Showing posts with label simple life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label simple life. Show all posts

Thursday, April 2, 2015

(Spiegel- en) Blijkpolderplas (MDMNL AtoZ Challenge 2015)





Have you read my brief introduction to this challenge?

If not, here is the link: Introducing HFNL A to Z Challenge 2015

My personal blogging theme for this year: the places I have been in the Netherlands.  


At Happy Feet in the Netherlands (HFNL), I'll be writing about the places (which is not only limited to city, towns or villages but may also include restaurants, stores - places we go for hikes, where we sailed etc.) from the perspective of a runner.  

The blogs here @ My Daily Mooosings in the Netherlands on the other hand will be from a perspective of an expat, mom, traveler, writer, who seeks to simplify life.


Today, "we go to" : (Spiegel -en) Blijkpolderplas.


I'm sharing an image (the one at the very top), which was originally posted for the A to Z challenge  April 2011: Thoughts of Travel! (23rd of April) 

The two other images,  where you could see the silhouettes of my family, were taken on the same evening but was not shared here before.

I ran last Monday (30th of March) past this lake but I did not stop to take pictures.  I could have taken dramatic pictures of the water but I resisted because I was afraid I might stay there longer than I should (I was on a mission to run 30+ km!).

Today, I will be running by it again, this time a short run so I will take pictures, which you will see later on, tonight @ Happy Feet in the Netherlands (HFNL).

Do you like watching sunsets by the lake?  I would love to watch a sunrise by this lake with my family this year. Wish me luck?! :)

do 2 apr. 14:14

Thursday, February 5, 2015

A Walk in the Cul De Sac


“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.” 


As I went online today to finish my second blog for this year @ The Lightness of Being on the Bike, I was amazed to find the enhanced picture (see sunrise photo, above) on my Google images of a photo I took, when I went out for a very short walk out this morning.

It is only this year, that I am using the special feature, where you can automatically upload pictures taken with your smartphone to your Google+ account.

This has helped blogging @ Happy Feet in the Netherlands so much easier.

It helped revived my love for taking pictures along the biking route, I take daily the whole year around.


In, "Once Upon A Sunny Morning in Ankeveen", I was able to share how my morning was, and retell the story of how I have overcome the challenge of adjusting to the biking lifestyle here in the Netherlands.







This was very fulfilling - telling one's story.

I came back here to tell stories.  Simple stories, I would not like to forget.

Before I wrote the first blog @ The Lightness of Being on the Bike, I saw a post of a friend on FB about the documentary over Joan Didon's - We Tell Ourselves Stories In Order To Live.  It is the same title of her book, which is  a collection of her non-fiction works.

Watching the teaser of the documentary only strengthened my resolve to keep on writing.



I would like to share our stories, the beautiful stories of my family,  and what made me strong, kept me strong and continues to keep me strong to be there not only with my physical presence but with my whole being.

When one has a bipolar disorder, simple things can be difficult but at the same time the simple things are exactly what brings back the most deep felt joy.

I am back here @ My Daily Mooosings in the Netherlands to make sure I won't forget that there are many simple things that brings joy in our life, and hopefully might bring joy in other's life too.

The simple life in the Netherlands…what is a simple life story?

For example, this simple walk in our cul de sac.

Cul de sac - I fell in love with that word, the first time I read it.  I think I was in grade school.  I can't exactly remember now.

2 years ago, when circumstances led us to living in a house in a cul de sac, I thought I would write about this.

But I never took the time to do so.

Today, I can tell you a short story involving our cul de sac.

This morning, it snowed, and when I woke up (after an upsetting night), I knew I would not be able to bike and bring the girls to school because I would not be feel confident and secure enough on the bike.

Each year, I take a fall in Winter from my bike no matter how careful I am.

This year, I am determined not to take a fall.

I asked two parents from the girls school to help me out.  They did not hesitated.  They've offered their help many times before in the past 4 years.



The girls went happily and safely to school in a warm car of a very thoughtful mom!

Instead of going straight to the house, I took pictures before I slowly walked back home.  I love the smell of the morning air.  Even the cold air that hit my face as a greeting, brought a smile to my face.







As I turned towards the path leading to home, the sunrise coming from our cul de sac sweetly beckoned me to take more pictures.  I would have normally said to myself, "Tomorrow…another sunrise..."

But not this time.  It seemed to have said to me with bright celebratory colors, "Good job for finally reaching out to others and asking for help!". I had to acknowledge it!




original non-enhanced picture of sunrise above

“How sweet the morning air is! See how that one little cloud floats like a pink feather from some gigantic flamingo. … It shines on a good many folk, but on none, I dare bet, who are on a stranger errand than you and I. How small we feel with our petty ambitions and strivings in the presence of the great elemental forces of Nature!” 

Sunday, March 2, 2014

How Spring Break Ended Sunday Evening...

We went to our local Chinese!

Tonight, I have to go to bed earlier. So I will let the pictures below tell the story of our celebratory dinner. :)





















No pictures of how our evening came to an end because the battery of the camera went out. The recharger was at liefste P's office.

A brief summary:

At home we all together helped clear a very messy dining table (debris of a lazy Saturday evening, and lazy Sunday morning!).

I then hurriedly vacuumed (it won't be cozy otherwise believe me! It's how my crazy mind roll :D) the floor, boiled water for our goodnight tea, while middle daughter set the table, P fixed Littlest Chinese fan (yup, that's how it goes!) and oldest checked her class schedule for the next day online.

We all shared the take home dessert of baked banana, served with vanilla and chocolate ice-cream.  Drank tea, chatted (giggled because of the Littlest's antics!) and said our good nights.

Monday, December 2, 2013

Hello December 2013!

Sunday, 1st of December, 2013
“What if Christmas, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!”
Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

December Calendar courtesy of Geninne's Art


Image from the blog: Simplifying Yule

from our album Advent Calendar  -Through the Years - 2011 (the only incomplete album)

Image from the blog: Hello December 2012!
 I am borrowing my own words from last year's blog to introduce to new readers this blog series:
Countdown: 23 days until Christmas.

I love counting down special celebrations with my family; I love December - the cold outside, the cozy inside and the smell of magic in the air; I love traditions with it's beautiful, nurturing predictability!

Combined together makes the best & special way to end the year ....
(click here to continue reading the: Hello December 2012! blog)

Our theme for this year: Simple is more .

The inspiration is from rereading a blog from 2011 - Simplifying Yule.

In this spirit, I hope you'll be inspired by this special blog series; make the most of the season with simplicity and more quality time together with your loved ones. :)

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Life is a Dance

This is a sponsored post
One of my favourite collage of the girls
from
a blog published 9th of May, 2011
It shows their love for movement, and for dance

“Dance is the hidden language of the soul”
Martha Graham


A quick snap in from of the Music Center in Hilversum
Muziekcentrum van de Omroep

3 months ago to this day eldest daughter had her first ballet recital in the Netherlands.  It is one of the high moments shared by the family this Summer.  As this month nears it ends, I would like to share some of the images (and hopefully the small video clip! will edit it in after our weekend in Berlin) of their performance. 

It is an experience and a memory very dear to me because of how much the eldest love dancing.  What a joy to know how much ballet gives her freedom in movement and expression.

“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth.”
William W. Purkey

Below are some of the images I took in the dimly lit studio (I apologize for the quality!), where the dance school presented all the end of the year performances of all classes of various dance genres.






The eldest enrolled in this ballet class together with a classmate she met in her first year class in VWO-HAVO (the equivalent of high school here in Holland, a pre-university education as they are described).

Print screen image of a rehearsal for their end of the year presentation
taken from the phone
of her classmate and good friend L, who attends the ballet class with her

Print screen image of a rehearsal for their end of the year presentation
taken from the phone
of her classmate and good friend L, who attends the ballet class with her

I could not help feel very nostalgic, and dig some of the eldest ballet pictures in the external hard drive from archive dated 6 years ago, when she was 7 years old, and still attending ballet in Hamburg, Germany.




Here she is by the window of our old flat in north Germany.  She was always happy to prepare for ballet.

2007

And here she is 6 years later...

2013
After their class' performance

Our littlest 5, turning 6 y.o. in November is following the footsteps of her older sister.  I am contemplating on enrolling her and middle daughter to dance classes in the Fall.


I am worried though on taking on too much myself (again!), and loading the younger girls schedule.  It is always a balancing act between wanting and knowing the boundaries of my strength and capabilities to juggle everything.

Eldest is pretty independant now; she's been responsible about balancing her school and extra curricular activities.  After her regular class she goes to ballet school with her friend/classmate, after doing their home-work at the place of her classmate's Aunt; it is very practical and convenient for her.

We'll wait and see how we all feel after the Autumn school break.

If it would be too much to add to our daily schedule, I would still get both of them pretty clothes to wear at home to lend a bit of  fun & magic to their dance during leisure time.  I think, it is the least I could do, and a way to simplify our currently busy lives.

Mayoral Girls Pink Tulle Skirt
from Mayoral Clothing
seen @ Cheeky Monkeys


“We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once.”
Friedrich Nietzsche
 This is a sponsored post