Holland’s First Color Run...

After seeing several ads featuring Color Runs, Veronica was determined that as soon as one came to Holland she’d be there. I was given the assignment of registering the whole family as soon as registration was open for the 5K in Amsterdam. I was successful, but unfortunately didn’t get to do the race because Ashlynn was sick that day.

While a few of Veronica’s friends also weren’t able to go at the last minute, Jamie and Nathan did join them. They all started out in white shirts and at each kilometer, they were doused with a different color of non-toxic paint. Check out the video that Jimmy and Veronica made to see how much fun they had.

Doggie Trailers...

When a friend asked if I wanted her dog trailer before she moved, I was quick to say yes. As I knew that she owned only top-notch bikes, it never dawned on me that the trailer would actually not be designed for dogs. I took the old kid trailer, stuck Kati in it and set off to watch Ashlynn’s last hockey game.

Kati was a big hit with Ashlynn’s team members. Perhaps she even brought them good luck because they won. Kati wasn’t happy about getting back into the rickety trailer and kept trying to jump out. Ashlynn ended up cycling home with Kati running alongside. It was just as well, because soon after she got out, the trailer fell over (I don’t think it was due to user error since I was going straight at the time). Needless to say, we got rid of the deathtrap soon after.

A few weeks later, another friend sold me her proper dog trailer which we upgraded with a cushion and special leash that allows Kati to poke her head out of the top. She was very hesitant to get inside, but hopefully she’ll work up to enjoying it.

Our New Teenager...

Ashlynn long awaited her 13th birthday because she would finally get two things:  a Facebook account and her ears pierced.

She was nervous, but got through it without crying. Veronica also wanted to get her ears pierced, but decided it wasn’t worth even the slightest risk of infection during her GCSE exams.

Ashlynn was all smiles when it was over. Then we went out for sushi, her favorite  food. When we got home, Veronica helped Ashlynn set up her Facebook account. Many of her friends lied about their age so they could open an account, but Ashlynn has a mean old mom who made her wait.

AWC Officer Installation...

In mid-May, the AWC held the Installation of Officers at the Chargé d´affair’s residence since there currently isn’t a US Ambassador to the Netherlands. There was a quick ceremony to install the new officers. This photo is of both last year’s and the new board.

In an effort to shrink the size of the board, it was decided that Terri and I should discontinue sharing a board position after four years. It will be very strange being there without her. Who’s going to keep me sane?

Terracotta Warriors in The Hague...

After the AWC Volunteer Luncheon, Anne and I went to a special exhibit at the Babylon, next to Den Haag Centraal Station, to see the Terracotta Warriors. The displays were replicas, which were supposedly sanctioned by UNESCO to ensure they were made of the same materials as the original statues constructed in 210 BC in China.

Apparently there wasn’t a single statue that survived in its entirety; some were in as many as 300 pieces.

Despite being copies, the exhibition was very well done and it was very impressive seeing nearly 100 of the statues set up in the same way they’re displayed in the pits where they were found.

Touring the Royal Theatre...

To celebrate the new Dutch King, Jan planned several royal activities for the AWC for May. It was a bummer that she was out of town and missed the tour of the lovely Koninglijke Schouwburg (Royal Theatre) in The Hague. Here’s our group standing on the stage of the theatre originally built in 1804 from what was once a palace built in 1766.

The coolest part of the tour was seeing the costume department and getting to talk to some of the designers. They hire out to other theatres as well as to individuals interested in haute couture.

 It sure would have been fun shopping in the costume storage area.

The wig department was also really cool. Lastly, we got to see the mechanism for the old revolving stage floor. It hasn’t been used since the 60’s, but is now considered an industrial heritage site.

Don’t Forget to Duck...

Boating through Leiden means going under a lot of bridges. Some were drawbridges, some we easily fit under and others were very low and we had to duck.

At first glance, we thought these rats were real.