Friday, May 22, 2009

Easy to please

I'm so proud of my kids today. We planned a trip to a theme park today, the "Efteling" in Holland, and the kids were soooo excited. We overslept (of course) and departed a bit behind schedule, but still in time to make it before 11am, which isn't too bad, because the park doesn't open until 10am anyway. At about 10.30am, only 15km away from our destination, we got stuck in a traffic jam. At 11.30am, we still hadn't arrived and we were moving oh so slowly if at all. We have been to the Efteling many times before, even during the summer holidays, and we had never experienced something like this. So Kurt and I started talking ... we still had to buy our tickets (almost €30.00 a piece times 5!!!), so we wouldn't make it into the park before 12 o'clock at best ... Kurt wanted to leave a bit before closing time too (which is 6pm), because he has the night shift this evening, and he still wanted to get two precious hours of sleep before going to work. And this is what did it for us ... with that much people, the waiting time for all the attractions would have been close to an hour, so that meant we could maybe ride on 5 attractions ... a lot of money wasted and not very amusing neither for us or the kids ... so, with the Efteling almost in sight, we decided to turn around and get back home.

We of course did this consulting our kids beforehand, and they were surprisingly understanding. The two eldest were disappointed, but then again so were we, but understood. We did promise to take them again before the summer holiday, which they thought was a good deal. Christina, our youngest, cried a bit, but settled down when we promised to drive to the nearest McDonalds ... that girl sure loves her food LOL. I also promised to take them on a little bike ride this afternoon.

So, we spend almost 4 hours in the car for nothing. Once back home, Kurt got into bed and I took the kids out for a bike ride. We stopped at a little cafe, got some sodas and some chips, and they were happy as can be. They even thanked me for wanting to take them to the Efteling (???!!!) and for going for a bike ride in stead, which they perceived as cosy and fun. Aren't they precious and easy to please? Really, I'm so proud of them. When I was their age and something like that had happened to me, I would have cried my eyes out and had probably given my best tantrum performance, but then again, I was a spoiled little brad LOL.

Blog candy
Something else entirely ... Oddbjorg is giving away some delicious blog candy, you can find it here. While your there, check out her blog, I think you'll like what you'll see ...

Question
I wonder if anyone can help me. I've been looking for some papers I really like, like the Rose Moka's, Lilly Bee's, ... The (belgian) online shop I usually use doesn't carry these lines, so I'm forced to look for shops who ship internationally. And of course, the problem here is that the shipping costs are huge!!!! I have the same problems with kits. There are some kits I really adore, like Scarlet Lime, Studio Calico, and some others, but the shipping costs are just too much.

Does anyone know of a shop who has justifiable (in my husband's eyes mainly, I probably wouldn't care all that much LOL) shipping rates? Or does anyone know any good kits or online shops available in Belgium or the Netherlands? I would sure love to hear from you if you do. Thanks in advance for your help.

Finally I would like to thank Cathy for giving me a little push to write some personal stuff/stories on my blog. I like reading this sort of things in other people's blog, and I hope you enjoyed mine.

Love xxx Peggy

15 comments:

  1. Sometimes life thows us these little detours and you made a great day out of it with the children anyway!!!!!! I will be on the lookout for you for the papers!!!! Wishing you a wonderful weekend. Thanks for sharing with us, I just ADORE you!!!!!

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  2. o peggy wat een schatjes! echt he, ik ben 26 maar o zo teleur gesteld als er iets gebeurt en ineens niet door kan gaan, maar dan dit lezende denk ik ach wat een schatjes!

    groetjes
    daisy

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  3. Wat een geweldige kinderen heb je!!! Als ik terugdenk aan die van mij toen ze klein waren, was zo'n soort actie uitgelopen op een groot drama, haha..!
    Wat betreft jouw probleem met de hoge verzendkosten: dat deel ik! Ik zit ook altijd helemaal weg te dromen bij die geweldige kits van Studio Calico enzo maar die (abnormaal) hoge verzendkosten weerhouden mij ervan. Jammer dat we niet wat dichter bij elkaar wonen, dan zouden we samen iets kunnen bestellen en de kosten kunnen delen. Misschien een ideetje voor iemand anders???
    Ik wens je in ieder geval een fijn weekend!
    Groetjes, Jenneke

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  4. What a great story about your kids. Doubt mine would do as well as yours. Wish I could help with those paper lines, but we don't have them. Good luck!

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  5. I've left you something over on my blog, please drop by and pick it up if you have a minute.

    hugs, Karen Lee from Pages in Time

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  6. what great kids! mine would cry too me thinks! LOL

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  7. What awesome kids you do have!!!
    What a shame for you, but Peggy you have taught them resilience and patience and that my friend is a compliment to your parenting!

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  8. When given the opportunity, children will surprise you in the greatest ways. Looks like you have well mannered and understanding children. If you want, I can see if my LSS carried those papers and see what my post office will charge me to mail them to you. Have a great Sunday.

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  9. Good luck with the whole shipping thing! So disappointing! I didn't know that you lived in Belgium! I lived there for a summer in a little town outside of Mons. How cool!

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  10. Oh gosh peggy, so sorry about the bum trip :-( Stuff like that is so frustrating, but sometimes life works like that, huh? Glad your kids were pretty understanding about it, though - that makes a big difference!

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  11. Oh peggy I feel for you. I think shipping is crazy expensive here in the state. Its alone its me from ordering kits and such online.

    http://www.shabbyblogs.com/index.html

    This is a free site to get backgrounds and headers for you blog. All you need to do is open photoshop or paint program and enter your blog name, pics or whatever you would like it to say or have. I also like the look of the 3 colum background. Its doesnt change your blog template but it allows for a larger middle panel for your text.
    Shabby site has one called Penelope and your highness that I love.
    *If you dont have photoshop or a program like that, I can take whatever you would like in almost any font you chose for you just let me know.

    You can also paper or digitally design you a header completely.

    Once you are happy with a design, you go to your page elements Layout page in blogger. Look at top it will say your blog name (header) click edit there and upload your new one. If it doesnt fit completely you woudl then have to look in your HTML coding and change the size but thats seldom.

    http://www.thecutestblogontheblock.com/
    is another but I prefer the other one.

    Im not familiar with those papers. I'll keep my eye out for them.

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  12. I love reading about the kiddos. Congrats to you. I hope that previous post makes sense. I didnt re-read.

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  13. Oh Peggy, you made me cry this morning!!!! I so would love to meet and give one another a big ole HUG! I have been wanting to travel abroad...so you may be the first on my list to head tooooooo!!!! Thank you for your kindness. it is so appreciated!!!! Have a FABULOUS WEEK!

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  14. Hello Peggy, you are so welcome, it would have been my pleasure to help you, I know how it is to try to get something and you can't. I wanted to get some stamps that I saw on Celine Navaro's blog but the only sell them in France blah blah blah...... so when I saw your post I jumped at the opportunity to help you. Have a wonderful day and by the way my name is Maryangella Haberman hence the HABERdaWOMAN name :)

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  15. Hi Peggy! How are you? I've bern missing you! I've had some crazy computer issues and I feel so out of the loop. You new blog design is fabulous! And I am so glad Cathy encouraged you to share more about your family and the day to day! I LOVED this story. What a testiment to the mother you are...your children learned that understanding give-and-take from the example I'm sure you and your husband set for them. What a precious family. Hope all is well in your world. HUGS to you!!!

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