Dutch-familie bijeenkomst English-family reunion

Goede Middag!!! Here we are again about to embark on another weekend and I still need to tell you all about last weekend! It's a good thing we don't get paid to blog, I'd be scraping pennies. As some of you already know, Matt spent one year after graduating high school as an exchange student in Germany. He lived with the same family the whole year in a village called Leezdorf, in the Ostfriesland region of Germany. The family, Shittenhelm's (yup, it's pronounced the way it spells;)) own and operate a tree farm. Since Matt was there much has changed. Now, their oldest son, Rolf, and his wife Petra, run the business. Matt contacted Rolf by email a couple of weeks ago and he called us to invite us to the farm last weekend. This was the weekend that they have an "autumn festival" at the farm, kind of an open house for customers, friends and family. It was VERY impressive. They had a beer stand, a pig roast, live music (to which Rolf knew all the words to all of the songs, even though they were english, and he doesn't speak english!!!)




Mya won a pony at their "county fair", she was allowed to have it at the party and give pony rides. As you can imagine, Olivia was all about that!!!! The kids danced and played night games, language did not seem to be a barrier at this gathering! Olivia got some special attention from her "cousins" Eena and Mya. Daughters of Matt's host brothers, Heiko and Rolf.




Rolf has landscaped the front of the house into a beautiful display of different cozy gardens, pathways, ponds and streams, statues and trees. For the party he had installed lighting throughout the entire garden, complete with an intimate little bonfire away from the crowd. I have a few good photos I'd like to turn into a slide show. Then, you could see all of the family and the fun we had!!! I'll have to consult with Anne, VP of the Blog Know It All Club, sister of Sue whom I've mentioned before. (Who also happens to be President of the forementioned club!!!) Pehaps I can get a show going like hers, check out her blog at www.bakeryblog@blogspot.com or the Presidential site at www.susanlaustin@blogspot.com. OR if you're really blog savvy, go to my comment page, LEAVE A COMMENT and click on their names. You are sure to see them as they are my two most dedicated bl-isters (blog sisters) get it? Thanks Nicki, for the funny term! Anyhow, here we are TOGETHER in a foreign country earlier this year


Gotta go, more later. Love to all!!!!