Steve and Rachel Visit : Rainy Saturday

Steve, Rachel and Randy went to The Hague Tempel, met friends and rode 35 K on bikes thru Holland, toured Gouda, saw windmills, took lots of donations to the Calais Refugee warehouse, and volunteered there and in Grande Synthe.  Meanwhile, the kids and I played at home with toys we had acquired at the flea market and other places.  A good time was had by all.

Playmobile was a big hit, especially all the little animals.

L likes our balcony and the view from up here on the 8th floor

We ran some errands and took some stuff over to the office building where the kids watched Swedish Chef videos while Grandma checked her emails and got some refugee work done.

Sister Bausman came over to play.

L helped make the pizza for dinner.  We were delighted to discover that "salami mit paprika" is PEPPERONI.

More time with playmobile.

Pizza, mandarin oranges and Macaroni and cheese.  Best meal ever.

My visiting teachers brought a vintage grape juice from Rudesheim and some chocolate covered McVitties' Digestives from London.  So kind of them!

Steve and Rachel Visit: Bike Ride, Picnic and "Spiele Im Park" (Play in the Park)

Friday we needed to go to the bank and check on a money order.  E rode the bike, which was a fun adventure for him.

Next, we went to Penny Markt to get sandwiches, yogurt and popsicles.

It was hot and sunny (because we went to the zoo yesterday) and we decided to stop on these steps in a shady alley to eat.

When we turned up the street to go to the park, we saw signs . . .

The city government apparently sends a wagonload of toys and games and tables and benches to different spots in the city for kids to have some extra fun in the parks: it just happened to be the week the kids were here! 

A guy sat at the top of the hill (it has a 30 foot slippery slide down the other side and a zipline down at the left) with a hose creating a waterslide.  There is a slight dip at the bottom, so the water collects there and is about a foot deep.  The kids all watched, but none wanted to try it out.

They ALL loved the bounce house, however, which was surprisingly empty. 

 THREE kids in the bounce house.

Then E saw the climbing wall.  Rachel and I had watched them assemble it a week before, but had no idea it was for the kids to play on.

E decided to try it out.  

He watched and learned from the previous kids and the guy belaying.

Then it was E's turn.

Up he went.

Great job reaching and stretching.

Rappelling down was fun, too.

The adults were amazed to hear that it was E's FIRST TIME on a real climbing wall.  He seemed like an old hand.

TWO kids in the bounce house.

Then A&E found the massive "Connect Four" built out of 1/2 inch plywood.  It was huge and heavy.

ONE kid in the bounce house.

. . .  who was happy to stay in the bounce house.

E loved rolling down the hill in a barrel.  A beer barrel since this is Germany.

A tried it and was NOT impressed.

More fun

until it was time to go home for dinner.

We saw this rare butterfly as we stopped to eat Blackberries.