Day 173: Snow and Snuggles

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This morning the grass was crispy and a frozen layer of ice crystals has begun forming from one side of the canal. Can you see the frozen log?

This is my van tonight after sitting in the parking lot after school. It was not snowing when I went in to school, but it was definitely sticking when I left.

It definitely was cold today. Charlie was outside playing in the snow after school with his bare hands. We haven’t gotten used to wearing our mittens, scarves and hats yet! I think tomorrow that will change.

But for tonight, I’m saying goodbye with few words. The kids and I were busy cleaning up the house as Jeff is coming home tomorrow and we’re all excited. But before he comes home, we’re having a sleepover in my bed and it’s late! Time to go to sleep before midnight!! Whoohoo!

Hope you’re staying warm and healthy and don’t let the flu bug bite!

12Jan2013

Day 171: A Sunny, Crisp Day

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This was my cool-down view today, after my 45 minute run. The sun was out and the temperature was just above freezing. Didn’t need much time to cool down!

While I was getting ready to go running this morning, my Dutch neighbor knocked on the door to let me know to expect the temperature to drop to freezing this week and to expect to see the canal frozen. She wanted me to get my skates ready. I told her I’ll have to go buy some first and put on another layer before heading out the door with gloves and 2 thin running layers. It was very cold, but the sun was shining and made me happy. There is never a day that I go out for a run and wish I hadn’t. The hardest part is convincing myself to just put on my shoes.

Haarlem

The winter sun in Holland is absolutely beautiful. I think I appreciate the sunlight even more because it hardly shines here and so when it is out, you want to be out too. When the sky is blue and wide open with the texture of the clouds, it feels like black out shades that have been closed for too long have been opened and you can see again! I happened to be in the car and snapped these while I was driving home from a friend’s house. I so wanted to get out and walk around but I needed to get home.

This isn’t me – but a lady running right near the Haarlem train station. I think Haarlem is a magnificent city and I would love to live here.

Haarlem Train Station – look at all the bikes parked double time!! Amsterdam Central Station is even crazier! Not the best shot from my car window.

Christian has 3 friends over tonight as his sister and brother are away at a sleepover. I took the boys to the mall and walked around by myself while they hung out and walked home by themselves. Having a teenager and letting him go on his own with his friends is still a challenge for me, but I’m doing it and he is so cool about it. He’s helping me to learn how to let go, by calling and checking in and letting me know what he’s up to so I don’t worry. He has a very nice group of friends: one is from India, the other is from France and the third friend is from England. They all go to school together and share several classes, lunch and soccer games at break time. It was cool to hear their stories about what schooling is like in their home countries, and about all the different places they have lived. What lucky kids!

This is for all my Dutch friends! It’s the Blonde character that is very popular here – this design is all over dishes, plates, cups, linens, serving pieces, etc. Isn’t it cheerful?

11Jan2013

Day 170: Friday Market Success and Homemade Sushi

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Found a good deal on fabric for our California Surfing Photo Op at the Friday Market in Amstelveen! Very happy.

Facebook’s Update Status Bar now asks:

“How are you feeling, Adriana?”

Is that like, “Hi, how are you? I’m fine. How are you?” How are you supposed to answer that? Maybe they should ask “What are you doing, Adriana?” or “What do you feel like sharing with the world today? Is it something about your kids, your food, your mood, or some place you’ve been lately? Maybe you have a nice quote to share or a political opinion to spread, although I never share those!! Facebook is sort of like Reality TV – we can get a glimpse of typically the positive side of our friends’ and family’s life story. I still find the news entertaining and enjoy reading the highlights, so thanks for sharing how you’re feeling. You inspire me and I feel happy for you.

Today I was feeling content. I had nothing I had to do and it’s Friday, so that feels good. I had 3 hours free after running errands without a schedule and I loved it. Of course I had things to do, but nothing that was urgent. I started with a cup of coffee to warm up from the chill outside. I had to scrape the ice off the windows this morning before taking the kids to school. I then sat down and began reading Facebook updates and email, and then working on the photo booth project and making lunch. I had bought an avocado and a cucumber, as well as other healthy veggies and decided to make a delicious lunch, homemade vegetarian sushi rolls. I wish someone was here to share them with me, but I hadn’t planned on making lunch – it just appeared after seeing someone share a similar recipe on their Facebook page.

Preparing to make sushi rolls – cucumber, avodado, carrots, cilantro, sushi rice, wasabi, toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil, salt.

Sushi roll all wrapped up and snug in the bamboo mat.

The final art piece – isn’t it pretty? It was delicious and easy too!

Hope you have a good weekend! – Adriana

9Jan2013

Day 168: Oil Balls, I Mean Oliebollen

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Oliebollen sounds so much more festive and healthier than Oil Balls, the literal Dutch translation of oliebollen. Heck, even Donuts and Funnel Cake sound better than Deep- Fried-Bread-with-Sugar-On-Top. Isn’t it interesting what a name can do? Sometimes you might forget what you’re eating. My favorite deep fried snack is still a chocolate covered and chocolate chip filled donut from Fosters Donuts in Thousand Oaks. I don’t even know if they exist anymore, but this used to be a family tradition for us on weekends or holidays and we have so many fun memories around this food group! 🙂

Today I was asked to volunteer to serve oliebollen to all the students at our school. It’s a tradition at our kids’ school to serve these to all the children when they come back from the holiday break. Word spread so quickly that there were FREE OLIEBOLLEN and even the upper school kids came to fight for a position in line to get their fair share.

HERE I AM with Rachel, serving our friend Cami, after all the kids were done eating.

Oliebollen are Dutch pastries normally eaten during the Christmas Holidays and New Years Eve. They are sold at fairs and throughout winter time. Everyone here goes crazy over these and gets so excited to eat them, including my kids. Most kids prefer them plain with powdered sugar. However they also come with currants, and sometimes you can order a special one with apples inside, or sometimes even with a creamy custard filling.

Are you hungry or did you lose your appetite? For me, I skipped ’em today, but they are really good!

7Jan2013

Day 166: Back in the FLOW

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Went to a new yoga class today – life is good.

It was the most, wonderful day of the YEAR!! Not really, but you get the gist… kids were back in school and I got a little break, so it must have been somewhat wonderful! It’s amazing how much I can get done when it’s just me around without any distractions or competing needs.

I went to try a new Yoga class today and really loved being there. I LOVE yoga and for some reason, I forget. Do you ever do that? Where you really love doing something or eating something and then you just don’t do it or eat it for a long time and then you remember how much you loved it?? Duh…like Magic Bars – have you ever had one of those? I just remembered how much I love those too, but I didn’t have one today.

When I’m doing yoga, I am so relaxed and then really enjoy the workout and stretching and breathing. Breathing is really important and you don’t usually think about your breathe, but it sure feels good when you do. When I’m there, I think of all my friends that also love yoga and who I’ve done yoga with before. It’s an individual practice, but sharing the practice creates connections that I think about when I’m on my own. Today’s class was taught in Dutch, in a small studio with candles and incense, soft lighting and soft music in a heated room with no mirrors and a few windows. It was very peaceful. The teacher would sometimes speak in English for me, but it was easy to follow along. It’s possible that I might even learn some Dutch along the way. Afterwards, she served everyone who wanted to stay a cup of warm tea. It was a nice way to end the practice and rehydrate.

I’m definitely going to go back again, as long as I don’t forget! 😉

How was your day, honey?

Namaste

4Jan2013

Day 163: Celebrating a Birth Week

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I think if you have a birthday on or near a holiday, that you should celebrate your birth week, heck maybe even your birth month instead of being gypped the one day to celebrate just you.

We were celebrating Juliana’s holiday birthday, but all the stores were closed on her day and all she wanted to do was go shopping on her special day. She wanted the waiter to sing happy birthday to her, but I don’t think they have that tradition in Portugal. She wanted to be with her friends, but they’re all on vacation too or living in another country.

So we’re just gonna help her to feel special by celebrating her all week and maybe throughout the rest of the month!

April helped the celebration last by sending her a birthday cake in a bag! Juliana has a tradition of baking with April for her birthday and Sydney’s birthday. So this year she sent us our favorite chocolate cake recipe, along with all the dry ingredients already measured out and all we had to do was add the wet stuff. Thanks, April! It tasted just like home!!

Tomorrow if I’m feeling better we’ll continue the party by shopping in Amsterdam.

Happy Birth Week, little miss sunshine!

2Jan2013

Day 161: Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity-Jig!

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It’s nice to be “home” again. I’m still wrapping my head around where home is. But today, home is in Amstelveen with my wee family. The kids were excited to receive free olliebollen at Schipol airport when we arrived tonight from these beautiful Dutch ladies.

It’s nice to have a place to come to with your own stuff, that’s familiar. But my home is also with my friends in Sunnyvale and with my family in Thousand Oaks, and really with my friends and family all around the world. I think home is where you feel loved and safe and cozy. It’s a sense of place and belonging. And it feels ok to be home in Amstelveen today.

We had a great, quick trip to Lisbon. The highlight for the kids was an indoor roller coaster at the Columbo shopping center today. Even though we’re interested in rushing around seeing the sites, trying new restaurants, and absorbing European culture and history, the kids were most interested in room service, the hotel pool and a cheesy roller coaster. Go figure. I was the same way though. My highlights as a kid included swimming and being in or near water wherever I could and hanging out with my cousins and friends and family. Not much has changed for me, I guess. Those are still my favorite ways to spend time. Along with exploring the Pride land!

1Jan2013

Day 159: Happy New Year’s Eve

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Happy New Year!
I wish you Enough…
And all that Good Stuff!
The End.

The Western Edge of Europe – Cabo da Roca.

almost the end of 2012

Hello 2013!

25Dec2012

Day 153: Merry Christmas!

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We enjoyed a crazy, chaotic Christmas at home today and here are the remains! The kids were thrilled with their gifts from Santa and family and friends. We were all definitely spoiled and thank Mom and Dad, April and Steve, Nate and Becky, Michele and Jason, Brenda and Sonny, Julie and Ted, Patti and Brian, Patti Beth and Chris, Pat and Chuck, and Grandparent Hughes for all your gifts, and most especially for thinking of us.

We enjoyed being woken up early (yeah, right!) by our eager little one, and stayed in our jammies all day. Jeff spent hours trying to help them set up their new electronic devices. Thank God, for him. It was nice to have a day without an agenda. We took a ride later in the afternoon to see some nearby towns such as Vinkeveen, Abcoude, and Uithoorn and to see the countryside before coming back home for an interesting dinner. We bought what we thought was a smoked pork roast, however it had somewhat of an odd flavoring of cloves and spices that none of us really liked. At least the roasted brussel sprouts with bacon and the pan fried potatoes were tasty!! Luckily no one came over for dinner tonight, otherwise we would have had to throw in a pizza at the last minute!!

Thank you Laurie for calling me and catching up. April and Steve and J & S, I loved seeing you in your jammies too and watching your excitement on Facetime while you opened up the little dutch treats we sent. Thank you Kimmy for letting me see my nieces too – I loved watching G dance to her new game, and K’s long hair, and T’s joyful spirit. Mom and Dad – thanks for calling too.

We wish you a Merry Christmas, filled with joy and hope, magic and love, anticipation and excitement. xoxo

25Dec2012

Day 152: Merry Christmas Eve!

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Tonight is Christmas Eve and we chose to stay in the Netherlands this year and have a European Christmas.

We went to church with friends and enjoyed the uplifting Christmas music and message of hope and light.

Afterwards, we had friends over for an appetizer and finger food type dinner with drinks and desserts. I love having people over and tonight was great! I feel at home here and I love the new friends we’ve made.

After everyone left, we called B to Facetime with her family and open the package she had sent us. We opened the box to see this:

I cracked up laughing before we saw even more that was in the box, which was such a sweet and thoughtful surprise. Back home, we have a tradition of playing Santa’s Elf and leaving a sign on friends’ doors along with little treats and a message explaining the elf process, and paying it forward to two more friends. And you had to be sneaky and not reveal yourself. How sweet was it that they chose us all the way over here??

What was in the box was above and beyond too and something for each of us. But what made me smile the most was the sound of laughter coming from Charlie’s friend, D. He was so happy to see Charlie and Charlie to see him that they just giggled and shared inside jokes. I smiled and cried too…. Missing home just a little bit again and thankful for good friends.

So with that, I wish you the touch of magic that Christmas offers and the gift of love and friendship that fills our souls. Merry Christmas, friends.