in the backyard

It wasn't raining that day, but O was prepared anyway.





As you can see our back yard is still the source of lots of fun. Right now, the boys can pick peas, strawberries, lettuce and herbs back there, and they are eying the green raspberries, which look like they'll be plentiful this year after a good layer of chicken compost this spring.











Every year, we go to Mother E*arth G*ardens and buy a bag of a couple of thousand lady bugs. They are beneficial in that they eat aphids and some other bugs that would otherwise eat our vegetables since we don't spray. We let a few hundred out at a time for about a week, and keep them in the fridge in between releases. For the third year now, the boys have thoroughly enjoyed this ritual. I'm thinking that next year, I'll have to have the cousins over to see it too.



Having Auntie Mea*gan over for dinner. While we were in Holland, we learned that Auntie Mea*gan is engaged to Ph*il! Then, a day later, and from the other side of the family, we learned that my cousin is engaged too.



And a the end of the day, the dirt and popsicle juice just wash right off...

in the neighborhood

We're home, safe and sound after a wonderful trip to Holland. I have lots of pictures of that trip coming very soon, but here are a few from around the neighborhood to help get us caught up. I have to go to a local coffee shop to get them uploaded, because we're still having internet connectivity issues. I'll spare you the details, but this issue should soon be resolved, and since my camera is now also fixed, I should be able to post more regularly soon.







The three pictures above are from a walk back from the bus stop (we'd gone on a bus ride to our favorite play area), and should illustrate that we still can't take a simple walk home.


We went to a preschool meet and greet, and got to meet their new teacher, Miss Karen. She was very kind and experienced, and we're really excited for them to be going there in September.


A few weeks ago, we also went to Vehicle Day, an annual even put on for toddlers and preschoolers. N and O were in hog heaven.


We did have to tell O to lay off the horn, after he honked it way longer and more often than the timid one-time blast that most kids seemed to want to attempt. When he started, I was chasing down N on the other end of the bus, and by the time I could get to him, he had the entire parking lot of people stopping to see where the honking was coming from, a few holding their hands over their ears. Ahem.



After a Popsicle, we started towards the car, but had to see one more exhibit: the police horses. Unfortunately, N stuck his hand into the horse's mouth, and the horse chewed on his finger. (He looks kind of menacing, doesn't he?) I ended up leaving with two screaming children, one because he got bit, and one because he didn't get to get bit too. Sigh. Really, we had a lovely time until then.


Here, the boys are helping clean tables for the church's Parents of Preschoolers potluck. The boys are part of a good-sized Sunday School class, and we've really enjoyed connecting with the other families. Some of us are looking to trade some childcare this year.







The boys are very into crafts and puzzles right now, at least when they're at home. Here, they're doing crafts while Joel cleans up from breakfast.



Doing a counting puzzle.

Holland

Taking an international plane trip with the boys was not nearly as bad as we feared it might be. The way there was easy. O was out cold before dinner was even served (is was about 10PM then) and N, after eating his entire meal and part of his father's, slept almost until we landed. Then, after picking up our car and making our way to the bungalow park where we stayed, they crashed for a good nap. They did not want to sleep that evening, however, and bedtimes were a bit tough. We ended up separating them and each sleeping with one boy (note to self: don't put the boys together in one room until they've matured a bit).





The bungalow park was fabulous - it had everything we needed including a playground and the biggest sand box you've ever seen.









Opa and Omie were a few doors down, and could pop in for bedtime stories.



We bought the boys their own clogs (those who were at the rehearsal dinner before our wedding might remember that J and I received some of these, as well as some teasing before the strings were cut and we were permitted to walk free).





We had lots of fun exploring the many lovely gardens belonging to friends and family.



The boys gained a passing familiarity with the true Dutch National Religion:





And we had many wonderful meals (here with a cousin on my father's side of the family -they live in an old teahouse which used to belong to the main house of an estate).







Oom Ke*an was a popular guy.









The beach near Den Haag (the Hague)



The boys are still asking for "patat met" (fries with mayonnaise)



We spent a bit of time at Oma's (my grandmother's) house, where I got to show the boys all the things that are pretty much unchanged from my own childhood.



They had no trouble finding all the little paths that run all over the property.





My parents' initials, put there by Jaap decades ago.



The chicken coop.







Tea with Opa and Omie after swimming.

On the summer solstice, the whole family gathered. There was an engagement announcement, much story-telling, and getting to meet the newest member of the youngest generation. This is Bella, the daughter of my oldest cousin, Eveli*en.





There were toasts, and a few tears, and my grandmother re-told the story of how she and my grandfather (who passed away in the mid-1980's) came to live in this house 50 years ago.





The night before we went back, we had dinner with old friends. The little girl on the right is the daughter of my oldest friend, Mari*lou. She and I have known each other since we were babies, and shared many vacations together with our families. She's probably partly responsible for the fact that I still speak decent Dutch, as I distinctly remember her telling me to try harder when I kept lapsing into English on a trip to Maine when we were young teens. It was very special to watch my boys and her daughter sitting there having soup together.




We were sorry to go, but have many wonderful memories, and the boys still talk about Holland constantly, asking when we will go back again. When I told N it might be a long time, he cried.

Thank you to all our Dutch friends and family, who were so very hospitable to us, and who we now have to miss again for who knows how long. We are grateful to be a part of your lives, even from a vast distance.