Thursday, December 5, 2024

Sinterklaas 2024

It's our third year with Sinterklaas visiting us here!! It has been fun living in the Netherlands and getting introduced to new traditions and holidays. Sinterklaas and his Piets are one I want to remember. It is such a fun time. Sinterklaas comes November by boat from Spain and spends the next couple weeks here and has a white horse named Amerigo. His Piets (traditionally black servants that helped him, but not black with chimney soot because racist) to leave things in shoes at night (little gifts, ginger cookies, chocolate coins) into the shoes and the kids wake up with little surprises. It's been fun to see the kids come down and see what is in the shoes. On December 5th he knocks on the door with some presents! I love celebrating with Sinterklaas just because it stretches the holidays out longer and just feels so festive and fun for so long. He isn't the same as Santa Claus, but I feel like is bigger for the kids than Santa Claus and Christmas is celebrating too but Sinterklaas is weeks before. 

He rode up in the dutch school bus bike :)

The kids do a Piets gym, and get diplomas. They do lots of climbing and training to be on top of the roofs like a real Piet. 





Moncur Side Family Pics 2024

For a whole two days we had everyone together. It was the BEST!! We had to take advantage of it because it never happens and get a family picture and update my mom's wall. It was chaotic and perfect. Caitlin got the good pics and I brought my camera along too. Kaylee got matching dresses for all the little girls and it was the cutest thing ever. I love these people! 


The lighting was a bit off in these, but LOOK at all the cute grandkids. 


The boys! 



The girls!! 







You can tell what Lucy thought about family pics ;)

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Stevenson Side Family Pics!

 

Snaps from the Family pics in Mendocino. We took pictures int he morning with everyone together. Mendocino made the ideal spot for family pic, so scenic. . . and we all look pretty great too. Love this crew!! 
















Tuesday, August 13, 2024

Flying with Caden! Idaho Summer.

August 14, 2024: During our time in Idaho, we went out and flew with my brother Caden! It was definitely one of the highlights of our time in Idaho.  It's been fun to hear about and watch him get his pilot license and see all the pictures of him flying over the country from our family group text over the past year or so. . . it was neat to actually go up and experience it all with him. So cool!! Riley was ready to switch careers by the end of the flight. We left early before the kids were up and spent the morning flying over my hometown and bogus basin (the ski resort) and landing in the littlest podunk airport in Smith's Prairie and switching places.

I was impressed seeing Caden in this setting and how professional and smart he is! I was more nervous that I expected but would do it again in a heartbeat. 


in his happy place



Smith's Prairie Airport, bathroom was a little outhouse haha
















Riley driving the plane, I did not dare haha