Tulpen Fest 2007 & More

Keukenhof, Holland

This weekend we ventured to Holland, MI for the Tulip Time Festival. Not quite Keukenhof, Holland where precisely 3 years ago I waddled around 2 weeks shy of the Gracie girl's due date. I knew if I didn't go, chances were slim to none that I would ever take in the glorious sight of those Dutch tulip fields. So, not quite the real deal but it certainly was grand to spend the day with two of my favorite folks...Grace & the highly esteemed, Uncle Bob.

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White lovelies

Making a Wish~

Reflections of Grace

Great day & tasty (?) food with a parade & Dutch marktplatz. Scrumptious ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery...nothing Dutch about that I suppose but we were hot & ice cream certainly sounded good. We ambled on up to the Dutch Village with quaint canals, tulip beds with demonstrations & exhibits of the ins/outs of daily life in old time Holland. Grace & I learned a traditional dance, the girl can kick up some dust with all that stomping! She has some really cool custom wooden shoes on the way....I'll post pics when they arrive. We enjoyed several turns on the carousel...one of her most favorite things in all the world.

Giddyup!

Just a swangin~

Wheeeeeeee

Yeehaw!

Mother's Day was a delight with a delicious lunch at a Sabor de Brazil...something like that. If one could get drunk from eating food, no way I could've walked a straight line. :o) For those less fortunate & lack such an experience, all or most of the sides...anything really you could want is available at a buffet...grilled asparagus & red peppers, fresh mozarella & basil, salads & antipastas...so many choices. Then a plethora of grilled meats are brought to your table & sliced right onto your plate. The most tastiest thing of all was the grilled pineapple with dusting of veru fine sugar & cinnamon. Talk about mouthwatering...I have to try this at home. Grilled pineapple is nicht neues, but with cinnamon....YUM!

Holidays are still a bit persnicky given the still fresh loss of my mom...feels fresh at holidays anyway. And then there's the whole single mom thing. Someone very, very thoughtful "helped" Gracie send me a sweet...very lovely African violet for Mother's Day. What a treasure & just brought extras smiles to a day I was actually dreading. Thanks, Tracy...du bist ein schatz!

Just to recap...I have totally finished my SLPP degree with license & certification processes underway. Talk about a happy dance!! Whoo hooo....I guess I have been talking about it the last couple of posts. Still dancing. Gracie is happy to have mommy back & I'm happy to be a mostly at home mom again. We've had lots of park play and tricyle riding; lots of painting, sprinkler play and star glittering to hang above the princess bed.

Ok...here are a few pics from the last few excursions...yes, dating back to Easter & our most recent visit home to visit the horses...family just happened to also be there. :o) I'm catching up on these Grace Full days~

Here horsie, horsie~

Easter egg hunting in our winter coat! Oh, yeah...that's Chicago for you!