Friday, November 28, 2014
Thanksgiving at International school
Friday, November 21, 2014
Headshots
While Kristy of Syllipsi Photography in New Jersey took some amazing pictures of my boys, I was even more impressed with my new head shots below. I hope these new pictures are just another step to jumping back into the world of opera.
Fall Mini Session By Syllipsi Photography
The boys and I met with Kristy Straub owner of Syllipi Photography during our month long stay in America in October. I LOVE all these pictures! Thank you so much Kristy!
Opera open podium
Monday, November 17, 2014
Taking the bus to AIS
OH it was an exciting morning for Brandon and Peter. They took the school bus for the very first time. (And no I did not follow the bus to school😁) I almost drove them this morning because the bus was 20 minutes late, I thought the driver might have already come, but that was close to impossible because the kids were so excited we were outside at 7am for a 7:15 bus. It was dark, chilly, and drizzling out, but the kids didn't care. Below are a few pictures from this morning.
Our nearly 25 minute wait. Driver told me normally he will
arrive at 7:15. I nearly gave up on the bus coming so as I was
loading the children in the car it pulled up. So than we scrambled
Out and ran down the driveway.
Because we couldn't possibly share 1 umbrella together.
The boys also asked if I can put batteries in their flashlights
so tomorrow they can walk down the driveway with them. Today only
Mama carried a light.
Smart driver for having them sit together but across from each other.
They won't have the, "he's touching me fight"
And there is the school bus, more like limo service, off to school
Sunday, November 16, 2014
St. Martins Day at school
The kids got to celebrate their first Belgian holiday. St. Martin's Day. The elementary school retold a story of St. Martin, a roman soldier. The most famous legend of St. Martin is “Martin and his cloak."
Here is a clip of Brandon and Peters classes singing together. Below are the words, they sang the song in German.
Laterne Laterne
Laterne, Laterne, Sonne, Mond und Sterne.
Brenne auf, mein Licht, brenne auf, mein Licht,
aber nur meine liebe Laterne nicht.
English Translation
Lantern, Lantern,
Sun, moon and stars,
Burn, my light,
Burn, my light,
But not my dear lantern.
Martin and His Cloak
One snowy winter evening, Martin and the other soldiers were returning on horseback to Amiens. At the city gate sat a beggar, so cold in his ragged clothing that he could not even ask for help. Martin did not have any money or food to give him, so he took his sword and cut in half his heavy red soldier’s cloak. That night Martin dreamed of Jesus Christ. In the dream, Christ thanked him for giving Him his cloak. This dream convinced Martin to become a Christian and be baptized.
Lanterns.
To this day, the origin of the much-loved procession of lanterns is still unclear. To some, however, it is a substitute for the St. Martin bonfire, which is still lit in a few cities and villages throughout Europe. It formerly symbolized the light that holiness brings to the darkness, just as St. Martin brought a flicker of hope to the lives of the poor through his good deeds.
One snowy winter evening, Martin and the other soldiers were returning on horseback to Amiens. At the city gate sat a beggar, so cold in his ragged clothing that he could not even ask for help. Martin did not have any money or food to give him, so he took his sword and cut in half his heavy red soldier’s cloak. That night Martin dreamed of Jesus Christ. In the dream, Christ thanked him for giving Him his cloak. This dream convinced Martin to become a Christian and be baptized.
Lanterns.
To this day, the origin of the much-loved procession of lanterns is still unclear. To some, however, it is a substitute for the St. Martin bonfire, which is still lit in a few cities and villages throughout Europe. It formerly symbolized the light that holiness brings to the darkness, just as St. Martin brought a flicker of hope to the lives of the poor through his good deeds.
Laterne Laterne
Laterne, Laterne, Sonne, Mond und Sterne.
Brenne auf, mein Licht, brenne auf, mein Licht,
aber nur meine liebe Laterne nicht.
English Translation
Lantern, Lantern,
Sun, moon and stars,
Burn, my light,
Burn, my light,
But not my dear lantern.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Hey I work out!
Mine Craft
So I have been trying my darnedest to hold off on adding any addicting games for the boys. But after months of asking, I finally caved and let Brandon buy this mine craft, paper crafts. AND he is loving it so much that he told me he wants santa to bring him more mine craft folding crafts. I was hesitant to buy this because he is 4 1/2, the box says 6+. I was imagining having to sit with him and fold each box with him, while he took the credit for my work. But to my surprise I only had to show him 1 or 2 boxes and he is sitting at the table all by himself. I even got him to take this selfie with the macbook while I supervised. So I've been told by Brandon that since this is not on his Christmas wish list, I have to reach out to Santa personally and let him know he wants this too.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Brandon's love of dancing
Friday, November 7, 2014
FAMILY UPDATE 2015
WOW, I just looked at the last time I updated this blog and it was almost a year ago. I'm not going to go over the entire past year, but just the important highlights.
FIRST.....
The Kelly Family has moved back to Europe. Many of you know Paul and I started our marriage with a 3 year adventure living in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Our first son, Brandon, was born there and than we moved back to Virginia in 2010. Well August 2014 we moved to Antwerp, Belgium. It is a beautiful country, and a big plus for Paul and I is that we already speak the language, Dutch. Who would have thought out of all the locations we could move to, we would be just 1 hour away from our old home in Rotterdam.
We began our move to Belgium way before we actually stepped foot on Belgian soil. We had a lot of paper work to take care of in America (birth certificate, passports, marriage licenses, and getting tons of copies of health reports for the kids). Before the moved the boys each had big procedures done, Brandon had to go under anesthesia to remove 3 cavities and seal is baby teeth (he got these cavities when he was just 1, all my fault, I gave him milk in a sippy cup at bedtime) Peter had the bigger procedure, he was finally big enough to have an adult stent placed in his left pulmonary artery. We held our breath for hours while each of them had these done. Both had great results, Brandon has no more cavities and the dentist even shaved his chipped tooth and Peter's procedure was everything we could wish for, my hope was to not have to visit the hospital for Peter's heart while we live in Belgium and that wish has come true, this kid has overcome so much in just 3 years.
On top of the kids procedures we sold our house in Virginia, we were under contract in 20 days (longest 20 days of my life), and our first offer on the house came on my Birthday, it was the best present I could ask for. 2 more offers came, some bidding wars went off and in the end Paul and I were very pleased with sale and that the house was not something we'd have to worry about while living in Belgium.
Our first month in Belgium we lived in a hotel in the City Center across the street from Antwerp Central Station and the Zoo. Thinking back to that month it was very tough living in a cramped studio bedroom style room. Every night that I would try to cook on the cooktop (aka boil water or cook chicken) I would set the hotel smoke alarms off. Our last night in the hotel staff came upstairs and asked me to please stop cooking and that they would cook our meals in their kitchen, one would have wished they came night number 2 and not number 22. I hated cooking in the kitchen.
Our first week in Belgium we found the car we wanted to buy, signed a lease to an amazing house, and bought a year family membership to the Antwerp Zoo, which we took complete advantage of while living right next to it. This zoo is small, but oh boy they have the coolest playground for the children. We could not get the kids off it whenever we visited.
August 18 our shipping container was delivered to our new house and "moving in" began. lets be honest it's been nearly 3 months and we are still moving in. The house we are renting is on a beautiful street that is filled with many other expat families. I love this house, the garden, the heated swimming pool, and neighborhood.
Just a couple days after moving Brandon and Peter started school at Antwerp International School, on Peter's 3rd birthday, he was treated like a KING on his first day. Brandon is in Pre-Kindergarden and Peter is in Preschool. Both go to school full day 5 days a week. Brandon just loves school, going full time being around older kids, (the boys classes play with the kindergarden and 1st graders on the playground) is exactly what Brandon loves. Besides the first day of school where Peter was given a birthday crown and ate cake, it took a couple extra weeks to transition, he enjoys being home more than being at school, but 1 month into school he finally made a friend and now loves school. AIS really instills independence in the children. 2 weeks into school the teachers did not want me walking the boys into the school anymore, instead I was to drop them off at the kiss & ride. The boys are now escorted into the building by 4th grade safety patrol buddies. It truly is a wonderful place for the boys, I feel so blessed that they will get a wonderful education these next 3 1/2 years.
The month of September flashed before my eyes. Between carting the children to and from school I rehearse and practice my opera arias at home. I auditioned for my first opera in nearly 5 years. The audition was in Amsterdam, Netherlands with Hojotoho Opera Studio for Ariade auf Naxos by Strauss. I have accepted the role of Ariadne, performances will be in 2015. I will continue voice lessons in Amsterdam bi-weekly with the one and only Wiebke Goetjes. I plan to take advantage of any performance opportunity possible in the next 4 years. I'm a very lucky lady to be able to perform for the next 4 years with wonderful colleagues.
Instead of purchasing a second car, Paul has decided to bike to work daily and year round. The weather is starting to turn colder and rainier and he hasn't complained once about riding. He is getting a good workout every morning and evening. The ride is 1 hour to work and the same back.
The month of October the boys and I went to New York for family weddings, baptisms, and a couple other parties, we even squeezed in a trip to Virginia to visit friends and have well check doctor visits.
This is our first week back and it's been tough with the jet-lag. I had the kids to to school Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. But yesterday Brandon got a bit of food poisoning so I kept both boys home, Peter was so tired, and I didn't want to risk B throwing up in my new car (that smell would never come out). Can you believe that we are still unpacking too. I'm hoping to be completely done before I put up Christmas decorations. One of the big things left is to hang curtains and picture. We must wait for the handyman to hang the curtain rod and frames because the owner of the house has asked we have professional do it because the walls are concrete and in the past someone drilled into the wall and hit a pipe (YIKES)
We are all very excited for the coming weeks. Thanksgiving, Christmas Markets, SinterKlaus, Visiting USA for Christmas, visiting with friends, and possibly a New Years trip to London :-)
Feeling very thankful for this wonderful journey we've started. I promise I will try to write smaller blog posts. I thought a big update would be first than I go back to littler ones.
xoxo Ashley
FIRST.....
The Kelly Family has moved back to Europe. Many of you know Paul and I started our marriage with a 3 year adventure living in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Our first son, Brandon, was born there and than we moved back to Virginia in 2010. Well August 2014 we moved to Antwerp, Belgium. It is a beautiful country, and a big plus for Paul and I is that we already speak the language, Dutch. Who would have thought out of all the locations we could move to, we would be just 1 hour away from our old home in Rotterdam.
We began our move to Belgium way before we actually stepped foot on Belgian soil. We had a lot of paper work to take care of in America (birth certificate, passports, marriage licenses, and getting tons of copies of health reports for the kids). Before the moved the boys each had big procedures done, Brandon had to go under anesthesia to remove 3 cavities and seal is baby teeth (he got these cavities when he was just 1, all my fault, I gave him milk in a sippy cup at bedtime) Peter had the bigger procedure, he was finally big enough to have an adult stent placed in his left pulmonary artery. We held our breath for hours while each of them had these done. Both had great results, Brandon has no more cavities and the dentist even shaved his chipped tooth and Peter's procedure was everything we could wish for, my hope was to not have to visit the hospital for Peter's heart while we live in Belgium and that wish has come true, this kid has overcome so much in just 3 years.
On top of the kids procedures we sold our house in Virginia, we were under contract in 20 days (longest 20 days of my life), and our first offer on the house came on my Birthday, it was the best present I could ask for. 2 more offers came, some bidding wars went off and in the end Paul and I were very pleased with sale and that the house was not something we'd have to worry about while living in Belgium.
Our first month in Belgium we lived in a hotel in the City Center across the street from Antwerp Central Station and the Zoo. Thinking back to that month it was very tough living in a cramped studio bedroom style room. Every night that I would try to cook on the cooktop (aka boil water or cook chicken) I would set the hotel smoke alarms off. Our last night in the hotel staff came upstairs and asked me to please stop cooking and that they would cook our meals in their kitchen, one would have wished they came night number 2 and not number 22. I hated cooking in the kitchen.
Our first week in Belgium we found the car we wanted to buy, signed a lease to an amazing house, and bought a year family membership to the Antwerp Zoo, which we took complete advantage of while living right next to it. This zoo is small, but oh boy they have the coolest playground for the children. We could not get the kids off it whenever we visited.
August 18 our shipping container was delivered to our new house and "moving in" began. lets be honest it's been nearly 3 months and we are still moving in. The house we are renting is on a beautiful street that is filled with many other expat families. I love this house, the garden, the heated swimming pool, and neighborhood.
Just a couple days after moving Brandon and Peter started school at Antwerp International School, on Peter's 3rd birthday, he was treated like a KING on his first day. Brandon is in Pre-Kindergarden and Peter is in Preschool. Both go to school full day 5 days a week. Brandon just loves school, going full time being around older kids, (the boys classes play with the kindergarden and 1st graders on the playground) is exactly what Brandon loves. Besides the first day of school where Peter was given a birthday crown and ate cake, it took a couple extra weeks to transition, he enjoys being home more than being at school, but 1 month into school he finally made a friend and now loves school. AIS really instills independence in the children. 2 weeks into school the teachers did not want me walking the boys into the school anymore, instead I was to drop them off at the kiss & ride. The boys are now escorted into the building by 4th grade safety patrol buddies. It truly is a wonderful place for the boys, I feel so blessed that they will get a wonderful education these next 3 1/2 years.
The month of September flashed before my eyes. Between carting the children to and from school I rehearse and practice my opera arias at home. I auditioned for my first opera in nearly 5 years. The audition was in Amsterdam, Netherlands with Hojotoho Opera Studio for Ariade auf Naxos by Strauss. I have accepted the role of Ariadne, performances will be in 2015. I will continue voice lessons in Amsterdam bi-weekly with the one and only Wiebke Goetjes. I plan to take advantage of any performance opportunity possible in the next 4 years. I'm a very lucky lady to be able to perform for the next 4 years with wonderful colleagues.
Instead of purchasing a second car, Paul has decided to bike to work daily and year round. The weather is starting to turn colder and rainier and he hasn't complained once about riding. He is getting a good workout every morning and evening. The ride is 1 hour to work and the same back.
The month of October the boys and I went to New York for family weddings, baptisms, and a couple other parties, we even squeezed in a trip to Virginia to visit friends and have well check doctor visits.
This is our first week back and it's been tough with the jet-lag. I had the kids to to school Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. But yesterday Brandon got a bit of food poisoning so I kept both boys home, Peter was so tired, and I didn't want to risk B throwing up in my new car (that smell would never come out). Can you believe that we are still unpacking too. I'm hoping to be completely done before I put up Christmas decorations. One of the big things left is to hang curtains and picture. We must wait for the handyman to hang the curtain rod and frames because the owner of the house has asked we have professional do it because the walls are concrete and in the past someone drilled into the wall and hit a pipe (YIKES)
We are all very excited for the coming weeks. Thanksgiving, Christmas Markets, SinterKlaus, Visiting USA for Christmas, visiting with friends, and possibly a New Years trip to London :-)
Feeling very thankful for this wonderful journey we've started. I promise I will try to write smaller blog posts. I thought a big update would be first than I go back to littler ones.
xoxo Ashley
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