Brian's Picture

So Brian has gotten into painting a lot lately and teaching the girls what he knows about painting. Which I am always amazed at since he has never taken an Art class in his life. I would really like to sign him up for a class I'm wondering if we can have a side income. I am willing to hang his painting on my wall.

So I thought I would just share his latest creation, which he is proud of. The original plan was to call it "Carmen" but now Brian calls it "Rock Lobster" (You cannot see the head from about 4 steps away). Anyway about it, It was a Ballerina he had painted for Kaitlyn using her favorite color... Orange. The head and hair are in white so it is hard to see in the photo but looks really cool.

The Efteling

We have had a very enjoyable summer full of fun family time. Brian got to go to Italy for a work Conference which I was very jealous of. But the girls and I enjoyed the first week of summer together going to the Library and excitedly finding they had added a children's English section to it. I can not tell you how I was jumping for joy at that. No more rummaging through other moving expat stuff trying to find used English books to read to my children for cheap. I can now get a few of them from the Library.

We have had many visits to the park and hanging out with friends going to the pool and the beach. I really do enjoy the unstructured life of the summer.

So on Monday we had a nice sunny day and so we spontaneously decided we were going to take the girls to the Efteling.

http://www.efteling.nl/

We hadn't been yet and I must say, I am such a fan. I really enjoyed it as far as an amusement park for kids go. The girls really enjoyed it. The lines were max 25 min wait on the big roller coasters and everything else was 5-10 minute wait.

The girls all have their own personalities. Kaitlyn is so much like me. AFRAID of everything! Every roller coaster we came to we did our best to talk her into riding it (although I'm not afraid of roller coasters there were a lot off other things when I was younger that I was scared of). Mostly with Kaitlyn unless she was sure she was safe, we would ride the ride and she would wait for us to get off. It was just to scary for her.

Brianna wanted to ride the ride but was a little scared but really wanted to try but wasn't sure... In the end Brianna would ride the ride and then come off deciding it was the best thing ever!

Brooke never questioned. She wanted to ride every ride and it was the best. After her first ride which was called the bobsledded she told me very excitedly on the ride "Momma - I'm Flying". She actually gets really upset when she dresses up and puts on her fairy wings and then gets on the trampoline and is unable to fly. It really makes her so mad. She loved the roller coaster rides because she finally felt like she was flying.

Brooke was very mad on the Python where she was to small to ride it that she didn't get to go on it. Kaitlyn said there was no way she was going to ride and Brianna was in indecision. We decided that after watching it that although Brianna just hit the height requirement it would be best not to have her on there. She was still small. So I went first and then Brian went. Brooke was really mad that I didn't let her go with Brian so I took her out to watch the roller coaster do it's two upside down turns and then it's 3 twist. Brooke watched it go around so fast as we stood under it and proclaimed "WOW! Momma I'm too small now but when I'm big I can go on that."

At the end of the day the girls thanked us for the best day of their lives. I knew it had been a success. Hopefully summer continues to be full of fun.

Here are some pictures.

Ashcroft Art

Brian and Kaitlyn have been doing some painting on Saturdays. It is an activity they both love to do. This is some of their most recent painting. The top is Kaitlyn's painting. On the top right is her sun and the back ground is her sunset and then the main image she says is a flower. I think it is a pretty cool picture to have been created by an 8 year old.

This is Brian's picture. It is on a 2ft by 3 ft canvas. It is his first time using oil paints. I am always amazed by what he can come up with to paint. I love his paintings. I want to get a frame for it and hang it on the wall. Sometimes I wish I had one once of his artistic talent. But I am lacking in this area so I just admire what my husband can accomplish.

Brooke's Gym class

Brooke loves her gym class and being able to play and climb and run. Monday was the last day of gym for the year. So I thought I would take some fun pictures!

As I am posting this blog my children run in the house yelling because in the back yard Brooke has managed to climb up the back fence and is standing on the top of the Shed! I tried to get Brianna to get the camera and take a picture while I tried to get Brooke down using my 3 step little latter. Which was not working very well. I ended up having Kaitlyn climb up the fence grab Brooke, bring her to me and then I drug her off the shed screaming because she didn't want off.

Brianna was unsuccessful in finding the camera before I got Brooke down off the shed. However when I came back and looked at these pictures from gym class, I began to wonder if it was a good idea to put her in class that makes her stronger and allows her to climb on things like this. But at the same time at lease she was strong enough to do it and didn't fall that long ways in the process.

This child of mine is so wonderful but gives me gray hair daily!!!!

Surprise!

Brian's Birthday was truly as surprise for him.

Brooke's birthday was on the 13th of June and I have been trying for 2 weeks to put a birthday party together for her. Then I though why not combine it with Brian's birthday and just do a fun party with everyone. I knew Brian was under so much stress he didn't know what month it was and so I just told him we were doing a birthday party for Brooke on Saturday (the 4th of July). He said o.k. Still not know what day Saturday was.

Saturday came and we prepared everything for the party. I was having real guilt trips as Brian was out cleaning the yard on his birthday. But he didn't know it was his birthday.

As our guest arrived, some of them were Brooke's friends and their families however some of them were Brian co-workers and his friends. He was confused and then we told him, Happy Birthday! It is your Birthday today.

My poor over worked husband.

We had a really enjoyable time at our party talking with friends. I find that, Honestly, being with friends is the most enjoyable place I can be. I think we would invite friends over for parties at our house every weekend, if I could handle the stress of all of it.

After the party we had the girls light some sparklers that we saved from new years. I wanted to do it during the party because we had a lot of sparklers but I forgot all about them! The girls loved it we even tried to teach them, My country 'tis of thee! Kaitlyn remembers the big fireworks from the states and ask why we cant set off our other left over fireworks from New Years. We had to explain what illegal meant.

All and all it was a good day. Hopefully a good surprise birthday for Brian!

Because of my forgetfulness I only managed to take 2 pictures during the party. 1 of Brooke opening her first gift and then I put the camera down somewhere where I couldn't find it and so there was no more pictures for the rest of the party. After the party when things were all cleaned up I found it and was able to take a picture with fireworks.

Kaitlyns A Dipolma

Kaitlyn has been in swim lessons all year and she has earned her "A Diploma". It is an exciting thing for the Dutch for their kids to get their "A Diploma" because it means your child is finally allowed to swim freely in what ever pool they want to at the public pools with out having to have their parents right their next to them.


We felt like Kaitlyn could swim well enough for that when we entered this country as she has had swim lessons since she was 2 years old.

However because she didn't have an "A diploma" she had to be in what ever pool we were in. So if we were in the little pool with Brooke she couldn't run off with a friend to play in the recreational pool with the water slide. Kind of a bummer.

So we put her in swim lessons so that She could have this magical "A diploma". I expected it to happen kind of quickly because Kaitlyn is such a strong swimmer already and has no problem swimming. However they didn't seem to see it that way. Apparently she has to be able to do more then just swim, float and puller her self out of the pool to get the diploma. She had to be able to learn all the swim strokes and learn to dive (which she has been a little afraid of) and a few other task like swimming threw a tunnel under the water. They also have to learn how to swim with their cloths and shoes on(I guess that is in case the fall into one of the many canals of water everywhere with their cloths on, they have some practice getting out.)

With so much for Kaitlyn to learn it took all year. However, with a big WAHOO! Kaitlyn now has her A diploma and can run off and swim with all of her friends freely while I deal with Brooke in the kiddy pool.

Poor Brianna is still stuck with me in the kiddy pool but she is in swim lessons now and hopefully sometime next year she will be free from my side!


Below is a picture of Kaitlyn kind of scared to do her finally test she has on her t-shirt, shorts and shoes, ready to jump in and show all that she has learned. To the left you see a few boys in full rain clothing. They are swimming for their C diploma. The higher the diploma the more clothing you have to be able to swim with. I was really impressed with these boys in rain jackets and pants. The were swimming well.