I've Waited 19 Months for these Visitors!

We have LOVED having visitors!  Each and every one has been so special.  But, there is one visitor I have been so excited to get here....MY SISTER!  Nicole, along with Jenny and Farah booked their trips to Belgium last fall I think it was??  What a long wait! Just four days after I returned from my US trip to see my mom, they were due to arrive.  

First to arrive was Jenny!  Since she had frequent flier miles, her flight arrived the day before Nicole and Farah.  We had a picnic in Tervuren Park after Jenny and Chris went for a run.

Photo bomb by Thomas

And, on Friday morning, Nicole and Farah arrived!  It felt so good to all be together.

Actually, we were missing five of the girls.  The nine of us have been friends since we danced together at ISU.

First on the agenda (after unpacking of course) was a tour of Brussels.  We visited the Grand Place, Manneken Pis, the Sablon and Petit Sablon, the Royal Palace, and St. Michael's Cathedral.

The Grand Place

Manneken Pis

The Petit Sablon

Nice face T :)

Almost as tall as her Aunt Nicole!

Did you know you can't step on the grass in the Petit Sablon??   I didn't know either, but the incessant whistling from an employee in the park alerted me to the fact that I was definitely in the wrong.  I went leaping over the bushes like I was fleeing a college party....not that I know what that would be like.  :)

The Royal Palace

The country was preparing for our new king.  I wish we would have been in town to witness all the hoopla in Brussels.  More on where we were headed in the next post. 

The city was getting all decked out.

St. Michael's Cathedral

A waffle stop...of course!

In an effort to keep the weary travelers awake, we went out to dinner in Hoeilaart.

Then, we made a stop at Chateau de la Hulpe for an after dinner walk.

Time to check in on what was going on at home.

And, that concludes days 1 and 2.  Check back for so much more.  We were very busy travelers!

Until next time,

Wendy

"Spring" in Belgium ~ March Snow!

It's nearly mid March, and we are all ready for warmer temperatures and hopefully sunny skies.  And, then we get the surprise snow of 2013.  Flurries started on Monday night, and by Tuesday morning roads were nearly impassible.  You know, it doesn't snow here in Belgium (ha!), so the country is really not prepared for this type of accumulation.  I feel like I've said this before on the blog...oh right...I have...because it is always snowing!!!  The sweet lady from the Chinese restaurant we love told us this is the most snow Belgium has seen in March in 200 years.  That sounds about right...

Here are the accidents on the roadways of Belgium on Tuesday.  What a cluster!  I think Chris made the right choice to work from home.  It took our friend Lisa three hours to get to the office.  

The kids had a snow day, so we made the most of it!  

Winter wonderland!  We measured the depth in our yard, and in most places is was 14 cm (6 in.)  That's a lot of snow for here.

The forest is maybe 500m from our house, so it was a nice walk in the snow. 

It's always fun.....

until someone gets snow in the face and starts crying.  And, then their crazy mother starts yelling and screaming and disturbing all peace and quiet in the forest.....

She fell off the log.  He thought it was funny.  If looks could kill.

We're walking along, and he finds the ONLY puddle...loses a boot...and his sock.  Then, he can't get either back on his foot.  Oh, and his gloves are in his pocket.  I think it's time to go home....

Everyone is smiling again! 

Hibernating (I'm about ready to go to sleep until spring is here!)

After Dad finished work, we decided to go sledding at Chateau de la Hulpe.  Just 3 km from our house, we felt by this point in the day we could venture out.  We don't have snow tires, and it really makes a difference here.  I swear normal, everyday tires here are different than normal, everyday tires in the states.  The traction stinks!  So, next year we will be getting winter tires.

The sleds really weren't moving too quickly.  Allison blamed the "dumb sleds," but I really think it was just the powdery snow.  But of course, "We have the worst sleds in Belgium." 

The chateau is even prettier in the winter.

Love the sunshine at the end of the day.

That right there is pouting at its finest.  Someone was overtired!

Never too old to hold her daddy's hand.

Looks like fall colors, but it just the spectacular sunshine.  Hopefully it will be spring time very, very soon.

And, the fun didn't end here.  We had a second snow day on Wednesday because the parking lot and playground at school were deemed unsafe due to ice.  One snow day is great...two snow days is pushing it...BIG TIME!

Hopefully, this is my last post about snow!

Until next time,
Wendy