This weekend was perfect!!!!!! Anthony and I got away for Friday night just the two of us. Anthony's Aunt and Mom graciously watched the kids for us so we could enjoy a night away. This is the first night away we have had together just the two of us since before Eli. Both of us had a night just ourselves but never together no kids.
Earlier in the week I had made mention that I needed to get over to Holland, Mi to see the tulips as I knew they were fading fast due to our crazy weather. That was when Anthony decided we would just go us and celebrate my birthday. Holland is an old Dutch town and they celebrate tulips every year with a festival in May. Unfortunately it looks as if the tulips will not be blooming for the festival this year which I believe is a first due to the fact they started blooming the end of March. There are farms with literally just acres of tulips. It is absolutely beautiful! Thankfully we made it work that we were able to leave and go and see plus just enjoy some time together.
I had a massage on Friday and then we finished packing and left. It was a nice start to a relaxing weekend. We got into Holland about 4:30 and believe it or not we got lost. Mind you we had been there before. Anthony worked there for about a month last year, and the real kicker..............We had a smart phone, tablet, and Kindle Fire we could have used to get directions. First, smartphone is new to me. Seriously like a little over a week. I am lost on half of it! I need to get better but have been busy. Second, I don't think we really cared much. Third we decided we wanted an adventure!
Finally we figured out where we were going. We decided to look at the tulips on Friday as we knew Saturday it was supposed to rain a lot. We ended up heading to the Windmill Island. We had wanted to visit it the last time we had been to Holland which was Spring of 2008. We made it an hour before the park was to close. It was just enough time to take a tour and enjoy some tulips.
This windmill is an actual windmill from The Netherlands. It is still working and they use it to make flour that they sell in their store on the grounds. It was brought over after WW2. We took the tour and actually it was very interesting. Here are some inside pictures. It was really hard to photograph due to all the stairs and other things in it but it was very interesting to visit.
This is an actual millstone. It was brought up in our tour when the Bible talks about putting a millstone around your neck. Luke 17:2 "It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones." Seeing this stone brought a lot of thoughts. Firs it was huge!! I just can't imagine. Children are precious to the Lord.
View of Tulip Fields from inside top window.......
View from Observation Deck................
Part of the windmill that was hit by bullets in WW2. It was used as a lookout for the Allies.
Then we went outside to look at the tulips. Like previously stated, they were not that great. Even the late blooming ones were on their last legs!
All in all it was still great and the tulips were beautiful! We then drove about 30 miles to our Bed and Breakfast. We love staying in B&Bs. They are nice and I just love the atmosphere. We got to stay in the turret section of the B&B.
This was the view laying in the bed looking up.
It was a beautiful relaxing room including a fireplace.
We went to dinner downtown in a little Italian resturant. We shared a pizza. It was ok but not great. Then we took a trip to find cheesecake or something. We never found either but ended up with Dairy Queen ice cream. I didn't even finish mine. By this time it was late and we realized the B&B was right down from the beach. We both would have loved a late night walk. Unfortunately between the traveling and walking already my poor feet and legs were so swollen. We headed back to our room and just relaxed.
I love my kids but we realized how nice it was not to be on a schedule and go for a late night meal. It was also nice to just come home from our date, kick our shoes off, and relax. We didn't have to get kids to bed etc. It was so needed. We missed the kids a lot!!
Saturday we enjoyed breakfast in the sunroom at the B&B
It was raining but it was great to just sit, relax, eat, and watch the rain. We made plans for the day which included a museum and finding something for the kids. Sadly the museum ended up being closed. So we headed back to Holland to do some antique shopping. I found some great photography props I should have bought but didn't end up getting a thing!! I will probably kick myself later but oh well. This was a cool old wood car. It was a kids toy but electric.
I would have loved it but it was $600.
We found some little wooden shoes for the kids and then made our way home. We did stop for lunch. The kids were so excited to see us. We missed them but am so glad we took the time to get away. It was so worth it and exactly what Anthony and I both needed.
This week's Embrace the Camera is of Anthony and I. So glad we could enjoy a night together and away.
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