Christmas Season 2019

The most wonderful time of the year! And jammed packed with holiday cheer from before Thanksgiving (gasp) through the 15th, when we celebrated an early Christmas and then boarded a plan for South Africa! 

Highlights from the last month:

My first wreath making workshop with some friends. Really pleased with how it turned out and hoping I can re-create it on my own next year!

Road home very carefully that day

Saw Love Actually in concert at the Concertgebouw. Loved every minute of my favorite movie on the big screen with live orchestra accompaniment. Already excited for the next one, La La Land this Spring.  

Went to get our tree at het Oosten before Thanksgiving (paying for it now with needles everywhere). Enjoyed the new displays and the kids' amazement by it all. 

Decked the halls. This was the fist year that Maeve was into it. Only had minor palpitations as she handled all of the fragile ones! 

Enjoyed the holiday lights in the city. After biking 25 minutes to Utrechtsestraat, we were warmed up enough to have our pre-dinner Sangria outside.

Watched Pete's performance at the Winter Fair. Great kids' carnival this year, staffed by students.

Sugar cookie making after school.

Lots of hot cocoa for after school snack time.

Haarlem Christmas Markets. Hadn't been in a few years and really enjoyed the vibe again. We beat the crowds this year and made it home for a rare double nap time.

Hosted a gingerbread making party with Jill, Bobbie, Carrie and families. The kids were so focused on their projects! Delightful finished products. Yummy, too!

Jude got a magic set for Sinterklaas and was so happy to have a captive audience as he pulled a rabbit from his hat!

School winter parties. First, Maeve's pre-school party where the owls sang "I'm a little snowman" followed by lots of adorable dancing with her bestie Faris.

Then Jude's more subdued affair to end a very busy week of Christmas and travel preparations. 

Loved getting our gifts from the kids. 

Iceskating at the Winter Village at the mall. Jude is making progress with the help of his pal, Rudolph. Maeve also wanted to go and thankfully I could just walk around the ice in my shoes so I could help. 

That evening was our Christmas Eve. Santa came! 

4:45am Maeve was in our room. At 5:10 we went down to see the presents. We allowed them to open one each and then put them in front of the TV while we went back to bed! Just the same, all the presents were open before the sun rose! Oh to be parents of young kids. So sweet, so exhausting!

Simba and Nala, who are now with us in Africa!