Rhenen Zoo

Today we went to the Ouwehands Dierenpark in Rhenen. What a beautiful zoo it is! The animals were your typical zoo-fare, with the exception of the "beren bosje" or bear woods. It is a gigantic piece of woods where the bears can roam at ease. There are even wolves there. A (covered) pathway goes through the woods. Simply magnificent! Everywhere we went in the zoo there were little mini playgrounds.  One of a huge elephant with a big slide.  Unfortunately, no pictures of that one, but some pictures of other ones.
Evie's birds... they're pink!
Most of the pictures taken at a zoo are of the back of Evie's head. Few exceptions here!
In the bear woods!






This was one of those playground pieces. It was so high, but Evie enjoyed it!
Papa and Felix at the sea lion show.
Before we left Evie had to go on the trainride through the zoo.

Openluchtmuseum

Today we visited the Openluchtmuseum in Arnhem (english site). The "open air museum" is a collection of houses and buildings transplanted from all over the Netherlands from different periods. For example, we saw an old paper mill, that is making paper, with a little ways further a steam powered dairy factory. There was also a row of houses from Tilburg, with each house in the style of a different time period. A house from a family in 1900, next to a house from 1950, next to a house, from 1975. This is definitely the best way to see Holland in a day. There was a special exhibit about dutch emigrants to America and Canada, also very interesting! Around the open air museum old trams from Arnhem, The Hague, and Rotterdam ride around. It was so cool!!!
lil' Evie
We had some delicious old fashioned poffertjes! Mmmm Lekker!
The rest of us took a bridge to cross the water, but Evie and Papa got to pull themselves across in a boat.
Felix saw everything from the stroller.
Windmill, how much more dutch can you get?
Evie got to milk a cow! Okay, the milk was water, and the cow was wooden... but fun nonetheless.
This chair was a normal size, really.
Evie gets weighed by an old consultatieburo.

Bennekom

This weekend we are spending in the little town of Bennekom around the middle of the Netherlands. There a aunt of Tom's has a little house in the woods. Oma Els and Opa Erno are here with us too.
To give you an idea of where Bennekom is located.
We came by train, just over an hour with one change in Utrecht.

Another supermarket portrait

This was the first time Felix and Evie have had their portraits taken together. Sure, it's cute (what picture if them isn't?), yet we were still disappointed at the results. There were no extras bought today. Next time we go to America we'll be sure to get some nicer ones done.
Evie & Felix, September 2009

Indpendence

This morning Evie finally, for the first time ever, got out of bed on her own. Crazy, right? She has been in a toddler bed for nearly a year and a half, yet still she calls for Mama or Papa when she wakes up. Not today! Today she heard Tom heading towards the bathroom, ran out of her room, and started laughing. It was so sweet. Maybe now she'll do this more often. We wouldn't mind...

Boinky Boinky Boinky

This little movie was taken a few weeks ago. Evie is playing with photobooth on the computer. If ever you having a bad day, just watch this and everything will be better!

Inburgering

Today Liz is off to take three of the four required "Inburgering Examens," that is integration tests. Since 2007, everybody of non-Dutch descent who lives in Holland for a non-temporary reason has to pass the integration exams. The exams test language and cultural knowledge. Only EU citizens are exempt from the law. The tests tomorrow are the electronic practical exam, the spoken Dutch quiz, and knowledge of dutch culture exam. We're not too worried about the first two, but the third one has had Liz studying for the last month.

To give you Dutchies (or Dutch speaking) an idea of what type of questions will be asked you can take Nationale Inburgering Test. It's not exactly the same, but it's fun to do. Let me know if you actually pass it, though!

And for you Americans left out, here is a similar online test demonstrating what immigrants need to learn to become American citizens.

Pictures from August

When Mama goes to work, Evie takes care of Felix

.... okay, Papa takes care of Felix, but Evie helps!
There is no shortage of hugs in our household.
Ulrike juggles two babies!
Priceless

I know, I know

Everybody seems to have a comment about the lack of blogging... again, my apologies. Take a look at this facebook album to quench your Schutte-kids thirst. Sorry there's no time to actually post them to the blog. Lazy, again. But at least it's something!