Rain can't stop our fun

Today we have special dates with the kids...doing whatever they chose. Em went with Bret bike riding out to the Hilversum airport and Aidan and I biked out to S'Gravesland to the Nature Monument park. It poured on Aidan and I all the way home...but it was still super fun. We even stopped at the local library to get library cards and check out a few books, including the next Harry Potter, which Aidan has been wanting to read.

I love the special time that we get with out sweet kids one on one and love that they both chose to do something active and outside!

On our way...thru the forest

We made it...let's get lunch!

Toasty with cheese for him

(The funny side of ketchup...doesn't come with fries, but it does come with a toasty with cheese!) lol!

My humus and roasted beet sandwich. I am not usually a fax of beets, but this was so yummy!

Em getting spoiled by daddy on their bike ride...never mind that it was before lunch. =)

This is from yesterday...girl with confidence. She woke up early and put this whole ensemble together herself. satin dress, navy tee (because she knows its too cold for sleeveless!) and jeans with tennie shoes.

Good morning!

Reflection post to come soon....as our 1 year anniversary of this adventure was celebrated last weekend...stay tuned.in the meanwhile here are my two favorite kids! We are so blessed!

First....dentist visit abroad

Today another "first" occurred - just before our one year anniversary of arriving...the DENTIST abroad....me and both kiddos went. 

I had been hearing so many bad stories about how they always want to do extra, unnecessary work on teeth and they are harsh, abrasive and unfriendly to kids. You can see why I didnt want my kids to have that kind of experience. I dreaded it, I dreaded putting them through it by choice and then having to deal with the life long repercussions of a bad dentist experience. (sounds overboard...doenst it, but I am serious, its how I felt.) My kids dont brush their teeth everyday(can you believe I admit it!?), we try, and to be honest between both kids, Em is the best about it. For the past few months she wont go to bed without brushing...but I usually just let her brush, so who knows how good of a job she does. We all have sonicare toothbrushes...because lets be honest...spending the extra money on a tool that really cleans can save big bucks at the dentist! I had no idea if our imperfect dental habits would be an issue. They dont eat very much candy, and they eat a lot of fruits and veggies and I know that could only help, but still I wasnt sure....

I am so happy to say all of my anxiously and putting it off for so long was relieved! No cavities for any of us, nothing! Exactly what every mother wants to hear! SO happy and SO relieved! All that worry for a perfect experience. I felt so silly, yet and intense relief. I guess I would rather worry like I did and have it turn out the way it did that not worry and have it be bad. anyway, doesnt matter. Just thrilled to have gotten through it. 

The dentist was very nice, interactive with the kids, and really took her time, listened. 

Em in the chair

Aidan's turn

Mornings last week

Mousetrap fun before school 

This kid and and reading! 

Funny conversation I want to remember

Me - "Emma, are you listening?" (Gently reminding her NOT to do something) 

Em - "yes, but I might just do it!"

Yep, nothing else to say...at least she is strong and confident in her decision making skills. 

Creative Crayons

My kids get me to try all kinds of projects, all the while forgetting just how UNCRAFTY I am....anyway I thought why not...sounds easy to crunch up old crayons, fill molds with the mixing and magically create new fun shaped creations....well that is now how it went!

Dreadful room full of crayon paper pieces and bits of crayon, flying crayon pieces flown about while trying to chop, cookie cutters that DID NOT hold the meltyness in the oven and lumpy un melted results...plus only two turned out. Meanwhile my cookie cutter are forever coated in wax :( and so is my silicone baking sheet. Booooo! 

We tried, we had fun trying and next time...if I ever allow it, we will do it differently! Oy ve!

weekend joys

ahh, pure bliss....bike rides as a family in the fresh air. AMAZING and def one of my fav parts about living here. You can be in the worst mood, and a bike ride just changes it all. The kids can be free to ride on the paths safely and they love the freedom and thrill and I think they too love us all doing it together. Its family time, something we have a lot of here. I was just thinking about it the other day actually. We really spend SO much time together. With all of our family so far away, we all just rely on each other to keep each other company and entertained. Its great. We see our friends during the week and that is fabulous, but our family unit is strong and I love that this experience has reinforced that.

The path out to Lage Vursche....so many trees piled up along the way....wonder if they are thinning the forest or planning to build more paths/roads...or????

this girl! she has become quite a bike rider at her young age....she rode all the way out to Lage Vursche, (6km each way) without stopping once! Times are changing. Its hard sometimes for me to see the kids growing up and getting older....I just want them to stay little forever...but its also great and the new things and times it brings are really fun...so I suppose its ok...just have to soak it all up!

my boys!

Gma & Gpa G, and Em's Aunt Christine, Uncle Eric and cousin JP sent her money for her b-day....daddy took her to pick something out...this is what she picked and she asked Aidan to help her build it bc "he is SO good at LEGO" Priceless parent moment watching these two. melts my heart to pieces. They were laughing so hard too bc inside the lighthouse, there is an ice cream shop and a bathroom...that of course had to be build!

another bike ride on sunday...and daddy packed some treats for halfway. lucky kids!

interesting sculpture park

daddy giving Em a little push...as the ride was very long today....almost 14K I would guess. :)