More from Holland

We have had a wonderful time in Holland, a little wet and cold sometimes, but nevertheless, wonderful! Every Saturday at the market, the boys had the luxury of eating a warm stroopwafel, which is a very thin soft cookie with a carmel like syrup in the middle. It's delicious eaten right away while still hot. Here are our beautiful nieces enjoying one with us.

The girls took us out on the canals on their boat. It was so nice, relaxing and fun. An afternoon spent talking, laughing and just being with our favorite girls.

My girls...

My boys...

Unfortunately, there is an amazing ice cream place just around the corner from the house! Notice Ash's 'poor me' face...too funny, but don't let him fool you, that small scoop was his own choice!

Walking home... the boys are so happy.

We did eat ice cream more than once!


Mother's Day on Texel (where Bart's parents have a second house). The first thing the boys did when I woke up was to take me outside and show me two tulips they 'found' on the other side of the fence when they were playing the day before. They asked if they could pick them because they didn't seem to be in anyone's yard, but just wanted to make sure it was okay before they did. So sweet. There were exactly two, one from each of them. They then made me a wonderful brunch and we went out to dinner that evening.

The boys playing in a WWII bunker by the Texel's lighthouse.

The inside of the lighthouse, between the walls. The original wall is full of holes from WWII. Russian prisoners of war escaped and hid in the lighthouse until the Nazi's found and killed them.

Warming ourselves and enjoying a much needed break of hot chocolate by the fire.

The boy's favorite playground. We came here a few times to play tag. It used to be easy to chase them and catch them, but they are both so fast now that I've suddenly become the slow easy target! They've definitely got us beat when it comes to climbing, jumping, swinging down from the ropes, and sliding! I'm not sure exactly when it happens, but the parents have become stiff! But it is amazing how much we can do with a good kick of adrenaline!

We bike around the whole island every year. It's around 30 miles. This year was a little colder than normal!

Our last week is spent in Haarlem, a lovely city 15 minutes from Amsterdam, and the home of Corrie ten Boom. Here the boys are looking at a WWII memorial with all of the names of the Jewish people from Haarlem that died in the war.

Preparing to say goodbye to Holland and getting ready for Iceland!