TREASURES

Some days, I find myself having a very real and new appreciation for the simplest of activities. This is especially true as it relates to my boys. Any time spent with Yuli and Ori is precious to me and my husband, and we now fully understand when parents say "they grow up so fast!" It feels like just yesterday Yuli was a newborn (he's now 4!), not to mention how crazy it feels that it's been over a year since little Ori was born. Time truly flies, as you mamas must know all too well.

Since Dekel weekends are spent on family activities, we're always looking for new fun things to do and nearby places to visit. It can be pretty tough to transport the whole family out to Long Island for a beach day, and the City can get a bit overwhelming for the boys, especially when Yuli refuses to sit in his stroller, since he's a "very big boy!" Luckily, there are a ton of cute spots, that are perfect places to take the kids, right here in BK.

A few weekends back, we spent a lovely summer (1 more week of the season, can you believe that?!) Saturday down in my neighborhood. Yuli has been waiting for months to be able to really play with his little brother, and the two of them had the most enjoyable time messing around in the sand, digging for treasure (as Yuli insisted they were doing!). Being the ever-protective older brother, Yuli made sure to scan the sand for shells and other particles before letting Ori touch anything. And, he worked together with Ori to build a castle (Okay, that is a bit of an embellishment. It was more like a mound of sand that perhaps resembled a mountain!), helping Ori maneuver his way through the sand. Ori just loved spending time with his older brother, and it was clear that he only wanted to take after Yuli and follow his every move.

Noam and I sat off to the side and watched our boys playing together. It's moments like these - the simplest of moments, just watching your beautiful children playing with one another, smiling - that make you feel really grateful for the life you've built and the people in it. Yuli and Ori may have been digging for treasure, but in that moment, all Noam and I could think was that we were looking at our biggest treasures of all.

Wishing each of you a beautiful day, one in which you have the realization that there are so many things to be grateful for, as long as you open your eyes to that which surrounds you!

Neshikot= XX