Bed Upgrades

I found a set of bunk beds in the classifieds here for 50 Euros so we got them and set them up in the kids room.  We were able to fit out mattresses we had in storage into the frame...they're a little shorter and wider than ideal, but it works.  Kherington was dead set on sleeping on the top bunk.  I was a little concerned that Kevin would be able to climb the ladder, but we ended up having to teach Kherington how to so hopefully that means Kevin has a little while tile he's tall enough.  Kevin is still in his crib.  We just moved it so it's on the other side of the room.  Oh and please notice how dark the room is because I finally got a black-out shade and put it up.  I should have done that a long time ago.

As I said, Kevin is still in his crib.  He has yet to climb out of it, but he knows how to climb in.  Take a look:

The plan is to keep him in the crib until we get back from Myrtle Beach.  Then we'll probably take the side off the crib.  Once he's adjusted to that we can move him to the bunk bed and put the crib away (making more room to play in their tiny room).

Grocery Shopping Adventures

Ryan has humored me and my ingredient finding a lot lately.  We drove over to Aachen, Germany one weekend just so I could check-out the grocery stores there.  I had read a blog that talked a lot about liking to cook with whole spelt flour instead of normal whole wheat flour (Beligum's whole wheat flour is really grainy) and she happens to live in Germany (and said you could get it for pretty cheap there).  We went to 4 different stores: Kaufland, Real, Metro, and Aldi.  It's shocking how much more baking supplies they have in Germany.  I picked up the whole spelt flour at Kaufland along with 20 bags of almonds (way way cheaper than Belgium), unsweetened coconut and some other random items (found canned black beans in chili sauce which I'm excited to try).  Next was Real.  For what I normally buy, Real was a tiny bit more expensive than Kaufland but still a lot less than Belgium.  Metro is the Makro of Germany (bulk store) and we picked up some super cheap sour gummies and pepperoni there.  Then Aldi I got more almonds, mandarin oranges and a couple other items.

Then the next weekend I wanted to get some Coconut Oil and I'd heard it was pretty inexpensive at the Asian store downtown.  They were sold out, but I did get some egg roll wrappers (and made some delicious/easy egg rolls the next week).  We took the bus there and back which the kids loved.  I think this was one of the first times Kevin actually got to sit by himself...well, when his sister didn't steal his seat.

Kids Kids Kids

There haven't been any huge trips as of lately...just a lot of kid time (for me that is).  So here are their updates:

Kherington
I think I've said this before, but ever since I stopped forcing Kherington to have a nap, she falls asleep on her own.  I've tried to snap pictures of her in her awkward sleeping positions...these positions/pillows/blankets are done all on her own.

Aside from the sleep time, her imagination just continue to develop.  She is loves to make believe and talk to herself or her stuff animal in a mixture of French and English.  I put together a book for her to practice writing her letters.  You can see an 'A' that she did one of the pictures below.  She thinks it pretty cool to write on the page (a sheet protected page) with dry erase marker and wipe it off all by herself.  She still LOVES the color pink.  She also loves to read books, help in the kitchen, watch movies and do anything with her daddy.

Kevin
Oh man, this little guy is getting to be a huge wild child but super sweet sometimes too.  He helps his daddy unload the dishwasher every morning.  Helps me hang up the laundry when it comes out of the washer.  He undoes the entire roll of toilet paper in the bathroom.  He loves to climb.  He loves to be outside.  He is a little bully to his sister (I don't know how many handfuls of hair - Kherington's hair that is - I've clawed out of his fist).  He also really like rackets, bats and balls.  Oh and how could I forget sand.  He loves sand...sitting in it, playing with it, eating it.  Yucky!  He is now pretty good at taking his afternoon nap.  He only gets his pacifier for bedtime and nap time (and right when he wakes up).  So I show him the pacifier, tell him to get his water and he walks himself to his crib.  I like it.

Open Air Museum Bokrijk

Today we drove over to the Open Air Museum in Bokrijk. With our Techjopolis season pass, we each get 1 free entrance/year so we figured we'd give it a go.  We arrived just as the lunch break started...a lot of the houses close from 12:30 - 2:00 for lunch.  So we started off with our picnic lunch.  The kids thought the picnic was pretty fun :).  The actual museum part of it would have been fun IF there had been English translations of anything.  It was ALL dutch.  It kind of surprised us since most places we've been do have English.  Since we couldn't read anything we wandered around and checked out the old houses and such (it's a old village where you can wander and see what thing were like way back when).

Next we went and found the playground.  AMAZING!  Playgrounds here definitely do not disappoint.  There are playgrounds for each age group.  Both Ryan and I took Kherington down the steep slide.  As I was climbing up with her, I couldn't believe I was doing it.  So not my thing.  I don't mind heights, but I like being strapped in.  Well, when you sit down the slide, there are little roller bars to help you line up before shooting down.  Ryan had pretty good form when he landed at the bottom.  I on the other hand went shooting off the end and landed on the gravel.  I think the adults at the bottom got a kick out of it.  I headed to the swings with Kevin while Ryan continued the slides with Kherington.  They also went down the twisty one.  I'm pretty sure Kherington's going to think the US playgrounds are pretty pathetic.

Father's Day 2012

Kherington once again came home from school with something cute.  I didn't notice that it was supposed to be for Father's day (I should have since it was wrapped up).  I let her open it and here's what she made :).

Belgium's father's day was a week before the US Father's day.  Even with two chances, we didn't manage to celebrate until Monday.  We had phillycheese steaks and fries for dinner which were pretty tasty (and super quick/easy to make).

Ryan's a pretty awesome dad.  He even shares his clothes with Kherington and cuddles Kevin in the morning (neither like getting up).  I'd say he balances me out pretty well...he's calm and patient, and likes to read bedtime stories.  These kids are pretty lucky to have him :).

I do a long run on Saturday's and when I got home I came in to this:

Ryan had pulled up the chairs and helped the kids make their breakfast then let them eat at the counter.  He always makes everything so much fun.  The kids are sad when he has to go to work and they're stuck with mom again.

I had Kherington answer questions about her daddy.  She surprised me and actually did pretty well...other's were just plain funny. 

 My Daddy's name is Dad, Ryan
My Dad is 2 years old.
His hair is brown and his eyes are green.
My Dad's favorite food is mac n cheese.
Daddy's favorite color is green.
My Dad likes to wear the monkey shirt "oo oo ah ah".
My Dad's job is to take pictures to work.
He loves to eat popcorn.
He's smart because he knows how to eat dinner at the table.
My Dad works hard at playing with toys and making tunnels.
Daddy always tells me "one, two".
I'm happy when Daddy comes home.
I love my Daddy because he make me happy.
  By: Kherington, Age: 3

Kherington Cuts Hair

Last night I decided that I would finally cut my hair...as in the front part of my hair.  So while the kids were both in the bath tub, I figured that would be a good time to do it.  I cut it shorter than I wanted (just shortening the side bang type things) but eh, hair grows.  I finished up, cleaned up the hair and thought I up the scissors on the shelf, but I was wrong.

I went out, got Kevin ready for bed and was putting one some dance music when Kherington comes running into the room to show me something.  Well, that something was a fist full of her hair.  Awesome.  Her first self-cut hair cut.  From looking at what she did, she really was just doing the same thing I did...and it was too short...go figure.  Here it is after she cut it:

To 'fix' it I made it into side swoop style bangs.  I really really don't want her to have bangs.  Bangs mean I would have to keep trimming or keep pinning neither sound very appealing...plus I think she's cuter without.  I didn't cut up quite as short as she did so I'm hoping it grows out fast so I can do one more trim before just letting it grow out on their own.

This morning I was getting Kevin ready and noticed that Kherington cut his hair too.  There's a big cut on the top front.  Kinda scary to know she had scissors that close to his face, but I had been debating whether to buzz his hair (with an 8) now or later.  I guess it's going to be now.