bye bye

Today our au pair left our family to endeavour new projects in her life. She was a major addition to our family. The boys and us will miss her. The boys made drawings on fabric and I also printed a picture of them and made a quilt out off all the material. I think she really liked it.
The boys were spoiled with gifts and for us she made a great photobook of all the things she did with the boys, really appreciate that, it is a great memory, also for the boys later.
Yesterday evening she invited us and our parents for a German BBQ, which was yummy, all sorts of German goodies. We all had a wonderful diner. And this afternoon lunch since we had so much left :-).
By the time I write this I think is will be home with stories of us to tell to her family. How time flies...

Son #2 = 6

Son #2 had is birthday today and he was all happy about it. He wanted a blue and a green cake, so yesterday evening I made them both, but the green cake did not come out of the bund and it was desytroyed, it tasted great, but it really looked awful. So I made a vanilla cake as well. Turns out, all the kids perferred the blue one...

As you can see, a blue cake. The inside looks really like a Smurf. In the meanwhile Joop is doing great.

Train

Yesterday, son #1 and I travelled by train to Holland to meet with my PIL s, since it was my DILs birthday.
DH and the two other boys went a day earlierbecause DH went skiing with his friends and he left from Schiphol airport.
The train voyage was pleasant and to my big surprise they sold...

Yes... Starbucks coffee on board. So Katleen, you should take the train to Holland...

Son#3 in action

When I was in Germany, I got a text message that son #3 fell out of bed and was hurt, but that everything was OK. So when I arrived home, he was vast asleep so I couldnt look at it.
This morning however, I had a sneeking suspicion that this was a broken colorbone (think that is what it is called).
So I went to the ER and they confirmed it, so now son #3 is walking around with some sort of harnass to keep his shoulders streight. Poor little man. But he doesnt seem to mind, and is still doing dangerous games, so... to be continued.

ICE

Today I travelled by ICE to Mannheim in Germany for work. I took it in Brussels and you transfer in Köln, which is the station in the picture. When you are sitting in the train waiting for it to leave, you can see the Kölner dom, a big cathedrale. Really nice view.

New roommate

Son #2 wanted a hamster for his birthday, so when I looked on internet it turned out that there was someone in our town who had a litter and wanted new homes for the babies. So I called her and it turned out that she is living about 500 m from us...
So here is son #2 new roommate: Joop. He is a month old and son #2 picked him out of two babies left.
So welcome Joop.

I have been quilting while the boys were at the cinema, they went to see Puss in boots and they loved it. So we had a quite weekend, it was nice after a couple of weekends filled with social events.
And on another note, I passed my exam! Joepie! I cracked open a bottle of champagne when I found out.

Belgium in shock

This morning when I heard the news of the bus crash in Switzerland, I couldnt grasp the news, it seeped in slowly once I was at work and heard more details. We are all in shock.
My thoughts are going to all the victims and their families, and also to those who have helped the kids in their time of need.
I heard someone say that when good people die, the weather is great, it was a beautiful day today...

Exams are over

Exams are over. I took mine this morning and I have to admit, I am glad it is over. And no, we didn t do it like the picture below.

It was all on our own. Ouf, tonight I am going to relax with some crocheting...

Son #1 birthday

Saturday, we had son#1´s birthday party in pirateneiland, an indoor playground in Antwerp. he invited some friends to celebrate with him and they had a great time.
yesterday we went to visit a cousin of mine who lives in Limburg, where they celebrate Halfvasten, so we visited the corso. The kids came back with bags full of candy, cookies and evensome toys...

Yes, that yellow bag was filled with goodies at the end of the afternoon.

And since son #1 doesn´t like fancy cakes, we made him an improvised donut cake with candles.

Then, this morning it was time to celebrate his birthday at school and as you can see,he enjoyed every minute of it. I made a regular cake and a rainbow one, but I forgot to take pics.

Again, one year older and hopefully wiser. Enjoy!

Birthdayparty

The boys went to a birthdayparty of a friend and she held her party at a pettingfarm. The boys loved it and played almost two hours in the rain outside with the animals.

The also made candles, which smell yummy.

The boys liked the Shetland pony because they run very hard.

The loved the horsebackriding and even the cleaning afterwards.

Fun afternoon, even with the rain.