September was a beautiful month. The kids settled easily into the school year and their extracurricular activities. We had unseasonably warm and sunny weather and packed our social calendars with gatherings, concerts, culture, outings, and nature. Last September, I was fully engrossed in my month-long intensive Dutch course and studying for the inburgering exams so this September was a breath of fresh air!
First up, second cousin Sam Amidon came to town to open for Nickle Creek at Paradiso. We hadn't seen him perform in Amsterdam since before COVID and were excited to bring Jude along for his first concert. His show and Nickle Creek's show were wonderful, though the late night got to Jude who fell asleep on my lap even as everyone was stomping and clapping around him.
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| Bakfiets taxi ride for 2 |
We went into the city to have lunch with the Crowes and stopped in the new Mouse Mansion shop at Muntplein. The artist who has created all of these AMAZING miniatures was there signing books and I was star-struck!
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| A mini coffin and grieving mice. I mean! |
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| Welcome to Maeve's office |
We had back-to-school nights and I met a number of new parents. Enrollment at school is back up and the energy is really good.
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| A HOT day at the beach with lovely Alex. I got a sun rash sitting at lunch at Hippie Fish! |
I secured tickets to tour the parliament buildings in the Hague during Open Monuments weekend. The halls were open while the buildings undergo renovations. We took advantage of being in the Hague to visit the Mauritshuis museum. One child very interested in the art. One child being extremely cheeky!
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| Entering the Binnenhof (Government offices) |
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| Where the king reads the budget every September (thrones were temporarily moved) |
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| The ceiling of the hall where laws are debated. A boy is climbing through the top hole (Dutch kids get away with everything!). |
We drove straight from the Hague to the Ziggo Dome for Cirque de Solei! I was so excited to share this experience with the kids.
In the very first COVID lockdown, lowlifes broke into a museum in the Netherlands and stole this Van Gogh. I remember feeling so sad when this news story hit. Happy news this month!
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| Music lessons have finally begun now that we have the piano. |
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| Sunset dinner on the Bosbaan with teacher friends |
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| Hops and Dahlia's thriving |
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| Date night at Bam Boa and a walk along the Amstel into the city and back. |
Nathan's 40th birthday party in the bos.
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| The boys found a sketchy tent in the woods... |
Annual hop harvest! Ben has aspirations of being a farmer and seriously pulled his weight picking hops! It was a great crew this year and the hops were picked in record time!
A super fun night out seeing SIX the musical at the DeLaMar Theater.
A mom in Jude's class organized a parents' dinner out at Ode aan de Amstel. It was really fun getting to meet these couples from around the world.
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| Braised pork shoulder with our orecchiette from Puglia. We love cooking in the new kitchen! |
A day out in nature at Elswout near Haarlem followed by lunch at Dune aan de duinrand.
While the writers and actors strike marched on in the US, Bowen Yang (SNL) went on tour with the co-host of his podcast, Las Culturistas. Boom Chicago was one of the three stops on his mini tour and was a hoot.
We joined a bunch of couple friends to see the National perform at Ziggo Dome. We stopped at KEK beer garden for bites and drinks beforehand. What a charming spot down in Oudekerk! Then riding in the bakfiets to the show under a huge, beautiful full moon.
Melissa and Sarah's joint birthday party at Waterkant followed by dinner with some new school mom friends at Umami by Han.
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| With the kids' teachers this year :) |
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| A significant portion of the lower school teachers at ISA. |
