Our BIG! (Little?) News!

We were so happy when our firstborn Max was born. 

He brought so much joy to our lives, but we both felt something was missing

So then we had Lucas

And even though he can sometimes be a handful, he is such a sweet baby and was the perfect addition to our family.

But still, The Geenen Family just didn't feel complete...

So we decided it was time for another redhead to join the family. And I even have a picture to share!

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*
*

*

Would you like to see him/her?

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Is the anticipation killing you??

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

*
*
*

Everyone, meet Abby. Our newest addition to the family!

What? You didn't really think I was pregnant did you? ;-)

Thanksgiving

Today was my last day of school and I am ready to enjoy a whole month of doing nothing! Although I'm not sure how much "me" time I am going to get between playing with the kids, cooking, doing the laundry, cleaning the house, grocery shopping, paying bills, you know-- the fun stuff! 


Thanksgiving has come and gone and we enjoyed lots of good food with good company. I can't believe I just changed my blog background to a Christmas theme. It sure doesn't feel like Christmas when you are wearing shorts and flip flops! Okay, okay, I will admit that today was a bit chilly and I had to send the kids to school with jackets on. I wouldn't want to make you folks in snowy Holland jealous or anything! ;-)

I didn't take any pictures during Thanksgiving dinner, but I do have the perfect picture to depict how enjoyable Lucas made our vacation.

He's been teething for two weeks now and is driving us mad causing a bit of frustration and exhaustion around here. I love being around my kids, but I am not ashamed to say that I was quite happy to send him to daycare today! Poor little dude, hopefully his teeth will push through soon because I don't know how much more any of us can take! 

We took the kids to the park yesterday with a bit of hope that Lucas (and the rest of us) would benefit from some fresh air, but alas... Lucas, as you can see, had other plans than having fun! Max however, had fun in the giant leaf piles and on the playground!

Our Monkey

He had fun throwing leaves because mommy made him for the picture

And feeding the ducks

He can't quite do the monkey bars by himself yet, but it wouldn't surprise me if he's on his own next summer!

Whee!

Oh yes, that big! (little?) news will just have to wait until tomorrow.... It's past my bedtime ;)

Online Housewarming!

I've had several requests to show pictures of our new home. In September we hosted a housewarming for the Dutch community here, and since then I've been meaning to host one online for all of you! To give me something to blog about keep things interesting I've decided to do one room every couple of days. And today is our kitchen since it's the only clean room in our house it's one of my favorite rooms! haha! 


Tomorrow is my last day of school until January so then I can get back on track with keeping you all up to date! Because I have big (or little?) news to share!

This is the room that I spend 80% of my time in when I'm home. It seems as if there are always lunches to be made, meals to be cooked, or dishes to be washed!

Our eat-in kitchen is where we eat most meals. We also have a formal dining room for special occasions.

I absolutely love the stainless steel refrigerator and dishwasher, but they are not kid-friendly! I am constantly wiping off little fingerprints or water drops!

That's it for this evening folks! Stay tuned for more online housewarming posts, info about our Thanksgiving break, and what our big! (little?) news is! 

Cotton-y Fields Forever

Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields

Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about

Cotton-y fields forever

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see

t's getting hard to be someone but it all works out

It doesn't matter much to me

Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Cotton-y Fields

Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about

Cotton-y Fields forever

Always know sometimes think it's me, but you know I know and it's a dream

I think I know of thee, ah yes, but it's all wrong

That is I think I disagree

Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Cotton-y Fields

Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about

Cotton-y fields forever

Cotton-y fields forever

Cotton-y fields forever

Have a Happy Thanksgiving from Sweet Home Alabama!

Sinterklaas Kapoentje....

Yesterday some very strange things started going on in our house. We heard knocking on doors and windows, we found pepernoten in random places, and I swear I even heard a zwarte piet laughing. All of these strange phenomenons must have been because Sinterklaas made his grand entrance in Holland yesterday! We've been keeping up with the exciting news via the Sinterklaas Journal and Max & Lucas finally got to put out their shoe last night. 

Max made a picture list and wrote a letter to Sinterklaas to remind the dear old Sint that he lives in America now!

Of course there was a carrot and water for Sint's horse, Amerigo.

This morning Max awoke to find a half-eaten carrot, an empty water bowl, and PRESENTS!

Lief, he?

Max helped Lucas eat his pepernoten

Yum yum!

Hoera! Lucas found musical keys in his shoe, and max found a Lego helicopter!

And then Mommy and Papa were treated to very happy (and slightly messy!) children.

Now it's time to go to bed, because we all know the Zwarte Pieten won't come when we are awake!

Happy (belated!) Halloween!

Halloween has come and gone, and it's hard to believe it's already November! In the past week I went on Max's field trip to the pumpkin patch, we watched him sing at his Fall Program, and we joined the neighborhood kids and went Trick-or-Treating. 

Trying to get a class picture of nine 3 year olds wasn't easy!

Max is very good at telling everyone else to be quiet, but isn't always good at being quiet himself!

Baby goats had been born the week before we got there 

And Max enjoyed cuddling with him!

There were also very stinky and dirty cute pigs to be petted

And a donkey too!

The kids learned where eggs came from, though Max proudly stated that he got to pick REAL eggs from under Oma's butt. Then I (slightly embarrased!) had to explain that he meant under Oma's CHICKEN's butts! Laughter exploded from the other adults and Max went on the whole day talking about the eggs from under Oma's... you know what.

He got to pick the most apples since he was the only one that could reach to the top! (and yes, those are his classmates that are the same age as him!)

And then there was a tater diggin' race (digging for potatoes for those of you not from the South!)

Ready, Set, GO!

The corn maze was a lot of fun

But going on a hayride was the most fun!

Max got to pick his very own pumpkin from the pumpkin patch

And he even let me take a picture of him on the tractor!

Two days after the pumpkin patch, it was time for the school's Fall Program and Fall Festival

Max was by far the, ahem, "most vocal" child when they sang "Five Little Pumpkins"

After the program we went off to play games. Max loved the cake walk

And left as the proud owner of a yucky and dry beautiful orange pumpkin cake!

He was also quite good at balloon stomping. So good that you might think he had some aggression issues! ;-)

The next day it was time to say goodbye to Max's beloved teacher, Mrs. Amy. She has been so wonderful to him and has made his adjustment to the US much easier. Though we will miss her, I'm sure Max will have lots of fun with his new teacher, Miss Jessica. 

And then it was time for the Halloween activities to draw to an end with Trick or Treating.

Lucas the Lion did not find Halloween very amusing,

But he cheered up after his big brother toted him around!

Max met up with Blake (aka Buzz Lightyear)

And the boys began their evening of fun!

He had been practicing saying, "Trick or Treat" for weeks, and was finally rewarded with candy! 

And then we dropped our sweet, sugar-loaded children off at Mimi and Opa's house so Mama and Papa could go out and celebrate Halloween as well!