Thursday March 30, 2015

Thursday morning Ethan and I spent together and he wanted to blow some of the Jip en Janneke bubbles he had gotten at the Hema the day before.  We walked Iepie's neighbourhood.

Ethan's newfound drink was Dutch cow milk.  He drank a ton!  On this day he actually started eating a bit more so that was good.

Mom (Oma), Iepie, Ethan, and I went to visit my grandparents and grandmother's graves.  My Oma passed away when Austen was 1.5 and I hadn't seen her gravesite yet.  I knew she had wanted a marble white cross on her grave so when we got there I thought it was quite humorous to see her bright cross amongst all the other graves.  Just like when she was alive, she always stood out.

We toured the old neighbourhood a bit before heading to my other grandparents grave on the other side of town.  I took some photos out the car window as we were driving.  This used to be my Oma's new house...my uncle built it for her after we moved to Canada.

This was the hotel/restaurant I worked at for many summers during my university years ((I'd spend 3 months in Holland - best time ever!).

This is across the road...the restaurant my parents had their wedding reception at more than 30 years ago.

This was the farm I grew up on and lived till I was 11 and we moved to Canada.

The new owners painted the house an ugly shade of green. It used to be dark brown.

My Oma lived right on the same property.  This was her house and the house my dad grew up in.

We stopped off at the park again because it was too cold for a boat ride in Giethoorn.

This time there was a new visitor...a black swan!  Oh my good Lord...he was the stuff my nightmares are made of.  Ethan didn't mind him though and informed me afterwards that "the black one was my favourite".  Of course...always the opposite....

The black beast was front and centre, just like the white one of the previous day.

Iepie and Oma came too this time.

Little deer.

Cute ducks.

Ethan loved it so much!

We went to see Oma and Opa's gravesite afterwards...Ethan thought it was fun.  Check out his face.  He's named after my Oma...his middle name is Jacob (as in Jacoba, my grandmother's name).

In the afternoon, we went to see our good friend Jan.  He's a retired police officer who does foot reflexology and we were recharged after that nice visit.

Here are Ethan and I waiting on Oma to finish her treatment...goofing around on Jan's couch in his living room.

That concludes Thursday!