Shabbos back in Har Nof

With Ima away for Shabbos, we took the opportunity to go away as the five of us all fit in the car. We thought about Molly and Yechiel, but Yechiel was recovering from surgery. We thought about Modiin, but Abe and Esti had family over in honor of Miri's bas mitzvah. We thought about a few other places, but we ended up deciding to go back to Har Nof for a Shabbos.

It was funny how only Elisheva and Ezra really recognized where we were, whereas Noam and even Elazar didn't remember Har Nof after only one year in Mitzpeh. I told Elisheva and Ezra not to say anything, and we walked right past our old building. I asked Elazar where our old house was, and he had no idea.

The Weiss family was going away for Shabbos for a Sheva Brachos, so they gave us their apartment on Ruzhin to use. We stopped off at Rami Levi in Givat Shaul to pick up some Shabbos treats and then got to the apartment early, dropped our stuff and went around the neighborhood to visit some old friends

Our first stop was Morah Chani, Ezra and Elazar's former nursery school teacher. We also stopped by the Nadel's and the Rebbe's before heading to Gan Ovadiah. I found it so interesting how when we lived in Har Nof the kids would always say they were bored at the park, because they used to come to the same park so often. Now they were so excited and were all over the playground. Mental note: when the kids stop playing with certain toys because they are boring, instead of buying new ones, put them away for a year and see how  excited the kids are about them a year later. I call this parental strategy "Toy Rotation"

We also visited Nancy's house for a while, and then came back to the building and visited Morah Sorah Leah, Noam's playgroup from last year

Abba already davened Mincha in Mitzpeh, so Abba went to Rav Romm for Maariv, Ezra and Elazar went to Dati Leumi, and Elisheva took Noam to the Vogels, where we were all met for Dinner. After a nice long Shabbos meal with the Vogels we borrowed their jogging stroller to transport the sleeping children back to the apartment

Abba davened Shacharis early while the kids slept, and set up their cereal bowls before leaving. When Abba returned the kids were at the breakfast table partaking of their Shabbos cereal - perfect timing. Elisheva went to her friend, Ezra and Elazar returned to Dati Leumi and Abba stayed home to play with Noam. We all met downstairs at the Ruzhin playground at 11 and headed to the Gittlemans for lunch.

Not sure what happened on Shabbos afternoon when I was napping, but by the time I woke up, Elisheva was home with Elazar and Noam and complaining she wasn't feeling to good. I took Noam to Mincha and Seudah Shlishis at Derech Etz Chaim, while Elisheva stayed home with Elazar.

Noam fell asleep and Abba found a wayward shopping cart from Supersol on Ibn Denan and used it to transport Noam back to Ruzhin. I dropped off Noam at the apartment and took Ezra to Maariv at Beis Yechiel. After Kiddush Levana, Abba went back to the apartment to pack and clean up. We thanked the Weiss family for giving us the apartment for Shabbos and then headed back to Mitzpeh for Havdallah.