An hour late to everything in Amsterdam

The past few months have been hectic, to say the least. By the time Thanksgiving rolled around, I was extra ready for some quality time with Justin and the boys. We packed our bags (are my bags ever not packed, is the real question) and headed to Amsterdam! I was looking forward to a relaxed week—and while I’d describe the trip as organized chaos (we were about an hour late to everything, no joke), it was absolutely worth it. Justin and I even got to sneak in some much-needed date night dinners and visit a co-ed spa—pure heaven. We also got to hang out with our friends and their daughter, who is just a year younger than my boys. It was so nice to share the city and the experience with them.

I couldn’t possibly come back from a new place without some recommendations for my Inner Circle. If you’re planning a trip to Amsterdam, here are my picks for where to eat and what to see:

• The Food Verdict: Okay, I have to be honest with you: the food was surprisingly mediocre. I was expecting some really great cuisine, but I found it to be lacking. I hate to admit it, but I was shocked!

• The Standout Meal: That being said…our best meal was on our last night, at an Indian restaurant called Meghna. It was so unbelievable; we absolutely stuffed ourselves!

• The Must-Visit: If you go, Bun Bun is a must. It’s famously the smallest bakery in the Netherlands, and everything is made from croissant dough. Seriously, run, don’t walk.

• For the Kids (and Kids at Heart): We hit up a few museums that were a total slam dunk:

  • The LEGO Bricks of Wonder exhibit in The Hague. I couldn’t believe how many sculptures and murals there were. Our jaws were on the floor (which was surprisingly not made of LEGOs).

  • The Naturalis Biodiversity Center—it was so clean, orderly, and fascinating. So many animals! Note: it’s technically in Leiden, about 40 minutes outside of Amsterdam, but well worth the train trip.

  • The Corpus Museum—that was phenomenal. It’s basically an immersive journey through the human body (also in Leiden!). Awesome for anatomy buffs and showing little ones how their insides work.

• tThe Cute but Weird Dinner: We tried a restaurant called Le Petit Chef. It was really fun for the kids (the food was just okay). There’s a little 3D hologram of a chef on your table who does performances throughout the meal. And in a room that was full and booked out, mine were the only three kids in the whole place.

• A Note on the Locals: Something interesting about the culture? The Dutch people are very direct. And it’s not in a rude way or meant to offend; their bluntness is more like honesty cloaked in politeness. I embraced it!

Our Amsterdam getaway was a nice reminder that even when things don’t go exactly as planned—like running behind for every activity—it’s still an adventure. And life is all about staying flexible and going with the flow, as difficult as it can be sometimes. Overall, it was a beautiful way to end the year with the fam, and I’m so grateful for those little windows of time we get as a family.

I’d love to know: Have you been to Amsterdam? What did you see; what did you eat? And what are your go-to coping mechanisms when you visit a new place and the food just isn’t hitting the way you expected (asking for a friend 🫣)? Let me know in the comments.

Sending love and LEGOs,
xo Ashley

A bible verse I love
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” — John 14:27 (NKJV)

This one has been grounding me lately. A reminder that real peace doesn’t come from the noise or the chaos around us—it’s something deeper, steadier, and always available when I need.

A bonding moment with the boys
Filling bagged lunches for the local houseless community. They also picked out a ton of toys to donate to the fire department’s annual toy drive, and it was so special to see the smiles on their faces when we dropped them off. It’s really important to Justin and me that we show the boys how to give back to those who are less fortunate than they are. It’s something I pray sticks with them as they grow up.

I’ve been watching
I’ve been watching The Sean Combs: The Reckoning documentary on Netflix and… wow. It’s intense, and really well done. I’m one episode away from finishing it and need to know—have you watched? Tell me your thoughts.

On YouTube
We’ve been deep in classic Christmas movie mode over here. Watching the boys experience the same movies I grew up with has been so special. Something about sharing those nostalgic moments feels extra sweet this time of year—and YouTube has all my old favorites waiting for us.

Little Holiday Things
Stockings are officially underway. I slipped Wonderbelly’s antacids into Justin’s because he’s always stealing mine, and the boys’ stockings are already filling up with tiny dinosaurs, animal socks, and all the little things that somehow make the biggest excitement.