Weekend again ................ old friends

This week, Dide and Ties had a school vacation. In The Netherland, schools usually have 5 vacations a year, typically 1 week in October, February and May, 2 weeks areound X-mas and a summer vacation of 6 weeks. As we do not have so many federal vacations days as in the US, the total number of school days is probably similar.

This February vacation was used for visiting family and friends: Saskia went to her mother, grandmother and old friends living in the east of The Netherlands during the week. The children were doing some homework and had a few playdates. On Friday, Radboud took a workday off and we all went to the far North of Holland: Groningen. This is were we had lived for 10 years until 2005, Dide and Ties were born here. We still have many friends up there and, moreover, we still go to the dentist in Groningen. We always use the dentist visit as an excuse for seeing old friends. This time it was no different, before the Friday afternoon dentist we already visited some places where we have old memories and we were surprised about the changes that took place during our US stay.

The weather was very Dutch: drizzling rain and fog, boring and grey.

Friday night we stayed at friends in a small village around Groningen. Ties is collecting soccer cards again and he did some good business this weekend.

Lots of kids everywhere and tons of food.

And the typical landscape of the Northern Netherlands: as you see it is flat indeed. The cows stayed indoors today.

Playing on the streets is still safe here.

And Ties played a Dutch version of basketball, known as korfball here.

Sure, more soccer cards at our next visit, a birthday of a girl who's parents we met during Saskia's pregnancy of Dide.

And old colleagues from university. This was Sunday breakfast. It was still grey outside.

Dide and Ties growing up? Sometimes they like to go back to toddler toys........ (see Saskia? She was already cleaning up).

The weekend ended at home, quiet and preparing for the new work and school week. Speak to you later!

RSDT

What's up in Voorschoten?

Last Monday, February 14th, it was Dide's birthday. We celebrated with family on Friday, just after the costume party at Dide and Ties' school. As you will see, Ties was a White Sox player, and Dide a strawberry (kudos to Saskia for the design and sewing)

More kudos for Dide's birthday cake, also by Saskia®.

The best thing of being back in The Netherlands are little nieces, according to Dide.

(and the rest of the family, we would say)

And on Saturday we had our yearly meeting day with extended family, all Radboud's uncles and aunts with children and grandchildren. An expanding group. Dide is the oldest of the children, Ties the second and they were really playing the big kids today. They were great!

At the very end of the party, Dide and ties got tired too. OK, we allowed them a little time on the iPad / iPod.

In the car today we were speculating on our lives if we would have decided to stay in Deerfield. Strange idea, being back is not yet feeling "normal". Our stay overseas has really changed us. We miss you all.

RSDT

Thinking of Deerfield ........

Earlier today, Dide Skyping with her old class.

Dide and Ties cherish all the great memories they have. They like being back, but at the same time miss Deerfield a lot. And so are we. All the best to all of you!

Tons of activities

Since we are back, we are having a busy life. We have already visited many musea, for instance the train museum in Utrecht..........

............ and the nature museum in Leiden.

Also, Dide and Ties have quiet some homework in order to make up for the missed year. They are working really hard.

And every Sunday they are now playing baseball at the American School in Wassenaar (The Hague). They like it a lot.

Every Friday night one can find us in the swimming pool. That is, Saskia is giving swimming lessons, Dide and Ties are practicing and Radboud is trying to read a magazine.

And in the weekends we visit many of our friends and family. Here is our niece Lieve.

Dide playing the iPod.

Helping Radboud's brother in and around the house.

Ties having fun with Lieve. She is really impressed by him, Ties not so with her most of the time. But he is doing good.

The pictures above were an easy way for us to avoid to much text. Next to all sports and social activities we are still working on all the paperwork from our return and the licenses to expand the house. Just many things are ongoing. Oh yeah, and there is also work to do. That is picking up nicely as well.

We miss you all and try to Skype were possible. We find the time difference annoying, especially for the kids. If you are online in the morning or early afternoon, try us! Have a good Superbowl day. Are we now supposed to cheer for the Packers?