I'm glad these two didn't go back to Spain!

a present in my shoe

More of the same as last year but putting out your shoe with a carrot for the horse, and maybe a drawing or your wish list, and singing as loudly as you can, is all part of the fun of Sinterklaas. Of course the best part is getting up (really early!) and racing downstairs to see if the Pieten really came. Did the horse like the (half nibbled on) carrot and did Sinterklaas get the lists..? More importantly, what did they leave behind: a present, a chocolate letter, sweets and pepernoten?

 

Sinterklaas has been and gone

What an exciting 3 weeks we have had. Maybe a little too much excitement for our two boys! Sinterklaas has been and gone and sanity and normal waking hours have returned to our house again. Here we are, 2 weeks ago, watching Sinterklaas and his Pieten arrive in Rotterdam by steam boat. Lots of excitement, singing, dancing, eating pepernoten and sweets, watching the Pieten and of course, the highlight, seeing Sinterklaas, for real! This year we also watched a bit of the parade. The photos look very similar to last year, and the year before, but I think the boys might have enjoyed it even more this time around!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sinterklaas visits school

The nervous boys, waiting for Sinterklaas to arrive!

 There he is!

 With the Pepernoten Piet of course!

 Dylan proudly showing off the Zwarte Piet hat he made himself.

Sinterklaas also visited the creche but seeing the man in his classroom was a bit too much for Travis. He sat under the table and ate pepernoten until the Sint and the Pieten left. No photos...

And that was that! I am quite pleased it's over. It's heaps of fun, but 3 weeks of nervous and excited boys is exhausting.

bags full of presents

We celebrated Pakjesavond at Sander and Wendy's this year, had loads of fun, ate excellent chilli, drank wine with great company and of course, got very spoilt! What's not to like about Sinterklaas?

Can anyone see the Pieten?

 The first bag...

 and the first present is for... Dylan!

 Is there one for me, Sander?

 Ja, ja, jaaaaa!

 What else is in there? Is it empty? Not yet I hope!

 The unpacking frenzy continues.

Time to play, Thanks Sinterklaas!

zwarte piet ging uit fietsen...

Pieten