Football Stud

It's that time of year again. My little man just finished his second annual AJAX soccer camp.

This camp is so well done, and a tremendous souvenir experience from our time in Holland. It's hard work--five days from 9:00-5:00--but worth every sweaty moment.

Most of the days the camp facilitates mini tournaments for the individual players to compete, if they qualify. Last year, RS cheered on a good friend who made it to the finals, and he dreamed about doing it himself someday. Well, this year he did it! Twice! Two medals for my little guy.

RS is competitive, but more importantly he's all about the team. It really doesn't matter to him if he actually made the goal, as long as it was his team that made the goal. And he's just a happy player. Always smiling, never too serious. He's out there having fun, and so what if he still blows his mom kisses from the pitch while mid-play?!!? For these reasons, not the medals, he is truly my football stud.

Tournament time!

This year he did the camp with his two best friends (guy friends, since there's one very special gal pal in his class), rounding out his departure quite beautifully. A fine way to say goodbye.

Check this very short video out, and see what I mean about my son's team spirit. Love him.

Dutch Bucket List (Bounz)

You can guess which bucket list had this in its top 10. Not a bad activity for a rainy summer day.

My Kids are Watching

There are so many things I'd like to say about the upcoming election, and I hope I'm able to snag the time in the near future to go beyond this quick post and miscellaneous Facebook comments.

Today, however, this ad by the Clinton campaign stopped me in my tracks. Anyone who has been around me this year knows that a possible Trump presidency breaks my heart for a multitude of reasons, but perhaps my biggest sorrow is how it will shape my children's understanding of their country and the world, how it will shape their understanding of humankind. My husband and I model acceptance, curiosity and compassion. How do we explain Trump?

Honestly, I just don't get it. How someone so vile and uneducated is poised to lead our country.

But there is one thing I know for certain--my children are watching.

Dutch Bucket List (The Goldfinch)

The Goldfinch. Check.
The Girl with the Pearl Earring. Check.
The Anatomy Lesson. Check.

Got to see all three of these gems and many more Dutch Golden Age masterpieces at The Mauritshuis earlier this spring. It is easily now one of my favorite art museums in the world, housed in a seventeenth-century mansion in The Hague. I love, love, love small, intimate museums.

In case you've been living under a rock for the past couple of years, Donna Tart won the Pulitzer Prize last year for her novel centered around this very painting. I already had plans to see the painting, but after reading the book a visit to the real deal was a must. Regardless of one's opinion of the book (and they were polarized), it's hard not to be excited about the film adaptation.

Here it is, for real.

Tiny painting, huge inspiration.

It's just pretty darn cool to see this painting, "The Girl with the Pearl Earring," in such an intimate setting. I definitely did not have to stand sixteen rows deep in a throng of people à la the Mona Lisa at the Louvre.

I don't know what it is about those Dutch Masters, but this one, of course, also inspired a novel and a critically acclaimed movie:

Last but not least, Rembrandt's, "The Anatomy Lesson." I've waiting a long time to see this one. So much of my studies and my rooting around Amsterdam seem to uncover another tie-back to this painting, including lunch with my husband in the old weigh house at the top of which the "lesson" took place and  Rembrandt watched and painted this:

It will come as no surprise, but here's a well-received modern novel inspired by the painting!

On the Nature of Ex Pat Friendships

Um, yeah, cause it's so normal to spend 5 days with our American friends, who we met in Amsterdam, but now live in U.S., and who are passing through Amsterdam on their way to France for the summer!

Unbelievably great to see you, LL and gang!!

Dutch Bucket List (Flower Auction)

Flower Auction. Check.

We dragged ourselves out of bed at 6:30 on a summer day to go to Holland's primary flower auction. Our visit was strangely satisfying--the auction house is so big and such a well-oiled machine, it's hard not to be impressed.

 

It's a teeny-tiny country, but the Netherlands is world's #1 grower and exporter of cut flowers:

This is THE place through which ALL cut flowers pass when moving from grower to market. Every day, there's a fierce, but civilized bidding process called the auction clock. It operates according to a system called the Dutch Auction, which means going from a high price to a low price.

Skip ahead to the 44 second mark on this video, and watch A & R do some crazy flower distribution of their own!

And check this out. Tell me it's not mesmerizing!

We LOVE Holland!!!!

Piano Firsts

Her very first recital. So composed!

We said goodbye to her wonderful teacher and his stunning studio tucked into a 17th-century canal house. Neither is easily replaceable.

Dutch Bucket List (Professional Photos)

For me, this was a must. Professional photos of our family upon our exit from Amsterdam. Three years, and the kids have grown up so much since we arrived. Reese was three, for crying out loud.

I wanted photos in front of all my favorite places: the Rijks, on the bikes, in front of the canals. We're still waiting for the photos, but the photographer sent us a teaser of the kids in front of the Van Gogh Museum.

Can't wait to see them all!

After the photo shoot, we filled our bellies at Bakers and Roasters, which while not officially on the bucket list, does demand as many visits as possible before we go.Yum.

Liquid Sunshine

School's out for the (Dutch) summer!

Next stop: 2nd and 3rd grade in the Big Apple!