tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43737458763215281502011-10-28T17:05:14.082-05:00O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.comBlogger1581100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-47807013768605273552011-10-28T16:24:00.002-05:002011-10-28T17:05:14.124-05:00

Such a beautiful day today with the kids. They didn't have school, institute day. The sun is shining and we spent hours outside. Miss A was invited to Teresa-Claire's for a playdate. While she was gone, Miss F, Miss N and I went for a walk in the nature, just behind the house. Then Miss F wanted to rake the leaves - all deep colors of red and yellow, so pretty! - and then climbed a tree so high,

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-46047309706168128792011-10-24T13:42:00.010-05:002011-10-24T19:25:48.365-05:00

When P says "I'll take the kids to school tomorrow", I try to calm down this little expectation. Sleeping in one morning, huh? After a night of I don't know how many feedings, staying in the bed till 8am is a dream. But husbands are funny creatures who have a diffrent view on helping out with the kids.One morning like that, the alarm goes at 6.45am. Not mine - yet... Whoever invented the snooze

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-9357225908712655192011-10-09T00:01:00.005-05:002011-10-09T00:43:01.412-05:00

We had a lovely dinner yesterday with Alison and Erik at their house, with Blai and Carmina. All very entertaining people, enjoyable company. It was too cute when Dagny showed her room to us, the place where Miss F knows too well!Today, Leo and Carla came to visit us with Alex. First get together after more than a year. Always nice to see old friends! Carla is running the Chicago Marathon. I hope

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-87454080185570072252011-09-19T13:07:00.009-05:002011-09-19T14:01:54.875-05:00

Just back from a lunch with Fauzia, I will use my last hour before I have to pick up Miss A to write. There are several things I should mention here. so much is happening and so little time to write, I'm chronically behind this journal.I have to go back to summer first.In June, we had Miss F's school play - was beautiful - and Miss A's ballet recital. Recital was two days in a row. P came to the

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-58462655698223258052011-08-31T22:00:00.010-05:002011-08-31T22:34:59.724-05:00

Of course I could - and should be - announcing the first laugh, the first roll or the first steps. I will announce the first poop. Miss N has been having rice cereal and after that green beans for almost three weeks now. The green beans are more of a favorite, she's been eating eagerly for the last 3-4 days. Today, she was uncomfortable, she didn't nap more than an hour, too short for her age.

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-16327604730342556002011-05-20T21:59:00.004-05:002011-05-20T23:00:37.191-05:00

It's already 9 weeks ago that Miss N is born. I know I should have been writing every single day about her little moves and changes, the reaction of her sisters and more. But it's busy with a baby, family, house, husband, myself... Although I did have time to go out to a movie one evening (Jane Eyre, was OK), it's hard to steal time from anything just to turn on the computer and write. Miss N is

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-78693055716694032492011-03-19T15:02:00.008-05:002011-03-23T15:01:55.229-05:00

How much can somebody complain about pregnancy! I managed a good deal in the last ... 9 months. Some love being pregnant, I remember being over the clouds for the first two, but this time, I just couldn't wait it to be over. Tired, sick to my stomach and just uncomfortable, that's how it was. Oh, I did love the little kicks and the views of the little creature on the ultrasounds, of course I did.

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-31895182935797197102011-02-01T20:58:00.007-06:002011-02-01T23:06:28.946-06:00

While I'm sitting by my computer a the kitchen island, the wind is blowing like crazy outside. The big blizzard is all around us, swirling white pearls all over. Luckily, at this moment, there is no emergency on our side related to the storm.It was months ago, someone was telling me about her emergency room trip with her son, he had a bad fever or something like that. I happened to tell her "

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-57140524291974091242010-11-17T12:23:00.009-06:002010-11-18T22:17:52.642-06:00

I resisted going to NYC for a while. I'm not very energetic and where do I leave the kids when we are gone??!! Well, it was Tricia who convinced me that I just had to go. That one night we were planning became two nights and last friday, we were at the Big Apple!! It took me a while to get used to the idea that the kids would be OK. But of course they were just looking forward to the sleepover.

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-77285804305338551472010-11-08T22:10:00.004-06:002011-02-01T23:09:31.964-06:00

It's a giiiirl, it's a giiiirl, it's a giiiirl, it's a giiiirl... (sing it please...)

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-19265839419243468322010-10-13T20:47:00.002-05:002010-10-13T21:16:59.099-05:00

Very now and then, there is a presentation of teachers at our Montessori school about a subject important for the education of our kids. This time it was about independence. Of course Montessori education implies a lot of independence, what why is it so important.The presentation started with the class of 3-6 year olds, called primary. With examples from the class, we saw how the kids are gently

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-88600702783556305952010-10-13T20:29:00.006-05:002010-11-17T12:12:01.632-06:00

Last weekend was "back to life". Friday evening, we were invited to Melinda's house for a dinner with her and Tony's family. This time, we said "yes". I tried to rest during the day to be able to make it, and I did.When we arrived, I loved the expression on especially Lillian and Amelia. They were genuinely excited. Tally to Miss A from the hand and they were gone for the rest of the evening. P

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-58019028559598660422010-09-20T20:36:00.006-05:002010-09-20T20:53:20.910-05:00

P wanted a manly dinner yesterday. Me and the girls had drumsticks from the over, one for each, two for me. P BBQed for himself, a huge, I mean HUGE steak. He put delightedly half an onion on it and took a glass of wine. Fine!When it was bed time, and don't forget about my extreme smell sense thanks to the pregnancy, he decided to chat with me in bed. Chat? It's more breathing to my face - which

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-63125107609070588322010-09-09T21:54:00.003-05:002010-09-09T22:06:22.711-05:00

I wish I didn't make a posting like this. I was actually planning to write couple things that I still have to put here, like the trip to Yellowstone or my mom's visit. But the nausea and the dizziness is just taking my days over. I cannot function at all. Poor P, he has to do everything. He's like a single dad. And he tries so hard, I feel bad for being the weak one. Normally I am the one who "

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-67455692387199489512010-07-20T21:55:00.004-05:002010-08-09T21:03:50.224-05:00

I had to get up at 4.30am to get those lawn tickets. Sting was sold out before the tickets were available for non-members. We wanted to have pavilion tickets, sit and listen... No hurry to get a nice picnic spot - not meant for us. But it's Sting at Ravinia, we were lucky that we could go!!At 4.45pm, Chris came over and picked me up. I had the blankets and the portable chairs. We went to Ellie's.

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-53207274434294206922010-06-24T21:02:00.005-05:002010-08-02T13:56:08.836-05:00

Yes, finally we did too much. The kids cannot sleep, Miss A. has a cough and they are both not sleeping! I wish I could say we will have a nice and quite day tomorrow. No way! I cannot go to bed while the girls are both awake, so I will write.Yesterday we had the cutest phone call. It was Pippa, a friend of Miss F. I first didn't understand who it was. It's the first time a friend of the kids

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-77873482543874741982010-06-23T22:52:00.005-05:002010-06-23T23:23:32.411-05:00

Some people have flexible bones. That's what it is. How can you otherwise explain those acrobats' tricks. Try to put your chin down on the ground, reach over with your feet and touch the top of your head. That's what they do, those acrobats.I took the kids tonight to the Chinese Acrobats at Ravinia. Their first Ravinia experience, and it was spectacular. (oh, how missed P, too bad he couldn't

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-5052201143776604282010-06-19T21:07:00.002-05:002010-06-19T21:41:14.880-05:00

We added a new favorite to our little adventurous outings. We went to see "Sleeping Beauty" ballet produced by the Barrington Youth Dance Ensemble.Our day started with a visit to downtown Lake Forest to bring some food to Miss A's teacher who just had a baby. We saw the baby! Then to Panera for some bagels, P's wish. We were to celebrate Fathers' day today, so his wish was my command. Than we had

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-53714316873346307132010-06-07T21:42:00.001-05:002010-06-21T22:24:28.158-05:00

The first week of June... Miss A. started her summer school and Miss F. started her school drama week and I started one of the busiest weeks of the year!Monday, May 31: the week started with a free day. So what am I complaining about!! It was the memorial day weekend. It was fine having P home especially since his parents arrived the Thursday before memorial day.Tuesday, June 1: Brought Miss F.

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-62124138592905473712010-04-19T22:47:00.000-05:002010-06-01T22:50:55.029-05:00

Miss A is doing "Book Club" at the park district. It is the cutest class and she loves it! They read a book and then do activities related to the book. They made kites, petted a Guinea Pig, and all other fun stuff. She feels so big and she is so proud that she goes to her "Book Club." I love the enthusiasm!

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-7350469468019698342010-04-17T22:32:00.001-05:002010-06-01T22:46:59.318-05:00

I keep on saying how much I miss Dave and Tena. Luckily, they try to keep in touch as well. They were staying with Dave's sister Anissa and her husband Todd. They invited me and the girls. Of course they would have invited P, too. However, he was out of town. What's new!!When I left home, I had no idea where Bartlett was. I was actually thinking I would go to Wisconsin. At this kind of moments, I

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-44755881671165061492010-04-10T22:20:00.002-05:002010-06-01T22:31:48.011-05:00

Such an exciting day for Miss A. She was preparing for the party for three weeks. She draw, she wrote letters, she made me do crafts. When we arrived to the party, we had one bought present and a big bag full of Miss A creations. So much fun! The party was nice. A managed to sit next to Caroline during the pizza and cake. The look on her face was telling "see, this is my best friend's birthday

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-9023937674217036562010-04-06T22:13:00.002-05:002010-04-06T22:21:14.685-05:00

Miss A's new friend Caroline celebrated her b-day today. (the party is this Saturday, this was the school celebration.) I spent a big part of the afternoon singing for Caroline. Not that she was here, or we were with her. Miss A decided to have a "pretend" party for her in our living room. We also wrote letters to Caroline. One goes like this:Dear Caroline,I love you. Can you come to my birthday

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-23464583906562803732010-04-05T21:39:00.003-05:002010-04-05T22:06:20.638-05:00

If you need a new job in a new, cool place, come and be our friend. Check this list:Ale and Martin - to Uruguay (we knew that, though!)Anne - to Germany (OK, we knew that one, too)Dave and Tena - to DenverLeo and Carla - New York - oh so unexpected!Padraic and Anitra - Boston - we were just becoming friendsAll happy to be gone, all to a new challenge. If you become friends with us and you have

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-90836646222746171192010-04-05T21:38:00.009-05:002010-04-23T17:41:18.819-05:00

Spring break is fun for the kids, a bit of a stress for mothers. i decided that I will have as much fun as the kids this time. We are staying home, so I need planning.The week started with a party at pump it up. Brook just invited a bunch of people from school, for just fun. The kids and some grown ups jumped around. Miss F won twice at the obstacle course from me. Although I did like I let her

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-42043641767756043642010-03-24T21:17:00.004-05:002010-03-24T21:31:33.064-05:00

We have successfully completed our first trip to the city with the ladies from school. (Sunday March 21st) We went to see Peter Pan at the Emerald City Theatre in Chicago, 7 mothers and 14 children. It took a while to make the arrangements, but we managed. It felt so nice to look at the seats around and see all the known faces. Hardly any kid sat with his/her mother, they looked for their friends

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-54274706560317857012010-03-18T22:59:00.003-05:002010-03-20T21:32:00.158-05:00

I looked at the clock on my cellphone. It was 3.18 on March 18th. I just couldn't believe that P is not here with us on his b-day. We miss you Paps! Come home soon!Happy birthday!

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-84016774725335902372010-03-17T20:44:00.002-05:002010-03-17T20:52:53.254-05:00

Caroline started in A's class at the beginning of the year. Since she is in the class, Miss A tries to do everything with her. After school, she says;"I had crackers with Caroline,""I cleaned the table with Caroline""I did sand paper letters, but not with Caroline."I had to invite this Caroline here to meet A's new friend.Last Sunday, Caroline came here with her mother. The hour before their

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-69337021811628369422010-03-17T20:39:00.002-05:002010-03-17T20:41:34.674-05:00

Yesterday we filed away the last bits of the wart! Sorry, I really had to share this.

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-71817361525384174592010-03-13T20:28:00.004-06:002010-03-13T20:57:00.777-06:00

Wildlife always fascinates me, before it scares me. I wrote before about the coyote screams and cries we hear at nights. Last weekend, on Sunday morning at 8 am, we were still in bed, playing with the kids. We heard the cries. I jumped out of bed. Between the trees bordering neighbor's house, I could see something moving. Then they came, three of them, looking like skinny wolves. Three coyotes.

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-68024641640587439792010-03-13T00:04:00.002-06:002010-03-13T00:14:40.293-06:00

Miss A invented a new way of getting rid of plantard warts. She talks to her wart. She says "Go away. Don't grow anymore. You have to get smaller." The thing is, she also says what the wart tells her. It says "I want to grow. I want to stay here." The wart in her imagination became some kind of an animal. Sometimes she says that the wart is moving and trying to come off. It's supposed to feel

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-56062100099591929012010-03-12T19:15:00.002-06:002010-03-13T00:03:37.385-06:00

Mark and Susan from Canada visited us. Miss A found a new friend: Sue! We picked Susan and Mark from the airport together with A. It took us a while to get to home, I took all possible detours. THe reason: our house stinks again. Since the snow started melting, the smell came back. P and I were quite not happy. P even went the morning of Susan and Mark' arrival to get some air freshners. (also

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-63846195910119574812010-03-05T21:53:00.004-06:002010-03-05T22:30:08.711-06:00

Two weeks ago, our school had "Father's visit day." They send us a letter home, they put up signs and Miss A came home with a reminder. I made sure that P knew about the event, taht he was signed up and was not away on business trip on that Saturday. F was very excited to show daddy her work and her class. A accepted that it was for her older sister, not for her. I thought I would use the

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-62448439455917347272010-03-02T17:35:00.003-06:002010-03-02T18:07:21.711-06:00

The kids are playing nicely (well, I will not complain about the mess in the living room) and husband is back to work, so I feel like blogging - and I have time for it!When I was telling friends about P's approaching surgery, they had some funny comments. We are in the States for two years and P was hospitalized 4 times, twice for a surgery. Our American fiends know him as "that guy who is either

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-11105616732914795772010-03-01T21:19:00.004-06:002010-03-01T21:43:44.235-06:00

To prove that I am the best nurse ever, husband is back to work exactly one week after surgery. Now that life seems to go back to normal - nobody asking me to join him for a cup of coffee that I don't drink or telling me that I should come home fast from grocery shopping because he is so lonely - I can blog about the, well, "normal" stuff.Last week we spent a lot of time at home and I had to face

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-50893550940093541052010-02-27T21:56:00.002-06:002010-02-27T22:10:29.349-06:00

P made it to home from the hospital just fine. He had the surgery last Tuesday and he's been home since then. It's quite weird to have him home full time, normally he's never home. Amazingly, his biggest love - the Blackberry - didn't get too much attention and we really had the chance to enjoy his presence at home.Since Miss A was home most of the time, she had all the time with daddy. They sat

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-65486784340539050732010-02-16T23:30:00.003-06:002010-02-16T23:47:59.174-06:00

A conversation you don't want to have in the supermarket is about your husband going into surgery. Almost, I should say. When P called, I understood that he had a surgery. A misunderstanding! Made me shiver!He just found out in Europe that he is suffering a double hernia and he will have to be operated. He didn't have an acute operation, as I thought. Hopefully he will come home and have it. So I

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-5720980825295282762010-02-16T23:15:00.003-06:002010-02-16T23:30:09.232-06:00

Lately we hear screams in the night. Coyote live in the nature preserve close by and they hunt, probably in packs. I tell the kids it's dogs, trying to hide how the sounds disturb me.This afternoon we went to the backyard to play with the snow. I saw a hole just 2 meters from the deck. The hole was full with hair and pieces of skin. No blood. I couldn't believe that the screams from last night

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-54851063213974435182010-02-16T23:00:00.005-06:002010-02-16T23:15:03.586-06:00

I introduced the kids to Olympic Games. We were watching men's figure skating. I was telling them how best of the best come and compete for the gold medal. They were amazed with all those incredible things those men perform on the ice. Miss A looked and looked and said "when you are the best of the world, you can jump like that." Well, the way she said it, it sounded very ... deep and spiritual!

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-59400221121571901752010-02-14T21:50:00.009-06:002010-02-26T21:26:23.842-06:00

Last year at winter vacation, we were probably the only family staying at home. The whole school was gone out of state. This year, we joined the club. Ha ha! We went to visit Dave and Tena in Denver, the mile high city.Denver is at just 2 - 2,5 hours flying distance. We are so used to fly overseas that it felt weird and great to be at our destination in such a short time. Even with the delay due

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-44885383515414987252010-02-09T22:00:00.001-06:002010-02-15T00:34:47.534-06:00

My dear friend Chris was at our house for lunch. I made crepes for the kids and a salad for us. I know she watches her calories. I was squeezing fresh orange juice as a little treat. Chris asked what I was doing. "Making fresh juice" was my answer. "Don't you have juice in your fridge?" she asked. Well, I had 3 packs, but...She never had fresh juice before. The girl from California had her first

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-23364284298423874792010-02-07T08:56:00.005-06:002010-02-08T22:43:16.709-06:00

We dedicated this weekend to checkout new restaurants.Abigails in Highland Park: close to the Ravinia train station - do not look for it in downtown Highland Park - is this tiny little restaurant packed with people. They don't take reservations, so you might want to get there early and put your name on the list. The sitting area is very small but the tables are set up in a nice way that doesn't

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-20600681428719313722010-02-01T22:45:00.003-06:002010-02-01T23:07:30.998-06:00

If P is gone during the week, I am so busy with the kids, I don't really think about it. Weekends can get long, though. As the end of the week approaches, and P is on some trip at the other side of the world, I feel this slight panic coming up: what are we going to do!Here's is my last husband-less weekend:Saturday:Wake up at 7 and try to stay in bed another five minutes (beg the kids, get angry,

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-39858062113254193442010-02-01T22:27:00.004-06:002010-02-01T22:44:36.587-06:00

Our number one is a real Dutch girl. She is a copy of her father in so many ways, like their identical mouths, and hair and they are never cold... She is on the ice skates and she skates like a little Dutch would do. She is on the bike since she is one year old, plus she learned biking on two wheels on her first try.Number two is "my daughter", I say. First of all, she is cold all the time. She

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-83864714988901188922010-01-30T13:03:00.004-06:002010-01-30T13:06:17.239-06:00

I just realized that, husband travelling all the time, I am not "O. the expat wife", I am "O. the expat mom". So I just changed my name! I know husband's voice quite well, but I have a hard time remembering his face. Would he remember me next time he walks into the house?

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-51025659004188019392010-01-30T12:47:00.002-06:002010-01-30T12:49:31.502-06:00

Oma has a new hip since last Tuesday and she is today out of hospital. We are very happy to hear that she is feeling better than the last hip operation and she is getting better sooner! Big hugs to Oma.

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-78152720114899637352010-01-30T12:30:00.003-06:002010-01-30T12:47:36.566-06:00

Sometimes they are so upset about something that I almost get angry. It's so hard to understand what is the matter. However, if I can say one magic word and solve everything, I feel great. Why am I talking about this? Since we are back from Europe, A is having trouble adjusting back to her life in USA.It all started with the swimming lesson. She doesn't like swimming, but she tried and she was

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-86107705999972503592010-01-27T21:21:00.002-06:002010-01-27T21:45:22.204-06:00

Govern-mental agencies want us to do some pretty weird stuff sometimes. I had my share.We got a letter from a Dutch authority that pays child allowance in the Netherlands. We are not talking about big amounts here, it's really REALLLY not much. Anyway, they check every two years if the kids of the families living abroad are still alive and living in the country in question - I can imagine it.An

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-74639571348100839572010-01-20T10:41:00.008-06:002010-01-21T21:58:26.495-06:00

I finished the photo album of 2008 just before we left to Europe for the Holidays. The result was so nice that my New Year's Resolution was undoubtedly to keep up with the blog. Of course the events and experiences are not so exciting anymore, but when I combine the story with the pictures and make a yearbook, the result is quite precious. And I forget things, who, where, when of events. It is

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-50626297995129971852009-10-13T21:36:00.003-05:002009-10-13T21:45:39.556-05:00

A and F started their swimming lessons. A did well, she wasn't too shy. She did keep a uncomfortable smile on her face the whole time, one that shows her teeth. I am telling this, because she didn't stop smiling even when they went underwater. So she wasn't very pleased with the little dive!F had a private lesson, there are no other kids in her group for the moment. Her teacher is a girl with

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-15632236584058814122009-10-13T21:16:00.004-05:002009-10-13T21:36:36.616-05:00

On October sixth, I met Franny Billingsley. She is an author. She has two published young adult novels and a picture book. She is a friend of a friend, so Noyna, my friend introduced us.It is always weird to go to meet someone new. Am I gonna like the person, will she like me? What are we going to talk about? Will there be uncomfortable silences? I did go very willingly, though. No

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-54411059798699507342009-09-29T20:50:00.005-05:002009-09-29T21:07:18.541-05:00

This evening, we saw at the school how the kids learn math concept in a Montessori way. It was amazing! The kids start with touching, feeling the beads, they are looking at them. Couple years later, they end up understanding the concept of squares and cubes, like 2 to the square of 5. They don't memorize, but understand. They see that 2 to the square of 5 makes a real geometric square made of

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-71656422481386250592009-09-29T10:35:00.006-05:002009-09-29T10:51:13.605-05:00

Last week-end P's cousins, Gerald and Edna with Aaron and Sheila were here. P had to take Gerald for salmon fishing of course. The freezer is now so full, I don't know what to do. How are we going to eat that all!P took them with F to six flags on Friday evening. They came home soaked and happy. Apparently, F did some rides as well, and she loved it. The nice thing about the rain is that the

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-56015457277454922862009-09-25T20:35:00.003-05:002009-09-25T21:00:18.064-05:00

This was very unplanned. We will have a b-day party for F in about a month. Still, we decided to pick her up from school on 23rd. P would take a free end of the day. Just 2 days before her b-day, I forgot about the plans and promised to go to Kerry and Sheila's for a playdate. The day after, I realized that I had a big chance of winning the worst mother of the year award, by forgetting my

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-47657534476247716822009-09-22T21:29:00.002-05:002009-09-25T21:31:30.032-05:00

Didn't mention Tena at all in the last posting. I feel ashamed. Well, cheers Tena!

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-67982906281303162522009-09-22T21:18:00.001-05:002009-09-25T21:29:24.049-05:00

Dave and Beck stayed at our place for 2 nights, their last nights here before the big move to Denver. F was very excited that Beck finally was sleeping under our roof. The two played like crazy. On Monday, when F was still at school, A had her first real play time with Beck. She also got used to Dave, a little late though. Of course, we gave fish bread. Kids love that! Tuesday, we all left for

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-29305547136672014052009-09-18T20:16:00.011-05:002009-09-18T22:29:01.503-05:00

Somethings are meant to be. I was sure I was going to miss the U2 concert. I was sure about it. I first thought, if I go to see U2, it has to be on the field. Then, I need to be there early, and P would never do that. Then, I was sure P would be travelling. So, I hadn't even look for tickets.P was indeed gone for a week and a half. Wednesday before the first concert, I saw a friend at the parking

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-5598373039639513602009-09-15T21:01:00.002-05:002009-09-25T21:32:24.201-05:00

Wedding day and P is away. We tend to forget about it. We just don't seem to have any problem with it. Works for us!

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-80512233498556410612009-09-14T21:19:00.003-05:002009-09-14T21:36:23.216-05:00

A had her first ballet lesson today. What an excitement! We got her ballet shoes from the real dance shop. She showed them to her sister with proud. After she got dressed, we went to the rec center. Dave and Beck were by us, so F stayed home with them.A went to the class head up high. She walked in as the first child. Then her classmates came in. I think there are seven kids in the class. Then

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-61719800070780964982009-08-24T20:35:00.002-05:002009-08-24T21:04:47.717-05:00

Last Saturday, Ayse arrived for a short visit. Always nice to see old friends who, even if we don't meet often, feels so familiar. It was a busy day, P had tickets for the football game downtown and he was going there with Dave. Tena came with Beck - a little late, they were selling old cars and buying a new one -. F has been asking for Beck for days. They can play so nice. Anyway, we had a nice

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-79465651378219749872009-07-09T21:52:00.009-05:002009-07-10T00:06:09.552-05:00

22/6 - 28/6Now, this is something! P was going to Italy for his work and since we had the excellent sitters at home, I went to. We had a second honeymoon, really. (we did fly separately and I was very happy with that!) I flew 1st class, thanks to P's miles. My trip started with champagne! I was on AA to Philly and to Venice. In the seat next to me were the pilots resting in turns. That gave me

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-53769688093424643402009-07-01T00:06:00.001-05:002009-09-13T20:08:14.848-05:00

A has been complaining about her eyes so many times, and since the eye doctor didn't find a thing, the pediatrician decided to send her for an MRI. Just after Italy trip, on June 30st, I took her to the Lake Forest hospital. Nice that P's parents were still visiting, I could leave F to them. Our experience with the hospital has not been very positive, so I was quite nervous about it. She had her

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-71638185050855547132009-06-29T20:15:00.002-05:002009-09-13T20:49:36.146-05:00

Last year, somehow, we had heard about the parade in Libertyville. I remember being quite impressed with it. This year's parade was nice, but of course the second never has the taste of the first one.This time, we were there with Tena, Beck and Tamsen. It was a very hot day, one I expected from the Chicago summer. The kids got a lot of candy and this year, F was quite outgoing. She was waving to

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-77355221209039839072009-06-21T23:23:00.004-05:002009-07-09T23:26:18.404-05:00

Yesterday, we were invited to a BBQ at Brook's house. I knew she had catering, I knew she had everything arranged. I didn't know what to expect... would it be stiff, formal, too chick? It was partly yes, but in an OK way. It was really nice actually. Good food, nice people... Duncan is really fun, the right person to sit next to at a dinner.I met a woman who is related to Voltaire! What are the

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-26469201163097418832009-06-18T23:12:00.000-05:002009-07-09T23:13:38.466-05:00

F started with tennis lessons. She likes it much better than soccer and I can see that she feels comfortable. The teacher is a French woman who is really good with kids: she is nice and playful yet she is hard enough to keep the attention.

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-27918969167300644292009-06-16T20:42:00.004-05:002009-06-16T21:01:27.201-05:00

Today, I brought A to the doctor. She keeps on complaining about her eyes and the eye doctor couldn't find anything. She wakes up in the night, just after she falls asleep; or in the morning, she cries and says that her eyes are hurting. She also says that she sees little dark circles. This happens especially in the night. This goes on for a while now, maybe two months. The thing is, I never too

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-51456042190824816542009-05-25T20:55:00.004-05:002009-05-25T21:04:02.965-05:00

Memorial weekend came as a surprise to me. I just forgot that the weekend was a 3 day weekend and everything - like ballet - was cancelled. First I had a feeling of disappointment. What do I do 3 days?Saturday was a the beach with Tena and Dave and Dave's parents and sister and her family. Then BBQ at their house. Fun fun fun. Sunday was a day to be home...finally. Then we realize how little we

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-21174576971128183352009-05-24T22:35:00.003-05:002009-05-24T22:37:30.922-05:00

I was just turning off the computer, but I have to add this: the sump pump broke down. Well, it didn't stop working, it just started to work non-stop. So we have a new one installed, just couple weeks before the anniversary of the flood we had last year. Lucky us, it was still under warranty!

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-65976391662124789522009-05-24T22:32:00.003-05:002009-05-24T22:34:24.485-05:00

This week, my babysitter was sick. She couldn't come on Thursday. But the tradition is kept! I had two friends over and we had some wine...life is fun when you're having wine!

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-57538320469019759312009-05-24T21:49:00.006-05:002009-05-29T21:52:47.962-05:00

We live in Pleasantville. At least that's what I call it. A small community of people who will greet you on the streets, have a chat with you at the village market, little kids well dressed and well behaved, the police looks bored and has some extra pounds - probably no need to move much, except for writing traffic tickets to people who doesn't properly stop (read less that 3 seconds) at a stop

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-77841147553687975782009-05-19T20:09:00.003-05:002009-05-19T20:15:58.093-05:00

F is learning her letters in a Montessori way. She doesn't know the ABC, but the sounds of the letters. I bought yesterday couple books in English for beginner readers and guess what! She can read. We know she has been practicing a lot of stuff, sand letters, phonograms (or whatever they are called), all Montessori stuff. She still has to learn and practice a lot and reading in a language other

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-64399081744839477112009-05-17T21:26:00.006-05:002009-05-17T22:05:30.720-05:00

Finally, we celebrated A's 3rd b-day. I say finally, because she turned 3 a month ago, and I was postponing the date. Saturday, we had the crowd over for the celebration. 10 a.m. sharp, the first guest came to the door. It was a bit awkward that the b-day girl was at the supermarket to pick up some I wine and the b-day cake. (that we almost forgot - so expected with us!). Oops. As the guests

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-42091994822921157382009-05-07T23:15:00.003-05:002009-05-07T23:17:23.215-05:00

New tradition is that I go out with Tena on Thursday evenings. (I'm just home from the 2nd) Oh, it feels so nice, and it is so much fun. And how the girls are excited about their sitter! It's miracle. Keep up with the tradition!

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-52611817393278235982009-05-04T22:17:00.003-05:002009-05-04T22:23:44.255-05:00

A is now 3, so she is going to an upper class. She was the oldest of the 18 month-3 year olds, now she is the youngest of the 3 year - 6,5 year olds. This morning, she was reluctant to walk to her new class, she said she would go tomorrow. But her locker was empty and her teacher was not expecting her. So she had to walk to her new class. I needed her teacher to smoothly take her inside the

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-24816425012669396812009-05-03T21:56:00.002-05:002009-05-03T21:59:32.753-05:00

At a party in our neighbours' house, someone told F that if she just turned her loose tooth a bit, it might come out. So she did it and there it was! She was so proud of herself! Now she can whistle through the gap in her lower jaw....

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-34859897500481322822009-04-21T21:00:00.002-05:002009-04-21T21:12:23.323-05:00

A has pain in her eyes for a while. I took her to the doctor and I was expecting to hear that she needs glasses. She is just 3. The doctor checked everything she can think of, and said that she couldn't see anything particular to worry about. She had an ear infection, so the conclusion was that she experienced the pain from her ears as from her eyes.Tonight I was starting to write - finally - a

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-59934342705501832182009-04-21T20:54:00.006-05:002009-04-21T22:32:23.717-05:00

This is a new journal I decided to start, though the kids are attending a Montessori school for almost a year now. They started when they were 2 and 4. F is now 5,5 and A just turned 3. You can find the postings also on the right side of the page, under 'How Montessori are we?'We didn't know Montessori system besides that it existed. There are Montessori schools in Holland but we didn't choose to

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-85840759520057840922009-04-07T22:30:00.010-05:002009-05-03T21:55:40.590-05:00

There is so much to write again. I feel like on a Sunday afternoon at high school: I knew I had so much homework, but I just postponed it till now, and I know I will have to be awake till late to finish. At least that's what would have happened when I was a teenager. Now I will not feel guilty stopping and writing another day. No teacher to will be mad at me, only my own conscious...Our last

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-58022800484481631722009-02-24T21:53:00.005-06:002009-02-24T22:06:36.545-06:00

It was November 5th when Expat Mum commented:"Welcome (belatedy) to the US of A. We are having our first "brisk" day here in Chicago after t-shirt weather for longer than usual. Bah!"It is now Feb 24th and the temperature outside is 1 degree Celsius and....Yes, we say...."wow, it's warm outside tonight". Go figure!A had her first real b-day party last Saturday. Her friend Lorenzo turned two. They

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-51883538076849825682009-02-24T21:07:00.001-06:002009-02-24T22:23:02.859-06:00

Busy weekends is fun. We love it. But two days is just too short and it gets late, especially for the kids.Last week-end, we began with 'Fathers' visit' at school. P went to see F at her class. That was Saturday morning. Then the b-day party of A's friend. Then we had a family we met at the gym, a family from Belgium. Their daughter and F get along very well. F is crazy about her and Marjolein is

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-59798006470378688182009-02-18T22:36:00.002-06:002009-02-18T22:53:14.279-06:00

If I make the maths of the last couple of days:2 mouses, 1 dead, 1 escapeda new leakage in the kitchen ceiling. Had nothing to do with the incidents before. This was a whole new issue caused by a vent pipe leading to the roof that was never glued at a T joint. This new leakage resulted in 2 new holes in the kitchen ceiling and 1 big hole in the closet in 2nd floor. I saw a raccoon wandering

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-56552513730630833302009-02-11T20:20:00.006-06:002009-02-11T21:53:27.721-06:00

Our school is one of the few schools that has winter vacation. I didn't know that. Another thing that I didn't know is that everyone in our school goes away for the winter vacation. I was thinking about little trips or play dates for a whole week, then I found out that everyone was going away for a sky vacation. P had his own plans - business trip of course - and the house started to stink again.

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-55337965258796453512009-02-06T20:47:00.005-06:002009-02-06T20:51:02.979-06:00

Eddy, congratulations with your birthday!! M.A, would you please give read this message to him, I know you are the one who reads my blog. Hehe, what a cheap way, sorry.P, O, F, A.

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-62598296859436701242009-02-03T21:23:00.002-06:002009-02-03T21:29:49.091-06:00

We are back! We moved back to our home. This morning, I packed for 4 hours a car totally full and we left the apartment. The holes in the ceiling and the wall are not looking... cosy, but whatever, I am tired or driving back and forth. Is the house smelling? I think a bit, but not as bad obviously. I think I am a little used to it as well. That's a bit sad I guess. After putting the car full of

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-29615997529939965902009-01-31T21:03:00.012-06:002009-02-01T21:18:46.438-06:00

We have two places since the second week of January. We had to leave home because it is being repaired after some sewer problems - the house smells to sewage!. Our home has the nickname 'stinky house' and then we have the apartment. The names are important so that the kids don't get confused. When they expect to go home and end-up at the apartment, they get quite disappointed.This weekend, we

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-14504082483773246862009-01-31T20:35:00.007-06:002009-01-31T21:03:24.669-06:00

When you live in an apartment... no, I should say, when you are condemned to live in an apartment, because your house is stinking and being repaired, you don't want to spend your weekend between four walls. When it is minus 10ish Celsius outside, it is actually comforting to have some walls around. Still, as long as those have nothing to do with the apartment...That's how we started our last

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-70555063255757154802009-01-21T22:51:00.008-06:002009-01-21T23:13:22.775-06:00

I just came home from after watching the movie 'The curious case of Benjamin Button'. It is about a man who born old and dies as a baby. It's the clock ticking backwards. Very peculiar, I think that would be a good word. I found it ironic that today, I got the watch the movie. There is a lot about birth, dead and babies in the story of Benjamin Button. I thought there was really some kind of an

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-52012581048080591062009-01-13T20:40:00.004-06:002009-01-13T22:06:42.710-06:00

We had great 2 weeks in Holland and Belgium. Visited family, friends, did stuff with kids, without kids - good babysitters in Holland!! -... Then we came home...The first thing we noticed - how could you miss it! - was the horrible smell in the house. It hit our faces when we opened the door. Oh no, the sewer is broken, we thought. We opened the windows a bit, and let some fresh air come inside.

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-77623708715292535232008-12-07T21:37:00.007-06:002008-12-11T20:20:05.863-06:00

Sinterklaas comes on a steamboat to Holland 4 weeks prior to December 5. Or did he come first to Spain and spend the 4 weeks to travel to Holland? Hey, I am not the real Dutch here, give me a break. Somehow Sinterklaas managed to stop in USA, at our house on December 7. It's a very good track record if you think about the four weeks from Spain to the Netherlands.Sinterklaas is the Dutch Santa and

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-90191910165050905862008-12-05T20:21:00.001-06:002009-10-22T16:39:03.057-05:00

Before my mother left, at the Thanksgiving vacation, we went to Los Angeles. We left Illinois as the first snow was falling down - falling down almost as a storm. After getting our plane treated against freezing - good to know for someone who is not very fond of flying - we had a nice trip to LA. We got our car at the rental place and drove to my cousin's house in Orange. We did arrive exhausted

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-63102318416728204942008-11-14T10:10:00.005-06:002008-11-14T10:25:41.717-06:00

We joined the club. Literally we did. It is not told rule, if you live in the states, you have to join the club - The Sports Club! Yesterday, after putting the kids in bed and leaving them with my mother, we went to sport. We are members since the opening two months ago of this new him a tour and showed him how the exercise machines are working. We did some running and some muscle training. The

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-51425515691565531722008-11-07T23:43:00.003-06:002008-11-08T00:22:18.454-06:00

We had another dentist appointment today, F has problem teeth - mother's daughter. She already had a root canal, two fillings and one more is scheduled. She is 5 and it's all about the baby teeth! We are being quite careful with brushing and what she eats and drinks, I don't want her permanent teeth to get bad. Today I got the news that we should be even more careful. She already has a molar in

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-82626189411481812652008-11-05T21:44:00.007-06:002008-11-05T22:23:51.203-06:00

The last 3 days were amazing! The temperature was around 18- 20 C. We walked around in t-shirts. The first day I picked up A from school and I just wanted to be outside. We went in the nature preserve next to our neighborhood for a picnic. I knew there was a bench just at the end of the forest. We biked there and had our sandwiches and cookies there. It was beautiful and I could see how A was

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-80083533864844585602008-11-05T21:09:00.007-06:002008-11-05T21:42:57.162-06:00

Since my mother already went to sleep to wake in the middle of the night due to a jet lag, and the kids are in bed as well - although I can here A, I can use the time to tell about the mouse in the house.It started couple weeks ago, I saw a dead baby mouse in the middle of the storage. The next day we found another dead baby mouse under the shelves. Then there is the story of the mouse that

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-31854796322699592822008-11-05T20:49:00.005-06:002008-11-05T21:09:23.881-06:00

For the ones who are waiting for some news, my mother arrived today and she had a nice trip. She saw most of the house and actually stood on the basement trap and looked around. She is extremely scared of mouses and yes we have them somewhere in the basement. I hired a company who is supposed to take care of them, only it takes a while. The problem is, they probably come from some place under the

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-8009722345753639022008-11-04T22:10:00.003-06:002008-11-04T23:12:02.001-06:00

It is 10 pm and I was actually about to go to bed. But I couldn't stop myself from setting the computer on. Obama is just announced as the next President of the USA. He was senator from Illinois, so they have a big party in Grant Park in Chicago. He will make an appearance there. I don't remember how the elections were celebrated in the Netherlands or Turkey, but here people are gathered all over

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-75004264431053963122008-11-04T20:40:00.006-06:002009-10-16T18:04:19.822-05:00

What are the odds of ending in the same hospital as P with similar symptoms two months after his operation? Sunday October 26, I had to spend the night at the black hole hospital or otherwise known as the pretend hospital. I had the deja vue of P??!!Beginning of the afternoon, right after I came home from my grocery shopping - I do it alone as P and the kids are at the church - my tachycardia

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-25289730776217485172008-10-16T23:43:00.003-05:002008-10-16T23:45:35.450-05:00

I hear either coyote or an owl outside. Not right outside, further. Winter is approaching and I remember the first days we were here; the raccoons and skunks, coyote taking down the deer. Just don't feel like it!

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-20176166636887312822008-10-16T23:33:00.003-05:002008-11-04T20:39:27.423-06:00

I don't know what I am doing but somehow I have little time to write. One of the things that I try to get going is a cooking club. No no, its not taking a lot of time or something, but I hope it will fill some mornings on those school days.I got the idea when we were at a lecture at school. We started by telling something about ourselves, like a hobby. Couple of the mothers said they liked to

O. the expat momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06139119681001251285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4373745876321528150.post-25653389523810321552008-10-16T22:16:00.006-05:002008-10-16T23:32:35.288-05:00

The creative writing course has been taking a lot of time lately, I have been spending all my time writing a story. It will be read and discussed in class, so I try to do something I am happy with. I will put it in the blog when I am done with it. A lot of thing happened in the time since my last post. First the title of this post, it is important for us.I was worried about the speaking abilities

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