Dide's birthday

Over a month ago already since the last blog post. We have been settling in into our New Old House, still a list of things to finish, but we do not feel like it. We have enjoyed some nice weekend outings, for example a visit to the children's science museum in Amsterdam, smaller than that in Chicago, but very entertaining and interesting as well. Dide and Ties recognized a whole lot of experiments, but also discovered some new ones. Afterwards we visited the Anne Frank house as well. For us that was the first time, very impressive, it makes you quiet.

And we are also trying to get used to our new weekly schedules. Saskia's working hours have changed (i.e. are even better now), so Dide and Ties do not need after school care at all any more. We have no time to clean the house any more, but like what we are doing. Weekend's are busy, but rather give than take energy. We have some social contacts to revive after all these months of reconstruction work.

Playing at the home of "opa and opa" (grandparents) is more fun than at home.

Today we had a small party for Dide's birthday next week (10 years old, can you imagine?). We had mostly family over for lunch. It was a very good time, although we were on a schedule as this afternoon it was basketball again.

Do you wonder what she is wearing? It is a body protector for horse riding.

And finally, the last few weeks we had cold (as in VERY cold) weather here. It has been below 0C (32F) for more than 2 weeks, we temperatures below 0F. That is pretty exceptional here and it led to lots of ice (and only a tiny bit of snow). Dide and Ties have enjoyed it a lot. The weather was crisp and mostly sunny, sometimes bitterly cold on the bike, but still better than the rain we so often had in December. Today it will start thawing and the grey weather is forecasted to return. Blaahh.