Visiting Jack, Emma, Arthur and Lisa and Euro Disney

It has been 2 weeks since we updated the weblog but the last weeks has been so busy and we went away for a week. The week before we went to check out a car for Lisette as she is going to change jobs and the new position doesn't have a company car included. Lisette made a test drive at a hyundai dealer somewhere near Amersfoort and afterwards we found that looking at cars made us hungry and we went for the first lunch opportunity we found. Turned out to be a pancake house!! Behind it was a big forest so to ease our stomachs we went for a stroll through the woods. And then we went for a long drive in the direction of France, Nils and Wende did not know what the destination was and Nils didn't find out until we were waiting for the shuttle bus service outside the hotel we just checked in.. Dad was standing underneath the sign of the bus's destination and Nils finally tried to read it aloud:"D-I-S-N-E-Y-L... heeeeyy, Disneyland Paris!!". What followed was 3 days of getting up early and spending the most of the day at Disney land, waiting in cues and enjoying rides and the good weather. The kids loved it and after our stay there we drove to Arthur and Lisa to stay with them for 2 days. It has been a while since we've seen them and Jack and Emma. We had a great time, it is a pitty that we cannot see them more often.. Maybe with Christmas.. We'll see. Nils helped out rthur in the garden while Jack and Emma were at school. Jack and Emma have the autumm holiday a week later. So friday morning we packed up everything and we set out to drive home but first we had to drive to Horst in the netherlands to have a look at a small car Lisette found on the internet. There Ingmar Nils and Wende were jumoing on a trampoline of the car's owner while Lisette was driving around in the car to be. Ingamr jumped off following his brother and sister but it was too high and he hurt his foot. The following morning dad took him to hospital were we spent 3 hours with no result.. The cannot find anything wrong but he still doesn't want to use that foot.. We have to wait and see what happens the following days..

What a weather!

What a weather, sun, no clouds, only a fresh breeze of wind, it was great to have this weather so late in the year. Friday dad picked up the kids from daycare and while Ingmar slept, Nils and Wende played in the garden and inside with their toys. Dad cleaned his car because he is going to try and sell it. We can now drive granddad's car and that is a much better reliable one then dad owns.. The Alfa is not bad.. it's just that.. it's italian and there's not much room in it for stuff and kids.. Saturday Nils had to play a home game against another team of Drunen and he scored 3 goals! (Click here to see the videos) At the end the score was 18-19 so they almost won!! Couldn't belive my ears when they told me the end result.. After the game we picked up more wood for the pole shed and dad did some work on it before we decided the weather was too good and we took off to swim at our local beach. We did the same on sunday, went to the beach here but we took the canou along. We sailed to the other side of the river where we had lunch. After a couple of hours we went back to our local beach where there were many friends of Nils and Wende with their parents. In the end all the kids climbed into the canou having a great time.

A busy but great weekend (although we lost again..)

Last week dad had the opportunity to visit a major factory of lorries and was asked to improve the safety of some of their machinery. Huge presses with huge hydraulic systems, great stuff for someone like me! On friday dad took a day off to continue the pole shed and he also had to bring his car to the garage for maintenance. The grass had to be cut and some other small things had to be done.. So friday started busy and saturday was not different (busy wise..) Nils had to play in Tilburg and therefor we had to be up at 6.30! Click here for the playlist of last saturdays match. The good part is that since I have to rise early for Nils's hockey matches, I don't suffer from migraines anymore.. Well, at least not for three weeks and that's a long time.. I always thougth is was because of sleeping late (8 o'clock and later) and not because of coffee or so. But I am not planning to start with coffee again. Anyway, we all assembled in Drunen and drove of to meet our competitors in Tilburg. This time we lost again 12-5 and I could see by Nils's face that he does not like losing.. He is, however taking it well, not crying or bursting into a rage. Let's just hope they figure out how to win a game, they play well but small mistakes are used by the opponents to score goals.. In the afternoon we went to see my dad in Hulst and we stayed the night togehter with Maaike, Jaap and their daughters Maartje and Guusje who joined us later in the evening for dinner in a restaurant near dad's place. The food was very good but the service sometimes forgot we had ordered something. Since we are used to that a bit, we didn't take it too hard and just enjoyed the evening together. Sunday, in the beginning of the fternoon we went to Naaldwijk to attend the birthday party of the youngest son of Lisette's Niece. We also got to see Lisette's aunt who had been ill a month ago but recovered almost fully. This time dad did not make too many photographs because, well, he just forgot I guess.. I'll try next time..

Hockey and pole shed

Friday afternoon dad took up the paintbrush for the last time to paint the outside woodwork of Ingmar's room. Just in time for it started to rain shortly after.. Anyway, now the right colour is on it as Lisette pointed out to me.. Saturday Nils had to play a game of hockey against a team from Oisterwijk but lost again.. Although they lost, they still enjoyed the game. Who knows, maybe next time. The movies can be found on youtube. In the mean time mom picked up more dad ordered for the pole shed so dad can start making some walls. Well, only one wall was finished because we drove off to see grandma and granddad on the camp site near Chaam. The camp site was huge with app. 10 playgrounds! We were able to scout 3 of them but there was just too much to do for the kids.. Sunday morning dad took Wende, Nils and a friend of them Wendy to the swimmingpool. After the swimming, dad continued on the shed and in the end there were 3 walls finished. Nils, Wende and Wendy took over after dad pulled a piece of plastic over it to cover it from the rain. Nils pulled out a couple of books and mgazines, dad brought them some drinks and cookies and then we didn't hear from them for at least an hour..

Team J3F2 MHCD

Nils is now playing competition in a hockey team called J3F2. There are 9 boys divided over 2 tams with 2 coaches. I am one of them.. They could not find a second coach so two other parents decided that they will take up the coaching part time. Saturday was their first real game and some of the boys never played hockey ever.. So.. we lost.. dearely.. 9-2 was the score in the end but Nils managed to score one of the two goals for his team, how great! Here's one proud dad! Despite having lost, the kids had a great time. They even were given a real diploma from the royal dutch hoeckey society for playing there real first game. That was saterday morning, in the afternoon we went for a bycicle trip to Giessen were the yearly street market took place and during the week, there are also things to do like a fun park, we call it a "kermis". Ingmar loved the ride in the carrousel and after two ride he could not understand why he could not stay in it but we had to go home sometime.. Mom and Nils rode a very fast ride and Wende loved riding horse in the carrousel. Dad too Ingmar for a ridein a less fast ride, loving the smile on Ingmar's face.. When we went home on our bikes, Wende tok a dive for the asphalt and was wounded in het face (not too bad luckily) but she will never go to the kermis again! At least not on the bike that is.. She's managed to ride home without a hitch and we are relieved that she made it home.





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Hulst festivities and nils's shed

Saturday dad got some more wood for Nil's shed and slowly work is progressing. Up to now, the framework is about ready and next item is wooden boards to make up the walls. I'm trying to find the cheapest of wood but it is difficult, second hand websites. anyone any ideas? Sunday we went to see my dad and there were festivities in the centre of Hulst. We had to do some shopping for dinner anyway so all went for a stroll to the city center. Lots of people but not too much to see, maybe it was also because the weather wasn't too good either.. Anyway, it is always nice to see dad again and this time I had a look at the book I ordered written bij one of our ancestors around 1650. It was a original book with the translation of the bible from hebrew into dutch..

Nils's birthday party for friends

Jongens, wacht nou even..

Nils invited a couple of friends over to celebrate his birthday and we took them to de warande, a fun / swimpark with lots of things to do. We gambled on good weather and we were lucky.. It was not so very warm but warm enough to change into swimsuits and enjoy the water. Ingmar was with us too and when he was getting tired, we settled him into the cart where he was kept warm with a couple of towels. Looked a bit like gadaffi.. The kids haf a great time and although this swimming parc is not too far away, none of them actually had been there before.. In the evening, we made a lot of pancakes because a girlfriend of Nils stayed for dinner. She could not join the swimming fun because she had to go to school. Another girlfriend was to join us for dinner as well but she fell ill but she did have her sister bring a present for him, how nice. Saterday we had an easy going day. First lisette did some shopping for essentials and I satyed at home with the kids. In the afternoon we went to our local beach where lots of friends of Nils and Wende were there as well and at night dad fired up the bbq and made delicious chicken sate. Sunday morning dad went to the boat to put the rudder back into place because they plan to put the boat back into the water this friday. The damage they did to the hull was still not repaired.. I'll have to have a little chat with them on friday..