Today we started our Sinterklaas season... I brought the books upstairs, we practiced songs during the day and in the evening the kids put their shoe in front of the fireplace.
Adrian has a vivid imagination. He wasn't too sure about leaving his shoe -- "'Klaas gaat schoen meenemen" but Nora convinced him it was worth the risk. Later Adrian said: "Sinterklaas maakt kerstboom en lichtjes en Olaf!".
Nora and I had a great time cooking together. It is great hanging out with her. For the first time, her help was actually saving me time.
She, very carefully, put together the speculaas mixture. Measuring, scooping, mixing... everything diligently and carefully done. Later she measured and cut the butter.
We made speculaas cookies, a speculaas cake, and several dishes for today's big meal.
The Zane family arrived around 8.00 pm --- just as we were putting the kids in bath. All of a sudden Julian appeared in the hallway.
While I was preparing dinner yesterday, Nora was sitting at the living room table. She was tired after her gymnastics, and sucking her thumb and being quiet. Then I noticed she was actually reading a book.
This is the first time she read a book all by herself, without reading it aloud to someone else. A huge milestone, and I'm very proud.
We're about halfway the Dutch course Veilig Leren Lezen and she's making good progress. Clearly she's now at a point where she can read things truly by herself. Awesome.
The book was Pim en de vis, in the botjes series, and she finished it later in the evening.
I saw a Facebook post yesterday about someone selling a few Dutch things on the flea-market at Washington-Lee so we went there today, for the first time.
It was hard walking around there with the kids -- they wanted to see everything -- but we used our rule: "handjes op de rug" so at least no touching. We found Olga after a while and bought 2 Suske & Wiskes that we didn't have yet, and a sprookjesboek.
When we came back Nora went for a walk with Baka and Mia, and we brought the boys for a haircut.
Today we started our Sinterklaas season... I brought the books upstairs, we practiced songs during the day and in the evening the kids put their shoe in front of the fireplace. 
Nora and I had a great time cooking together. It is great hanging out with her. For the first time, her help was actually saving me time. 
Leo and Adrian are using the "grotemensenstoelen" more often now.
While I was preparing dinner yesterday, Nora was sitting at the living room table. She was tired after her gymnastics, and sucking her thumb and being quiet. Then I noticed she was actually reading a book.
I saw a Facebook post yesterday about someone selling a few Dutch things on the flea-market at Washington-Lee so we went there today, for the first time.