Fun at the Park

Yesterday (Saturday) was a fairly nice day, so we decided to take full advantage of it. About 9:30 we packed a picnic lunch. Loaded the balls and frisbees and took off on our bikes. Our first stop was at a little park down the road. It is pretty big and usually quiet. While there we had a nice surprise, because some friends of ours showed up. The kids played and the adults chatted until it was time to move on.

After the playground we rode our bikes over the bridge to the walking/riding path by the Citadel. We rode for a bit and then decided to have our picnic lunch. After lunch we wandered into the free zoo for a bit (mostly to potty). Then we played at another playground before riding our bikes back home. We got home at around 2:00. It was quite a fun day! I am excited to see signs of spring so we can enjoy many more days like this. All 3 kiddos did remarkably well riding their bikes that far. Yea for Spring!

Adalee driving with her foot. Let's hope she doesn't try this in a few years :-)

Alden ready for more tricks

Alden driving his car

Adalee and Adam playing together

Daddy spinning Alden around and around

Adam on his bike

Adalee's ladybug she found

Jackson and Adam racing

Alden and Henry playing

Adalee running to show me her ladybug she found

Henry and Alden playing with their frisbees

All the kiddos on the car

Alden showing off his moves

Picnic lunch with Mommy

Our picnic lunch

Adalee climbing

Adam climbing up a rope to get to the top of the playground.

Alden climbing up a rope ladder

Adam and Adalee having fun

Adalee coming down the slide

Working hard to get up the ladder

He made it to the top

Brothers at the park

Our first signs of spring

The meerkat at the zoo

Adalee at the park beside the carved tree

Our yummy mint hot chocolate

Enjoying their hot chocolate

Carnivale 2011

On Tuesday, we celebrated Carnivale. The kiddos got to dress up at school. They had some fun treats and dancing and games. So to celebrate at home, we had cupcakes, confetti and costumes. It was a nice way to end our Carnivale season!

Our Carnivale cupcakes I made.

Alden's place setting at dinner

Our table all set for Carnival

Adalee was very excited about her cupcake

Alden with the green icing around his mouth!

A close up of our cupcakes

Adam, my masked man!

Our Trip to Antwerp/St Niklass

Last weekend we headed to Belgium for the Zythos Beer Festival. We stayed in Antwerp and then took the train over to St Niklass for the Festival.

We got there on Friday at lunch and checked into the hotel. Then we wandered around for a while. There was a park across from the hotel, so we spent some time checking out the animals. Then we wandered over to the Grand Place and the Docks. It was a really beautiful area.

The next day we got up and went swimming while we waited for our friends to arrive. Once Karen, Shane, Kayden and Annika arrived we hopped on the train over to St Niklass. We spend a short time at the beer festival because it was just too crowded! Karen and I took the kiddos and left Abrahm and Shane to fend for themselves.

All in all, it was a really fun weekend. I am sure we have many more beer festivals in our future!

We watched this bunny for about 20 minutes or so. Adalee loved her!

The bunny and swan hanging out

Loved this duck and bunny

A duck from the park

The Church of our Lady in the Grand Place

The statue of Our Lady of Antwerp

A sculpture of Madonna and Child

The old organ with over 5000 pipes!

A beautiful stained glass window

Another one of the stained glass windows

The choir stalls and sanctuary

The children looking at the wall underneath

Some of the restoration of the building that was taking place. These murals were underneath the plaster that was added many years ago.

The Ark of the Covenant replica in the church

Outside of the Church of our Lady in Antwerp

Alden, Adalee, and Adam outside a chocolate shop with their chocolate bunnies.

Part of downtown Antwerp