We've been gone for about 5 weeks this summer. It was a big treat and also a lot of work! Traveling with a three and five year old have a whole host of challenges and you need to stay a few steps ahead....which I'm not sure we did.
Here are some random snippets because I can't think of how to weave them all together in one story:
It was our FIRST TRIP IN SIX YEARS without a car seat or stroller or baby crib. Big news people. Inshallah we won't have to lug those items around ever again.
Ryan had no idea of the difference between a sidewalk and a street. Go figure....he walks around on sandy dirt all day or is in a car. Walking on sidewalks is not something we do. Sidewalks are not common where we live! We had four days in Paris. Totally stressful for me...remember we did not have a stroller this time!
Throw in the fact that we stayed in Holland for three weeks which has bike paths EVERYWHERE....and Layla was also equally ignorant of the constant danger of wandering around on the sidewalk. For a mom this was a major stressful part of our entire summer. I was not at all expecting to be dragging them away from streets and bike paths the entire time. Not so fun.
We loved Holland. Go there and go there with kids if you have them. We had a sweet deal of staying in the home of a friend the whole time and were able to borrow bikes and a car so it was AMAZING. They have great playgrounds, gorgeous scenery and great food (see below).
Apparently it is very Dutch to eat bread with "toppings" for breakfast and lunch. Toppings can include butter, thin slices of meat OR slices of cheese (they don't mix!), or apple butter, honey and best of all CHOCOLATE SPRINKLES. They even have licorice sprinkles! There is an entire section in the grocery store that is dedicated to "stuff you eat on bread" in the meat AND dry goods sections. So interesting.
We loved biking! Layla is not one for strenuous physical activity unless she is really motivated. But she got on that little bike and went for an HOUR with Tom. It was amazing to see. She is totally wimpy when walking around a mall but can bike like crazy apparently. Note to self: she is all about internal motivation.
Rain is so so fun.
Amsterdam is best seen on a bike for sure. Cheap, great exercise and "exciting" at times as you negotiate traffic. Bring along a spouse who can strap BOTH kids to his bike, read a map and remember it and take you around town.
Yes....we took a WRONG turn at one point and saw some ladies standing in window in their "swimsuits". Tom didn't notice (remember he is the only one paying attention to directions) but I sure did and apparently Layla did too. I didn't really know what to say but we started talking about swimsuits instead. sigh. This almost-6-year-old girl doesn't miss much. It made the trip much more interesting in that she wanted to point and ask about everything....blue hair, pink hair, tatooes, funny looking women etc etc etc.
We ended our time at a Family Camp which was really lovely. Great great kids program, good stuff for adults and just beautiful green hills with rain and clouds. It was really encouraging all in all.
I'll put some photos together soon but we are still dealing with the last bit of sickness we all contracted from Ryan's little class. I was the last one to get it AFTER we got home which was great.
It took us 24 hours to get home!! How did that happen?!!? We've started thinking family vacation in Europe is the better choice because it SO MUCH cheaper to fly there than the US and if we stay with friends it is way cheaper than that US. Add in the time change of a mere two hours....it is an all around winner. However, somehow it took us 24 hours door to door on our return path. Ugh. And Tom was sick the entire time we traveled. Poor guy.
So. We loved Holland. It was Intense Parenting to be sure (my new phrase for having young kids out of their routine and out of their normal space!
Pictures to come later.......
Here are some random snippets because I can't think of how to weave them all together in one story:
It was our FIRST TRIP IN SIX YEARS without a car seat or stroller or baby crib. Big news people. Inshallah we won't have to lug those items around ever again.
Ryan had no idea of the difference between a sidewalk and a street. Go figure....he walks around on sandy dirt all day or is in a car. Walking on sidewalks is not something we do. Sidewalks are not common where we live! We had four days in Paris. Totally stressful for me...remember we did not have a stroller this time!
Throw in the fact that we stayed in Holland for three weeks which has bike paths EVERYWHERE....and Layla was also equally ignorant of the constant danger of wandering around on the sidewalk. For a mom this was a major stressful part of our entire summer. I was not at all expecting to be dragging them away from streets and bike paths the entire time. Not so fun.
We loved Holland. Go there and go there with kids if you have them. We had a sweet deal of staying in the home of a friend the whole time and were able to borrow bikes and a car so it was AMAZING. They have great playgrounds, gorgeous scenery and great food (see below).
Apparently it is very Dutch to eat bread with "toppings" for breakfast and lunch. Toppings can include butter, thin slices of meat OR slices of cheese (they don't mix!), or apple butter, honey and best of all CHOCOLATE SPRINKLES. They even have licorice sprinkles! There is an entire section in the grocery store that is dedicated to "stuff you eat on bread" in the meat AND dry goods sections. So interesting.
We loved biking! Layla is not one for strenuous physical activity unless she is really motivated. But she got on that little bike and went for an HOUR with Tom. It was amazing to see. She is totally wimpy when walking around a mall but can bike like crazy apparently. Note to self: she is all about internal motivation.
Rain is so so fun.
Amsterdam is best seen on a bike for sure. Cheap, great exercise and "exciting" at times as you negotiate traffic. Bring along a spouse who can strap BOTH kids to his bike, read a map and remember it and take you around town.
Yes....we took a WRONG turn at one point and saw some ladies standing in window in their "swimsuits". Tom didn't notice (remember he is the only one paying attention to directions) but I sure did and apparently Layla did too. I didn't really know what to say but we started talking about swimsuits instead. sigh. This almost-6-year-old girl doesn't miss much. It made the trip much more interesting in that she wanted to point and ask about everything....blue hair, pink hair, tatooes, funny looking women etc etc etc.
We ended our time at a Family Camp which was really lovely. Great great kids program, good stuff for adults and just beautiful green hills with rain and clouds. It was really encouraging all in all.
I'll put some photos together soon but we are still dealing with the last bit of sickness we all contracted from Ryan's little class. I was the last one to get it AFTER we got home which was great.
It took us 24 hours to get home!! How did that happen?!!? We've started thinking family vacation in Europe is the better choice because it SO MUCH cheaper to fly there than the US and if we stay with friends it is way cheaper than that US. Add in the time change of a mere two hours....it is an all around winner. However, somehow it took us 24 hours door to door on our return path. Ugh. And Tom was sick the entire time we traveled. Poor guy.
So. We loved Holland. It was Intense Parenting to be sure (my new phrase for having young kids out of their routine and out of their normal space!
Pictures to come later.......
1 comment:
love it! We had friends that lived in Holland for a few years :) So glad you got to get out of the normal but I'm sure it is good to be back too :) Much love!
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