December and Holiday Busy Times Arrive

December arrived and with that a very busy time of the year for us.  The Netherlands has "Sinterklaas" and his helpers arrive in late November.  He then leaves on December 5th.  For good little kids, he leaves presents at their doorstep in the evening.  The kids started to understand the festivities with the decorations at school and at home.

A day out in the 

We went to a local home and garden store.  It decorated throughout and very festive.  We took the kids to look at the lights and decorations.  There was a little house inside with a talking Santa, albeit in Dutch.  The kids loved seeing Santa.

At the cafe

Archie's school and class went to a really great science museum for kids.  Sylvie was able to go along as I was a chaperone.  There was a little kids section with little "city".  This is the ambulance where Sylvie was saving Archie!

This is the automotive shop where the kids are changing the wheels.  There are actual jacks for lifting the car up and down.  This was by far the favorite part.  There was also a real car in their they could play with too.

Can you tell he was in love?  There was also a 20 foot crane at the construction site with wheel barrows, blocks, hardhats, etc.  There was a grocery store with stocked times, a check-out, and grocery carts.

Before we left we went to the bigger section and the kids played with sheets of bubbles.

Archie and one of his friends blowing away!

The school play was coming up and this is the costume for the fox.  We had it home so I could do some alterations.  Archie LOVED the costume and wore it all day.  He didn't want to take it off.  

I will be finding him a costume of his own to keep.  He still asks if he is going to get a fox costume for his own.

Archie was a snowman for the school play.  He was a little hesitant to put on the costume but finally enjoyed it.

Getting ready with his snowflake friend!

And because there was a wave of the flu going around, an understudy was allowed to join the play.  Sylvie was so delighted to dress up as a snowman and join Archie on stage.  She tried to do the movements and sing the songs.

Getting ready for the play!

Four mischievous snowmen

Action on the stage.

The tree went up and the kids were loving it.  Archie decided to play with the trains and had a great time.

Super Sylvie!

Archie received a costume from Sinterklaas.  We had a knock on the door one evening and were surprised to see some gifts for the kids!  It was so sweet and nice that Sinterklaas visited us.  Archie's favorite Dutch teacher lives a few houses down the street and her daughters are our babysitters.  And they were very excited to hear that Sinterklaas had visited us!

Double trouble at the local grocery store.  The older ladies and men were a little frightened as the kids went running through the store.

We put up an advent calendar and the kids were super excited to find a "treat" of sorts every morning (that they remembered).  Next year I will have to have the bags a little more prepared!