Late Fall 2022

It was a busy, eventful late fall! 

We celebrated our 13th anniversary at Al Bacaro in the city. 

I saw a new part of the city when I went to meet with our kitchen renovation company. I followed the productive meeting with my first olliebol of the season!

Had a fun Mommy and Daughter day in the city. 

Went to Jude's writing workshop at school. 

Cozy home time. The heat is still turned way down, but we use electric heaters in all of the rooms. 

After waiting over 2 years, we finally got to see Bon Iver at Ziggo Dome. The Masiks, who we were supposed to go with, are long gone from Amsterdam, but Kai and Julia were happy to join!

Museum night was back! We joined Sara, Nathan, and Hannah in Noord to see the Straat museum, celebrating street artists from around the world. So fun to take in art with wine and a clubby scene. 

We made it over to the Eye Film Museum, but didn't have long to dance before we had to get home for the babysitter.

Waiting on the bike ferry to get back home

Took the kids to Nemo the next morning. We had to wait for a bridge that was raised for a party boat, but got to watch a crew member climb onto the roof with a piece of cake to give the bridger operator!

Concert month continued joining Melissa and Scott to see Watchhouse at Paradiso. 

We left our neighborhood for Saint Maarten for the first time this year. We joined friends in Randwijk where a marching band led a parade through the streets. It was very festive!

I joined Dakota and the American Women's Club of Amsterdam for a private tour of Royal Flora Holland- the world's largest flower auction. I'd visited 8 years ago and always vowed to go back! It just took me a long time! It was an early start as the action takes place early. I loved seeing the buzz of activity again and learning more about the auction process from our guide. Sadly, they stopped the in-person auctions with COVID and have kept the virtual format ever since. 

The holiday decor

Watching the virtual action.

Sinterklaas season took over!

Jude started Judo last fall and we got to watch for the first time! 

And then Thanksgiving was upon us! We were invited to Scott and Melissa's on Thursday after school. Scott is on parental leave so he cooked up a storm! We just brought the pies, some rolls, and b-sprouts. Earlier in the day, I visited Maeve's class to teach them about Thanksgiving. A number of the kids have lived in America and we had a fun discussion. I gave them each a small taste of both apple and pumpkin pies. Not everyone liked them ;) 

We talked about giving thanks and did a little turkey craft

And what were we grateful for this Thanksgiving? Jude getting to swim for his B diploma at school! It was a long time coming and he was so proud! We didn't get to see him swim for his A diploma so this was a big deal for us all. It was fun to get to watch with other parent friends as well. 

Getting ready to fall back into the pool with their clothes on to begin the test

Cool, calm and collected!

Victory lap

Then he was back to school and I was back to the kitchen

A gorgeous sunset on our drive to Thanksgiving dinner

Feast!

Sweet Violet

Grateful for these friends! 

Hannah was my partner in culture crime in November. Museum night, the opera Blue, and to cap off the month, a rocking tribute to the Fugees concert at the concertgebouw! It was not what I was expecting and I loved every minute! Lots of Fugees, Lauren Hill, and Wyclef songs. I've definitely never stood and danced in that venue before! 

Mommy and Daughter Day in the City

Maeve and I had a fun-filled mommy and daughter day in the city. It was an unseasonably warm November day. Started with lunch and decadent hot cocoa at The Corner Bakery. Then we walked to the Rijks Museum, where we beelined to the atelier for some metallic water coloring and bug sketching. Then we trammed to the Muizenhuis mini museum to admire the handiwork. Finally, we did some shopping on Damrak. One happy girl! I can't wait for more of these days! 

Halloween 2022

Fall break was a bit early this year, so we had a lot of time after our return to get into the Halloween spirit. The kids chose to be a vampire and a zombie. The days of cute kid costumes are long gone!

Pumpkins were 2 pounds in England so we brought two back! 

Trunk or treat came first after school on the Friday before Halloween. It was a beautiful, warm night! Our kids are old enough now that they can run around with their friends, but finding everyone in the dark was a challenge! 

The neighborhood celebrated Sunday evening. We hosted what is now our annual pizza/ trick or treating party. A great crew made it all around our neighborhood, stopping at the 15-20 or so houses that were participating. And the weather cooperated again. A welcome reprieve from last year's sideways rain! 

Hadrian's Wall and Housesteads Roman Fort

Our last day in England was incredible. We packed up the car while our hosts with the most took the kids toy shopping in town.  

Thank you Margaret and Chris for your hospitality! 

We had one final destination before our evening ferry home. And honestly, it was a stop we were doing purely for Pete. He had dreamed of visiting Hadrian's wall for as long as I've known him (which is a very long time!). The wall was just off our drive back to the ferry so it fit in nicely with our travel plans. 

We had a different fort museum in mind, but at the last minute, pulled into the parking lot for Housesteads Roman Fort (a place I'd starred on the map after doing a little research into Hadrian's wall with kids). It was the best decision!

For those who were not Classics majors at college, Hadrian's Wall marked the north-west border of the Roman Empire. It was built in stone sometime around 124AD, crossing Northern England from Newcastle to the Irish sea. All along the wall were identical forts built for the soldiers and commanders. The small museum showed the history and models of the forts. 

While all that remains today is dark stone, it was known that the Romans used a lot of color. In celebration of Hadrian's Wall's 1900th anniversary (!!), a local artist, Morag Myerscough, was commisioned to recreate an original gate house that sits within the wall. She took the idea of Roman color and ran with it. She worked with the local community to get ideas for phrases and words to paint onto plywood. The painting was then carried out by individuals with intellectual disabilities in the community. The whole thing spoke to me. It brought the fort more to life to imagine the true scale (and not just the rubble that remains). We were able to climb into the gate house and see views that have not been seen for 1600 years. 

The art installation at the top of the hill in the distance.

The Roman toliets and bath house.

Pete was loving it all!

Stone pillars on which the floor of the commander's house stood. The pillars allowed for hot air to blow beneath the floors, heating the homes. 

What one of the gate houses would have loooked like (in size and design anyway!)

Views of the wall to the East

The Roman Empire on the left, the unknown on the right. Pete turned this photo into the album cover for his new EP! Check it out on Spotfy! 

Walking Hadrian's wall with his son. A man living his dream! 

Nature has taken over parts of the wall. This is one section where you hike on the actual wall. 

The wall following the natual contours

I loved all the sheep that call this place home

Roman toliets

After a mind blowing visit to the Wall, it was time to head to the ferry in Newcastle. We had nicer digs on the ferry home, with a cabin on the top floor with a window. Buffet dinner and then a movie in bed while the kids slept. An easy end to a great trip! 

Goodbye England!