Happy Birthday to my baby!

My babyboy turns 3 today! He's telling the world that he is now BIG!





We celebrated his birthday last Saturday with his friends, our friends and family. He liked his birthday party, his cake and his gifts... I ordered a photocake:

Saturday morning we picked it up and I was still a little afraid he would not like it because he told me he'd rather have Kabouter Plop (another of his TV heroes) cake and certainly NOT Piet Piraat... But when he saw the cake he was happy, such a relief :)

Today daddy had to go to work and his brother had to go to school so there isn't a big party today. Some things make it festive anyway, sometimes even unexpected. I had sent his photo to Zappelin, a Dutch childrens' programme and this morning Milan was on TV! His friend Tim called immediately after that, he had seen it too! You can also view it here on the Zappelin website. Milan is on page 3... I can't believe there are over 50 children on there celebrating their birthdays and his photo was picked to be shown on TV (there are only 3 photos on TV!).

Now that Milan is 3 he can use the playground and ballroom facilities at IKEA... Something he has been looking forward to for a VERY long time! So we are going there for dinner tonight and he can play at the playground with his brother... he is even taking a nap without complaining so that he will be extra-fit tonight!

Off to scrap some birthday pictures!

My Meez!

Saw this on dst.... isn't this funny? I designed my own Meez with clogs (ok they're Swedish Clogs... but still European, right?)... Enough play for today, it's back to the serious work again tomorrow... one more day until the weekend!

Have a good night!

Oops my forgotten LO!

I totally forgot to post this layout, I made this yesterday with the photos from the trip to the forest ....

Credits can be found here

Happy Birthday!

Quite a few birthdays today... It's our friend Edels' birthday today and of course grandma Rebecca who turns 65 today! But it's also the birthday of Queen Beatrix. A new photo was released today with her 7 grandchildren. Happy birthday!!

It's open...

It's open!! You just have to come and see for yourself.... No affiliation with Gina Miller but just love the stuff she has created....!! I already did my shopping.... now I have to find time to unzip and create!

Please help! Vote!

I entered a photocontest for Dixons.... Please vote if you like this photo!! You can go to the website here.... That would be so great, thanks!! You could also vote for Andys' entry, which you can view here

Bruintje at the Forest & Pancakes

As we had planned a few weeks ago we met up at Lage Vuursche today. The weatherforecast was not too good but by the time we got there it had stopped raining. We did the forest-walk-around, no more than walking for about 45 minutes. Probably a long walk for 6 feet under 5! But the boys didn't complain, they did running games looked for branches to hold as a walking stick.

When we finished our walk we had to look for a restaurant that had a table for all 11 of us... We did leave Bruintje in the car so he didn't need a chair. It was a bit to wet for him outside, but in fact ... wouldn't it look a bit funny to walk around with this large bear ... And he might even find his friends in the forest ... who knows...lol! Talking about the bear... last night we found Mauro in the bed I had created for Bruintje.... Look at this....

Isn't that sweet... he actually stayed in this little bed (I took the cot matress from the attic with a little babyblanket) all night and he didn't even wake up in the middle of the night! Tomorrow Bruintje goes back to school but I still have to write his diary before I can go to bed so I better finish off here... Have a good night!

Credits can be found here

Credits can be found here

Two LO's posted here today. One (Turisme) I did yesterday and the SWAK LO was the result of some photos I took this afternoon. I'll post more about that later...

A guest at our place

Today Mauro brought home a guest for the weekend... He brought along a suitcase with clothes, and a tootbrush. He was wearing a nice red bodywarmer and his PJs! Perhaps a strange combination but our guest is the 'logeerbeer'. His name is Bruintje and during the week he stays in the classroom but at weekends he doesn't like being alone in the school so by turn the children bring him home for the weekend. Since Mauro has only been in school since August it was the very first time to bring home Bruintje!


He also carries a notebook in which we have to write what Bruintje has been doing over the weekend, most parents put photos in there as well. What will Bruintje do this weekend? Tomorrow he will join Mauro to the hairsalon to have a haircut and run some errands. On Sunday he will go to the forest with a whole bunch of friends (11 of us) for a walk and a pancake!


As I said we we're having wraps for dinner tonight so here's a picture of Bruintje Bear at dinner...

These are so cool I just had to put them in my blog... Katie aka Digiscrappingqueen has started putting freebies on her blog and these are the latest, I think it is sooo cool when you start designing and you are able to make this creative stuff and really something different!

Yes the WEEKEND started! It was a sort of grmpffff day ... or perhaps it started with a grmpfff night (one kid didn't sleep well which keeps mom & dad awake)... so I started off really slow this morning. Once I had taken them to school and daycare I relaxed a bit and had time to work, go to a business meeting and run the errands. Just came home, checked my mail and that leaves me about 45 minutes on the internet before I can pick up the kids (or let's say I can pick them up earlier but usually they don't want to come home with me because they are too busy playing at the daycare...).

Dinner tonight, Mauro suggested this:

So that is what it is going to be tonight... Oriental Wraps!

Grandma LO

Credits can be found: here

An ordinary Thursday... the start is always more relaxed because I don't have to take the kids to school or daycare. So I was at the office early (first in last out lol...) and started to work out all the tasks... That's what you do after a day full of meetings and talk like yesterday....

Another recruiting agency on the phone today... hmmm, I think this is getting more serious.... The recruitment market is good, knew that from experience but since I haven't changed jobs in almost 10 years I thought it would look a bit 'rusty' on my cv. Perhaps it's just the opposite and it looks more like very loyal, very committed (rotfl...!! ;-) Okay, don't know if I will do anything with the offers, it is just very nice to be WANTED!

After I put the kids to bed (or one and Andy did the other one) I tried to make some phonecalls, but no one home so I discussed the TV-listings for tonight and decided there would be nothing in it for me... Upstairs it is then and start scrapping....

I found this old picture, one of the few ones I am on together with my grandmother, she passed away in 1993 so on this picture she was still a lot younger but of course childhood memories are the sweetest. Their little house in Utrecht (which back then I thought was huge), Tuesdays when my grandma took me to the local market to buy eal (it looked so alive, yuk!). But also that their home was gasheated and she would put our little coats in front of the gas unit before we left so that we could wear pre-warmed coats! Enough on the sentimental journey, back to everyday life! Another day to work tomorrow and then it's WEEKEND! We are going to have pancakes in Lage Vuursche on Sunday with 8 of our friends (big ones and little ones)... photoshoot!!!

Maisy at the fair

Do you think moms have time to read a book? Of course they have, as long it's not work-related literature, or any even more interesting chicklit! No it is (and has been for the past nights) Maisy at the Fair!

Perhaps you know this book and you consider me as a lucky person... the book is easy to read and before you know it my youngest is in bed and asleep... No way! The book has to be read at least 3 times, and then we have to transform the words (with different sounds)... It has been like that for the past 3 nights and boy, will I be glad if this book will have to be returned to the library! Yes, lucky me... it's a LIBRARY book (and no, he will NOT get a copy for his 3rd birthday...) I think I will try to start reading a book of my own tonight... or will I try and install the beta-version of Photoshop CS3??? Hmmm... I think the book has to wait! After all, I just turned a page yesterday....lol!

Happiness depends upon ourselves

Have you seen the quote of today (left bottom)? So appropriate for the LO I just (really just) finished. Look for the credits here. It has been a crazy week last week but let's say it all turned out well and it's time to turn the page. After I recovered from my burnout (I was close to a burnout the doctor said 5 months ago) I felt my job was taken... it was not really like that but that was my impression... So I chose to take another path and today I heard my choice was approved of by our CEO...pffff. Now I can look forward and I will only look back if it is to give me positive energy and to learn from the past... NOT for any other reason. Feels good, like fresh air... like spring...:) ... of course these 2 (!) serious job offers I got in the past week were adding to the joy....

So the quote one more time:

Quote of the DayHappiness depends upon ourselves.

Aristotle

And last but not least the blinkie Petra made for me

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... Isn't she the sweetest??

Thank you!!!

On the blogtrain too?

Yes I am on the blogtrain.... I saw some of my friends hopped on too. Did you get here on the blogtrain?? I think it's a great idea!

A rose LO and this was my weekend...

Sherry Ferguson came up with a new kit last week on PlainDigitalWrapper . She now also sells at Digiscrapdivas. This kit is called A New Beginning and don't you just love these colors and flowers?!! I do! I did this LO last night... halfway through the weekend.
We only had one kid on Saturday, the other one didn't want to leave grandma's house, lol! He loves being there so we picked him up later in the afternoon. We took the other one on a trip to see a campsite in the east of Holland. We made plans to stay there during our summer holiday but when we got there (it must have been the rain) we weren't too excited... It is probably ok in the summer but we're still open for other options.

Last year in France was fantastic so it will be hard to top that ... On the other hand we don't like going to the same place twice, there's too much to see and do to stay somewhere twice... So we'll just keep looking!

Today we had a very quiet day... we sorted out toys, toys and more toys and even the boys were cooperative to put some things away (to sell on Queensday or to keep in the attic ;) ).
I sorted out Milans' clothes ... because he's growing to fast and there is no one else 'smaller' in this house to wear his 'old clothes' ... Not that he only wears his big brothers' left overs... that's probably why his closet was soooo full of stuff!

No more news for today... I might have go for another LO but I am not sure if I can find the inspiration!

Dreamer LO

My layout of today: credits Fun Loving by Amy Bleser, have had this one for a long time and used it on more than 1 occassion so it must be good :)

Tagged

Ok I have been tagged by Petra!! So now I have to think hard of my all time favorites?? Hmm... let's see, fortunately the past weeks have brought back memories so some people who recognize songs here... don't laugh (but happy birthday anyway ;-))!! It's a mixture of all kinds of memories... and not just what is in the charts or on the radio these days...

1. Patience - Guns N' Roses
2. Eternal Flame - The Bangles
3. Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers
3. Endless Summer Nights - Richard Marx
4. You and me - Spargo
5. Africa - Toto
6. Come on Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners
7. OBK - Historia de Amor

Ok, I´m tagging just two people since I haven't been in touch with a lot of bloggers (and Petra.... can I tag you right back...lol). So it will have to be...Sherry and Anco... so if your read this, I hope you are ready!

Photos!!!

I just put a couple of the (350!) photos I made in Austria on a slideshow... Just look on the left bottom side and (hopefully) you will see them sliding by on your screen! Enjoy!

Sherry Ferguson is moving!

I am on Sherry Fergusons' creative team and she's moving her designs to 2 other sites (and no longer at Elemental Scraps)... She'll be moving to DigiscrapDivas and PlainDigitalWrapper ... and I love both sites so I think she made a great choice. I hope she'll be on her way designing so more great stuff!

Don't you love these?? It's a lazy Sunday morning here and all the boys (except for 1, who is watching Lilo and Stitch) have gone swimming... Time for me to brows SBB and I found these Bended Tags... Can't wait to use them...

This week I got mail from Camille Diaz, boohoo she's quitting designing... I am on her CT (or better was) and it's really a loss of a great talent but she has other priorities now in her life. I wish her all the best, she deserves it... Her stuff is on sale now so you better start checking her shop at 3scrapateers... 50% discount!!!

Today I had to scrap cakes (yes, diet days started again LOL)....Unfortunately I didn't have any photos of the wonderful cakes in Austria (I ate all the apfelstrudel!) so I had to dig in my photos of Paris... I remembered the last day we wandered through the streets of St. Germain and saw all these bakeries with long queues, on a Sundaymorning?? But when we looked through the windows we knew the reason why... Can't you tell? Ooh-la-la!!

Credits: kit The Gift from OScraps (various designers), font for the title: aka Frivolity.

Another LO I made today.... I also uploaded all our pictures to flickr so if you want to be invited to see all of our photos ... just let me know!

We're back from Austria

Yes, we're back! We had a fantastic vacation in Austria. With lots of (articificial) snow... but you really can have as much fun with snow from the snowmachine! We had 7 days (out of 7) with fabulous sunny weather. .. The apartment is one to put on your secret 'favorite places' list (not to share with anyone!)... more photos will be here soon!

Ok, we're off to the snow!! We'll be in sunny Austria from tomorrow and you can find us in this bottom appartment on the left... See you all next week!

Christmas Layouts

Just something to share with you today! Deanna, if you read this I am so happy my package arrived safe and sound at your place... Enjoy!!! Here's the Christmas Concert last Sunday ... and Milan posing with his hat... he can't put a proper smile on the camera but he's so cute when he smiles :)

Last post: my LO for today

Okay okay my last post for today, have to work tomorrow so cannot sit here forever!





Just wanted to show you my latest LO, made with the 3S Bobbies' Best Kit:

Sweet dreams everyone..sleep tight!

The Christmas Concert yesterday... Can you tell who is the small boy in the white shirt? Yes, he was in church with his music-for-toddlers class and had to perform, just like the older students. They did two songs about winter and christmas.

Added: quotes

Hi!

I just added the quote of the day... on the left bottom... LOVE to use quotes for my LOs ... so it's just for inspiration!

Countdown to Christmas

This is our tree... we chose a smaller size this year since we will not be enjoying the tree much around Christmas time. But still I am very happy with it... my favourite this year... The Christmasornaments with the Christmas lyrics on them! Here's one in more detail:

So I am jingling all the way, lol!

No really, I am feeling good (knowing I can escape from Christmas Stress this year and see some snow)...

If we don't speak to you in person we'd love to wish you all

a Merry Christmas and a very happy and healthy

2007!!

40 cm sneeuw boven op de berg, verder he-le-maal niks. Nog 9 dagen en we vertrekken naar Oostenrijk, ben zo benieuwd hoe de vakantie gaat worden. Eerst leek het allemaal redelijk voorspelbaar. De hele dag in skipak, en lekker op het terrasje in het zonnetje. Winterbanden gehuurd tegen een behoorlijke prijs... allemaal nodig op wintersport. Maar zo als het er nu naar uitziet wordt het een wandel/spelletjes/autoritjes vakantie! Ik hoop nog steeds op een witte kerst hoor, desnoods op de top van de berg!

Wintersport: nog 3 weken en dan is het zover... maar nog geen sneeuw??

Hoe vind je onze Pietjes? Ze waren helemaal klaar voor Het Grote Feest van Sinterklaas in Ahoy! Ze vonden het geweldig... het is natuurlijk ook leuk om je Jetix helden (vooral de Pieten) in het echt te zien. En dan natuurlijk Sinterklaas...

Toevallig vandaag hoorden we dat we vrijkaartjes hebben gewonnen voor de Jamin Pietenparty... dus a.s. zondag gaan we het nog eens dunnetjes overdoen!

Oké dan ... 2 scraps nog ff showen... omdat ik vanavond zo in de scrapping-mood ben!

Many of the people who know us will perhaps not even recognize the boy on this LO... Oh perhaps by his name? Little boys are growing up and this one certainly did the past year.... 12 mored days until his 15th birthday!! His birthdaywish... This little toy (I wish I had one myself)... and he preferred it with a pink skin. ;)

Goed, na twee maandjes thuis omdat ik even 'door het ijs zakte' zoals de bedrijfsarts zei... ga ik het weer proberen. Werken! Ik heb er wel zin in om weer even wat meer te zijn dan alleen mama maar ik ga het wel rustig aan doen. Dit wil ik echt niet nog een keer! Hopelijk kan ik begin volgend jaar zeggen dat ik weer helemaal terug ben!

Om m'n laatste dagen te vullen ben ik vandaag weer aan het scrappen geslagen. Ik kon deze week steeds geen inspiratie vinden om te beginnen maar omdat zowel Camille als Sherry leuke kits hadden moest ik mijn CT-taken maar weer even gaan vervullen. Heerlijk...als er toch zoiets bestond als een betaalde baan om te scrappen!


Deze LO is gemaakt met de kit Walk in the Garden van Sherry Ferguson (Elemental Scraps)



Milan als leeuwtje, zo kwam hij laatst thuis van zijn laatste dagje Ieniemienies. In oktober was hij op woensdagen op de Ieniemienie groep omdat de administratie een foutje had gemaakt. Maar hij vond het er heerlijk... de oude groep van z'n grote broer. Gelukkig mocht hij vandaag zelfs een middagje bij de naschoolse opvang... nu voelt hij zich echt groot!

Marco bedankt! Marco bedankt! Wow, het was super afgelopen zondag en ik wilde hier toch een paar herinneringen kwijt... filmpje!

Herfstvakantie.... We zijn weer terug van vakantie... waar we geweest zijn?? In België! Net ver genoeg voor prachtig herfstweer, een mooie camping (en chalet)... de enige ADAC Superplatz van België. Dat zegt de kids alleen niks. Maar die willen gewoon terug naar Willie Brillie en Victor Vos! Ze hebben genoten! Ze waren druk in de vakantie hoor, het zwemparadijs, het speelparadijs, knutselen ('s ochtends), Die-da-doe-mee theater én minidisco (om half 8 's avonds), skelter huren, midgetgolfen, op het schip (en alle andere speeltuintjes) spelen... En dan zijn we óók nog een dagje naar Plopsa Indoor geweest... Een impressie... nou oké dan een paar (van de 325 fotootjes hieronder...):

We zijn ook naar Marco Borsato geweest, daarover later meer....

Hiep hiep hoera, Zara gaf gisteren haar eerste verjaardagsfeestje!! En ze loopt ook al twee weken!

Zara had her first birthdayparty yesterday. She's started to walk two weeks ago.... bright little girl!

Can't believe I haven't been working for 6 weeks... I feel like I haven't been on this world for a while. Last Friday the med told me it's normal that this process takes 6 to 13 (!!) weeks... so I am not there YET! But there are more days that I am feeling a bit better and perhaps we have now really escaped from the threatening burn-out! I sure hope I did!

The boys did keep me going, although it felt like sometimes it is a bit too much if one is beside my bed at 4.00 am and I don't fall asleep after that until 5.00 am... and then the other one wakes up at 5.30 am.... Oooohhh I hate kids that sleep until 8.00 in the morning ; )... Mine never do!!!!!