September Visitors!

 In mid September, we welcomed our aunt & uncle on Mike's side of the family.  We really had fun spending a week with Mike & Janet!  We enjoyed many "Belgian Times" (our version of happy hour), visited several pretty cities, and simply enjoyed some great conversations.  We are always so thankful for these wonderful memories that are created when family comes to visit.  Here's a snapshot of our time together:

Home in Belgium

 

Belgian Time with great weather all week!

 

 

Janet getting ready to go see the boys in their fort in the field

 

 

Netherlands

 

Mike and Janet enjoyed going back to the Netherlands where they spent part of their honeymoon 32 years ago!  What a great time seeing the Dutch relatives again!

 

 

Taking a walk through the dunes near Rosmalen

 

 

The lovely garden at Hube's home

 

Aunt Janet and her boys!

 

Hube and Colin give this day a 2 thumbs up!

 

 

haha...some fun framed family photos!

 

Such a fun night!

 

 

Mons

 

 

 

Mons Grand Place where we went for a fun Italian dinner

 

 

 

 

Paris

 

Even after living here for two years, I am still amazed that we can hop on a bullet train and in a little more than an hour be in the heart of gorgeous Paris.  We have been several times now, and we never get tired of it.  There is so much to see and do.  I think we walked close to 10 miles on this day. 

 

Rose window at Notre-Dame Cathedral

 

Notre-Dame interior

 

The lovely Seine

 

The Bridge of Locks

 

The Louvre pyramid

 

The fantastic Louvre...a little modern architecture mixed with the old

 

Pont Alexander and the Eiffel Tower

 

 

A magnificent structure

 

What a great couple!

 

What a memorable day!

 

Cool sign

 

an éclair bench!

 

lots of nice markets on Rue Cler

 

yummy escargot!

 

Mmmmm...meat and cheese plate

 

Best seat in the house!

 

Au Revoir, Paris!

 

 

Brussels

 

The boys had a day off during Mike and Janet's visit, so we went to Brussels.  We walked around, shopped, and took a horse drawn carriage ride.

 

Brussels Grand Place

 

The famous Brussels comic, Tin Tin

 

A horse drawn carriage ride...so fun!

 

The horse, driver, and her pup friend

 

A pretty chocolatier's Autumn window

 

Bruges

 

The charming city of Bruges is always a real treat!  It's an unforgettable place with lovely canals, old bridges, picturesque row-homes and plenty of beer, chocolate and tapestries.   The highlight of the day was the canal boat ride.  We even saw the pup in the window again!  Here's the pic of the pup from another visit!

 

Janet & I at one of the canals

 

Cathedral of Our Lady

 

The town hall in the financial district called The Burg

 

This is a face of true excitement...it's Belgian waffle time!

 

The picturesque, Flemish-style architecture of The Markt in Bruges. 

 

 

 

Wow, we sure did a lot in one week's time!  Mike and Janet also visited the town of Ypres where there is a WWI museum, Flanders' Field.  They also were able to taste what is voted year after year as the best beer in the world at Westvleteren Trappist Brewery.  

 

Thank you for taking the time to come and be with us, Mike & Janet.  Hope your memories are as good as ours!  Love to you both!