Yom Haatzmaut

Eden did not get to see the fireworks. She was all hyped up for them, but then somehow forgot about it right before it was her regular bed time. She was tired and went to bed so easily, that we just COULDN'T make her stay up later. It would have been excruciating.
So when they started about 1.5 hours later, we rushed downstairs, sure that she would have woken up scared. Not a chance, nor was she going to wake up. No dice, and Ben missed the first few trying. The next morning, we decided not to mention it and kind of skimmed the topic. Oh well, maybe next year.
Yesterday we spent the morning in Park Canada, 10 min from Modiin on one side, and one of the two local forests and hiking spots (the other being the Ben Shemen forest, 10 min from Modiin on the other side). Wasn't very crowded, and only a little bit of garbage. Best of all, there were trees! Not really to sit in the shade (although we did), but to climb! Eden climbed trees for the first time, and I think it was a great ego booster, since she insisted on wearing her fake crocs that morning, which don't have much traction, and wern't serving her so well on the rocks she was climbing.
Then we headed back to Grandma and Grandpa's for a bbq, where Eden ate more than ever, and I discovered the wonders of excercise balls. Pictures sometime soon.

Eden's been singing Independence Day songs for weeks now, getting the reishes in "Eretz Yisrael Sheli Yafa veGam Porachat" (My Israel is beautiful and blooming) right every time! She's so obsessed with Yom Haatzmaut that everything her gannenet told her about Holocaust Rememberance Day and Memorial Day went out the window - she doesn't remember a thing. Also, she thinks that the upcoming Lag B'omer is also a party for the medina - mangal and medurah getting mixed up also.

Happy 61, Medinat Yisrael. We are so glad to be here. Baby too - kicking strongly to the tune of Hatikvah.