Oranje Fever

I have it, and I’m pretty sure it’s contagious because my husband appears to have caught it too.

Don’t worry, we’re not sick. Well, not really…

Do you remember four years ago when I watched my first World Cup match?  True to my word I made a point of following the the World Cup from the beginning this year.  Rather than being irritated by the orange everywhere, the noise, yelling and cheering, I decided to join in!

Xander isn’t really the sporty type. He’d usually rather watch paint dry than watch a sporting event of any kind. Except perhaps Robot Wars or something…  Getting him to join me in my World Cup adventure this year took a bit of work.

Basically, I told him he was going to watch the games with me.

Then I bought him some orange stuff and told him to wear it.

Then I hoped for the best.

It worked!!

I know that makes me sound like a total control freak, but it’s not like that really. I just know what he’s like and sometimes I have to almost tie him down and force him to watch / do / see / hear / eat something as he’ll just refuse and make up his mind without even trying.  Funny, seeing as that’s something he tried to get me to get over for years!  Just like me, more often than he ends up liking something he thought he’d hate.

A few weeks ago my friend Paule invited us to her new house to watch the Netherlands vs Japan game.  She and her partner just bought a house that has a cafe attached, how convenient when you want to throw a party!  I was eager to see her again and see her new place.  I also couldn’t wait to see her amazingly cute daughter Faela. You may remember Faela from this photo of her back when I made my very first ever crocheted blanket…

Omg, look at her now!

Cute or what?  Not only is she gorgeous but she is as smart as a whip!  I think her parents have to be very careful what they say in front of her because she is all ears and wastes no time repeating you.  Nothing gets past this little chickadee!

Having a cafe of your very own is so handy!  I think Paule and Warnoud looked great behind the bar, although it’s possible I’m just saying that because I know they are reading this and I want them to throw more parties and invite me.  I know, subtle right?

Paule had pie.  I was weak.

She also had some strange, Dutch, chocolate tasting, alcoholic drink which we kept drinking until we got a clear photo of each other.  As you can see, I did a great job of focusing on her elbow…  so there were a few more after this one.  Pretty sure there are no clear photos.

We got to watch the game on a projector. SWEET!  A cafe to ourselves and a big screen… I could get used to this!

The party was fun, but the game was a total snore.  I was in a room with some very enthusiastic Dutch football fans and the team let them down, and therefore let me down.  I was robbed of the chance to take photos of them being all crazy and waving their arms and shit. ROBBED I TELL YOU!!

I think everyone who watched the game that day found it to be pretty boring.  It made me question my decision to take this step to further my assimilation integration. Thankfully the following games have been much more exciting.

As I looked at the plate of snacks they put out for us I wondered why it’s ok to say HUP HOLLAND HUP!!, wave flags with HOLLAND on them and eat weird little mini onions with HOLLAND sticks in them… but when you say “I live in Holland” in front of a Dutchie they kick you in the shin, spit on your shoe and then proceed to firmly scold you on how you do NOT live in HOLLAND, you live in THE NETHERLANDS.

Make up yer damn minds and quit confusing me!

After the game, the real fun began!

Face painting!

As well as being a pie pimp and peer pressing alcohol pusher, Paule is also very artistic!  I had a lot of fun practicing my photography while she painted the kids’ faces.  Although, it was hard to keep my camera still due to my giggling as Faela looked on and told us how adorable, beautiful and sweet the other children looked in their face paint.  She also demanded that more pink was used and reminding us that she most definitely wanted pink on hers.

The boys weren’t too keen on the pink.  They were all about the vampires…

The girls seemed to dig it though! No surprise there, I mean they are little girls afterall.

I realized that I really love photographing children that day.

Especially this one.

I’m really going to miss Paule when I have to stop talking to her after kidnapping her child, but I’m pretty sure I’ll get over it.

You can see more photos from the WK Party here on my Flickr set.