TWEE

I can't believe it's been over two months since we moved.

The time has flown by!

We are busy living day-to-day life.

Kids back and forth to school, work for Ralph, activities for kids

and I get to keep the house in order.

I did get my "import papers" so I'm looking into a little part time job :)

I still have to register in Dutch classes. 

We haven't gone on any BIG adventures just yet.....but

Spring break is just around the corner and Turkey has come up

in conversation a few times ;)

We are happy to be surrounded by "new" family and are happily 

being included in all kinds of family get-togethers.

Ralph has a BIG family.

I continually get asked the same questions...

"so, do you like Holland?"

"are you liking it here?"  "are you missing Canada?" 

"are you finding the language difficult?"

I am really liking Holland....but I'm not surprised by that.

I already knew I loved Holland.

The atmosphere.  The attitude.  The fashion.  The food. 

The weather.  The travel.

I think we see it differently because we haven't lived here 

our whole lives and that's okay.

It's okay that its different.

We're not wasting time comparing the two.

We used to live in Canada, and NOW we live in Holland. 

We're not thinking about when or if we move back.

We're living in the moment.

Here and now.

We are HOME because the 4 of us are here.  

TOGETHER.

I tell people..."there isn't any one thing I miss SO MUCH that

makes me think I should go back."

(Other that missing our friends and family....of course!)

For every one little thing I miss, I find another couple things

that are new and awesome.

 

The language is not easy.

Most people know enough English

that we can communicate in a crazy Dutch/English dialect.

It will only get easier.

I miss the family and friends who know me best.

I miss having a pop over coffee with "the girls" and a play date with the kids.

I hope that that new friendships will grow with time. 

The kids are doing really well in school.

Hayden is like me in that he pretty much understands what is being said but 

he is a bit reluctant to use Dutch when he responds.

It could be that he's worried to make mistakes?!

just like mommy ;) 

We think that Olivia will probably speak fluent Dutch before Hayden.

She's little enough that she doesn't think about whether she's saying

things in the proper way.

She puts a "tje" on the end of of words to make them Dutch.

just like mommy ;)

I'm embracing the differences in our new life.

I'm anything but bored.

I do not sit around and feel sad...EVER.

I don't sit around PERIOD.

I do a lot of back and forth throughout the day with the kids.

And as ever, I'm grateful that I am able to do that.

I sometimes feel guilty that Ralph is at work all day whereas

 I have the opportunity to stay home and blog and scrapbook

and have a few hours of quiet for me.

But for all of you that quietly wonder; "what does she do all day?!" 

....I'm plenty busy.

As always, I keep a mental list of all the things I think

are different/cool/new to me....

1. There are Thursday night shopping nights (koopavond.)  Most stores are closed for the day at 6pm.  Most places are closed on Sunday.  Sunday really has a Sunday feeling about it.  The roads are less busy, you can hear the church bells ringing in the neighborhood and it's more still.  Quite refreshing. Koopzondag (shopping Sunday) only happens on certain days of the month.

2. The kids have every Wednesday afternoon off.  It's like a half-week mini break :) And the kids love they pause because they are busy little bees during the week!

3. Bikes are vehicles.  There are lots of rules to teach small children about crossing roads and bike paths.  And there are even more rules when you have to teach those same kids to ride a bike like a vehicle.  In traffic.  Without hitting parked cars.  Or riding into the path of an oncoming car.  Stressful!!  Practice makes perfect I guess....and some more grey hair ;)

4. Speaking of which....I still need to find a hairdresser. 

5.  We walk almost everywhere, and I enjoy it.  The kids are still getting used to it...especially after their activities when they are already beat. 

6. Electricity is not cheap.  We have 2 different rates.  One is a day rate and the other is a rate from 11pm-7am.  You can also chose to have an average.  I do alot of laundry so we're still working out which is best.

7.  Natural gas is expensive.  especially when you have a meter in your house which is 30 years old and not working efficiently.  (Our gas bill for 1 month was over 300 Euro!!) Thankfully, our landlord is understanding and we are getting a new gas meter and water heater.

8. Swimming lessons are SERIOUS business.  My kids are lane swimming, and learning proper technique for at least 1/2 hour of their 45 minute class.  Ralph thinks I should take adult classes.  Truthfully, I may be a bit more scared of the instructors than the water itself...they are like drill sergeants!

9.  I am getting used to wearing leggings as pants.  And skinny jeans.  And lots of layers.  I LOVE the Dutch style.  I need to invest in some bright colored skinny jeans (I have my eye on a magenta pair) crazy flowered leggings, a new short dress and some new heels.

10. Markplaats.nl is like Kijiji.  uh-oh.

11. Deodorant stick doesn't exist.  It's a roll on or a spray.  The end. 

12. Reality TV and Gordon Ramsey are fun to watch in Holland cause there are no beeps for language :)  On a related note, the radio has no beeps either.  We are on high alert for Nicki Minaj and Eminem.  The "F" word is nothing here.

13. I made banana bread this week.  A lot of people don't know what that is.  Ralph's co-worker came to work with an actual banana rolled up in bread.  Not quite dude.

14.  We are taking Hayden to his first big soccer game on Friday.  KNVB (Nederland) plays Estland. Should be pretty cool!!

Well, must sign off for now.

I've been sitting long enough and there are dishes and laundry

to put away before I have to go get the kids for lunch.

BIG hugs from us!!

If you're not already on WhatsApp, you should be!

It's a nice way to feel connected.

xoxo

ONE

It's SO unbelievable.
I have so much to say, and I could be all over the map but here goes...

 I'm finding my groove.

Ralph drives Hayden to school for 8:30 and then makes the 15 minute drive to work.

He's working in Rijswijk.

Olivia and I (and Jade) go about our day until we have to leave to get Hayden.

It is  6 minute walk to Hayden's school

and he is done fro the day at 3:15.

Olivia and I will either do groceries during the day if we need to...

or we'll pick up a few things after we get Hayden.

We have 2 grocery stores within a 10 minute walk and 3 more within a 15 minute walk.

We have a good sized "American" fridge so a pop-in 

a couple times a week will be more than enough.

And I SO LOVE the grocery store :)

I usually make dinner around 5.

Sounds like everyone else's day, doesn't it??

The kids still fight over everything.

I still have to vacuum 3 times a week because of 3 pets.

I still need to clean toilets and do laundry.

I swear, the only way I really feel different is that I hear another language

being spoken around me when I venture out.

And I get nervous when I think about having to speak

to another human being.

But I know that will get easier.

I'm trying to throw in the odd Dutch word I do know
so people at least think it's cute that I'm trying?!
Ralph told me to give myself a break....it's only been a month after all.
He works with a whole office of people that have been here for YEARS
and some don't speak a lick of Dutch!
I'm keen.  Super keen.  I WANT to learn.
I think it would be awesome to be bilingual.

Look at Hayden.

He's my inspiration for being crazy strong and brave.
He started a new school on the other side of the world.
Like it was no biggie.
The girls love him already.
They chase him around the playground and he even got his first love letter :)
I'm not sure I make friends that easy. But I'll try.
It makes me miss the ones I already had.

Here are some of the things I notice.
Some are significant and some are very superficial.
NONE of which make me love the move to Holland any less.
They are different, and things to get used to.

1.  We are cooking with gas.  Literally.  It's wicked. And I LOVE the convection oven.

2.  I miss certain foods already.  Nothing life altering.  Just things I liked.  And I'm allowed to miss things!  Kraft Dinner, Multigrain Cheerios, International Delight flavored coffee creamer, S C & O chips, Orville Redenbacher popcorn and snack-sized ziploc bags.

3.  The extra delicious, and inexpensive breads, cheeses, olives, tapenades, pastries and Lipton Zero iced tea with bubbles have helped.

3.  I have been drinking a lot more than usual. 24 beer for 10 Euro and really good wine for 5 Euro a bottle...yes please!

4.  I have NOT been drinking enough water.
5.  I hate ice cube trays.  I miss my fridge with water and ice built in.

6.  Hayden can take peanut butter sandwiches to school, in gym they all change together, and if they    go on a field trip there are no permission slips to sign.
7.  It is proper manners that the kids each shake their teachers hand to say hello in the morning and goodbye at the end of the day.  love that.  

8.  We can walk or bike for only 15 min and have access to EVERY kind of shop I need.  

9.  I will NOT be getting a car....read....I should lose some weight and be more fit.
10.  I am not allowed to work for 6 months...or until my immigration clears :)

All of the silly stuff I worried about before I left was just that.  Silly.

Everyone speaks Dutch, yes.  And we all learn a bit every day.

I watch cartoons with Olivia to help :)

I haven't met anyone who doesn't speak English.

School is in Dutch.

Ballet is in Dutch. Soccer is in Dutch.

 And that is great!  

That's how we are going to be a bilingual family!!

I keep telling Ralph to just speak it at home and we'll get it eventually.

If I ever get a vacant look on my face, he knows I don't know what the eff he's talking about.

And that happens every day.

And I am learning not to get upset about it.

I feel out of the loop sometimes when people talk but I try to follow along.

My problem is I wanna be there NOW.

I wanna be the girl that learned really fast.

I'm going to take classes but I have to wait til both kids are in school full time.

Which is March.

The house now looks and feels like us.

It's bright and lovely and feels like home. 

It is a rental, so there are few things we would change.....

but that will have to wait until we get a new place that's ours.

We may want a bit more space.

Having said that, almost everything has found a good home.

Which is a miracle.

When all those boxes came in....whoa.

I'm sure the movers thought we were insane!

It teaches you that you don't need so much stuff.

Kitchen before...

Keuken after :)

Hayden's room on moving day...

Hayden's slaapkamer now :)

Living room before...

Woonkamer now :)

Fireplace/dining room before...

Eetkamer now :)

Nothing like some before and afters to see how far we've come!

I'm anxious to get into the garden/yard and make it pretty.

I brought all my BIG turquoise pots and the bird bath.

The backyard needs TLC.

 Big time.

 I'm afraid Ralph won't have the best lawn this year ;)

But we're up for the challenge....

Tuin...in progress :)

 

There are already signs of Spring on our front lawn however.

In February. 

Awesome.

 My coffee is gone.

I have to leave to get Olivia in 45 minutes.

Perhaps I should water some indoor plants.  Or dust.

Or have another cup of coffee ;)