Wow I'm getting old!

Yesterday was my 41st birthday and I must say I had a wonderful day! I was spoiled rotten by all! I got a beautiful bracelet from Jan and the kids. It is a pandora bracelet.

This is the basic braceletThe first charm:The charm Jenna picked out and the other one is a mouse and I can't find a picture of it on the site.

This is a clip on bead that is for the Arizona sun:Another clip on bead:A spacer bead:James picked this one out:And this one too with the help of Joshua:another spacer bead

I love my bracelet! I am so amazed at my husband for being this creative for me. He did it all on his own. I had no idea what I wanted so I told him to surprise me and HE DID!!

We had a nice weekend. Friday afternoon James decided he wanted to build an intertainment center for his room. He and Joshua measured and planned and shopped for wood. They did a great job for novice carpenters! Jan met them friday afternoon at the dyi store and picked up the wood and gave advice and paid. They came home and started right in on putting it together and sawing, screwing and cursing (real dyi-ers!). They stopped about 11:30 and called it a night. Saturday morning they finished it. Jan took Jenna to school for the open day. They ask students to show how fun their school is for the future students. Jan went shopping alone. When the boys finished their project Jan started the lighting for them. They went to town to do some shopping also. I took Jenna and Stephanie to De Rijp for a slumber party and when I got home Jan was busy with the wiring. We then met James, Joshua and Jolanda in town for dinner. After dinner the boys went out to a party and Jolanda came home with us for a cup of coffee. After she left we watched a movie and called it a night. Sunday morning, Jan woke me up with a birthday breakfast in bed. We got the food together for the afternoon and Jan went and picked up Jenna and Stephanie from the party and picked up Oma. Around 3 everyone arrived. Ron, Karin and the girls, Rudi and Teresa,Jolanda, Kees, Marion, Stephanie, Danielle and Nadine, Richard and Anita, Kees, Annita, Mark and Sabine. So we had a house full. We put up the chocolate fountain and had it running all afternoon. It was a big hit!! I had a wonderful day and had a wonderful evening. Mom, Dad and Jill called right before I went to bed so I was able to talk to them in peace and quiet. All in all a perfect weekend! So getting older isn't always so bad!!

Back online!!

Sorry it has been a while. We have survived the past week and a half without internet. Don't ask how but we made it. Actually it wasn't that bad, just a bit incovenient. The kids pulled out things they hadn't looked at in months, years or longer. James pulled out his guitar and actually tried to teach Jenna a song or two. Homework was finished and books were opened. So it wasn't all that bad.
The kids finally got their Christmas present from Papa Jim and Nana. Saturday it was delivered and the kids love it!! The big ones too. They got the Wii. Thanks so much Papa Jim and Nana it was SOOOOO worth waiting for!! So there wasn't much done this weekend other than games for the kids. Jan and I did get out of the house on Sunday and went to Ijmuiden to walk in the wind on the beach with Corona. It was super nice. When we got home and got the kids in bed it was finally time for us to be able to check out their new toy. What a riot!!
I started working. It isn't alot of hours, right now about 10 a week. I am a bus aide. I am riding the bus with two kids with epilepsie. I am there in case they have an attack. These kids have severe disabilies. I am not sure how long this is going to last but it feels good helping and getting out of the house at least an hour per day. I now have a week and a half under my belt and they already know who I am and what it means when I am there.
I will get some pictures of the kids on the Wii and post them soon!

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2008!

Hope you have a wonderful 2008! May it bring you all prosperity, happiness, love, health and more! Our New Years eve was nice. We had the whole family here and Joshua and Jolanda. It was a very nice, emotional new year. We played games until almost 11:15, then Kees and Marion took Danielle and Nadine out to shoot off some fireworks before it got too crazy. They enjoyed the sparklers more than the other fireworks. At 12 we toasted and wished everyone a wonderful 2008. Then everyone ran out front to ring the new year in as it should be with a bang or two. I think they gave up around 2 am . They still had more fireworks to do but it got cold and foggy. I think that everyone left around 2:30. After cleaning up and taking Corona out we hit the hay. It was such a nice new years (Eve).

I have to say the whole Christmas vacation was wonderful. We had a lot of fun, and did lots. Jenna had lots of sleepovers, James "chilled". Jan and I went out. We spent the 30th of December at Ma's making the Olieballen.. that is such a wonderful tradition! We took the kids to the indoor ski sloop so they could get the feel back of Snowboarding. Jenna has decided that she is going to Snowboard instead of skiing this year. Jenna went ice skating and we did lots of shoping (really just looking in Amsterdam and Alkmaar). Rented lots of movies and had a wonderful time just relaxing.

Today was the first day back to school and I am axious to see if they have survived. They all had long days. Poor kiddo's (and Jan). I was busy getting the Christmas decorations boxed up and put away until next year, and cleaning house.

I do have my first job interview on wed. It is for a couple hours a week, riding in a bus with handicaped children from home to a day care and in the afternoon from daycare to home. I figure it is a way to get my foot in the door. Maybe it will lead to something more, who knows.

Well here are a few photos from New Years. They aren't the best, due to the fog and dark.

olieballen ......Ma making sure the boys are doing it right!Love lights from Jenna....Nadine and Danielle with the sparklers!!!The whole gang... look how smoky/foggy it is ( Not sure if it from the weather or the fireworks)

Woow!!!the kids enjoying our new toy! A Chocolate fountain! YUM YUM!!