Josh's wedding trip Part II

Thursday was a "rest day". Abba caught up on some work and Elisheva caught up on some sleep. We both caught up on some laundry and did some errands and shopping for Shabbos. Saba made us dinner by putting all the leftovers he could find into a pot, added some barbecue sauce, and it actually tasted OK. It was nice to go to sleep early.

Friday we got together with Dina and Cooper. The weather wasn't cooperating to go to the park, so we went to LaPizzaria instead. Cooper got a chance to drive Abba's car.

Later that day, Abba went to Riverdale to pick up Aunt Merril for Shabbos, Grandma Libby wasn't feeling up to it.

Shabbos was nice. Saba, Beth, Elisheva, Aunt Merril and me for dinner. In the morning, Abba went to Hashkama and came back to pick up Elisheva for shul. Unexpectedly, Kobi Schwartzbaum showed up again. His wife had just delivered a baby girl on Shabbos and he walked from North Shore Hospital to the Young Israel for Shacharis. Lunch was Sheva Brachos at the Hoffman's with a bunch of their friends and Seudah Shlishis at Young Israel. Josh spoke well. Motzai Shabbos, Abba took Aunt Merrill back to Riverdale, went back to Great Neck to pack, and got to Elizabeth by about 3 AM or so. For some reason everyone but Bubby was still up. Aunt Devorah helped Elisheva to her room. Uncle Yudi helped Abba return the car at Newark International and Grandpa stayed up to supervise.

Sunday morning was the big day for Elisheva. All of the relatives came for a big Blashka barbeque. Everyone pitched in with the preparations, and Yudi handled the grill work for the day. Guest list included David & Raizy and Family, and Mr. Vaiz from Baltimore; Aunt Frimit & Uncle Aharon; Yehudis; Uncle Bob and Aunt Barbara; Cousin Avi and his wife; Cousin Mendy and his family; Michelle & Bentzy and the kids; Aunt Gail, Uncle David and Racheli; and the local tenants of 35 Princeton. We had the customary piñata and Carvel cake and Elisheva got to be the center of attention for the day. Sunday was also kidsbowlforfree so we registered Elisheva, printed out her coupons, and headed for Jersey Lanes. Devorah, Binyamin and Akiva were on one lane and Elisheva, Bentzy, Ella and Ava were on the other lane. Bentzy topped all scores although Ella got the "rookie" award for her solid performance.

Monday was a shopping day with Yudi, Aunt Devorah and Binyamin (Bubby sat this one out). We started at 7-11 and then made our way to Target and the Dollar Stores. It seems like Elisheva didn't have enough bowling on Sunday, so she went again on Monday afternoon, while Abba went up to Westchester to join Cameron for Sheva Brachos, after missing the wedding on Sunday in Connecticut. Abba got there right in time for the U of Penn school song before benching. The guests waited while Abba made HaMotzai and wolfed down a Challah roll so he could lead the Benching. After the Sheva Brachos, Abba went back to Aunt Rona and Uncle Michael's with Grandma and chit-chatted until about midnight, returning to Elizabeth around 1 am

Tuesday was a morning of hectic packing and last minute decisions of what to pack and what to leave behind. Yudi drove us to the airport in plenty of time. Elisheva and Abba tried to use his free Continental lounge passes, but they were not accepted. The next 'tragedy' was that Elisheva was caught with liquid toiletries in her hand luggage and about $45 of Target purchases were thrown in the garbage. We sat on the plane for an extra hour or so before takeoff (mechanical difficulties they claimed) but we were OK since Bubby packed us a Dunkin Donuts food bag for the plane. Otherwise, the rest of the flight home was B"H uneventful.

Josh's Wedding Trip Part 1

We arrive on Sunday morning and picked up our rental car at Hertz and headed over to the Grushkos to drop off Elisheva. Abba then headed to Shacharis at Yeshiva of the Five Towns for Shacharis for the Bris of Motti Fox's son Gavriel Moshe. We also had a chance to see Yakir there, who later had to return upstate back to HASC. After the Bris, Abba went back to pick up Elisheva for the Seudas Mitzvah. We ran into Kobi Schwarzbaum at the bris and invited him to Josh's wedding

Since we were already in Woodmere, we stopped off later that morning to say hi to Uncle Bob and Aunt Barbara. Then we went back to the Grushkos to shower and change for the wedding, pictures were called for 1 PM. It was nice to spend time with all the relatives during pictures and around 5 o'clock the Chasan's Tish started, around the time Rav Moshe Eliyahu arrived. So Abba left Elisheva in the Shmorg with Bubby (who brought Elisheva's formal wear flip-flop sandals) and joined the men for the Chasan's Tish.

The Chupah was around 6 PM. Abba walked down the aisle with Zeidy and Uncle Eliezer. Here is a short video of Uncle Josh walking down the aisle

Amid all the excitement, there was a particularly sad part of the Chupah, when Aunt Hannah was walking around Uncle Josh seven times with only her mother behind her, it was then that Savta's absence was most noticeable, causing many people to cry, including Abba.

We also got to meet Beth at the wedding. Saba and Beth announced their engagement on Monday, the day after the wedding. Other notable wedding guest relatives that we only got to see on Sunday night were Uncle Frank and Jessica; Ilana, Daniel and Jonny Blumenthal; Aunt Jean, Celia and Rachel Blumenthal; George and Barbara Blumenthal.

The next morning we spent some time with the Gerstens from Baltimore before they had to head back home. Abba went to the early Shacharis with Saba and Uncle Eliezer, and then Abba served breakfast for Akiva, Efrayim and Henya while Aunt Tamara slept and Uncle Avigdor was at the 7:45. 

Saba took off from work on Monday, and we went to buy Elisheva her Bat Mitzvah present. We had dinner with Saba and Uncle Eliezer before they headed for the airport (Sheva Brachos was in Manhattan with the Chason and Kallah's friends) and then it was just Saba, Abba and Elisheva in the house for the rest of the week (although Uncle Josh came by a few times to pick up some of his stuff)

Tuesday afternoon we spent with Aunt Lisa, Racheli, Sara and Yosef at the Queens Zoo. We first stopped off at Amazing Savings and Berrylicious for a few chatchkas and some frozen yogurt.

Right next to the zoo was a little carnival type place so the girls went on the roller coaster and Aunt Lisa took Yosef on a different ride.

Racheli in the front card and Elisheva & Sara in the next car

Tuesday evening we went to Sheva Brachos at the Tobin-Hess family in Great Neck. It was a big backyard barbecue. Unfortunately, Elisheva got a lot of mosquito bites they are still itching her as we are typing...

Wednesday morning we went to Grandma Libby, where Aunt Merril was staying as well. We went for pizza and ice cream at "The Pizza Block" in Riverdale, owned by none other than Abba's friend Elisha Block, whom Abba introduced to everyone. Later, Aunt Rona joined us and we went to Baskin Robbins for smoothies.

Elisheva and Abba stopped off to visit Savta's kever that afternoon. We got there right before they closed at 4 PM. The entire family decided on Motzai Shabbos to visit the Kever on Sunday before Uncle Josh's wedding, but we didn't get the message until we arrived at the wedding.

Sheva Brachos that night was by Uncle David and Aunt Gail in Brooklyn.It was mostly the Weiss family and the Gersten Family.

Uncle David and Aunt Gail hosted the Sheva Brachos

The Panim Chadashos that evening were Uncle David's father as well as cousin Michael and his family who were on vacation in the US. We just barely eked out a minyan for Maariv and Sheva Brachos.

Elisheva with Cooper

Elisheva and Aunt Dina

Elisheva with Aunt Hannah and Uncle Josh