One stroller… one baby…. and one lazy dog!

The weather here in the Netherlands has been fairly decent the last few days (of course as I write this it is cloudy and rainy out), so I’ve been trying to get out and go for walks with Isabella.  A couple days ago I brought Stoney along for a nice long walk through the grass field and into Hoogland which is a section of Amersfoort that use to be its own town.  Hoogland is located on the other side of the grass field where I can let Stoney off his leash and let him wander and sniff until his little heart is content. 

The problem with Stoney when we go for our walks, is that he pulls so hard on his lead he tires himself out faster than he should.  And if he is off his leash he goes nuts walking at light speed with his nose on the ground, trying to sniff every blade of grass possible. It is also difficult to control him and push the stroller at the same time, especially when we are walking down the narrow sidewalks in Hoogland.  

Well, I found the solution…

He fits perfectly underneath!!  This way he can still get out for his walks and I’m not dragging his little butt along when he’s tired,  and I can still go down the narrow streets and sidewalks!   It will also be helpful when I go into the city and I can’t carry him in to the stores, this way he can go under the stroller and be out of everyone’s way and I don’t have to worry about him lifting his leg on a mannequin!

As my mother put it… “He’s a poor excuse of a dog and should be ashamed!”  LOL!!

I can’t believe I did that!

I missed a whole month without posting a blog!  Well I’m going to blame the wee one, mainly because she’s too young to defend herself right now and also because it’s partly true.  My girl has perfect timing, mommy wants coffee, she cries.  Mommy wants to go take a shower, she cries.  Mommy wants to write a blog, she cries.  But luckily she’s learning to entertain herself a little more now so I can get 15 minutes to make something to eat, doesn’t mean I actually get to eat it, but at least I was one step closer to having some lunch!

Right now she’s sleeping, so I have a few minutes to update.

Well, my mom left to head back to Canada.  It was great having her here, and I loved that she was able to spend the first two months of Isabella’s life with her.  Even now Isabella recognizes her nonna’s voice on the phone, she’ll lean hard into the phone or she’ll give me a look like “ok I hear here but where are my cuddles???”  It took some time management after mom left to get use to being home alone with her and trying to get things done around the house.  People who say “You need to nap when your baby naps”  obviously don’t have kids.  Really?  When the kid is asleep it finally gives me a chance to, shower, eat, clean, breathe…I’d love to take a nap but the girl has extra sensory powers and knows when I’m about to lay my head on the pillow.  Also her naps aren’t as long as they use to be and in this house with 4 other people it’s difficult to keep the noise level down so that she can get a decent nap.  Monday’s and Tuesday’s are her best sleeping days as everyone is out of the house by 9.   Even when mom was here I don’t remember taking naps all the time. 

Isabella is growing by leaps and bounds, she’s chunking out and now she’s really starting to smile.  She doesn’t normally wake up happy (like her mother) but give her a few minutes and you can get smiles and coos for a good hour before she’s had enough.  She’s holding her head up really well, but I think I need to give her more tummy time.  She likes to lay on me and hold her head up but not when she’s on her play mat.  She’ll coo and try to mimic your lips when you repeat a word, right now we have a battle of  Mama and Papa going here.   She also has figured out how to launch her soother, I think when she’s older I’ll put her in one of those watermelon seed spitting contests.  Yesterday she was suppose to get her shots, but the doctor was sick – again.  For the three times I’ve been there with her, I’ve seen him once, and not overly impressed with him to be honest.  But I wanted her to be checked out before the 24th (more on that later).  So I called the huisarts (family doctor) and got a quick check by him and I’ll reschedule her shots for next week, even though she still won’t be seen by the doctor since he’s now backed up until March 30th, she’ll get her shot done by the nurse.

Stoney still has no use for her and just sees her as “the-thing-that-took-my-lap”.  He will go over and sniff her chair or swing and look at me then walk away.  He won’t come to me at times when I call him because he’s too pissy about the whole thing.  He loves going for his walks but now that there’s the stroller he can’t wander back and forth like he use to, so he gets a bit bent about that also.  Needless to say my dog is still sulking.  He does still get the pets and loves,  just not as much as he wants.  Stoney would be content being on your lap 24/7 as long as you pet him and give him some food. 

Well I was going to start looking for work around June/July, but the cost of daycare in this country is just bloody stupid!!!  Yes we will get some of it back, but we have no idea how much and with just one of us working and who knows for how long it will remain just one income, 1500-1700 EUROS a month is a little out there!  I don’t know how they determine how much of a rebate we get back, but I’m sure it will be less if both of us are working.  I really don’t feel like going to work just to pay for daycare,  what’s the point?  I might as well stay home, us be on the same level and at least this way I can watch Isabella grow and not some stranger.  So I will try to hold out for a year before putting her in daycare.  I would like to go back to work, since I enjoy having money to myself!  But unless we find cheaper daycare of a babysitter of some sort it may not happen anytime soon.

The weather has been freakin’ cold this year!  We’ve had snow,  just the standard 1 or 2 weeks, I’m talking SNOW!  Even yesterday morning there was snow on the ground.  For the majority of us we are in denial that winter still has its grips on us.  As for my friend Tammy, she took it one step further and wrote a little letter to Mother Nature!  I can officially say I’m done with winter.  I promise never to bitch that there isn’t any snow in this country again! 

So what’s the news on the 24th??? 

I’M GOING TO CANADA!!!  I’M GOING TO CANADA!!! I’M GOING TO CANADA!!!

That’s right!!  Isabella and I are coming home for a month!!!  I can’t wait for everyone to see her, especially her great-grandmother whose name she has as her middle name.  Plus she gets to meet her grandpa and aunties (my best friends) and her Zio Rob, and her great aunts and uncles and cousins and her GREAT GREAT aunt Ada!!  We are going to have family gatherings so everyone can see her!  Also I am going to go to Toronto to visit some friends and go back to Saxco so they can see her too.  

I’m not overly concerned about the flight with her, as long as she’s fed and dry she should be ok.  She likes her sleep so I’m praying the hum of the airplane will lull her.  I dread trying to change her in those itty bitty things they call a toilet on the plane, and I’m PRAYING with all my might that she doesn’t have an up-the-backer while we are flying.   The one thing that I’m wondering about is that I’m flying into Detroit and now they have that rule where you can’t get out of your seat for the last hour or so….what happens if I need to change her?  Will the flight attendant change her for me?? Will I be allowed to get up?? Or do I have to change her on my lap in the one foot space between me and the chair in front??  Either way those 8 hours in a plane will be my new challenge.

Oh the Princess is stirring, there must be a pea under her blanket and it has awaken her.  She just gave me a look and stuffed her fist in her mouth, I guess she’s hungry!  So I’m off to feed her and there’s one last pic of her saying Hello!

This just might end up …

becoming a baby blog!  I know,  I know… but I can’t help it!  She’s just too darn cute for me not to mention her with every breath.  Yes I sound like a typical first time mom, but so what!  LOL! She’s just my little bean! :D. 

Ok,  I’ll stop gushing now…

So it’s been 2 weeks since I’ve been home and I spent the better part of one week in bed resting after the c-section.  Honestly, I don’t understand why people  request those… I think I would have rather of given birth the other way.  But all in all, I’m feeling better and more mobile that now I can get out with Isabella to the small shopping centre and in to the city for a short jaunt.  My mom has been a huge help around the house with cleaning and making dinner.  Plus disciplining… gotta love the teacher voice!   Not too sure what I’m going to do when she leaves in February, maybe I’ll just hide her passport!

Isabella has been sleeping, eating, sleeping, eating, crying, sleeping, eating…and sleeping.  Except between the hours of 9 pm and 2:30 am, which seems to happy hour for her!  I have a hard time getting her to settle down at night and all she wants to do is eat.  When she finally does settle, the minute I place her in her crib she cries and yes, she is sound asleep when I put her in.  The only way she is happy is when she is laying on my chest and her bum is being patted.  Needless to say Frank and I are a bit tired.  One good thing is that she does sleep from 2:30 to about 6 or 7 am and then wants a small snack.   After all that she is content until 10 or so.  During the day, Her Highness sleeps all day!  Either way she’s a keeper.

 Poor Stoney still has his nose out of joint with Isabella, he jumps on my lap the minute she vacates it!   To be honest it is quite funny, but I know his poor little feelings are hurt.  He’s not getting his full on attention and his heart is breaking.  Here is a picture of Stoney ignoring Isabella.

I know this is a poor excuse for a blog, but I’m going to end this now since we are having company come by shortly.   Plus tomorrow we are heading to Germany to go shopping in Oberhausen, aaaaaaaaah a real mall!  Then on Sunday we are doing a drive tour of the Netherlands.  But before I go, I have another picture to show you….. below is a picture of Isabella in the outfit and blanket which my mom brought me home from the hospital!  The outfit and the blanket were given to me by my great-grandmother.

Once upon a time, I actually wrote faithfully in this blog….

November as usual was a crazy month, and now going into December it really hasn’t slowed down all that much.  With Birthdays, Christmas, Sinterklaas, getting things for the house, the baby, the kids, just life in general I find myself tired for the most part. 

November was Ashley’s birthday and Nick’s first birthday, plus Nick’s baptism.   Plus in November it was my brother’s birthday and my uncle’s, granted I never did send out any birthday cards for either one!  OOPSY!  But they know I love them :).  Also in November I had my 32 week ultrasound, and this time the little princess decided to show her face!  The last 2 times I had gone in she was always facing my back so there was no way to get a profile picture of her, but this time the ultrasound gods were on my side and she stayed put.  The little bubbles you see are actually the umbilical cord.  After my ultrasound I went to visit the midwives in the hospital because my sugar levels were to high.  I come to find out that I now have gestational diabetes.  GREEEEEEEAAAAAAAATT!!!!   After having a fairly easy pregnancy, I now  have to give up the sweets!   In the beginning we tried to control my levels with diet alone, well that didn’t work so I ended up on insulin, at first just taking it at night before bed, but now I’m up to 4 times a day.  Yes, I’m insulin resistant!   Oh the joy.  Also to top things off, my levels still aren’t stable and it doesn’t matter what I eat or don’t eat.  So I’ve been trekking it to the hospital now weekly, which would be fine if I had a car, but we don’t.   The bus driver is my new best friend.  For the Windsor folks, it is about the distance from Forest Glade to Windsor Western but instead of basically taking the 1C the whole way you have to transfer 3 buses.  As of right now she’s going to be a December baby and not a January one like originally planned.   They said that I won’t go past the 38 or 39th week, which in one way is fine…but it also adds another birthday to the December list!  

My mom is going to be here on the 29th of December, and we’ve been trying to get a bed for her and new sheets and pillows.  It is a little hard to do shopping, since I can’t ride my bike anymore and we don’t have a car. I could take the bus into the city but the walking thing is getting a bit uncomfortable.  I feel like I’ve been horseback riding for 5 days!  I don’t really have that many of the pregnancy complaints, except that trying to get comfortable so I can sleep has been a challenge.  Oh and so has breathing since I now have a slight cold in my chest and I’m not sure if it’s asthma or allergies that are causing a cough.  Either way Frank says that I sound like a freight train in a wind tunnel at night… remind me to beat him later! 🙂

The month of December so far has been a busy one also, we had Sinterklaas on the 5th, Frank’s birthday (42nd) on the 14th, with Brianna’s on the 25th and Christmas the same day.  My dad’s is on the 22nd and my godson’s on the 23rd… plus with baby girl due in December now, this month won’t get any easier! 

Yesterday Frank and I had our pregnancy course, it was informative for as much as I could understand.  Frank did his best to translate as the lesson went on, but it is hard to whisper and listen at the same time.  I guess that takes the whole “no talking in class” to a new level.   For the most part I already knew some of the information that was being taught, just through internet, books, friends and the medical classes I took back in Canada; but there was some interesting things that were new and I would have like to understand that a bit better.  I guess I’ll have to figure it out when I go into labour.  Speaking of which, I’m still waiting for the official date of inducement!  I go on the 16th for another check up and I’m going to ask again about this.  I know it sounds pushy and so be it but with the amount of crap we have to deal with in the next 2 weeks, being a bit prepared would help a lot.  If my mom’s not here then we have to find someone to watch the two youngest ones and the dog just incase I have to spend the night.  Or if they induce and I’m in labour on the 29th then we have to figure out how we are going to pick up my mom from the airport.  I just don’t want to go next week since it’s the Christmas week and already packed with 3 birthdays… 4 if you include Jesus’.   I really want her to have her own day.   Oh speaking of which if they decide to induce on the 30th like previously mentioned and I basically told the midwife NO, she could be a New Years baby… again.. NO.   Picky I am.  Now I know that I can go at anytime and even with the inducement it may not happen according to plan… but lets just try to avoid it all shall we? 

We still have no idea what to get the kids for Christmas, it’s going to be a tight one this year and they are at that age where nothing seems to be right.  As for my family in Canada, my brother is taking care of that this year.  Next year I’ll at least be able  to send something once I’m working again.  Then it will be much easier!

Today Stoney is headed to the groomers for a trim and clean up. His nails are way to long and I’m tired of hearing the clip clop on the floor when he paces in front of the bedroom door.  Plus he’s looking a little homeless right now.  I prefer him shaved down nice and clean but I know that this time of year it’s too cold for him, even in a country where snow is a treat.  So I’ll just have the groomer clean up his face, belly, and paws.   I miss being able to dress him in his cute little jackets and sweaters, as much as he hated it, I loved it!  One of my favourite pictures of him is where I put is booties on for the first time with his sweater… the look is priceless.  I’m surprised he didn’t pee in my shoes while I was sleeping after that!  But I’m happy to get him into the groomers before Christmas so he’s a little more presentable! 

I’m finding it a bit hard to get into the Christmas spirit again this year, the temperature has dropped to below freezing but with the lack of snow or even HINT of snow, the HO HO HO just “ain’t”so!  I’m listening to Josh Groban right now sing about Christmas so it is helping a touch.  But I could use a good snow storm to get me more into the spirit.  Oh Huntsville I envy you…..

Well I’m going to cut this short right now since I have to get groceries and figure out dinner.. also the batteries in the key board are dying and making typing impossible!!

Quick updates for the past few weeks.

A little while back a friend from Canada came to the Netherlands to visit her boyfriend,  so of course we did dinner (the four of us) at a wonderful Indian restaurant here in Amersfoort.  This place is a favourite for Frank and I, so we thought that going there with Danielle and Chris would be a great evening of amazing food.  As per tradition with this restaurant (A taste of India) they always serve more food then you can eat.   We pretty much rolled ourselves out of there! 

Then Danielle and I took a girls’ day and we did some sightseeing in Leerdam.  This smallish town is known for their glass work and after a quick tour of a small museum (the main one was being renovated), we headed over to watch some glass blowing.   I think we could have stayed there all day watching them.   We left because it was getting a little crowded and also because my camera’s batteries wore out after the first little film I made!  GRRRRRRRR!   After sitting in awe for about an hour we stopped and had a bite to eat then wandered the streets.  Leerdam is a quaint little town and everything is close together, it makes it very easy to shop.  We also stopped at the church for some pictures and then headed home to relax before going out for supper at a pannekoekenhuis.   It was a great day and nice to see a Canadian face :).

Other events besides the obvious baby shopping,  I am no longer working – thank you Resources for wasting my time –  and AM looking but holy mamma there is nothing out there.  I had one interview for a company in Amstelveen which is located south of A’dam,  everything went well and I was even called back for a second interview, the problem is… DISTANCE!!!  Now if I was only taking the train to work then ok, I can deal with the hour commute… BUT when you tack on a tram ride for 30 minutes then I have an issue.  Plus if I miss the one train from Utrecht I have to wait another 15-30 minutes for the next one.  So the day of my second interview, my commute there was 2 hours and my commute home was an hour and a half.  Even if this was only for 3 months or so; I’d be dead by the time I got home everything.  So the answer to that job was a no.   Which is really too bad because I think it is a growing company with great potential and the people that I meet seem very nice… then again I thought that of the last job too.. hmmmm….

As for the house, we’ve put in new carpet in the living room and we are in the (ok Frank is) the process of switching bedrooms.  We needed the new carpet since the old one was dark blue and showed EVERYTHING!!!  This one is a nice beige with brown flecks and unless it’s black fuzz you really don’t see the lint.   Stoney has taken a liking to it, especially if he can cram his little butt in to a small sunbeam on the floor.  He’s giving me squinty eyes because he doesn’t like his picture taken and also because he’s been a real suck lately!!  After this was done he sat there and started shaking and giving me sad eyes so that I would pick him up.  He’s getting worse in his old age.  He’s become possessive of his space and nipped Frank’s toes when Frank got too close to his bed.  I don’t know what’s going to happen in January, but I have to break him of this habit and suckyness.  I love him to pieces but he has to be on me, near me, in the same room as me, at all times!!  Quite annoying.

 

As for the bedrooms, we’ve taken the master bedroom back and we will share that with the baby for the first few months until we find something that has 4 bedrooms.   We bought Ash and Bri new high sleepers from Ikea so they can have their desk space and bed and still have some room in the bedroom.  Otherwise with the separate desks, they wouldn’t have any walking space.  Also it gives them a bit of privacy since I’m going to put up curtains so they can pull those closed when they want a bit of me time.  In their old bedroom, Frank has painted and laid out the linoleum.  We would like to put laminate down but that’s just way too expensive for a house we don’t plan on staying in forever.   But we still needed to spruce up the rooms for the baby. 

Frank is on vacation for the next two week, and well, as we know I’m doing the pogey shuffle even though I can’t collect pogey.

So for now I’m going to continue looking for work, be it full/part/temp.  I don’t care anything short of selling a kidney!  As for the pregnancy, I feel great and I still haven’t had any morning sickness or any other unpleasant experiences.  I had another ultrasound done at 13 weeks and the baby is doing well.  This week we have another check up and I can’t remember if we have another ultrasound, I believe so.  This kid is going to hate the camera before it’s born!

Ok, not it’s time to finish cleaning and see if Frank needs another beer! 

Since I’m not working I’ll probably be able to blog a bit more.

Garden of Eden… well ok.. our Eden

I meant to post this a little sooner, but it got a bit busy and I just never found the time to sit and type.  Now as I wait for Frank to fire up the bbq and get dinner going, I’ll get some blogging done. 

Last year we started to do some work on the backyard,  but unfortunately the summer wasn’t the best for us to work in and we really didn’t get a lot done except I did manage to grow a few beans and a couple tomatoes.  The flower side never really amounted to much because the sun is blocked by these hideous trees that are between the two houses.   The patio area had my huge herb garden; which I did get some good use out of, but that was the extent of it. 

This year we decided to dump some money into the garden since we are going to be here for at least another year, and we both enjoy sitting in the backyard when the weather is nice.  We still have a garden with just tomatoes and beans, but we made it a bit bigger and so far so good.  I took the lavender out of the “flower garden” and put that into my big herb pot, then moved my herbs into two smaller pots.  I have to say my favourite part of the garden is the new “rock garden” where the flowers use to be.  Since nothing grew there to begin with we decided to just cover the area with rocks and put some nice decorative lanterns and keep the raspberry bush and bleeding heart bush.  The two top pictures are the work in progress.

Here is the finished rock garden… 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think Frank did a great job with the backyard and we definitelyenjoying it, at least when I don’t have laundry hanging up!   But new we like to sit in the back and read or listen to music and more then once we will have dinner outside, especially if it’s bbq.  

I would like to get a statue or something else for the rock garden, but nothing has caught my eye just yet.  But I’m sure that very soon Praxis will have a sale and I’ll see the pièce de résistance and add it to the garden.  But as for now it’s nice to see Stoney follow the sun around the yard and try to get to the warm spots.   After a hard day’s work, he found a comfy spot on Frank.

Ik ben Melissa. Ik woon in Amersfoort. I ben going mental!

Well… I started my Inburgeringcurses yesterday… and…. and…ya.  I’m doing the type where you sit there with headphones on and go through the lessons on an individual basis (Talenpracticum).  I’m also apparently taking a bit harder exam then the normal one given, don’t ask, I don’t know, all I know it’s called the “staatsexam”.  I have to finish these courses and take my test with in the three and a half year mark of living in the Netherlands other wise I can be fined.  I have to “work with them” on this, yes that was in the letter they gave us, well me actually not Frank since HE doesn’t HAVE to do this! (Jealously showing).  

I’ve been given two books to follow along on the tapes and also for homework purposes.  Great no problem… so yesterday I head off to my course, which is on the other end of the city basically and it would take longer by bus then by bike,  and I get there 10 minutes early.  Being the good pupil.  Well that was a waste of time since you can’t even talk the secretary until your allotted time.  PERFECT since I needed to ask questions.  So I waited and watched people come and go, and waited, and watched more people come and go…. finally the teacher came and got me.  I felt so special… or rather singled out since she flat out announced this was my first day and I had to sit at the front of the class…. great considering there were already two other people there and I had to sit in between them.  To give you an idea of how much space you have, try fitting the large eggs into the carton that is marked small.  Hmmmm yes… comfortable.   So then she starts to speak Dutch to me,  I’m sure the blank gaze I gave her was the dead give away that I didn’t understand.  Ok.. I did understand but I wasn’t going to make my head hurt by making sure I was translating it properly in my head.   I was then given Lesson 2 or for you smart ass already know Dutch people Les 2.   HEY!! WHAT HAPPENED TO LESSON 1??  I guess since I did SO well on the pre-tests for someone who has no clue with the language I can skip lesson 1.   When I say well, I mean I actually got some answers right on all 3 tests that I had to do. 

Now I’m settled in my seat and I have my two pretty red books in front of me,  she sets me up on Lesson 2 and  shows me the earphones I’m supposed to use.  I don’t think she was amused that I took out a kleenex with a dab of antibacterial cleaner on it to wipe them down.   And I settle in for my first lesson!  WHOOHOOO!!  Here’s your example of what I listened too, and repeated for an hour…

Ik woon in Amsterdam.

Ben u student?

Ja, ik ben student.

Ik studeer Engels.

Hè, dat is mijn taal.

Now… here’s the thing… luckily I understand what I was reading and repeating, but nowhere was there a translation or the teacher offering a translation.  I pretty much could have been repeating Greek and not having a clue what it meant.   Now this is pretty basic and most people can get the just of it, but at the end of this I had to listen to some sentences and write them down…. ok…. um…. That wouldn’t be a problem if it was what we just studied, but it wasn’t… needless to say I guessed on most and got nearly all wrong.  Not impressed by that.  I did however do the listen for  “i” sound as in pit and the “e” sound as in pet part perfectly.  Trust me it was harder then you think. 

Once I got home I had about 6 pages of homework to do.  I had to take the word given and write the plural.  No problem, except again I didn’t know what I was reading and I want to know the English word so next time I’ll remember.  My homework that should have only have taken 30 minutes took and hour because of all the translating I did on top of the original work.   Oh and I’m still not done, I still have 2 more pages to do.  *sigh*  Well it’s a matter of “suck it up buttercup” because I don’t have a choice but to do these courses.  So I might as well just get it done and over with now.

Oh and for anyone questioning why I took the classes this way and not in a regular class setting, I’m on the job hunt.  So if I get a job I can easily switch these classes to the night and not worry about losing out on lessons.  Plus these classes are fairly flexible so I can change times even for the day if I can’t make my normal time.  That’s the only reason why I did it this way, otherwise I would have opted for a normal class room setting.

I have classes now every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday for only 2 hours a day.  I’m not too sure what’s going to happen when I leave in March to go back to Canada for a visit.  Maybe I can double up on the lessons so I don’t fall behind.   The bike ride is about 15-20 minutes depending on the wind.  Oh that reminds me I need to get a rain cape, I have a jacket but it doesn’t cover my legs and it’s so bloody annoying having wet pants!

Other then that, New Years was an experience I don’t think I’d like to repeat.  At least not when I have Stoney still around.  The fireworks were great but they left the poor dog shaking for a week and unable to go outside and go to the bathroom properly.  I had to drug him the night of the fireworks and even then it really didn’t help too much.  The Dutch LOVE their fireworks, and well our neighbours obviously do too since it was 4 am by the time they put out the lovely bonfire in the middle of the parking lot and stopped setting them off.   The thing with the fireworks is that hey started in November and continued right through until the 3 day in January.  After nearly two months of it you just get tired of listening to them.  The fun of watching them is gone.  

I think next year I’ll find out what my aunt in Italy is doing and go visit her with Stoney!!  I know she loves him since the last time she was in Canada she gave him a bath…. and I heard about it until she left to go back to Italy…God love her 😀

A busy week

I haven’t been very faithful in the writing department lately.  It just seems that even though I’m currently not working, I am just non-stop busy.  This past week and a bit has been a hectic with school appointments, my appointments with schools, yoga (hey it’s free), shopping for Christmas presents, birthday presents (3 in 2 months ugh), trying to keep the house somewhat clean, and currently making a piñata for Ashley’s 13th birthday. 

Yes I know that she’s 13 and it seems childish, but the piñata is just for when the family is here for some fun.  We are having Mexican for dinner so I thought I would add a little surprise.  Besides everyone loves bashing things with a stick!  On Saturday she and 3 friends are going to go to the movies and then 2 of them are spending the night… Pray for me.

I have my Dutch test tomorrow to see what level I am, so I can start my inburgeringcurses.  I am interesting to see how much I really do know after being here for 5+ months.  I know that I can’t speak a lick; well I probably could if I tried.  My reading isn’t too bad and I can usually make out what the important things are in a letter.  When I hear it, I am able to pick out enough words at times to get the just of things, but don’t ask me for a literal translation because I can’t get the majority of the words.  I would rather start from square one anyways with the lessons, especially since I believe the classes I chose are mainly done with a tape recorder and computer.  I wanted to go during the day, but I also want to get a job.  I could have gone at night but that poses problems when Frank is on his business trips.  So this way it’s flexible and I can go on my time as much as 4 times a week.  I am hoping that once I start working then I’ll pay for classes at the ROC. 

Stoney is back to his old pain in the ass self.  He has to be on me or near me at all times.  I can’t go upstairs without him following.  The other day he was sleeping while Frank and the kids were downstairs, I had gone upstairs to read and he had a panic attack.  He started to whimper until he came upstairs and saw me on the bed.  I know I made him a suck, but MAN there are some days he just drives me batty.  Although one bonus is that he’s really enjoying the bike rides now, it does get a bit chilly for him but I have a blanket and his sweater.  He’s off to be groomed soon too; he’s starting to look a bit “Tramp-y”.

Frank will be home for a bit, no trade shows until January.

The kids are doing well and even though I have managed to piss off 3 teachers concerning them, they still enjoying school.  Only Ashley’s teachers to yell at next, I managed to irk Michelle’s last night at the meeting.  Oh well… do your job and I won’t have to become super bitch.  Brianna’s teacher meeting is tomorrow, so this is going to be interesting since nothing has been done since September.   Really is it that hard to send home a weekly journal so we know what work we have to concentrate on at home??  Yes this is going to be a “Dutch Rant” all those that have a problem skip to the next paragraph.  We had asked that the school send home a journal and extra math homework for Brianna since she was having problems with it, but has anything of the sort happened??? NO!  Am I pissed??? Just a wee bit.  I don’t understand the system here, I get that some students have trouble with school but do you really need to decide their future when they are 10?? I would like for them (all three) to have options in life, not do what the school feels they are capable of doing.  It’s frustrating and annoying.  This school also checks what I pack for Brianna for her lunches and questions her snacks if it’s something they aren’t familiar with.  Relax people it’s just a muffin.  The last time they were going to take her oat bar that I made because they thought the cranberries were chocolate (yes there was chocolate but dark chocolate and small bits).  Oh and let’s not forget, they won’t make a “toasty” (same as grill cheese) because the bread wasn’t brown bread.  Really?? WELL THEN… how about I give you a list of what she likes and doesn’t like and YOU can buy the groceries and make her lunch daily.  Trust me I don’t send the kid to school with crap.  She has the token cheese or one slice of meat sandwich, a piece of fruit, and a snack (oat bar, muffin, or a type of bread).  Let the kid eat!  You aren’t there to police her lunch, instead put the energy into teaching her!  Yes… frustration is the main thing here.  As for Ashley, she finds math too easy but they won’t give her extra homework.  The kid is asking for extra work and they won’t give it to her!!  God forbid she actually advances in her studies!!   Yes this is the stupidity I’m dealing with when it comes to the schools.  Ok… rant done now….

So as I was saying, things have been fairly busy and I can’t see it letting up anytime soon especially since we have the American Thanksgiving to do (with some of Frank’s co-workers), Sinterklaas, Christmas, 3 birthdays, New years, and hopefully me starting my lessons as soon as possible. 

Well now that it’s nearly time for bed, I need to check on the piñata and see if it’s drying properly.  I could only do one side today so I’ll have to pray that it dries completely so I can do the other side.  It needs to be painted and filled by Friday… eek!

It’s a good thing he’s cute.

Well this has been an interesting week,  Frank came home from Russia, I started to look into my inburgering curses, and the dumb ass dog decided to eat a DARK chocolate bar wrapper and all.  That’s right.. chocolate…

So after a massive panic attack and chatting to Tammy on line, I made Stoney puke.  Unfortunately, enough chocolate was digested to give him the runs after the puking was done.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so miserable, he had to stay outside for a bit until the puking was done and he just sat there with his head hanging down.  I brought him inside and cleaned him up, then laid him in his bed with a towel, the poor guy started to whimper and then would bolt back outside.  My usually spunky dog was lifeless, he didn’t want to do anything except lay in his bed and whimper.  I knew he didn’t feel well because he actually wanted to be covered with the towel, Stoney hates covers on him. 

That night, he somehow got under the bed and woke us with his whimpering, Frank and I had to shoo him out (I really didn’t want to deal with dog puke under the bed) and get him into his bed that we have in the bedroom for him.  That was of course after letting him go outside again to do his business and me cleaning him up as best as possible at 4 am.  The next day, this is what he looked like.  Now if anyone knows Stoney, you know that this really isn’t him.  His ears wouldn’t even perk up if I asked him if he wanted a cookie.  The only thing he would take was sugar water when I held the bowl under his nose.  So after calling the vet and going there on Friday, he’s now on the mend.  He has special pills to rebuild the lining of his stomach and intestines, special food to make sure that the trots stop, and special water to make sure he doesn’t dehydrate.  Although the food doesn’t seem to be doing much, he still getting the scoots and the problem is that he gets them at night.  So we’ve had a few accidents on the carpet since I can’t get to him fast enough.

All I can say is that I’m hoping he has learned his lesson and won’t touch chocolate again… ya right… this is Stoney we are talking about, the same dog that managed to get a bag of chips from a blocked room, bring them into the living room, open the bag, and share it with his brother.  I doubt that he’s learned anything from this ordeal. 

We have though, since now we know how far on to the coffee table he can reach!

Ears like a little bat.

While taking a break from stripping wallpaper for the majority of the morning, I thought it would be time to grab a quick snack before getting back to the grind.  So I made a favourite of mine, Knäckebröd (which is actually Swedish) and smeerkaas  (the Dutch version of cream cheese).  I sit down here at the computer to surf while eating when I feel a little pat on my leg.  I look down to see this…

Ignore the mess on the carpet, we are renovating and everything gets tracked through the living room.

What kills me is that he was outside, at the back of the yard sound asleep.  He didn’t even hear me make the snack.  It wasn’t until I took my first crunchy bite did the little beggar show up.  Of course he sat there and stared at me the entire time.  But not once did I bend, not once did he get just a smidgen of cheese or Knäckebröd.  Nope.. not… well ok, maybe just the corner of it.   How can you say no to a face like that??