Day #119 & 120: A SAD queensday!!

Today one of our yearly celebrations Queensday for 2009 goes down on a black page. Something really awful happened today wich should've been a wonderful, pleasant and fun filled day, with happy & smiling people all over!!! It was untill like noon....

A little black car with a 38 yr. old guy damaged all of our queensday spirits... After driving into several baracades he crashed into a line of people... causing an incredible, unbelievable, horrific sight killing 6 people & injured another 12, including a few kids!!! They say he told some policemen after the crash, this was an attack on the queen and her family. You can read & see more about the news here

Really the only thing I'm thinking about now is... Will Queensday ever be the same again??? And this is really hurting me! This is always such a beautiful day and thousands of people look forward to this day for months. What are these people thinking when causing such an awful scene and scar so many people and especially little kids for life with all they saw happening today... It just makes me soooo sad!!

Today we were supposed to go somewhere and celebrate this day!!  But after we slept in (till 13.oo) and turned on the tv before breakfast (ok make that lunch) we were both in shock about this awful event and the longer we watched the news, the more our queensday spirit faded! I know, we shoudl've just went outside and enjoyed the beautiful way...but when we saw this, we just didn't felt like it! :( We stayed home and followed the news.

I wanted to take a photo wich represented the feeling & spirit of Queensday, but since we stayed in I don't have one. Instead I took a photo of the news on t.v.

As you can see on the clock it was 16.45...the text on the tv says: one suspect is arrested. The latest news right now is that the suspect seems to be  brain dead and they just announced a 5th dead  and people are saying this could be the suspect!

 

Now before all this had happened we had an awsome night last night. The night before queensday there are all sorts of party's in Utrecht (one of the big city's) and I went to one of like 6 outdoor party's on the 'domplein' all about 80's & 90's music. I was awsome and the place was filled with orange colored, happy people. I went there with one of my oldest best friends Angela... We don't see each other that often anymore and when planning a date to meet on Tuesday we just said, why not to party on queensnight together and so we did. We had tons of fun and the music was great. We met up with several people, such as my lil brother & his GF, friends, my guy and 3 of his friends.

I do have one little story to share and please don't laugh, cause I'm sure you did the same thing when being in my (our) position!!! LOL. Ok edit, edit, edit!! For my own sake... it was a hilarious little story, but I think it has been published long enough now. Wanna know the whole thing... Too late!! LOL Ok for friends & family I'll make an exception when talking to your on a private note! :)

Anyway I'm not going to show you those photos...hehe. So when I had diner at my parents that night I played around with my new macro rings for a bit, since the flowers were all blooming. Here's my photo for Day #119:...

That's all for today... it's been a weird day, emotional day and it's time for bed now. We both have to work tomorrow and I'm so ready for weekend. There's just one more thing I want to say and that is that I just hope this day won't change anything to all those queensdays to come... -x-

Day #116, 117, 118: Three days in a row...

First off my photo for Sunday... Mother duck left her nest!!! These poor little eggs are all by themselves and I have no clue how this works...but I don't these eggs will come out anymore!! Isn't that kind of sad?? I think so...

Mmm I just googled a bit and it seems that the mommy ducks sometimes leaves the nest for a bit...Haven't checked again though, so that's what I'm going to do when driving to work in the morning...

Then Yesterday (Monday's) photo... Especially for my sweet friend Ellie... Girl I found them and hope these were the ones you were looking for!!! Like two weeks ago, she was talking about sweets and talked about these cripsy choclate covered swirly things and I knew we had them... I searched the grocery store, but couldn't find them. Now all of the sudden when getting food for diner, I found them!!!

Now Today's photo... I got a new toy for my ESO!!! I ordered these rings for my camera on Sunday and they are already here!!! I've been wanting these for months and finally got them. They are awsome... but haven't really had a chance to play with it...yet

You easily put these inbetween your camera and the lens and macro photography would be a peice of cake!!! I so can't wait to play and will probably have to do a macro-week :)

Well gotta go bring my little cousin home... He spend the night and day here, since he's off school for two week and my aunt had to work. We had fun inside and watched madagascar 2... I wanted to take him to this castle, but it was raining all freaking day long!!

See you soon...Thursday is queensday (koniginnedag) and it's going to be fun day... tomorrow night the party starts in the bigger cities, with party's and street markets all over!! Not sure what we're going to do on queensday, but there are tons of party's & places to go to...Yoohoo :) -x0-

Day #114 & 115: Not so special...

Ok haven't got the most excited photos this time, but they will do! Just don't have a lot of inspiration the past few days and even my scrapping mojo seems to be missing. So... If anyone has seen it, please send it back home to the rightful onwer!!

For Friday I took a photo of our 'euros' ...our dollar. I must say ever since we pay with euros everything seems so much more expensive and I still REALLY do miss our old 'gulden'. Anyway here's what I had in pocket on Friday...

Then meet Hippo.... Last week after my dad had cleaned the pond in the backyard he told me found a hippo hidden under at some stones or something like that. Uhm yeah, you don't fool me!!! LOL Well guess I was wrong... Isn't it cute??

Now haven't got a photo fro today yet, but my guy said we are going somewhere later on, so I'll probably snap a few then wherever we're going! Now got to go clean my house a bit...but before I do I'm going to leave some sweet loving around here in Project 365... -hugs-  

Oh before I forget, my photography website is done, there's just one thing that it bothering me that needs to be fixed before I'm going to show you all. I did showed it to some friends and family, to check for mistake and ask if there were any things they would change....Got a few great responses and so glad I asked them all! Anyway it will be here Tuesday at the latest!!!

Oh right... Our sweet online friend and another P365 player Sarah, has given birth to her little baby girl Sophia on April 24th... haven't seen any photos yet, but I'm sure she'll post them whenever she can! :) Congrats sweetie!

Day # 111,112 & 133....Lots of fun!

So my little cousin Robin's school celebrated it's 50th anniversary this week and there were so many fun  things planned for the kids. On Monday, Tuesday and Today I went there to take photos...

First of is Tuesday, day #111.. a schooltrip to the Efteling, a well know Dutch theme parc and I can tell it was a wonderful day and the weather was beautiful... The sun was so brightly shining I forgot to put sunblock on ad even got a little sunburn on my nose and in my neck. Anyway I took over 600 photos and already started deleting doubles and editing some that need a little retouch. My photo for the day is this:

I loved this beautiful tree and in the background you see this attraction that goes way up in the sky, just love the colors here! Here are some more photos... First of a photo of what the theme parc is know for... Mister Lange Jan

Then just a couple more pretty shots I liked... like this typical little Dutch scenery, with a windmill and a shed, surrounded by tulips

The photo for Wednesday, day #112...the first day back to work after being off for 1,5 weeks...*sigh* I stopped by this beautiful blossom tree on my way home from work. been wanting to take a photo earlier, but didn't do it b/c I prob. had a better photo for that day! :)

Then last but not least day # 113... Today the older kids from school got graffiti classes and it was sooo cool. They got to practice at the bycicle garage thing first and then each of the kids got a spot at two of these wooden boards where they could spray whatever they wanted... They had so fun much. The guys who gave this workshops finished the boards with the name of the school (Poolster) and some little finishing touches. I think they both turned out amazing and they're going to hang these somewhere in the school.... Check it out:

Then there's one more, actually two photos I would like to show you... But it has a little (maybe a big) story!!

One of the kids at school has got leukemia and I kind of felt for this little boy... One week he gets chemo and feels too sick to do anything and the other week he's trying to go to school with his little friends. Well this week was supposed to be his chemo week, but b/c of the party at school he got to get another week off... He attended some of the party stuff this week, but it was hard. Like he couldn't go to the theme parc with us. So when the other kids were rope-jumping some of the older peeps (parents & teachers) got to spray paint the last piece of the bycicle shed wall... And there he was...coming on to the school playground on his bycicle, watching us having fun with the graffiti...On one hand I love the big smile on his face and on the other hand I kind felt sad for him... So I told him to ask his mom if he could help us out when wearing a mouth-cap...and she said YES! So this little 7 or 8 year old helping us out...Ladies, he looooved it!!! He was so happy and you should've seen his smile!!! After we sprayed the walls a bit...the graffiti gusy finished it of with this text saying: 'Keep the school in dignity' ... He stared at it for 5 mins when I took this photo and asked us about the meaning of it....

So that's it for today...Got to finish up some last things for my website, cause yeah it's almost done!! I'm getting more and more excited when just looking at it! So no love leaving for me today..but I'll promiss to leave tons of love this weekend!!! -x-

Day # 109 & 110: I'm early today...

Cause I've got a fun, but busy day ahead!! This week my little cousin Robin's school is celebrating their 50th anniversary and it's going to be sooo much fun for those kids. I'm going there in an hour (10.30) but had some other things to do first...Like post a new challenge on the W&W blog and post here. I'll be the photographer for two days and tomorrow we're going to this awsome theme parc... I so look forward to it and can't hardly wait!

Anyway I'm going to try to keep this post as quick as possible, cause I should've been in the shower by now, but not sure what time I'll be home tonight... So here my photo from yesterday... We went out to diner with my parents in Utrecht along the canals. We first had a drink outside, the weather was beautiful, but b/c it wqas still a little chilly we had diner inside the restaurant. here's a shot of the canal....

The my photo for today... Saturday I got this in the mail: A lovely camera strap cover made by one of my online friends Jessie... Really these are soooo cute and only $15, including shipping... yeah even free shipping to The Netherlands!!!! isn't that awsome. So you should really check out here shoppe on Etsy here. I love it so much, I'm sure I'm going to order another one soon. Oh yeah and it only took less then two weeks to get here!!

Before I'm leaving you might have noticed I changed the siggie on my photos... I went from Pass the Dutch photography, to Past & Present fotografie... Cause I started working on my Dutch photography website!!!! YOooHOoo and well I love the old name, but I needed something a little more professional :) So hope you like it... When my site is done I'll tell you all about it, but it's not quit done yet :)

Ok peeps, have a fabulous day and will be back here asap. Gotta hurry now! Hugs!

Day #107 & 108: framed!!

Ok yesterday I wanted to take a photo of our soccer team...brought my camera, but I totally forgot to put my card back in it. Uhm yeah, how stupid!!! I was kind of mad at myself, since I've got three cards and usually but another one in when taking one out... But well, glad it happened now and not during a fancy shoot or something like that. But of course then I'm always bringing more cards! hihi...

So I took this photo of my mom....Framed that it!! I so loved this photo and decided that when I had my page printed I'd frame it... and so I did, here you go:

Then since I didn't went outside yet, I took another photo of a photo today to stay on top of my people project..This time it's my sweet grandparents... may they rest in peace.

This photo was taken around 1994, I think... They were both so sweet and I loved their house. They had a lovely house with a big barn & a beautiful garden. They loved to work in the garden and it always looked so pretty with flowers & some veggies...my GF used to had these little orchards and it was so fun to come along and help out when we were little. We also loved to play in the barn and play pretend games, like us being gardeners, own a restaurant or whatever. We used to have so much fun there with all the cousins.

Like 1,5 years ago the house sadly had to be sold... We did met the people who live there now and they were busy with rebuilding the house, since it was kind of old and needed a lot of work. I asked them if we could ever stop by to see what they did with it and maybe chase back some memories and they said yes. I haven't been there yet, but I sure want to go this summer!

Well see you all Monday, since we're going out to diner tomorrow night with my parents... I do have got an idea for my photo for tomorrow, cause I got some in the mail today I ordered two weeks ago and you're going to love it!!! -hugs-

Day # 104, 105 & 106: Just us

Ok still going with the people theme this week... Our week has been great and relaxing so far and there's just nothing we HAVE to do and I love it :) Tuesday I decided to take a photo of ...ME

Then Wednesday day #105, it was my guys' turn to pose for me... We found this awsome parking lot with numbers on the side. Especially for those people who get lost in parking spots! hehe. Mmm no not us, I always know exactly where my  car is... Really, do I?? hihi. Anyway here he is...Looking in to his future of turning the BIG 3-0 in October and love how this turned out!! 

And last for Today's photo... my softball team. And yeah I can call them MY, since I'm our team captain...LOL. Tonight we played our first official game of this season. We lost, but we had a fun game and so glad to be back in the competition!! Last year we became our competition's champions so this year we got promoted to a higher class. Since we don't had any idea what to expect and how high the level of teams would be, I think we did ok. We lost with 7-1, so that's not too bad...is it? So here's the team...This will probably be one of tons of photos where everyone is there. That's what you get with a team of working ladies, moms and students :)

We had to quit the game earlier after the fifth inning, cause a heavy thunderstorm came over us and it's still pooring outside. But well we had beautiful weather the past two weeks or so... So if this weather is only for a day or too and then the suns comes back out, I'm happy! :) Will be leaving some loving in the morning... But it's coming closer to midnight and I'm exhausted!! -hugs-

Day #102 & 103: Beware of too much photos!

Ok I'm a little behind since I wanted to post these yesterday, but I didn't feel like bloggin at all and had a relaxing night on the couch with my guy... Anyway we had a great easter weekend and hope everyone else did too.

Sunday we had an easter brunch over at my parents' with 19 people; my parents, my bro and his GF, her mom and sister, my aunt, her daughter and BF and little boy, my cousin & his wife & kid, my aunt-uncle and their son, GM (my dads mom) and the two of us... does that make a total of 19?? LOL We had an awsome day and after brunch we went to this little theme parc and woods. It was fun and so enjoyed it! let me start of with the photo of that day, Day #102...My autn and her grandson Quinn in this little airplane ride... I love the movement and colors on this one!!

Then just a couple of random shots I liked... First Quinn and my little brother melvin, who always has to climb the biggest tree around! LOL. Then my cousin Sylvia and her cute boy...Then Quinn in this ride, riding a little bus... My guy on this boxing machine

My mom and aunt in this big carroussel... Again Quinn , twice going down the slide, once with my aunt Yvonne... But there probably be a few more of him...Simply cause he's my little model :)  Although I haven't really took photos of him this year, but you'll see his cute little face more often on my bloggie here! 

My little cousin Robin and our 2nd cousin Sidney... So fun they're the same age and they love to hang out together. I'm saying this cause we only have contact with my cousin and his family for since my grandma passed away three years ago... Sidney is his daughter and he has such a sweet family! I'm so glad they're back in our lives!!   Next up Quinn again, riding this little train...well you can see on his face that he loved it! :) 

Then lastly our little due, just chillin in his buggy while we were walking in the woods...isn't that cute?? :) Used a blue-ish filter to make a little serious look!

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Then on to Day #103... yesterday we didn't do very much, we had a diner over at my guy parents, so he went. Instead my SIL Najima, her friend and I went for a ride. We first went for a drink on a terrace cause the weather was awsome and just relaxed. Sfter we went back to their house to have diner we went to this little parc to take some photos of them. So I present to you my models of the day... Najima (my SIL, right) & Noual... here are a few more random shots I took...  

Ok peeps, that's it for Today... I still have to take my photo for day #104 and have no clue what it will be. But maybe I'll stick with a 'people' theme this week. But not sure yet! :) We'll see... I'll be back here tomorrow, see ya then! -xo-

DAY# 100& 101!!! Wow time flies by! Freebie alert!

Yesterday I took my 100th photo for Project 365 and I'm still sooo happy I started this whole thing. Like I said the other day: it's not always easy to find a theme or idea for my photos, but it challenges me to look further and I love it!! This week was all about natury things...well my photo for today is anything else but it does include this cute little boy!! Last week when these daffodils came out I knew I had to take my colleagues' little boy Ruben here to take some photos of him. Well yesterday I did!!! He's such a cute little model and he always works with me. Earlier this day I told we were going to take some photos for his mom, well he reminded several times... 'Are we going to the flowers across the street now??' isn't that sweet? :) Well here's my photo for Day #100

I've been playing with these photos in lightroom all morning, but just couldn't find the right preset and so I just started playing with settings myself and loved how this turned out...and so I made my first ever preset and used it on all my photos. I did played around with the light a bit after worths, but the main feeling I had in my mind for these photos was there! Since this 100th photo is kind of a milestone I decided to give this preset away on my blog here!! isn't that sweet??!! :) Hope you like it!!

Download my first ever made lightroom preset: Daffodil-red here! 

Well here are a couple more photos from our little shoot! :)    

Other then my photo for today will be somthing natury I have no clue what it's going to be... hihi. We'll see later on today, I'm just going to make sure ot bring my camera everywhere I'm going!

Edit: got it!! My photo for today that is: Day #101. It has something to do with nature & spring, but I can tell I don't like these little creatures at ALL!! Busg is what I'm talking about... Now with the season change all these little creepy bugs are back too. I went to the parc and this little one sitting on a leave...so I grabbed my macro lens en took this photo...Iiieeek!

Oh did I tell you my guy and I have a week off!!! Yoohoo, we both so need a little break from 'real' life and need some time to ourselves. Since it's easter weekend we both thought, why not stick another week to it and so we did! The weekend is going to start of great, since we're having a easter brunch over at my parents' house tomorrow and so can't wait. I'm going to make some yummy sandwiches and everyone else who's coming will bring something too..the american style! LOL

So that's it for Today, I want to wish everyone a wonderful easter weekend and enjoy spending time with family and loved ones! -xo-

Day #98 & 99: just one more...

photo a day, till I (we, doing the P365 thing) reach my 100th photo for Project 365...Really how cool is that and I'm so glad I started this whole thing. cause I really get so much out of this. Eeveryone who sees my blog, like family, friends & colleagues love it and that makes me kind of proud. It also makes me stretch my creativity, I do must say there are days I have no clue what to photograph and other days I just comes to me...Like you mayb have noticed this week is all about new life & signs of spring. I didn't had the intention to go this way, but it just happened :)

We had little lambs, new tree buds, flowers & a swan nesting her eggs to come out. Well yesterday's photo is also about new life... of frogs that is!! LOL. My parents' have this pond in the backyard and frogs find it the perfect place to get it on and lay some eggs there... Well some, you can say tons at the least!! LOL. here's just a small piece, probably 1/4 of what they left this week in the pond...And probably 1/8 on what they will be leaving the rest of the week, cause it seemed they were still busy producing some more...LOL

We took everything out of the pond, since my dad thinks there are enough frogs in there and well you probably can't see any fish when the whole pond is filled with tadpoles...LOL. Anyway I'm taking the bucket with the eggs to work tomorrow, like I do every year. The kids love and it's such a cute project too. They love the whole process and can help me feed them and of course see them grow. When they've turned into little frogs we're releasing them back into nature... So you'll probably see more about these little ones in the future :) Oh yeah if you wanna know more I found this fun info, for 'raising frogs in the classroom'

Now for Today's photo, I didn't have to look far... I just got back from some grocery shopping, cause well a girl has go to eat and healthy if possible too! LOL Anyway stay on subject hun... I saw this dandelions stading next to our appartment building. So after I brought my grocery's upstairs I came back down with my camera and here they are:

So gotta go start on diner now... we're having  lamb chops (mm what did I just say about new life...sorry for those vegaterian peeps out there) , with rosemary grilled patato's & a salad. Tonight we've got our first softball game of the season. This is just a friendly game, but next week the real competition starts...wish me luck! :) -hugs-

Ok wait, I just said I proud I was for keeping this whole project updated...well I just (fianlly) noticed that I still have my February header up and we're already in April!!!! Will be fixing that hopefully in between diner! LOL

Oh and guess who's back?? It's our own sweet Biancka... I so missed her blogging, but seems she had a rough month. Now if we all could just leave her some sweet loving. I know she'll be very happy and will hopefully promiss to not neglect us anymore!!! Missed ya hun and glad things are back on track... -x-

Day #96 & 97: natury stuff!

When looking through the window of our living room last night after I got home... I saw the tree wich is standing right behind our apartment is getting new all new buds. It looked great, peaceful and full of new life. I stared at it for 10 mins. LOL. It's so close to our window, since we live on the 3rd floor and I can almost touch it...hihi. Anyway here it is:

Then Today's photo, I've wanting to take one of these for like 3 years now!!! I drive to work over this beautiful road surrounded with farms, fields and pretty landscapes... Every year at this time of season in between the trees, on the other side of this little ditch, next to the road... there's this swan nesting!!! Before the weekend, her and her DH (LOL) were building a nest and I knew the time for her was close to protect and sit on her nest 47/7 untill her eggs come out...Well here she is... I so can't wait for the moment the eggs come out and to see the little swans. After they are bron, she takes them to a spot close by and that were they'll stay untill they are old enough to leave the nest. Isn't that a pretty story??

I took this picture when driving to work tonight...we had a meeting with colleagues. Today was my day off and I did some spring cleaning! Turned out bedroom upside down and cleaned the whole place... It felt so great and maybe we'll even sleep better...LOL. Well see you all on Thursday...same ritual as almost every wednesday: work, diner at my parents and soccer practice! So Thursday another day off...then I only need to work on Friday and we both have 1,5 week off!!! Yoohoo, finally...we both need it after all we've been through the past couple of weeks and just need to have some time to ourselves... see ya -hugs-

Day #94 & 95: Did I tell you....

I LOOOOOVE spring??!! Well the weather again has been beautiful the past two days!! Friday wasn't that good, but today... I loved it and we went for a long ride over the dikes and through little towns we never been before. But first yesterday's photo...

After I got back from some little grocery's I took this photo next to where I parked my car...butter-flower is the translations in dutch and not sure how my international friends call them....

Today after I came home from spending the night with my brother and his GF, I took a shower and my guy and me went for a long ride. We had some sort of heavy talks, but it's all good! He just needs to express his feeling now and then of all what's been going on in our (his head) lives (especially with his dad). But like I said it's going to be fine and glad we had this talk during our ride... We went with two of these little ferry's accros the 'Lek'. We paid 1,70 (euro) for each of those and it was just for fun!!  Here are a few of the photos... Oh and I've got proof!!! LOL.. Then I also took a photo of these chains wich hold the ferry to the side! :)

Oh just FYI... I didn't edited any of these photos, wanted to do this chain one, but I need to fault the laundry, make the bed and wanna watch some TV. So maybe I'll do that later this week and just edit this post! :)

Then before I'm going to show you Today's photo, I've got one more...After the ride we decided to go have diner at this pancake house and it was delicious!! I had a pancake with vanilla ice-cream, apple & strawberry...it was soooo good!!! :)

Now for today's photo... Mary had a .....little LAMB! I wanted to take some photos od lambs earlier this week, but today we drove by several fields filled with these little cuties! Of course I took tons of photos, but just going to show you a few of my favs! I'm going to a friend of a friend hopefully this week, she's got their own sheep and lambs and since I went there last year to take photos, I'm sure I'm welcome again this year! :) Anyway here they are...First off my photo for today, Day # 95 (only 5 more till 100:))

Now just a few more photos I loved...also none of these are edited!! :)

Now off to do the laundry and relax for a bit. Hopefully till tomorrow -hugs-