The Peterson's Take Europe!

Tulips, Tulips and more Tulips!

You cannot be in the Netherlands and not visit the tulip fields in the spring! I have been so looking forward to this all year and it was finally time to go! The main attraction is Keukenhof Gardens and I will say, it was stunning and everything I thought it would be!! Next year I would love to go and stay overnight and bike around the fields in the area. This year we kinda ran out of time between Sean traveling and spring break. I had no idea the scale that this place would be! Although the day was not so nice (sprinkled on and off), I didn't get too many pictures, but it was so worth the drive!

The beautiful Hyacinths. They had some amazing colors that I had never seen before!

Inside one of the many indoor expos

Both smiling! Love them.

I loved all the color combinations. I would never have thought of this myself!

Breaktime!

Obligatory picture in giant clogs!

She hates taking pictures!

Would never have thought to hollow out a cheese wheel to make it a pot for plants! Note to self!

This was a bunny that I couldn't get all of.

Playground break!

Loved these yellow/orange daffodils

I can't believe my baby is almost 6! Where has the time gone!

I totally want this bike!

Amsterdam (Finally)

The biggest joke in our house is that we have done our share of traveling and have yet to make it to Amsterdam (everyone assumed that was the first thing we did). Sean had a work trip last minute so we all decided to go for a weekend. I have heard many things about Amsterdam (i.e. lots of pot, red light district) so I wasn't quite sure how much I was going to like it. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it! It is a cool city (bikes really are chained everywhere) and despite the smell of pot in the area on certain streets, I would definitely go again! The kids had a really great time and the weather was perfect for a weekend to be outside! The Maritime Museum was really awesome and the NEMO (Science Museum) was the kids favorite! We did venture into the red light district one night while our friends mom watched the kids and I will say...it does exist and it is really weird! I was in denial that this could actually be real but it is. I am glad I saw it but never have to go back to that part again.

Amsterdam Central Station

The Maritime Museum! This place was really awesome!

The is used to be on one of the fronts of a ship. A little risque?

Ah yes, the sextant. All my fellow Coasties probably have the same love for this as I do (being sarcastic). Celestial navigation was not quite my thing.

Flashback to Eagle 3/c summer! Bella fit in there perfectly!

Daddy and his kiddos! They don't look like each other at all.

View from the top of the NEMO Museum

There is an opera in town called Arabella! She was so excited!

The boys on our canal cruise.

My loves!

There are 4 bridges I think through this one. It was pretty awesome to see!

The Blomen market (flower market). I have never seen so many bulbs before! We took some home with us and can't wait for them to pop up in a few weeks!

The biggest Amaryllis bulbs I have ever seen. They were almost as big as Zerek's head.

Dinant, Belgium

It was a day trip kind of a Sunday and I had heard about a little town about an hour and a half from us called Dinant, Belgium. It was a cute little town minus the annoying roads around it (so much construction and streets that made no sense). It was the original home of the Leffe beer Abbey so there is a really cool little museum there to learn about the history of the beer (one of our favorites). The town sits on the Meuse River and has a small citadel that sits at the top of the cliff with a cable car that takes you up (or you could walk, we chose the cable car for obvious reasons). We had lunch at a cute little cafe where they really didn't speak english, but the waitress and I muddled through my minor knowledge of French to get us through. I have heard of caves around the area that we missed, so maybe next time!

Yum! The glass came as a gift in our admission!

Kids in a beer museum? Why not! Everyone else does it!

Our beer sampling after the museum.

The lady who worked there brought out some toys for the kids and offered to watch them while we finished up wondering around the museum! So nice of her!! We could have stayed here all day!

The building was on the opposite side of the river...the Citadel is in the background.

Walking along the river into the downtown area

The Collegiate Church of Notre Dame

Girls at lunch!

Boys at lunch!

Really beautiful stained glass inside the church.

The Citadel! The kids had a great time running around here.

An amazing view! The day was so clear you could see for miles (or kilometers)!

We love cannons!

On our way down on the cable car

One last shot from the bridge!

Carnival Break!

The weather for so beautiful during our Carnival break in March that the kids and I decided on a little mini vacation up north. Sean had to stay home for duty so when he encouraged me to take the kids somewhere I was a little suspicious. I am really glad he did and even though I was a little nervous taking them by myself, they were awesome and we had a really great time!

Efteling Park - I had hear that this place was better than Euro Disney so I was really curious if that was true (I have not been to Euro Disney yet but I know it is nothing near Orland). It was a little spendy, but, I thought it was totally worth it. The park was so clean and had lots of room for the kids to run around. It was also not too crowded so we didn't have to wait much for rides (if wait at all). Although we were there from 11 when it opened till about 5 (an hour before it closed) we did not even get to half of the park. The kids had such a great time and the rides and activities they had there were awesome! There is something there for every age kids which was great!!

The Pagoda! What an amazing view when it reaches the top!

The Pagoda at its highest point

On a boat ride around the lake (Pagoda in the background)

Making music

On one of the rides (Forgot the name)

Really neat little house in the fairy tale village

The Butterfly ride I thought Zerek was going to fly out of. He loved it!

Safaripark Beekse Bergen - A family at the hotel we stayed at recommended this place on our second day and am so glad we went. It was another gorgeous day and this place was perfect to enjoy it! There are multiple ways to explore the park, on foot, by car, by boat and by bus. We decided to walk the the opposite end and take the bus back, which was not the best idea. While the bus was cool, the tour was all in Dutch so we obviously didn't understand any of it. It was a great open place for the kids to run around and see some amazing animals at the same time. We did drive through the park on our way out but the kids were so tired by that point they really didn't care.