The weekend; perfection in a two day time frame

Spring has sprung and persuaded our family to go outside. A perfect Sunday, in photos:

First we head to the dunes.

There was balance...

and a family portrait..

some running...

a couple of grandparents...

and after the dunes, we went to Schiphol airport. Baby steps...

plane spotting...

then we left the airport and headed to a plane spotting place

while the sun set

we watched the planes come in

and let them fly right above our heads

Perfect. How was your weekend? Has spring sprung in your part of the world?

Pregnant. Sort of. Not.

Apparently when something big is on my mind, I shut down and loose the need and energy to blog. Which is weird, because normally I am an outgoing person and very able to share my thoughts and emotions. But this was something personal so I couldn't - or wouldn't - blog about.

For the last 2 to 3 weeks I thought there was a good possibility I was pregnant with baby number three. No, it SO wouldn't have been planned. For one, there is the new job I start in two weeks, and second, Roo is still such a baby girl. I cannot imagine being pregnant now and having a baby. (oh and three: child birth, could I ever go through THAT again?)

Before you help me explain the wonderful world of birth control; I know how that works. But sometimes, apparently, it doesn't.

Anyway, the last two weeks or so I was nauseous, tired, emotional, my hair refused to cooperate, zits popped up and I felt like I wasn't myself. I felt the exact same way as when I was in my first trimester pregnant with Monkey and Roo. And for those two weeks I was beyond nervous for the impact this would have. It wasn't until well into my period I started to feel like ME again. Just me.

Anyway, there are a couple of options. It was a false pregnancy (which, is just a scary thought. But hey, if placebos work, this might be real. But still refusing to believe this was even an option. )

OR I was still experiencing illness from the flu and food poisoning (or virus I don't know) of right before the *accident*

OR I was pregnant.

I will never know.

We would like a number three. And if I was pregnant, it would have been very welcome. But man, this particular moment would have not been the right.

So now you know.

For now, I'll be enjoying my TWO children.

These photos were taken Sunday morning, while my husband was studying, I took the kids to the beach. It was a little chilly but the sun was wonderful. We enjoyed this spring day (FINALLY spring!) a lot. (and I saw Ruben Nicolai filming a commercial. He's HOT! But I tried to hide my excitement for Monkey and Roo. "LOOK Monkey that's my pretend celebrity boyfriend a big camera!"

I will write part 2 of the emigration post soon, I promise.

Emigration (part 1)

This may come out of the blue. It did for us.

But we pondered and pondered.

About our dream to move to the US.

In the last few years, we've acted too little on our dream. We investigated our options and didn't stand still.

But we never got anywhere.

And to be honest? If we keep doing the same, we won't be getting anywhere in the next few years either.

Actually, the closest we have gotten to move to the US, were our trips to various beautiful parts of this country.

The memories of those vacations are clear and vivid and make me smile. But the future of actually moving to the US is all a blur.

We went to a convention about emigration last week. And painfully, we had to decide that unless we were willing to take some major (financial) risks, this US thing is just not going to happen.

My *breaking* point was actually the fact that my in laws are willing to move along and help us invest a minimum of 150,000 $ in a company/ organization so we can move there on an investment visa. But you know what? The minute we decide we want to do something else than being active in this company, we have to go back. And even worse, even if we are active in this investment for let's say the next 25 years, the minute Monkey and Roo turn 21, THEY have got to go back to The Netherlands.

Frankly, we are not willing to take those risks. How can I? So between a US based company investing money in us and helping us get a visa (which takes years) and winning the visa lottery, there is not much hope.

I am a little sad that an intelligent, well educated family with the ability to contribute to the economy has to go to this much trouble. I am even more sad because my father and grandparents lived in the US for a little while (in Baltimore) and my husbands mother and grandparents too (Manhattan). I would have loved to experience what they have, many years ago.

But the dream to have the experience the adventure of moving to another country, to live somewhere with more beautiful nature, wider spaces, friendlier people is still there.

So we have decided to look further.

And thought of other possible countries. More on that later!

Photos were made in Dutch children's museum: Museon. I took the kids there this Thursday. The Ocean theme they had going on, was perfect. Monkey is really digging everything ocean and sea right now.

Surprise

On Valentine's Day I found a lovely card in our mailbox. It was an invite for a mysterious dinner on March 07, it was signed; "Your husband knows where the boat departs, Aunt Kee" (in Dutch: Tante Kee).

I did not Google. I wanted too. But didn't.

In my mind, we sailed through romantic seas, got on the taxi boat thought the waters of our harbor city Rotterdam and I *even* hoped he might take me to London.

But I found out... the boat wasn't a *boat* but a ferry

... FOR CARS!

It took us across like a 30 feet water to the island Kaag. Where I had never been (and frankly I had forgotten there was even an island there!)

And there our romantic evening started. We checked into the only hotel on the island. It's really an island for water activities, there's a sail school. Since the weather has sucked for about 6 months now: we were the only ones in the hotel! This was our view (excuse the crappy cam phone quality!)

Anyway, we had a fantastic dinner at Tante Kee restaurant.

If you follow me on Twitter, you might have seen this photo. I was enjoying the first in five different DELICIOUS wines. Mmmmm.

What a cute way to present pepper and salt.

Anyway, it was cool, it was fun, it was a surprise. We actually talked and enjoyed dinner for well over three hours. It was really nice to just be with each other. And for an evening not pay attention to two young children.

The next day we went to a convention about emigration. I actually guessed this part after my husband hinted the day before "Sunday we're going to do something that has to do with our future" "A convention about emigration?" I asked. I know my husband too well.

The results of that convention might surprise you (for those who've been around some time; I've never hidden my love for the US). But I'll post about that later.

Thank you hubby, for the lovely weekend and showing me the little gems in our country.

Looking for my air valve

I am Dutch. OK, I know you know.

But.

Some time ago I discovered a something NEW about being Dutch.

What it means to be Dutch. A married Dutch woman.... A Dutch wife.

I had no clue.

Did you?

And I bet, if you ask my Dutch wife friends (without air valve), they won't know they're Dutch wife's either. But apparently Japanese people call their plastic 'friends' Dutch wife's. Interesting.

And I admit clicking on sex doll. And found that there are HIGH end sex dolls. Huh. Seriously.

Do they oooooh and ahhhh?

And there are people who travel with their high end Dutch wives. Who doesn't? My husband certainly does. Yours?

Oh, you thought you discovered an innocent fun family blog. Ha. It's not me who made this up; it's the British!

From Wikipedia: "English rivalry with The Netherlands especially during the period of the Anglo-Dutch Wars[citation needed] gave rise to several phrases including Dutch that promote certain negative stereotypes. " Dutch wives,going Dutch, Dutch oven, Dutch uncle.

I knew about Dutch oven, because I love to cook and most of our cookbooks are American English. But if you ask my Dutch friends? They'll have no idea it's called Dutch oven, they'll tell you, "No, crazy English speaking person it is a braadpan. BRAADPAN you moron."

What I didn't know is, that there is even a The International Dutch Oven Society. I'm not sure who would rank higher on the CRAZY-list: taking your inflatable friend with you on holiday or being a member of above mentioned society. But maybe I'm being a Dutch uncle about it.

So there you have it. I'm Dutch. And all *positive* associations you have with that word.

Please let me know if my tag line "A Dutch MOM of two" means anything offensive.

And this reminds me I need to post about the California trip my husband and I made a few years ago. We spend two nights in a Bed & Breakfast and we got to answer all kinds of questions about the Dutch. The overall assumption was that there must be a lot of broken families since clearly every Dutch person is addicted to marijuana. Clearly.

Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to see if I do have an air valve. I feel bloated after too much pizza tonight.