August 2024

We enjoyed an actual summer month home in August! Hot, sunny weather and the chance to use our new airconditioning! Summer in the NL can be fleeting so we were thrilled to have so much sun. 

It was surreal saying goodbye to the Nazlawys, who have been staples in our lives for the past 6 years. It is strange to have a school year here without them! 

Jude got an invite for a beach day with friends in Zandvort. And a few days later, we reciprocated and headed to the beach with one of his friends. Delicious lunch at Ubuntu! 

The dutch museums always do fun things for kids over the school holidays. We signed the kids up for a workshop at the Amsterdam Museum and while they worked on writing letters and drawing pictures, Pete and toured the new exhibit "Manahahtáanung or New Amsterdam? The Native Story Behind New York." I love seeing the (LONG overdue) attention being given to Native history and the atrocities of our ancestors. 

A beautiful piece representing the refugee experience

And an awesome exhibit on modern embroidery and 9 Dutch women of various backgrounds who stitched their personal histories onto traditional lace collars. 

There was even time for a quick lunch in the garden!

After the museum, we walked to Pathe Tuschinski to see Inside Out 2. During the summer, the kids came up with a system where they would do extra chores around the house for points and based on the number of points earned, would be rewarded with experiences. So Jude folded tons of laundry, took our recycling out, weeded, and did other helpful things and then we all got to see the movie todgother! Win, win! 

And a week later, I got another girls' movie night with Dana and Melissa to see It Ends with Us.

We hosted the Science department's back to school BBQ

We drove to Bussum to visit a heather field on another sunny day. 

We were warned to keep our distance from the cattle in the enclosed area. We saw them from a distance and walked in their direction, but then they started walking our way, very quickly. We might have run! 

Survived! 

Some treats after

Shopping for new sports equipment (Maeve starting basketball, Jude starting XC, Pete getting serious about Padel, me having a designated pilates space in our new top floor) at Decathalon. Required some refueling at FEBO! 

Maeve decided she wanted her ears pierced so we went before the first day of school. She was certainly nervous, but the worker (and ISA mom!) put her at ease. 

And then summer was over and it was back to school! We learned that Jude was placed with 2 good friends in Mr. B's class, Pete's friend and bandmate. And Maeve got another veteran teacher. 

And Pete starting his 20th year teaching! He has an interesting schedule this year with 1 out of every 4 days free from teaching any classes (and 3 days full of teaching).

Some moms celebrating the first day of school at Kristen's!

Oma and Opa came to visit on their way to and from a Kenyan safari. On Sunday we biked to KEK brewery and then went into the city for pizza dinner in de Pijp. 

Later in the week, we took them to AnnaKerk, where 3 of Pete's beers were on tap. I don't think that they fully understood what Pete has accomplished and it was fun to show them! 

The beautiful weather continued and I suggested a beach day with mom friends at the end of the month. Is there anything better than a cheeky Friday spent with lovely friends at the beach? 

Maeve spent a good part of the summer working on plans for a Harry Potter-themed sleepover party. The planning began in June in Greece and she was so serious about it. We worked on capes and she made spell books. We visited numerous candy shops to get all sorts of candies needed for the potions. We set a date well in advance to make sure her 3 friends could all come. I have no idea where she gets this planning from ;) 

Jen and Robbie hosted a kegger featuring Pete's beer in a park near school to kick off the new school year. Fun times! 

The Concertgebouw had a free open house day. We got to listen to a little music in the various halls and the kids made their own instruments out of piping. 

Ended the month with Sara and Nathan at Paradiso listening to Hermanos Gutierrez.