London

Ned and I tried to go London in April of 2006 (Katie was 4 months old). We had flights and hotels booked. We were going to be "those parents" that didn't let kids slow us down. We envisioned taking the tube with Katie in the Baby Bjorn and seeing all that London had to offer. Well, for those of you who remember Katie as an infant know why we canceled our trip a few weeks before. Colic. Bad. Lots of sleepless nights and stressful days. It would have not made for a good vacation.

So since we are living in the Netherlands, Ned and I have vowed to try to see as much of Europe as possible. London was at the top of the list.

London is about 3.5 hours from Maastricht. The drive to the Brussels airport should take about an hour and a half (should being the key word - it took us 2 and a half). Then the Eurostar high speed train that goes under the English Channel takes 2 hours. Total, it should take 3 and a half hours. Quick.

A friend of mine loaned us a children's book called Katie in London. It is the story of a girl named Katie and her little brother, Jack, who visit London with their grandmother. The book begins at Trafalgar Square where the grandmother decides to take a nap on the park bench. Whilst (british word I have picked up) she sleeps one of the cast iron lions in the square comes to life and take Katie and Jack on a tour of London. We read this book several times before our trip to Katie and changed the character, Jack, to of course, Andrew. The book took Katie and "Andrew" through the Tower of London, London Bridge, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and Picadilly Circus. It was the perfect platform for us to get Katie excited about the trip. And, she was. Andrew was just excited to ride the train. So excited that he cold not get to sleep the night before.

We started at Trafalgar Square. Katie loved the lions (even though they did not come to life). For the last year and a half Katie has loved Disney's The Lion King and lions are her favorite animal.

Trafalgar Square

Next we went on the London Eye. Or, as Andrew kept calling it (over and over...) the "fair-nis" wheel. Once he saw it, all we heard all day was "me go on the fair-nis wheel please." He also desparately wanted to go on the carousel that was in the park at the bottom of the London Eye. From the top of the London Eye he could see the carousel and was very excited. Everyone in our cabin knew it too! (he talks a lot and not very quietly)

London Eye

Katie and Andrew on the Eye

Andrew always wants to go on the carousel, but then once we get on, he doen't like it. Everytime. The only way he is happy is if he is sitting on a bench. Not a horse. We rode it twice, both times Andrew was on the bench.

The Carousel.
Katie and Ned are on horses behind Andrew.

Buckingham Palace was a hit. We were able to see the changing of the guard on a walking tour. Katie was slightly disappointed that we did not see the queen but enjoyed the marching bands.

View of Buckingham Palace from the London Eye


Marching bands at changing of the guard ceremony

After several recommendations, we did the Original London Double Decker Tour Bus. For 24 hours, you could get on and off the bus and see everything in London. We tried to sit up top, but Andrew was afraid. You can ask him about it now (a week later) and he will clearly tell you. "Me scared. Me no like the top. Me want to go downstairs" We heard this a lot over the course of two days. Like the carousel, he wanted to go up but, once he was there, he wanted to go down.

Andrew very briefly on top

Katie on top of the bus

Ned, Katie and Andrew asleep on the bus

Day two we set out to see St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, London Bridge and the Tower of London.

We all loved the Tower of London. All you have to do is tell Katie that it is a castle and it peeks her interest. Afterall, princesses live in castles. Andrew loved the steps and open space to run. Ned and I were very impressed with the Crown of Jewels that dated back to the 12th century.

White tower at the Tower of London

Westminster Abbey

London Bridge

Andrew stopping to make a call

No Starbucks in the Netherlands so I was sure to get my fix whilst in London!
Katie joined me in a Vanilla Creme (no coffee in it)

Oh Paris! Qu'est-ce une ville merveilleuse!

A few weeks ago my friend Staci came from New Hampshire to visit Maastricht. In honor of Ned and I's six year anniversary (April 17th), Staci and I headed to one of the most romantic places in the world...Paris. Without Ned. He watched the kids while Staci and I took the high speed train from the Liege, Belgium train station (just 25 minutes from our house) straight into Paris Nord station. Thanks Ned! Only a 2.5 hour train ride.

This was the first time in 15 months that I had been away from Katie and Andrew. (the last time was a one night girls getaway last January) I missed the kids, but have to say it felt so good to just go where the wind blew us. We didn't have a set plan. We knew we wanted to go to Notre Dame, Louvre, Arc d'Triumph and the Eiffel Tour. Other than that, we just walked and walked and walked.

We hit the streets of Paris around noon on Saturday and went to Sainte Chapelle and Notre Dame first. Then lunch and then some souvenier shopping. We walked up the Champs Elysses, had a fancy coffee and then climbed the stairs on the Arc d'Triumph. The view was magnificent. We got to the Eiffel Tour a little before 9pm just in time to see the flickering lights on the tower. We went to the first observation tower (I do not like heights or elevators) and again, the sites were magnificent. Sunday we woke up...when we wanted to wake up...no alarms and no children...and again, hit the streets of Paris. Our main objective was the Louvre...after, of course, a Paris breakfast. Croissant and coffee. After the Louvre we took a cab up to Sacre Coeur. Lots and lots of stairs to the top of Sacre Coeur, but well worth it.

All in all it was a GREAT 30 hour mini break! Thanks Staci for being such and awesome travel buddy. And friend!

Stain class at St. Chapelle

The Louvre

Venus de Milo and me

We did the headset tour. We saw the top three masterpieces - Venus De Milo, Winged Victory and the Mona Lisa. And then some. We spent about 2.5 hours there. You could spend days, but this was just enough in the amount of time we had.

Arc d'Triumph

The stairs up to the top of the Arc.

The weather was GORGEOUS. Mid 70s I would guess and everyone was outside enjoying the weather. Staci and I got baguettes and ate on the lawn and people-watched.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Eiffel Tour

Street performer in Montmartre

One Year

April 15th marked one year that we have been in Maastricht. It is hard to believe. If I look back and reflect on the last 12 months, we have done a lot and learned a lot too.

The old city walls of Maastricht.

A huge perk of this job assignment (for me...these are all from my perspective) is travel. And, that we have done. We have traveled a few times to different cities in Germany, France, Belgium and throughout the Netherlands. Next up is London and the Greek island of Kos.

I have also made some great friends. Mostly moms who are in the "same boat", so to speak, as me. Their husbands are here on assignment and they are not working (outside the home, that is). I have had the chance to meet so many strong and interesting women. They have become my extended family and will be lifelong friends.

The kids. Katie and Andrew are little sponges. Katie is learning how big the world is. She takes things at face value. Nothing is "weird" to her. Just a matter of fact that so and so speaks Hebrew or eats frikadel (dutch cuisine) or sushi every day. I wasn't sure how much Andrew was taking in but then I had the following conversation with him at the Dusseldorf airport in Germany:

Airport garage guy: Danke Shon
Ellen: Danke Shon
Andrew: Danke Shon? Dank u wel. What Danke Shon?

He heard Danke Shon which means thank you in German and knows that Dank U wel means thank you in Dutch and was questioning whether they mean the same thing. He put two and two together! Wow. And is just two.

Everyone bikes everywhere. Rain or shine.

Experiencing a new culture. The food, the clothes, banking, shopping..pretty much everything is different. I have had to learn how to do daily things, well, differently. You probably remember my grocery store blog from last summer. Grocery shopping has gotten easier for me now that Andrew can walk next to the winklewagon and help me put things in. And, now, one year later I know what I am buying. I still havent mastered clothes shopping. Sizes are totally different. Banking...Ned does. No checks here. Everything is electronic. Food is healthier and fresher. Not nearly as many processed foods. I like that. Because I have had to do things differently, I think I have become a little more flexible.

Friday market. Fresh cut tulips.

Cheese and wine shop

There are so many pluses (and a few minuses) to our experience abroad. These are just a few I thought I would share.

Picasso?

Zoo

When my parents were here we went to the zoo. Just a couple pictures...

On the dinosaur carousel

Not looking impressed

Andrew and the Silver Back Gorilla
(with his back to us)

Disney Princesses on Ice

While my parents were here a few weeks ago, we went up to Amsterdam.

Andrew is just in awe of trains, boats, tractors, "air-crains" (airplanes) and buses too. He asks on almost a daily basis to ride each one of these. His favorite book for the last month...and has been reading every night multiple times in a row...is Richard Scarey's Cars and Trains and Things that Go! (Parents with toddler know what I am talking about...every night the same book!) So, he was SUPER excited to take the train to Amsterdam. It is about a 3 hour ride. He was excited the whole ride! We also took a canal boat ride, the tram, and a bus so he was pretty much in his glory for 24 hours.

While we were there my mom, Katie, Andrew and I went to see Disney's Princesses on Ice show. This was Andrew's first show and had no idea how he would react. I thought he would bounce around and point and squeal like he did on the canal boat ride and on the train, but nope, he sat on my lap completely mesmerized. He didnt make a peep. Then...he fell asleep about 20 minutes after intermission.

Katie in her Sleeping Beauty outfit with Grandma

The Genie from Aladin

Sleeping Beauty (Katie's favorite princess) and Prince Philip

Ariel, Andrew's favorite princess

Andrew in awe

...and he's out!

Easter Morning

The Easter Bunny, who Katie informed us is a white bunny with long ears...not brown, left the kids fantastic Easter baskets (as usual). In addition, he hid about two dozen plastic eggs filled with treats. Here are some highlights...

Katie loved her princesses

Andrew loved the chocolate

The kids in their PJs and fleeces waiting to hunt eggs

Our three kids ready to pounce

Katie "posing"

Andrew found chocolate

Katie in her Easter dress ready for church

Family photo

Easter Egg Dying

My parents arrive safe and sound...and jet lagged....on March 26th. The kids have been enjoying the extra attention from both Grandma and Pop.

As most of you know, my standard answer for the infamous question "Do you like Holland?" is usually "yes, parts of it I love, parts of it are well, different." Well, we encountered another "different."

Every year, we dye Easter eggs, as most families traditionally do. I bought two boxes of egg dye, one Paas and one Dudley at Target when we were back a few weeks ago. I wasnt sure if they had egg dye here. Well, it turns out they do. But, they also only have BROWN eggs in this country. I figured the kids wouldnt notice the difference and crossed my fingers that the dye took color on the eggs. It did. But, it was, yet again...Different.

Pink dye+ brown egg = pea green egg.
Blue dye + brown egg = pea green egg.
Green dye + brown egg = dark pea green egg.
Yellow dye + brown egg = sort of orange egg.

You see the pattern....

It was fun and messy. We had a lot of laughs and will remember this Easter for years and years to come!

Grandma demonstrating her technique

Andrew about to lick the dipper. Followed by "yummy!"

Katie making the perfect egg

Ned trying to make a red egg

(I think it turned out...yep, you guessed it. Pea Green)

Andrew concentrating

The "best" eggs.
Lots of earth tones!