Welcome to Texas Y'all!

With the Holiday season quickly approaching; our family left The Netherlands to travel back to the States to be with the rest of our family. Stockings were hung, presents had been purchased and the tree was trimmed. We arrived in Dallas with our family already gathered and waiting. And while we always go to mass on Christmas Eve and open presents Christmas morning, there was one gift from my daughter and her boyfriend that we got to enjoy early. Christmas at Jerry’s house. That would be Jerry Jones.. owner of the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboy’s would be playing the New Orleans’s Saints and the game would start at noon. And in true classic football style, we decided to tailgate before the game. We arrived at the stadium at 9:30am.. broke out the cocktails and the  grill to make breakfast burritos with  grilled sausage, scrambled eggs and salsa.

Heading into the stadium, we were thrilled to run into our friends Karen and Ed. Hugs, laughter and catching up with each other…. Priceless.

The Dallas Cowboys are known as America’s team. They are as iconic as they come. Even the roof was open that glorious day so that God could watch his team. Tony Romo lead his team through a tough match and the Cowboy’s Cheerleaders delighted the crowd with cute little Santa outfits on.

The Saints came out on top that day after going into overtime. But the true gift of that day was the time spent with my family. It’s memories like this that make life so precious.

Flying into America and getting to watch one of the best football teams in America, the Dallas Cowboys…..Outstanding!

This Christmas

Christmas has always been special to me. As the baby of my family, my parents and sisters made sure each Christmas was warm, cozy and full of wonderful memories. For some reason, my mother got away with the fact that she could only cook a few things.. Chop Suey, Pork and Sauerkraut, and Meat Loaf. These were three things that really didn’t belong on the Christmas table. Luckily my grandma was a wonderful cook. She had cooked for an elementary school in my home town for most of her adult life. My Grandma Anne would always do all the cooking.. turkey, potatoes, pies, .. everything. And I happily never cooked anything till I got married.

As a teen, my friends and I would bundle up every year to go Christmas Caroling, tobogganing, and skating. We also did some pretty stupid things in the snow (now that I think about it). A donuts  this is where you drive your car, then swerve and slam on the brakes till you were circling and spinning like a donut. Shagging (yes, I know what that is in England J)… this is where someone is driving a car and the other idiots hang off the back bumper and slide on their boots along the snowy road. 

All of the dumb things we did were done out in the country with no other cars around. I would list names but they all know who they are…. just a bunch of  kids. They were my friends then and they still are today.

This Christmas, I sit by my fire in my living room in The Netherlands and I’m thinking about something my mother did inspire in me… my love to decorate the house at Christmas to create a magical feel for my children. One of my favorite memories of her is when she would have us wait at the top of the stairs on Christmas day while she went to turn on all the Christmas lights around the house before we were allowed to come down. It was truly beautiful. Well here, the trees are lit, halls are decked, cookies are baked and stockings are hung by the chimney with care. I thought I had a mouse stirring one night, but it turned out to be just a runaway pine cone from my tree.  I love to decorate my house and try to put a little something merry in each room.

 Thought I’d share ….

I usually pick up an ornament or two each year but I also love tearing apart old arrangements to put new ones together. This year I’ve been following a few very creative people on their blogs. And they’ve inspired me to make a few new things. Of course mine do not look as fabulous as theirs but I’m pretty happy with them.

My faux to fab wreath idea came from Beth at http://unskinnyboppy.com/2011/11/making-my-own-semi-natural-evergreen/. I used an old wreath and filled it with goodies from my yard. I couldn’t find burlap ribbon, so I cut up a Sinter Klaas bag to make the bow. I like my use of the bag more than what it’s supposed to be used for.

And I love the tree that I have in my bedroom. I have always decorated it with the hand crocheted ornaments that my grandma and my sister made for me.I add raffia bows to fill in the tree and offset the white. 

This year, I added little mason jars filled with tiny white goodies.. mini marshmallows, mini chocolate chips.. and so on. I love the way the lights sparkle through the glass jars. This idea came from Kelly at http://eclecticallyvintage.com/2011/11/snowy-mason-jar-candles-2/

My main tree is decorated with a mix of old and new ornaments collected over the years with some made by my children and even one made by me in Kindergarten. 

A precious juice lid with a Christmas card circle cut and glued onto it.

Some of my loved ones have now passed but making wonderful memories for my own family is what is most important to me now.  We won’t be spending This Christmas here in The Netherlands, but we have some friends staying with our beloved little Bear. So the house is ready for their stay.

 Even little Bear has a tree.

My mom and her best friend

Thank you, Mom, for instilling in me not only a love for the beauty that is all around at this time of year but for what is most important… faith and family. You are dearly missed.

So from my home to yours ~ Merry Christmas

A Broken Heart

On a cold autumn morning in The Netherlands, I entered the door to my place of worship, the Catholic Church, Heilig Hartkerk or Sacred Heart Church. Attending the morning mass would be different for my family that day. Since moving to The Netherlands, we have been attending mass on Sunday afternoons. This is when an English mass is offered. But we were at the Dutch morning mass for a reason. We were there to join the Sacred Heart community as one group, as a unity of prayer. We were there to join hands, to sing and to pray. We were there to say good bye.

As the somewhat new girl on the block, I’m still stunned at what is happening here in The Netherlands. I moved from Texas, which sits firmly in “The Bible Belt”. Most people not only attend church every Sunday without fail, a lot of people also attend church Wednesday evenings. There are also many activities that go on throughout the week so that people can have a chance to gather and form a closer community spirit. But, with a steep drop in attendance in The Netherlands, churches in the last several decades have been closing at what seems a shocking rate. Averages of two churches are closed each week. As our English speaking Catholic community has moved from church to church, I always thought it was sad but I truly never understood.

But there I sat in mass that cold day. It was cold outside of the church and cold inside of the church. The heat had long been turned off to save money. The church began to fill. I recognized some of the people from our English speaking masses and a lot of faces I’d never seen. We gathered in close trying to keep warm.

Then the music began, the choir began to sing and our beloved Priest made his slow entrance towards the alter.

Listening to Father Rene…. Has always taken my breath away. He is a very soft spoken and kind man of God. I sat there intently listening to him speak not only to me but to the people of the Sacred Heart parish. His message was about staying strong and staying together as a community. As one door would close another door would be open to a new beginning of prayer and worship.

I sat there listening to Father Rene speak to us and as his message echoed through the huge building a lump formed in my throat. Father Rene had to stop a few times to compose himself as his own tears misted his eyes. I looked around and other people were crying too. People who had been members of this church their whole lives sat there listening, searching their hearts to understand. These families had baptized their children, made their first communions, taken vows of marriage, made confessions and laid their family members to rest

The church is not a building itself. The church is the people with Jesus as the head of the church. But as I looked around, I couldn't imagine the people who put the work, care and love into building Sacred Heart or the other churches that are closing in The Netherlands would ever dream that one day it would be closed. Who would ever think that these historical splendors would one day be closed to remain dark? Precious artifacts would be sold or left to be later put into storage.

As mass ended and Father Rene gathered items from the alter, slowly collecting the chalice, the crucifix and other items before turning to blow out the candle.

 He slowly exited the church with his people following him. The doors were closed and we all left to pilgrimage to our new place of worship.

We’re told everything happens for a reason and when that is usually said it’s because something tragic has happened. The closing of so many beautiful churches in The Netherlands tragic? To this American Girl… yes.

All photos were taken by fellow parishioner Wilbert Maximus.

Thank you Wilbert for sharing your photos.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Well,we have a winner! The winner of my beautiful homemade soap goes to my friend and neighbor from when I was a little girl growing up in Michigan. Bill! Congratulations!!

A big thank you to all my friends who played along and made my soap making so much fun!

A Dutch Treat

In my life I've always felt it was important to take what people say about others with a grain of salt, meaning “the phrase comes from Pliny the Elder's Naturalis Historia, regarding the discovery of a recipe for an antidote to a poison.^[2] In the antidote, one of the ingredients was a grain of salt. Threats involving the poison were thus to be taken "with a grain of salt," and therefore less seriously.

An alternative account says that the Roman general Pompey believed he could make himself immune to poison by ingesting small amounts of various poisons, and he took this treatment with a grain of salt to help him swallow the poison. In this version, the salt is not the antidote. It was taken merely to assist in swallowing the poison.” Wikipedia.

When I moved to The Netherlands, I was told “Don’t expect to ever see your neighbors or get to know them, they just don’t do that.” Well, if I had listened to that I would have never had the wonderful opportunity to meet and get to know some fabulous women. It’s not in my personality to not get to know others. I truly enjoy meeting new people and discovering their joy in life.

My neighbors not only welcomed me into their little community, they include me in neighborhood gatherings. I wave to them when I see them and they wave back. And when we see each other at the market we greet each other with a kiss (three… right, left, right). A beautiful greeting of friends.

Twice a year, the ladies of my neighborhood have a gourmet dinner fully prepared and served by ourselves. Yes, I’m including myself as I’m part of this group. At my first time to dinner, I was timid and apprehensive as I didn't speak Dutch, but my lovely neighbors included me and spoke English to me.

The recipes are always in Dutch, but whoever is my partner always laughs with me as we work our way through making our portion of the dinner.

 It’s so beautiful to see all of us in our aprons working together to create not only a special meal but a special evening. 

The evening starts around 6:00PM or 18:00 and lasts well into the evening, usually around midnight. The meal we prepare is not only delicious but beautifully presented as well.

As my neighbors float effortlessly between Dutch and English laughing and smiling, I can’t help but smile and enjoy this lovely time in my life.

Just yesterday, I had stopped my car to chat with one of my neighbors. She was out sweeping leaves. I was asking when to put my leaves in the street. We laughed and chatted about other things, our smiles warming the chill in the air. As I began to drive away, she shouted “I love you!” and I shouted back “I love you too!” And I meant it. These women are not only beautiful on the outside; they are beautiful on the inside. I’m truly blessed to have such wonderful neighbors and friends. It makes being away from my family and friends from home so much easier. I’m so grateful to these women for making my stay here in The Netherlands feel like home. 

26-21

Well, Ohio State beat Michigan today. And as much as it pains me to hear this news, I know that somewhere in the stands at the Ohio State University is a family that is smiling. They know that a girl half a world away in The Netherlands will be toasting to the memory of their fallen family member, Rodney Renfrew.

When I was a little girl growing up in Plymouth, Michigan, my mother's friends all used to gather in the city's park after the game. Who ever lost the game, those friends had to sing the other team's fight song to their friends. The bantering was all done out of love for each other and their friendship.

And so... as I can't be there to sing... I'll send this little song to all. Rodney... Here's to you! We are ever so grateful for the sacrifice you made for our beautiful country. Thank you so very much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SelCTpqCI-I

And one of my favorite things the OSU band does.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEBw5XvguD4&feature=related

Rodney's grave in Belgium

A Day of Thanks

Thanksgiving day comes but once a year

Before the holidays ring in with cheer

A unique opportunity to spend dinner with USA’s best

Turkey, stuffing and pie.. you know the rest

We gather together with family and friends

A moment in time we don’t want to end

Basketball, ping pong and a cool crisp night

Smiles and laughter, such a wonderful sight

How grateful we are to a commitment that never ends

Happy Thanksgiving to our Troops, Family and Friends

A Little Soap from Neverland

Peter Pan Statue

Kensington Gardens, London

 Remember when Peter Pan couldn’t get his shadow to stay on so he was trying to get it to stick with soap. Well, silly, that didn’t work. You have to sew on your shadow. But in celebration of Peter’s ingenuity, I have a little surprise for you. I’m so excited to see how my homemade soap turned out! Rumor has it that it’s almost ready. My friend Helen has been keeping a close eye on it as it sat patiently to be set and formed correctly to be the perfect soap.

In the beginning of October, I blogged about wanting to give away something to one lucky reader. My friend Helen asked if I’d like to come over and make soap. To read about our beautiful day go to…  http://americangirlinholland.blogspot.nl/2012/10/my-beautiful-english-day-in-dutch.html

Well, I think the soap will be ready in a week or two so it’s time to see who the winner will be. If you would like a chance to win a couple of bars of homemade soap (by me), then do two things.

Enter to Win this great gift by leaving a comment on this post. Tell me which of my stories has been your favorite. Be sure to include your email address! A winner will be randomly selected on December 1st and contacted via email.

This soap will be coming from the second star to the right, and straight on till morning. Just think lovely thoughtsJ