Back to school

Today, school started again and the two eldest boys were expected in their new classes. For son #1 a big step since he is now going to primary school. A bigger schoolbag, no more toys in the classroom and paying attention... a big step for a six year old.
But they both did well, so afterwards we had pancakes in a local restaurant with playground.

Back home

After a relaxing holiday in Italy with nice warm weather, sea and very nice food, we are back home, safe and sound.
We left Italy on Saturday morning and went in the direction of Austria to go over the Plockenpass where we crossed the border. We let the kids hplay in a local playground and got some lunch before we went in the direction of Germany, were we spent the night in Ingolstadt, yes, the city were everybody drives an Audi... oh, offcourse, this is the city were they AUdi factory is located.
The old city, where we stayed in a gasthof is very nice and is located next to the Donau, so we had a nice walk and diner before we had a good night rest.
The next morning we left for Koblenz, where we would meet up with DH´s parents, so we had lunch together and then drove off in the direction of Holland where we had to pick up DH´ car at work and then off to our place. So we were back home around 16.30 and I have been doing laundry ever since...

What not to do in Venice and In memoriam Green little rabbit

Let´s start with the sad news that Beesie is no longer with us. Ruben lost him in Venice. We walked the whole route we took back but we couldn´t find him. So helas, he is gone...
So that brings me to #1 of things not to do in venice: take your kids favourite stuffed animal with you...

We visited Venice by taking a boat here in Sottomarina that took us straight up to Venice San Marco square.

It was still the way I remembered, but for DH and the kids it was the first time. So that is me at the Rialto bridge...

So #2 on my list, don´t visit Venice with 3 boys under 7 in Auhust when it is very busy and hot... and they don´t like historic buildings, but who does when he is 6?

#3: don´t have a drink on a terrace, even if it is a long way from San Marco square, it will free you of 30 euros for 4 drinks...

#4: don´t have pasta with meat sauce when you still want your kids to look like civilised kids...

But even with the loss of the wee rabbit and the warm weather and the kids getting tired of all the walking, Venice is a wonderful city, that we will visit again... just DH and I, :-)

Lunch was not expensice as all the webentries indicated, so that was great and it was very nice, the gelatti was marvellous and the handbags gorgeous, so I engulged myself and bought two leather handbags. Yes, I now, but I think they were both calling my name.

Update from Italy

Here is a short update from Italy. We had a good journey through Austria, although it rained and I imagined it different eating an icecream on a terras in Austria, but OK, good hotel and nice snitzels...
The next day we drove over the Plockenpass to Italy which is a bit of a challenge, especially on the Italian side. After we left the mountains, it started to rain and it didn´t stop once we arrived in Venice... So this is why we left Belgium?
Luckily this was only for one night and the rest of the days since, are sunny and bright and the temperture is going up, so nothing to complain there.

As you can see, playing in the sea and sun makes you tired.

So, the weather is perfect, the food veryyyyy nice and we' re having a great time.

We´re off

Yes, we are off on our annual summerhoilday. No, not by boat, this pic was taken last weekend when we went sailing.

Hope you all have a great summer.

Weekend away

This weekend we visited Sprookjeswonderland in Enkhuizen, Holland. It is in the north of Holland near the Ijsselmeer. Since the weather was forcasted as rather bad, we left early and went to the park instead of siling with the kids.
The loved it, the park is very nice and also very nice for small children, the are allowed to participate in all the activities, so that was fun for th ethree boys. After lunch, it started raining and it kept raining, so we went back to the Midnight Stroller in Medemblik.

Rocket quilt top finished

Today I finished the quilt top of my rocket quilt in between painting the cabinet doors of our new bathroom. So I think it was a day wll spent. I finished the top, the doors and I tried to book us some lodging in Austria for our trip to Italy, which didn´t work out so well, since we still don´t have lodging, but OK. I will try again on tuesday when my holiday offically starts.
On Friday a belgian won the Euromillions, which was over 28 million euros... I bought a ticket, but it wasn´t me. What I would do with that kind of money...

Giveaway

Kerri at Lovely Little handmades is hosting a giveaway. Check it out, she is giving away FQ from each of the colors as shown on the pitcure.

Aren´t they the cutest fabrics? I think they will make some great christmas projects.

update on rocket quilt

Today I worked almost all day on the rocket quilt, and I really like it. DH also told me that the quilt was looking great, so then it must be true, right?
We had a very lazy day overhere since the weather was so so and we also went to bed very late as we visited a friend last night. ALthough the boys went to bed around 10 o´clock, they were awake at 7.00.
So I was standing at the bakery shop at 7.30 and was number 79... they were helping person 58 at that time... This is standard here were we live, and the baker has fresh coffee with freshly baked cookies for those that wait, so it is not to bad waiting for fresh pistoles and koffiekoeken.
And since the ´Last air bender´ is coming out in the cinema this week, DH and the boys watched Avatar all day at Nickelodeon...

panel for rocket quilt

I drew this rocket for the boys´s rocket quilt as a panel. i think it gives a nice personal touch instead of a bought panel. And I think it is also worked out nicely.
Yesterday was a public holiday so we had a small party at my parents home for us and the neighbours. Very nice, mum cooked a delicious indonesian rice table...
I thought it was a very nice gesture to invite the neighbours and have a party, something to consider...

Top babyquilt finished

I bought these Moda fabric cuts called Martinique. They will become a babyquilt for friends of ours. Yesterday I had a day off and the weather was so-so, so I decided to make the quilttop, and this is the result:

Just a small peek, since our friends may be watching...

So now that the top is finished I need to find a nice backing and then on to the quilting.

In the meantime I am still making stars for the rocket quilt for the boys. And they are also coming nicely together. Will show a picture next time.

Son #3 turns 2

Today two years ago. The boys come to visit in the hospital to welcome their little brother.
And this is him now, celebrating his birthday yesterday at his daycare mum. And yes, I made the blue cake myself... It is a pirate themed cake.
Today we celebrate his birthday here with our little family. Tomorrow we will trow a big party for friends and family. Happy birthday son!

Rocket quilt

I saw a nice rocket quilt in a book a got from a friend and I really liked it, the quilt consists out of little and larger stars and in the middle a rocket panel. But I will let Nic draw a rocket and I want to put pictures of the boys in the rocket´s windows. I think it will be cute.
I also would like to make a memorial quilt for my daycare mum, and I would like to incorporate into the quilt pictures of the boys and drawing of their hands. Any thoughts or ideas what would be nice? And what printer fabric should I use?

And another question, is anyone in for a fabric swap, I am in need of dark blues, this can be with a small print as you can see on the picture, but not to bright as they are the background for my stars. I have a lot to swap, just let me know if you are interested.

School is over

School is officially over; the streets were almost empty this morning and summer holiday has definitely started.
It is extremely hot over here; We are not used to temperature above 30°C, but you won´t hear me complaining, because it is better than two weeks ago when we had to light the heating.
The kids love their free time and the knowledge that they passed and are going to the next grade, especially son #1 who is going to ´de basisschool` and will start learning how to read...
He asked me to teach him to embroider, so I will do so this holiday. But now it is time to play in the pool.

And also finished the other project

This is the little amigurimi lion I made for son #1´s teacher. I like the paws, but I don´t like the face, it does'n´t like a lion to me, but son #1 likes it, so that is the most important thing.
Summer has set in, it was around 32 degrees Celsius today, so that is summer to us.
I filled in my taxes and posted them at the tax office, two days ahead of the due date, so I thought I deserved a strawberry milkshake for that... didn´t I?

Finished one project

I made this project for son #2´ teacher. She is a great teacher and she teaches the ´Turtleclass´, so that is why I thought this would be appropriate.
It says welcome in dutch offcourse, she she can hang it on the door or something, so at the moment I am making something small for son #1´ teacher as well.
How fast this school year went... 5 more days and that is it, summerholiday... two months...

Time

No pictures this time, it seems that time is slipping through my fingers at the moment. School is almost over, so the kids have a lot of birthday parties to attend, school activities and we are worring how we will cope with the kids during the 2 months off, since I only have one month off... and that is very long, but I am fortunate that this is possible, so we will see how we cope.
Meanwhile I am trying to finish presents for the teachers, so busy, busy busy, and work is not helping, because it is also busy overthere. We are also remodelling the bathroom of the master bedroom.
I wonder what I will do with my free time in August... do some crocheting, cross stitching or quilting, the choice...
Hope you all had a relaxed weekend.

Gogos

Do you know what gogo´s are? No, well, these little plastic creatures have taken over my house.
The boys collect them so I have to shop in certain shops that give them with a certain amount of groceries, they will beg fo them or try to get some money from their grandparents and buy them.

As you can see, a certain dutch supermarket made them also for the WK and the one where son #1 stands before is the strongest of them all, but nowhere to be found in the ones you get with your groceries. Luckily I had my camera with me when we went to the store since son #1 would have never forgiven me if I had not taken his picture in front of his favourite... Even son#3 (not yet 2 yeras old) can say gogo...

Count your blessings if you have never heard about gogos. Smile.

Lazy weekend

I entered a swap at swapbot for granny squares and these are the ones I made. One lady liked blues and the other one girly, so I hope they like the granny squares I made them.

And since the weather was so nice yesterday, we decided to have a BBQ. We invited some friends and this is what I got as a gift, a really cute crocheted tape measure... I love it and it found a new home in by sew bag.

Next family gathering

We had another family gathering (my side of the family) last week. We went to Zeeland, in the southwest of Holland). The weather was not good, cold and grey, so we spent a lot of time in all sorts of different indoor attraction parks, like Bambini, Arsenaal, Mini Mundi...

This picture was taken in Vlissingen were we visited the Arsenaal, which is a pirate theme park. The boys liked it and since son #3 petted a small shark, the day was complete.

And you never believe it, but this is teh last day, the sun is shining we are going home... So we spent the morning in Mini Mundi, a theme park for kids. Since there were almost no visitors we had our personal staff member who opened each attraction as we wanted to ride it... So this is what Michael Jackson and his family had, not much fun I must say. You can ride the attractions as long as you want since there is nobody waiting. Oh well, we are back home and the weather is horrible, again, grey and cold.

Family weekend 2010

Every two years we have a family gathering with the family of my DH. It is always on the same weekend, every second year, so there is no confusion. We all gather together at one location on friday evening and stay there until monday afternoon.
On Sunday we have a fancy dress evening with games and a lot of eating and drinking. This year´s theme was ´Dutch evening´. There is always a price for the best dressed up person, and these pictures are the result.
The first pictures is us as a dutch family from the beginning of he 20th century from the Southwest of Holland, being Zeeland.

This picture is of us again, next to DH is his aunt and uncle, dressed as a wedding couple from Drenthe and next to them are my in-laws dressed as a couple going iceskating around the second world war.
We didn´t win first price, that was won by ´SInterklaas and zwarte Piet´, but we won in the category ´best dressed family´. I didn´t know that this categoy existed so I guess it was called especially for us. We won a Delft blue coffe mug... How dutch can you get?

Since the boys smelled like smoked bacon, we had a BBQ... and the played around it... Afterwards we went on a quest for some clothes for DH. We have a costumed party next saturday and we only need clothes for DH. I rented my on Friday and ordered some stuff for the boys, but DH had a problem with his outfit, so we went to an AMerican Stockhuis and there he found what he needed... ANd this was what was parked in front of the store.

So I will show pictures after the party.

Free friday

This is what I found in the mailbox today. It is from Mary and she made it for the 7 inch grannies swap I joined. Thanks Margy, I love the colors and the flowers.
And since it was such nice weather today and we had the day off, (yesterday was a public holiday and a lot of companies also gave this day off), the boys got to play on their new swing, my dad made them last week.
As you can see, they love it. DH´s dad arranged the tire so the fun can start...

I bought the pattern for this quilt from Don´t look now.
I think it is a wonderful boy quilt pattern. There aren´t the many fun boy quilts, so when this pattern was released I had to have it. But now the quest for fun and wonderful fabric and the patience to make this quilt... DH will tell me that this will become another UFO... But I will do my best to finish this one...
This afternoon we have a party, too bad the weather is not working for us, it is only 10 degrees and windy, so not much fun for a garden party, but we are dressed warmly, so we hope for the best, with the ice cream cake.

Crazy quilt

Ispired by this blog: Comfort Stitching , I thought I would have a go at this crazy quilt block. I think it is OK, will have to wait until I have more blocks to see the results, but I am not dissatisfied.

I think it is a nice way to get ride of all your scraps.

The weather over here is horrible, rain and chilly, so nothing to do than stay inside. We tried to go to the Zoo, but it hust rained too hard... no fun at all.

Nephew

This is Jan, the newest member of our family. Jan is the son of Niels´s brother and a very nice, little happy boy. We wish him all the best and hope to see a picture of him with the quilt I made him soon. :-)
Welcome to the family Jan, your cousins can´t wait for you to grow up, so they can play with you.

Teddy Bear Hospital

Yesterday we went to Teddy Bear Hospital. It was organised by UZA (Local hopsital) and their medical students, so kids could learn how things go in a hopsital. They could bring their stuffed animal and tell the doctors what was wrong and then appropriate action was taken. son #2´s bear had a ski accident and after taking X-rays, it turned out to be a broken leg. SO it needed surgical attention and here is my son looking at the X-rays before surgery.
I think it was a very nice idea and well organised, chapeau for the students! And I hope this becomes an annual event.

So here is bear recoverying from surgery on our couch with his own little quilt. I can say they he is doing well, thanks to son#2 and the doctors of UZA.

I have been away form the computer for a long time, it has been a bit busy at work and when I can finally sit down, I like to crochet a bit and go to bed... I know, borring.
I both this cake stand for myself Saturday, so I neede to put something in there and luckily, my mum made wafels, so... here they are, well, were because the kids, and offcourse DH and I had our go at them. They were delicious.

And this bunch was waiting for me when I came home last night and wanted to sit on the couch... All the stuffed animals of the three boys. As you may know or not, son #3 has a crocodile, but we lost the one we took to Spain, so we were in Spain with no crocodile, so we went to a store and placed son #3 for the stuffed animals and he grabbed the green bunny, so since then, next to the crocodile is a green bunny.

Last day at home

As you can see, I have been doing some crochet while I was at home. Today is my last day, tomorrow I will go back to work. I have been resting a lot so everything should be OK. Today the boys went to their day care mum and played outside because it is a gorgeous day today, really warm, cormparing to the last couple of weeks. It was so nice that we stopped for icecream on our way back home.

And as you can see, the weather was so nice that the first laundry was dried outside.

Back from hospital

Well, I am back from hospital after having minor surgery (even then under complete anaestectic, is this correctly spelled?) yesterday. It was completely by surprise, because I went to have a bump checked out on monday and they said they would operate the next morning, so, not much time to think about it. It turned out the be a blocked glan, so the drained it and made a new exit and everythig is back to normal, ouff...
So I am back home on the couch and doing some crochet, and watching reruns of ER.