sinterklaas fills our shoes

Sinterklaas stopped by our house on Sunday just before it hopped on his boat back to Spain.

he left each of the kids a chocolate letter, a pair of socks ---after all - they did leave their SHOES out:) -- and a couple other presents.

snuffle market

a few sundays ago we biked to the snuffle market. mostly because i was just curious about what one might find at a snuffle market. i saw the signs all over town as i biked the kids to and from school advertising a snuffle market so i wanted to check it out.

a snuffle market is like an antique market and garage sale all mixed in together. there were some really neat antiques at the snuffle market - including little handmade girl's dresses and some unique silverware.

i found this really cool tin box (it's got the name of the town we are living in printed on the box) and a couple pairs of wooden shoes!

sinterklaas song

sinterklaas video

Sinterklaas comes to Violenschool

Sinterklaas visited the boy's school today - it was so neat to see the kids so excited to see him. Some of the children even dressed up as Sinterklaas.

I absolutely love the innocence of a child. Jayden's teacher mentioned to me that Jayden told her that he had asked Sinterklaas for a watch and a few weekends ago when we went to Ross' work to see Sinterklaas - he actually received the EXACT watch he was wishing for!

I will admit that I believed in Santa Claus muuuuuch longer than either of my younger siblings did.... and don't even get my started on the Easter Bunny - talk about my world coming crashing in all at once!

my helper

with jillian attempting to feed herself some table food lately - it seems like i have to clean up the floor after every meal! she loves to "help" me. i turned around to find her STANDING! i do not want my BABY to grow up!!!!!! ok - well maybe it would be nice if she slept through the night - ugh!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

well, it's late here on a friday night - but late at night seems to be the ONLY time our house is completely quiet. don't get me wrong - i absolutely LOVE my children and all the noise they create - but there is just something about the smell of clean kids all bathed and lotioned up - sleeping peacefully in their beds.

i get this same peaceful feeling when the snow is falling outside.... kind of a sense of calmness.... well maybe not so calm if you need to shovel out the driveway or listen to the snowplow circling the neighborhood.

for now - we don't have to worry about the snowplow or shoveling out the driveway - HOPEFULLY we don't get that much snow here in Holland... well at least that is what my HUSBAND told me when we moved here! we got a couple inches of snow this week - not enough to keep me off my bike! at least with the snow i do not have to worry about whether or not i will need my rain gear for the day :)