks

2010-04-29T03:29:00.000-07:00

These were simply plain and boring wooden blocks that we had lying around.

But with a little paint, a ton of patience, sandpaper, and these adorable farm animals... out came these sweet little aged wooden blocks for baby number 3's corner of the room.

I will add the final coat of modge podge to them soon, but here they are!

So thats my handmade project #3! (Number 4 is almost almost completed. )

Thanks for taking the time to view!!

enjoying Spring in our new home...

2010-04-10T12:24:00.000-07:00

This is our new seasons and education/ display corner. yes this has been a multi-purpose area... but i think its finally found its use.

...and as you can see there is plenty of room left on the shelves for a lot more crafts, books and fun things that we will make and create!!

Caterpillars are an absolute FAVOURITE of shalevs right now, so we made these lovely little creatures to display on our spring shelf.

and these birdies (stones) were fun to make as well. Shalev loves glueing! So this activity was the best.

happy Spring!

Outing to the National Park...

2010-04-09T04:33:00.000-07:00

North for Emelia's birthday

2010-04-09T03:53:00.000-07:00

During the Passover Holiday my little sister turned 18!

So we packed our bags and headed north for a couple of days to celebrate and spend time with her. This year i was limited with time so i literally threw together this cake for her. I was in a slight dilemma about how exactly i was going to transport a Mousse cake on a rather long (well a few hours) car ride. It wasnt the jerking i was afraid of... it was the melting i was fearing!!

Well.. it all turned out well in the end. And actually it was a yummy scrummy cake. All thanks to the 'Australian Home Beautiful' magazine for the delicious recipe! haha. If anyone wants a delicious 'Dark chocolate and rum mousse cake' recipe... just let me know!

We had a lovely afternoon picnic in the gardens of the guest home my sister volunteers at. Dave's family came to celebrate with her also. The weather couldn't have been better!

Then we all hopped into our cars and headed to Gamla.

Gamla is well known for its eagles and its beautiful hike.

Happy birthday Aunty Meme. we love you!

Handmade Baby #2: Nursing Cover

2010-04-09T03:19:00.000-07:00

So as promised here is another handmade baby item that i put together this week. Its been a crazily busy period for us over this passover holiday and i really havent had much time to work on my own projects... but just last night this little nursing cover was given its final touches.

It may not look all that exciting.. but actually im in love with it already! It has a great coverage as it is almost 36" wide, and it sits so nicely on the mummy! There is plastic boning at the front to make a semi-circle opening thus giving the mummy a look at whats going on behind the cover. And because i used D-rings for the straps they are length adjustable and very easy to open and tighten with just one hand! (when needed)

I am actually so in love with it that i already have my second one planned as i am thinking i will need an even lighter one for the up coming Israeli summer!!

Pesach (Passover)

2010-04-03T06:01:00.000-07:00

This year we decided on a child friendly Seder meal and evening.

We even decided to go the extra mile and 'become' a family leaving Egypt and departing for the promised Land. This was a lot of fun. (And it wasnt just educational for the kids but for me too!!)

Here Dave and our host acted out what it means to be a slave.

and then we burnt the last of the leven in the house. We danced and sang songs!

and then there was Pharoh!

and then at some point we put 'blood' (paint) onto the doorframe just as the Israelites were commanded to do.

We then hid some matza for the kiddies to find!

and then ate roasted lamb and plenty of other yummy and good foods.

This was a very brief overview and glimpse of a fantasic evening remembering again the Passover.

Hag Sameach!

חג שמח!

"Handmade Baby" quilt/ duvet outer

2010-03-16T05:13:00.001-07:00

Its been a while, but we're still here!

We've had one of those 'everything hits at once' sort of months (2 months actually)! Im sure you all know what those months are like.
And i dont have many new things to show you or share with you, as our camera has been tucked away in its little pouch a lot during this last month. We know however that after any storm comes wonderful calm... we look forward to that! God is good.

I did however manage to make this quilt/duvet outer for baby number 3 this week. I just needed something crafty to put my mind and hands to. And seeing as we were in need of a baby duvet this seemed like the perfect project to begin. Its just a simple one... a no fuss duvet! just the way i like it. But being my first quilt/ duvet i was very happy with how it turned out. I think i should begin a series called... 'handmade baby' haha! i am now onto baby project number 2 and have many other things planned after this...so why not! Its ceratinly a far more economical way to bring new and precious baby items into your home.. and a very rewarding one too.

So... as i go i may show you what i've made so that if you are also expecting or if you know of someone who is you will have a few handmade 'gift' ideas.

Have a great rest of the week!
And again... sorry for the lack of updates and photos!

blessings,

Amy

Family day at the Zoo...

2010-02-18T03:46:00.000-08:00

Last Shabbat we took a trip to the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem. The Kids had a ball! We asked some good friends of ours to join us, so all 10 of us enjoyed a wonderfully warm Saturday together watching animals do tricks, petting goats, enjoying sounds never heard before and climbing in and out of tunnels, oh and we mustn't forget the yummy picnic we had as we sat on the grass next to the donkeys!

Two very happy little boys.

a few handmades...

2010-02-18T03:07:00.001-08:00

This week ive been busy getting a few handmade ( including homemade) gifts made for my neices and nephews birthdays. Actually all 5 of their birthdays have come and gone already, but seeing as we havent been north to see them all since then, i still have had time in getting their gifts ready.
This wooden craft/art is reappearing! Yes, im calling it my scrap art. Mainly because i use old pieces of scrap wood and scrapbooking paper.
But here is what came out of the latest piece of scrap wood... it is a gift for my teenage niece. The cards are of course also handmade. And will soon see themselves featured on my other blog: http://www.olivegreencards.blogspot.com/

And then there were the other 5 neices and nephews... who are actually all apart of one family, however their ages range from 3-10. So i was a little puzzled at first as to what handmade gift would cover all those ages and both genders. Then the idea popped into my mind..

"an Ice Cream Sundae kit!!"

I was able to make two sauces, a Hot Chocolate sauce and a Caramel Sauce.

Both worked out really well.

well thats all from me. Just had to share a few bits and bobs from this week. And because i love Crafts and anything handmade so much... i just had to share this with you.

blessings.

A few cute (and very true) words...

2010-02-14T09:46:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to share the sweet and very true words that my 2 1/2 year old son Shalev said tonight.

Shalev came up to me and asked; "Mummy is happy?"

I replied "yes mummy is very happy, are you happy Shalev?"

He replied; "mummy happy, allbody happy"

(allbody means everybody, for those who dont understand my sons sweet english)

These simple words 'mummy happy, allbody happy' brought such a smile to my face but also made me realize just how true that is. As a mother i have come to see so many times that my attitude and how i am feeling have such a HUGE impact on the whole family.. yes on allbody!

I hope that you're day will be filled with joy! And that you'll remember that when you smile and reflect joy in your heart and in your actions you may not be the only one impacted by it.

A little bit of craft..

2010-02-14T05:18:00.000-08:00

This was just a plain block of wood that i was using for the kids books. But when my craftiness struck one evening i decided to add a few features to the block by painting it, and then adding a few touches. And yes, a very interesting piece of something came from it! haha.
At least its better than a plain red block.

I LOVE my husband and my boys!

2010-02-14T05:06:00.000-08:00

This year we celebrated Valentines Day as a family... and shared our LOVE for one another.

I made these little 'chocolate brownie' hearts for my darling family. I must say; they were yummy!

A Poppy Hill...

2010-02-14T04:34:00.000-08:00

My sister Emelia, who is currently volunteering here in Israel over in Migdal, located next to the Galilee, came to visit us last weekend. We hadn't seen her for 6 weeks, and we were all missing her very much!

We had a wonderful weekend with her.

Just before taking her to the bus station we took a trip to a poppy hill. It isnt yet covered in poppies like it will be by next month, but it was still a beautiful little hill.

Our two very exhausted little boys..

For those of you who know Emelia, i want to let you know that she also has a blog sharing about her experiences volunteering.

Emelia's Blog

A place to put yummy food!

2010-02-14T04:20:00.000-08:00

Shalev's new placemat. It gets brought out of the cupboard proudly everytime we set the table.

I sealed it with clear sticky paper, so its washable (wipeable) too.

Today is 4 years since i said "Yes"!!

2010-02-03T10:59:00.000-08:00

On this day, 4 years ago, Dave asked me to be his compainon and helper, his wife! It was such a surprise to me, seeing as we weren't even dating! Or in a relationship at all. And yet, i had secretly been waiting and praying for this moment for 10 months. It was such a special moment for both of us. We were in love! (and we're even more in love now.. 4 years later).

I couldn't say 'yes' fast enough!

Here we are 4 years ago sitting where Dave proposed to me.

And below is a photo of us the day after we were engaged.

(yes these photos have been scanned! hence the bad quality).

... and now we are 4 years later, expecting our 3rd child!

(and we havent even been married for 4 years yet!!)

So in celebration of our 'engagement anniversary' we took a trip up to jerusalem (yes, with the kids) to a cafe to drink hot chocolates and eat delicious Apple pie. And the best part of all was sitting at a window seat in a warmly heated cafe with the rain pouring down outside. It couldn't have been a more romantic way to enjoy our day. (well maybe a babysitter would have been one step closer to it being just perfect! haha.)

We didnt even manage to get a photo of just the two of us!! haha

Our Weekend...

2010-01-31T04:19:00.000-08:00

Homemade Hummous! Could anything be better? Or healthier!

This was our weekend lunch... homemade Hummous, Tabouleh, Beetroot, and fresh Pita.

Yummy!!

I am very fond of this recipe.. both kids love it, and Daddy too of course!

If anyone wants a good hummous recipe, just let me know!

After our yummy lunch and a nap we took the kids out for a walk up Hill Titura. A beautiful spot for simple hiking with toddlers! I apologize in advance for lack of 'pretty' photos! we were only about 10 mins into our walk when the camera died! And we hadnt even got to the incredibly beautiful flower-covered hill yet! I am hoping that the family we hiked with will have a few photos that we can have.

It was such a fun event for the kids and a great way to spend a Tu B'shevat weekend!
Our friends brought along little bird, flower and tree books, which gave the names, types and discription of many kinds of plants and birds found here.

Handmade Love...

2010-01-27T03:03:00.000-08:00

Generally you would walk down to your local craft supply store to buy these kind of letters, but here in Israel i havent (as of yet) seen them anywhere... especially not in English!

So i have had to get a bit crafty (which i love doing anyway!!) and have had to design and make my own. Now that we have moved we no longer have access to saws and wood offcuts like we used to, therefore we have improvised and have come up with our own foam board letters! I say 'WE' because actually i needed Dave's help with these... he's the architect around here and has had plenty of practice cutting through this type of board as he used it for many of his model houses.

We are very happy with the finished result! and it just adds that touch of 'romance' to the room!! My next project is the living room... it will be a bit different, but the word 'family' will be there somewhere.

Favorite photo of the week!

2010-01-25T11:37:00.000-08:00

To capture a 'winters moment' around here is very rare! So when i captured this little moment, i was so delighted! The kids were snuggled up in their blankets drinking their NZ hot chocolate (milo) and making each other crack up laughing.. all while the rain was falling outside.

Yippee for wintery days! May there be at least one or two more!??

Shalev and mummy's creative hour!

2010-01-25T11:29:00.000-08:00

hmmm, what shall we make with these bits and pieces??
How about we make a tube with a cone on the top...

wrap it up in tin foil..

and call it a rocket!!

Blastoff!!

Our Imagination Station this week is a...

2010-01-25T11:13:00.000-08:00

yes, our very own.. Hot chocolate and Tea Shop!

YUMMY!

They especially liked the 'marshmellows' (rolled up cotton wool) that i made for them to have with their cups of hot chocolate!

And yes, i found myself being served between 15-20 cups of this yummy stuff at every sitting!

Painting God's own Heart

2010-01-25T10:40:00.000-08:00

Okay, so im about to write my first advertisment !!

I just had to let you all know that My mum has just recently begun a new blog! Go mum!

(with the help of my sister)

She has just recently begun painting again!! (to be honest with you we hardly knew she could paint... until ... she sent me a photo of one of the recent paintings!)

Well truth be told... She's an Artist!! A wonderfully talented one!

Mum says, 'He (meaning the Lord) is my inspiration'... I love that!

So far only a few photos of her paintings have been uploaded to the blog, but its good enough to take a look!

http://paintinggodsownheart.blogspot.com/

Oh and dont tell her im saying this, but... i know it would brighten her day if you were to leave a little comment or two!

Many blessings!

Our third baby boy!!

2010-01-19T03:08:00.000-08:00

I agree! He's adorable!!

no playcorner.. means a lot of imagination!!

2010-01-19T01:29:00.000-08:00

We no longer have space for a 'play corner' for the boys, and outside of their own bedroom, they dont really have a space of their own... esp for shalev while Yoav is napping!.... So i've come up with an 'imagiation station' ! We have a empty space against the wall between the dining table and the living room so now we have a fun play place just for the kids!

One week it was a farm... next week its a grocery store!

yes its Shalev and Yoav's favourite corner of the house.

Each week im thinking to rotate a few fun play ideas for them. And as you can see below in the photos we've already had a farm, which shalev and i created while Yoav was sleeping. They played with this for ages!! Its incredible what one piece of cardboard with a few coloured pieces of paper added to it can achieve with these two!

And then... this last week we went for a grocery store. NOW this hit the spot with shalev!! He hasn't stopped playing with it since i first set it up! It did at one point become a restaurant where he pulled out all my recipe books and my bowls and mixers! (oh and some dried pasta and rice i must add).

What a cool corner this has turned out to be! Im quite happy now that we don't have the playcorner, i think this is helping all of us around here use our brains and creativity a bit more!!

These are all empty packages and containers that i keep for the kids, and no the eggs aren't real!

where is the rain, the hail, the storms, the cold??

2010-01-08T05:44:00.000-08:00

Today was a cracker 25 degree day. Tommorrow is forcast to be even warmer with the weekend and beyond only getting hotter!!

And this is our winter!?

We can count the amount of times it has rained this Winter on one hand!

Its a little depressing! Especially seeing as this is the middle of Winter.

I wonder if this drought will ever come to an end.

But not to worry.. we found ways to cool down! The boys took their clothes off and got stuck into painting (water "painting") the outside walls! go boys!! I actually couldnt stay out there very long because it got so hot, but they had a ball!

And then the water painting on the walls became water painting art work time.

What a wonderful Winters day!

2010-01-08T05:41:00.000-08:00

Boys room and other corners...

2010-01-08T05:30:00.000-08:00

The hallway yet again has become the gallery for Shalevs artwork (and soon to be Yoav's also)

The Living room, and the unfinished office area!

2010-01-08T05:21:00.000-08:00

Above this couch we a planning to put up a large mirror of some kind. We have one that used to hang in the kids room, it was Orange! but ive just recently painted it the same colour as the walls. So in good time this wall will no longer be bare.

We almost havent had to buy anything since moving here, just the office area cabinets and other small things. But we feel so blessed to have been able to move in without a lot of extra costs.

Our biggest adventure and new experience now is getting used to Apartment living. We realise that almost every Israeli family has to get used to it at some time or another, but after having been on the ground floor with only family above us, its quite a new adventure. The children also are having to get used to it! But even in these few weeks of being here we are feeling more and more at home as every day goes by! and we're enjoying our neighbours and our surrounds very much!

the kitchen and dining area...

2010-01-08T05:12:00.000-08:00

My Mum painted this painting for us as a birthday gift last year, and only now are we able to finally hang it and display it! She doesn't like to think of herself as an artist, but she IS!

Our packing up and moving

2010-01-08T05:02:00.000-08:00

we have moved!!! (hence the lack of blogging)

2009-12-31T04:47:00.000-08:00

Yes indeed we have MOVED!! We're still here in Israel, but we've moved down the country a little. We dont feel to post the name of the city/town onto the blog as our blog can be viewed by ALL, but to those of you who know us personally (and we know you) please feel free to drop us an email and we'll be happy to inform you of our new loctation! (just incase you're wanting to drop by!!! and PLEASE DO!!)
Its been a VERY busy last few weeks for us. It all happened very suddenly that Dave was promoted and re-located. Therefore so were we!
We are very very happy in our new home and area. We dont have a garden anymore, but we do have a lovely (good-sized) balcony and a gorgeous park and playground just below us. We feel very blessed. And even though we are still only renting our new land-lord allowed us to paint the whole house what ever colours we chose and he would pay for it. So we are now in a freshly painted home, with sunlight galore and a very new feeling about it. Actually thats the other bonus, our apartment in only 4 years old! so im not fighting mold and maintance problems (yet!!).
I just wanted to send through this quick update on our last few hectic weeks... just to re-assure you all that we are all still well and healthy!. And indeed we are looking forward to this New year. Its now only a matter of hours away.
I will post a few photos of our new house tonight (or over the weekend). Until then have a REAL celebration tonight, tomorrow or whenever you'll be celebrating the welcoming of 2010!
Many blessings!
Amy (for the whole family)

a long wee while...

2009-11-18T03:23:00.000-08:00

Yes indeed, it's been a long wee while since i last posted any updates on our blog here.
This has been mostly due to my low energy levels and my morning sickness which has bothered me for about 10 weeks, but has just this last week begun to subside. And my energy levels are beginning to rise again also.

We are all doing well though. We've had the odd colds and flus that seem to be creeping around at this time of the year, but for the most part we have all been enjoying our Autumn very much.

We have been extremely slack about taking photos these last weeks but we do have a few shots of our October and November events to show you.

As a quick re-cap of October; Yoav turned One on the 12th of October so we celebrated his birthday with friends and family.
and then my sister came... and we so enjoyed having here with us for 2 weeks before she moved over to the Galilee to begin volunteering.
And then my mum came... we also so enjoyed having her with us for 2 weeks!! and then Dad followed suit and came for 1 night before they both departed for NZ for 3 months.
So actually this is my first complete day of being without family and without morning sickness!

Below are are few photos of Yoav on his birthday. (we were so focused on celebrating at the party itself that we barely took any photos... including photos of the birthday boy!!!) but here are a few...

This year i went for a 'jungle themed cake'... and yes i stuck to cupcakes yet again!

It was a lot of fun to make! but a little fiddly.

Our Sukkot...

2009-10-11T04:43:00.000-07:00

Here in Israel we have just come to the end of having celebrated another feast, this time called Sukkot. Because i am lacking strength today (due to pregnancy of baby #3) I am going to be lazy and not even explain what sukkot is, but rather, if you're interested as to why we all build tents topped with palm trees and why we eat in them for 7 days.... here is a link:

Click here if you'd like to know more about Sukkot!

The constructing of our Sukka...

here is Shalev helping to make decorations for our Sukka.

Eating melon in the sukka on a hot Saturday afternoon.

have a wonderful week everyone!

A day at the Galilee!

2009-10-02T04:18:00.000-07:00

Last week we ventured over to the Sea of Galilee for a swim and a picnic. The weather was just right, and the Galilee was SO pleasant to swim in.

As a family we really enjoy it there, so we look forward to many more summers and warm days of picnicing and swimming!!

too cute... i just had to post these!

2009-10-02T04:11:00.000-07:00

Daddy and the boys!
and our dear Yoav.

Shalev the baker!

2009-10-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

Shalev has a new found joy... baking (playdough baking).

Goodbye Summer 2009!

2009-10-02T03:56:00.000-07:00

For us here in the Middle East we are only just now saying goodbye to the summer,

but we are warmly welcoming in the Autumn!

Great NEWS!!

2009-09-29T10:02:00.000-07:00

Baby Number 3 is on the way!!

Yes, and this precious baby is due to enter this world in May next year.

Until then Mummy is taking it one day at a time. The tiredness and the morning sickness has already begun so we are all taking it a little slower around here than normal!

Have a blessed week!

Yoav is walking!!

2009-09-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

Yes it's just wonderful!

Our 11 month old is walking..

well so far its only been a maximum of 5 steps in a row...

but that's WALKING to us!!

Our Rosh HaShana

2009-09-21T03:32:00.000-07:00

Rosh HaShana, the Jewish New Year.

A wonderful time to celebrate as a family the year that has passed and to contemplate the year ahead! We had a very special evening together.

There was the noise of the shofar being blown, the dipping of apples into honey, the blessings we read and shared to one another for the new year, and the dancing around the living room that followed.

Here is a small glimpse into our evening.

May it be a fruitful new year!

Daddy and Shalev blowing the Shofar!

(We went a little cheap this year as these are simple handmade shofars that i put together using toilet rolls, masking tape and a party blower. But they sounded AMAZINGLY authentic!!)

Apples and Honey

(representing a sweet and fruitful new year)

Mummy and the traditional Honey Cake

Shana Tova!

Have a blessed New Year!

Shabbat Shalom everyone!

2009-09-11T04:59:00.000-07:00

Have a wonderful and restful weekend!

We're home....

2009-09-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, indeed we are home!

We actually returned about 2 weeks ago, but have only now had the oppurtunity to tell you all.

Since being home we've been unpacking, re-settling, and enjoying much fellowship and summer fun with friends and as a family.

Its was just such a special trip away, and we all enjoyed it immensely, but it is also good to be home again.

We havent yet managed to open the cds with our photos on from our trip away, so i dont have any (as of yet) to show you, but here are a few photos from our picnic at the beach last wednesday evening.

Its been super returning to Israel for the late-summer, its not too hot and not at all too cold.

Much love from the four of us!

Shalevs 2nd Birthday PARTY!!

2009-07-16T16:02:00.000-07:00

My cousin April has a son only 3 weeks younger than Shalev, so we decided to join their parties and celebrate together. It was SO much fun!! And the best part was the fact that both boys LOVE trains... so finding an idea for the birthday cake wasn't a tough job.

here are a few pics of the day...

here are the boys, Shalev and Vaan. Shavi is doing a great job of blowing out the candles.

And here are the mummys! yes, me and April. I think we deserved to have a photo with the cake as it did take us a WHOLE afternoon making it!!!

Out and about...

2009-07-16T15:44:00.000-07:00

Ive just realized that i havent included many photos of Yoav lately..

so heres one for you... Dave and Shalev went and visited a Calf shed.

This is the beautiful walk around Mt.Maunganui.

It was chilly but well worth it!

Shalevs 2nd birthday with the Great-Grandparents!

2009-07-16T15:29:00.000-07:00

Shalev is 2! wow!! Grandma made a delicious roast chicken to celebrate Shalevs 2nd birthday. My brother johnny came and joined us for the evening also.
And yes, shalev just LOVES Pooh bear and Eyeore.

We thank the Lord for the 2 beautiful years He has given to Shalev.

Here we are... In New Zealand.

2009-07-16T15:15:00.001-07:00

We can hardly believe that we've been here almost 3 weeks already!

It's been so wonderful catching up with everyone again. The boys have SO enjoyed seeing their great-grandparents, uncles, aunties and cousins for the first time!!

Right now I'm limited with time so i wont be able to upload too many photos but here are a few from our first 2 weeks in NZ, which were spent at my Grandparents orchard. They have a beautiful, large property which grows kiwifruit and many other delights. Shalev had a super time running through the lush green grass, picking delicious manderines from the trees, and 'driving' great-grandads tractor!

Shalev with great-grandad

... and here is Yoav with his great-popa and great-nana

New Zealand.. here we come!!

2009-06-24T11:11:00.000-07:00

In only 3 more sleeps we're going to be heading 'home' to New Zealand for an 8 week summer vacation!

And yes, we're all pretty excited about it!

We're going to be leaving behind this Middle Eastern heat... yippee!

...as we're heading to a very cold Winter over on the side of the world.

Here's a small glimpse of New Zealand for you...

We hope to continue updating the blog while we're in New Zealand...

and we'll be seeing you three very soon!!

Our June...

2009-06-24T10:41:00.001-07:00

a few crafts... before vacation!

2009-06-24T10:29:00.000-07:00

Daves 30th!!!

2009-06-21T04:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we put together a suprise party in the forest for Dave's 30th!

He sure was suprised!
This year i made for him a cake fit for an Architect! with house plans and all!!
The hardest part was painting on those house plans with food colouring!

and here's our darling Yoav surrounded with love! With Nana and his cousins.

And also celebrating with us were some very good friends Matt, Courtney and their little one Graham. We love you guys.. and are going to miss you SO much when you leave Israel.

and here we all are... minus Jonathan and May.

Thanks guys for coming and making it such a wonderful afternoon for Dave!

Iced cookies and cake!

2009-06-21T04:44:00.000-07:00

So i decided to give this a try again for the second time... and actually im really beginning to enjoy this cookie decorating! I made these for some dear friends of ours who's 3 little ones are all having their birthdays while we're overseas. So yes, it was an early birthday gift!

And here a quick snapshot of one of the cakes i made this week for a friends 50th birthday.
It was done in a HUGE hurry! but she still enjoyed it!

Our Shavuot!

2009-06-06T11:21:00.000-07:00

Yes, i do realize that im a week late in getting this posted on here, but this past week we've had a rather sick Shalev to take care of and honestly Blogging has been the last thing on my mind!

But here i am... with last weekends adventures! Our Shavuot meal... bread, cheese and the fruits of the land!(and chicken)
On the day of Shavuot (Feast of weeks) we traveled north with some dear friends to a Kibbutz which has a friendly-sized animal park.

here is shalev feeding the goatsMummy with the rabbits!Daddy with Yoav and Shmuel

The kids all made their own Labane (with a little help of course)

and then we were given dough to flatten out

and then it was cooked. We then ate the Labane with the Pita.

For those of you who dont know... Shavuot is known for its dairy products and cheesecakes are a famous treat for this occasion. So this year instead of making a cheesecake i made cheesecups! (yes im always willing to try new things!)

and yes, they were delicious!

On the evening of Shavuot we then went down the road to a beautiful Kibbutz called Mishmar HaEmek. We were invited by good friends of ours who live there. They put together a wonderful show and display of harvest, new fruits, tractors, horses, dancing, music and plenty more. It was a lot of fun!!

have a great week!!

Air-dry Clay...

2009-05-18T05:58:00.000-07:00

I have a wonderful recipe for making air-dry clay. It's so smooth and really nice to work with.

With it we punched out these shapes using a cookie cutter and then painted them. (i dont have a photo of the finished result yet.)

We also made a clay handprint. (photos of that are still to come).

But for now i'll show you what i do have the final photos of... some street signs for shalev's cars and roads.

My new laundry room!

2009-05-18T03:54:00.000-07:00

yes, i do feel like a gypsy.

(But I have faith that it's only temporary)

Our baby is growing up!

2009-05-17T04:54:00.000-07:00

At 7 months old Yoav is on the move!!

Spring Cleaning... the kids room!

2009-05-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

Here is our rather ugly and extremely intimidating bookshelf in the boys room. I hate the mess it brings and the completely useless upper shelves.

Scroll down and you will find our solution to this problem.

saw it in half!

and then sand the edges...

and Vwala!
After:
The new bookshelf/ toy shelf! (at a child's height... thanks Daddy!)

Before:

After:

Fewer clothes hanging up and a new and fresh white toy hanger (instead of the blue one).

Out goes the cot and in comes the bed! yippee!!

As you can see, the boys room was much easier than the kitchen.

Some art during the spring cleaning...

2009-05-14T11:24:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of our Art projects that we have accomplished in between our cleaning.

We now call this the 'wall of frame'. It consists of 12 in-season, around the home and family photos. (as it is now Spring, they are mostly photos showing new life, flowers and all of us having fun in the sunshine!) We plan on changing the photos as the seasons change.

And here's something light, fun and easy to do. Using scrapbook paper i simply cut out circles and framed them.

SimpleMom again inspired me on this one!

And this is the calendar that helps display shalev's art work. I actually came up with the idea because i really dislike the real calendar so in an attempt to cover it, i thought of a brillant way to get two things done at once! display shalev's art and cover up that hideous calendar!

Spring cleaning.. the kitchen!

2009-05-14T05:05:00.001-07:00

So here's the kitchen. This was a HUGE job!! but an ever-so-rewarding one! I was so grateful for dave's help. We went the full way in cleaning this place out from top to bottom!

first I cleared all the surfaces...
and then got everything out of the cupboards once the surfaces were back in order. yes we did have way too much stuff!Before:
After:
Before: after

before:

after:before:

after:

before:

after:

(the tupperware system just wasn't working for us so we transfered everything to glass and plastic jars. Basically any containers that display the foods clearly. before:

after:before:

after:our give away/ gift/ storage boxes..

here's the tupperware and containers that were left over after all the organizing.

all done!

Dad's 50th in Cyprus

2009-05-13T05:18:00.000-07:00

Crepes for Brunch with the neighbours

A classical 1950's dinner

Roast beef, veges, mashed potatoes and gravy

the birthday cake! Herb pots! (dad's right into herbing)

Happy Birthday Dad!!

spring cleaning the living room!

2009-05-13T04:46:00.000-07:00

So heres the living room.. I anyhow keep this room in order most of time and as you see i hardly have a thing in it! I like it this way.

The Boys have their own play corner and thats where the toys stay (at least thats where they should stay).

I took a day before the spring cleaning began to wash and dry each toy from Shalev's playcorner, and i threw all the soft toys into the machine for a good clean too. This saved me doing it during these very busy and hard out cleaning days! I didnt have the camera with me during the time i was sorting through the playcorner or the dining room, but as you can imagine there are fewer toys (and only sparkly and clean ones), cleaner floors and absolutley NO cobwebs in sight!! yippee!

okay, so now for the living room photos.. oh but again, i didnt get a before shot as such. (not that there really was a huge difference.)

my newly invented cleaning trolley.

Before: (actually during)
After:

And here's the famous glass block window.

It took me almost 2 hours to de-mold and wash down.

(not my most favourite feature of the home)