Celebrations

On Tuesday Justin and Matthew turned 7. As every year there was a tiny bit of Harry Potter in their birthdays, as they were born on the day Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was published, and most everyone around us was reading the book. :) This year it was the wrapping paper... We had a small family celebration that day, without Kevin or Janice home, but with a few aunts, uncles and grandparents present. The boys got LEGO's, of course, two books by Stephen and Lucy Hawking, some clothes and "stuff". My step-mom disapproved some of it, "You force science onto them," she keeps saying. Well, it's actually that the boys are asking about the world of science all the time. With Craig's microscope and P's telescope the kids are starting to discover quite a bit of the world. Craig now wants a small chemistry set, but that will be something he won't get.

On their actual birthdays the boys took some cookies to school and had cookie cakes at home, and a dinner of fried fish, baked potatoes and corn. Totally a Cohen Twins Favorite Dinner! I love that it's totally simple and tasty and did I say simple? We had a great time cooking it and even greater time eating it!

The boys' party was Friday afternoon, after school. They only had the first two hours at school, so the guests started to arrive around noon and they left around 5. In the meantime we wasted a little more water than what a smaller kibbutz growing bananas in the Negev uses during the year. But sprinklers and other water fun was great to entertain 12 7-year-olds and the attached siblings. and cousins :) The kids scored a lot of books and toys, so right now they are going through their toy bin to see what can be thrown away and what can be passed on to someone else. They are pretty good about differentiating between the two, and they do know what toys they no longer play with. They have a bin for their new siblings, too, where quite a few practically brand new toys went.

This week I'd also like to congratulate Efi and Serah, who have their diplomas. :)