Nana & Jimbob arrive

Grandparents, Nana & Jimbob, arrived from New Zealand in early September.  It had been awhile since they were here so we were very happy to see them.  The kids were super excited.  These photos are from the first 2 weeks of their visit.  We just had normal time at home with our regular schedules.  The next post will be the following 2 weeks where we went on holiday to France and Germany.

Campbell and Archie took the grandparents out to see Brugge in Belgium.  They had good weather and enjoyed the sights and beer.

We went for a play in the central park and then biked over to a new cupcake shop.  The kids are into blue food of any sort.  So they had the blue frosted ones. 

We had a playdate at the community farm near our house.  Sylvie had a great time petting the goats and climbing on the playground.   She has become very interested in petting animals and wants to chase them to see them.  Luckily the goats were good with petting.

Tea, coffee, and snacks for all of us.

While they were here, we took many bike rides.  We went through the forest near our house and stopped to have a play.  The kids love the biking and we enjoy getting outside when the weather is pleasant.  There are so many biking paths that go throught the beautiful countryside.

We went to a nearby park with our friend Daisy and her Mom.  They brought Maggie the dog.  The kids and Jim had a great time throwing sticks to her.  Archie and Sylvie love Maggie and Daisy.  They talk about her a lot.  So now the debate starts for when we will get a dog!

Back home for the rest of summer

We were back at home in mid-August and enjoyed a couple weeks before Nursery school started.

We went for a day to the Rhine river near some friends house.  It looked like a classic old Dutch painting:  puffy white clouds, beautiful light, wind in the trees, water, and boats.  The kids had so much fun playing in the sand and water.  Gorgeous day.

And then it was another time for bubbles

Archie started Nursery class and was so happy to be back with his favorite teacher.  Sylvie wanted to go to but we had to leave him there with out us.  She wasn't to happy as she likes to do everything with him.  Big steps for both of them.

Walks by the canal to feed the ducks

Cool kids in their glasses.  

Too cool to smile for mommy

Sylvie the shark

Archie riding a bike at the hardware store.  Perfect place to ride around during the middle of the week.

And then back to the park for some fun.

Time at The Lake

We arrived on at the lake and had wonderful weather.  The kids immediately wanted to go swimming.  So of course we had to jump in.  Cousin Becca was there and Archie immediately loved her.  She took him swimming and for a kayak ride.

It was a wonderful week and a half.  Great Grandma Marien was there to greet us.  She is 99 years old this year and still doing well.  It was really nice to see the kids with her and calling here Gigi.  The days were filled with swimming with cousins, lots of smiles, naps everyday, and watching movies.  

On the dock, no time to even put on a suit!

The view from the cabin!

We couldn't keep them still to get a photo.  Archie was wiggly and Sylvie was just not wanting to sit either.  So this is the best we have!

Archie was so happy with Becca and was teary when we told him she was leaving.  He really had a great connection with her.  Can't wait to see them together again.

We spent a lovely day at the Darlings house.  The kids had a great time with their cousins.  And the trampolene was the highlight!  

We had all had a great time watching a hummingbird in its nest with its two baby birds.  None of us had ever seen a nest before.  Before we left both the babies had flown away.

Swimming with Daddy.  Archie LOVED jumping in from the dock.  He would boss the cousins and adults saying, "ok, you jump now! Go!  You jump!"  He was just running around the dock and then jumping in.  He also wanted to swim the minute he was done with breakfast.  It was a tad too cold for me to go so I had to keep him busy until around 10 when we would start for the day.

Cousins: Hadley, Marien, Ruby, Sylvie, & Archie

While there we celebrated Sylvie's birthday.  Grandma made cupcakes and the kids had a great time eating them up.

Our birthday girl!

Cousins Dashiel, Isaac, Oren, & Archie.  Archie loved riding on the tube.  He would get on and jump off.  He was making us laugh on the dock with all his funny comments.  The best was when it was floating by SUPER slow and he was yelling, "What's happening?!?!?"  Later I realized it was a line from the movie Cars 2.  It was super funny.

Ice lollies on the dock

More cousin time with ice lollies

Uncle Ben and Sylvie.  Ben and his family timed their vacation to see us while we were at the lake.  It was great to see them and have the cousins together.  With the Darlings, it made it quite the housefull of little people.  Since this is where my foundest memories as a kid were made with cousins, it was really great to see them (hopefully) doing the same!

The kids table outside.  Best place to eat.  Archie and Sylvie were loving the watermelon!

Top to bottom and left to right: Isaac, Dashiel, Oren, Archie, Marien, Ruby, Sylvie.

Cousin lineup

Fishing at the lake

Marien and Oren

Swimming with Sylvie.  She was a little nervous to get in the wather but loved swimming once in.  

Sylvie trying on the water skis

Archie was really loving the water guns.  He spent hours with the boys playing and loved it.

Archie fishing

Ruby, Isaac, Archie, Sylvie, and Marien

Morning walk and a snack at the top of the hill.  The kids enjoyed over looking the lake.

Auntie Traci and the Darlings gave Sylvie and Archie these fantastic t-shirts.  The kids love them and so do we.  And I managed to get a couple of nice photos out of it too.

Nice photo with Gigi.  Elegant as always and full of class.

And after time at the lake, we went to Oregon to spend time with Didi and Grandpa.  The kids had a great time going to the playground, playing with the super fun toys, and running through the grass.  It was really nice having space for the kids to just be in.  No worrying about running off or needing to go somewhere to get outside.  

The kids got to run thru the sprinkler one day.  It was the first time they had ever done that and it was shear enjoyment.

We had a great trip and it was nice to be with family and friends.  We look forward next summer to doing it again a lot.  When we went to a lake recently in Germany, Archie wanted to know where DIdi and Grandpa were and when we were going to see them.  He doesn't understand the concept of distance but it was sweet when trying to understand that they are a long plane ride away.  He still talks about everyone and asks how they are.  Can't wait to get them all together again.