Yesterday was my father-in-law's birthday celebration. The party was held in a very unique restaurant in Oudewater, (follow the link for some gorgeous photos) where most of Niek's family lives (or has lived) - fortunately, there was room enough for the grandkids to stretch their legs and play a bit, so the grownups could enjoy each other, too. Rowen was thrilled to get dressed up in her red velvet party dress, a birthday gift from my Mom, and Nicky wore a new vest with turtles and sailboats that was also a gift from his Grammie. Niek and I were definately outshone by the kids. :-)
Tomorrow will be a return to the regular schedule after the week of school vacation we've just had. The vacation at this time of year is called the crocus vacation, named, I assume, for the tiny little crocuses that poke their bright heads out of the snow and mud that are a hallmark of this time of year. Max and I were able to spend a whole day together - a true treasure in a big, busy family like ours! We took the train to Amsterdam and just did whatever we felt like doing. We splurged on a horse-drawn carriage ride along the lovely canals that criss-cross Amsterdam's center. (Max was so excited I half expected he'd spring right out of the carriage, or that his head would go all the way around from his attempts to see everything at once.) He also greatly enjoyed the street performers, particularly the ones who imitate statues. We managed to hit all the stores of interest to an (almost) 8 year old boy as well. Our train ride home, sadly, was a bit of a disaster ... Nicky and Rowen were actually stranded at the daycare after closing hours as Max and I were trapped in a non-moving train. Our homeward journey took us 2 1/2 hours instead of the 50 minutes it should take. Next time, we'll drive!
Nicky has really gotten the hang of toilet training and is even diaper-free at night now. Rowen has been very busy caring for her dolls. LOL If this is any indication of her future mothering skills, that girl is going to be the Earth Mother.
We're truly gifted with our wee beasties. I cannot imagine how empty my life would seem without them - crayon-colored sofas and squabbles and all!
On the stitching front, I started Brightneedle's "Dearest Friend" last night over-one on 27 ct linen. I didn't get too far because I spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to find the DMC to match the color key. I finally decided to just do it in my own choice of colors, but stayed with the muted tones of the original.
What do you think of the new Prairie Schooler designs? I really like Birdsong II, but it'll have to wait .... I'm still waiting on the Nashville pre-order I placed with Stitching Bits & Bobs quite awhile ago. The bright side of the slow delivery is that I was able to add a couple of letters from the CHS alphabet series that had gone walkabout. (There is always a silver lining ...)
