Merry Christmas!

Sweets

What would Christmas be without sugar?

Ned and I started a tradition of making a gingerbread house with Katie when she was just a year old. Now, it has become one of our favorite things to do. That, and of course, breaking it and eating it after the holidays!

Katie's on the left. Andrew's on the right.

And, a tradition of both families. Making butter cookies. My mom makes butter cookies with a press. Ned's mom with cookie cutters. Two slightly different recipes. Both equally as fun to make and EAT!

The kids enjoyed decorating the most. Andrew's motto - "no such things as too many sprinkles" The boy can pile them on! Katie is more into detail. "Patterns and placement" would be her motto. Our kids are two very different creatures.

I made him look up and smile...cant you tell.
What a forced effort.

Our pastry chefs

O Christmas Tree

This year, for the first time, we chopped down our own tree. (Well, the nice man with the huge chainsaw cut it down for us). We found a place about 3 blocks from our house, right near this gorgeous old windmill. There was about 4 inches of snow on the ground and it was still snowing. It was picturesque.


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The kids watching the man cut down the tree

Some things are strikingly difficult here. Like, finding a tree topper. No angels, stars or light up ornaments are to be found. A friend of ours found a chinsey star at a drug store type place so Katie and I decided to make it a little more fancy (for those of you with girls, think Fancy Nancy). We added foil stuff and gold beads from the craft store and lots and lots of glue!

The tacky...I mean Fancy star

Fairy Party!

I was surprised when Katie said she wanted to have a Fairy Party at home. For those that know her, she doesnt really care for dress up. Several times, I suggested a party outside the house - a bouny place perhaps? this gorgeous 12th century castle near us that does Princess and Knight treasure hunt parties? A pizza making party at a local restaurant that has a play area? I tried and tried. Nope. A party at home is what she wanted.

So, at this age I think it is difficult to pick and choose who to invite. We decided to invite all the girls from the class as well as a few friends outside school. We invited 16. Crazy I know. 15 RSVPed "yes" + Katie and Andrew = 17 children. And, apparently, five is the magical age where parents do not stay at parties any longer. 4 parents stayed + Ned and I = 6 adults. Ratio 17:6. We were SO outnumbered!

All in all it was truly a fantastic party. Ned made the cake. Katie picked it out of a book. I helped to decorate it. It was perfect. A toadstool with plastic fairies (not pictured). We played Pass the Parcel, a popular party game in the UK, and hit a pinata. Ned also had this oh-so-brilliant-idea to buy confetti. It was very very fun, but also VERY messy. I am still finding confetti 3 days later after 3 vacuums!

The kids made fairy cupcakes (frosted and decorated them, that is) and made fairy wings with posterboard, glitter pens, gems, etc. What fun!

(that's Andrew under the bowl)

The aftermath. And thats just the living room!

Andrew and Ned, the clean up crew

December 9, 2010

Thursday was Katie's actual birthday, but we had her party on Sunday (more to come on that - lots of pictures). I did a very short post simply because I was too tired to write more. But, my baby only turns five once, so she deserves a true post...

Katie, all 32lbs and 40 inches of her, is smart, caring and still full of sass and spunk. She is fun, silly and has a great imagination. She has a stubborn streak and likes to be right (who does that remind you of???). She loves to boss her brother around but unfortunately, with his personality, he rarely takes it (more of that to come in Andrew's birthday post in January). She also has a shy and cautious side to her, mostly in new situations or places she needs to speak up. She absolutely loves school and has made many new friends this year. She still has the same boyfriend from preschool, but says she will not marry him "if he is naughty to her." (thats my girl!) She is learning to read and is so proud of herself. She is determined and focused on all that she does. I wouldn't change one thing about her!

The birthday girl ready for school

By request, a #5 breakfast croissant.

Blowing out the candle on the croissant

Katie got to sit in the teacher's chair (and she invited Andrew to sit too) while the kids sang Happy Birthday in both English and Dutch. Then, Katie called on each child one-by-one to come up and either hug her, kiss her or shake her hand. She got LOTS of kisses!

Ned made a wonderful Katie with 5 letters. K-A-T-I-E. He was up until 1am making it. What a great Dad!

Huis Van Sinterklaas

On the Eve of Sinterklaas, we took a drive to Belguim to visit Huis Van Sinterklaas (House of Sinterklaas). Sinterklaas lives in Spain, but come to the Netherlands in mid November to prepare for his big gift-giving day on December 5th. This is the house Sinterklaas and his Zwarte Piet live in while they are here.

We were able to visit Sinterklaas' bakery, disco, post office, bedroom, radio studio and his stables where his horse, Americo, lives. We also saw a short silly show, in dutch. Ned and I got the jist. We really dont know how much the kids understood. They enjoyed it though.

Getting ready to brave the cold

There were several open fires at the Huis. In America, these would never be left unattended and wide open! Gotta love Europe.

Andrew playing Toss the Snowball with a Zwarte Piet

Katie at the disco with Zwarte Piet

The crazy show! Zwarte Piet.

http://www.huisvansinterklaas.be/nl

Katie is Five Years Old

Katie turned five years old today. I know everyone says it, but really it is true. Time flies. I cannot believe that it was five years ago that I held her in my arms for the first time.

Two Out Of Three Aint Bad

I wish I had this on video...

Me and Andrew having a chat.

Me: What is your name?
Him: Andrew

Me: When is your birthday?
Him: January

Me: Where do you live?
Him: Africa.

Plain as day. Pure and simple. He wasn't being funny, but it was SO funny.

SinterKlaas

Sinterklaas (also called Sint Nicolaas, de Goedheiligman or simply de Sint in Dutch) is a traditional Winter holiday figure in the Netherlands and Belgium ; he is celebrated annually on Saint Nicholas' eve (5 December) or, in Belgium , on the morning of 6 December. The feast celebrates the name day (birthday) of Sinterklaas and is the basis of the mythical holiday figure of Santa Claus (Father Christmas).

Children leave their shoes out from Sinterklaas' arrival into the Netherlands from Spain on November 20th until the morning of December 5th. His Zwarte Piet's (literally black elves) leave "snopes" (candies) or small gifts every morning. Katie and Andrew have be lucky enough to receive something every day but one. Like Santa Claus, Sinterklaas sees when children are naughty or nice.

On December 5th, Sinterklaas leaves a burlap bag of larger gifts. Traditionally, this is the dutch Christmas morning. December 25th is the celebration of Jesus.

Katie with Sinterklaas

This is the first time she has willingly taken a picture with Santa or Sinter. I sort of told her if she didnt, he wouldnt bring her gifts. Oh the things parents do to their children....

NH Fall Fun

While back in NH, it was the height of the fall foliage season. Up and down the highway, as far as the eye could see, there were gorgeous colors - red, yellow, orange. It was beautiful.

We don't really have a yard in Maastricht, more of a garden. And, we certainly do not have the big oak and maple trees that are prevalent in New England. It was a treat for the kids to make a big pile of leaves and jump in it. It never ceases to amaze me, what great childhood memories I relive through my kids.

Grammy was the ringleader. Not sure who had more fun...Her or the kids...

Holiday - Part III - Home

We were lucky enough to hop up to New Hampshire from Florida for about a week to see friends we just don't get to see often enough. And, bonus - Grandma and Grammy came up/over for a visit.

Halloween and pumpkin patches do not exist in the Netherlands so we took full advantage of the fall customs. This was Andrew's first time Trick or Treating. We did not get an opportunity to Trick or Treat last year, much to Katie's disappointment. This year, she remembered and was very excited. Call me a glutton for punishment, but we hosted a Halloween Party for about 40 people 4 days after we landed in Boston. It was a little hectic to prepare for - including a costume for Andrew last minute - but it was great to see our friends. There is no way I would have been able to see them all in just a week.

Grandma and the kids at a pumpkin patch that also had a corn maze

Dinosaur Train

Snow White

Trick or Treating

In total we were gone three weeks. It was a whirlwind tour, as usual, but worth every minute of aggravation to get there.

Holiday - Part II - Sanibel Island

After Disney World we went to Sanibel Island, about a 3 hour drive. Ned's parents go every fall and it had been 3 years since our last visit. This year several extended family members were there - Aunt Jeanne, Uncle Dino, Cousin Julie and Mike, 2nd Cousins Delany and Cole, Cousin Jill and Rick and Great Uncle Dick. Everyone lives all over the map so it was a nice mini reunion.

Sanibel is known for the shells. First thing in the morning is the best time. In this picture, we were out by 8am shelling.

Wonder what he is thinking...

Making a sand castle

Our last night in Sanibel. Sanibel sunset with Grammy.
It was the perfect end to Florida vacation.