February and March 2022

In February and March, we completed two exciting sustainability projects at the house. We rejoiced in the start of Spring and the sunniest March in the history of the Netherlands (just in time with the new solar panels). The kids were busy with their activities and work picked back up for me. We were eligible to vote for the first time in our municipal elections and proudly cast our votes. We celebrated Pete and Jude's birthdays. We had our week in Spain and I spent a week in Colorado. Phew! While January felt so long, these past two months flew by. 

Pete started to look into solar panels a few years ago. I was skeptical. We didn't know how long we'd be here and I didn't think we could afford the up front costs. He inquired with a company about the feasibility and was told our roof wasn't suitable for panels. We forgot all about it until last summer when our neighbor had solar panels installed on their roof, which is identical to ours. We met with the company she used in the beginning of September and quickly signed up. The installation was planned for January, but had to be pushed back a month when I got COVID. We have 9 panels total. 4 on the slanted roof, two on the flat, front dormer and 3 on the back, flat dormer. They are expected to generate at least 75% of our electricity and should pay for themselves in around 8 years.  Apart from one sunny week when the circuit was broken, we have been so happy with them. So far our electricity bill for February was -0.36 cents. The timing was also really good with the sharp increase in energy costs. We have an electric heater insert in our faux fireplace so since the start of the Ukrainian invasion, we have turned our heat WAY down (16 during the day and 15 at night) and are using the electric heater (powered by the sun) to heat our living area. Part political protest and part cost-saving measure. 

Definitely had to bride the kids to get them out walking in the neighborhood.

Valentine's Day Sweetheart Sable cookies (Smitten Kitchen). Labor intestive, but soo yummy.

A sunny day for a galentine's brunch

Valentine's day rijstafel at Ron Gastrobar Indonesian in Ouderkerk

Crocuses in bloom, storks in their nest, windmill, Amstel river. So Dutch!

We had a series of crazy windstorms, one of which pulled siding from our house. 

A few weeks a year, the sun sets in the gap between the buildings seen from our bedroom akin to Manhattenhenge. 

The kids couldn't agree on where to go out to lunch one weekend so I biked Maeve to the pancake house in the bos and Pete biked with Jude to a sushi restaurant. We don't split up the family often, but we enjoyed the special alone time.

We love to share a bacon and cheese pancake.

Book week dress up day. Maeve came up with the costume idea (Esteban the Magnificent) all on her own. 

We've been following the news from Ukraine with horror, heartbreak, and a good deal of anxiety, feeling like we are so close to it. Our friends are hosting a woman and her daughter and we wanted to help welcome them. Whether to host ourselves has been heavy on my mind and heart. The heart says to do it, the mind thinks of all the reasons why we shouldn't. There are already hundreds of refugees in our town (around 400 alone in the hotel by our house). There are donation and volunteer projects galore so that is how we will show our support for now. 

Baseball season is underway

Just Jude for now, but Maeve likes to try it from time to time. 

Popsicles with friends on an unseasonably warm day. 

Early spring in the neighborhood

And in the cherry blossom park in the bos

Note to self, arrows can easily get caught in cherry blossom branches and are impossible to find! 

Our Camelia bush doing its thing

And our Magnolia tree starting to bloom. 

Happy birthday to Pete!! 

Voting! 

St. Patty's day

I left for a week to go to Colorado to see friends and when I returned, our magnolia tree and the cherry blossom trees were in full bloom. I picked up the kids and Pete from school and we went straight to the park to beat the crowds.

After a week in America with what seemed like crazy high food prices ($5 small cup of ice cream), it was a breath of fresh air to return to Dutch prices. Cones for a family of 4 for the price of one in America! 

Someone shared this aerial shot of the park. How stunning is that?!?

They take my breath away every year, but this year we really seemed to nail the timing of their peak bloom.

Back home, our second sustainability project supplies arrived. This one was a DYI (or more accurate, a DBP- done by Pete).

Pete had removed all of the stones that covered the roof of our extension, a very labor intensive project. Then it was time to roll out the layers of the green roof! 

The finished projects. Both the extension and the shed got green roofs. These will help insulate the buildings, extend the roof life, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality and provide a home for insect friends. Our local government pays for 1/2 of the costs under an environmental subsidy. 

All COVID restrictions were lifted while I was in Colorado (just in time to not have to get tested to come back). That meant we got to do in person parent teacher conferences for the first time in 3 years (??!). 

Maeve on her way to gymnastics