Trick or Treat

Halloween does not exist in the Nederlands. That is until you start an expat website and word gets out and over 400 families sign up to attend! Families were asked to donate 6 bags of candy prior to today and then the candy was distributed to volunteer "host" families. A map was given out of over 70 houses that agreed to pass out candy in one particular neighborhood. Host families spared no expense. The decorations were over the top, businesses gave out free food, had wine tasting, free perfume, hair products and off course there was a Pofferties van- passing out "lekker" Dutch pancakes! This may have been the BEST halloween event I have ever seen. Here are our images:

Hard Rock Cafe Trick or Treating

Apparently there are only two sizes of Pumpkins in Amsterdam- Small and X-Large.

We Chose to carve small:)

Hanging out waiting for trick or treat to start

Luke came home with a full bucket of candy.... Audrey's was empty because she ate it all!

The effects of Sugar!

A Short Weekend Away

When we contemplated moving here, I was most excited by the idea of traveling throughout Europe. Seven months into this adventure abroad we have not really begun that part of our journey. We have spent our time really learning Amsterdam. We could probably spend all of our travel time the next year or so taking quick weekend trips around the Netherlands and to close surrounding towns in Belgium and Germany. Planning and geography are two of my weakest skills so each attempt so far at traveling has been quite the adventure. Throw in two small kids and you have the perfect equation for a true Adventure Abroad!
This past weekend I overbooked our activities and chose to take a short weekend trip to an amusement park in the Netherlands called Efteling followed by an overnight in Brugge, Belgium. Both sites were good choices although an amusement park in freezing cold weather with two small kids and no stroller is not quite paradise. Needless to say we did LOVE our time there.

              "It's a Small World" Dutch Style

Prince Charming driving Princess Aurora 

I just LOVE watching the world through a childs eyes- they were so fascinated by things!

Clearly Daddy was the fan of the day- I was just the Mom behind the camera toting around bags and snotty tissues.

Luke thought this was a power ranger show- he couldn't stop talking about it!

"SUCCESS" as the Dutch always say- Our timing was perfect for leaving the park and driving two hours to Brugge with SLEEPING children.

Full moon by night, double rainbow in the morning, hail in the late morning and sunshine by departure time! After 7 months of living abroad- I'd call that a European Weather SUCCESS!

Belgium is best known for Waffels, Chocolate and Beer

Dat es Lekker! (It's is Yummy) SUCCESS!

Brugge is a quaint small village with canals woven throughout. 

We enjoyed strolling the streets, taking a canal tour, watching candy making demonstrations, drinking hot chocolate and being together- 

SUCCESS!

Our little Van Gogh

Luke LOVES to draw and make things. Here are few of his favorites in the past few months. I'm not too sure whats typical for a 3-3.5 year old but I am always impressed by his imagination and the outcome!

The Jungle

Shapes person using a hammer and nails

The Lion- now hanging in a Museum in Amstelveen (just outside of the city)

Soliders and Horses (his are on the left mine are on the right)

His first detailed person (now he does them all day long)

Self Portrait (okay I did this but I love this pics)

His creation- The marble drop

Luke and the Attack of the Giant Fly

The little builder

Silly Faces (at least that what he told me when I found him doing this)

"I a Big Cin-Cess"

Well apparently this princess obsession thing isn't so bad after all- Audrey is POTTY TRAINED! All it took was a pack of princess underwear, hiding the diapers and a few weeks of wiping accidents up off of the floor. She refuses to wear a diaper now and has no problem telling me " I a big cin-cess" when I try to put a diaper on her at night.

We're pretty proud of her too! 

It's preschool time...

One great challenge in living abroad has been finding schooling for the kids. We didn't debate too long before deciding that we wanted the kids to attend Dutch schools. I am pretty sure for Derek it was the "cost" factor and for me it was the "socialization"factor. Either way after just a few months of attending- I am pretty sure we made the "PERFECT" decision for our family. Luke is speaking half english half dutch after just a few short months (with breaks). His teacher is a ROCK STAR (actually she really is). He asked all summer to go back to his "Lekker School" (awesome, good, the Dutch use the word for just about EVERYTHING). If we rode past the vicinity of his school during the 6 week summer break- he freaked out- and begged to go. So without further ado........ here he is- back at his "Lekker School"

He told me he wanted to "springa" Jump! (at least that's what I think he said- and google translate basically confirmed that for me)

Here we are celebrating the first day with "isje". Our ride home from school is through Vondelpark and EVERYDAY he asks for ice cream- so I have been telling him that I can only buy it on the first and last day of school and on other days when it is REALLY sunny (that rarely ever happens- so I save lots of money:) 

Did I mention that I am in a carpool this year? A European Minivan carpool?

I can't wait for Audrey to go to school- for now all I get is an hour on Sunday at church school that she FINALLY went to without tears:)

We are pretty sure we've found the perfect school for our little ones abroad- even if it means having no idea what they are speaking about in their new found Dutch language.