The boys have been hard at work this year painting up a storm. We have covered our walls with their art to brighten up our apartment. Thought everyone else might want to enjoy them too.
(Click on the gallery for one of the boys; Then click on a picture to blow up; Use left right arrows to flip through pictures)
Today it was finally nice enough for a ride on my new bike with my new helmet. Mommy took me out to the dunes (where there are no cars) to try out my new bike. It was great. The bike is a little tall so it is a little challenging to stop without tipping over. I biked down to the water tower and back (2 kilometers) while Henry ran along side in support. I really like the handbrakes, although it is hard to reach them with my little fingers. I just can hold 2 things yet.
Click on the pictures to enlarge.
William with his new bike and trusty brother (and some horses) in the dunes.
Its a race.
Funny Sign
Today was also William’s first day alone at school. William said it was great.
Click on a picture to enlarge it.
Super sleek race car.
Henry feeling better.
Ready for battle
Wearing all of their armor
Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972) is a world famous Dutch graphic artist, he worked mainly with woodcuts and lithographs.
Today we went to the Escher museum with Daddy. He is famous for his interesting transitional pictures. Henry found the most interesting part was the Angel/Devil picture since it is the first time he has ever seen a picture of a devil. Henry picked up this postcard on the right to remind him of his visit.
Since Escher did a lot of things in terms of perspective we really had fun in the ‘perspective’ room. It really looks like Henry has had a growth spurt doesn’t it?
The other fascination was with the fancy chandeliers throughout the museum. They had nothing to do with Escher but can you guess which one Henry loved most.
After the museum we decided to surprise mommy at the archives. Lucky for us we ran into her at the train station and then took her out for Indonesian food for dinner.
Docents
Gallery
Lounging time.
Big Henry
Bigger Henry
Skullriffic
Umbrella
Back from the market with lots of food.
When we came out school yesterday I told daddy I really liked the black bakfiets out front and that we should get one. I was so surprised when daddy said it was our new bakfiets. Daddy has not ridden a bike in a few years and today he had to bike 12 kilometers to bring the bike home. Daddy looked very tired and was not up for cruising all over town today.
Our first voyage took us to the Albert Hein for some groceries. We really like the sausage from the local butcher so we picked up 4 sausages on the way home. The bike is too big to fit through our front door so we parked down at the corner at a bike rack.
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Lounging in the bakfiets.
Dad picked us up from school today and did not look so tired. It is only 1 kilometer ride from our house. Thursday is street market day so we picked up some: grapes, clementines, chicken, nuts, brocoli and a new ball of yarn. Henry says that he loves the taste of ice cold grapes from the market.
Doll House with lights
Den Haag City Historical Museum
Henry and I went into the Historical Museum’s attic, and we saw a doll house that had real lights in it. There was a giant book that was taller than us. It was about a naughty boy named Tim.
The bus seats were very, very, very comfortable with seat-belts, and we had shades on the windows.
Their mother would like to add that, contrary to custom in the US, no one asked for any permission slips or money for this field trip. But the school does insist that the five year-0lds change into and out of proper gym attire for their weekly gymnastics class with the gym master.
Henry eating stroopwafel
Today William used his new Dutch skills to order his first Stroopwafel at the street market. He had to ask for them in Dutch and had to pay with 2 Euros. Although the syrup was steaming hot we found out that zero degree weather cools the syrup off very quickly.
Henry, William and Dada all enjoyed the Thursday street market. The boys found the ribbon and bead stall to be very interesting. We ended up buying some chicken, ‘delicious meatballs’, grapes and tomatoes.
Boys enjoying bead/ribbons at market.
We are looking forward to going to the market every Thursday after school.
School Chickens
We started at our new Dutch school today. The school is a 10-15 minute walk from our house, down the shopping street with the bakery. The school had a chicken coop with four chickens and lots of tricycles in the courtyard where the kids have recess. It also has a very nice gymnasium.
The best news is that 4 year olds (groep 1) and 5 year olds (groep 2) are in the same class, so Henry and I in the same classroom. Our teacher, Juf. Yvonne, is very nice. We built a big castle together. We also sat in the circle to listen to a story about a boy who brings a snowball into his house and to sing songs (they were all in Dutch, but we did the hand motions).
Dutch school is fun.
First Day at the Beach
We can walk to the beach!
From our apartment we walk one block, turn the corner, cross the street and we’re in the Oostduinpark (East Dunes Park). From there we can walk up the pedestrian trail or the horse trail to the beach itself. The beach is very wide and very long and full of people walking even in the cold winter weather. And there are lots of shells. Henry was pleased to find out that you don’t have to pick up every shell you see because there will be more shells there every day.
Climbing the Tower on the Pier
There’s also a long boulevard on the beach full of shops and restaurants and a long pier that goes out into the waves. On New Year’s Day we all walked along the pier. William, Henry and Daddy climbed the bungee tower at the end of the pier – 142 steps up and 142 steps down. Then we had dinner at one of the beach restaurants. We sat next to a small fireplace and had a delicious dinner.
It was a great start to the new year.
New Year's Eve on our Roof
WOW!! Daddy moved our bed by the window so we could lay in bed and watch the fireworks tonight. Then mommy and daddy put us in our snow pants at midnight and we went up to our rooftop deck. The fireworks were amazing and all around us. The neighborhood was a blaze of color. We were practically eye level with some of the explosions. Henry was not scared but I was a little. Daddy took a video to share here. The fireworks went on for half an hour and long into the night. I thought they were supposed to be just at the beach but they were everywhere.
Mommy said she could hardly walk home from the grocery store with the fireworks going off even in the streets.
Henry and I agree this was the best fireworks show ever.
William
