Holiday Season 2023

It was a very merry, busy holiday season, but didn't overwhelm me this year like it has in the past. We got our tree the Monday after Thanksgiving when I was feeling better. We had the place to ourselves and made it through the Christmas gauntlet on our way to pick out the tree. We wanted it to be special (as special as Noordmans can be) since we were hosting family this year so we took our time making a good choice. 

Super helpful this year!

Maeve's friends admiring the tree

Gingerbread making. The first of many holiday cookies baked in the new kitchen.

Downtown shopping

Friday book market

Maeve missed her first violin concert (playing open E, A and E to A :)) due to a cold, so this picture of one of her group lessons will have to suffice. 

Dressed up for her dear friend Toma's going away party. She's already scheming how she can end up at the same college as him. 

We had a very tame Sinterklaas season this year. We were in London when he arrived so we missed the entrance parades. The kids were still jazzed to put their shoes out a handful of nights and anxiously awaited pakjesavond. This was our first year with a doorbell camera so Jude was ready to catch Sinterklaas in the act of putting the bag of presents by our front door! Imagine his surprise when the doorbell rang for an Amazon delivery and the bag was there with no footage of how it got there!! The magic of the season! 

I had a lot of cookies to bake in preparation for our first-holiday party and for hosting family. I was thrilled that Loreen was able to join me for a Thursday of baking. We were very productive! The chocolate cookies were to die for! 

I joined a crew of ISA moms to visit the Haarlem Christmas market on Friday. A cold, grey day, but festive atmosphere and fun to share it with new friends. 

The finishing touches on cookies before our first annual Christmas Caroling party! 

Annual fabric gift bag creation

I got this sweet Advent tea calendar in Germany and loved trying new teas everyday!

Katie and Chris' 2nd annual holiday boat party. A lot of new faces and fun dancing. 

Saw some of the Light Festival from the boat.

Christmas light at Stadshart

All dressed up for Bobbie's black-tie bowling party.

Sequins two nights in a row!

 

And wrapping the busy weekend leading up to Christmas, date night with Pete to see the Choir of Kings College Cambridge, a Christmas dream for me. The boys had voices of angels and they encored with silent night, making my evening.