(Spiegel- en) Blijkpolderplas (HFNL AtoZ Challenge 2015)

Have you read my brief introduction to this challenge?

If not, here is the link: Introducing HFNL A to Z Challenge 2015

My personal blogging theme for this year: the places I have been in the Netherlands.  

At Happy Feet in the Netherlands (HFNL), I'll be writing about the places (which is not only limited to city, towns or villages but may also include restaurants, stores - places we go for hikes, where we sailed etc.) from the perspective of a runner.  

The blogs @ My Daily Mooosings in the Netherlands on the other hand will be from a perspective of an expat, mom, traveler, writer, who seeks to simplify life.

Today, "we go to" : (Spiegel -en) Blijkpolderplas.

(Spiegel -en) Blijkpolderplas

Beautiful view, huh?!

Every time I commit to blogging challenges, I am instantly  reminded why I love doing them even though life is actually too busy, and it takes a lot of effort to do a daily log.  Time is there. The energy to make the effort is often times lacking, though.

This is sometimes the same scenario with running.

It is not until you are in motion that you remember how invigorating it is; running rejuvenates the body, while writing gives the mind the opportunity to relax and at the same time be filled with many creative ideas.

I mentioned at My Daily Mooosings in the Netherlands, that I will be running again today along the lake (plas  in Dutch).

Bergse pad

the path leading to Spiegel- en Blijkpolderplas

taken last Monday, 30th of March

But since tomorrow the girls will begin their long Easter weekend, I will do it tomorrow, instead. This way I could spend some quality evening time with P instead, and I could also bring the girls with me to the lake tomorrow.  They could bike while I run my 8 km.

How do you balance your daily life that you find time to blog and still find quality time with your family?

Ankeveen (HFNL AtoZ Challenge 2015!)

Hollandia
This windmill is a beautiful landmark,
a few meters away from the entrance of our village,
Ankeveen.
Image taken 2013 for my running community challenge: #MorningMilers

Have you read my brief introduction to this challenge?

If not, here is the link: Introducing HFNL A to Z Challenge 2015

My personal blogging theme for this year:  the places I have been in the Netherlands.  

Today, "we go to" : Ankeveen.

The great thing about living in the village, while running (or biking!) home,
I often meet our girls on their way home from school!
This mom & daughter selfie was taken
during an 8 km (5 miles) run
 last 25th of March

The first time I thought  that I would be moving to a village, I had my reservations.

This was taken during a 10 km (just above 6 miles) run,
 20th of November, 2014
 - a few kilometers outside of  our village

I was born in a big city - Manila - and lived almost all my life in different metropolis before I met P. 

P - my Dutch partner - on the other hand, lived almost all his life in different villages, and towns.  He is the reason I abandoned my reservations and moved to Ankeveen.

With P through the (running!) years.
I refer to him often on my blogs as Mijn Liefste P

Ankeveen is an idyllic village in North Holland.

An ideal place for children to grow . . .

Taking pictures of our daily bike rides was a way for me to get over my anxiety of biking in the Winter.

4 years later, looking at this picture, I feel a certain pride for how the girls have blossomed to life in the country.
Specially, the oldest, who used to missed the city living a lot.

originally posted @  MDMNL

an ideal place to let a new relationship flourish . . .

Being outdoors with P made us closer together.
This picture was taken originally on the 24th of October, and shared at
My Daily Mooosings in the Netherlands
on the 8th of March, 2011 for a personal month-long blogging.


Taken along the daily bike path we take on the way to the school.
It is between Ankeveen and Kortenhoef.

and an ideal place to focus on creating a healthy lifestyle.

This is near the entrance to our village.
The lone tree behind me (from the distance, near the house) fell a year later after a stormy Autumn.
originally posted @  MDMNL in 2011

The reason I created My Daily Mooosings in the Netherlands was to make sure that I focus on the positives of living in a new country (the third since I left the Philippines), and adopting to a new lifestyle.  The Dutch way of life.

It was not until we were 3 years together that I began writing blogs to share publicly (2011).  As you will read @ My Daily Mooosings in the Netherlands (or MDMNL for short), I have been blogging anonymously from 2006.

A year after I created MDMNL , Happy Feet in the Netherlands (HFNL) was born.  A blog documenting my transformation from couch potato to a runner.

Village life helped in making me an active outdoors person.  

Moving to  a place conducive to leading a more quiet way of life is something I needed but did not realize I did until I made the decision to move to the Netherlands.  

I let go of my fears of change; welcoming a new life turned out in the end the best thing I could do for my mental and physical health.

Are you a city or a country mouse? :)

do 2 apr. 12:16