Going Dutch!

Hellooooo! So i am sitting in the living room right now, the house is empty and quiet. The babies are asleep and Eduard and Yasmine are at a birthday party for one of Yas' friends. I got to watching Iron Man 2 which is strange because i never watch movies! The past few days since Esther has been been gone has been crazy! But good! We managed very well around here, but you can tell the babies miss her! She went to lunch with my mom and my Dama the other day! I was really excited that they got to meet up. Well i went out on Wednesday to this Australian pub to meet up with a few friends, and i met a few new people! A few girls who just so happen to be Au Pairs in Breda! One girl's name is Sabrina and she is from Brazil, the other girl is Meghan, and she is from Canada! She has been here about 3 months and Sabrina's will be going back home to Brazil in February! We went out to this little bar called the Speeltuin afterwards, they had really good music! We got drinks, and talked and it was overall a really really good night :) I was go glad i met someone from my Continent! It was wonderful to hear English English for once, and everyone else is great.

It is 2:44 pm here right now, and Richard.. who is Esther's sister's husband (He is from America also, he is from North Carolina) Came by and dropped of Lennard so i am watching the movie with him :) He's quite funny, and he doesn't really even try to be hahah he just has this quirk about him; The way he walks, the way he moves.. He's like 5 but he's cool hahah! He makes me laugh, and he only knows dutch and i don't know any dutch but a few words, so the language barrier is lame. But he gets it. I feel like an air traffic controller because i have to use hand signals so much! hahah running back and forth trying to ask him if he's hungry. It's quite the sight. Merlijn is awake now as well, and i had to change Iron man and put on Dora the Explorer.... Yay. Dora in Holland speaks in dutch and SOMETIMES in English, but Dora in America, speaks in English, and SOMETIMES in Spanish so it's funny.. Its good to watch because i am learning dutch words! It's just kinda sad to see an almost 20 year old watching a show that the 3 year olds are watching /: The mail man just came here, and i got 2 LETTERS TODAY?! YAY! :)) I loveeeee getting hand written letters, Probably more than messages on skype. they are more personal, and i really enjoy writing back. Today's letters were from Dama And Mimi! Thank you for the cards guys! I love them. They make me soo happy. Mimi said she sent me a "care package" and it should be here sometime this week! I can't wait :) lol I haven't gotten a package yet so this is exciting for me! Eduard just arrived home from the store. Yas won't be home until later. Lennard has SOOO MUCH TO SAY! and he talks to me any chance he gets, but.. i don't know what he's saying because he only speaks dutch. So, it's like i have to smile and nod! and be like Yeaaaa! woo lets go play! :D hahah and everything is cool.

Yesterday we went to the market that they have in the city on Fridays. It's like an American farmers market! It's nice. Friday they have a little one, and on Saturday's they have the biiiggg one! Before we went to the market, we went to the circus! As weird as that sounds. I don't like circus' I've decided. We didn't go see the show, because than you had to pay like $15 a person. Lame, so we went and you get to go walk around and see all the animals and pet them! It was fun, the babies LOVED it. Merlijn's favorite animal is a horse, or a "Paard"" and they had all the "LEGENDARY DUTCH HORSES" lol Not really as exciting as i thought they would be but the kids were stoked! There were camels, and monkeys, a giraffe, tigers and cows. Some Zebras, some dogs.. annnd elephants :) Those are my favorites. and we got to go see them. It makes me sad because of how they treat them. You know they aren't happy /: They looked sad. and they like any attention from anyone. Not to mention they are probably freezing their banana's off!! Lol After the circus came the farmers market! We went and walked around and got Hot fresh stroopwafels. and for those of you who don't know what they are.. You need to find out. I could eat them till the cows come home. We walked and looked at all the clothes they sell, and fabrics. Then the bread, produce, and seafood part! That was my favorite.

Since i've been cooking a lot i got excited! I was like hmm i wonder what i can get to make for this week! Some old man got caught trying to take some bread, he was trying to eat it right in front of the guy hahah It reminded me of Aladdin? We got something called Lekkerebeks. Which is fish and chips without the chips part. They were SO good. Lol Fresh and just made right in front of us! I was diggin it. Then came home and was chillin for the rest of the night :) I can't wait to write Mimi and Dama back! I'm excited. I'm gonna go get some stationary this week hopefully, and be able to write everyone in nice paper, instead of the stuff I've been using.. Which is like pages of my sketchbook, annddd anything else i can find lol i'm tired of not writing on Lined paper?! It's driving me craazzzyyyy. The rain has been pretty bad today. The past few days have been sooo beautiful. The weather has been gorgeous, and sunny and clear skies and ughh. I've been loving it. I actually got some color :) It was nice. Eduard, Yasmine, Merlijn, Morris and muself all went to the beach! I was so excited, we had to drive through Den Haag to get there and i got to see the city. It was nice! Lots of different people there, and it had a new vibe. I liked it. We went to Scheveningen which i learned was one of the most famous beaches in Holland, and it was very nice.

The water there is from the North Sea, which surrounds the UK and Ireland. It was the coldest water i have ever felt. Did that stop me from walking around in it? Nope. haha It was nice. The beaches are nothing like California beaches. The water is colder, the sand is more like dirt and sand, i can't really explain it. And there are many many many shells and rocks on the shore because the waters are so stormy. I thought it was cool! We went to this little place for lunch, and i had my first burger here in Europe, and everyone was right! The beef does taste different! They don't shoot their cows up with hormones like we do in the states. Surprisingly it kinda tasted like ham? Hence hamburger maybe? Idk. But it was really good!

I'm cooking tonight, i think I'm gonna make taquitos ;) mmmmm! So bomb lol And Spanish rice anddd guacamole! So excited :) Anyhoo. I'm gonna leave to go to the bakery! Gotta go get some bread and shtuffs. Have a good day everyone! <3

P.S... Also, you guys need to listen to Moss! Do it Do it Do it! -----------------------------------------------------> MOSS' Myspace Music page! <3 Check em out! And the new pictures i posted on facebook!

XOXOGINA 

FINNAALLLYYY!

Hello! Good morning Murrieta :) I know i haven't written one of these in a few days and i'm sorry! But there has been a lot going on! lol Esther left for California this morning, so Eduard and i are home for the week with the kids. I'm a little jealous of her i'm not gonna lie. It's almost 3 pm here right now so everyone in the 951 should be just waking up! The past few days have been cool! Wendnesday night, i went out for the first time! I went and met a few friends as t'hart van Breda! Which is a little bar in town! I hadn't ever met them before and it was really nice. There was a girl who is an Au Pair here in Breda, but she is from Colombia! And i met a girl from Equador, one from Polland, and a few from France. I got together with them because of a guy that i met here in Breda who invited me out, and i'm very glad he did. They were all wonderful, and it was awesome to go meet people in this town! We sat and talked and had drinks, then we left! Simple, easy fun night. 

I get halfway home, and i'm on my bike mind you.. And what happens? It starts raining. I am a southern California girl. Riding a bike in the middle of the night, up a hill in the dumping rain.. In my flip flops. and i still had a few km's to go?! I was like omg!! But then realized that it was kinda cool. hahah i was laughing to myself because a year ago, i would have never seen myself in that position! But i had a lovely evening, and i am supposed to go out with them again this Wednesday! This past weekend there was this music festival taking place in the park; Breda Brast 2010. I went on saturday and checked it out for a while, it was nice! Lot's of people, lots of music, lots of beer. lol There was this one band that i heard from the other side of the park and i HAD to go listen to them. They are a Dutch band, but they sing in English and they are really good! I think their name was Moss? SOO GOOD. Check em out ! ------------------------------->>>>  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL9DW0LMHzM :) So yesterday was cool! There were some American Bands there, like Dog eat Dog, who i don't really have a strong appreciation for /: But i got to walk around town, and take pictures and talk to people and it was a nice day. Then it got cold, and i was tired after like 5hours of walking around so i went home.

It was cool. The weather here has been pretty nice! Cept one day this week it rained like hell and i didn't leave the house for the entire day! Ugh it was bad. But i'm in Holland. What should i expect? hahah It's been sunny and a little chilly but i'm loving every minute of warmth that comes from the sky. I try and take in as much sun as i can, cuz in a few months i know i won't be able to find any which is gonna suck /: I've been drawing a lot more, which i good i guess. I feel rusty.. if that's possible. Like i've forgotten how my brain was supposed to draw certain things so im gonna need to work on that a lot more. I got a sketch book, but i want my mom to send my old one here so i can use that. I don't really need it though.. New town, new place, new book. Yea NVM Mom don't send it. I'm gonna fill this one up :) It's gonna be rad. Being here is making me think a lot more! About everything in general. It feels wonderful to clear my mind of stupid things, and to be able to breathe, and get my thoughts straight. I want to go to Art School when i get home. I know that for surely now. There are many wonderful schools here in Europe but every day i'm here makes me miss San Diego that much more. I have downtown as my wallpaper, and i see it as like.. a goal for me. I had a conversation with my cousin yesterday about goals, and putting your mind to something and that's mine. I want to go to school for something I want. That i feel passionate about, and that i'm good at. I don't want to go for something thats going to make me money that i'm gonna hate doing. If you like your work, it doesn't seem like work at all.. And i want to go get my degree, and start my life. Make my own money. Live on my own. and .. LIVE. Like i've always planned. The graffiti here makes me want to draw that much more. Everything is so colorful and beautiful! It's almost inspiring.

 Too bad i cant do graffiti to save my life! Lol i'm terrible at lettering /: Something to practice i guess :) I have some canvas' here and i need to figure out something to paint on them. Esther wants them in the house, so it has to be something that can go with the modern look of this place and at the same time be something rad. But i'm not a modern artist /: Agghh. I made dinner tonight, and the other night! I made them all Quesadillas, spanish rice, and guacamole and they were ecstatic. Apparently quesadillas are really expensive here... which is stupid as hell because its cheese and a tortilla! Lol Tonight i made garlic bread and angel hair with a basic red sauce. I've been cooking a lot since i've been here :) it's nice! I'm diggin it. I wanna try some of the restaurants around here. There are a few that look prime time, and i have a hankering for sea food. OMG. Linguini and clams, or real fish and chips.. I'd kill for some right now /: lol Anyway, it's like 9:15 at night here, ( i know i started writing earlier and i had to go) so i'm gonna get ready for bed, and try and get a hold of my mamma on skype! Skype me :) Gina.M.Pauling! I'll be posting more soon! Good night!

XOXOGINA

Dancing Nancies & Tripping Billies

Good Morning Murrieta and the rest of Southern California! Okay so my day started out early! i was up at 7, and got the boys and Yas ready for school! I rode on bike with Yasmine to go drop her off at school, came home showered got my stuff together read did some things around the house. I was home alone for a few hours so i had to find stuff to do. I went on a bike ride down the road to go see my cow:) She's so fricken cute. Anyway, it was nice today but just like any other day in Holland, the wind was killer. I swear it's constantly trying to make my life harder.. It'ts not a light breeze ..It's not like Murrieta, where the wind is blocked  by the mountains , hills and other things. Here? The land is F.L.A.T... Entirely. So the wind blows and it feels like a hurricane. It always seems to be blowing against me as well. Which is unfortunate. Especially when the road you need to take had the only incline for miles. So i'm going uphill, with forces pushing against me.. Ugh Spin class doesnt prepare you for this. (( TURN UP THE FANS ALANA?! Make em work!! )) Lol! So i spent some time at home and around the neighborhood  for a little then it was time to go meet Yas again so we could ride home, and what do you know.. I get to Yas's school, and i was waiting for her to get out, and i noticed my bike tires were flat... BOTH OF THEM. Why does this happen to me? That morning, and that afternoon they were perfect. So i'm thinking something had to have happened on the way to her school. Or maybe it's just because the bike is about 30 years old?

Idk. the tires looked dry rotted anyway.. But that's a  bummer for sure. I hope they were just flat and something wasn't seriously wrong /: That's my means of transportation. And i'd be sad if i couldn't use it anymore :( Bikes are exppeennssiivvee here. Yas's bike was about 600.00 euros. Which is almost $700 american dollars. But.. that would be pointless for me to buy a new bike! I'm only going to be here for a year, and if i get one what am i gonna do? Have it shipped over when i go home? Probably not. Lol It's hard enough for me to try and have anything else shipped over! Speaking of which, i bought a bunch of postcards and such that are gonna be sent out this week sometime. I need to A. Find the post office, and B. Collece the rest of your addresses! Lol So if you're reading this, take the time once your done to facebook me your address! I only know Mine, and Dama's! So DO IT!

So i was speaking with Eduard today about going to Amsterdam soon! I also have a few friends living in Amsterdam, or in the surrounding areas! so i'm going to have to learn that area sooner or later. I think we might be going soon which is going to be cool! Rotterdam was beautiful, and modern. Amsterdam is supposed to be more busy, fun and with all of the original buildings! So a lot of history will be there and i'm stoked to go explore. I am very excited about getting in contact with Stephanie! (The American Girl living in Enkhuizen) And wednesday night i get to go out with a few friends from here! So i cannot wait. Aghh! The boys are getting more and more comfortable with me as the days go on. I can see. Now, whenever Merlijn hears my name he gets excited and immediately starts looking for me. And when he comes home from the store, or from school he runs to me and has the biggest smile on his face so that's good! I was worried for a little bit :) And Morris is just the sweetest baby ever. I am in love with that boy. I do however, miss Jack and Hannah terrible :( I see things and hear things every day that remind me of them, and it makes me sad to think about. Even now! But i recieved a message on facebook from Hannah a little earlier telling me that she misses me and that made me happy :) I have already been here for 12 days and it does not feel that way at all. So i'm liking how fast time is going, i know when it comes time to go home, that i will not like it /: It's going to be like leaving home all over again. I'm going to be sad, but this is just another chapter in my life. I'm already planning my next trip! Lol I want to go to Canada and Alaska once i get home. Anyone interested? ;) Lets make it a road trip! lol Anyway, i made brownies today s oi'm going to go have some! Hahah have a good day everyone! Love and miss you all!

 XOXOGINA

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Take Over Control!

Hello :) So i know i didn't post one yesterday, but this one is going to make up for it! I went into town yesterday because Saturday is the day for all the shopping and what not in Breda, and i was going to meet Esther for coffee after her hair appointment! I watched Morris in the morning while he slept, and the rest of the family went to watch Yasmine's Soccer match! Which, she won! 26 to 0! She was made captain of the team, and kicked everyones ass :) So proud of her! She's an awesome girl. Very strong minded, and reminds me a lot of my sister Hannah! Despite the age difference! So once everyone arrived home i went into town and looked around for a few hours while i waited for Esther! I went into the Abercrombie look-a-like store Scotch&Soda and i really like it! It's different. I haven't found anything worth buying yet though. But when i do.. It's on ;) I picked up a few things in town today! I got some stickers from tattoo shops that were pretty cool, a rad patch from a coffee shop and a cell phone! I have enjoyed not having a phone though, to be honest. It's nice not having to constantly text people and tell them what's going on! It's liberating hahahha

I have been thinking for a very long time about the tattoo i want, and i was drawing this week, and i know exactly how i want it but i refined it a little bit, and made it smaller and cut out a lot of the details and got it quoted! I'm going to need 300 euros before i can get it. /: So that's something to save up for! I met Esther for at Inspire, and we got Lattes and brownies and then went home! It was nice, the weather has been beautiful! It's been rainy in the mornings, but around noon it clears up and the sun comes out and it's wonderful. This week is supposed to be a little different though /: Cold and rainy for the whole day. I sure hope not. That's a bummer.

This morning we woke up and got ready and left to go to Rotterdam! Which is the opposite direction from Amsterdam. It's on the coast and it has the largest harbor in all of the Netherlands! Which was cool. It reminded me of downtown San Diego a little bit with all the huge buildings and it being right on the water. It was really nice. It was more business-y than Amsterdam is. AMS is more for partying and touristy areas. But i went and shopped with Es and Yas for a while, then headed to Yas' friends birthday party. While they played i went and walked around town and snapped a few pics. The city is very artsy. Everywhere you turn there is some mural or statue! Even if some of it is graffiti. It's still beautiful in it's own way. Graffiti is verrrrrryyy popular here in Holland. It's everywhere. And it's not necessarily gang related, but it lines the city streets and freeways here. The statue in the pic above is someones body, then all the colored mass' on the ground are faces! It's made all out of tiles! The city was beautiful.

During World War II Rotterdam was bombarded so none of the original buildings still stand, as they do in many other dutch cities! Every office building and apartment is new and very modern! I liked it a lot. There was one building that looked VERY old, but i wasn't sure what it was used for! It was beautiful. We saw the harbor, and i think we are planning to go back this week sometime, so i will post better pics of the skyline after we go :)

ANYWAYS, in more recent news, i was messaged on facebook by a girl who is living in Holland, about 45 minutes from myself! She is an American living in Holland as an Au Pair! She is the same age as me so her and i are going to keep in contact :) Now I'll have someone to go out and do stuff with!! SOOO EXCITED! And then on Wednesday night i am going out to meet up with a few friends here at a cafe in Breda's city center! There are two Au Pairs i get to meet that night, but one is from Venezuela, and the other is from Colombia! Which is cool. I am stoked to meet anyone here! Especially from different countries, i think that's awesome! The more the merrier! I want to see as much of this place as i can while I'm here, and i am hoping they can help me out with this. It will get my mind off of home for a while. I am doing alright when it comes to being homesick, but i really do miss my family. There are times where i wish i can just go walk downstairs and see my brother sitting on the couch playing COD, my mom cooking something in the kitchen, waiting for my dad to get home while Hannah running in and out of the house with 10 other girls following her. I miss the way my house smells, and how my dogs are always in the same places on the couches, but i guess i will get it soon enough. I am taking in ever minute here, and learning from the experience. It is really nice to get the clutter of life in Murrieta out of my head. I for once don't have to worry about who's texting me and if I'm gonna get back to them in time! I have been finding myself thinking, and writing and reading a lot more. Getting back into my original flow of things. Learning all i can, and loving every minute of it. As long i have skype and facebook i will be okay. I know i can do this, it's just gonna be hard for a while. BTW, the music here in Holland is raadddd! It's all that techno, house techno, trance and whatever else they wanna label it. But it's sweeettt! A lot less complex than Deadmau5, Bloody Beetroots, Felix da Housecat and everyone else, but it's cool. :) Pendulum is gonna be here soon, so I'm looking forward to that! I guess there's gonna be a lot going on here soon! :) Gotta start planning! Gonna be adding new pics to Facebook! Check em out and don't forget to start following me on here! My views count is going up like crazy!! Thank you all for reading this :) I love and miss you guys!!

XOXOGINA

T.G.I.F.

Good Morning America! It's 3:37 pm here in Breda, and i am home alone today with baby Morris /: He woke in the middle of the night last night with a TERRIBLE fever, and it has carried on till today. When he's sick, he likes to be held constantly! So i was holding him watching tv, then we came to watch a movie in my room and he fell asleep on me, so i layed down with him and we both ended up falling asleep! He is still asleep which is good, he needs to sleep off this sickness /: She's so cute. He likes my Fredfred Burger, so he fell asleep on that :) His whole body fits right on top of it and he has his butt in the air. lol He is the best baby. He's so quiet and when he is awake he's giggling and happy and just wants to play. But noowww he's out like a light. I'm gonna use this time to start making dinner for us! As soon as he wakes up i know he's gonna want me to hold him.

   So this week has been very busy! I've officially been here over a week, the kids started school this week, Eduard's birthday was yesterday,  Eduard's Father's funeral was and is still proceeding today, and we have yet to see what the weekend has in store for us :) I am really excited. I got in contact with someone out here who is part of this Wednesday night meeting, and he found another Au Pair living in Breda!? So she might be an American i didn't get the details but i am SO excited! He sent me a message today telling me :) i can't wait. and there are going to be some french people and of course dutch people arriving as well. Were meeting at a restaurant that i am familiar with, on Wednesday at 20:00 which is 8 pm. I can't wait. Ugghh! Lol It's gonna be nice to get out and meet different people. Especially if she is an Au Pair. What are the chances of her being from California? 0 to none.. But it's a nice thought ;)

   It is raining especially hard right now. This weather is beautiful but it is veryyyyy flip floppy. It keeps going from beautiful sunny but still chilly to dumping rain! To the point where you cant even go outside. It's crazy. I need to ride my bike to the store but i especially can't if i have a sick baby, AND it's raining :( That's not a good combination. I was looking up concert dates for any area around me, just out of curiosity, and i found that Pendulum is gonna be in a town not too far from me in October! I think i'm going to need to go to see them /: I need to look up people who are going to be here. Editors were here in July, so i had JUST MISSED THEM! That's a bummer, Lady Gaga was here around then as well! It seems like Summer was when all the best shows here happening! Everyone is probably too afraid to head over because of the weather!! LOL

   For my family that is reading this i thought of somethings you could send me! Just little things, not clothes or anything huge. :

Cherry Sours - The candy? All they have is Drop here.. and ... if you've eaten drop you know why i won't.

Cosmopolitan Magazines! High Fructose Magazine and  Juztapoze Magazine!! -- HF* You can only get at Barnes and Noble mom! Pleeaasseee! I'm dying without it /: There is no type of American Magazines, and all the books that are in English are very VERY expensive. So i try and stay away from that.

Recipe's!!! -- ALL YOUR GOOD ONES! I'm going to go buy recipe cards so you can just email them to me. But especially if you have good mexican food recipes.. that would be the best :) Or anything substancial to feed a lot of people! :) That's really all that i have thought of for right now /:

Gonna go make dinner! Love you guys!!

XOXOGINA

Ain't no one that can break my stride, Ain't noone that can hold me down..

Hello everyone! Sorry for the 2 day (well, now 3) day delay! I've been sick for a few days but i'm getting better so now i can keep up with you all! I got the dutch flu, which i read had killed 25 Americans last year? Crazy. I'm getting over it slowly but surely. I woke up yesterday morning to rain, and wind and grey skies for miles! I was excited because i haven't seen it rain like that in a long time. It never pours like this in Murrieta! Eduard told me that i should get used to it because it's like this constantly here in the fall, and fall just started so that's what i'm looking forward too! Start sending the warmer clothes mamma! By the way if any of you didn't see i posted my address on my facebook! Its :

Gina Pauling

Lange Weide 216

4827 mc Breda

 

 
 

Just like that! I know it looks weird but that's what it is! If you send me a package, you NEED to write on the box that it is a birthday gift. Put Happy Birthday on the outside of the box somewhere BIG, and LEGIBLE. So the Dutch Post doesn't charge me up the butt with gift taxes. So today i stayed home for the day. Watched TV with the family, and just layed low. I still haven't felt very well so i took out my sketch book, and my journal and plopped myself on the couch with Yas and watched SWEET 16 and Made for like.. 3 hours lol The kids love all of our American tv shows! Like The Hills? Problem is that the entire show is over in the US and they are just starting their final season here! They get everything later than we do.

     Yesterday i went to town by myself! I got on my bike, and rode there. I wasn't completely sure of how to get there, but i tried to remember the best i could, and i got there :) In town i remembered where i was going also! So i was stoked off of that. I went and walked around and finally got to go into that art store i told you guys about! It was huge and i probably spent about, 2 hours in there! It was amazing. they have all of my fav paints but in 1000 different colors, not to mention anything else you need. It was so nice. The lady who owned it was looking at me like .. Um, you've been here for too long! Get the eff out?! But it was sooo nice. I could have spent all day there! I left my sketch book at home, so i got a new one :) and i got some pens and yea! it was cool!

   I walked around town a bit more and i saw a COFFEE SHOP. Not a Cafe where they have actual coffee, but one of the ones that sell weed? And i went in. With no intention to buy anything i just wanted to see what it was all about. That's obviously illegal in the US, and it's strange to see people sitting outside getting high in public like it's nothing! So weird!! So i went in and i immediately got that feeling in my gut like i was doing something i shouldn't be doing, and i got nervous?! It was weird hahahhah I felt like i was going to get in trouble! But i walked in and the man asked me what he could help me with, and if i wanted to buy anything, and i told him no and just looked around. The inside of the shop, doesn't have anyone in it. Just the counter, and the man selling it. There are cameras EVERYWHERE, and the system is super high tech! i saw people come in and buy some, and the guy turned around and pushed a button and a vial shot up through the counter.. It was crazy! lol then they went in the back room where they smoked. The place next to that store sells mushrooms, and all kinds of crazy stuff. I saw it and that was enough for me.

   I have met a few people here, and on Wednesday and Thursday nights, Americans and dutch people meet up at a cafe in town to get together and have coffee and meet each other. It's an easy way for foreigners in Breda to get introduced to others so i was thinking about heading over there next week! It sounded cool. I went into this bookstore called Lattes & Literature, and i spoke with the man who owns it. He was a very nice man who sounded like he was American but had a slight hint of an accent. Probably due to his parents moving him here when he was younger. But he was very nice, and asked me to come! I think it would be good to get out and meet people. Everything here is beautiful. The town . The buildings, the shops. Everything. There i so much to see, in such a small area it's incredible. You can walk through the same place 100 times and see something that you missed before! And i love that. This picture is at a cafe right next to the church in town! I love it. In Murrieta we don't have any type of buildings like this! The architecture here is phenomenal.

Oh well tomorrow is a new day. I think it's time for bed :)I get to wake up tomorrow and see my babies :)  i hope it's not raining tomorrow so i can go explore more! I'll post another tomorrow! Goodnight Breda! Good evening Murrieta :) <3 See you in the morning!

XOXOGINA


Merlijn (Left) Morris (Right) Right before their bath after the first day of school!

We no speak Americano!

ALLLOOO! So it's about 10 am on monday morning. I'm going to start doing these in the mornings again, i got thrown for the last one. For some odd reasons it's really hott in my room. But it think it's bcause i have a fever. :( My sinus infection is going crazy. I feel like i should sleep itt off for daayyysss but i can't. And i know i should go to sleep earlier, but i really don't want to. When i should be sleeping, it is the middle of the day in america, and i get to talk to all my family and friends. So it's well worth it. Because times like this (the morning) it's 1 am in the US and not everyone is awake /: Cept a few of my friends. Idk.. i just wish the time difference was a LITTLE MORE CONVIENENT?!.. >:l

    So yesterday i had Ezo, Jeremy, Yasmine, Merlij, and Morris. I woke up, again to the babies calling me from 2 floors up so it sounds like were in a cave! GINAAAAAA NAAAH NAAAAAAH NAAAHHHAAA!! I went and made American Pancakes! Which came out good, but the problem was.. That the SYRUP they use, tastes like a combo of straight honey, and brown sugar.. and it's a liiiiittttttttllllee too much. I can't handle things that sweet /: then everyone went to their American friend Richard's son's birthday party for a while so i cleaned, and showered, then went on a walk :) the weather forecast says that it's going to rain.. for this entire week. But it's quite sunny and beautiful outside. Even though the sun is out it is still 14 degreese celcius. In Murrieta right now at 1 am it's 15*C.. which is 59*F so you get it. It's cold here all day. At night you cant even go near the windows! you can feel the chill straight through them. I'm not used to it yet.. i will be. But as a California girl i know i'm in for a shock.

   I didn't take many pictures yesterday but i took a few of the kids!I have their portraits, but it has a different textured surface behind each. Merlij's eyes are sooo black that i wanted to put white, so he's up against the counter. Smooth white surface. Yasmine's eyes are so green, that i put her on the grass, and it looks really cool! Enzo is up against brick, and his eyes are blue so the red and blue look nice. and i have yet to do Jeremy and Morris. But i will be soon. I have found out that i hate photography.. i can appreciate it but it bores me to death. It reminds me of painting or drawing landscapes.. which i can't do. So it's like.. why would i take pictures of them if i can't draw them? I live people.. and their features. So i think portraits are fun. Maybe i'll even draw them once i get all of the photos together? Who knows.

 This week is going to be interesting. Things have been pretty sonber here, Eduards father passed yesterday evening whilst myself and the children were on our way to the store. It was expected, he hasn't been doing very well for a couple of days. He had Alzheimers just like my gramma Rusty. They deal with death differently here i've noticed. Nobody is really sad. They don't mourn, and they don't cry. If they do it's when they are alone. Not like in america. You cry where you want to. lol I know i was crying like a little kid sitting at the airport terminalwaiting to get on the plane after i left my family. I miss you guys by the way, i know you're reading this.. It's really hard being away from you. But i know wha i gotta do.

Also on that note.. yesterday, we went to the store (the children and i) and got fixings for dinner. I made breakfast and dinner. I'm turning into a regular martha stewart!? Lmao..... yea right. Anyway.. Angel hair with a red sauce, and garlic bread. today i'm making brownies, the other day i made cheesecake. What's next? ALLL WHILE A BABY IS ON MY HIP.. one is at my leg. one is talking to me about 10 year old girl things. and the other two are fighting all within 6 feet of me. This is a tough gig. No joke. I never realized what it is exactly moms do! I always knew, but to sit here and be a "Mom" figuratively of course.. Is hard! But i'm managing. I look back at my days, how i interact with the children and feel proud of how i handled myself and dealt with the babies. I have always been good with children, and i know i'm much better than most. I have good maternl skills, i just never get to use them.. Because the ones who WERE My babies.. are now 12 and 13 and don't need guidance anymore. So it's nice :) Thank you mom! For going through all this everyday. I know it's hard, and you do it 100 times better than i do. But i learned from you, and i find myself thinking.. What would my mom do in this situation and the outcome is usually a good one for me.

WELL ANYWAY.. I'm going to take the bike into town! Till later :)..  I uploaded a bideo of riding through Teteringen! It should be at the bottom. Check it ouuutt :)

<3 Gina

Pannenkoek Boat!

Soooo.. I didn't write in this this morning, because i got up and we had company So i had to get the kids ready, get myself ready then leave! I didn't feel well this morning, and i was just trying to get everything done and i felt bad, because Esther asked me if i was homesick. She said i seemed a little quiet and gave me a hug. She is such a wonderful woman :) I am homesick but i'm not gonna let it show. The more i'm here and i see these beautiful babies everyday. And wake up to them calling my name every morning the more comfortable i am here.
    Morris won't leave my hip. Eduard and Esther are really surprised with how much he likes me because he only like Yas, Es and Ed! But he doesn't leave me alone! and i can get irriated when i see those eyes /: I melt. They are the size of oreos and they are the same color. Lol They are all very pretty kids. Yas and i are getting a lot closer and i think she feels more comfortable with me more and more everyday. She comes in my room now to hang out with me during down time. which i love, because it reminds me of Nellers. I miss nellers /: I miss jack. BUT... i mostly miss Jake :) hahahah BAAGGOOOOKKKK SNNOOOOKKKKK!

I miss my boyyy :)) Lol That picture makes me happy. He;s so fricken cute. I love skype. It is officially the greatest invention ever made. I get to talk to my family twice a day, and i get to see them. It's like they're sitting in front of me! I don't have to worry about seeing their face. AND i got to skype with Dama Mimi and pop for a little bit! They had some trouble but it was so good to see them.I went to the city today with Esther's secretary Anouke! She was sooo wonderful! So funny, and very pretty! Tall. Thin. Blonde and tan! Her and i went to the city in Breda today, and she showed me around, and then we went and looked at clothes.

                                       

   We Got coffee from this cafe ^^^ that Esther is working with right now at her job! We got Latte's and brownies, and got to talking. We talked for about an hour and a half and i found out that she is a model! And has modeled for runway shoes in paris for VERRRYYY famous dutch and french designers! So that was really cool. All because she asked me what tv shows i liked. I told her americas next top model and it turns out, well at the end of every season the 2 finalists compete in a runway challenge, where they have to walk in a real show in close from a famous designer! The shoe was in holland, and Anouke walked with the models! How rad is that? It was cold today! I woke up and the sun was out so i put on my jeas and flipflops and walked outside in the shade and my feet almost froze off. But in the sun it was warm lol Makes no sence. it went from like 50* to 70.. all because if a few feet. Ugh.

                                              

We walked all over town. It was really cool! She took me by the old military school! In the pic above is the dam! Its blocking off the canal. because this specific part goes under the academy! That boat is a bar. There is usually a large jazz festival in town, and they have the bar going crazy with people and food. then on the water next to it they have a stage on the water! It's supposed to be really cool. We also got to go to the nun's quarters. It's like a little apartment complex for nuns!

These are their houses!

This is their church and their garden!

The statues in the court in front of the church!

Then came home.. and left right away again! We needed to go to the store to get american pancake mix! Yas, Jeremy, enzo and myself all rode there on bikes.  But we got there and it was closed :( so we came home and on the way we saw a bunch of cows on the side of the road that we had to stop and feed! haha they are so effing cute. And you can buy one for 700 euros! Cow in dutch is Koo.. So i'm gonna buy him and name him KOOKSNOOKS. :) good idea?

Regen regen, weg te gaan..

So right now it is 8:38 am here so it's.. i wanna say 11:38 pm at home, and i miss home pretty badly this morning. I had a dream about it, and i woke up and to  not be there was kinda sad. I woke up to a big scary european man ringing my bell at 8 this morning looking for eduard, but they were all in the shower! so i tried to tell him "just a few minutes.." and he looked at me like WOAH.. you're american and left? Strange lol
   I probably go like 4 hours of sleep last night? Maybe? probably less though.. I went to bed very late last night! I wasn't very tired, but i couldn't sleep because i have on eof two things wrong at all times.

A. i have a monstrous tooth ache.
B. I have a bad sinus cold /:

and instead of just one of those. i have bothe wrong! yaaayyy /: Not. Today were going to go get Sauce Broche. My dad has been telling me about sausage bread since he returned from the Netherlands! So i'm mexcited. There's something the call Dropp which i think is like black licorice? But i'm not excited about that lol That sounds gross :X
     I've unpacked. and put all o fmy stuff away, and all my stuff on my bed is set up. my pictures are out, but i have a lot more to hang up. i just need to get some tape. and i'm starting to get more comfortable with this. But it's going to be a loonnggg process. I wanna go home and see Jake. :) Can someone overnight him to me? That would be wonderfullll.. I miss my puppy :( and my family. I really don't like being away from them. But there is the argument that "You're gonna have to fly the coop sometime right?" yea the difference between your stupid ass statment and my situation, is that to most normal, flying the coop consists of : Going away from Murrieta to Cal State San Marcos. and not moving 8000 miles away to Holland. They get to at least see their family and be near them whenever they want. Call me stupid for thinking that way, but i enjoy being around my family. A lot!

I am going to get in the shower, and go wake my self up. I don't think i'm going to eat breakfast, but i don't want to be rude/ :( all they eat is bread. it's like DAMN.. i just want some eggs!? or lucky charms!! Which.. they don't have. lol Of course. I had a dream about linguini and clams last night, annndd now i'm craving it. Where am i going to get it? Whoooo knows. LOL but i really want it.

I want to go into Amsterdam and go explore. But i have to wait for saturday to come so i can go over there. The distance between myself and Amsterdam, is the same as from Murrieta To San Marcos. It's very close. But with how terribly everyone here drives.. it takes forever. Theres nice views on the way. Cows and windmills. It's nice. there is no sort of horizon line here at all. The land is flat. so if you look into the distance, all you see is what's there closest to you. or in front of you. nothing more. which is strange. There are NO HILLS untill you leave this country. i hardly saw any in Switzerland as well. Which is beautiful... i loved Zurich. So green and hilly. and it was warm! it is pretty cold here.

I'm gonna freaze my butt off pretty soon i can feel it coming.But anyway.. Amsterdam. Esthers secretary is going to take me to town this weekend. She's 28 and has no children and thats all i know about her. lol But i wanna go! i wanna go look at tattoo shops. i cant wait till i get to know the area better so i can go by myself. At my house, i was able to have a few minutes alone but even when i'm alone here there is screaming children somewhere lol it's ridic. But once they go to sleep.. i get to chill :) thank god i can handle going to bed late or i would never get to talk to my family /: aghh
anyway. Byyeee!
<3

First 48.

Hello! I have been in The Netherlands for about 48 hours now. I arrived yesterday (the 1st of september) and haven't slowed down for a minute. I was properly introduced to the babies Merlijn (Mer-line) AND Morris today! Yesterday i met Yasmine, and this coming up weekend i will meet Jeremy and Enzo! So i am very excited. Holland is very lush and green. For the past two days it has been rather overcast, but at least it's not raining! The ground around the house is flooded due to the showers they have had for the past weeks, but it definitely isn't hurting the plants.

   Right outside my door is a lake, and the farms of the near by town of Teteringen. It is about 4 km away from Breda, and the city centre! We drove through it today to go buy bread. Bread is eaten for breakfast, and lunch.. But not for dinner. Typical dutch dinner is meat, boiled poatoes and vegg's of some kind. So far i feel comfortable here.. well as comfortable as i think i can get in a foreign country. I don't know.. It's all just very different so i am going to give it time, and see how everything pans out. I will never knock it till i try it, and i'm trying it so we'll see.

     It's a sad place. Everyone dresses the same. Women : Long sleeve shirts that are somewhere between shirts and dresses. Leggings and boots. Or. White pants, and brown kneehigh boots. I've never seen so many pairs of white pants in my life. Men: Adidas track suit. Puma's! lol That's about it. All the buildings are made of brick and stone, and are darkly colored. It's overcast almost all day, and none of the people seem too happy. It's strange. not to mention dutch is probably one of the craziest languages i have ever had to listen to. I have been picking up things here and there, but i was asked how to say something in english.. which was remote. like for your tv? and Eduard said "Oh in dutch this is a Afgelegen..... AHF - HEL-EH- HGEN. Yea. say that 3 times fast. That's ridiculous. Why not just say remote?! hahah
     We (Esther, Yasmine, myself and the babies ) went into town today, and we went to a cafe, and walked around town to see all the shops. Adidas is very popular here! Uggs sell for almost 300 Euro's. Could you imagine that in american money? it's about $448.00 american dollars! Sunglasses and uggs are where the extra money is made over here! There is a giant art store i would like to look in! It has canvas' and paints and ugh everything i was kinda overwhelmed. It made michaels and joanne's look like a Pic-N-Save! I saw some girl today who looked like Hannah, and i got really really sad. I am not very happy, but i know this is going to be a great experience. How many people say they got to go live in europe for a year? But i miss my family terribly. I wish they were with me. It would make this trip just that much more amazing. I'm gonna skype with my mom and brother and sister later tonight probably. We talked last night, and it was a relief. I got to see Jack and hannah right after they got home from school! so it was nice. /:


Dag!
  <3 Gina