Carpenter German Adventure: Happy Valentine's Day 2011!!

Happy Valentine’s Day from a cold and wet Amsterdam! For those of you who last heard from us when we lived in Germany, well…we have news! In August, we moved to the Netherlands to continue our European adventure!! We both have new jobs with the same companies…John is the engagement manager on the global Shell (Oil) account for Microsoft Consulting Services and I am responsible for Mattel’s Northern European business. Life is full and crazy busy!

And then we have the boys.

With their pumpkins outside our home in the Netherlands

Jack just turned 7, and is in the first grade at the International School of Amsterdam (ISA). He’s not sure if his favorite thing in the whole world is playing computer games or eating tacos…guess if he could do the two together life would be perfect. He is a busy guy – taking piano and tennis lessons, playing basketball, and becoming quite the swimmer. The schools in Holland require students to take a swim class due to all the water throughout the country. He misses his friends from California and Germany, but we’re able to schedule a few visits, and Skype helps.

Jack with his zwarte Pieten hat celebrating Sinter Klaas in Holland

Running on the rocks of Lake Lucerne, Switzerland

Jack on the back of the sled with Erik in Austria

Luke is 3, and in Preschool 1 at ISA. His favorite thing is playing with whatever toy Jack has. :-)He is our little lovebug, always willing to give a hug and a kiss. We had quite a scare with Luke in October – following a terrifying trip to the ER, a night in a Dutch hospital and a trip to the UCLA Children’s Hospital in LA, we learned he’s allergic to tree nuts. (You might be wondering why it took so much effort to diagnose something so common...yeah, healthcare just isn't the same in a foreign country.) Since then, we’ve not had any episodes, but we pack our Epi-pens just in case!

At the lake in Texas

Luke on his way to school

Netherlands jam session

We wouldn’t be able to function without Jennifer, our live-in au pair, from North Carolina. She helps us keep our sanity by picking up the kids every day, and ensuring our household runs smoothly. We love her!

Gail and Jen at Gaudi's Park Guell in Barcelona

We spent most of our vacation days moving to Amsterdam, and traveling to Texas, though we did manage our annual ski trip to Austria, as well as visits to Disneyland Paris, Barcelona, Switzerland and a lovely week in a Tuscan villa with our Palisades neighbors, the Haggenmillers. And we were very happy to share our new city with friends from California and Germany.