A break in
Just returned from our vacation to America. It was great. I loved seeing family and friends and I loved eating out in America :)
My favorite new place to eat: Village Inn - free pie Wednesdays. I was never really a pie kind of person, until now. They've got this European Truffle pie - it's good - not too chocolatey - just right. The Oreo cream pie is also very good. I really liked the strawberry rhubarb as well.
I also enjoyed many good donuts in America. I didn't get to have two particular favorites though: (1) the Krispy Kreme donut with the chocolate glaze and marshmallow-creme type filling and (2) that chocolate cake donut with chocolate glaze from 7-11... perhaps next time.
Another thing I discovered - Cache Valley is totally beautiful this time of year. A very late Spring, but so pretty.
I think I could consider living in Logan, Utah - on Temple boulevard - what a view, the temple to the rear and this out the front:
And I was also thinking that perhaps in the future when I return to the states, I will open a small cafe, but instead of before I was gonna call my restaurant WOW cafe (aka Word of Wisdom cafe) now I'm gonna make it a Dutchy food cafe/diner. And I was thinking of the name Hou Doe cafe. I told my brother in law about my idea and he said I should call it Dutchess. Ha ha. That is a good one. Better actually. And then for the subtitle - I could say: Food from the old country :) ha ha. I'll serve up some stamppot and bratworst or rookworst. Be good - just like home.
That is what Mark missed most. In just two weeks, he was like, I'm so hungry and I need something from home, what reminds me of home... I'm going to the store to buy bratwurst. And boy was he disappointed when he came back with Cheddar Brats... he doesn't like cheese and didn't realize that Americans put cheese in Brats. He didn't even see the cheese until he cut into them. Oh well.
So, we had a great time in the U.S. the flight there and back wasn't that bad travelling with three kids. We arrived back in Amsterdam at 5:30 am - finally get our luggage and leave the airport around 7am, arrive home around 8:30 am - pull into our street on a Sunday morning - and see two cops and two neighbors out in front of our house, And as we pull up I say, I bet we got broke in to... and yup, we did.
Not a very nice home coming, especially when all I wanted to do was go to sleep on my bed with my nice fluffy feather down pillow and you know what? It was gone! Yeah, apparently burglars often take your pillow fill it with your stuff and take off with it. So there went my pillow. I had two of them and both where gone!
Some gold jewelry which probably wasn't worth that much except that one was a necklace my Dad gave me when I turned 16, one was a necklace from my Grandmother who has since past away, one was my YW medallion and a few other ones as well. Also, they took my little Precious Moments jewelry box which contained those items - and the box I probably spent $5 on at Walmart - but the box was on my wedding cake and it was mine... and I was probably gonna pass it on to the kids and now I can't. And I had some other things in there that probably weren't worth a lot of money but they were mine and you know, it's just annoying to have people take things from you.
But I try to look at the bright side. I still have my most valuable possessions. My family! Aside from that, my material possessions: my paintings I value, my scriptures I value, my journals I value - and those are untouched! Yeehaw.
So, they may have taken my tv - which isn't worth much without the power supply, and Mark's cameras and lenses - which he has insurance on - a tv is cheap these days luckily... and we learn our lesson. Better locks. Perhaps a house guest to watch the home and listen to our instincts! I had a premonition of coming home to our door being open... and wondering what would that be like to come home and your front door open and your house broke in to - and now I know what it's like - it's not that bad. It's only when you find your stuff missing that you get a bit bummed out... but I wish I would have said something to Mark because I felt like I wanted someone to drop by the house to check on things and I didn't say anything.
Then to find out, Mark had a feeling, too. Even my good friend had a feeling and she walked past the house a few times... it might not have mattered anyway because the break in happened the day we got back.
I guess we are lucky that we spent so much money trying to get to America - that we didn't buy that new computer until we got back. We didn't buy a new TV, blue ray player and all that other stuff you can buy with money that went toward travels - because it might have all been gone on a weekend trip some place else.
Just a shame that my oldest little girl - who is 5 years old - comprehends what happened and is afraid to open the door now. She's afraid this bogey man is gonna get her. She wouldn't even open the door for Daddy. Hopefully she will let go of that fear very soon and just be relaxed again.
Just makes me realize that when you die you can't take anything with ya so not to become too attached to anything... so I try not to let it bother me too much.
But I'd do it all over again, I sure enjoyed my trip to the U.S.
And next time we go - we are thinking of going to San Francisco/Bay area - in another 4 years or so.... gotta save, save, save!
My favorite new place to eat: Village Inn - free pie Wednesdays. I was never really a pie kind of person, until now. They've got this European Truffle pie - it's good - not too chocolatey - just right. The Oreo cream pie is also very good. I really liked the strawberry rhubarb as well.
I also enjoyed many good donuts in America. I didn't get to have two particular favorites though: (1) the Krispy Kreme donut with the chocolate glaze and marshmallow-creme type filling and (2) that chocolate cake donut with chocolate glaze from 7-11... perhaps next time.
Another thing I discovered - Cache Valley is totally beautiful this time of year. A very late Spring, but so pretty.
I think I could consider living in Logan, Utah - on Temple boulevard - what a view, the temple to the rear and this out the front:
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| photo credit: justsnooping.com |
And I was also thinking that perhaps in the future when I return to the states, I will open a small cafe, but instead of before I was gonna call my restaurant WOW cafe (aka Word of Wisdom cafe) now I'm gonna make it a Dutchy food cafe/diner. And I was thinking of the name Hou Doe cafe. I told my brother in law about my idea and he said I should call it Dutchess. Ha ha. That is a good one. Better actually. And then for the subtitle - I could say: Food from the old country :) ha ha. I'll serve up some stamppot and bratworst or rookworst. Be good - just like home.
That is what Mark missed most. In just two weeks, he was like, I'm so hungry and I need something from home, what reminds me of home... I'm going to the store to buy bratwurst. And boy was he disappointed when he came back with Cheddar Brats... he doesn't like cheese and didn't realize that Americans put cheese in Brats. He didn't even see the cheese until he cut into them. Oh well.
So, we had a great time in the U.S. the flight there and back wasn't that bad travelling with three kids. We arrived back in Amsterdam at 5:30 am - finally get our luggage and leave the airport around 7am, arrive home around 8:30 am - pull into our street on a Sunday morning - and see two cops and two neighbors out in front of our house, And as we pull up I say, I bet we got broke in to... and yup, we did.
Not a very nice home coming, especially when all I wanted to do was go to sleep on my bed with my nice fluffy feather down pillow and you know what? It was gone! Yeah, apparently burglars often take your pillow fill it with your stuff and take off with it. So there went my pillow. I had two of them and both where gone!
Some gold jewelry which probably wasn't worth that much except that one was a necklace my Dad gave me when I turned 16, one was a necklace from my Grandmother who has since past away, one was my YW medallion and a few other ones as well. Also, they took my little Precious Moments jewelry box which contained those items - and the box I probably spent $5 on at Walmart - but the box was on my wedding cake and it was mine... and I was probably gonna pass it on to the kids and now I can't. And I had some other things in there that probably weren't worth a lot of money but they were mine and you know, it's just annoying to have people take things from you.
But I try to look at the bright side. I still have my most valuable possessions. My family! Aside from that, my material possessions: my paintings I value, my scriptures I value, my journals I value - and those are untouched! Yeehaw.
So, they may have taken my tv - which isn't worth much without the power supply, and Mark's cameras and lenses - which he has insurance on - a tv is cheap these days luckily... and we learn our lesson. Better locks. Perhaps a house guest to watch the home and listen to our instincts! I had a premonition of coming home to our door being open... and wondering what would that be like to come home and your front door open and your house broke in to - and now I know what it's like - it's not that bad. It's only when you find your stuff missing that you get a bit bummed out... but I wish I would have said something to Mark because I felt like I wanted someone to drop by the house to check on things and I didn't say anything.
Then to find out, Mark had a feeling, too. Even my good friend had a feeling and she walked past the house a few times... it might not have mattered anyway because the break in happened the day we got back.
I guess we are lucky that we spent so much money trying to get to America - that we didn't buy that new computer until we got back. We didn't buy a new TV, blue ray player and all that other stuff you can buy with money that went toward travels - because it might have all been gone on a weekend trip some place else.
Just a shame that my oldest little girl - who is 5 years old - comprehends what happened and is afraid to open the door now. She's afraid this bogey man is gonna get her. She wouldn't even open the door for Daddy. Hopefully she will let go of that fear very soon and just be relaxed again.
Just makes me realize that when you die you can't take anything with ya so not to become too attached to anything... so I try not to let it bother me too much.
But I'd do it all over again, I sure enjoyed my trip to the U.S.
And next time we go - we are thinking of going to San Francisco/Bay area - in another 4 years or so.... gotta save, save, save!
Comments
Not a good way to come home. But you have a good 'tude...
And to make you feel better i'll eat the doughnut for you. :)
After the flood happened in my place I too have learned that they are just 'things'
The hardest one for me to lose though was my scriptures. They were moldy, and smelled terrible, so I had to get rid of them. I felt like I was throwing away the gospel! Uhhgg. Things should get better with the kids if you talk to them. Zayda is afraid of random noises in the house or outside of the house and I just try to tell her that Jesus helps her, she like to tell me when she is scared that Jesus scares the monsters away :)
Hope you get a good rest, with a new pillow, and can have some peace of mind soon!
I understand what you are saying about not being able to take it with you. Material things are just things. You will be able to replace them, some immediately, and some over time. The thing that can't be repaired, without forgiveness is the violation you must feel. Someone entered your home, a temple with a small 't,' they violated that space. Protect it better, forgive the offender, move on. It'll all be good. Teach your oldest about forgiveness. She will be better.
Brad
your husband doesnt like cheese? I never met a Dutch person who didn't like cheese! LOL
I miss maple bars..man are those good! Im so sorry you were broken into! Im so glad you have such a positive outlook about it..because you are right in everything you said.
did you bring back lots of american goodies to bake with? lol