February 2017

When we were looking for a house a few years ago, we always checked out the vent system above the range. Most houses we saw did not have a vent that moves air to the exterior. Neither did the house we bought and love, but that is changing today.

We're getting an exterior vent installed. Initially we will use the microwave -- if that's not strong enough we can always install a hood later. But this exterior venting will make a huge difference.

Adrian has an ear infection again. We all had colds last week, and he couldn't sleep yesterday from the pain. So this morning I took him to the pediatrician.

First we all went to Hayes Park with Baka and Mia, and when it was time for Adrian and I to go I told him we would go by bike -- he was very excited so getting him to leave the playground was easier than normal.

It's a gorgeous day today, 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It's kind of weird for February but we enjoyed it.

The pediatrician saw that both his ears were infected. We biked on to CVS, got the medication and then back to home where he got a well deserved sandwich with cheese. He was very tired so halfway his lunch he said "slapen, slapen" and I brought him in bed.

When everybody was asleep Nora and I started working on the werkboekje from Veilig Leren Lezen. We spoke with Ettie and family for a little while (Nora wanted to know which "kern" Jasper was on -- number 7, he said).

Today was a 'bring your parent to school day' at Nora's school and we happily took this opportunity. Ginny came over to take care of the boys and Sasha, Nora and I walked to school.

It was great to be in her classroom again. Everything is so small there -- the chairs, the sinks, everything.

For several weeks Nora has been telling us about the hot chocolate she made at school, so that was the very first thing she showed us. It was pretty cool to see how she was dealing with boiling water (she was wearing mittens) and carefully preparing the drink.

Then she did a exercise with beads and counting, in bars of nine which was interesting. Then an exercise with shapes and finally she showed us a little bit of the reading she can do. She read a sentence "I dust a box" and all of a sudden she disappeared -- until we saw her, actually dusting a box.

Yesterday afternoon Rado and Maria came over with the kids. They stayed over for an impromptu dinner, a great end of the day.

We spoke with Dyado & Babi and Opa & Oma. Today Nora read more from the "op is op" book, and she is doing very well. Today she read 4 pages, and she's getting faster.

In the later afternoon we visited the Potomac Overlook, where we were just in time before closing to see a two real owls in the sanctuary. The boys were very impressed, especially Adrian who later kept saying "uil! zien!". He also said "[sch]aap! zien!" but I'm pretty sure there were no sheep.