Grandma and Merrill came in to Yerushalayim on Friday afternoon, and Abba took Tali and Elazar to pick them up. After loading the bags in the car with the help of an experienced bellhop, we headed to Rami Levi in Givat Shaul, which doesn't close until 3:00 PM on Friday, to pick up some Shabbos treats for everyone. Then when Aunt Merrill saw the toy store nearby she took Elazar to pick out his present (remote control car) and Tali's (bath toys), while Grandma, Abba and Tali found appropriate Shabbos treats.
We got back to Mitzpeh around 3:30 or so and got ready for Shabbos.
Aunt Merrill helped give Tali a bath and Grandma was stationed in the living room to prevent the boys from getting to wild. All the Shabbos meals were very nice -- just the family. Ima provided the food and Abba provided the discussion questions and Divrei Torah on Parshas Naso.
Elisheva, Grandma and Aunt Merrill went to the main shul for Shacharis while Abba davened at the teen minyan with Ezra. After shul, there was a little excitement as Grandma was slightly dehydrated from the desert air, but we found some ice tea at the Kiddush, which provided hydration and some sugar, and we made our way home for lunch. After a long Shabbos afternoon, including bananagram and apples to apples with Aunt Merrill, and Seudah Shlishis it was time to make Havdallah
After Shabbos, Aunt Merrill, Abba, Elisheva, Ezra and Noam headed first to Mishur to see if the toy store was open (it wasn't, but we got sandals for Noam instead). The kids were determined for their Aunt Merrill presents, so we went to the mall in Maaleh Adumim which closes at 11 PM. We went around the store looking for good stuff with the budget Aunt Merrill gave us, but in the end Elisheva and Ezra took the cash instead and Noam got a fire truck. Aunt Merrill and Elisheva wanted to stay longer at the mall and get ice cream, but Abba reminded everyone that it was after 10:00 and everyone had school tomorrow.
On Sunday, Grandma and Aunt Merrill treated Ima and Abba to brunch at a cafe in Maaleh Adumim. Aunt Merrill was complementing the owner of the establishment and he gave us all desert on the house. We then waited for the kids to come home from school to say goodbye and then Noam and Abba took Grandma and Aunt Merrill to the King Solomon back in Jerusalem where they would stay until their flight later that week.
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