Bunnyland in Brussels

Every year since Elisabeth was a baby we have driven to Bunnyland at Butler's Orchard in Maryland. The girls love Butler's Orchard whether its celebrating Easter at Bunnyland, Halloween, or just picking blueberries or strawberries in June.

We are trying to create our own "Bunnyland" here in Brussels. I didn't bring a lot of our Easter decorations (I miss Michael's and Target!). I drove to Stonemanor, the British Store near the Brussels airport one morning a few weeks ago. It was fun to pick out Easter decorations. We made almost 150 Easter Egg cookies for Elisabeth's and Kate's class party! Fun to be room parent!

On Palm Sunday, our church in Brussels held their Easter Egg Hunt. Rich and I helped organize it. What a fun day for the girls to run through the bois behind ISB - Elisabeth found two Easter egg "jackpots" with her friend, Madeleine. A fun day for all!

Monday Morning: Flat Tire

After I dropped Rich at the Herrmann Debroux metro and Elisabeth at ISB for school I noticed that my front tire was completely flat. An interesting morning!

Luxembourg: Luxembourg City and Viandan

On Friday I drove with the girls to Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. It is a quick two hour drive from Brussels. We arrived at 11am, checked into our hotel and walked to the Grand Plaza for lunch at Quick's. On our drive to our hotel we spotted an incredible park with a Viking ship. After lunch we set off to find it. We stayed at the park all afternoon. The girls loved the Viking ship. Kate enjoyed ringing the bell. Elisabeth enjoyed climbing up the mast to "look for land" - what a fun day! Elisabeth and Kate also enjoyed the rocket ship and the giant slide inside the rocket. They didn't want to leave.

We found a little cafe off of the Grand Plaza, bought chocolates for Rich from Leonidas, and ate dinner at a little French restaurant on the Grand Plaza, Hotel Cafe Francais (it had pink tablecloths on their patio that the girls liked!).

On Saturday we drove to Vianden in Luxembourg along the Our River, near the border between Luxembourg and Germany. We toured the Vianden castle (built between the 11th and 14th centuries) and walked through the ancient city towards the river. Victor Hugo lived in the castle for three months in 1871. We visited the Victor Hugo museum and enjoyed playing with puzzles of his various sketches. Elisabeth and Kate enjoyed looking at fabric at a sewing shop - they picked out fabric for their doll clothes. They are enjoying sewing with their sewing kits and are excited to sew with my machine when we return to Virginia. After lunch, we drove back to Brussels.

Whistling & Snapping

Elisabeth is growing up so fast. Her 6 year molars are coming in, she is whistling to Peter, Paul & Mary in the car, and she is beginning to snap her fingers. She reminds me of Michael in the original Mary Poppins movie when he snaps his fingers. She doesn't quite have it, but she is determined to keep trying. The wonder on her face when she does finally snap will be priceless!

Christmas in March: Cleaning House

Finally, I put away our Christmas decorations this week (it usually happens January 15th at the latest!). Plastic storage containers cost 20 Euro or so. A plastics tax in Brussels - at Target in the US they are $2 each. The most expensive plastic I have - let's hope they don't crack.

I also found my thank you notes (and my checkbook!) in our apartment - amazing how we can lose things here (considering the limited closet/storage space). I am writing thank you notes for Christmas, my birthday, Kate's birthday, etc. and putting them in the mail on Monday. Let's hope I get it right and they are received prior to our return in July.

This week I also started our "For Sale" list - things we've acquired in Brussels that we don't want to pay to ship back (laundry baskets, etc.) - the everyday household items that you need to live, but have to purchase again in the EU (blow dryers, etc.). I am planning to post at the AWCB and at school. If they don't sell, I'll donate it to school or church. Four more months to go...

BOZAR: Mexico Festival

Last week Karen and I went to the BOZAR for the Mexico Festival. Mexico is celebrating the bicentenary of Mexico’s independence and the centenary of its revolution in 2010. The Mexico Festival's major exhibition, Imagenes del Mexicano, sums up the history of Mexico.

The exhibit traced Mexico's history through the pre-Columbian period, colonialism, and independence through the eyes of Mexican and foreign artists. The exhibit included paintings by Bustos, Rivera, Siqueiros, and Kahlo; photographs by Modotti; and a film by Sergei Eisenstein, a revolutionary Soviet Russian film director and film theorist noted in particular for his silent films, including Que Viva Mexico.

Several silent films covered the reign of Maximilian of Hapsburg, 1867 in Mexico. "Maximilian I of Mexico (6 July 1832 – 19 June 1867; born Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian Joseph of Austria) was a member of the Imperial House of Habsburg-Lorraine. After a distinguished career in the Austrian Navy he was proclaimed Emperor of Mexico, during the Second Mexican Empire, with the backing of Napoleon III of France and a group of Mexican monarchists on 10 April 1864. Many foreign governments refused to recognize his government, including the United States. This helped to ensure the success of Republican forces led by Benito Juárez, and Maximilian was executed, after capture by Republicans, in 1867.

The Flu in Brussels

Apparently, the flu is going around the schools. I was sick over the weekend. Kate is home sick for the second day, Rich is home sick. Although Elisabeth seems fine, I'm waiting for a call from ISB that Elisabeth is sick....

Although we've adjusted well to life in Brussels, we feel the most homesick for the States when one of us is ill. We miss the pediatrician who knows the name of Elisabeth's bear, Abigail. We miss the CVS pharmacy in Falls Church - the pharmacist knows the girls and always has a smile for them when we pick up medicine. We miss the Pedialyte at the pharmacy, Gatorade and the Popsicles at the grocery. The only positive here is that groceries sell Sprite and 7UP which the girls love when they are sick. They call it "bubble juice".

Rich has a conference in London this weekend. We were supposed to go as well, but we may stay home. Not sure if we can handle being sick on the road, especially Elisabeth.

Wittamer: Our New Favorite Chocolatier

On Saturday we took the 94 tram to The Sablon Square in Brussels and browsed the flea market. We enjoyed an early dinner with Elisabeth and Kate at Le Pain Quotidien. After dinner, we walked around The Sablon Square and enjoyed chocolates from Wittamer for dessert. Wittamer is our new favorite chocolatier in Brussels!

As we were walking to the tram station near the gothic Sablon Church we noticed several other chocolate shops on The Sablon Square: Neuhaus, Godiva, Leonidas, Cote d' Or, Pierre Markolini. I think we could put together a great chocolate tour for our next visitors....

The Little Gym: Kate's 4th Birthday

We celebrated Kate's 4th birthday at The Little Gym in Wezembeek, Oppenheim with 20 of Kate's classmates from BEPS and friends from the playground at ISB. Lots of tumbling and parachute games. Very similar to Gymboree in the US.

At school this week, one of Kate's classmates, Capucine, asked where Kate's room was located, "Is your room near the moon bounce?" They thought Kate lived at The Little Gym!

Belvue & Coudenberg Museums

Last Wednesday I went to the Belvue and the Coudenberg Museums in Brussels with my friend, Karen. The Belvue Museum provided a history of Belgium and and examined the reign of Albert I, the King of new Belgium. The Coudenberg Museum is an archaeological site containing the former palace of Brussels. At the Coudenberg we went on a self-guided underground tour discovering the remains of the palace of Charles V. The building was severely damaged by fire in 1731. In the 1770's, the remains of the palace were pulled down and the ground was flattened out.

Belvue Museum

http://www.belvue.be/BELvue/index.aspx?LangType=1033

Coudenberg Museum

http://www.coudenberg.com/en/prepare-your-visit/presentation