mini boats | here i am

I’m all about having fun and making connections and today couldn’t have been any better. Now that we’re “settled,” there was time to get out and enjoy this wonderful city.

I got up at 6:15 am and went for a run!! Can you believe it? And yes, it was fun! I made coffee for Jeff and lunches for the kids and then put on my shoes and out the door I went for a little jog. I ran to the downtown and around and back home, along the canal, passing some ducks and dog walkers along the way. it was a perfect way to start the day.

After dropping the kids off at school, I came back to shower and to get ready for a day shopping with the girls in Amsterdam. We walked around the 9 little streets – stopping into quaint little shops, watching out for bikers, and getting more comfortable with the city. This was a lot of fun!

Colorful bike

Pretty blue flowers

Licorice by the cash register

The kids had some entertainment too after school. Christian went to hang out with his new friend for the first time. They rode bikes together to the McDonalds and shopping center. Let’s just say I’m stretching outside of my comfort zone. All went well and I think he enjoyed his taste of independence here.

Jen and I promised to take our boys to the Amsterdamse Bos to check out the little boats. We finally made it over there and they had so much fun. I actually loved being on the water and enjoying the sunshine. I really didn’t want to go, because we had a girls’ night out planned and wanted more than five minutes to get ready, but we didn’t want another day to pass and it worked out just fine.

Rushing home, I scrambled to warm up dinner that I made in the morning and to listen and to share all of our fun stories before heading out again. Oma and Opa called and we were skyping with them too, as I got ready. Good news! They bought their tickets and will be here to visit for 2 months, in about 2 months!

Girls’ Night Out was such a blast. I needed that time with the girls to just be girls and hang out and chat and share stories as girls do. We had so much fun, that we didn’t leave until after midnight! In Holland, you have to ask for the check and they don’t just come and offer it. Ah, how we forget! No wonder they never came around until the restaurant was clean and the workers REALLY wanted to go home. I’d say, it was more than a good night and we’re planning another one next month, if not sooner!