Dolfinarium

Dolphins show

We've been to the Dolfinarium yesterday.
For both Robbert and I it was about 30 yrs since we'd been there and I must say, it was great.
A couple of days ago there was a sales discount action at the Bas (vd Heijden); buy a ticket and get one for free. I got hold of the 3 very last ones!!!

Now these last days we've been corresponding a lot with Rachel, a british girl living in the Netherlands at the moment (in Ridderkerk of all places :)) who was looking for an au pair position nearby, so we invited her over for the day to see if we could match.

It was a fun day.
The boys loooved the shows (they ended the whole day with robbert taking them to a 3d pirate movie with a canon shooting towards them and wasps coming after them), everyone has a least once patted a stingray, we had chips, so life was good.
On the way back we picked up some (to see how much take a look at my other blog) fireworks, had Chinese and then of to bed.

Rachel will be coming by this Tuesday to see how everything's done around the swimming and then she'll be coming to stay the day Abigail leaves!

This morning my Fench side of the family comes over for lunch (R. is frantically baking and cooking as we speak) and a couple of hours later Vincent, Linda and the kids come over for New Year's eve and will stay the night.

I hope you will have a fantastic New Year's eve.
Don't eat too much. (R, bought 40 oliebollen and 15 appelbeignets yesterday evening at Richard Vissers who won the national oliebollen test for the 3rd time).
Count all your fingers when you lit fireworks.

Let Love Peace and Happiness rule 2007!!

Rachel braiding C's hair.

Sea lion show

Never a dull moment

We've got lice.

Morten had been scratching for a couple of days and i checked the lot almost 2 times a day, but still... yesterday I got one from his head.
So.
At 7 that night (coz i checked right before they went to bed) everyone was shampoo-ed twice.
(bet you can't keep from scratching now, can you?)
Then all the beds were cleaned, drapes washed (actually I am still at that), pj's and clothes washed. And then you have to wait, coz when your hair is still damp you can't go to sleep. If you smother your hair there's a chance your scalp will take up some of the poison you just washed it with.
If I could, I would shave them all bold.
I hate it.

Xmas update

M. C. R. and T. playing stratego

Ok.
So the car is not total loss. TG!
It's getting repaired and will hopefully be done the first week of January.

Robbert has only gained 3 kilo's the last 3 days.

Tara is behaving very strangely since yesterday. Either someone threw some fireworks after her (according to Morten that was not possible; only villains would do something like that, not normal people. How I agree) when she was outside, or during one of their pursue rallies she bombed into a wall or something coz she's crawling along the floors, staring with big eyes into dark spaces and most of all NOT eating.

The good news is that Timo is still alive.
See we were coming home yesterday from a walk through the kralingse bos and M. thought, why not smash my brother into the pavement.
Only Timo was already near the frontdoor and hit the stone thing that we have there with his eyebrow.
Still, all of them woke up this morning, so I guess it's just another ordinary day.

Wow, look how spontaneous these smiles are

This is them right before they went to their Christmas dinner at school.
You wouldn't say so from their faces, but they had a blast.

Big brother and Cars

About a week ago, i have just come home, kids and Austin are still at the judo, the doorbell.
Hi there, i believe you are the owner of the red van parked in the B. M. street.
Yes I am.
Well, some one just hit it, but i have taken down the licence plate and already informed the police.
Wow. Thank you, come on in. But how did you know that i live here and are the owner of that van?
Welll, 2 yrs ago my car was stolen and ever since i pay attention. You also have that Volvo right?
Err... yes.
And you had a fire about a year ago?
*beginning to shift uncomfortable now* err.. yes.

So... to make a long story not to long;
the police tracked down the woman who came by our place later that evening to fill in the insurance form with me.

But.
The car was brought to the garage last Monday and yesterday i was supposed to get it back.
Untill i got this call.
Hi there, I am calling you to inform you the expert of the insurance company is coming by somewhere in the coming week to see whether the car should be declared total loss or be repaired.
WHAT??
Yeah, that's what happens with cars of a certain age.
Of a certain age!!?? He's not even 5 yrs old.
Yeah. But still. Sorry.

Merry Xmas to you too!

Morten combing Carolines hair

Did you ever think you would live to see this day?

Actually both brothers were busy with her hair whan I came down but as soon as Timo saw the camera he ran.

Did I tell you btw that Abigail is coming?
Yeeeeesss!
I have to pick her up at some ungodly hour the first Sunday in January and she's staying till the end of the month.
That is giving us some air in the whole aupairing search business coz for some reason i haven't really found the right one or when i think i have, they find another family.
We'll see.

Anyway, the kids are very excited (apart from her asking every night, how many nights it is till her birthday, till Christmas and till New Years Eve, caroline added another one: how many nights till Abigail arrives), and so are we !

2 of the 3

Puck and Tara

Aren't they cute?

I mean, yesterday evening they stole the roastbeef that was left on the counter, but from time to time they are adorable too.
I know.
Sounds like the children doesn't it?

Hooray, hooray, Morten has his C (sounds better in Dutch, coz then it rhymes)

Timo, Robbert and Caroline going for a kiss

It took him 2 yrs and 2 months to get his A diploma for swimming.
4 months for his B.
and another 2 months for his C.

Yes, there was definitely progress.

Today was the day.

Only now he wants to go to the advanced swimming lessons.

Morten is the little one in the front

Done with the first part

Timo's birthday

Unbelievable but true.
Timo turns 6 today.

We had a small celebration at the breakfast table and tonight the gets to pick what we 're eating (turkey he said. Without a hint of a smile. Ok then) and tomorrow it's party time.
Around 10.30 the grandma's arrive for cake.
At 12.30 i have 6 little boys over whom we take to see Happy Feet and then I have to be back at 16.30 to meet all the parents and at that very same time, Morten goes for his trial exam for his C diploma.

If I still have some breath left, i want to buy a Christmas tree and decorate the place this weekend too.

Hooray!

Ik ben zes en ik mag een mes!!

All 3 trying to figure out the computer game

At school, with the teacher adjusting his hat

Sinterklaas

Finally!!
Yesterday evening, like all the other yrs before, i was wrapping the last presents at 11 pm and trying to make a poem, but today is the day.
The boys were wearing their blazers (what on earth did i do to deserve boys who want to dress so formerly? To make it even worse Morten wanted to wear a tie this morning but i stopped it right there and then) and Caroline was all in new clothes too.
This afternoon at 1 the school is out, at 2 the grandparents arrive and shortly after that, one of my colleagues will bang on the door and OH miracle, there will be presents in the hall way.

At 5.30 however M. has to go to swimming because tonight is the night where they will decide who can go for the C diploma in a couple of weeks. Keeping fingers crossed.

Morten (right) at school this morning

Timo acting out in class

Caroline & Jonathan in her class