{keukenhof}

Wow I haven't been on our blog for so long, now they've changed it on us and I don't know how to use it! I have been terrible at keeping track of all our travels and exciting moments (there have been plenty) but I am going to start. I just can't get to my normal blog page for some reason. It keeps sending us to a .de address, and I can't see any pictures or how it loads. Its SUPER frustrating :)Well, it doesn't matter so much that I can see it, just as long as family and friends can view it right? Right.

 On a better note, we visited Keukenhof last weekend for Mothers day. Its was absolutely gorgeous. I have always wanted to see the tulips in Holland ever since I learned of it as a little girl, and I guess I just got lucky marrying a Dutch boy! Holland has a special place in my heart- whether its because its my favorite country on earth or because we have family ties, I love any part of the Netherlands. We stayed in a little beach town on the coast near Harleem, and Jer couldn't' have picked a better spot. We visited the Corrie Ten Boom's house from the book, "The Hiding Place" (fabulous book by the way, if your looking for a good read..and you learn much of the old Dutch culture) which was in Harleem. Amsterdam was a short 20min drive away, and I'm grateful to have seen it, but I will never return. Here is a snapshot of our adventure through Holland!

[Warning: there are a LOT of pictures!]

{day 1: Harleem & Ocean}

We left early in the morning, and Hallie was wearing pajamas, but she had to take them off to pee in the grass.. beautiful little rest stop in Belgium

 

 Hals in "The Hiding Place" in Corrie Ten Boom's house

{day 2: Keukenhof & Zaanse Schans}

 Blurry but cute picture..

Jer eating the famous dutch "stroup waffes", and yes they taste amazing hot off the press!

There was a little petting Zoo for the kiddos, with pigs, chickens, and goats

After the tulips we made our way over to the Zaanse Schans farm..
      Here they make all the dutch clogs, and cheese! This is a pair of wedding clogs..

  It was FREEZING that day.. doesn't look like it but the wind chill made it bitter cold!

 Yes the cheese was the best I've ever had. Hooray for Gouda!

   They had a play area for kids to try on stilts and other dutch games

{day 3: Amsterdam & Hague}

  Of course we had to try the famous dutch pancakes too! Can we say Yum? Hallie can't get her fingers off of it :)

  We took a boat ride through the canals of Amsterdam..

  There were TONS of house boats lining the canals. They had a housing shortage years ago, so people resorted to house boats on the canal. The canals are filled with seawater that flows from the ocean, so the water is pretty darn cold. Some houses are leagal, with gas and electricity, and others are not.

 This is the oldest bridge in the Netherlands!

  This bike made me smile. Did you know out of the 15million dutch people, there are 12 million bicycles? There are almost as many bikes as there are people! Its easy to get around on a bike, because it is so flat and there is over 17,000km of cycle lanes. Its the way most people get around in Holland. We saw lots of families out and about on their bikes, even little 2yr olds had bikes without wheels, and would push there way around; boy were they fast! Here they have traffic lanes, rules and road signs for the cyclists, even traffic lights! 

  It was perfect to end the trip at the Temple. We sure do love the Netherlands!