Weekend

What a weekend, the weather was better than in summer, so we went to the beach. It was warm and sunny and the kids had a great time.
And no, my kids normally don´t walk in matching clothing, but we had a photoshoot in the mroning so that is why... People at the beach were thinking, what a family, all matchin clothes, but they don´t know that it was the second or third set, since they even managed to get dirty just before and during the shoot...

I could jet used to weekend like this one.

New swap

I joined the Scrappy Hoop swap organised by Heather and Kerri. For details, check out Heather´s site. It look slike great fun. I have swapped before, individually and with swap bot, but this swap looks like great fun. Can´t wait to get my partner.

Martial arts festival

My cousin is head of a Pentjak Silat school in Maastricht called Panca Sila. Because they celebrated their 15th anniversary, they organised a Martial Arts festival. The picture above is my cousin in action with one of his students.

Since our boys also practice a martial art, we went to watch all the demo´s, he did very well and we are all proud of him for accomplishing all of this. Keep up the good work Henry.

Autumn has arrived!

This shroom is standing in our garding, the first of many... We always have a lot of these ´vliegenzwammen´ as we call them in dutch.
So it is official, autumn has arrived. That is why we took a nice walk in the ´peerdsbos´, a sort of park, alias wood, where there are a lot of chestnut threes, so this was our loot:

The boys wondered what we should do with them. The small ones will go to our local squirrel, that lives under our roof... Yes, it has a nest in the roof above our bedroom.

The bigger ones will be heated on our wood stove or I can make creme des marrons...

Other suggestions?

Baby quilt

Still working on the babyquilt. Wednesday I popped by the craft store, because it was quicker than ordering from the internet. They had a matching backing so I started quilting. I am handquilting the quilt so steady as she goes. The colors turned out nice, I thought it would be a bit pale, but the reds make a good combination.

I also heard that the course I ordered (nautical technique) arrived at my PIL´s, so I will pick it up and start studying. I am looking forward to the study.

Cupcake pincushion

Isn´t this pincushion just gorgeous? I saw it on etsy by madeinlowell. I think it is just the cutest and would make a lovely and handy jewel when you are crafting.

elephant on wheels

This weekend we were in Rijnsburg and I picked up a copy of this magazine. There are lots of wonderful ideas in there to make yourself and my SIL asked me to make one of the items in the magazines, it was a red crocheted elephant on wheels.
Something like this: an elephant on wheels made my Hillary Lang, only it should be crochet. SO I will see what I can do. Anyone any thougths on the wheels?

Star wars!

I saw these star wars sandwich cutters on the Williams & Sonoma website. My kids would eat their lunch without asking, and even DH.

Why are all these fun things not available for international order? I wrote to W&S but they are not planning on selling internationally, so I check out the website and look at all the gorgeous and fun bakeware, and sigh.

Our au pair arrived

Our au pair arrived yesterday from St Petersburg and she brought me these lovely nesting dolls. I just love them. How cute are the small ones.

I will ask my SIL to paint the blanc ones, if possible with our family... I hope she is up for the challenge. She makes wonderful paintings, so I hope she wants to paint us...

Still busy with the rocket quilt.

Familiar?

OK, who recognizes this problem?

You don´t now what these are? These are the socks that have no twin in our household. From how long you ask? Just the last 6 months...
We must have a monster in our house, no, in our washing machine that only likes one sock, so no pairs, just the ones...
Every six months I throw away such a bunch of socks desperately looking for the twin. Are we the only household this happens to?

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...