Let's get this party started!

Brant's parents are with us in Kampen!!  They arrived Tuesday morning, after an uneventful and safe flight overnight across the Atlantic.  We were all so excited to see each other, and immediately took advantage of having out of town visitors by showing them around.  Brant met them at the airport, where all three of them hopped on a train to go visit his school in Amsterdam.  After their tour, they hopped on two more trains and a bus to come out to our little town of Kampen, where we greeted them with big open arms, grand kids to tickle, warm beds for a small nap, and two bicycles!  We can guarantee all who come to visit us a bed, fabulous company, good food and bikes for your mode of transportation. :)  Thoughtful, I know.

After nap time, we adjusted the bikes to the correct height for both Dale and Martha, and headed off for Oudestraat (Old Street), for a tour of Kampen, and of course, some gelato!  I'd say we kicked things off quite well!

First up - Martha!

You too, Dale.

Grandma, wait!

They look fantastic, wouldn't you agree??  Truly fitting in with the locals.

Nothing like gelato, even on a cool day like this one.

A stroll down Oudestraat.

Checking out the world map, to see where Grandma and Grandpa's airplane came from.

Loving some train time.

Yesterday, (Wednesday), we had another fun day around Kampen.  We picked Maddie up from school and decided it would be a good day to go out to a cafe for lunch.  We landed at a little place called "Lunch in Paris" (located on Oudestraat - like most everything in this town!).  It was an adorable little cafe, and the food was unbelievable.  We all agreed the sandwiches we ate were probably the very best sandwiches we have ever tasted - truly.  Just come and visit us and I'll prove it to you. 

A beautiful bike ride, and yes, Geoffrey is almost 2.  Can you tell?

I didn't get a picture of the outside of the cafe, but here we are on the third floor, overlooking Oudestraat.

Love being in love with this man.

The adventure continues!  Dale and Martha get to be with us through the end of next week, so I will have many more fun stories and pictures to share.  Stay tuned!

Another year for Brant....European style!

Brant had a birthday this week!!  We have a lot of traveling plans coming up, so we decided to keep his birthday on the simple side - but still making it special (I mean, it's a birthday, so I can't let it go uncelebrated!).   The day started with a special breakfast at home, birthday cards from Maddie and me (Geoffrey didn't seem to notice that he had been left out of the birthday card crafting from the day before), and an extra special call from our dear friends, Micah and Hannah.  Brant went to the library in the morning, and we met up with him for a picnic lunch, direct from a local bakery! 

Somebody is a coffee drinker now, being a European resident and all.

How great is it that we can all enjoy lunch together, on a weekday?  What a treat for our family.

Well, I tried to capture them all.  It was a good effort.

Everything about this picture makes me feel like a blessed mama.  Our kids have a daddy who loves to play with them.

We had a real treat that evening - our friends, Clay and Bekah, watched the kids so we could go out on a dinner date!  This is the first time we have been out together, without our children, since we arrived in Kampen.  Whew!  It was amazing, to say the least.

What a handsome man.

Wouldn't have it any other way.

A view from our bike ride, of this fall-like day.

Happy man, with his Dutch burger.

When we returned to pick up the kids, I had one last surprise for Brant - a mini birthday party with the Cooke family!  I had picked up a few special treats from the bakery for us all to sample.  The kids were particularly thrilled. :)

Happiest of birthdays, to the love of my life.  It was a wonderful day, and my joy to celebrate 32 years of you! 

Pumpkins!

We did not have success finding a pumpkin patch this year, but that didn't stop us from finding pumpkins.  The local market did not disappoint, and we came home with two beauties, for 3 euros total.  I'd say that's pretty great. :)

Sibling love.

Don't know what it is about kissing the pumpkins.

Maddie is such a trendsetter.

Failed attempt at a high-five.

So they mutually decided a fist-bump would be better.

Maddie insisted on this picture, recreating the previous two years, where she posed for a picture like this in the pumpkin house, at the patch we went to in California.

Circus Italiano, in Kampen!

We went for a bike ride last Saturday afternoon, in search of a rumored traveling circus that had stopped in Kampen for a three-day stay.  One look at the circus scene and I knew we were done for.  Brant had mentioned the circus to me the night before, but I had sort of closed the idea, thinking it would be a bit of a flop.  I mean, I'm just one who thinks of the circus as this grand pomp and circumstance, with lions, and people shooting out of cannons and elephants flying overhead with magic feathers in their trunks (ok, ok.  So maybe Disney has tainted my view just a bit).  There were animals caged up around the tent, yes, but no elephants or lions or tigers.  Instead, we saw horses, camels, bulls and lamas.  The kids and I had never been to a circus before, and after looking at the glee in Brant's little boy eyes, I jumped on board and bought the tickets.  And I am so glad I did. 

About to enter the Big Top!

We were delightfully surprised when we saw how large the tent was inside.  Granted, it was not packed with people by any means, but that sort of gave it a more unique feel.

Let the show begin - we're ready!

Horses are definitely impressive animals.

The acrobat was amazing.  She had several acts throughout the night, all equally stunning.

Ponies!  All four of us loved the ponies. :)

Blurry, but mesmerized by the cuteness of the ponies.

I snuck this shot during the next act.  It was so sweet to look over and find our "non-cuddly" little girl, snuggled up into her Daddy like this. 

Maddie enjoyed the hula hoop act, because she can hula hoop, too. :)

I told you - camels.  Big animals, and also quite good at walking in a circle.

Oh, and sitting on their knobby knees.  (A few of you might catch my reference - this shot reminds me of the "Claymation Christmas" rendition of "We Three Kings."  Am I right?)

Now we add in the bulls and lamas, and walk in a circle.

Seriously?  If this bull had moved two inches closer, we could have had a stampede of camels on our hands!  That's the way of the circus, I suppose: living life on the edge.

One last time, folks.

Balancing from a dangling hoop, without any harness.  See?  She was quite good.

I was picked from the crowd (after raising my hand to be picked), for an act with other audience members and "the clown." (He performed several acts throughout the night, but was not dressed as a typical clown, as you can see above).

I was pretty excited.  I'm not one to shy away from the spotlight. :)  There were four audience members called out, each given a bell on a plate.  When he pointed to us, we rang our bell.  I was sort of waiting for "the punchline," but there wasn't one.  He just conducted us as we played a beautiful Italian song (too bad I can't remember the tune now, but at the time, I recognized it).

This one's for you, Dad.  Thanks to your amazing musical direction growing up, I nailed my part! ;) I mean, just look how pleased he is with my performance.

And then there was the contortionist.. 

He made such an impression on Maddie, she took off her shoes and began showing us her contortionist skills, right there on the bleacher.

Look at her go!  It's difficult to tell who was the real act!

His torso and right leg are moving through the tennis racket.  You read that correctly.

And another act that made an impression, this time, on both kids.

First Maddie..

And then, Geoffrey.  He kicked off his boots, used Daddy to help balance, and got right to it!

Which brings us to the grand finale - a trapeze act.  Maddie was very impressed with "the girl going so high on the swing."

This is what a traveling circus in a small town is comprised of!  Well done, Circus Italiano!  We were highly pleased! :)