It's fun when you return home, reuniting with your children after a few days of being away, only to see that the household has not only survived -- but thrived.  Thanks to some wonderful, wonderful friends here in Amsterdam (especially the lovely Leslie Phillips), our kids' week went incredibly well.  They made it to school each day, they ate good meals, and they had a lot of fun in the process.

When Marci and I got back home around noon today, Leslie had fresh banana muffins in the kitchen -- and we were treated with the opportunity to hear not one, but two new songs that Leslie had worked up with the kids over the preceding few days.  One was a guitar ballad (still in process), but the other one was a rap -- specially composed for the occasion of Elliot's friend Tobias's sixth birthday.  Perhaps you, too, will sppreciate Elliot's birthday rap to Tobias, so I've posted it above for your enjoyment.  You'll be surprised with how well it is done (Leslie is a gifted musician in addition to being a gifted babysitter).