Wintertime!!

It took almost 7 years in the Netherlands, but we finally got a real winter back in early February! There was the first major snowstorm in a decade and then freezing temperatures, which worked their magic in freezing the canals (and most other waterways). The storm blew in on Sunday with strong, drifting winds. Enough snow accumulated that we finally got to walk to what may be the only hill in our town to try sledding.

Pete's snowman pancakes were on point!

Gearing up

Maeve's joy in the snow was short-lived once she realized how cold it was. 

A hill! 

The snow drifted around our car and onto our sidewalk 

Hot cocoa break

It was Superbowl Sunday and while we don't watch the game, we were inspired to have some comfort food- buffalo chicken dip

Monday was supposed to be the first day back at school for all kids in the NL under age 12. Instead, we had two snow days at ISA. I'm glad we got some extra time to enjoy the snow with the kids, but was equally happy when they got to go back Wednesday! 

Pete was very excited to build an igloo!

Later in the week, a walk in the neighborhood revealed that some of the canals had already started freezing! 

Skaters in the distance

On Friday I wanted to see the city in its winter glory so I took the opportunity to spend the day walking the city, catching up with friends along the way. And keeping warm with all of the to-go gluhwein that cafes were selling. It was freezing! 

PC Hooftstraat- Amsterdams high-end shopping street, boarded up from all of the anti-curfew riots in the city

Our kids went home from school with friends for a double sleepover, so Pete and I had the night to ourselves.... until curfew, which snuck up on us, leaving us running to catch the last tram to get home on time. 

On Saturday, canals and waterways were legitimately frozen and the Dutch came out in masses. Maeve wasn't feeling the cold and I was still hungover from gluhwein so us girls stayed home while the boys met with friends on de Poel in Amstelveen. 

We didn't make it to the bosbaan, but what a sight (this is the oldest artificial rowing in the world)

We knew that Sunday (Valentine's Day) would be the last day of the freeze. We spent the morning on our local canal with our neighbors. They had some extra kids skates so Jude got to practice and was quite persistent despite the constant falls. He could go from one edge to the next, hurling himself up onto the grassy sides to stop himself. 

Some sibling love. Maeve pretending to be a zombie, eating Jude's face.

Pete was able to borrow skates Sunday afternoon so we went in search of any remaining ice. Vondelpark seemed a safe bet where the ponds are shallow in case of an ice break! Still plenty of people out enjoying it. 

And then 4 days later, winter was basically over. Short and very, very sweet. 

January 2021

2021. It finally arrived. There was so much hope wrapped up in 2020 coming to a close and while there does seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel now, January was filled with mixed emotions returning home to a locked-down Netherlands. 

The kids and I arrived home in the afternoon of December 31st. I thought with jetlag they might make it to midnight, but crashed around 11. The Netherlands instituted a fireworks ban, which I was thrilled about, but lo and behold, tons of neighbors still set them off (though thankfully for a shorter period of time and it was a clear night so we could actually enjoy the shows from our bedroom windows). 

New Year's Eve Celebrations

So much togetherness in 2020. Love this crew!

Woodworkers at work

I felt survivor's guilt for getting to be with our families at Christmas time. So many expat friends followed the government advice and stayed home. To assuage my guilt, I made some American holiday classics and delivered them to friends. With Pete's COVID in mid-November and then our early December departure for the states, it had been 2 months since I'd seen most of my friends. Though the interactions were brief, it was so good to reconnect.

Nothing was open in the NL when we returned except essential shops, you were allowed 2 visitors in your home per day, and it was the dead of winter so there wasn't much to do. I enjoyed a lot of long walks listening to audiobooks. 

We were beyond fortunate in January that while schools were closed, ISA remained open for teacher's and other essential worker's kids. Pete was back teaching Seniors in person right away as they were exempt from the lockdown, so it was a Godsend. We had to wait 10 days after we returned home so the kids did distance learning with their classmates the first week and then went into school with a few other kids from their grades for the remainder of the lockdown. I took advantage of my free time and worked as much as I could.  

We sat in shock and anger when the Capitol Riots took place. How those deranged men and women accomplished that and how Trump was not impeached over it still makes me feel ill. Please let the worst of it be over now that the monster is out of office. 

I had my first lockdown birthday, something that I never thought would happen. It started with receiving the best card in bed. 

I took the day off of work, enjoyed a walk with a friend, an in-home massage, and a take-away lunch before the family returned home to celebrate with me. 

Pete bought me a fondue pot and we had a lekker dinner! But the best birthday present of all was that my parents received their first dose of the Pfizer COVID vaccine on my birthday! Sweet relief and gratitude for SCIENTISTS! 

Despite the national lockdown, COVID cases were not going down so the government took further action in mid-January, extending the school closures to February 8th, allowing only 1 visitor per day, and implementing a national curfew (9pm-4:30am) for the first time since WWII. To be fair, with nothing open we had nowhere to be at night anyway so the curfew hasn't really affected us. It was a depressing announcement though and it was starting to be apparent that 2021 was going to be a lot like 2020. 

One last hurrah the night the curfew took effect. I joined some friends who booked themselves into a hotel for the night. We ordered takeaway from the hotel restaurant and I set a timer on my phone so that I would leave in time to get home before 9. So many bikers with me furiously racing home that evening. It was very surreal. (Curfew fine is 95 euros). 

Had to find any excuse to celebrate and keep things light this month. National Tulip Day!

And then the magic happened! We got our first "snowfall" in 2 years. Yes, it was only a dusting and gone by the next day, but it was wonderful. Friends bought a house around the corner from us and moved in over the holidays so we all got to play together outside. We realized just how much we miss snow. 

Pete did a grocery run with the sled

And if the snow wasn't exciting enough, later that week, Biden was inaugurated. Oh happy, happy day! The joy I felt watching these two leave on Air Force One was and is indescribable. 

I finally got to meet the new baby of a Frederick County friend and enjoy a walk through her neighborhood where daffodils were already in bloom!

Maeve was so spoiled in the 4 weeks she was in school with just 3 other children and two assistants. They did a lot of fun things together and she was one happy girl. Jude had mixed feelings about being in school as he was still doing his learning through the ipad and the kids who were with him were not his good friends. 

The kids' favorite thing to do after bathtime- family snuggles and hiding in our bed :) 

One month down, how many COVID-affected months to go??!