Spent a bit of time educating the kids on Michael Jackson. Watched Thriller many times, Bad two times, Billie Jean one time. Then told them MJ started as a kid around their age. Watched "ABC" by Jackson 5. hahahaha Femke and Michiel both found it soooo boring, they were hardly even interested. Then I showed them video clips of MJ moonwalking, they thought that was cool. Then I showed them pictures of when MJ went white boy. Wish I would have filmed their reactions! They couldn't understand WHY. I told them, "I don't know really. Maybe he found white skin more beautiful.Maybe he wanted an adventure. Maybe he wasn't happy with how he was born. Some people dye their hair because they would rather it be a different colour. Rich people like MJ can dye their skin." They both found him quite scary and ugly as a white man. They only wanted to see MJ as a young black kid. But not too young, oh no.

My jeans fell apart, so Femke being her regular creative self, turned it into a jagged jean jacket. With more holes than they had to begin with. So entertaining!

Femke and I played with her Petshops again. It ended up her just setting it up and telling a story while I made a comment or two and listened to her talk and ask questions.  Easy for me, and she was happy. SO MUCH PINK! 

Oh the household problems I deal with. Worst foil in the world!

 Went to the Efteling with the kids, GJ, and their relations. The Efteling is an amusement park more or less a sort from Disneyland. But instead of centered around Disney, it's centered around the Dutch artist Anton Piek. Really well done! Had a nice time. Ended the day with Poffertjes (tiny little pancakes) and beer. Had quite a scare - after one of the roller coasters I walked out and realized I had lost my phone! So I ran back in, quite panicked. The place is so super crowded, but I asked the worker if he had seen it since i had just gotten off. He was so helpful, had everyone stand up to check, but helaas it was no where. I was so panicked. Then the second train arrived and he checked it. And there it was, between the seat cushions, SAFE. It had gone upside down and super duper fast all without me. What are the chances of that??

Anyway, the kids had a great time there (they go quite often) and it was nice for me to see as well. Though regretfully I did not take many photos.

The entrance

One of the many lanterns 

A nice slow boat ride with the sun beautifully sparkling on the water (this is a cousin-friend of theirs)

One of their aunts

 

Paper Here! (i love this guy. you see him everywhere around the park)

This is how I'll choose a baby.

Kids finding out where we've been

 A few weeks ago I went with Femke to a sort of craft fair at the beach. She had a great time with her friend there. While I had to suffer walking in sand the whole day

Folding paper - one of her favourite things to do

SUFFERING ON SAND AND HOT WEATHER

Michiel and friend climb to the very top!

Michiel's birthday party! Unfortunately I have no photos of Femke's party. Michiel's was on Saturday and Femke on Sunday. Lots of work for the parents. I helped a bit. Kids had a lot of fun.

Just today I participated in the Dam tot Dam race in Amsterdam. You can choose between 10 miles and 4 miles. I chose the 4 mile because it is my first race and the 10 was already full. And I learned I was not as in shape as I thought I was! But it was great to have a goal - I worked hard and was quite nervous when it began. It's a huge race - thousands of participants. But it is quite motivating being cheered on by the people watching, and there are so many participants that I knew i probably wouldnt be the slowest. So I carried on. It felt great! My legs didnt even hurt very much. I finished at 4 miles/43 minutes, putting me at 388th place hahaha. I know its not that impressive, but I had fun and I finished in not-so-horrible time. I can totally see why people do races - it's quite addicting. I am going to work hard to be ready for the next one!

At the end of the race, people found their groups, or people watching... I never thought of this until I actually participating, but to have no one waiting for you at the end of the race is kind of like arriving at the air port and no one is there to greet you. It's kind of a strange feeling. But, luckily enough, our Amsterdam neighbors saw me! Among thousands of people, I found people i knew. They gave me a rose:

Best smelling rose I've ever smelled. So sweet and beautiful, and roses aren't really my favourite flower. But this one was lovely.

Wish I could have taken a photo of the race before the finish...it was crazy how many people there were. 

FINISH! yay! Now for the next one.

So, my room is packed in boxes. Most of the house is packed in Boxes. Friday we move officially into our NEW house in Utrecht. THe house isn't complete yet, but it is good enough to live in. And when it's finished, it will be a palace. Beautiful! The old classic style outside, beautiful ceilings, unique floors, big, balconies, with a well done garden...oh man, can't wait. But it probably won't be complete until after I'm gone from here. But I'm excited. Busy weeks. Especially for the parents. Working with their job, working on the house and packing seems to be all they do!

Just looked at some older photos of F & M. It hasn't even been a whole year yet and they already look older! I know parents always say that, but now I'm experiencing it! Awwww my babies are growing up. Pinch those little cheeks while I can hehehe

Til next time

By the way...

This happened today.

AT5 - Het Weer van 9 September

You can tell i'm nervous by How Enthusiastic I am with High Voice! hahaha. But cool anyway. I can now say I was on Television. In Holland, none the less. Me and my girl.

Cool hey?

 On one of my last days living in Amsterdam I took a bike ride to our local castle. Small, but still a legitimate castle. Walked around in the garden and then inside the castle. Kind of cool, and beautiful weather.

And then, Sunday the 2nd of September, we moved to our temporary house in Utrecht. This is necessary because the parents are now both working, but the kids go to school in Utrecht and our new house is not ready to be lived in until October. The temporary house is in a very handy location, super close to the school.

Wilhelmina Park, somewhat close to the temp. house and super close to our new house. This picture was taken early-ish in the morning...nice and peaceful.

Magazine GertJan subscribes to focused on Portland in this issue:  Portland Oregon: The least American city in the US, it says. "Portland is the Amsterdam of the United States." Funny eh? It was kind of cool to see photos of Voodoo Doughnuts, Multnomah Falls, Mt. Hood, and such.

View from our temporary house. 

The temp house is a bit bare (we'll only live in it for 1 month so no need to bring too much with us). Kids are already growing up, here they were listening intently to the JeugJornaal, evening news for young people. Femke tells me all about hunger in Africa, diseases in Africa, and if she were a millionaire she would feed them all and send them to nice schools. hehe sweetheart.

I am already really liking Utrecht. It's a new place and I have to start over and find where things are, find new running routes, and all that - another adventure. Great for the kids so that they can play with their friends after school also. GJ is still living in Amsterdam, so on weekends we will come back and stay in Amsterdam.

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