Why Frosty the snowman doesn't catch on here

The proof that it can snow in the Netherlands. Here is what was left of our snowman (well, he started off as a typical snowman, but kinda ended up more like an inverted snow cone) two days after we made him. Almost pitiful really

Monopoly weekend

Blew off the original weekend plans to run a 10k and spend a family weekend away as everyone felt like just hanging out. Ended up spending hours playing Monopoly - innocent Emily wiping us all pitifully out.
Having one day of snow gave us the chance to have a good snowball fight and make a snowman before the snow completely melted the next day.

Finished the next episode of Harry Potter too... it's a debate who enjoys the reading time the most

Winter in the Netherlands

Brrr ... it's finally getting a little wintry here in Holland. We're hoping it'll freeze enough to let us skate on those canals again...
Here are a few views of the kids during their annual Christmas skating lessons. Emily has discovered the fun of taking photos of yourself....

Hit the big 40 this year and decided to prove that I was still in ok shape... why not run a marathon?
Although I went into it looking forward to getting it over with and checking it off my list of things to do before I die, it sure was fun... NYC next year perhaps?!

The best way of celebrating thereafter was heading to Wisco on a girls' only trip (Em and I) for the autumn vacation and Halloween. Had a super time hanging out and attending UW football game, hockey game, shopping, seeing friends & best of all family.

Dutch dream house renovation

Time to get some of these renovation stories documented here... how do you take a 70's style dutch house and turn it into a place you love to be in? Make sure you have dreams, advice, trustworthy & good worker dudes (with their own advice), set a budget .... and....enjoy!!!!!:

Now for some house & garden updates... renovations are complete on the dream house. Garden guy said the work would be done in 8 days. Unfortunately, he didn't say which 8 days... some of those 8 days may just happen in 2007 at the rate things are going now. But the big stuff is done - most importantly: the trampoline! yeppers, we're havin' some fun here.

Field trip to Efteling

Emily & Timothy had their school field trip to the Efteling on Thursday. Eight buses hauled kids & accompanying parents to the attraction park. With the exception of a few cases of motion sickness on the bus and in the park, the event ended with all children and adults present and accounted for (and exhausted).

Starting the blog

Starting a blog today after having been inspired by friends the van Meekerens in Canada, who, although they have 5 kids, jobs, busy social life, keep a blog updated. It was great to be able to see updated photos of their kids and feel a bit in touch with them through what they posted.

I can only aspire to the same - perhaps this is the way I can get photos and updates a bit more timely to family and friends? Everyone knows how good I am at that snail mail (NOT!)