Getting Ready for a Concert

Today I am ignoring all the snow storm warnings, and instead cathing up on a few more pictures.

 

This was just before the girls' school band concert for which they actually had to dress up in skirts.

 

More pictures later, trying to actually get some things done today.

 

Not very successfully so far, but hey, I did post these pictures ^^

 

Stay warm!

Tattoos Time

Dawn used permanent marker to draw 'tattoos' on her arm, which realy fascinated her younger siblings.

 

It didn't take them long to talk her into providing them with cool tattoos too.

 

She gave Erik an awesome back tattoo.

 

Kate and Sylvia got a tattoo on their arms.

 

The next morning Sylvia refused to take a bath, since she had to show off her tattoo to her kindergarten friends. I don't even want to know what her teacher's opinion on our family is now ^^.

SAU Annual Report

Look who made it into our School Administrative Unit annual report!

 

Guess which country she presented.

Happy Valentines Day!

I hope y'all are having a wonderful time with your loved ones, and are eating lots of chocolate.

 

We have a quiet snuggly day at home, just had brownies and ice cream for lunch, and are making tea eggs, since this year Chinese New Year and Valentines Day are on the same day.

Birthday Catch Up II: AN ADULT!

My very first adult son! I look at him and marvel. He has turned into quite a wonderful young man.

 

I love how caring he is towards his siblings.
I enjoy watching him Very Focused on computer games.
When he isn't playing computer games, his nose is in a book. At all times. Even while walking down the street...

 

He is smart and fun, and I feel blessed to have him as a son.

 

Happy 18th birthday, Cees!

 

New Year's Eve Pictures I

Since I seem to spend most of my days at the dentist office at the moment (nothing big, just the joy of many kids and funding the dentist's new car) I can as well catch up with some older pictures.

 

Our New Year's Eve always sees sparkling juices and champagne.

 

And oliebollen of course, since Dutch people can not celebrate the new year without oliebollen.

 

Darkness happily checked out everything, especially anything on the counter, maybe someone left milk or cheese up there!

 

A Christmas Carol

Kate's class performed a Christmas Carol.

 

They did a great job. Kate played 'a girl'.

 

When it was her turn to speak, she was so nervous that she just wanted to rush through her lines and run right off the stage.

 

But she didn't!

 

Last year Jane's class performed the same play and Jane played the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come which didn't involve any speaking, just pointing 'the finger'.

Fun times!

Santa's Little Helpers

Yes, still playing catch-up and I will be for a while.

 

It was the night before Christmas and all through the house, Santa's little helpers were quiet as a mouse.

 

My girls crack me up, they do.

 

And no, there is no particular schedule or master plan to my catch up, but there will be many cute pictures and that is what counts.

 

Three girls home this morning, coincidentally the Santa's Little Helpers ones.
Jane went to school bus, but got sent home before even boarding the bus, because there was a break-in at her school. Every kids' dream it is.
Kate didn't go to school after yesterday's my 'You are fine, go to school!' negated by the nurse's 'You are not fine, go home!'.
And Sylvia has afternoon kindergarten so always is home during the mornings.

Miso Soup

Quest of the month: Making a killer miso soup.

I have tried making it in the past, but got distracted by something shiny.
Last week I decided it was time to learn how to do it after all, mostly because I was desperate to eat miso soup and didn't want to buy it if I actually could make it. I made a reasonable one last week, and another reasonable one today (both based on a veggie broth, which is not traditional, but works just fine for me). I even found Maine grown wakame. And I have discovered that I cut up scallions to add when serving the soup, only to find half an hour AFTER the meal that I never added them. Oh well ^^

 

I have had many nights filled with puking kids, have been called pick up coughing kid from school already, been doing puke laundry day after day, drove from appointment to appointment and started a new attempt to get more organized. I can dream, right? ^^