Flower Carpet

This happens in Brussels over one weekend, every other year!!!  We did not plan it, we were surprised to learn that it was happening the same time we were in town.  We felt enormously lucky.  It is something I always thought would be neat to see, but never thought it to be a real possibility.  I was ecstatic about it!  I went down three different times.  I apologize that this post has lots of pictures of the same thing (and is really only a fraction of the whole collection) but it was just so cool.

The first night Anita and I went to check it out and we discovered they did a light show synced with a Turkish song.  Very magical!

And then early again the next morning, to beat the crowds and get more pictures

One entire side of the Grand Place was under construction (as you can see there on the very left) They covered it with a picture of what the building is supposed to look like :(

I'm usually not too afraid of heights, but this did make me a little nervous.  It was the place for a perfect shot though

Can you see us?

We paid to get into the museum to get a more aerial view.  I love all the umbrellas!

Seriously, all those flowers and pedals (I believe they were all begonias) just amazing!!!!

And inside a cafe to get a little hot chocolate to warm up...it was freezing

Beach and Biking

Hofstade.  Cutest playground around.  Playgrounds in Europe are amazing!  This one had a pirate/shipwreck theme and built into the water.  The kids had an absolute blast here.

Shipwrecked

Fun capture

Lily was a fan too

And that was only half of it...there was a whole other side of amazing structures.  We easily spent ALL day there

I like Jake swinging in the background

The next day Jake and I rented city bikes to explore downtown.  The foreign language got the better of us...we thought we were getting these for a few dollars for the day.  I think it ended up costing us $30-40.  Whoops!  We got really good use out of them though.

A sneak peek at the flower carpet

really fun to see the truck loads of flowers!

Biking is the best way to get around...you're able to see so much, and in Europe everywhere you turn you feel like you could stop and take a picture.

Jake, swinging again :)

Taking it all in...enjoying every second

Brussels

Get ready for a whole slew of posts from Europe as I attempt to catch up on this blog :)

I tell people that flying over there is the easy part.  The kids get to pick and watch their own movie, then comes dinner and then they fall asleep shortly after.  They sleep for about 4 hours and we're there.

The ones not entertained by movies are a bit trickier, but she still did pretty good.  We got the bassinet that hooks to the wall in front for her to sleep in and she barely fit.  Those things are a life savor.

We arrive mid-morning and the kids were amazingly good and patient in the extremely long customs line.  You would think they would want to nap or go to bed early with only 4 hours of sleep, but not these kids, they went strong (giddy and full of energy) all day until bedtime.

Settling in to Grammie and Pop's new apartment

...while Jake and I head out to do a quick run.  Only to get caught in the rain.  That seemed to be a reoccurring theme on this trip.  It was a wet and chilly August for us.

We miss Grammie and Pop's house and all the memories there, but being in downtown had it's perks...like taking a walk to the Grand Place

Flexibility

And so began our quest for the best gauffre.

Taking cover in a shop window from the rain.  I think Kate was getting a little squished.

Lily loved her first waffle

Flexibility!

View from the apartment.  Tom and Anita had some neighbors on "holiday" and were very gracious to offer their apartment for us to stay in for a few nights while they were still away.

The next morning we took a trip to the King's palace...and got caught in the rain

And also a quick stop to try another waffle (or two) and glance at one of our favorite views

Then to Leuven (and though the skies tell otherwise, we got dumped on again)

Domus

Deja vu!!

Lily has been initiated and officially a Herway.  She loved the spaghetti.

We made the terrible mistake of eating American sugar cereal for breakfast the first morning.  We didn't make the same mistake again.