WHAT DID YOU DO THIS WEEKEND

of Nov 19. If you participate please put the little logo on the top of your post and leave your link.


I had a very nice weekend ! I just came back from Egypt on Thursday night, had just Friday to unpack my suitcase and getting used to the cold, while I also had to prepare a new one for us and things to take along to go to Amsterdam to celebrate Grandson Toby's first birthday.

Toby's parents had invited the family and friends from the Dutch side and his friends from Belgium, UK and USA. I think we were about 30 people ! Imagine all the birthday gifts Toby got, he can easily open a shop now !

First thing we saw when we arrived Toby makes his first steps and starts walking !



of course he wants to go downstairs and tries to open the protection grid



with Daddy's help



and proudly alone !



The architecture of the house they bought looks very strange to us who are used to the spacious houses in Belgium. On the top you see the front of the house but it's only the right part of street lamp ! 4 floors high, my poor legs ! As Amsterdam has not enough space for building large houses they built high ! The "gardens" are all side by side and not devided, if you want to, you have to put a bamboo screen as the neighbor did or something else. Otherwise you are sharing your part with all your neighbors. (in the hope they are all nice !) They moved in just 2 weeks ago so they don't know anybody yet

Houses are very very expensive and they were even really lucky to find one ! The surroundings are beautiful (I think) but as the weather was so foggy I couldn't take any pictures. There is also a little leisure habor and a beach just around the corner.



Toby is more interested in the Buddha than in the gifts. The cake was in form of a Barbapapa



The kids represented the united colors of Benetton, it was so sweet. The adults had fun too !




A picture with Nonno and Nonna.

After the parents with children were gone and Toby sleeping, we spent the evening with two other couples with lots several bottles of excellent Italian red wine. After that they had to call a taxi ....

The next day, the living room was in a mess, and we slowly tidied up, but then my son's best friend with family came back, they had spent the night in a hotel and we went to a "Pancake" Restaurant.



It was very modern but also very cosy and there was a big playing ground for children, I had never seen that in Belgium. The pancakes, salty or sweet were enormous ! Here is a picture of mine I never thought I could eat it all but it was so delicious, with cheese, mushrooms and ham.




The kids were playing while we ordered the meal, Toby loves kitchens and was busy with pots and pans.



and here we are, before "attacking" the pancakes !