Doors are the entrance and the exit... but imagination can take one behind the door to envision a life lived therein.
I once read that in a magazine...

Mom and I spent the day Shopping in Tel Aviv . I was long overdue for some retail therapy... We went to the Nachalat Benyamin Arts & Crafts Fair where I spent to much money .

My children are learning so much about a different culture and gaining a better understanding of the world. What more could I ask for

We have been here three months!!! Where has the time gone ? The boy's are already on Pesach Break (Passover)

They had a festive celebration at school today ...With a special feast of bitter herbs, sweets, and the traditional matzah bread. They read from the Haggadah (similar to Exodus in the Old Testament)

The Dead Sea is a salt lake between Israel and the West Bank to the west and Jordan to the east. The shores are the lowest point on the surface of the Earth on dry land (1,385 feet below sea level) and is 8.6 times more salty than the ocean- 33.7% salinity, which is why it is called the Dead Sea... nothing could possibly live in the water!

The Boy's were very excited this morning and could not wait to head out to the airport

I hope Grandma brought some warm weather from Arizona . I have to say Israel is a lot chillier than I expected ! Although I will probably regret wishing for this. I am sure the hot desert temps are coming soon...

The boy's had fun helping her unpack... Easter egg dye,Kraft Mac & Cheese , Tillamook Cheddar , Mission Tortillas ,SEASON SALT,tons of books for the kids ,Magazines (I am going to enjoy those) and all kind's of American snack foods - It may not seen like a big deal TO YOU ! But it is to us (I am pretty sure I was about to overdose on hummus and pita)

Ahhhh, the Comforts of Home . There was even a sheet cake pan in her suit case for Eric's Birthday cake : )

Eric and I threw a Dinner Party friday night. Dinner turned out OK. I served Mexican food (my usual) Two minor thing's went wrong
1. There are no lime's in Israel ,not even lime juice
2. The Tortilla's tasted like they had been on a container ship for three month's

Still, many of my guest's told me it was the best Mexican food they've had in Israel ! I relize this may not be a complement : )

Wendi's dessert however was a culinary masterpiece...Her desserts in general are amazing . She is a Engineer like the boy's , I am convinced she uses her Engineering skills in the kitchen !

The next morning we all meet for lunch and spent the day at the beach in Netanya .We have such a great group of friend's here . I think of all the things we will miss from Israel, it will probably be the friendships we have made

Before the guests arrived ,While cooking...Eric and I had a playful argument over who's home town has the best Mexican food. I won of course, I am from San Diego ,that beats Phoenix any day of the week

Building the Great Pyramids of Giza

Just by the Israel - Lebanon border (which is closed) are the caves and white cliffs of Rosh HaNikra. It is a beautiful place by the Mediterranean Sea.The caves have been carved out of the rock by rain and the sea. You have to take a cable car down . The waves were unusally big so we could not go all the way into the grotto's

Inside one of the grotto (normally the sea is calm and these grottos show of it's deep azure color, not today)

The Lebanese Border ,The boy's (Eric and me too) are getting a cool geography lesson

I picked up one of those huge laminated map's of the world so the boy's can get familiar with the all the countries along the Eurafrican Mediterranean sea . Caden still can't belive how close we are to Iraq !

There seems to be no end to these here , wow ...we are learning alot about the ancient world !!! Even the little museum located near our house has an obscene amount of treasures and they don't even charge admission ! If I spend enough time here I am pretty sure I will get some kind of a degree : )
http://mushecht.haifa.ac.il/Default_eng.aspx

Saturday we visited Bet She'an , It is one of the most ancient sites in Israel: it was first settled 5-6 thousand years ago . Bet Shean was once controlled by the Egyptians, from the time of Pharaoh Tutmose III (15th Century BCE) The city is mentioned in several Egyptian texts and many times in the Bible (in the 11th Century BCE, In the famous battle of the Israelites against the Philistines on Mount Gilboa, the dead bodies of King Saul and his son Jonathan were hung on the walls)

A church group from Washington taking advantage of the acoustics, performed a couple christian rock songs

The Swimming pool is part of the the huge bathhouse (built during the Roman rule). Complete with massage rooms and a gym, including a caldarium , a large latrine, rows of evenly spaced stone toilet seats along its walls, and drainage channels beneath them (this ancient spa inspired a post on my other blog )http://theglamlounge.blogspot.com/




The sauna

Main Street

The city was destroyed in 749 A.D. by an earthquake

On the top of Tel Bet She'an ( a view of Jordan)

This fun holiday came as a Huge Surprise ! I had never heard of It before moving here...
Purim is a holiday that recounts the saving of the Jews from a massacre during the Persian period (539-330 BCE). The holiday is celebrated with wild abandon and with the giving of gifts to friends. According to the book of Esther the Jewish people are commanded to eat, drink and be merry. A person is required to drink until he cannot tell the difference between good and evil, opinions differ as to exactly how drunk that is. A person certainly should not become so drunk that he might violate other commandments or get seriously ill. Eric and I did not partake... but, it was tempting : )

The kids , however had a great time... dressing up in costumes at school and bringing candy and presents to each other everyday of the week , during the first seven days in Adar (March) there is no school work given just carnivals and parades ! The kid's are only allowed to have fun !