More Thanks to Give for Holiday Visitors!

Last week we had a wonderful visit from Uncle Matt, Aunt Krista and cousin Addy (17 months). This was our third Thanksgiving in the Netherlands and our third time having American visitors! We know how fortunate we are for that. So who's coming next year?! Also true to Thanksgiving form, we had sick kiddos on our hands (year one was Jude with the chicken pox). This year they apparently had some bacterial respiratory thing and were both finishing their course of antibiotics (yep, the MD prescribed antibiotics without me even asking for them. That's how we know it was serious!). They are fully recovered now and I give THANKS for healthy kids!!

The kiddos get more and more interactive with each other with each visit, which is so fun to see. And Maeve got to meet Aunt Krista and Addy for the first time!

Pete will always have to work on Thanksgiving and the day after, but the rest of us where able to have some fun. On Thanksgiving day, we had minimal prep to do thanks to the butcher cooking the bird again and no parade to watch in the AM (we tuned into slingbox in the evening to catch the end), so we headed downtown for some sight seeing. Thinking to eat light in preparation for the big meal, we started with oliebollen (fried dough balls) and then a mega brunch at Greenwoods. Whoops! Both girls were sleeping during lunch though, so it was a real treat to enjoy a leisurely meal! 

Oliebollen were a hit

Sleeping Addy

Sleeping Maeve (far left)

After picking up Jude and then the bird, the Durning brothers took over the kitchen prepping the sides. The prep and subsequent sit down dinner were totally chaotic with three tired kiddos. Could have used some more adult hands on deck! So after all of the munchkins were put to bed, the adults settled in for some relaxed apple pie. Well, I thought it was apple pie. A mom friend brought it to a playdate I hosted last week and in line with being totally lazy on the Thanksgiving prep, we decided to just have that instead of making our own pie. Then we cut into our apple pie and determined it was some sort of lemon almond cake. Whoops again! 

Friday we were back on museumplein for a big museum day including Addy's first trip to the Rijks museum.

Saturday we went to the pancake house in the bos for brunch. We took turns biking and it was a beautiful, sunny, crisp late fall day for it.

Cuties

Addy was a fan of the pancakes!

Saturday was also Opa's birthday so we enjoyed a group google chat. 

Getting crafty

Sunday was spent at our mall. While that sounds lame, it was a lot of fun! The Piet train was in full swing, Sinterklaas himself was at the Bijenkorf department store (Sinterklaas! I know him!), there were Olibollen to be had, shopping at Hema and the brand new Amstelveen Christmas Market complete with ice skating rink was set up. We hit the market last and everyone was spent so I look forward to going back later in the season to soak it up.

Mouth stuffed with kruidnoten!

A failed cousin photo attempt

Thank you for the visit M, K & A! We know it is a long way to come with a kiddo and are so glad you made the trip.