Rummel of a Post.

This post is going to be quite a mess. Mostly because there's not much of a theme. 

Table Set up for a neighbor BBQ. Marlies & GJ supplied the food and drinks, I made the salad,  everyone sat around the table and we had a great time talking and laughing. I was happy that the conversation didn't center around me being American (most conversations with strangers happen to go that way), but after getting the basics we just talked about normal things (music, history, politics, films, books,....). Lasted well into the night so much sitting that my bum started to be sore. But I did quite enjoy my time there.

Guess which one I am

For his birthday Michiel got a Sjoelen game. I love it! You slide those discs into the different slots at the end of the board, and each slot is different points. It is quite addicting. I could play it every day (oh wait, I almost do).

Random, but true: I think my socks are too small. The kids thought it hilarious that it says "Nike" with the swoosh on my feet when I take the socks off. 

It was quite hot last week, and in my room I felt it was 5 degrees hotter than anywhere else (I sweat just by breathing), because there were 6 huge spiders directly out my window and I know from experience that they will come inside and I will not sleep a wink. So I kept my windows shut and it was stifling. GertJan came to my rescue and got rid of all the webs and spiders, and even cleaned the air vent (that was so clogged with dust no air could get through). After that it was still quite warm, but so nice to have the wind be able to blow through

Lonely little boy in the pool

Not so lonely anymore

Doesn't quite love to eat Spinach. My michiel is no Popeye.

Went to Utrecht with Marlies. I am now an official resident of Utrecht.  Had a nice time with her, talking  and drinking coffee and even - ate a slice of cheesecake! First time since i've been here, and oh man I've missed it. We had a good time, at least I did, felt good to connect with her and be able to talk about whatever came up. About returning to America, about things here, and such. That is tea in that glass, by the way. How cool and Portlandy is that??

Took Kids to Nemo (Science Center) where we watched a 3D film about the cell. Here these two shadows are Femke and Me

Us 3

Today went to the playground with the kids and played football with michiel

The monkeys with the Sleep TShirts Sara (the previous Au Pair) made for them for their birthdays. What a great idea!

Utrecht update:
GJ and Marlies have now rented a temporary house in Utrecht for me, Marlies and the kids to live in until it's time for us to move to the real house they bought (1 October). GJ stays here in Amsterdam because it's closer to his work. We move there 3 September. This is going to be a crazy time, I've known it and I still know it. But as of now, I am officially a resident of Utrecht. I really like the city, better than Amsterdam. Seems less Touristy, more cozy like. More green where we are living. I'm excited to move there.

I am keeping busy. I also have registered for the Dam tot Dam race here in Amsterdam. I'm excited. It will be my first official run, and I'm proud that it is in Holland. It's only 4 miles, for a few reasons. But oh well, I'm excited to do it, and even if I finish last, at least I'll get a t-shirt out of it.

I really feel apart of them now. I dont think of GJ and Marlies as just my employers, but as family. I will not only miss the kids when I leave, I will also miss them. It was a good feeling at the BBQ to not feel like an outsider "This is our Au Pair and she must sit with us", but more that they wanted me to be there and be an equal. Good feeling.

Whenever I make a mistake, no matter how small (if I use too much shampoo in their hair, or forget to put salt in the food for example), I will sigh and say, "I am the worst baby sitter in the whole world I know!" or, "Papa and Mama will say I am the worst they've ever seen and will throw me back to America tomorrow!" or something like that, and they will both fiercely turn around and say "NEE! Jij bent de liefste au pair in de hele wereld!" (you are the sweetest au pair in the whole world!) or something to that affect. Then I just pinch their cheeks like a good old woman and laugh "No YOU are the sweetest children in the world!" and they respond by the same and normally ends up in tickling. Like those people that say "I love you more" "No I love YOU more!" "No i love YOU more!" and it never ends? Thats like, Femke me and Michiel hehe

Watched the neighbor kids today and will again tomorrow. They are also so sweet and fun to watch. We drew pictures alot today, they are really opening up to me and talking alot and laughing and playing with me. They took my slippers away today so that I couldn't go to America haha (little do they know I have another pair!)

Laatste Dag...

And here it is, the last vacation day. The family will get back any moment now. It's been a nice vacation. I had (alot of) alone time, but I also got to be with friends and go to music festivals and see alot of country side. There were times that I got...not lonely...but I guess there were times where I did feel very alone. But when I felt myself getting too down, I'd go out for a run or something and being outdoors picked me up. So I'm glad I was here. I'm glad I have seen the parts of Amsterdam I probably would not have gone out and explored without this opportunity, so I'm glad. And I will continue to bike around more, maybe in different cities also. We see. Kind of exciting. :)

I finally went to the Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA. I know, I know, you Rotterdamers - wrong stadium. But I happen to live in Amsterdam...

One of my running routes. Mostly flat, mostly shady. This is on the way to my Little Schipluiden and sheep hehe. I ran here a few days ago and it POURED down rain. Harder than I've ever seen. I was soaked to the bone. But it was a warm rain. It made me feel so fresh somehow - I found myself smiling and even laughing to myself, I enjoyed it so much. Is that strange?

 Oh hello little birdie

Bike Ride Hair

Panaramic shot of the running path in Little Schipluiden (actually its in Diemen, but it resembles parts of Schipluiden that I like hehe).  Hopefully you can click on it to make it bigger, it's a nice shot.

I think from now on there will be more pictures of the kiddos, since they come back into my life starting tomorrow.
And hey, it's half-way through August. That fact makes me think two things: "Whoa, already?!" and also "Only?" Because on one hand I know time has gone fast, but on the other - it feels like I've been here for longer. Strange. But nonethe less, plans are being made for my trip back home. And that, my friends and family, also brings strange feelings.

Love to all -
A

Monster Bal!

Wednesday I went on a bike ride to Monnikendam, stopping along the way at other places I saw on the map. By the way, I never really have reasons for going to the villages that I do. I just choose a place I see on the map. Once I got to Monnikendam I thought I would keep going and go to Volendam...but halfway there I was so tired that I turned back around. A nice trip though, once more. I think it was around 50km this time, maybe a bit more.

By the way - one day the weather will be bright and sunny, the next (or sometimes the same evening!) it will be like this:

Thursday was another music festival, this time in Schipluiden. I took my bike with me so that I could 1) not be completely dependant on people to pick me up and 2) because I thought it nice to bike a bit around Schipluiden. It is where Ed and Leon (where I stayed) grew up so I had been there a few times before. Beautiful little place there, very green and water here and there - I count it as one of my favorite places here in Holland. Actually there's a little place here near Ijburg that I call Little Schipluiden because it is also farmland and water and it reminds me of a path that I walked before. And guess what I found on my adventure? COWS. I seem to always find myself around them....

Leon (friend of Ed and guitarist of the band) and his wife Marlene generously let me stay at their house so that I could go to the festival and also had me over for dinner. Later that evening the whole group came, several of whom I had already met. The music at the festival was fun - Billy Idol, Rage Against the Machine, Blink 182, WhiteSnake, Deep Purple, and many other covers. Hehehe when they started playing White Snake - me and the girls ran up to the stage and sung as loud at we could. And while singing Rebel Yell, you could see us girls on the screen! (ok so it was the back of our heads, but I knew it was us hehe) No one but us girls recognized us, but it was our moment of fame hehe. After the official party ended the group came back to the house and had more laughs and beers.

Part of the group

The next day Marlene (who also enjoys biking) and I went on a bike ride. I hadn't had much opportunity to get to know her before, but I'm so glad I did now. She is so sweet and also enjoys the simple beauty of the landscape. We had some good conversations and laughs.

View from a lookout point

Me on the Ferry

The ferry we took to get across the water

Marlene and me, stopped at a cafe for a drink

The lookout thing

Once more on the Hoge Stoelen!

Marlene - excited to climb up!

Their daughters were so sweet and adorable. I ended up staying another night - it was such a nice time with them all.

Leon and the girls - Mia got a sewing machine at the RummelMarkt - a sort of streewalk sale. As you can see, everyone found it interesting 

Once I decided to stay another night, Me - the girls - and Marlene walked to her mothers house to get a blowup mattress. Anna wanted to carry it on top of our heads - "like the Americans do it!" Now I've noticed - for some reason, children often confuse Africa and America hehehe (now I know its not just Michiel!). We had a great time carrying it. 

I asked Anna to play me some guitar

Leon guiding her along...

Anna playing guitar, Mia dancing

Anna and me

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee they are great

And now I'm back on Ijburg with the hamster. The family comes back from vacation soon enough, and then the action begins again. :)

sch(aap), sch(ip), en Sch(ollenpop)

As promised, I went on another bike ride to try to find Marken. This time - Success! I kind of ignored the little numbers that tell you which bike route you're on (which is what confused me last time) and just followed the road signs. Brilliant he? Anyway it was an absolutely breath taking ride. Really stunning. Once I rode past Durgerdam, it was a very peaceful and sunny ride along the dike. One my left was farmland with sheep and cows. On my right was the water. Nothing blocking my view. And with the slight breeze, it was perfect. 

Uitdam - the village right before Marken. I give myself a thumbs up because this meant I was still on track

Marken on the horizon!

Bingo

 Honestly I enjoyed the ride much better than I did the actual destination. Marken has of course houses, but its more of a Volendam place - just has a touristy feel to it. I dont quite love that feeling, so once I got to Marken I basically just turned around and left ha. Then I was starving so I stopped by a grassy area and ate an appel as I watched the water and layed down for a bit. In total the map told me it was 52km ride, give or take.

Then I went to visit tante Tonny - it had been a long while since I had seen her. This is the height of vacation season so she was quite busy but I caught her inbetween trips. On Friday we took a steam train, and at the end of that line we stopped and had coffee.

Station Wognum

Then we took a boat from where the steam train left us towards the Zuiderzee museam where Tonny works. It was about 1.5 hour trip. Lovely to be out on the water. I dont get many chances to be on the water.

I promise its a happy smile, just when the sun shines in a certain way my face scrunches up more than normal

 

  As you can see, beautiful weather. And then would you believe! A few hours later when I was back in Amsterdam, it got stormy again. I didnt mind though of course.

Went to a music festival yesterday in Den Haag. Ed and other friends were also there, so we stood on the beach...drank beer(s), ate patat, listened to music and had a good time. Probably one of the best days of my vacation! It was also good to feel part of a group and be able to just relax and have a good time. Met new people and got to know the others better.

The singer that was also in The Gathering - I band I listened to sometimes when I was in America without knowing they were dutch. A good surprise, cool to watch

Two of the guys I hung out with - lots of laughs and great times!

After one of the acts, another band started playing on the stage on the side. Someone mentioned that the old lead singer from Direct was playing so I walked to the stage. He's not my favourite person in the world, but when I was in America I watched his videos on youtube. And now he's playing right in front of me. Unplanned. Just because he's in Holland and so am I. That kind of co-incidence never would have occurred to me a few years ago. It brought me to tears. The guys were sweet and understood my emotional reaction...they didnt make me feel embarrassed at all. Later on the singer was talking with some people and I could have gone up to him, but it was too dark for a photo and I didnt know what to say. So I just watched him for a bit and thought. That story will probably not matter much to people reading this, so dont feel like you have to care, but its mostly so that when I go back and read this blog I will remember the feeling.

I think I've wrote this before, but I want to enjoy every little thing. I dont want to take anything for granted being here. I want to remember these feelings like I had watching Direct, so that I appreciate being here even more. I know that when I leave here I will want to have these memories and I will wish that I had enjoyed everything I could. So I do. I don't need to go do extravagant things (tho fancy things can also be nice of course), simple day to day normal things also have a beauty of their own.It's a perspective of life I hope I never lose. It's just so much more satisfying for me living like this!