Hottest day

Yesterday was the hottest day until now, the temperature at our place was 37°C. But because it was so hot during the day, a thunderstorm formed and around 7.30 pm the storm hit Antwerp with these picts as a result. (The pics are taken from GvA).

At our place we also got some water in the houde, but a half bucket at the most, so no problem. And all our trees in the backyard withstood the storm, so nothing happened. But in the city there was a lot of water trouble as you can see.

However, the thunderstorm was beautiful to watch and the kids slept through most of it.

African flower

Just wanted to show you a picture of what I have been doing the last past weeks. I have been crocheting African Flowers. I wanted to make a bag, but I have decided to make a throw blanket. I like the colors so it will be a blanket for myself... The only downside... it is getting quite heavy.
The weather has been very poor over the weekend, heavy showers, so we stayed indoors mostly, so ideal craft weather.

Weekend

Yesterdaymorning we went to Planckendaal, a large zoo in Mechelen. As you can see, the kids had a great time.

Ealier that morning a bird flew into the window, nothing new at our place close to a lot of trees, but it happened three times so I had a look and so a young bird. I picked it up to show the kids and then released it in the back garden where I saw a sibling sitting near our back door. That one was smaller and not in such a good shape.

When we returned home in the afternoon, my DH called me and showed me one of the chicks sitting on one of our window sills, as you can see on the pic. His mum and dad were close because I could hear them. But where was the other chick.
I found it, but as I feared it that morning, I got in our pond and it didnt drown but I think it died because it was to exhausted trying to get back out of the slippery banks of the pond. I hope mum and dad will take good care of this chick.
P.S. I dont know the name in english, is it a Jay bird. We call it a Vlaamse Gaai.

Stoomtram Hoorn-Medemblik

During the Ascention day weekend, the Steammuseum here in Medemblik has her annual steamfestival and you can take a trip with one of her steamtrams. The tram rides almost the whole year but during the festival actors dressed in clothes from around 1900 are travelling with you, old timers drive next to the trams, as you can see on the pic, to make the experience complete.

When the train stops there is something to see, like these two engines, the big one is used for a harvesting machine, the small on to run a pump.

On one of the stations we saw this little engine called the Ooievaar (stork), and it is unique in the world. I must admit she was a beauty.

And after a hot day in the train; the boys had a go at a small rowing boat garndma and grandpa bought them. And amazingly only one of them fell into the water...

Sprookjeswonderland

Yesterday we visited Sprookjeswonderland in Enkhuizen. As you can see, the weather was excellent and we had a great time until son#3 got tired and we went home.

Son #2 built his reputation as pirate and they had pancakes for lunch, so everything was A OK...

Even the wait in line was worth it for a trip in the small boats. The smallest one enjoyed evey minute of it.

Sprookjeswonderland a fun day out for the kids.

Zuiderzeemuseum

On wednesdqy night we went to Medemblik where my PIL´s sailboat is stationed. Yesterday we sailed to Enkhuizen to visit the Zuiderzeemuseum. An open air museum where they built traditional buildings (real ones, the they torn down in all parts of Holland and built up again in the museum).
As you can see, we visited the cheeseshop and bought some yummy old cheese.

Then the boys made a boat out off bad quality wooden shoes. They keep them for the kids to make boats out off, they have holes in the,m or are not suitable to wear. They boys are very proud off their wooden shoes.

And this is us, making ourselves ready to go back to Medemblik. A little girl came this morning to check what kind of pirates were on board, but luckily they are just small pirates...

Schoolfeest

Today we had the annual party at school. All the kids did a performance so all the parents and grandparents were present.
Son #2 ate a waffle and ... lost his first tooth... And swallowed it, so how are we going to tell the toothfairy.

Even the smallest one had a perormance and did very well as he remembered all the steps... Helas he was standing behind a girl that didnt move so we dont have him on film. But all and all, it was a great day.

Firewoman for a day

Today we had training at the Firedepartment training center in Ranst, called Campus Vesta. The weather was not favourable for extinghuising fires, but we managed.
We tried several techniques for extinghuising a fire, so it was very useful, even to use at home - hopefully I will never need this in my own home, but if it happens, you better be prepared.

So please make sure you have fire/smoke detection in your house, it can make the difference between life and death. I have no stocks in these devices, but they are really useful and worth every penny.

nine years ago...

This is DH and me nine years ago...
OK, I admit it, I forgot, DH mailed me three times today with some excuse that we are married for so long, but... and it didn´t hit me until 5 that it is our wedding anniversery today...
Does thi smake me a bad wife??? No just a busy mum trying to cope with everything :-).
And yes, it was freaking cold that day, not as today a nice temperature. The Corvette was top down until 15 minutes before we left for city hall, when it started to rain... just a little explaination why we are wearing are coats.

Paintings

Every week when I walk to my education center where I have school one day a week, I pass a very small art gallery. I noticed it when I saw this painting. I first thought it was a picture, but when I came closer I saw that it was a painting of a scene I pass every by car when I drive to work. It is the Candico sugar factory where they make sugar and pancake syrup.
A week later, this painting was staninding in the window of the gallery:

It is the bridge I pass every day to work. OK, at the moment it doesn´t look like this because the part we are now looking at is broken and all traffic has to cross on the bridge on the right.
The painter is called Dimirti Desiron and I must admit I like the simplicity of the subjects. The paintings are so recognizable, wow... I would love a painting like that.

Keeping busy

Yesterday I spent most of the day in bed since I was feeling a bit flu-isch... aching joints, headache, ... So after sleeping for about 40 hours of the last 48 hours, today I felt among the living again.

So I had a go in trying to make an african flower, but no luck so I looked on the net and found a great tutorial at Heidi Bears´ blog. The pic gives you an idea of the result, not too bad for a first go.

The book in the background was a gift from my friend Evelyn, who found it on the net, maybe it is a hint to make her a small quilt, since that is one of the only crafts she doesn´t do herself :-).

Weekend again

This weekend I went to a fair in Oosterhout, it was a little bit disappointing in size, but the stands that were there were of great quality and a lot of stands sold handmade goodies.
I scored some vintage baking tins. I like the way they look and feel.
The postman also brought some crochet supplies, but it turned out that the color blue I ordered is not the color I was looking for, so I have to find a better shade of blue to make a new project. Oh well, not eveything can be perfect. The pink shades are wonderful, so...

Weekend

This weekend we were invited to come to the Antwerp Classic Car Event, on the Gerlachekaai in Antwerp.
There were some wonderful cars on display and even the kids enjoyed walking between all the cars.
The pic below was the attactraction, a peugeot from 1911 (I think, I am not sure about the date, but that is what I heared). She is wonderful and in such good shape that she is taking part in the Tour Amical 2011, which started on the event.

Donut maker

Son #1 just loves donuts, so whenever I see them, I´ll take some home for him, bearring in mind that one day we will visit the states and I will show him a real donut shop. But until that day, we will have to manage with whatever change we get to buy them at a bakkery or supermarket.Since he did his best at school, I found him this donutmaker earlier this week. So this morning we searched for a recepy on the internet at tried it.And according to the master... niet slecht = not bad, but not perfect, so the quest is on for a good donut recepy...

Pinterest

I saw this had on Pinterest. A site where you can pin you favourite pictures and theri weblinks. I have not figured out if there is a pattern, but I love the had, I love the colors, I love the way it looks.
I like the idea that you can pin your favs somewhere digitally, so I joined the community. Everything you like, crafts, fashion, kids, etc. can be pinned, and some of them have giving me inspiration.
So you can find me on pinterest and see my favs at the moment.

Jan = 1

Our nephew turned 1 last week and we went to his birthday party. My SIL had this wonderful cupcakes made. They are in teh colors and theme of Jan´s birth announcement. Really pretty.

Congratulations Jan!

WIP

I promised a pic of my WIP, so here it is, still stitching on the Super Mario pattern. Slowly, but steadily. And now the two other ones also want one...

Easter Monday

Today we had a nice quite breakfast with Easter ´sandwiches´. The kids thought it was a strange idea that the Bakker forgot the egg in the middle...
Son #2 made some Easter cakes yesterday so they were served today after breakfast. As you can see, the Easter egg cakes were very funny, but also the chick wraps worked great. I bougth them at AH, the first in Belgium, located in Brasschaat, where I come from originally.

This afternoon we spent a relaxed afternoon at a friend´s place who also made cupcakes, so it was a great lazy Monday.

Happy Easter

New addition to the family

Today we made a quick visit to my cousin to welcome the newest addition to our family. My cousing gave birth to a beautiful boy. He is doing great but the pediatrician though he was a bit yellow and my cousin wants to take him home, so she agreed to put him under the light for a couple of hours so they can go home tomorrow.
I think the sunglasses are great. Who came up with the idea?