Merry Christmas and happy New year!

We're happy and well and enjoying the repercussions of a fantastic family reunion in Malaysia and Thailand, a big move, a new house, Christmas with fabulous friends and family. Hello again!

Happy birthday Nelson!

Helloooo!

I'll just pretend that there hasn't been a gaping hole since the last update....
We had a visit from one of my favorite people! The kids mingled like glitter and glue, we had a fab day playing, fish sans chips (that's dutch style) at the beach, frolicking in the tulips, doing what fantastic mothers like us do (that's what we were told by a kindly enthusiastic old man).

Family portrait

Free entertainment at the museum of anthropology in leiden.ask hard to get everyone looking and pulling a semi normal face...

My bed mates

While I can't complain about much these days thankfully,I do wish for a night of uninterrupted sleep.just one. Pictures show the changing bed partners I have had this week. In fact,I am blogging in a dark room on my phone while patting a restless baby on the back. got to make the most of otherwise dead time...

An indian summer evening.

Japan

This summer Douwe went to Japan for a very special occasion; he went to celebrate his Obachan's 100th birthday. I have heard many accounts of how she is lively and engaging, sagely and determined.

Lotus Flower blossoming in the summer. A beautiful icon of the tropical weather.

Textures and patterns. Love the Japanese textiles. In the middle picture are cousins at Obachan's birthday.

Kobe: Akemi's home town. A port city nestled into the foot of mountains.

Kobe by night.

Kyoto & surrounds

Obachan's 100th Birthday party. She made origami cranes as a present for everyone and enjoyed the cake and company! What present is suitable to give to some of such a grand age? It seemed chocolate bon bons (preferably Belgian) were the order of the day. Obachan takes a few a day as daily medicine!

Ready for the food pictures? I think I Douwe has caught the taking pictures of food bug. But when the food is this good, who wouldn't take pictures, I ask you?!
Food set #1 Lots of sashimi and bento.

Food set #2 More sashimi and unagi

Food set #3 ...Sashimi and okonomiyaki. The top right sashimi set almost brings a tear to my eye with its lyrical presentation. Yes! Food can sing.

Quintessential Japanese images. The photos of paintings are painted by family members who were famous artists

'de Gezelligste High Tea...'

This was a little project which kept me busy at times when I'd rather not be sitting still...Thanks to the support of great friends, we raised more than €1200 in a little bake sale :)
www.highteakwf.blogspot.com

Deliciousness

It's been a busy summer. Working 9am till 11pm...what a way to make a living! The boys are happy and we are too.

Summer Holidays

School has already started, but here are the photos from the holidays. Man I am so behind. What can I say, cliche but life is busy. But good. Nothing to complain due to the abundance of riches that life has given us. Busy is good. We have work. We can work.
We had a great short 10 day trip to the UK & Scotland. It was intended as primarily a family visit, but they took us to Scotland and we were wonderfully surprised by the beauty of the Ilse of Skye. Highlight for me would have to be ordering fresh prawns from the neighbour fisherman and having them delivered, hung on the door knob all jumpy fresh from the sea. The essence of a good holiday. The kids loved seeing their cousins, playing wildly all week. Thanks to the Bell family for the warm hospitality. I totally heart my family!

Quinten 8 months

Quinten is such a sweet baby. He literally gets schlepped everywhere and rarely complains, just smiles and babbles away and is happy when he gets his food on time. He gets extra cuddles because we are pretty sure this is the last baby.....

Harlingen

We went to Harlingen & Bolsward in Friesland- places that were special for Opa- for a family get-together.

Nelson's Birthday Week

Party after party after party: Cake for the real birthday, then for kindy, then for the family day...and 3 kilos of cake later, thank goodness it's all over! Of course it had to be a Wiggles cake (one little friend took one look and asked 'what's THAT??') and Nelson had no qualms about eating each of the Wiggles one, by one. Nelson was spoiled with great presents from lovely friends.

Jeff's head on a plate, served up for Nelson (below). We ventured down to the beach for a picnic dinner- amidst almost gale force winds with searing sand, we managed to eat and crunch our way from salads to ice creams.

Relaxed, gorgeous weather on the long weekend! Bliss

We LOVE love love living near the beach. Katwijk (Neighbourhood of Cats) is the usual strand. Our favourite time is about 4pm when the sun is softer and the crowds are leaving for their dinner at home- we believe in the motto 'the outdoors is no fun without food' so I usually pack whatever's on the menu for the evening and we out of plastic cups (better for the sand storms).