Ohh what a busy month it's been

So August has come and gone and no matter how many times I sat down to update the blog I just never finished... so here we go...


August 1 - 3 Barry and I went to the American River for a little river rafting It was our last hurrah before the girls got home.

August 3: Rodney left for the Netherlands.... I know who's Rodney and why is he in the Netherlands and why am I writing about it... well the simple answer is because I can but the more detailed answer is because he is " Just a Friend" of Sams and this is his semester abroad... and boy did he go far... but the good news is (from my perspective) that Sam is learning how to SKYP so maybe we will get to see her when she is up at Davis.




August 5th: Ashleigh and Morgan were suppose to arrive in New York at about 3:00 in the afternoon. However they had a slight delay and didn't quite make it home until August 7th with a short stop in Paris on the way.







Once they actually got home it took them a little longer to try and get their bodies back in our time zone. and they were basically willing to sleep anywhere.







August 8th was our last shabbos before Morgan went back to Florida





August 9th was suppose to be a family party but we ended up just hung out with the girls and learned the Shomer Nagiha song




August 10th: was a little sadder...as we said goodbye to Morgan as she went back to Florida to start her Senior year (can you believe it) and to enjoy the hurricanes.
After the airport we continued on to see some friends and get ready for Barry, Gary and Shomers birthday some of them were turning 54 and some were turning 3






We celebrated at the office and the house.








We had a little lull between August 11 and Aug 16 which was Marty and Stacy's anniversary party.

O.k. so now... we are half way through the month but August is a busy busy month so we continue our celebrations

August 19th: why it's Bubbies 75th birthday and we all (almost all) gathered to wish her happy birthday as only we can.

So now we are into the end stretch...the month is almost over all we have to do is get ready for school for Ashleigh and water my Little Garden that's not so little anymore.

No Veggies yet... but soon


So now the month is over and we are looking forward to starting September tomorrow (where did the time go)? and going to Laguna Beach next week.

I am hoping to blog a little more regularly next month

Can you believe she is ....

We gathered yesterday for Bubbie's Birthday and all I can say is we had a great time and take a look at the pictures if you need any more details just ask

We did Meatgrinder EN21

On Sunday August 3 we went up the river.... to ride it down the gorge the camp grounds because by now we were pros....

.... yeah right just 1 days of rafting under our belts and we didn't fall out and we were proud of ourselves. Colleen our guide was a great teacher, she even said we were good. We had such a good time that this activity has been moved from being on the Empty Nest List to the Do It Again list...

The Rapids the day before Satans Cesspoos and Hospital Bar were a lot of fun also.

On Tour with Ashleigh and Morgan Aug 5 and you thought it was over

Tuesday, August 5th: Group 8 had a great flight to Prague. Upon arrival they learned that their flight to New York had been cancelled. They were booked on flights for tomorrow, checked into the Tranzit Hotel across the street from the airport, ate dinner and had a Banquet Part 2 with fun songs that Aliza and Tali their staff members wrote, and spent some extra hours together. All USYers and staff are doing well and will try and get some sleep before another day of travel ahead.

We will see them on Thursday ....

On Tour with Ashleigh and Morgan Aug 4

Monday, August 4th:Group 8 spent their final day in Israel at Yad Lakashish, Lifeline for the Old, and on Ben Yehudah Street doing some last minute shopping. They packed, hung out, and then got dressed up in their pajamas for their final banquet. Complete with dinner, t-shirts, and reminiscing, the group spent hours laughing about the summer they had together. Very early tomorrow morning the group will load the bus and head to the airport. They will say L'hitraot to their Israeli staff and head back to the States. We had a great time with Group 8 this summer and hope to see them in Israel again soon!

Notes from the front: the girls have given back their phone and are at the airport...waiting for the first let of their journey home.....they will be back with us very very late tomorrow night but we will be glad to have them back at any time. That also means that we will have more pictures!!!!

This was Barry's first time EN 20

It was a weekend

of firsts

He had never done it before...

imagine that almost

54 years old

and he was still a virgin

A TENT virgin that is

But not any more!!!

Does He Look Ready EN 19

for Satins Cesspool or Hospital Bar...

well he was.

Saturday Aug 2 was a wonderful day full of learning all kinds of new things...

First Joe (in the tie dye shirt) gave us a lesson the proper river raft etiquette

like the proper way to hold and toss a paddle.

Then he instructed us on how to properly put on and use our life vest.










and most important, the proper way to give a River Runner Hug





Here are some of the students that paid attention

On Tour with Ashleigh and Morgan Aug 3

Sunday, August 3rd:Today, Group 8 learned about what USY calls "New Jerusalem," which basically traces the line that was Israel's border with Jordan before 1967. First they went to Gilo to see the Security wall that was built there. Then they went to the Tayelet, an overlook where the entire city can be seen with the Old City in the Center. It is said that this is the place where Abraham stood when he saw the city for the first time. From there they went to Ammunition Hill, where they walked through the trenches that used to be part of a Jordanian bunker that was the center of battle in 1967. They then went to Mount Herzl where they visited the graves of the founders of Zionism, Yitchak Rabin, Hannah Senesh, and Michael Levin z"l, a Nativ and Camp Ramah alum who fell in battle during the 2006 war in Lebanon. This evening they returned to the Fuchsberg Center for some free time and dinner. They then had a talent show!

just a few pictures text to follow EN18

ok so the whole drive is not very interesting as you can tell from my previous blogs about the price of gas but once you get to exit 37 off the 50 things start to change.

all of a suddent you are driving right along the river and as per the instructions after 10 miles and a left turn you arrive at Camp Lotus

now Camp Lotus is great you pull in, check in get a little card for the dash board and then you drive to area "I" they do have the whole alphabet but area I is at the end of the camp ground.

well they are starting breakfast... so I got to go