My Birthday

It was wonderful! It started at breakfast where I received my presents. Even my chair was decorated!

Twenty one candles are hard to light and keep lit, but Robbert pulled it off.

I blew out all the candles but then discovered there was a trick one *shakes head* Ineke makes the best apple pie, by the way!

Most of the rest of the day I spent relaxing and reading a book. I also got birthday phone calls from Joel and then my mom which was very nice. Then in the evening I got ready to go out to dinner.

Here we all are ready to go out.

They took me to an amazing restaurant called Rosso. (on the site you can click on the circle that says Rosso and then the square in the middle that says Fotos to see pictures of the place, just keeping clicking to see them all.)

Everything was sooo delicious and beautiful, I just loved it. And yes, being my 21st birthday and all I did have a glass of champagne. It also had a cherry at the bottom which made it quite good. *grin*

The staff at Rosso was very nice and knowing it was my birthday they made me a little firework.

The whole day was so special. Robbert and Ineke, I can’t thank you enough for everything. It all was just perfect!

I’m 21!

Happy Birthday to me! I’m 21 today. It’s been a great day so far, I’ll post more about the day with pictures tomorrow. For now though I took this quiz (by the way, they never ask anything about your birthday it’s all about personality) and was a bit surprised by the results. I guess there’s something to these internet quizes after all, haha. *big smile*

Your True Birth Month Is January

Loyal Social Logical Easily jealous Loves children Rather reserved Highly attentive Likes to criticize Needs close friends Ambitious and serious Smart, neat and organized Hardworking and productive Loves to teach and be taught Quiet unless excited or tensed Sensitive and has deep thoughts Knows how to make others happy Searches for the greatest romance Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds Romantic but has difficulties expressing love Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses

Last day as a 20 year old…

Crazy. I’m weirdly excited about this birthday, more than any of my recent ones. I guess now I will feel much more like an “adult”, only because I won’t be kept out of places and events because I’m not old enough. It’s not that I’m that excited about being able to drink legally in the states. I’ve never been that interested in alcohol…don’t know why, it just never appealed to me. But to be told I can’t sit somewhere or I can’t go in someplace simply because I’m not old enough is annoying. Especially when I’m married and a “grown up” in basically every other way. Plus, I lived in Europe for heaven sakes, if I was going to drink I’d have done it then where it’s perfectly fine and exceptable. Whatever, that period in my life is over. I won’t have to be left out of going out places with friends because I’m too young…I guess that’s what I hated the most. It’s not like I go out to bars on a regular basis or even have a desire too but it sucks when your friends are all going somewhere and you can’t cuz you’re too young. Well, no more! yipee! lol. Tomorrow should be fun. In the daytime I don’t have any big plans, if fact, right now my plan is just to relax, hehe. Then, in the evening Robbert and Ineke are taking me out, which is really exciting. *big smile* It should be a really great birthday!

Favorite Foods

Most of you who know me know I’m a pretty easy going person. I’m fairly low maintenance when it comes to most things. That includes food, I’m probably one of the least picky eaters you will ever meet. Even if I don’t love something I’ll eat it and even enjoy it to a point. There are however, some things that I really like to eat. Here’s the list of some of my favorite things to eat (in no particular order):

really good steak

salmon

shrimp

most fish in general

mushrooms in any form but especially stuffed

strawberries (I’ve been known to down a whole carton in one sitting)

melons

lemons (yes, just plain)

artichokes with white sauce

green peppers

most other raw fruits and veggies

dark green salad with light raspberry vinegarette dressing

goat cheese

aged cheese (especially Old Amsterdam, mmm) 

really thick french fries with lots of ketchup or with mayo

pretzel sticks

taco salad with western dressing

spinach soufflé

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I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, most cookies and candy I could live without but there are a few things I could die for like:

Mint chocolate chip ice cream

chocolate frosting on chocolate cake

dark chocolate

olie bollen

pumkin pie

apple pie

cheese cake, especially turtle cheesecake from Fazoli’s (the one thing I can still enjoy from there, haha).

My favorite thing to drink is water followed by Earl Grey tea, Diet Coke and coffee.

Now I’m sure there are lots of stuff that I haven’t metioned that I really like, I really love food, haha. I just can’t think of them right now so if you know me and you know I’ve left something out feel free to remind me. *wink*

Utrecht

When I lived here as an Au Pair a year ago there was a specific group of friends that I hung out with. It was a great group. We were all Au Pairs, so we had that much in common anyway but other than that we were all very different. We had different backgrounds, most of us came from different countries and if not at least from different parts of the country. That’s a big part of what made it so much fun. We all had different opinions about things and different points of view so I had some of the best discussions ever. At the same time every one of us were open minded and accepting of the others opinions and beliefs. So while there were discussions where everyone didn’t agree, I can’t think of a time that anyone was looked down on or thought less of for thinking something different.

I miss having a group of friends like that, to be honest. Actually I miss having a big group of friends period. It’s strange as you grow up how people change and move away and suddenly I find that I haven’t got very many friends at all. I have one great one but I hardly ever get to see her usually. I don’t want to sound pathetic or like I feel sorry for myself but I do wonder when I will find my “place”. How does someone like me (a young adult, married, no kids, etc.) find a group of friends? *shrug* I’m open to suggestions.

Anyway, today I went to Utrecht and visited with Kathrin, the last of “the group” to still live in The Netherlands. She is, of course, not an Au Pair anymore. She lives with her Dutch boyfriend Peter who is in a band called Illicit. She’s going to school and is working at a daycare center. It was really great catching up with her. We sat at a Dutch cafe, ate apple pie and talked for hours. It’s really a shame that we have to live so far away from each other. Oh well, maybe in a few years we won’t, who knows where Joel and I will end up. *wink*