Cashing in Bottles

When we have lots of plastic bottles when you've been drinking things like soda or water, you take the bottles back to the Albert Heijn, the grocery store you can put them in these machines. You get EU 0.25 for every bottle you put in. You can also put crates of glass bottles in. I don't know how much you get for the crates but probably about 3.00 EU. Then it prints out a receipt for you and if you can take it up to the counter and get the money. Or you can buy something with it by giving it to the cashier.

Last night I bought Tic Tacs with my receipt.

Michael Jacksoning with Eva

I saw Eva. She was my friend when I lived in the Netherlands. At first we were kind of shy because we hadn't seen each other for awhile. But in the end of our visit, we were dancing to Michael Jackson's music together and having a great time! Sometimes I'd do a dance move that made her laugh and I asked Eva to go out of the room and start THriller again since it ended and I had an idea. We were in her little brother's room. They had some Mexican hats so I turned msyelf into a Mexican hat monster. And went into her little brother's closet. Then I told her she could come in. Then she came in and faced the closet. I came out moaning a scary moan with the Thriller music. She had some great dance moves like in the Smooth Criminal video.

On the Bridge

Last night I went to the Bridge in downtown Rotterdam. I saw the roof of my old favorite swimming pool. It was called Tropicana. There was a "Brutus Beer" restaurant nearby. (Beer in Dutch means Bear!) They have really good ribs. Everything was beautiful! I really enjoyed getting up on the bridge!

I am Estherdam

When I went to Amsterdam, me my mom, and stevie went to the Rijks Museum. I had an audio tour, steve-a-buddy wanted one too but he did not get one so I just let him listen with the headphones. He really liked it. He even looked at the exibet. We also saw some paintings that Rembrandt painted. We saw the Night Watch and the Jewish Bride. I saw two beautiful dollhouses. I really enjoyed going to Amsterdam.

FUN FACTS:
1. The paint on Rembrandt's painting was dark because of age.
2. The pans and dishes in the dollhouses were pure SILVER.
3. The ships would bring back things from other countries and sometimes the ships brought porcelain dishes from places like Asia and China. In the Netherlands, they wanted to make the same kind of porcelain. They never could make the smooth porcelain that China could make. The people in the Netherlands really liked the pictures on the porcelain dishes. Delft started trying to make porcelain and paint pictures on it. They went crazy with it. At the Rijksmuseum, I saw a porcelain bird cage, violin, a shoe, all with blue pictures on it. I think I'd like playing on that porcelain violin.
That's all the fun facts.

a dutch candy store

this is a dutch candy store. Sometimes, if your mom likes you, you can get a BAG of candy. Yum! Yum! Yum! I got to pick the candy. I got a pincher or scooper and you choose what you want. You can get a big bag or a small bag but the bigger is more expensive. Eat your heart out, Uncle Ryan!

Going to the Rotterdam Market

When I went to the Rotterdam market, the first stall we went into was a stall with lots of jewelry and scarves. I saw a pretty bracelet, Luci saw a tiara, and I saw lots of earrings. Plus, I saw a beatiful brooch. There were many antique stalls. We did not go into all of them but I wanted to. At one of the stalls my mom bought a Holland bell. At the same stall we bought two matching teacups, and they had matching plates. And I saw a gray and white porcelain cat. The cat was holding a mouse. We bought it!

Siebren's Birthday Party

Siebren is one of our friends from the Falkena family. One time his big brother Chris came and stayed at our house in Utah. I was the only one there that was English except for my mom and Stephen. Everybody was a big fan of Stephen.

The Market

On Thursday there is a market. There are many tents with hats, food, and things to buy. On our first market day, we bought two hats, mom got a pair of gloves, I got a pair of gloves, and Stevie got a pair of mittens. It was very fun. We got tulips at the flower stand. They were pink.

The warming heater

This is me sitting on the verwaarming (heater) and looking out the window. It's very enjoyable. I love being up there and looking out the window.

Cruising on a bike

If you go on a bike ride here, you see things like rabbit holes, ducks, water, canals, great blue herons, and trees. It is a very nice way to see things. Sometimes when you go on a bike ride and just the right time of year, you will see tulip fields. You can stop and go out in them if you want to. It is very nice to do. But it's too cold for tulips right now. When I went on my bike ride yesterday, it was cold and fun. and windy. See you later!

Eating Patat with Mom

Me and Mom went to get some patat. The peanut sauce was delicious! Mom hog-dogged the peanut sauce and fries but we still had a good time. And she was very fun to be with. Stevie was snoozing in his stroller while we munched and he was really cute. He did not get anything. It would have been nice to share it with him. We ate every single thing before Stevie woke up. Sad to say that. Ba-bye.

The Perfect Plate of Poffertjes

Poffertjes are mini pancakes. First, you cook the poffertjes. Next, you put them on a plate. Then, you get powdered sugar and stroop. Stroop is the Dutch way to say syrup. Next, you arrange the poffertjes in a fancy. Then you put powdered sugar on the poffertjes. Next, you drizzle the stroop in a fancy way on the poffertjes. Sprinkle some powdered sugar until it looks nice. Last, is the hardest thing to do. Eat it! Yum! Yum!

We've arrived in the Netherlands!

Over the ocean and through the airport
To our apartment we go.
The car knows the way
To carry the Lays
Through the flat and winding road.

Over the ocean and through the airport
Oh how the wind does blow!
It stings the nose
And bites the toes
As to our apartment we GO!

(The wind really does blow very hard and it's freezing cold. Albert Heijn is the grocery store. We had to stock up on poffertjes which are delicious baby pancakes.)