Yeah, we are really cool. I know.

We found Mirea's gloves with mustaches on!

 

I had New York-cheesecake with cookiedough and caramel sauce - delicious!

 

 

 

 

 

 I didn't take any pictures when it was thanksgiving, but we had a good time.

We went to Julias house around 1.30 (it was so quiet outside - not a single car, it felt like Sävsjö again!) and her parents welcomed us. They are really nice, her mom is so cute!

They had some relatives there, grandma (so cool) and the swedish grandpa Bengt. Annikas sister and brother and some kids. 

We ate some turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry (looked like lingonberry), beans, squash-mix. It was so great that it wasn't extreme - it was just a good dinner. Some people eat until they can't walk, but we had just the right amount. After that we went for a walk - just the girls (Annika, her sister & mother, Julia, Sofie and I). They are so relaxed and fun - the grandma was awesume!

When we got home the boys went out and we sat talking for awhile. Then it was time for desert. 3 different pies - pumpkin pie (not a hit), apple pie and pear pie (i don't like fruitpies a lot so I had a lot of ice cream!!).

It was really nice to see how they celebrated thanksgiving even though I don't think they did it in an extreme traditional way. It was chill with jokes and good food. I liked it.

After that we had to go home and give Vespa food (since I promised to take care of her while my family are in Washington D.C) and Julia came with us home to see a movie. 

We all fell asleep pretty early - but it is so nice to sleep in front of the TV... haha.

I will put a password on my blog now!

 

The password is:

 

Användarnamn: lösenord

Lösenord: lösenord

 

Please keep this in mind!

 

 

It was so fun to see on the big screen in the middle which fans that was nominated to the best ones. They taped the audience all the time in pauses and some of the people that were taped were so cool. They started to dance and got crazy! Some were really celtic-fans. One little girl had fallen asleep and she won the contest!

It was so cool to see the game live!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today Arno and I had a pretty good day together.

He gets off early from school every tuesday and directly after lunch we drove to pottery in Newtonville. I went groceryshopping on Whole Foods in Newtonville (the big one) and picked him up again.

While we were driving home he asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up and I answered "something with interior design or a café". Then he said: "Oh, if you wanna work at a café they have a really good one in Natick Mall. You could work there..!"

Yeah, some of us think I will stay in the US for the rest of my life :) So cute!

Later on we started to talk about kids. Arno doesn't want any kids when he gets older - they are expensive. You have to buy them clothes and food... and allowance every week. And he plan to buy a minicooper, and they are so tiny that kids wouldn't fit. But he probably wants a wife (not a whiny one) because otherwise his career as an artist wouldn't be as he wants. He don't want to be a lonely artist that only draws sad paintings etc.

 

When we got home we had some snack and then the idea came up to go to Michael's and see if they were open yet. They had not, but we went to Marshalls and bought a snowman instead. Arno named him Justin after his friend and was so happy about him! In the car he said: "I can't wait for thanksgiving. I hope it will be fun, but I am not sure.."

I said: "It seems like a lot of fun, why wouldn't it be?"

He said: "I'd rather spend it with you"

 

When your kid says something like that - that's what makes this trip to one of the best things in your life!

We decided that we are going to make our own thanksgiving - so we can celebrate it together. We talked about making cardboard tables and plates and much more.

And when we got home and I parked the car on the street I said: "Here we are, home again. Maybe Lori and Mirea are home too now."

He answered: "Yeah... I kind of wish they weren't"

Me: "Why?"

He:"Cause that will give me more time with you"

 

Adorable? Yes.

 

 

As another award for the day, after Arno's playdate, we went to Sweet Tarts for some frozen yoghurt.

 

The kids had the day off school this Monday since it was veterans day (don't even know what that is).

They had earned some awards so we decided to do some arts and crafts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arno liked it so badly, he licked of the spoon all the time!

 

 

 

This might take awhile to write, but I decided to summarize my 10 weeks here in the United States!

First of all: I didn't expect my kids to be so wellbehavied and polite as they are. I was kind of prepared for a struggle, for fighting children with lots of issues. I'm so thankful for my kids, after all - the kids are your job and it's important to get along with them and I totally love them. I would never ever want any other children! Like today: it was freezing cold and snowing outside. Mirea and I went to Starbucks to get her some hot chocolate and when we sat in the car she asked me if I was cold. I said yes and she told me to take a sip of her hot chocolate to get nice and warm again. So friendly and caring! And Arno yesterday: I went upstairs with him when it was time for his shower in the evening before bedtime. After a while he started to make fog on the shower enclosure. He drawed a heart and an arrow to me. Then he wrote I love you. He is awesume - both of them are!

Lori and Charlie are also really good people. I'm glad that I have them as my hostparents - this whole family is great. I could wish that we communicated more (we do not have weekly meetings as they said, cause they seem to be happy about everything). What I hadn't expected was their strict rules about table manners and so on. Fabric napkins every dinner (in your lap), no elbows on the table, no speaking with food in your mouth (this rule totally make sense to me, but I still think they are a little bit to strict), no leaving the table while eating, sit properly on your chair etc. When I wrote it here it suddenly looked different compared to the reality. My point here was that I think it might be a little bit to strict. But otherwise the kids wouldn't be so well behavied so I get it.

I start to like my room here (it will never be like mine at home, but still) I've make it more Victoria now and it feels good to wake up here every day. My bed here is definitely more comfortable here than home!! I sleep like a princess every night. I have just put up my picturewall too - I'm so happy about it! The one thing I can complain about my room is that the roof is so thin - I hear everything that's going on upstairs and they probably hear me too. Usually I don't do very loud things but I hate to be aware that they can hear me whatever I do. I don't like that I have to be quiet.

My bathroom is great - I love to have my own bathroom! But it's audible too - and I still haven't got used to the fact that it's almost 75 percent water in the toilet compared to about 25 percent in Sweden (and that's just in my toilet in this house!). I hope I will look back here and laugh some day...

Some other differenses: They always have cheese on their pasta, we always eat two pieces of bread together (a sandwich) not just one piece like we do at home. They always have lunchbags for school, they get off school/jobs if there's too much snow. I could sit here and write the whole night, but I don't have energy for that. Measurements, temperature and so on are different. So far I haven't learned so much of it, but I guess I will.

I think I've learned some english, but I still feel like a beginner. I know I'm learning all the time, but sometimes it feels so far away... Sometimes the kids think I'm stupied, like I don't get anything at all - I would really like to show them my homecountry and the world I am from. Because they seem to think that their world is everything that exists. And I don't blame them, but sometimes I get tired of doing everything their way just because they think that's the only right way. But, this is level 7 - I love my family and I love the USA.

I don't know how much I've gained so far, but we'll see later on. I do workouts several times a week (exept last week when I had a cold). There's much junkfood here, but my family are still kind of healty so I hope that'll help me cause I don't whant to come home fat ;)

About myself: This is a journey of my life. So far I can say that it have been worth it. It has opened my eyes so much, I see life in a different way - I appreciate life in a different way! Before I left I started to see everything as if I saw it for the last time of my life, that's interesting. And I have done so much fun stuff here, more than I would have done in 6 months at home probably, I've met so many new people and learned how simple life can be if you only let it. If you want to do something - just do it. Life is too short to be shy and scared!

I have developed so much as a person so far, I can say right now that this decision to go here was one of the best decisions of my life. I've discovered so many nice places and things. It feels good to know that the world have so much more to give!

Ofcourse Sävsjö and you people pops up in my head sometimes, I have to remind myself that a year is a short time of my life and that everything will stay as it is. I have thought of elljusspåret, källeryd, badhuset, biblioteket etc. Wierd things I didn't think I would miss. And I can't really say that I miss it either - I have just thought about it.. I'm glad I haven't been homesick yet. CC say that the homesickness usually starts between the second and the fourth month. But so far I just feel that I miss something for a while and then the thought dissappears. I think the worst part is that I can not get it. That it is impossible for now and some months further on. Please you guys, don't say that you miss me - the day when I'm really homesick I will take it very serious and maybe want to go home. You don't want to ruin my year!

Sooo... with these words I just wanted to say: I am happy with my life here and I am thankful for that!

Talk to you later!

Xoxo

 

This sunday I had the kids while Lori and Charlie went out for a birthdaylunch.

At 1.30 I had this Safety meeting with my LCC and I came about 1 hour too late since they were out. Luckily Lori had talked to Ryan so he knew about it, but it was at Boston College (which is like a whole big town!!) and it was so hard to find where the meeting was. So I was still a little late even though he knew I was late, he didn't know I was going to be that late! However, the meeting was just about fire, drugs etc, boring stuff that I was glad that I missed. But it was kind of embarrassing when everybody in the classroom looked at me when I came in.. I hate things like that.. Well, now my meeting for this month is over!! And Ryan was the only one with two safetymeetings in one, so many other aupairs have to go to two different.

 

 

Boston College (with ALL their buildings).

 

 

I uploaded small pictures since the quality was really bad (you weren't allowed to take pictures so I had to hide my camera, and I also tooke these pictures with the small camera...)

 

Today the kids had earned an award, both of them had done 10 things. (I told Arno that he deserved 5 points for his swimmingclasses since he totally hates it, but he thought that was unfair for Mirea. Then we all together decided that he would get 3 points instead. They really are like two small grownups!)

First we didn't know what our next award would be. Since the kids had so much halloween-candy we decided that something sweet was better for another week. Arno was in a mood for picnic somewhere inside the house, but Mirea was not. Mirea was in a mood for arts and crafts but Arno was not.

Then why not make a treasure hunt for each other?!

Mirea did one for Arno, Arno did one for me and I did one for Mirea. Off we went!

 

 

 

This Thursday was a really stressful day. Lori signed Arno up for swimmingclasses at YMCA and the only classes they had were at Mondays or Thursdays on really bad times. Luckily this week Arno had early release from school so we made it in time but for the next weeks I will pick Arno up at 3, then go to Mirea's school to pick her up (she also get off school at 3 and it takes about 15-20 minutes to get there depending on the traffic) then we'll go to YMCA, that lies on one side on Newton, for Arno's swimming that starts 3.40 and then I'll drop Mirea off at her dance, that lies on the other side of Newton, that starts at 4.30. I will have to drop her off really early since I got to drive back really fast since Arno's swimmingclass ends at 4.20. Yes, a stressful day for me. Lori said we would give it a shot and then we'll see, but so far - hmmm....?  

 

 

 

Here's Arno and Mirea's halloween-card that they made. I guess Lori and Charlie got both of them so they got mine too.