What do you think it means when Granny Ann says the children are 'full of beans' ???
It's a meal my kids have had to grow to like since I often prepare rice and beans (not from the can) and encourage them - "Eat up your beans - they're good for you." -which is accompanied by sniggers as they reflect on the propensity for beans to create wind.
Anyhow having said all of this our kids seem to be full of jumping beans, full of energy and vitality. They definitely have sporting talent and Baruch and I argue about whose side it comes from but and have come to realise they actually have a good combination of genes. And of course the blessing of God.
Shoshanna and Johnathan with their medals
Last month Shoshanna and Johnathan attended a local Athletics meeting with other schools from the area, Johnthan returning with a bronze for the 600m and Shoshanna with the gold for a 1500m cross country. Baruch went to watch and said the cross country was very confusing because it was hilly and in places his view was blocked by trees - he couldn't see Shosh because she was a lone runner so far ahead of the main pack. In fact one of the helpers who stand around the track to direct people on the right course, when he saw her approaching and she asked which way, started to interrogate her (Where have you come from?) and she had to convince him she was actually 'bona fide' in the race. The sports teacher got very excited said Shosh must train seriously and that she wanted to enter Shosh for the next competition for all the schools in the South.
Now the pressure was on and she became rather nervous - we encouraged her to enjoy the running and obviously to do some practise. You can only go so far with your natural talent. We bought the dvd CHARIOTS OF FIRE and watched it with the kids - what a great movie, very inspiring. Scotland's hero, Eric Liddell, refused to run on the sabbath at the 1924 Paris Olympics because of a deep faith conviction. (Even the Prince of England's personal request that he would put his King and Country above his conviction failed to move Eric.) It was said by the head of the UK Olympic Committee that this man runs for God and that if you took that away there would be nothing left to run for. Eric Liddel himself said when questioned by the Church on his running activities "I feel the delight and pleasure of God when I run." Although he missed his event, the 100m, he was entered for the 400m and won the Gold.
Shosh with her silver medal.
Shoshanna came home with the Silver (just a second behind gold) and has been entered for the national qualifying rounds which will take place on Feb 1o.
You can see some of our family training sessions from the summer holidays around the swimming pool.
From left to right: Asher, Johnathan, Mummy, Shosh and Tali.
A close finish - I think Tal must have been given a head start. Please note our beautiful pool area with green grass and shady trees in the desert.
Even Hannah has good potential You can see from both above and below she is 'well built' and ready for any challenge.
Hannah on the beach in Tel Aviv in her swim suit - very smart.
Johnathan and Hannah biking together.
Boys will be boys especially when their mother is not there. His father gave him permission to jump here into a natural spring that is 2 hour walk up the valley from us
Johnathan jumping 
Both Johathan and Asher in the spring
Asher about to jump off the bomb shelter entrance.
It's January now and we are still expecting more rain. The rains have been gentle this year which is good for the land because the water really sinks in. Last year we had heavy rains and flooding. The game here was to enjoy the mud like a hippo..........
....and then rinse off in water and then start the fun again.
The boys play football twice a week with a local club and they often play other teams in the area. They both enjoy the sport esp. Johnathan. Just recently the kids had a school raffle trying to raise extra funds. Johnathan won one of the major prizes; the full treatment of spa and massage etc at a health centre for 2 near Jerusalem. Someone won a football and Johnathan asked him to swop prizes - at the time not being quite sure exactly what a spa treatment was. Later everyone laughed at him saying that he was 'a looser' for giving up the big prize. But later we assured him that we didn't want to go all the way to Jerusalem and have a stranger rub our backs.
Asher and Johnathan in action
Tali started gymnastics this year. She is definitely full of beans.
Shoshanna did gymnastics for about 3 years until she met the love of her life - the equine factor.
She has been competing at a few events and doing extremely well. Although she has only been riding for a year and a half, she is training with kids that have 3 or 4 years of experience. 
This is also an area where we see God's provision. Riding is for the wealthy. The way it's worked out we pay a minimum payment each month and she gets to ride 3 times a week and more. This is partly due to the fact that she won the heart of the women (a tough cookie) who runs the stables in the Kibbutz up the road from us. She really has made friends with horses and seems to have a natural connection with them - she is willing to muck out the stables, groom them and hang out with horsey people.
Some people think horsey people are a strange bunch, well what about hool-a- hoop fanatics??? This is Baruch doing his daily exercsie with a hool-a-hoop he made out of electric cable piping. It's very heavy and really takes a certain flair which my husband possesses.
In our family even drinking tea is a sport - you think making a cup of tea is a simple task but when you make for 7 it's like having a meal. Baruch and I have to secretly offer one another tea or coffee otherwise everyone is shouting 'me too'.
