Wednesday, November 16, 2011

What does an AuPair do all day?

This is one of the frequently asked questions I get from everyone at home. So, let's start with some general helpful tips I've learned...

1) Always wear your tree climbing pants.
2) Bring water. Not only to drink but also to wash off mud.
3) Socks can double as a quick mop up.
4) Sleeves can also double for face wipes.
5) Be creative. Use vivid bed time story voices.
6) Expect to have the responsibility of holding the collection of rocks, sticks, leaves, or bugs where ever you go.
7) When I wake up in the morning and I am sore, it is either from playing Peter Pan and having the role of being the pixie dust so they can fly, or it's because I am a walking jungle gym. (it's my secret to keeping my arms tone)
8) Bring your game face because they bring their please puppy face.

But this is the play by play of my week...

Every school day morning we wake up and have breakfast at 6:15. Then the bus comes for the boys and they are off to school at 7. So on somedays I go back to bed for a bit (you would too, am I right?). On Monday and Thursday from 9-12 am I have my language course. It's going ok. But I'm mainly learning from the family. I have to be extremely attentive though!

On Monday, Tuesday, and Friday afternoons I watch the boys and try to sneak in some English lessons. But even just while we are playing around the house, the boys English improves. They come home from school at 1:30 and we eat lunch together. I managed to remember a few Graces from camp and teach them to the boys haha. The Superman Grace is favorite for these kids, too. My cooking knowledge has probably double since I got here... So have my karate moves. After lunch the boys do their homework and then we play for a while. I am always up for building forts, hide-and-go-seek, and Kapla blocks. And then later in the afternoon the boys have their gymnastics or piano and guitar lessons to go to. On Wednesdays I clean and go to the grocery store and the boys stay longer in school. So days get busy and go by fast.

And what do I do in my free time? Different nights I go into the city and meet up with friends most of the time. When I'm here at the house, mostly I read and keep up with friendly emails (there is so much to keep up with in Texas). I've been going to an international church on Sunday's and a small group bible study on Wednesday nights that I'm enjoying. Monday we have a movie night at a friends house. And then there are the traveling weekends :) these are my favorite! I haven't gotten to travel much this month but in two weeks I'll be in Ireland with Jessica and Brittany! I can't wait!

So, get the picture? My work is a lot of playing, but my playing is a lot of work.

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