Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Quote of the Day

Today , we were talking about being ladylike. I don't know why, I am sure it didn't have to do with my ankle which got hurt or with my stuck-in-a-snowbank van either.

Kate was very clear about things 'Mama is NOT a lady, because she knows aikido!'



I see. Well, in that case, I guess I'll have the forego the ranks of ladies, and enter the world of warriors instead ^^. Fits me better anyway :p

Before and After

One of those places one wished one hadn't looked



My friend actually DID look there



And CLEAN there!



I helped by making pictures, I am helpful like that.



Now it looks like this. Amazing!



The kind of cleaning jobs one doesn't see, but which does make a difference.

Friends

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Quote of the Day

Sylvia 'I need to pee!'
Me 'Hmmm, you just peed a few minutes ago.'
Sylvia, explaining to me, in a gentle, but decisive tone of voice, 'Well, my bladder is rumbling again!'

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Amaryllis

Many years ago, I had lots of miscarriages. The last one of those miscarriages was pretty traumatic and more medically managed than any of my others. When I found out the baby had died, I was understandably very sad and down. I decided to plant an amaryllis as a bulb of hope.



The amaryllis grew and bloomed and gave me comfort in my grief. My grief is not as raw anymore, but I still feel very comforted by having an amaryllis around and watching it bloom.



Not to mention that it just is nice to have flowers around in the middle of winter.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Vegan Sushi

Another snow storm , another sushi making session



This time we tried to make the rolls with rice on the outside, and let's just say we have room for improvement.



We had lots of fun though and they tasted pretty good.



For the record, only two of my kids will touch the sushi, but some of the others will eat the rice balls, as long as they don't have to eat the seaweed ^^

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Montshire Museum

One of those coin drop funnel thingies (I never have been good with technical terms, can you tell? )



Big bubble.



Cooperative bubble making.



Playing peekaboo.



Studying colours.



Racing, racing.



Many friends.



Beautiful bubble.



Death of a bubble.



A great visit!

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Bread Baking Tip of the Day

Do NOT leave your bread dough in oven to rise, and then forget about it. This is what will happen.



Not that I would know of course, or how the end result would look like after this fiasco.



Any resemblance to reality is purely coincidental.

Summer Time!

Eight years ago...



Just to take your mind off the snow ^^
And yes, that is a sandbox, not a swimming pool.
Notwithstanding what it looks like.

Baby Erik

I am backing up old pictures, and found this picture of Erik in the sling.



He was around three months old.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Love Thursday

Love is tolerating being carried around by the resident 8 years-old



Happy Love Thursday!

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Quote of the Day

'I am so happy I wasn't wearing clothes when I stepped into the bath tub!'



She sure finds happiness in everyday moments.

Family Night

Once a month, on Saturday night, we get together and play games as a family. There always should be lots of candy available, since that is what family is all about, right?



This time we had some Chinese candy (for a belated Chinese New Year celebration), Dutch candy the girls had brought home from the Netherlands, and American candy. We are willing to embrace many cultures in our candy choices ^^



We often let the little ones join big ones on a team, but Sylvia did not want ANYTHING to do with that. 'I do not want to be on a team, I can play by myself!!!!' She made it very clear that she didn't need no stinkin' team. Her best card was "Bit'ney 'Pears" for 'sexy'. I guess she was right and could play on her own just fine. She is one capable toddler. Pretty opiniated too :)

The kittens like social gatherings, and it didn't take long before they joined us.



Some people were very protective of their cards, although she spent every turn showing cards to people 'Do you think this card would work for scary???' 'Do you think this card will work for saintly?' Yes, in case you wondered, I don't think anyone had shuffled the green word cards, since we ended up with 98 % s-words.




At the end of the game, things usually end up with Sylvia bouncing all around the room and Erik being upside down somewhere.



Lots of fun!

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Nursing Isn`t Just for Babies

Going to the Zoo

The girls very much enjoyed visiting the zoo in Emmen.

Indiana Janes.



Shaking hands with a seal.



Amazingly close to the cousin of our kittens.



The cutest baby elephant. Her name is Swe Zin (Fabulous). She is the fifth baby of Htoo Kin Aye. The father is the mighty Radza.



Never smile at a crocodile. This is what they look like when they are toddlers.



The zoo has a humongous butterfly garden. Tara 'Much much bigger than the one at the Museum of Science, you should have seen it!'



Jane barely escaped from the jaws of a hippopotamus.

Kasteel de Haar

The girls visited Kasteel de Haar, the biggest castle in the Netherlands.




In 1890, baron Etienne van Zuylen van Nijevelt, inherited the impressive ruins of De Haar Castle. He had always been fascinated about his family history and had fantasized about rebuilding De Haar Castle on a grand scale as a monument of his family history. In 1887, however, he had married the French baroness Helene de Rothschild (member of the extremely wealthy De Rothschild family), which enabled him to make his fantasy come true.




They are at the age when people consider statues like this as very hilarious.



Many animals to visit on the castle grounds. The girls thought the ducks and swans swimming in the moat were very cool.



When nature calls, there are Royal Toilets to take care of your needs.



They found a really nice postcard at the castle.



I love the way she is all dressed up, and matter-of-factly nursing her little one.



This is the kind of things I miss in the United States, castles to visit and get a really deep sense of history and the people who were living there many centuries ago.