Starting my own online store Inge's Gift took some encouragement. I have been dreaming about this for years, and there was always something in the way. The kids, time, a job, insecurity, money, out of ideas, well, actually anything.

Then I spoke with Vivian Verheijen of OSCI Tassen Atelier. She is an amanzing artist, making purses and more. I met her a couple weeks ago to just sit down and talk about how it all started for her. Her ups and downs, her do's and don'ts, it was a good talk. She is just a great person.

Last weekend I went back with my mom and colleague Ellen. We made a bag with her together. I sat down behind her machines, but this was my own design. Click here for the results! 

Thanks Vivian!

Tonight, we had colleagues of Martin over for dinner. Since we moved back "home", life is sort of back to normal. We are "the Dutchies" and here we are also not "from America" anymore. And then it is sometimes hard to remember that The Netherlands is not home for everybody.

So, today we had Martin's Japanese colleagues over. I wondered what I would cook. Let's be honest, you did not dare to try to make Japanese food. Never done that before, and what if it tastes horrible, or even worse just off. If it is horrible, you can just laugh and get take out. But just off would mean that they would be polite and not say it.
So, I decided to make rice. I learned from another colleague of Martin that rice is the most important part of a meal. He stepped out of Monday lunch because it did not contain any rice. Hi T!
So nice, but what's next. Chicken cola is a favorite with the kids. To add a bit more American taste, I also made a green bean casserole. But the weather was good today, and so I wanted to make appetizers and sit outside. Some cheese, meat, mozzarella, basil, tomatoes, pesto, and honey it came quite together.
Dessert was the alltime favorite: applecrisp a la mode.

It was fun to speak English all night again and try to explain how things in The Netherlands work. I felt a bit like our American friends who kept explaining the 'rules' to us.

I just love cooking. I love how it all comes together, trying new things. I get so excited when I have a cookbook in front of me with things I never made before. I just have to try it.
All I need is adding a chopper to my great kitchen machine, and maybe a training decorating plates. I am already excited for Thanksgiving!

It is one of those weeks, where I seem to be running between doctor offices, pharmacies and back. But lucky me, it had been quite a while. I have to say, over a year, last time was in Ithaca, NY.

It all started a couple days ago. AD had a little spot on his back that did not seem to heal very well. I noticed, but did not pay too much attention. You know kids scratch themselves and then it takes longer. But now it started to be red, and all kinds of little spots appeared. By Friday afternoon it tripled, so I took him to the doctor. The doctor, not our regular one, told me short and quickly: "Shingles, it is. Quite unusual for a toddler". He gave me some cream for 5 times a day and sent us home.
Over the weekend it did not get  better, we kept putting cream on, had to back to the pharmacy twice to get new cream. And by Tuesday, it had doubled again, with blisters over his shoulder and left side.
So, today I took him back to our regular doctor, and he said: "Well, it is quite easy, that is impetigo". A new cream, 3 times a day for a week. And off we went again.

At home I started reading about impetigo, and I strongly believe that AD never had shingles. The typical honey-yellow crust for impetigo was already on his back last Friday. I am so upset!
We wasted 5 days treating it with the wrong cream, meanwhile tripling his blisters, him being in pain. Wondering what went wrong?
I have to say, I am usually not quickly shaken in motherhood, but right now I feel like I failed misserably. How did  he get sick? We try to be pretty clean: washing hands, clothes, cook foods. He has been sleeping okay. Did I miss something? And why did I not notice this spot on his back earlier in need of treatment?

Time to give myself a break, go to bed, and start again tomorrow! Black berry picking is on schedule!

I cannot believe almost 2 months past since I wrote an article.
But summer seems to be busier than ever. I had lots of fun, weekend away, camping, BBQ's, more BBQ's, dinners, and lots of time outside playing with the boys. Also my yard needs lot of time. Okay, only weeding takes up lots of time.

picnic with my sister and her family

purse I made for my mother

girlfriend weekend

5 min outside mess

new clothes made by Inge's Gift

at my in-laws

And yes, the boys had a haircut. They wanted their hair just like 'papa'. So, off we went. But it has been over a month now and secretely I am still mourning. I miss their curls, their baby faces. They just seem too grown up now.

I'll start posting more again, next to the curls, I miss writing too.

See my label?!

I used a jeans fabric, just not the blue one, and used felt for the letters. I printed the letters in a Word document, quite simple, play a bit with the lettertypes for a bold lettertype that is easy to sew.
I sew the letters on with orange threat and used a funny stitch.

I am so disappointed in the boys clothing that is currently sold. It is all commercial (Spiderman, Cars), or black, while it is summer! I want my boys to have some color in their clothing, to look nice, but also be comfortable. If you compare the boys section to the girls – it is just ridiculous. The girls section is about triple in size and options.

So, I am done. I started making the boys some clothing. I used her website. But if anyone has some more suggestions, please let me know!!

It has been quiet here, mostly we took a vacation to the South of France. My parents invited all the (grand)childeren to join them for a vacation in Cantinergues, France.

It was just what you expected of the South of France:
 a couple of houses in the middle of nowhere

 castles

French food, a glass of rose, great cooking, markets, it was all there, but unfortunately, there was also lots of:
 5 out of 7 days, including travel days
 12 C, or 53 F.

So no sunny pictures of me reading a book on the deck, sipping a glass of wine. Instead I played cards with my sisters and enjoyed watching the boys coming up with the most brilliant games, without toys.

I bought plastic foil at the hardware store, about 4,50 euro's for a roll of 1,5 meters. I printed in Word our name in a nice lettertype, size 225, and printed it. I used the carbon paper again to draw the letters on the plastic.

The I used a sharp knife to cut the letters out and placed it on the window. I like it a lot. The white spots will go away after a couple of days. Time? It took me about 4 hours total.
Now you cannot completely see through our house again and with our name it still gives an welcome.

So here it is! Are you ready for a cup of tea with me?

It all started last year with a bit of dream, without the Cayuga Heights deer, starting my own vegetable garden. I took DH for a workshop gardening and here we started.
And I do have to tell you: "It is totally true!" Vegetable from your own yard just taste much better. I used the spinach for a salad with goat cheese, and also for pasta with bacon. Both very yummy!!

And it is easy! With my small city garden, I used some ideas from Square Foot Gardening. The workshop I did was nothing you cannot read, or ask someone who has a vegetable garden. With this idea you can also start on a balcony.

Now I added some peppers, tomatoes, 2 blueberry bushes, herbs, tomatoes, and a kiwiberry plant. The black berry and raspberry are on the way. Yippie!