Holeintheroad!

An article in the newspaper drew my attention this morning for two reasons. First; there's a picture of a pothole in Taiwan in the article. Second; the article states that since December 15, there's a website called 'www.gatindeweg.nl' (www.holeintheroad.nl)! It is managed by the Verkeers Informatie Dienst VID (Traffic Information Services) and drivers can report damaged roads via that website. Might be an idea for Taiwan ...

New couch

This week, we bought a new couch. Emma and Janne really like it. Or at least the boxes it came in ...

Great new couch, mom!

When Boelie was not allowed in the box with the girls, she claimed her own!

Belated X-Mas and birthday

A rather late brunch event; Emma's birthday and X-Mas with Pieter's children and grandchildren. A fun filled and wild afternoon (as always).
(Most of) the guests

Eight candles on a Christmas pastry wreath (kerstkrans)

Christmas breakfast

Instead of a Christmas dinner, the girls had a Christmas breakfast at school. Janne's teachers put quite some effort into decorating the classroom and into making the breakfast a memorable event in the true Christmas spirit.

26 kids having breakfast; much more quiet than you'd expect ...

Emma 8 years old!

Yesterday, Emma turned 8! As Christmas break starts late this year (end of this week), Emma could celebrate her birthday while still in school. For her kids party, we took Emma and her friends to a climbing hall, where they had a great time. Emma was ever so proud that she mastered all the walls and reached the top of every wall she tried.

Tree of treats (becoming a tradition of sorts ...)

All ready to go ... up!

Our little monkey on her way up

And more snow ...

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas ... Even though it's pretty white outside right now, rumor has it that it will all be gone by the end of the week. We keep our fingers crossed that the snow will stay longer than expected and that we will indeed have a white Christmas!

The river Gender in the snow

Our back yard (and my bike ... ) covered in snow
Boelie loves running around in the snow, but sat down patiently for me to take this picture

Yesterday, we celebrated Emma's birthday (a little bit). Oom Kees and Oma drove through the snow from Hoogerheide, to bring Emma her gifts. As it started to snow again just when they left, it took them two hours and fifteen minutes to get home (under normal conditions, it's an hour and fifteen minutes drive)

Eagerly unwrapping a gift

Sisters :-)

More ice skating

With an ice rink one block down, it's inevitable that the girls want to go skating. So, Janne went skating with some friends, while Emma's class had genuine ice skating instruction during 'School Skating'.

Silly first graders ...

Skating instruction for third graders

Schaatsen op de Plaatse

Under the name 'Schaatsen op de Plaatse' of 'Echt Veldhovenz On Ice', the city of Veldhoven, together with some local business owners, put up an ice skating rink on a square (De Plaatse) one block from our house. So, Pieter took them skating this morning. A fun way to start a busy Sunday!

Janne started off a bit wobbly, but learned very quickly

Confident enough to act funny :-) She skated more than 100 laps, which is about 5K!

Another local business offered people the opportunity to take a ride up in the air dangling from a 60 m tall crane! In a 'basket' and wearing a safety harness, that is ... It was rather cold up that high, but we had a spectacular view of Veldhoven.

Getting ready to go up

The ice skating rink; Pieter is the little person on the right, next to the rink

Veldhoven Dorp from the air

Our house is in this picture; can you find it?

Christmas tree

Almost a tradition; decorating the Christmas tree. This year, we're early rather than late. Usually, we don't get around to buying and/or putting up a Christmas tree until a week before Christmas. This year, we bought one two days after Sinterklaas! Let's hope it'll keep its needles until the end of December ...

Utmost concentration; trying not to fall into the tree

It can also be done with a smile

Opa Pieter!

Monday, November 29th, Pieter's sixth grandchild was born. His name is Faes, which is a very old Dutch name, derived from Servaes.
One very little new person, just four days old

One very proud opa

And a very proud aunt!

Happy Birthday Oma!

Today, Oma turns 80; a very happy birthday to Oma and many returns! My sister, nieces and I treated Oma to high tea at Dickens & Jones in Breda today and there will be a celebration dinner with family and friends in January.

Pakjesavond 2010

Sinterklaas has left the building and the country. Life is back to normal for everyone with kids under the age of eight ... We had a great weekend, with Pakjesavond at home on Saturday and at oma's on Sunday. The Groot Uitpakspel (Big Unwrapping Game) again was a big hit, as where the presents.
The presents are there! But again the girls were too late to see the Zwarte Piet who delivered them ...

Assignment of Groot Uitpakspel: put on your coat, scarf and hat before selecting and unwrapping a present

Another assignment: walk around the dining table with three pepernoten on your head

Happy girl

Another happy girl

Both Pieter and I love the Sinterklaas tradition and are not looking forward to the time when our girls will be non-believers. Maybe we can keep the tradition alive by making Surprises for each other ...

Sinterklaas in the snow

In his busy schedule, Sinterklaas found the time to visit Op Dreef, Emma and Janne's school. The outdoor part of his visit was rather short, due to the cold weather. Janne's class was the last to be visited by Sint, so they were anticipating his arrival the whole morning. Tough job for the teacher, to keep them focussed :-) Two more nights untill Pakjesavond ...

In the snow, awaiting Sinterklaas' arrival

Paying attention to what Sint and Piet are saying

Another tradition at Sinterklaas time is making Surprises (surprise gifts). Instead of just wrapping a (small) gift, the (secret) giver of the present has to make a piece of crafts- or artwork, inside which the gift is hidden. A little rhyme is usually included. Even though Emma still believes in Sinterklaas (at least until after December 6th ...), she is very excited about the whole Surprise concept. The girl she had to buy a gift for likes horses, so Emma worked very hard to make a beautiful stable-with-horse-pasture.

One very proud girl :-)

The last two days where the coldest Dec 1st and 2nd since 1901. Which means it was indeed pretty cold. For the Netherlands, that is. Not compared to Colorado this time of year, nor compared to Austria. Still, cold. Snow-boots and winter tires are sold out everywhere. Which doesn't mean that the Dutch are not the preparing kind, just that we usually don't get this kind of weather this early. Or at all for that matter! It's rather exceptional to have snow in the Netherlands for three consecutive winters.
All wrapped up, ready for school

Sint at Voorwaarts

On Saturday, Sint and his Zwarte Pieten visited gymnastics club Voorwaarts. Emma's group did a trampoline demonstration and Janne's group danced for Sinterklaas. Great fun and lots of candy.
Zwarte Pieten acting silly

Dance performance with Zwarte Pieten

Trampoline act

Sinterklaas is here again!

Again, it's that time of the year. Sinterklaas arrived in the Netherlands two weeks ago, to celebrate his birthday here on December 6th. Very exciting times indeed, for kids up to the age of about 8 or 9. Today, Janne's class, together with a few more from their school, was fortunate enough to be invited to visit Sinterklaas' castle in Helmond.

During the Sinterklaas period, Helmond Castle is transformed into the Castle of Sinterklaas. When visiting as a private person, you have to wait in line for at least one and a half to two hours. Now, as a school group, we could go right in. For the children, it was a wonderful, almost magical, visit. There were many, many Zwarte Pieten (black helpers) to entertain the kids and explain things, Amerigo, Sinterklaas' white horse was there and there were hundreds of presents everywhere.

Visiting the washroom of the Zwarte Pieten

The most exciting room of the castle, the Pakjeskamer (gifts room)!

Sinterklaas himself invited us into his office and ... bedroom

A, C and Lang Lang

Yesterday, we spent the whole morning at the swimming pool. Janne had to swim at 9 am to receive her swimming certificate A and at 11 am it was Emma's turn for certificate C. As before, Oma came over for the occasion, to cheer the girls on. I took many pictures of Janne, after which my battery ran out. So, Emma's pics are here by courtesy of the club photographer ...

Nervous and ready to start

A little dance to loosen up

Janne's turn to swim under water

Floating like Patrick (from the Sponge Bob cartoon)

She did it!

Emma's group, ready to start

Waiting in line, all wet

Great dive!

Oma was also kind enough to travel to Veldhoven a day aerly, giving us the opportunity to go out on Friday, to a piano concert. Lang Lang played in Eindhoven and we were able to get two tickets to listen to his magnificent performance. It's truly amazing how one person can spellbind a theater full of people, by 'only' playing on a piano. Wonderful music and a great night out.