We have now been in the Netherlands for three weeks, mostly hanging out in the rental home. We continue to do school in the mornings and play in the afternoon. Steffen has been doing the math teaching with me which is super helpful, though sometimes Charlotte is less thankful. LOL

One morning Olivia took it upon herself to get up early and set up a beautiful breakfast for all of us! So thoughtful.

Luisa is our early riser (and still not too early as it is usually around 8:30am) so she always gets some morning snuggles.

The weather is iffy–some days sunny but most days cloudy, windy and stormy–so after a few stormy days, this was a welcome sight on my run.

Afternoons involve building with legos, reading by the fireplace, getting wiggles out with yoga, working on puzzles, coloring, beading, listening to books on “tape” and playing music. Somehow the days go by fast even without playdates, after school activities and busy schedules.

Steffen and I have both been reading a lot more than usual, which I love. I am loving Sally Rooney’s books, and I devoured Jedidiah Jenkin’s “To Shake the Sleeping Self: A Journey from Oregon to Patagonia, and a Quest for a Life with No Regret”. So good! Highly recommended. This poem by Hafiz touched me.

Winter is definitely settling in here, so we have planned our next step: we will spend five weeks in a rental apartment in Nazaré, Portugal. We are all excited for a bit warmer weather, longer days and new experiences. We will leave next Friday (December 4th) and drive straight through France and Spain, hopefully arriving in Portugal Monday, December 7th.