Anyone Want To Switch Places?

We managed to survive the weekend without anything in our house for the kids to play with. How we did it? I'm still trying to figure it out. The only toys we left them were 3 Polly Pockets, 3 books, 3 ponies, 1 horse, a new pack of crayons, 2 coloring books, and a packet of sidewalk chalk. Oh yes, and don't forget the DVDs that we've been playing on our 13'' Embassy TV set, which we were very lucky to borrow. It's so small that watching a DVD with subtitles (which we did last night) is a fruitless effort. We have tons of toys awaiting their arrival in California next week, but we're to the point where we need to borrow a few items from friends to help us last this next week.

A lot has happened throughout the past week/end. Here's what's been cooking here in Herzliyya:

• Our frustration continues with the State Department as our orders needed to be amended for the 5th time. Apparently we're allotted an additional shipment of household effects from California as long as they're written in our orders. But were they? Of course not! The orders stated that we could send additional items from D.C. though... which isn't exactly helpful when we're staying in California. This only took a week to fix.

• We got our visas for India, though they're not exactly correct. We applied for Diplomatic visas which allow us to have multiple entries into India, and are good for the entire length of our tour. Instead, we got them back and all they gave us were tourist visas which are only good for 1 entry within the next 3 months. Now we have to re-apply and do this all over again once we get to India.
  

• Our upgrades to business class from Frankfurt to Los Angeles went through - Hallelujah! Our travel agent at the Embassy really came through for us and helped push our upgrades along. For anyone PCS'ing this summer, upgrades can be worked out! Libby was also confirmed on every leg of our itinerary. Yay.
  

• We went to another birthday party this weekend for our friend's daughter who turned 4. This little girl is Sheridan's best girlfriend, and they are both going to be so sad to leave each other. The two of them together are little demons and get into all sorts of mischief at school. We've re-named them Thelma and Louise.
  

• Riley's slumber party went off without a hitch. The girls played lots of games, they brought in pizza, they took pictures (one of the moms gave them all disposable cameras to use for the night), and they read stories before going to bed at 8 pm. Of course they talked for several hours and finally fell asleep after 10 pm. Sure enough, they all woke up around 5:30 am! The moms were invited over to have an Israeli breakfast with everyone at 9 am, and we ended up staying there until after 11 am. It sounds like they all had a fantastic time... though I still think that the parents were smoking some serious doobie to take-on seven 5-year olds for a slumber party. I can guarantee that I won't be doing that ANY time soon!

• The Recreation Center pool opened up this weekend, though on a restricted schedule of just 10 am - 6 pm. The only way for it to open was if some poor sap volunteered to be the DRiP (Designated Responsible Person) for the day. Apparently parents aren't responsible enough to watch their own children, so someone else has to take on the job to watch them with you. It's a complete insult. But we decided to take a little insult and swam with the girls for a few hours this afternoon. It's mighty hot outside and the cool water felt great.

• I finally finished the preschool slideshow today and burned the first copy to a DVD. It's been a labor of love for the past few months; a few hundred photos of the kids from throughout the school year set to music that they've been listening to in class. I can't wait to show it to the preschool director. It's going to be sold as our last fundraiser at the end of the year. Now I get to burn 45 DVDs this week at 15 minutes a pop... what fun.
  

This next week is already proving to be packed and chaotic: last minute items to send to the States, taking Libby to the Government vet to get checked out of Israel, our house inspection, 2 field trips with the preschool, swimming lessons, videoing Riley's last ballet class, and countless other things that will take over our last week. Please be patient if I don't respond to e-mails in a timely manner. The wireless router was boxed and sent on Wednesday, so we only have our laptop stationary in our room - which means no more computer time for me while Matt watches some crap police movie.

Nine days and counting...