(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

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.

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. :)

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

My Summer's Favorite Things

Tonight, the family and I will watch The Sound of Music.  It will be the first time the Littlest will watch it with us,  The older ones have forgotten that they've already watched it with me while we were still living in Germany.

This is only a short, sweet post before I join my family on the chilla couch. 

A quick snap of Dada in between commercial.
He is waiting patiently for me to log-off!

I wanted to write a longer post but I think I can save the blog idea tonight for tomorrow's post. :)

It will be a list of "My Summer 2013 Favorite Things" inspired by the song in the film: My Favorite Things.

I love this song so much!

My Favorite Things by Maria
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

Welcome August! What's your Favorite Things this Summer 2013?