Spring is coming....

Ok everyone... I started writing the blog in February actually... so just pretend you are reading it in February because I didn't want to have to go through and change all the wording!!

... and I am just now posting my New Years/ Christmas Blog... hmm

First things first, (before I get busy posting the past) what is happening right now??? Well as you all know wedding business is in full swing! Just this week, I took a trip to the U.S.A. Consulate in Amsterdam to swear/affirm myself as being single (I had to do the whole raised right-hand, oath thingy before I could get my paper stamped). Then I tried to make it over to Den Haag to the Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken to get my paper legalized for Dutch law... but alas TomTom got me in the area in time (12:25 ...5 minutes before they closed), but amongst the constuction by central station, needing to park, and not being able to find the place... there was no saving that attempt. So, I walked around to find it anyway so that when I go back I will just know where it is. It actually works out better that I have to go back because if I hand in my paper before 11:30 then I it will be done and clear in about 15 minutes and I can just take it home with me.

Richard and I also went to the immigration offices to get all the information we needed to apply for my visa last weekend. It turns out that the "living together" visa is the same as the "marriage" visa, the only difference is that with one of them you have to show your marriage certificate. So, this week Richard found out that we have all that we need to apply, so we will just apply in the beginning of March and don't have to wait for a marriage certificate! GREAT!! Accept for the fact that it costs €830... eeewwwww!!

Enjoy the pictures!

Here I am with Anna Lisa de Boer and Margot (her mom). They gave me a great birthday present just before I took off for Christmas vacation. The de Boer family is awesome! They are some of the best people I have ever met. If anyone wants to come be a nanny for them, let me know!!

Kilian and Concetta, Richard and I, out to dinner at the WOK of Fame. It is this all you can eat wok buffet place. So good, but you get soooo full bleh.

Here I am freezing outside at the "kerstmarkt" in Dordrecht. It is a night time market that they have durring the Christmas season and there are bands, and food and just stands of all sorts of stuff. It was waaaaay too cold, but I can atleast say that I have done it I guess. I will be honest, I wasn't in the mood and at the end I wasn't very impressed... Maybe they have better ones in other cities...

Sylvia had too much juice at my birthday party, and thought it would help her see better if she put the cups over her eyes.

"Lang zal ze leven..." Here I am being sung to and getting my 3 cheers. It was only appropriate that I stand on the table for that. Unfortunately I had to get down from the table when the song was over.

I just really liked this picture, everyone is doing something different... except Concetta who is always aware of the camera!

Here we are all together for the first annual Christmas brunch (I determined that we would do this every year). I made some really yummy eggs with ham pieces, red pepper, onion and cheese. We had a ton of fruit and yogurt and bread. It was definitely a hit and quite healthy might I add!

Just hangin out after that LEKKER brunch! Marcel and Bianca are checkin out the cool cook book we got for Siebe and Elly. Siebe had recently taken up cooking and taken over the kitchen.

Bianca and Marcel, they are awesome!

Here is the group of us (I am behind the camera) out to Christmas dinner.

Ma and Pa Staal, it was great that we got Siebe to give us a smile for some of the pictures!


Marcel and Richard, check out the crazy lady in between them that wanted in on the pic haha!

Marcel and I. Just cheesin' it up while we wait for out drinks.

Eliza, Caroline, me and Bianca.

I really liked the napkins, they seems like fabric but they were really just really thick like heavy duty paper towel style napkins.


Hey look it's Richard and me!!! This was a really fun Christmas with the Staal/Groesbeek family!