2019-10-20 10:30
2019 has proven a difficult year for me, as I feared right from the start. I've paid a lot of attention to my stress levels and my resilience to cope. Going to bed on time for a starte… Read More
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Goofballs World Blog
goofballsworld.blogspot.com
Sometimes goofy, sometimes tired and grumpy, sometimes cheerful and sunny, sometimes lazy, sometimes too busy.... welcome to my world!!
2019-10-18 16:48
A little after 8 in the morning and I pull the door closed behind our back.
2 backpacks with small legs underneath me start walking
The first one moves lively ahead while the smallest trails… Read More
2019-10-16 16:19
1. Our children sometimes "borrow" our phone or iPad and hence we find very abstract or weird pictures in our picture stream.
2. When visiting my mother, we were very happy… Read More
2019-10-15 15:40
Ik kom bij jullie logeren want ik heb mijn valies mee. Ik heb heel veel mee
Mag ik nog? Ik moet opnieuw beginnen want mijn bord is helemaal leeg
Papa hier zit niets in (beschuldigend met l… Read More
2019-10-14 16:03
Once upon a time I hated autumn and it became one of my most visited posts. But then I made a walk in the forests near the German border. Not the usual pine woods but some deciduous fo… Read More
2019-10-12 21:04
The days are clearly getting darker and cooler so my bed feels like a great safe sanctuary in the mornings and I'm greatfull for the heating that turned on.I notice one difficulty in those d… Read More
2019-10-09 16:38
Since the children had a school free day, we had taken a day off on Monday and enjoyed a long weekend. Fortunately the rain stopped for a moment, so I convinced everyone again to head out, t… Read More
2019-10-08 16:31
After Kabouter, it was my turn to celebrate a birthday."Who do you want to come over for your birthday?", Kabouter asked me at the breakfast table. He clearly intended to organise a birthday… Read More
2019-10-07 20:22
I learned this winter at work that ALL existing houses must be energetic renovated by 2050 to reach the climate goals from Paris. That means they all need to be energy neutral. We curr… Read More
2019-10-06 19:14
Today was a rainy grey autumn but last week was a rainy grey storm autumn day. At least that was the prediction.In a weekend already filled with Kabouter's birthdayparty and my father's reme… Read More
2019-10-03 16:26
Birthday boys deserve birthday parties. And once they are in school, its the friends that are the most important ingredient of a birthday party (no more relatives). We had some d… Read More
2019-10-01 16:31
(evening September first)Wat gaan we doen? Wat gaan we nu doen? Ah ik weet het, we gaan leren lezen en schrijven.(he sat dutiful down at the table apparently expecting loads of homework or a… Read More
2019-09-30 16:29
That first moment you feel the heating is turned on on a chilly morning
And some sunny warmer days that pass by after all (despite the clear chilly mornings)
Kim Clijsters announcing her com… Read More
2019-09-29 19:19
I was a bit silent here
I ran out of preplanned posts
and I was busy
there was a birthday boy who deserved a spaghetti dinner out and a birthday party to be planned
there was a return to y… Read More
2019-09-25 17:05
Recognising a symbol you know
Testing its sound carefully with the lips
Listening to the sound it produces
Combining it with the next sound
Repeat
Repeat Read More
2019-09-23 17:34
Autumn started. An excellent time to go for some good walks in the woods. I hope we find some time and acceptable weather to do so in the coming weeks. In the mean time I post some pictures… Read More
2019-09-21 16:57
My online memory tells me that our last visit to Scheveningen was back in 2013 with an uber cute little baby Kabouter. Wow so it was clearly time that we returned. Between 2001 (w… Read More
2019-09-20 16:31
What to do when visiting Scheveningen?
Walk along the beach
In the north of the boulevard, the beach extends in a wide area with dunes and a backland of dune nature reserve… Read More
2019-09-19 15:27
It's rather unreal that you must start preparing a funeral almost right away when you hear about the loss of a loved one. The first decision you need to make is the choice of a m… Read More
2019-09-17 16:48
The timing was a bit strange all of a sudden and yet maybe perfect but a while ago we had booked a little weekend away with just the 2 of us as a late 10th anniversary celebration. … Read More
2019-09-16 16:32
All of a sudden it was mid August and we had to start searching for a new backpack, ready for grade 1. Omg, where is that backpack with little legs going to? We didn't choose this one… Read More
2019-09-15 16:08
Kijk de brandweer! Een brandpolitiekantoor!
(I'm trying to close my eyes and have a nap in the sofa)Hier is nog een kussentje dat je kan gebruiken mama...Zal ik een dekentje op jou leggen?… Read More
2019-09-14 16:34
September is a fun month for the children in Leuven. And we tend to get some extra crappy toys in return Read More
2019-09-13 16:27
It sort of passed without attention, without stories to share. Events took over. We were about to pick-up Kabouter when just minutes before our arrival we learned that my father had unexpect… Read More
2019-09-12 16:20
On Sept 1st the yearly cycling race GP Jef Scherens was organised in the city center of Leuven again. I fought my preference to stay in bed all day and kicked myself into my walking sh… Read More
2019-09-11 16:16
Grieving is...
... longing to be with friends and family while also wishing for solitude and silence
... is not being able to eat when at the table and being hungry in the middle of the nig… Read More
2019-09-09 16:25
The start of the new school year triggered Kabouter's awareness that his birthday will come up in several weeks. So all of a sudden he started listing wish lists and was very motivated to at… Read More
2019-09-08 20:22
The end of August was the return to reality for me, when I had to return to work after a week's absence (which felt like much more...it felt as if I had lived on a different planet for a lon… Read More
2019-09-07 16:19
Parkinson,
Je kwam onuitgenodigd op bezoek,
Een keuze die we niet zelf maakten.
Je wereld kromp
Letterlijk
Je handschrift, je voetstappen, je evenwicht, je st… Read More
2019-09-06 16:29
Before 24/08
A weekend where our cars didn't move a mm
Catching up with a friend that I don't see enough
Noticing at 8.10 on the garbage calendar that there is a branches pick-up... r… Read More
2019-09-04 16:04
In welk fruit zitten braambessen?
Waarom gaan jullie nooit picknicken? (to a neighbour boy...he asks as if we picknick all the time while in fact we were just planning to go for a pic… Read More
2019-09-03 20:08
A new heatwave was predicted at the end of the summer vacation.
I stressed in the morning about the traffic jams that always happen on such weekend days in the direction of the Belgian coas… Read More
2019-09-01 08:11
On Saturday August 24th, I've lost unexpectedly my father. After a surreal and emotional week, we've said goodbye to him together with a lot of family and friends. It was a day w… Read More
2019-08-21 15:53
Sometimes I discover to my own surprise that some obvious bands have not been featured on my "made in Belgium" series , despite already 331 Belgian music posts! Somehow the Hickey Underworld… Read More
2019-08-20 19:49
On Sunday we had a birthday party at our best friends. We all drove from the Ardennes towards Leuven. Miraculously the weather cleared up and it seemed like we'd be able to have our bbq afte… Read More
2019-08-19 20:38
It's only a few weeks ago since I rejoiced for a cold wet weekend after the crazy heat wave. Now we've had a couple of them and I no longer rejoice. The mid-August weekend was my… Read More
2019-08-18 16:55
We didn't travel on our roadtrip in a camper as many people wonder, but we traveled from hotel to hotel, with the exception of a couple of nights where we were staying with friends. Al… Read More
2019-08-17 16:01
We often get surprised reactions that we travel transatlantic with our children. Well, people that know us well are not surprised as it has become a little bit of a habit in the previous yea… Read More
2019-08-16 19:12
If you follow me for a while you might know that August 15th is a fixed point in our agenda. (see here, here, here, ...) Every year on this Belgian holiday, Jan's cousins gather for a family… Read More
2019-08-15 16:37
(there is the sound of pigeons)B: "Ik heb een uil gehood"G: "Ja, echt een uil? of heb je misschien een duif gehoord. Een duif lijkt wel een beetje op een uil, maar dat klinkt langer... (I im… Read More
2019-08-14 16:09
Besides bears, we encountered of course lots of other wildlife during our roadtrip in Canada. The vastness of nature is one of the prime reasons why I adore this country so much.We were very… Read More
2019-08-13 16:40
The first weekend of August we chose to have a lazy relax weekend in Leuven. On Saturday we went to Kapitein Winokio and I cleaned-up the gathered mess on my basement office corner&nbs&hell…Read More
2019-08-12 20:00
I had a busy weekend. Jan's and my obligations didn't really match and as a result I travelled alone with the children to Ardennes on Friday evening where Jan joined us on Saturday. Th… Read More
2019-08-11 16:35
1. While I attended Saskia's funeral, Jan took the children to the yearly fête mediéval at Reinhardstein castle. The boys' knights outfit got enlarged a bit, so I came hom… Read More
2019-08-10 16:37
Since my mother has been for years been the main care giver to my dad, she has not always been able to spend as much time with her grandchildren as she would have wished. This winter w… Read More
2019-08-09 15:50
In 2005 we saw on our trip in Canada no bears (end of August/ September).
In 2011 we saw on our trip in Canada 16 bears (end of May / early June). This included a bear viewing excursi… Read More
2019-08-08 16:17
On our last day in Canmore we headed to highway 40 which runs north south into the Rocky Mountains. It's not part of a National Park and hence less traveled by international tourists b… Read More
2019-08-07 16:17
Time for some nostalgia...I ran into André Brasseur and his organ music this week. The music sounds very dated ...such things are no longer produced. Yet it's very charming, com… Read More
2019-08-06 20:06
There are some things I've been wondering last month and that I do not understand
DietWhy did I succeed quite well to slowly but steadily lose some weight in the winter months and then gain… Read More
2019-08-04 19:26
Two years after our previous concert of Kapitein Winokio, we had booked new tickets for the M-idZomer for kids. This time both Kabouter and Beertje knew conciously who the captain was becaus… Read More
2019-08-02 16:46
When staying in Canmore, we searched for several small hikes or trips in the nature that were feasible with the children. Each of them were just a few kms long and moderate climbs. … Read More
2019-08-01 16:32
At the end of our roadtrip in Canada we wanted to save a couple of days without travelling where we'd be stationary with just the 4 of us. We had searched for a while for a nice cottage or s… Read More
2019-07-31 16:52
Taking the time 2 weekends to read for a couple of hours non-stop and finish a book for the first time in many months
Finishing the first season of The Bridge on Netflix and starting the las… Read More
2019-07-30 19:38
Wil je eens voelen of je nu nog mijn botten voelt? (cfr being skinny...question after he tried to eat a lot)
Hoe ziet onze stem eruit?
Wie bestuurt ons eigenlijk... wat we doen?
R… Read More
2019-07-29 17:16
Because I stayed behind in the weekend in Leuven when Jan left with the children to the Ardennes in order to attend Saskia's funeral on Saturday, all of a sudden I had a Friday evening… Read More
2019-07-28 17:23
Last week was a surreal exhausting week. Yes I can talk about the insane record breaking heat wave that tortured Belgium, made me feel unwell at moments and that kept us awake part of… Read More
2019-07-26 18:22
After our cold snowy visit to Waterton Lakes National Park, the sun returned and even though it was still a bit chilly, we enjoyed the clear skyes.
Today we'd never be far from the Rockies… Read More
2019-07-25 16:02
A woman in a bright yellow dress leaves on her bike
The streets are deserted as if even the cars feel too hot to move.Did everyone escape to the south of Europe where it's slightly cooler?
I… Read More
2019-07-24 19:15
I can't believe we are already in week 4 of the summer vacation. It is a period parents often dread because of the organisation it takes to find proper care for the children when school is o… Read More
2019-07-23 16:45
We enjoyed catching up some sleep in Pincher Creek after staying up too late all week in the Kootenays, socialising with our friends and families and often sleeping without curtains. Wh… Read More
2019-07-22 16:20
Crowsnest mountain
When we left Creston behind to drive east again, the grey clouds were aligned with my mood. For the first time we'd drive across the Rockies via the southern less tour… Read More
2019-07-20 16:51
After our visit to our family on previous Saturday we were crazy enough to cross the entire country to drive to the Ardennes even though it was a bit of a rainy grey weekend. The reaso… Read More
2019-07-18 16:33
During my Rotary exchange in 1995-1996, I have lived during one year in 4 different host families, each time for 3 months. Most exchange organisations send you off for a full year in t… Read More
2019-07-17 17:46
Returning to Creston Valley is coming home more than being on vacation. The view on the wide valley at the bottom of Kootenay Lake, Goat Mountain, Mount Thompson and the Skimmerhorn are just… Read More
2019-07-15 16:03
Papa, heb je ook nog iets koud in de BBQ?
Wat in dat rood drinkbusje zit vind ik vies. (it is our coffee thermos)
B: "Ik wou broodpizza!"G: "Wat is dat?"B: "Dat weet ik niet."
Het i… Read More
2019-07-14 16:26
1. We got hit by a summer terrace mood and heat laziness so we've not done very much cooking in the last weeks but have been found eating out a lot. Nobody was complaining. And when we were… Read More
2019-07-12 16:50
We left our great spot at Kootenay Lake with great reluctancy. Too little time, so many friends to reconnect with. So we headed on to go and visit some of my host sisters.
Kootenay Creek Pro… Read More
2019-07-11 16:06
Arriving at Kootenay Lake is coming home for me. As an exchange students I lived nearby this 104 km fjord-like lake with gentle mountain tops on both sides although some do rises above… Read More
2019-07-10 16:14
On Sunday we got ready for the long requested bike ride in the Ardennes. We all geared up our bikes and Jan had researched a nice little tour that would require too much height differe… Read More
2019-07-09 16:16
After visiting several national parks in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, we had arrived back in the Kootenays, an area in the south-east of Britisch Columbia dominated by the Selkirk and Purce… Read More
2019-07-08 16:03
B: "Mommy look, that cow is alone because the other cows are out with the farmer".G: "Oh really, would she feel a bit lonely now?"He nods with an earnest look.
We stand at the fence… Read More
2019-07-07 16:54
After the Icefields Parkway we arrived in more well-known national parks to us. Near Lake Louise, we took right and drove right across Yoho National Park to sleep outside the parks in… Read More
2019-07-06 19:40
A grey rain cloud was threatening to release its contents sooner or later on the dry grass.
Jan was testing the smoking functionality of his big-ass BBQ for the first time and was keeping a… Read More
2019-07-05 16:30
Previous weekend and the last week of June were hot in Western Europe. We were in an official heat wave and I must admit that I do not find our house in Leuven pleasant in a heat wave. Due t… Read More
2019-07-03 16:27
The Icefields Parkway, the highway connecting the town of Jasper in Jasper National Park and Lake Louise in Banff National Park, is considered the best scenic drive in the world. It's… Read More
2019-07-02 16:31
On our 5th day in Canada we headed to the mountains. I was very excited about this day. Jasper National Park was mostly unknown to me and I assumed it to be less touristic and busy tha… Read More
2019-07-01 16:16
Kabouter has left the kindergarten and will start elementary school in a few weeks. I tend to not realise milestones beforehand until we've reached the milestone. I usually don't make… Read More
2019-06-30 16:46
Vacation in one of the most beautiful area's on earth
Being deconnected from Belgium and all the news for more than 3 weeks.
Pick-nicking at gorgeous unknown lakes
Spotting bears, beavers, e… Read More
2019-06-29 16:45
Er zijn toch kindjes met een beetje bruin (coloring plate where he colors a child brown)
En nu moeten we toch eerst gaan eten? (After we checked in our luggage at the airport, he wanted to… Read More
2019-06-27 20:42
As I said before, it had been 14 years that we truly visited Alberta. Stopping in Calgary and in Edmonton gave us the opportunity to reconnect with friends that I had not seen in ages. … Read More
2019-06-25 20:41
I have to admit that I don't have a top relationship with North-American cities. I usually want to search the "city center"/ main square in vain...looking for a city hall and church an… Read More
2019-06-23 19:15
When staying in Edmonton, we headed out for a morning to the nearby Elk Island National Park. It's only 35 kms away from the metropole and it's not very large. But it is the only natio… Read More
2019-06-22 20:30
Our 2nd day on vacation was already quite different from the first. The weather changed for the better, a few days earlier than we had hoped and we left the city for the prairies east of Cal… Read More
2019-06-20 20:13
Our vacation in Canada started and ended in Calgary, Alberta. That was really cool since we had not been in this city and rest of Alberta since 2005. It had not been easy though… Read More
2019-06-17 17:50
I was a little absent here the previous month. You've been reading over the past weeks a blog marathon produced at the end of April/ early May :). In the mean time, we were… Read More
2019-06-16 18:52
Ik ben verliefd op meisjes. Op 1 meisje!!Mama, ben jij een meisje?Ik ben op jouw verliefd...en ik ben ook verliefd op papa.
Jij moet mij niet nazeggen! (he really hates it if we do)… Read More
2019-06-13 17:13
I read at Moederschip a fun list of reflections that are ok and put ourselves as mothers a bit into perspective. Nope, we are not perfect and that is totally fine.
Here's my sometimes funny… Read More
2019-06-12 15:30
I saw this list at LeveLieze during 40daysofblogging and later on Yab used it as well. It lists some topics where you need to declare if you've ever done this or never done this. I've… Read More
2019-06-10 16:05
I've also been goofing around with Kabouter :p Read More
2019-06-05 16:32
Elodie Imani is a world citizen...born in Ghent from partially Iranian parents, she took school in USA, Switzerland and UK. She's very ambitious with her first release but I think it s… Read More
2019-06-03 17:15
Peekaboooo, we were just goofing around a bit Read More
2019-06-01 16:47
...
or maybe not, but I sure live in a gorgeous city.
Come visit Leuven and stop by for a drink! Read More
2019-05-31 17:20
Roadworks that finish after 2 months instead of the planned 4 months. And so I could drive to my work again through the forest instead of doing the extra 15 min detour.
A month with ma… Read More
2019-05-30 16:21
K: "Jongens hebben toch alleen een sigaretje."G: "Huh, wat?"K: "Jongens hebben toch alleen een sigaretje?"G: "Bedoel je dat meisjes nooit roken? Meisjes roken ook soms."K: "Hahahaaaa, je ben… Read More
2019-05-27 17:46
By checking my phone pictures for yesterday's posts, I noticed I forgot to blog about visiting the flea markets. In fact we visited a flea market in Leuven twice in the first half of M… Read More
2019-05-26 17:22
During the #40dagenbloggen challenge in lent, I posted a daily picture on the Goofballsworld FB page and also sometimes some random pictures on this blog. That was… Read More
2019-05-23 16:14
2019-05-21 15:40
I have seen this question list passing by already at Bostonbaby, at Missbliss and at Moedership and each time I was charmed by the innocence of the child answers.&nb&hell…Read More
2019-05-19 20:01
Last Sunday was sunnier but also a bit colder than the day before. But the sun was inspiring enough to get the boys outdoors anyhow. This time I wasn't the only one to catch some fresh… Read More
2019-05-18 16:13
Previous week, we were a weekend in the Ardennes again after a long absence, despite the predicted rain. I needed some fresh air. So when the boys preferred to cocoon inside (even though the… Read More
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