For two reason I am going to write about a typical day for me...1) because so many of you keep asking haha and 2) because I am incredibly lazy, I actually write only in this blog and not a diary because i cant be bothered doing both! So when i get home and Renee & I (and Krystle & I for January!!) start scrapbooking, I can print these entries out to go in my book....
So here goes, a day in the life of an aupair (meeee :P)
11.15am: I am fortunate enough to start work alot later then most aupairs, which means if I accidently stay up late talking to a sibling or friend on skype/facebook, then I can have a little sleep in...getting the best of both worlds, not every day but sometimes. Anyway, so at 11.15am, I check my weekly planner for notes from Eileen (host mom) and make lunch for me & Timmy
11.20am: I leave the house for the ten minute walk to Timmy's school.
11.30am: I pick Timmy up, being completely excluded from the conversation between most parents because I am a nanny, and not "one of them"...and we head to the park, which is 2 minutes from the school.
How long we stay at the park tends to depend on Timmy (5yrs). When I first started working it was 30 mins, because he would misbehave so much, now adays its alot longer. Normally now, at least 1 hr...but the other day it was 3 hours!!
1pm: I have taught Timmy to take his shoes off & put his lunch bag away as we walk in the door, which is a big help and while he entertains himself for a bit I get to work. I make his bed (but leave the twins, so they can learn some responsibility!!), put away Clara's Cystic Fibrosis machine, do a quick clean of the living room (breakfast bowls, blankets, straighten the furniture, put dvds away) and then into the kitchen. Make the orange juice, stack and restack the dishwasher. I then have to steralize Clara's nebulizers every two or three days, depending on the month. this takes about 45 minutes all together. On the days I don't do this, I am doing laundry instead.
2.00pm: Normally at this time, Timmy's friend who lives next door, comes home from kindy, so they play together for a while. If they do, i sometimes have a little break before I have to finish the laundry. if not, i'll play with timmy.
3.30pm: Clara & Ian get off the bus. This happens literally next to our house, but I still wait on the road for them
3.31pm: Kids all run in the front door, and I've trained them well haha, to put their lunch boxes on the bench, shoes away, bags away and ASK before having a snack! (they use to just grab everything and anything). They have snack and calm down time for a little bit
3.34pm: Homework starts. I sit with the kids the whole time, helping them when they need it and giving them spelling and maths tests.
4.30pm: Homework normally finishes now, but sometimes it can be much much later. The kids then need to clean their rooms and make their beds before allowed to play. Sometimes they also have to practice their instruments. Clara always choose to play outside with her friends, but Ian usually bums around the house until I make him go out! They each get 1/2 hr of reward time if they are well behaved/chores done, which is 1/2 hr of Wii, computer or tv. Sometimes though, I'll let them watch a whole movie if I am busy.
4.45pm: I make the lunches for the next day, and go over notes andletters they've bought home from school. I call around to make any play dates and write any important notes down for Eileen.
5:00pm: Hopefully if all is going well I use the next hour for either a break & do my own laundry, or play with the kids if they are hanging around
6.00pm: I start making diner
6.30pm: Kids have to be home at this time, and its normally the time dinner is served.
6.45pm: Clean up of dinner
7.00pm: From this time on my host mom could come home at any time, and when she does I'm finished work. If she asks me to put the kids to bed I have to do Clara's medical treatments, get kids in their pjs and teeth brushed, reading, and then lights out.
At the end of the day I'm normally pretty zonked and sometimes I go out for an hour with a friend, just to get out of the house; but usually I checked emails and facebook, research holiday and weekend travel plans, write blogs and upload photos from the weekend, chat to my friends & family back home or sometimes the girls here!
Well as this is happening its 3pm and I just hear the washing machine beeping telling me its ready!! Time to get back to work!....
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Sex and the City...
Friday night some of the girls and I saw a late session of the new (and awful) movie 'Dance Flick'. After a late night (and stressful week) I earned my Saturday morning sleep in!! Saturday night, Steph invited me around while she worked, to have a BBQ with her and her kids, plus Sarah & her kids. It was interesting to see how other aupairs and families and kids interact! Then after the girls finished, we picked up the newest aussie Matt, and went for a roam around the area, trying to find somewhere to just sit and chat...which was very hard to find!!
Sunday was the big exciting day, as we had all planned to meet up in the city for the Sex & the city tour!!! The tour was at 3pm, but getting there was a bit difficult as we had to walk up 5th and navigate through all the foot traffic because there was a parade going on. The parade was from the Israelians. In front of the Plaza Hotel we had to wait for ten minutes to cross 5th, as they momentarily paused the parade. While we were waiting, we saw a group of Palenstiniens start to protest and fight with the Israelians. The Palestiniens had some awful signs such as, "Bring back the Auschwitz". It was very surreal and quite intimidating, but at the same time interesting to see all the Israelians and Jewish people coming together to march.
We arrived at the bus a little early, because there was 6 of us and we wanted to all sit together. We were the first ones on, and as our tour guide started, we were excited to find out all the places we were going to visit! Our guide was full of sex puns and inside info and we watched clips from the show that corresponded with the location we were driving past. We got off the bus 4 times, the rest was just driving by. The first stop was to Budakahn, where Carrie & Big have their engagment party in the movie. It was an amazingly designed restaurant with a long big table in the centre of the room (just like the movie!). Our next stop was two-in-one. We could either go left to 'Two Boots Pizza' where the girls ate during an episode or right to 'The Pleasure Chest' a sex store they visited on the show. We went and had a laugh at the Pleasure Chest, and there were some very embarrassed customers when a tour group of 50 marched into the small store!! Our next stop was Magnolia's Bakery, where Miranda & Carrie ate cupcakes, bringing the trend back. I've had a cupcake from there before and they are delicious, and this time everyone got a free one with the tour. There were also so designer stores nearby, so we went into Marc by Marc Jacobs, and I bought my first and probably only designer Marc purchase...3 cocktail rings. I also bought a book of new york poetry from a small independant book store. Back on the bus, to make it to our last stop, an old Irish pub which had been used as Steve's pub (Scout) in the show. I wanted to get the official sex and the city drink, the cosmo, but they were $9 each so I just had a sip of one of the girls!!
The tour ended near Times Square, where we went for dinner. An old 50s style diner called 'Ellen's Stardust' where people trying to break into Broadway, dance and sing on the tables, and spin around with their huge skirts and greased hair! It was awesome, so much fun, I wanted to stay longer!! It was (believe it or not, chut chut) better then Johnny Rockets!! Hahah.
Me and the other girls giggled all the way home, through the streets of New York and the train into Scarsdale, and eventually my head hit my pillow at about midnight!
Sunday was the big exciting day, as we had all planned to meet up in the city for the Sex & the city tour!!! The tour was at 3pm, but getting there was a bit difficult as we had to walk up 5th and navigate through all the foot traffic because there was a parade going on. The parade was from the Israelians. In front of the Plaza Hotel we had to wait for ten minutes to cross 5th, as they momentarily paused the parade. While we were waiting, we saw a group of Palenstiniens start to protest and fight with the Israelians. The Palestiniens had some awful signs such as, "Bring back the Auschwitz". It was very surreal and quite intimidating, but at the same time interesting to see all the Israelians and Jewish people coming together to march.
We arrived at the bus a little early, because there was 6 of us and we wanted to all sit together. We were the first ones on, and as our tour guide started, we were excited to find out all the places we were going to visit! Our guide was full of sex puns and inside info and we watched clips from the show that corresponded with the location we were driving past. We got off the bus 4 times, the rest was just driving by. The first stop was to Budakahn, where Carrie & Big have their engagment party in the movie. It was an amazingly designed restaurant with a long big table in the centre of the room (just like the movie!). Our next stop was two-in-one. We could either go left to 'Two Boots Pizza' where the girls ate during an episode or right to 'The Pleasure Chest' a sex store they visited on the show. We went and had a laugh at the Pleasure Chest, and there were some very embarrassed customers when a tour group of 50 marched into the small store!! Our next stop was Magnolia's Bakery, where Miranda & Carrie ate cupcakes, bringing the trend back. I've had a cupcake from there before and they are delicious, and this time everyone got a free one with the tour. There were also so designer stores nearby, so we went into Marc by Marc Jacobs, and I bought my first and probably only designer Marc purchase...3 cocktail rings. I also bought a book of new york poetry from a small independant book store. Back on the bus, to make it to our last stop, an old Irish pub which had been used as Steve's pub (Scout) in the show. I wanted to get the official sex and the city drink, the cosmo, but they were $9 each so I just had a sip of one of the girls!!
The tour ended near Times Square, where we went for dinner. An old 50s style diner called 'Ellen's Stardust' where people trying to break into Broadway, dance and sing on the tables, and spin around with their huge skirts and greased hair! It was awesome, so much fun, I wanted to stay longer!! It was (believe it or not, chut chut) better then Johnny Rockets!! Hahah.
Me and the other girls giggled all the way home, through the streets of New York and the train into Scarsdale, and eventually my head hit my pillow at about midnight!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Hamptons (etc)...
Today was Memorial Day and so America had a long weekend which meant so did I, horray!! Friday night I packed my bags to go to Alissa's and didn't get home until a few hours ago (its now Monday night). We were suppose to stay the weekend in the Hamptons however our free accomodation/party thrower fell thru so we decided just to go in on the Saturday for the day. Alissa, Alice, Frannie and I woke up at 5am (I forgot there was a 5am) to take the 2ish hour trip to the Hamptons. Unfortunately the weather was awful - slightly chilly but ridiculously windy with chances of rain. We got to the beach and had planned on spending all day in the surf sand and sun but instead only spent a very windswept hour walking along the sand. I'm not just saying this because I'm Aussie, but our beaches back home are so much more beautiful and easily accessable. We were lucky we went in May because as of June you can only park in the Hamptons if you have a very expensive summer long parking pass - the people and area are very snobby and exclusive. The beach itself was virtually secluded and had a very different feel from an Australian beach - more somewhere to walk, read, relax as opposed to have fun, play sport, sun bathe and hang out like on the GC. It was definitly a lovely experience though to see what everyone always raves about! We went through a quick walk and bite for eat in a small Hampton town, before heading back home.
We then picked up Sarah and Steph and all had dinner at the delicious CheeseCake factory! Sunday and Monday were fun, lazy, save money, shopping, movies, chatting days but always lots of fun when I'm with my New York girls!!
We then picked up Sarah and Steph and all had dinner at the delicious CheeseCake factory! Sunday and Monday were fun, lazy, save money, shopping, movies, chatting days but always lots of fun when I'm with my New York girls!!
Death by Chocolate...and Rollercoasters...
So unfortunately even though I've only missed one weekends entry it makes me feel like I am ridiculously behind in the blogging! This entry is from last weekend (16th/17th May)...
Friday night was the first time I've got dressed up in a costume since me and Krystle's fantabulous (and untoppable) Disney party in December. The girls and I played a Murder Mystery Dinner Party entitled 'Death by Chocolate' in which we had to figure out who killed famous chocolateuir Billy Bonka. I played classy yet eccentric archeologist Dr Doris Johnson and we also had Chocolat Bertrand (Alice), Dame Barbara Carthorse (Sarah), Dr Sigmund Fraud (Steph), Marchioness Duchamp (Alissa), Maria Von Schnapp (Frannie) and the murderer Mike Bison (Lou). We had so much fun listening to t he crazy french investigator on the game's dvd, and reading our booklets with dialogues and clues and asking crazy questions! Lots of photos which you've probably seen on myspace, and something we can hopefully do again if we find another cheap murder mystery kit (I got the one we played for $5)!
Sunday was the big day we had planned for a while - going to Six Flags Great Adventure!! Six Flags is a theme park that they have all over America and the one we went to was in New Jersey about 1 1/2 away. Its sort of like movie world because it has the superheroes and looney tunes characters. Its more of a thrill park then Disney, because so many rollercoasters and not as much aimed at kids/families. It was the first time we had ALL the girls together - Me, Sarah, Frannie, Steph, Lou, Alissa, Alice and Emma. We all piled into Alissa's family's car and got there in about 2 hours because we got a little lost (stupid GPS!!). The rollercoasters were absolutely INSANE!! I went on a wooden rollercoaster that had a drop that was almost vertical, and only had the lap bar not the one that goes over ur head...it was so bloody scary I seriously thought I was going to fall out!! I then chickened out on another rollercoaster that had a similar drop because it only had a lap bar too and that just scared me too much. We went on a log ride, and the first time we didn't get wet at all, so we decided to go again and got SATURATED! It was such a cold and windy day that we had to use this huge dryer that they had next to the ride!! We stayed all day so about 10 hours of theme park fun haha. We also got old time photos which was so much fun, dressing up as barmaids and can can girls!
Friday night was the first time I've got dressed up in a costume since me and Krystle's fantabulous (and untoppable) Disney party in December. The girls and I played a Murder Mystery Dinner Party entitled 'Death by Chocolate' in which we had to figure out who killed famous chocolateuir Billy Bonka. I played classy yet eccentric archeologist Dr Doris Johnson and we also had Chocolat Bertrand (Alice), Dame Barbara Carthorse (Sarah), Dr Sigmund Fraud (Steph), Marchioness Duchamp (Alissa), Maria Von Schnapp (Frannie) and the murderer Mike Bison (Lou). We had so much fun listening to t he crazy french investigator on the game's dvd, and reading our booklets with dialogues and clues and asking crazy questions! Lots of photos which you've probably seen on myspace, and something we can hopefully do again if we find another cheap murder mystery kit (I got the one we played for $5)!
Sunday was the big day we had planned for a while - going to Six Flags Great Adventure!! Six Flags is a theme park that they have all over America and the one we went to was in New Jersey about 1 1/2 away. Its sort of like movie world because it has the superheroes and looney tunes characters. Its more of a thrill park then Disney, because so many rollercoasters and not as much aimed at kids/families. It was the first time we had ALL the girls together - Me, Sarah, Frannie, Steph, Lou, Alissa, Alice and Emma. We all piled into Alissa's family's car and got there in about 2 hours because we got a little lost (stupid GPS!!). The rollercoasters were absolutely INSANE!! I went on a wooden rollercoaster that had a drop that was almost vertical, and only had the lap bar not the one that goes over ur head...it was so bloody scary I seriously thought I was going to fall out!! I then chickened out on another rollercoaster that had a similar drop because it only had a lap bar too and that just scared me too much. We went on a log ride, and the first time we didn't get wet at all, so we decided to go again and got SATURATED! It was such a cold and windy day that we had to use this huge dryer that they had next to the ride!! We stayed all day so about 10 hours of theme park fun haha. We also got old time photos which was so much fun, dressing up as barmaids and can can girls!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Aussie Aussie Aussie...
In an effort to save some money (didn't work so well though...) this past weekend was spent with the girls milling about town.
Friday night was suppose to be a movie night, watching 'Twilight' in Alice's big home theatre but we all ended up talking and giggling, and didn't end up seeing any of the movie! But we did have alot of fun, shown by our 3am bed time!!
The next morning Alice, Sarah and I joined Steph who was working looking after her host kid's at their school fete. It was a pretty poor effort for a fair, but we made our own fun. I had the best cotton candy on a stick, yum so good, and we also found an international food stall that was selling green fizzers - which are one of my absolute favourite lollies!! They are apparently from South Africa, but the lady that served us was Australian, and knows one of the girl's host parents so she is going to let her know of the address of a place where we can get aussie food - yay! They were $1 each, so expensive but so worth it for a taste of back home!
In the afternoon we got some coffee, then went shopping. I had to buy some cheap summer dresses/skirts because its starting to get hot - and i got some really cheap things at a place called Burlington Coat Factory (which has cheap coats and all other clothes, all year round).
Sunday was another lazy day, we bought some cheap foam yellow visors from a craft store and decorated them so we can all wear them at silverbay (where I am going for my study component of my visa). They say aussie on the front, then when we flip them up they say oi...they are really lame but we love them and are going to wear them alllll weekend. We even made on that says honourary Aussie for our German friend, Frannie!
We went to a diner for dinner and while at the shops we bought a $5 murder mystery board game which we are going to play on friday night, instead of our usual ten dollar each trip to the cinemas!! Then saturday another fete (this one is behind my house, and suppose to be better with actual rides and games) then sunday is SIX FLAGS! I am SO excited...but will tell you allll about that, next week
XXX
Friday night was suppose to be a movie night, watching 'Twilight' in Alice's big home theatre but we all ended up talking and giggling, and didn't end up seeing any of the movie! But we did have alot of fun, shown by our 3am bed time!!
The next morning Alice, Sarah and I joined Steph who was working looking after her host kid's at their school fete. It was a pretty poor effort for a fair, but we made our own fun. I had the best cotton candy on a stick, yum so good, and we also found an international food stall that was selling green fizzers - which are one of my absolute favourite lollies!! They are apparently from South Africa, but the lady that served us was Australian, and knows one of the girl's host parents so she is going to let her know of the address of a place where we can get aussie food - yay! They were $1 each, so expensive but so worth it for a taste of back home!
In the afternoon we got some coffee, then went shopping. I had to buy some cheap summer dresses/skirts because its starting to get hot - and i got some really cheap things at a place called Burlington Coat Factory (which has cheap coats and all other clothes, all year round).
Sunday was another lazy day, we bought some cheap foam yellow visors from a craft store and decorated them so we can all wear them at silverbay (where I am going for my study component of my visa). They say aussie on the front, then when we flip them up they say oi...they are really lame but we love them and are going to wear them alllll weekend. We even made on that says honourary Aussie for our German friend, Frannie!
We went to a diner for dinner and while at the shops we bought a $5 murder mystery board game which we are going to play on friday night, instead of our usual ten dollar each trip to the cinemas!! Then saturday another fete (this one is behind my house, and suppose to be better with actual rides and games) then sunday is SIX FLAGS! I am SO excited...but will tell you allll about that, next week
XXX
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Living the dream...
I just had one of those moments where you stop and think, "I can't believe I am doing this!" I can't believe I am living in New York and shleping all over the East Coast living a traveller's dream! I've only been here four months and already I have
♥ Seen all of Philadelphia
♥ Been to Washington D.C and seen the White House, Capitol Building, Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial
♥ Explored Boston with a side trip to Cambridge and Harvard
♥ Gone to the top of the Empire State Building
♥ Looked into the eyes of the Statue of Liberty
♥ Seen 2 amazing seasons of Central Park
♥ Made life long friends
♥ Done tourist-NY - Times Square, indoor ferris wheels, Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock
♥ Strutted down 5th ave, Carrie Bradshaw style (ok maybe not quite like her but channeling her)
♥ Seen a Broadway Show
♥ Walked the halls of many famous museums and art galleries - Museums of Art, Natural History and American History
and so much more....
the next few weeks and months are booking up fast and sometimes I can hardly believe that I am actually here and actually doing all of this....
its nice to live the dream!
♥ Seen all of Philadelphia
♥ Been to Washington D.C and seen the White House, Capitol Building, Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial
♥ Explored Boston with a side trip to Cambridge and Harvard
♥ Gone to the top of the Empire State Building
♥ Looked into the eyes of the Statue of Liberty
♥ Seen 2 amazing seasons of Central Park
♥ Made life long friends
♥ Done tourist-NY - Times Square, indoor ferris wheels, Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock
♥ Strutted down 5th ave, Carrie Bradshaw style (ok maybe not quite like her but channeling her)
♥ Seen a Broadway Show
♥ Walked the halls of many famous museums and art galleries - Museums of Art, Natural History and American History
and so much more....
the next few weeks and months are booking up fast and sometimes I can hardly believe that I am actually here and actually doing all of this....
its nice to live the dream!
Monday, May 4, 2009
D.C with A.J & K.C...
This past weekend was the much anticipated trip to Washington D.C (capital of America) to see AJ & Casey (KC) before AJ flies home to Australia in a few weeks (and of course to get some sights in)! Would you believe it was raining! Last time when the 3 of us (and Allysha) were in Boston rained, I think we are jinxed! So after a painful 4am wake up call, I got a 5.23am train to the city to catch a subway to the bus to take me to D.C! 5 hour tedious bus ride later and I was meeting Casey at the bus stop and we were on our way to 'the mall' the stretch of grass going from Capitol Building to Lincoln Memorial, with all museums and things in between. We first walked to the Washington Monument (the pencil) and then to the WW2 monument and Lincoln Memorial. The washington monument was better to see from far away, the ww2 was really pretty with lovely fountains, quotes and a block of stone with each state's named engraved on it. The lincoln memorial was surprisingly powerful. It was quite a big building and all it housed was his statue, which itself was quite huge. But everyone was really silent inside and he just looked down on you with such power.
We met AJ at lunch time, which we had in 'The Old Post Office Building' before making our way to the American Museum of History. We only had a quick blitz through but saw Dorothy's red shoes, Kermit the frog, Oscar the Grouch and a room with American History items. The shoes were definitly the best!!
Then another hike to the other side of the the mall to see the Capitol Building. We didn't go inside but did see the outside obviously!! The White House was next and the back was closed but we did see the front! It was definitly NOT as big as I thought it would be but it was still great to see Mr Obama's house!
After all the walking and lugging my bag around, we finally stopped at Ruby Tuesday's for dinner (I had nachos yummmmmy). Then the girls took me back to their places (45 minutes away) in Maryland (different state...American's pronounce it Merry-lend).
Whilst Saturday only drizzled in the morning, Sunday POURED all day long! Most of the things I wanted to do were outside or we had to walk too :( So instead we went to the amazingly awesome so much fun waaaay cool INTERNATIONAL SPY MUSEUM! WOOH! It was so cool (except that u couldnt take photos that was ridiculous) they had all kinds of gadgets that spies use, and information about spies and games and interactive components. You could crawl through air ducts,and tunnels and listen to bugged rooms! It was fantastic! The gift shop was good too with lots of merchandise from spy shows/movies like Pink Panther, Spy vs Spy, 24, James Bond...unfortunately they only had Get Smart dvds no merch :( I did get a Spy vs Spy shirt though which I love!!
So the rest of the day was just spent chillaxing at the cinemas and starbucks because it was just waay to wet to do the rest of my plans! But thats ok, even though AJ is going home soon, Casey will still be there and her family was nice enough to have me this (and I'm sure any other) weekend!!
Overall was a fun fun trip, D.C was not as great as I expected but was still good!
We met AJ at lunch time, which we had in 'The Old Post Office Building' before making our way to the American Museum of History. We only had a quick blitz through but saw Dorothy's red shoes, Kermit the frog, Oscar the Grouch and a room with American History items. The shoes were definitly the best!!
Then another hike to the other side of the the mall to see the Capitol Building. We didn't go inside but did see the outside obviously!! The White House was next and the back was closed but we did see the front! It was definitly NOT as big as I thought it would be but it was still great to see Mr Obama's house!
After all the walking and lugging my bag around, we finally stopped at Ruby Tuesday's for dinner (I had nachos yummmmmy). Then the girls took me back to their places (45 minutes away) in Maryland (different state...American's pronounce it Merry-lend).
Whilst Saturday only drizzled in the morning, Sunday POURED all day long! Most of the things I wanted to do were outside or we had to walk too :( So instead we went to the amazingly awesome so much fun waaaay cool INTERNATIONAL SPY MUSEUM! WOOH! It was so cool (except that u couldnt take photos that was ridiculous) they had all kinds of gadgets that spies use, and information about spies and games and interactive components. You could crawl through air ducts,and tunnels and listen to bugged rooms! It was fantastic! The gift shop was good too with lots of merchandise from spy shows/movies like Pink Panther, Spy vs Spy, 24, James Bond...unfortunately they only had Get Smart dvds no merch :( I did get a Spy vs Spy shirt though which I love!!
So the rest of the day was just spent chillaxing at the cinemas and starbucks because it was just waay to wet to do the rest of my plans! But thats ok, even though AJ is going home soon, Casey will still be there and her family was nice enough to have me this (and I'm sure any other) weekend!!
Overall was a fun fun trip, D.C was not as great as I expected but was still good!
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