International Community Day 2022

The beloved Global Village day was back this year at ISA, rebranded as International Community Day. Things were a little different than pre-COVID, but it was so great to have this tradition back! Each community brought in food for a breakfast open to all parents and staff (and students when they had their morning break and came begging for food!). There was more than enough to go around. It was like everyone had 2 years of pent-up national pride that they were just bursting to share. There were even three special guests! A French dad in a strange costume (must be a French thing), Wonder Woman, and the Queen herself! Every day should start with breakfast consisting of thai rice soup, sushi, moon pies, falafel, scones, brigadeiros, baklava, and Dunkin' donuts! 

After the breakfast, I stopped by a 5th-grade classroom to share chocolate chip cookies, rice Krispie treats, and facts about the US of A. 

The kids had an assembly and pizza lunch. The teachers snapped sweet pics of the kids with their siblings. 

May 2022

May was a beautiful, busy, and fun month! There was Maeve's birthday, a return of the beloved Global Village Day, a camping trip to Texel, multiple school events, and a lot of social outings.  

Maeve's Kindergarten field trip to the Van Gogh museum

Our budding artist! 

Leading these three sweeties around the museum was a lot easier than my time chaperoning for Jude's class 2 years ago!

Pete and I got a babysitter on May 5th and celebrated both Cinco de Mayo (Mexican food and drinks) and Liberation Day (Amstel river concert). I've watched the concert on TV other years, but I really enjoyed seeing it in person, especially festive after a 2 year COVID hiatus. 

The following night, I biked into the center to meet Katie for drinks on Reguliersdwarsstraat, a pedestrian-only street famously known for its gay bars. In all our years living here, I had never passed by here! 

Mother's day coincided with the monthly PureMarkt in Amstelpark, so I invited my mom friends to join for an afternoon in the sun with their families. We were a big crew and everyone had a great time. Only a few children were temporarily lost as we let them run free all afternoon. 

Yes, that is a fanny pack and yes, I bought it for myself for Mother's day. What is more mother than that!?

Some of the moms of the Seahorse class

Some of the dads

 

The second part of mother's day was kid-free. Bobbie, Rachel, and I booked tickets for a Dam Boat Guys tour to spend some time on the canals. I hitched a ride into the city in Bobbie's Urban Arrow! 

The following weekend, Maeve was invited to a birthday party in Haarlem. When we dropped her off, Jude was invited to stay, so Pete and I had an unexpected 2-hour day date in sunny Haarlem! 

Pete hurt his back after our trip to Mallorca and was in rough shape this day. So we walked around town for a bit and then relaxed at two breweries. Haarlem was having their Saturday market in the main square so it was very lively in the city center. 

First stop, Jopen brewery in an old church

Then to Uiltje (little owl), the brewery where Pete was selected to be a taster during the pandemic. I'd recognize the logo anywhere after all of the monthly beer shipments that were sent to our house!

Seahorse mom's night out at HappyHappyJoyJoy

Shut that place down and found a hotel lobby bar. This was the night before Maeve's birthday, which was not the best timing for a late night out! The decorations I set up for Maeve after I returned home were not my best! 

Neighborhood walks

Jude's class music concert! 

Jenny's birthday lunch at restaurant de Kas

Charity percussion and choir concert for the non-profit in Ghana that ISA supports. Jude has practiced all year with the percussion group and we were so happy to see him perform. 

Liz's 60th birthday party at the VRA Cricket club in the bos. 

Maeve is 6!

Our sweet, spunky, sensitive, hilarious, clever girl turned 6 last weekend and we had a full day celebrating her! She wanted her birthday party to be at the gymnastics studio affiliated with her club and their only availability was on her actual birthday. So it was a day of presents and sugar overload! Starting with french toast for breakfast... 

And presents shortly thereafter... 

Jude explaining the merits of her new Pokemon cards

She loves all things crafting and I am equally excited about some of the crafting presents she received! 

Just happiness all around... 

She needed a gymnastics-themed cake to go with her party and knows that "homemade cakes are better than ones you buy." I've taught her well! 

A little clay molding to create the apparatuses 

Then after lunch, it was time to head to her party with all of her classmates and her neighbor friend. 

The space was great and the 2 instructors led them through warm-up exercises. Then they just told them to "do what you like" and didn't interact with the kids again until we asked if they could engage them in a game. We could have used a bigger dose of Dutch directness but didn't really understand what the expectations were of the trainers. 

The kids didn't seem to mind the lack of direction and thoroughly wore themselves out! 

It was a really warm day and a LOT of juice boxes were consumed!

Cake and snack time!

After delivery pizza dinner, Maeve wanted to try out her new rollerskates so we headed to the playground. She was really persistent and didn't get discouraged. We officially no longer have any little kids! Exciting and sad at the same time. 

Jude's 6th birthday was just at the beginning of the COVID lockdown, so we did not take this special day for granted. We were so glad Maeve could have such a great day and be with her friends. We love you sweet girl!