It’s a beautifull day, the sun is shining I feel good and no one's gonna stop me now, oh yeah !

Spring has really set in in the Netherlands and it was about time too. Helps with my jogging routine for sure (yes I went again yesterday) and just my general wellbeing. I’m just not a fall or winter type, I try to make the best of it but spring & summer are the best times for me !

We’re going away for the weekend with our holiday friends, so cool, we met about 12 years ago and kept in touch even though we live quite a bit apart. We see each other only a few times a year and we go away for a weekend once a year since we have kids, it started with coupons we got when the babies were born and it’s a great tradition ! Problem is it is getting harder to find a park with vacation bungalows that are big enough as we want to be in one bungalow together… 6 adults and 7 kids so we need a BIG one !

Since this weekend is a national party for the Netherlands (Queensday) we will be going to a nearby village to celebrate & score some good 2nd hand stuff (which I traditionally do at 6.00 am but can’t since we’re over there). And since on the coast I’m hoping for better weather than the last time (storm) we were there so I can make some great pics by the beach ! I am so looking forward to this weekend as we’re not going away on holiday after this (we’ve already been to Austria for a ski vacation) so we all look at it as our mini summer vacation !

I’m also trying to get the girls interested in Scrapbooking so I opted we could make something this weekend while the guys play their traditional cards game …. We’ll be making a canvas, so I have to pack for that too and that’s so hard, what to bring what not too bring … phew I will have to decide tonight ….. Also someone from an msn group I belong to lives close by and we wanted to meet in person and she’d like to crop too, maybe we’ll go to the LSS and I’ll let them pick out their own supplies and then I’ll only have to bring the tools & ink etc. ….
Did I mention I’m looking forward to this weekend ;-)

For the people who don’t know what queensday is, here’s a quick recap (as found on wikipedia, the online dictionary):

Queensday is an Dutch holiday, celebrated mainly in Amsterdam on the 30th of April. The 30th of April is the birthday of the Queen-mother, Juliana, and has been a public holiday since 1948 when she became queen of the Netherlands. When she abdicated in 1980, in favour of her daughter Beatrix, the latter decided that Queensday would still be celebrated on the 30th of April and her own birthday was to be a family party only. Good thinking, because the 31st of January is usually much too cold for a street party.

Traditionally, Queensday has been regarded as a "freemarket" day, meaning that it was allowed for everyone to set yourself up as a market salesman or woman, and sell watever you had to sell. A homemade fleamarket so to speak. Since commerce increasingly took over in the last few years ('real' businesses setting up big stands and spoiling the spontaneous atmosphere), the rules in most towns have been tightened somewhat. As a result of this, it is technically not allowed to do "serious" business on this day and in some places, for example the Vondelpark in Amsterdam, only children are allowed to display their entrepeneurian, musical, inventive or whatever talents, or lack thereof.

From as far as a week before Q-Day you will see mysterious squares and X's appear on streets and bridges. These are people's favourite spots, 'occupied' beforehand. In the past people would be on their spot from about midnight (and sometimes even earlier) but the new regulations put a stop to that as well and no one is allowed to do anything until 8 in the morning. Of course we are all law abiding citizens here, so it can happen that a boat with a rubber trumpet band on board comes sailing past at 4 in the morning. Or you run into a big party that just happens to be there...

The day itself usually starts slowly. As it's the early bird that catches the worm, it could be worth your while to start browsing the stalls before breakfast starts. Plenty of goodies for sale at ridiculous prices, and the chance of your life to find things you've been looking for for years and that one special whatchamacallit you never even knew you wanted. If you watch carefully, you can tell people who are just there for the fun of it from the fanatics wanting to make a hard sell, and maybe get an even bigger discount after a friendly chat.
Plse feel free to add on any relevant info that is missing in the above explanation.

(Foto is courtesy of http://www.anjazwebplace.nl)

Have a good one everybody !!

Ouch

So for the past 5 years I’ve tried to get back into my training mode but it hasn’t worked so far (not even when I was dieting to get the baby weight off) and I wasn’t even trying for the 4 to 5 times I used to work out …..2 weeks ago I went jogging with my friend Martine and then … nothing…. So yesterday my mother was babysitting Colin, Michael was playuing at a friends house, the weather was fine I went jogging again (ok I know a 2 week gap is big but not too big ;-) ) and I did well, ran the bike path that goes around our block (it’s a big block honest) and came back 25 min. later. The fun part was that my mother (with Colin) biked beside me as I hate to jog alone, killed 2 birds in one stone because I’m totally up to date with all the things going on in the family …

The bad part is, it was hot and today I have sore muscles but I'm definately going again on wednesday, really I will.

too slow

I have too many unfinished projects and not enough time ....haha it's my own fault I am a very slow scrapper ... I love to leave a project to simmer and work on it every few days, I love moving things about 5 cm's leaving it and moving it again a day later etc. I rarely finish a project in one evening/day ..... Sometimes it hits you sometimes it doesn't, with me it takes about a week .... but it doesn't help that I have to clear everything up everyday... I will be really happy when my studio is finished hopefully at the end of the summer and I will have my projects lined up on a table waiting for it to hit :-) the inspiration that is. Am I the only one ........?

So Proud

Ed's been practising for about a month with Michael to get him to ride his bike (an old bike that he has at my mom's) without the training wheels but he wasn't getting it so we bought a bike without the pedals because we heard it helps with finding your balance. On this type of bike you need to make some speed and then lift your feet and try to find your balance and you know what it works ! We got the bike last weekend and yesterday Michael and his friend Noud were playing with bikes (Noud on the normal bike, Michael on the one without the pedals) and I asked Michael if he wanted to try the normal bike, since he now has the confidence that he can keep his balance he wasn't afraid to fall and it worked. He got on, tried to lean on me but I said that I wasn't going to keep him upright so he starting sitting up and biked, so fast that I couldn't keep up !!!! He's been going round our playground all afternoon and by the time Ed got home he was so on a roll that he could keep up with his best friends and they were having so much fun. Another milestone for the kid (and the new promised bike will have to be bought ....)!!!



By the way the weather was so amazing in the Netherlands yesterday, it was ICE CREAM time !!


Will finally be scrapping this week, tonight I think I'll try making some coasters ! Also I have to start my mothersday present & mom's birthday present (stop reading here mom !!!) and I've bought something and it starts with B, as my mom's birthday is om May 9th I'd better get crackin'......

Secretary day

So in the netherlands it’s secretary day today and most secretaries expect their bosses to show their appreciation by buying them flowers or something … Since the company I work is watching the budget I didn’t expect anything, and neither did Ed so he sent me a sweet e-card ! But you know what, I had a really lovely bouquet of flowers on my desk when I got in this morning ! What a nice surprise together with the card it made my day (either flowers or chocolate will do the trick ;-) )

My mess

So what's the deal, why is my bedroom always a warzone ? I'd love a nice tranquill and clean space and once a week (when my lovely cleaning help Monika comes round) it is but it never stays that way... Maybe it's because the clothes are usually folded there, the ironed clothes are distributed there, the kids are read to there before bedtime, we play there before bedtime or just because I never clean up the pile of clothes of the day before ? It's a mystery but you know what, all mess aside it's the place to have our quiet time with the kids ...... all the stories are read & heard here, more cuddles & kisses are given here than on the rest of the day (we start & end the day with them), new & old songs are sung & the last giggles of the day take place there ....... So messy or not it's the best place in the house.

Easter

Saturday evening we celebrated Ed's birthday (yeah my gorgeous guy turned 38 !), lowe key with some friends it was fun !

This sunday morning we went swimming again (gotta keep practising with Michael for his swimming lessons) and Colin at 2,5 does not have the same swimming experience that Michael has (guess that's what happens with the 2nd kid & sleepless nights ...) but we've been going more regularly and the boys are really getting more confidence, Colin was floating & kicking around by himself and Michael was diving in trying to get his head under water ... I was so impressed. The rest of the day we were playing outside (or rather the boys were) as I fell asleep on my beachbed in the sun. No scrapbooking today as I'm busy preparing things for the site and my big spring sale. Easterbunny hadn't been to our house yest so Michael commented he might come tuesday and then the question : Mom, where does the easterbunny live ? Wow I don't know I'll have to look it up for you (honestly I had no idea what to say !) and then he giggled : Maybe in Easterland ..... A smile to end the day, gotta love that !

Mondaymorning we expected the kids to run down and look for eggs inside or outside the house but nope .....So we prepared for our brunch, which ended up to be a lunch with my parents end my aunt Marijke, and finally as we were eating Michael yells out " I see an easter egg in the garden" (he always sits facing the garden at the dining table) and I thought "finally", all of a suddenhis cheeks were red of excitment and it was hard trying to continue with the lunch but they tried and right after they went on their hunt. Before they went out we told them the easterbunny had sent us an email (don't know if that is in code with easterbunny fairy tailes...) and told us that there were 6 eggs for each and that after finding all of them we would share equally. That didn't stick though as you can see from the photo's......



Still after we explained the email again Michael calmed down. The rest of the afternoon the weather was super sunny so the guys had loads of fun playing & drawing with chalk outside (and Ed with installing his MCE). So the day ended with 2 little tired but happy guys and the big guy is still playing ;-).

Hope you enjoyed yours !

Welcome

Welcome into my life, this is my first post in my very own blog, i'm happy I finally got arount to making a blog. I've never been one to keep a diary for long but since this is done by computer and I use one daily I'm hoping this will last.....