Great B-Day!

Yesterday I turned 33 years old!  Like so many birthdays in the past my family was sure to make it a very happy birthday!  Even though my side of the family is in The States, they are always sure to call, Skype, send cards, & presents - thanks!  The other half of the family I get to see in person, and we have our yearly bbq combined with the city fair, and of course cake & presents - thanks!

This year, like so many, my incredible husband bought me an amazing b-day gift.  (Last year he bought me my 1st car here in The Netherlands!)  I do have to give my daughter credit for coming up with the idea this year but it was my husband who made it happen.  They bought me a brand new bike!  See here in NL bikes are very important (wrote about this when my last bike was stolen).  Finally I have a bike again, and it's beautiful!!!  It's retro style and even has a cute wicker basket.  I was sold on it the moment I walked into the shop (great display work on the stores part).  And on top of the great present, my husband did me a huge favor and biked it home for me from my in-laws one town over (45 min bike ride), thanks!!!

As always I have to include pics.  One is the display at the store Bike Best.  And the other is an adorable plaque on the frame of the bike.

 

Bye! Dag! Adios! Namaste!

:) Danica

Cougar Roar

Yep, it's true, I'm a cougar, my husband is younger than I am!  And that awesome hubby of mine, turned 32yrs old today!!!  Congrats, babe!  It's been great growing up together (he was just 19 when we met)!

I have to admit his birthday did sneak up on me though.  Like I mentioned in my last post he's been travelling a lot, and I've been holding the fort down, and before I knew it his birthday was already here!  He's the type who doesn't like to make a big deal about his birthday but somehow the festivities carry on for around a week. 

Yesterday I wasn't feeling great (and to top it off our street was closed off due to a gas leak) so I wasn't as motivated as I would have liked to get things prepared for his b-day but my daughter really helped!  We blew up balloons, decorated the living room, and filled out b-day cards.  But after about 6 balloons I had to give up, my cold and congestion just couldn't do anymore.  And since we couldn't be at home all afternoon there was no time for the cake, bummer.  My thoughtful husband did help blow up tons of balloons last night after our daughter went to bed, he was even going to let me take the credit but I just couldn't. 

The b-day excitement started early this morning, between our daughter and family there wasn't a chance my hubby could sleep in!  Unfortunately he has to work today, but right now there's a cake in the oven and I have his favorite dinner planned, so there will be plenty to enjoy tonight.

So, let the festivities begin!!!

Happy Birthday, Ry!

And just for fun, here's a Throwback Thursday, me & the hubby way back in 2002!

 

Bye! Dag! Adios! Namaste!

:) Danica

The Cake

Yesterday was our daughter's 4th birthday, and this big celebration called for a special cake.  The past couple years we've skipped cake, the large party at a pancake house in the middle of farmland was more than enough.  But this past year I exposed my daughter to the Cake Boss.  (For those of you unfamiliar, it is a tv show about a bakery that makes elaborate cakes.)  Well, this obviously inspired my daughter and there was no getting around a cake for her party.  It took us a while to decide on one, we searched ideas online and hoped we could actually find a bakery here that would make one.  In The States these colorful fondant cakes are quite common, here, they're harder to find and way more expensive.  An American friend of mine had a fun dinosaur cake made for her sons birthday, but when I asked the price I couldn't help but cringe.  I went in search of something cheaper, but inevitably ended up at the bakery she originally found.  Boy am I glad I did!  And as a huge thank you to Irene for such a special cake I am writing this post, hoping to drum up some business for her in and around Eindhoven.  All I did was send 2 pics we found of cake ideas and a copy of the gift bags and voila, she made exactly the cake we imagined.  Our daughter was over the moon, and it was a big race between the kids to eat all of the little animals she created.  And top it off, the vanilla cake with chocolate crème between the layers was delicious. 
So, if any of you have any events coming up and you need a cake, be sure to visit Irene at Irene's Suikercreaties!

 

Wordless Wednesday #70

Link up here for Wordless Wednesday!

Our curious camera compilation can also be found here...

Disappointed Parent

Multiple times this weekend I have found myself bringing up an event that just didn't sit right with me, and here I am telling you all about it.  I felt this past week a school and fellow parents let me down.  How you ask?  I was able to leave a school yard with two kids I didn't know and no one stopped me or even questioned my actions.

I guess I'll have to start from the beginning for you to understand (and I want to be clear on one thing, in no way do I blame my friends).  Some close friends of ours were hosting a birthday party for their son after school and I offered to help out, especially since my daughter was already attending the party.  Here in The Netherlands once a kid turns 5 yrs old they start hosting b-day parties just for kids, this means the parents of the birthday boy or girl get 5-10 kids handed over to them and they're responsible for their well being for 2-4 hrs.  To me that's not so unusual except in the fact half the time the parents aren't even asked to drop or pick the kids up, it's left up to the host.  Different culture, different ways, or maybe I'm just clueless to how elementary aged kid b-day parties work, since mine is still a toddler.  Our good friends said they could use help transporting the kids from the school to the playground where the party would be held.  I was happy to help, even though part me assumed I would end up with one of their kids and maybe a friend in my car.  Since I'm unfamiliar with the school I ended up parking around the corner from where the other party cars were parked.  So once all 9 kids were rounded up (I think I saw 3 parents hand their kids over) they were divided and sent to 3 different cars.  I ended up with two little boys who I had never seen before.  Trusting our friends, these kids followed me & my daughter to our car and hopped in.  Then they rode to the party 15 minutes away in another town with us, all the while telling me everything about their personal lives (they're 5-6yrs old). 

This event sent up so many red flags to me, maybe I'm over reacting but I am really disappointed in these kids parents, the school, and any onlooker at the school.  Why? 

An unfamiliar women at the school (my kid does not attend there) led 3 children off to her car and not one teacher or parent stopped to ask any questions!  They were purely handed over by their parent or teacher to a b-day party and never asked for any more details.

Am I overreacting?  All I can think about is my kids future and the many parties she'll be invited to, I would never want my kid to end up in a vehicle with someone I had never met, I would never just assume she would be o.k. and get dropped off at home hours later. 

I expressed this to our good friends and they agreed with me, they too were shocked at how blasé the parents were.  Our friends are good parents and very trustworthy, maybe that's why the kids were handed over so easily, but even so I am disappointed in the way parents handle their kids these days.  Just because something is considered the norm doesn't make it right.  I plan on attending b-day parties with my daughter until she's older, and even then I will be the one dropping her off and picking her up.  Again, am I blowing this out of proportion?

New Hat #2

Around 6 months ago I wrote about a hat I purchased to get me through the winter, but I also mentioned my hopes for a summer cap.  Well, thanks to my b-day the wish was granted... not only did I get one military cadet cap but my mom bought me two!  I was pretty set on the pink hat, but I of course sent multiple suggestions so I wasn't actually sure what would end up in my b-day package from The States.  I was of course immediately over the moon with the pink hat, and it's come as quite a surprise but I'm wearing the beige conductor hat equally as much.  Being that it's not a neon color it actually goes with more summer outfits, should have known, thanks for thinking ahead Mom!  Either way, I am enjoying both caps.  They're great for... the hot summer days when I just don't feel like putting on the make-up I know will melt off in minutes... when I need to run an errand but just haven't had time to wash my hair yet... sprucing up an outfit for a festival or a day outside... or even for trips to the pool when my hair is pulled into a messy ponytail!  Obviously I'm getting a lot of use out of them.  And wearing hats has seemed to rub off on the family, instead of toting sunglasses around I've noticed the tot and hubby also packing hats for sunny day trips. 
Being that I'm from The States, you could even narrow it down to The South, I of course had to get the hats in shape before wearing them.  This meant bending the bill, can't stand a flat bill!  It was pretty simple, I put a tennis ball under the bill, wrapped a rubber band around it, and let it sit over night.  Voilà, the next day the bills were rounded (I'm even considering a round two). 
I don't see many Dutch women in hats unless they're exercising, where I come from in FL hats were pretty common, what about in your area?

Kermis (Fair)

A popular thing to do in The Netherlands is to visit the "Kermis" (aka Carnival or Fair) when it rolls in to town.  Luckily for me, there's a "kermis" one town over every year at my birthday.  For some reason quite a few years ago I started the tradition of a b-day bbq followed up by a visit to "kermis".  It must have been because of my nieces or the fact years ago we lived in the center of Best and they literally built the "kermis" around our apartment.  Once our own kid came along it made the "kermis" even more special.  We love watching her face as she gazes up at the large carni-rides or is overwhelmed by the endless lights, music, & food.  This year was one of the first years she was old enough to actually go on multiple rides; and we can only expect even more next year.  If she had her way we would have taken her on all of the roller coasters instead of the tea cups and massive slide.  In order to keep her distracted we kept her busy with all of the games.  Who knows how much we all spent but eventually we won her a jump rope, slinky, & toy guitar, she was over the moon.  I'm sure all of you have been to a carnival or fair, so I thought you might be curious what they look like here.  To be honest not much different, except they are often held in the center of town.  I'm used to where I grew up and we had the Strawberry Festival, it was huge and on a lot of land in a town called Plant City.  (Everything in The States seems to be bigger, there's just more land & space to work with.)  The "kermis" here doesn't have cattle competitions or country music concerts like my part of the woods in Florida.  But I wouldn't say I actually miss that, ha-ha!  Like most fairs, you have cotton candy, baked goods, and of course rides & games.  One thing I missed out on this year was the fun house & house of mirrors, I've loved those since I was a kid.  Maybe next year when our nieces can join!  And yes, my Wordless Wednesday was a pic of amazing waffles served at "kermis"!!!  (Funnily enough, I've never been to the huge "kermis" here in Eindhoven.)

 

My Rain Coat

Well, in the spirit of my birthday, I'm writing about another great b-day present.  (There will be more of these to come.)  A couple weeks ago I mentioned that I was on the look out for a rain coat.  Well, I finally made a decision and when my b-day rolled around I crossed my fingers and suggested it as a b-day gift from the in-laws.  I found the hooded coat to be quite expensive, so since I'm frugal (do I mention this in every post?) I did my research until I found the same coat on sale.  The sale wasn't great but it was still less than buying it direct from Happy Rainy Days.  After suggesting it as a present I didn't really hear anymore about it, so when my b-day celebration rolled around I was ecstatic to see the box sitting in the eat-in kitchen.  I patiently waited until they handed it over, but once they did I ripped the box open, yanked the coat out, and immediately put it on.  (Despite breaking out into a sweat).  It's awesome... it fits great, it looks great, and I can't wait to use it.  Now I fully understand my b-day falls in the summer and a rain coat isn't actually practical until the weather cools off again, but at least I have it.  As of now it's hanging on the coat rack waiting for the first cool rain of autumn.  Since I live in a country known for rain and cool weather I should get a lot of use out of it.  As always I snapped a pic (don't usually take reflection pics). 

I didn't ask for the coat I showed you in a previous post, Happy Rainy Days has so many patterns and designs I searched until I found one that suited me.  It was hard to choose between the pink & white or black & white, but you see which one I obviously went with.  I'll be sure to write a post once I actually use it!  Thanks in-laws, you're great!!!

B-Day Present

It's taken a lot to hold on to this post... my husband bought me a new car!  My birthday was yesterday and since we picked up the car about a week and a half ago it falls into the category of b-day present (as well as anniversary & Christmas, ha-ha)!  It's a typical small European city car with just the right amount of space for me, my tot, & our dog (and of course my husband if he wants to join).  Since our daughter will be starting school a good distance from our house shortly after the summer we didn't really have an option but to buy a car.  We've definitely talked about it for a while and started saving up once I passed the exam for my Dutch driving license.  I haven't owned a car since I left The States 10-11 yrs ago (luckily my husband always did).  And this is my first new car, it still smells new!!!  One thing I had to adjust to was the stick shift, see here in Europe manual cars cost around €4,000-5,000 less than an automatic so it was obvious what we were going to buy.  I haven't driven a stick shift since my driving lessons & exam, I actually never intended to do it again.  So I was a little rusty after 1 1/2 yrs.  Since owning the car, I've had my share of squealing out at lights, stalling multiple times at intersections, bumping down the road, and of course I don't accelerate fast yet so everyone drives around me.  But I'll get there... I have all summer to practice before I have to start parallel parking the manual car outside of the school.  We've been extremely busy since picking up the car and I haven't had a chance to really personalize it yet.  I have added a kick mat to the back of the passenger seat, that way my tots dirty shoes don't destroy the seat.  And I've ordered a special mat for the dog, hopefully sparing the backseat after dirty runs through the woods.  Can't wait to clock some more kilometers, thanks for my car hubby!
Considering I finally figured out the bus card and started receiving discounts, I think we'll occasionally leave the car parked and take public transport instead.  Most likely not this month though, ha-ha!

Puppy No Longer

Yesterday was our Wheaten Terrier's 1st birthday!  It's hard to believe she is just one yr old and that she has only been in our home 9 months, it feels like we've had her forever.  We've had our ups and downs with Maggie, she is very energetic and doesn't listen well outside of the house, but no matter what she has won our hearts over.  Despite how many times I get mad at her, eventually we always make up.  Plus my husband and toddler adore her, according to my toddler they're best friends.  As I mentioned in previous posts I'm not big on b-days but my tot is, she was prepared to throw a birthday party for our dog and was disappointed when I said no-way!  But I did agree to at least buy her a couple birthday presents, this made my toddler happy again.  We set out to the store, I was going to buy one toy and next thing I knew I had spent way more than our usual b-day budget.  Dogs are expensive, don't kid yourself!  I must say I am pleased with our purchases though.  And yes, most of the supplies were more for us than her, oops.  For those of you with over-excited dogs you know how difficult it can be to walk them when there are other animals or people around.  We live in a big city so it's nearly impossible to avoid contact with others.  The basic collar just wasn't working for us anymore, so I decided to buy her one that fits around her chest instead of just the neck, and I am over the moon.  I have so much more control over her out in public now, at this rate walks might actually become pleasurable!  And the harness is a 2-in-1, it can also be used to fasten her in the car.  In The Netherlands there are not yet laws about buckling your dog in the vehicle, but in some adjoining countries the dog is required to be fastened in while riding in the car.  And since we briefly mentioned a summer car trip with the family it'll come in handy in the future.  Besides other basics like shampoo and a replacement pink collar, we of course bought her a toy.  When I saw it there was no doubt it's perfect for her.  It's a large ball that can't get stuck under the furniture, it's hard enough she can't tear it up in 2 seconds, and you can fill it with treats!  The combination means she'll be entertained for quite a while and hopefully work off some extra energy.  Both her and the tot were happy when they opened the snack ball yesterday morning.  It's been a big month for Maggie, we decided to trim her ourselves (not a success, will tell you about it another time), she was fixed a couple weeks ago and basically recovered, then she had her big 1st birthday.  Let's hope she matures some this year, so that other dogs actually like her, she's welcome more places, and learns to overall tone it down!  Happy birthday, Maggie!

Birthday Season

It's birthday season again.  Starting in April we have 2-5 birthdays a month that we either have to recognize, buy a present for, attend a party, or all of the above.  And this lasts for about 5 months!  I do my best to get excited about parties, what's not to like about spending money to stand around and talk to strangers/acquaintances, ha-ha!  I'm not exactly the most social person.  But there is one person in my family who loves birthdays, my toddler.  Whether it's her own party or just someone in her class, she's excited, hands clapping, eyes twinkling, talking 90mph.  Wow, I wish I had that enthusiasm.  One thing is for sure though, she is motivating... there's no way she'd let you forget to decorate or buy a present if needed.  And almost every day she asks, "who's birthday is it today?"  That could also be because we have a b-day calendar next to our toilet.  To American's this probably sounds very strange, to a Dutch person this is quite normal.  In theory it's a great idea, you're guaranteed to go to the toilet every day, so there is no way you miss seeing any upcoming b-days.  In reality, it looks kind of strange, but hey, when you're integrating you jump on the bandwagon. 

Yesterday was the first of many b-day parties to come, and to be honest, it was wasn't bad.  The guests were friendly, the kids happy, the food was good, the weather great, and there was plenty to keep everyone entertained.  Oh, and when the 2yr old opened his gifts there was a big smile, which means the presents were worth it!  So I must say it's a good start to this years b-day season.  I'll have to try and remember to follow up on this post after birthday season, ha-ha! 

One thing I do like about parties, cake!  On occasion I miss American birthday cakes.  Cakes shaped like dolls & animals have been popular in The States for a long time, but it's within the past few years that they're catching on in The Netherlands.  So far we haven't bought one for our tot yet, but considering she's seen everything from elephants to Super Mario, I have a feeling we'll be searching for a cake designer in a few months.  If you happen to know anyone in the Eindhoven area please let me know!

Wordless Wednesday #42

 

Link up here for Wordless Wednesday!

Our curious camera compilation can also be found here...

3-Day B-Day

Our daughter recently turned three and we celebrated with 3 days worth of parties.  No, there wasn't a party for each year she's been alive, it just turned out that way.  I didn't see it coming, in years passed it all seemed so simple.  There's always the big party, which we've done every year with our closest friends & family (that live nearby), I was expecting this one.  But since so many of our friends are golfers and this time of year there is guaranteed a competition on Saturday we had to move the party to Sunday if we wanted anyone to join in the fun.  This made it complicated, because it left her actual birthday wide open.  Not wanting to let the important day go by unnoticed we invited the immediate family over for cake and presents.  The immediate family is quite large, plus my mom & step-dad were here, so it turned into a full blown party quite quickly.  Especially when my husband decided to invite everyone to stay on for dinner.  This left me and my mom packing gift bags for the large b-day party late at night after a long day! 

Not even recuperated or cleaned up (the house & gifts, I mean) from the family party we went full swing in the large party at a nearby pancake house.  Even though the restaurant does most of the work, it's still a big event with 20-30 adults & kids going all different directions.  The weather was perfect & the moods were good, it was a success!  We're through Saturday & Sunday, and now on to Monday.  Since my daughter now attends preschool the Dutch expect you to help and join in the party at school (which is nice).  So Monday while she was at school my mom & I filled up snack bags and prepared goodie bags for the kids.  At 11AM there we stood ready for a 3rd party.  By the end of it all I was exhausted, and my parents too.  They aren't used to so many giggly playful kids, especially for days on end. 
Here it is a week later and I can't say I've actually tackled the left over mess.  Since my parents were here on vacation I didn't have the time to reorganize all of the toys (the old ones get packed up and the new ones find a place on a shelf).  As I write this I see there are still streamers and balloons hanging from the living room ceiling and presents & remaining goodie bags still boxed up in the corner.  I guess we all know what I'll be doing when I close off this post.  Despite the work, it was a great birthday weekend for our toddler (and for all our friends & family)! 

Belated Birthday

This past Thursday I turned 31 yrs old, and I have been way too busy to write a post until now.  As much as I would like to say I've been busy with birthday celebrations, it's not true.  Don't get me wrong, we did find the time for a tasty BBQ with the in-laws and a lovely dinner at a TexMex restaurant with family & friends.  But all the time surrounding those events has been a bit chaotic.  All b-day celebrations took place before my actual b-day due to lack of time, but I did save some presents to open that night.  Since it's summer I want to make sure my 2yr old has plenty to keep her entertained, which leads to an overbooked schedule.  Besides a play date almost everyday we decided to throw in refurnishing our living & dining room, dog sitting, & doctor appointments.  Between my full schedule and my husband working 50-60hrs a week, the apartment looked like a disaster zone (finally tended to household duties yesterday afternoon).  Middle of this coming week looks a little less busy, maybe I'll finally get some time to kick back and enjoy the great b-day presents I received and use the gift certificates that are burning a hole in my pocket. 

A lot has changed since the carefree birthdays of childhood.  The biggest concern in those days were where the party was being held and who was joining in the fun. 

Now it's on to the next round of b-day's, there are 4 more family b-days this summer!

Driving Decisions

 I probably have no right to complain about people's driving decisions considering I do not have a license, but I am going to anyway!  As mentioned in previous blogs, I walk everywhere, while out and about I can't help but notice odd decisions people on the road make.  I don't know if it's legal to post pictures of people's vehicles so if my blog gets shut down you'll know why.  Also, if this happens to be you or your car, sorry but c'mon!  In one 10 minute walk I came across 3 situations worthy of taking photos (there's a big chance you'll see a follow up to this blog). 

The first shot is of a man who decided to park in a non-parking zone vs. an actual parking spot.

While walking along I actually saw him make the conscious decision to block a driveway (a non-parking zone with a large X painted on it) instead of parking in the open parking spot directly in front of him!  It makes me wonder what he was thinking, was he trying to avoid putting change in the meter yet risking a more expensive parking ticket, does he know the owners of the driveway, or does he not know the rules (he had a Polish license plate)???

The second shot is of a car frustrated with work traffic.

The traffic around them is at a stand still because of a light about a block away and this person decides to pull out halfway and sit there.  According to the laws they should be stopped behind the triangles on the road.  Instead they decide to block a bike path and also risk a ticket.  I understand people want to get home from work and some intersections can be frustrating but seriously.  It's not just rush hour for cars but also for bikes, now every bike and scooter has to swerve to avoid this car.  And for those of you that know the intersection, you'll also notice the black car in the corner of the photo is blocking a pedestrian/walking path.  This all might be understandable if they were both rolling through the intersection but like I said they're all waiting on the light to change.

The last shot for today is of a prize winning parker!

I think it takes effort to park this bad.  If you could see the light blue car from the side you'd see it is a dinky (small) car.  How on earth do you get out of your car and walk away leaving it like that, with one adjustment they'd be in the middle of the spot.  They obviously can park straight they just can't judge distance.  I also question the person next to them, why would you squeeze into the spot next to this car?  I hope for them the parking lot was full when they made these decisions.

I can think of a couple family members and friends that also make these kinds of decisions, so please don't take this blog the wrong way.  You are allowed to make whatever decisions you want, as I am allowed to laugh at them!