Shenanigans Crossing Borders

With all the traveling and exploring, we decided to slow down the rest of the week. instead of trying to explore every day, we just enjoyed the area around us, explored locally, and probably only went out a little bit to do some shopping.

For instance, on Tuesday, we had some apples, and Avital said, “I want to make applesauce”!

OK?

Sure!

“Do we have the ingredients?” I ask

“Yes!” she triumphantly answers.

“Do I need to get out the fire extinguisher?” I ask

“No, Abba! You’re not cooking, it’s just me making food!”

Tough crowd!

But now we have a jar of amazingly tasty homemade apple sauce. Coupled with some of those kosher spicy sausages, we stayed put and worked and got school stuffs done.

On Wednesday we got out of the house and went to the “nearby” shopping center. The space was pretty much an enormous parking lot (for probably 1,000 cars or more). The lot is surrounded by all the big box stores y’all have never heard of back home. But they are well known here. And some of the buildings are like malls inside the outdoor mall.

There’s Markt (which is kinda like BestBuy – but has a bajillion phones to choose from)

And Decathlon. Yup, you guessed it, a sporting goods store. This one was the weirdest to JP, only because it was mostly just a big, empty building, with a polished concrete floor, and every divider was on wheels. Also, the sections were laid out that you basically had to walk in one big circle from start to finish. Meandering did not seem encouraged. It kinda felt like a pop-up store, in the McCormick Convention Center, where it’s similar to 80% of the space not really being used.

While we were in the store, the girls tried a rip stick, or as JP likes to call it, and ankle cracker

Oh, and the bathrooms?

Awkward.

Lots of other stores as well, including a supermarket that would put to shame any grocer in the US. Everything is laid out nicely, well spaced, fresh baked goods, fresh dairy (copious amounts of Manchego), fresh seafood, and so much more!

Thursday JP attempted his very first challah dough. It wasn’t awful, and actually rose a bit. He left it out overnight to make sure.

Friday JP baked challah, worked, got the girls to clean part of the house, and he prepared meals for Shabbat.

Saturday, everyone kept it super low key, except all the jumping on the trampoline (These girls are getting good at their flips), book reading, board games, and dog walking. Sheesh, even our day of rest can be exhausting..

Sinatra says it best, “My Kind of Town”

Back in sweet home, Chicago. Wednesday was an errand/shopping day for us. Vered and Elyce went into the Loop and had some fun, Mayrav eventually met up with us and Ezra was working. Again no photos just enjoying our time together.

Thursday we had a visitor, Abuela Micki came by to say hello.

And Vered went climbing

Friday was prepping for Shabbat and all our overnight company. The reason we initially bought the plane tickets home. We are hosting three girls and one parent for Talia’s Bat Mitzvah. So a very full house. Ezra invited Ethan but the amount of estrogen in the house was A LOT! Ashanti even drove in from Kent, OH to see Mayrav and joined us for dinner as well. We are very fortunate that our elder children have such wonderful friends.

And again no photos because Shabbat.

Talia did a fantastic job, I am so happy we were able to make it back for this. The girls were so excited to have some time together and it was definitely appreciated.