Nelson GET TO WORK!!

The glassy look in their eyes is not due to drugs but the TV. Well, that's the drug of a nation.

We biked to the beach for the first time yesterday! 20 mins by car, 20 min by bike! Joy!

The entrance to the playground framed by blossoms



Of all the attractions of the playgound, Kaemon enjoys the snacks the most.

Flower Power

The small country lanes were crowded with bike-traffic-jams; it was an orgy of photo-taking, as if we'd never seen flowers before. This is our neighbourhood- the famous bloembollen/tulip fields- and it made us go a little ga-ga, hence the bumper photo extravaganza.

Tulips:

...as above...

...as above, above...

That's our transport. Nelson eating tulips, lucky they weren't poppies.

These days we never leave the house with nappies, milk, bubbles, snacks. To do so would be gravely regrettable. Lunch al fresco.

Along with the kids, we brought the KKK: Kick-a$$ Karrot Kake. LUcious cream cheese frosting and deliciously spiced cake with walnuts. Food tastes better in the outdoors, but modestly speaking, this truly was num-num.

...and more tulips

Running through a field of flowers, the classic-money-shot

Long Weekend!

The recent long weekend was the opportunity to catch up on the lost holiday moments: (clockwise from top left) so we did some crafty egg decorating, ate (more) good food (sushi, lamb and lentils, green tea cake with red bean cream filling) and finally, after I walked into a closed door this morning at 5am to stifle a Crying Nelson and Screaming Kaemon I was in need for feeling-sorry-for-myself food so 2 kg of roast pork with crackling did the trick nicely (if you see my black eye, it really was a walk-into-a-door). Unfortunately, kaemon also has discovered crackling. Previously I cut it off, reasoning that it was just too hard for his little teeth, and instead of wasting it, I'd have to eat it. He stole some from my plate and polished the rest off. As I said, pity.
Kaemon loves hats, posing naturally with Nelson, hand-modelling easter eggs, and the ladies with Cars.


Love love love living near the beach: we (I) threw a salad and quiche together for a afternoon/dinner at the strand. Instant holiday feeling, just add water!
FEED ME!

SPring has sprung...

The around the border between March and April lies somewhere the transition from winter to spring. Transitions are such that they are periods, and you emerge different and changed. This year, we had sick kids, a planned week of relaxing with/without kids, sick kids- so no planned week of relaxing and now, vacation over, we're glad to be back at work to relax and recover a little.... I DO feel different and changed, last week I felt about 30, this week about 65! Photos Below: (clockwise) Douwe being the taxi man, dutch-style; Kaemon in repose, pale and weak in sickness- now he's recovered and catching up on the obtusiveness and contrariness of a typical 2-year old double-time; Watching cars on Ipod, covered in clingwrap to protect from suprise emissions; Renee did her monthly stint relieving my horse-duty; it's Douwe's birthday and we've got cheap party hats! (economic recession)
A new season is inspiring the kitchen and my belly...num.green asparagus (although it came from Bolivia, it still seems a sign of the European spring...) with bacon-wrapped salmon in a dill-caper dressing. The spaghetti was like a sexy nun: plainly dressed but a divine accompaniment in truffle oil and garlic. Tooooo good! The leftover asparagus was hidden in a eggy terrine with ham and tomato in filo. Haricot verts, the princess of the beans also arrived to dance around on my plate with some finger-lickin grilled herby sausages, baked thyme potatoes, crispy bacon and a saucy vinaigrette. On the right are douwe's two birthday cakes. Sick kids= no fancy cake, sorry love.



Our two naughty boys *proud parents* kiss kiss