HEY Y'ALL (The Aussies love that)
Not TOO much going on this week down under. This post is a bit bare compared to the last couple weeks when it comes to pictures and everything... I am still having fun :) so enjoy the random compilation of thoughts below:
Jodie is so sweet! She found these cute t-shirts and sent them to Embry and Ford. I wish Embry and Ford could come visit me... but that plane ride is brutal! I mean how cute are they?!
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Embry and Ford DOWN UNDER!
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This was the last week of summer for the kids... and boyyyyy are they ready for school. Trying to keep a 12 year old boy, 8 year old girl, and 2 year old girl entertained is a bit of a challenge. At one point I had them running laps for time at the park haha... whatever works. Maddison and I baked some cupcakes one day during Zoe's nap. She is so sweet and so helpful.
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| Maddison the Baker! |
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| Best part of baking is eating! |
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When your two year old learns how to take selfies
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| The things we do to entertain ourselves |
One day this week, Jodie's niece Olivia began school for the first time. It's called prep - I think it is our equivalent to kindergarten. We went over to Olivia's house early in the morning and she was all dressed in her adorable uniform and pigtails. The family began taking pictures and gave her a couple presents. It was so cute how excited she was. Then we all walked down the road to her school. I saw mothers dropping their children off and crying and I couldn't help but tear up imagining Embry and Ford heading off to school for the first time. It is just so crazy how fast time goes. Olivia was so pumped to get into the classroom and start learning, so no tears were shed!
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| Olivia's first day! |
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| Maddison walking Olivia to school! They are the cutest cousins. |
One night for dinner I made a chicken stir fry. Look how gorgeous those veggies are! I am learning so much when it comes to cooking and cleaning. As the 3rd child in my family, with 2 great parents and 2 amazing older sisters, I never really had to cook or clean too much. I mean I know the basics but with all the super heroes around me, I never had to do much! I am proud to say I will come back to America prepared to be a good wife and mother someday haha ;)
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| Papa Fanning would be so proud. |
Blake and Zoe both suffer from asthma. Jodie takes Zoe to "Salt Therapy" once a week to help with her asthma. You sit in a room filled with salt for 45 minutes and then through a vent in the wall more salt comes through. It is supposed to get into your lungs and break up any gunk down in there. Since I was beginning to feel sick again, Jodie sent me in there to sit with Zoe and Madd. We watched a couple episodes of Peppa Pig while sitting there. Who knows if it helped, but it definitely did not hurt!
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| Salt Therapy with Madd and Zoe |
This week, I finally opened up all of my 3 daily devotional books I brought with me. Any struggles I have had thus far, I know if I was giving it all to God and talking to Him about everything I would have no more worry in my heart. The second I opened my Jesus Calling book, the words just jumped off the page at me and spoke right to me. It's funny how that always happens. I have been missing home and occasionally counting down the days until I get to go home, but on the flip side, going home stresses me out. I will be going back to reality and have to start over in the career world and I have no idea what I want to do. I started spinning all these ideas in my head and getting myself upset. Then I remembered that everyone around me is supporting me. I am so thankful for that, especially my parents, who encouraged me to go out of my comfort zone and have this experience.
I was surfing Pinterest and I found this printable and it spoke to me and what I am going through. I graduated from college, got a job, and was following the "rules of life". But I felt unsatisfied. So I up and quit and came here for this experience. Sometimes people I meet here say, "wait why are you just a nanny if you already have a degree?" and I explain to them that it isn't about money, or power, or success, or anything. It is about experiencing things and living in the moment.
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| Praying this daily |
Friday
On Friday morning I woke up with an extremely sore throat. I was quite annoyed by this because I had JUST gotten over being sick and I was looking forward to a good weekend. I informed Jodie of the way I felt and she said I would go to the doctor to get another prescription.
Friday was also the first day of school for Blake. He is in grade 6 and goes to a coed private school (their uniforms are all so cute!). Maddison starts school tomorrow. She is in grade 3 and goes to an all girls private school. So our morning was a bit hectic getting Blake to school and then Zoe to daycare. After the drop offs were over, Jodie, Madd and I ran around town a bit. I went to the doctor and got on a stronger antibiotic for my throat. I guess my body has just had a hard time adjusting to the Australian air. I felt terrible for being sick again because I am RARELY sick. I told Jodie this is just so odd - I didn't want her thinking I am here from America trying to infect her family haha.
Jodie suggested we run to McDonald's for lunch as a special treat for Madd and I was excited because I hadn't tried it here in Australia. We go through the drive thru line and she ordered me: "a quarter pounder with only cheese and ketchup." We get the food and drive home. I open my bag and McDonald's has given me a bun with cheese and ketchup. No meat. I guess they take things extremely literally here. It was really funny but I was really bummed haha. Especially because I was already feeling SO blah from being sick.
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| I'd like a quarter pounder but hold the meat? |
Because I was feeling so sick, it was making me extremely homesick. I just wanted my mom. I wanted to lay in my own bed (even though my bed here is SO comfy haha!). I wanted to kiss on Embry and Ford. I think a mixture of being overly tired and feeling so sick caused a moment of weakness for me. I spent Friday afternoon crying over FaceTime to each member of my family and Amalia. I just explained the unique feeling of wanting to come home but knowing I can't just turn around and do that. It's just a weird feeling. I had been informed that homesickness will come and go. I am not lying when I say I am having SO much fun. But anyone that knows me well, knows that my heart and soul is with my family, so for me to be away is a big deal. Also my entire family was together, including my grandparents from Chicago, so I was just missing them.
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| Just reading this makes me cry - I love my sweet family :) |
By the time I was done talking to everyone, I took a long nap and woke up feeling like a new person. My throat felt a bit better and I had made dinner plans with some other Au Pairs in the area. We were going to a sports bar called The Sporting Globe. It reminded me of restaurants in America, with lots of TVs all around and also a guitarist there singing and playing live music! It was Bek, Tori, Maddison, and Amanda. Bek and Tori are from the Carolinas. Maddison and Amanda are both Australian. We ordered lots of bar food and drank some wine. And we just sat and talked and ate and drank. It was EXACTLY what I needed. Because I was on antibiotics I didn't want to "go out" and party. But I was craving some girlfriend interaction. It was such a great night. I told Jodie it felt like I was hanging out with girls who I have known forever.
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| Found a Chimmy's in Australia! Wanting a DP Shootout.... |
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| Amanda, Bek, and Maddison! |
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| Tori and me trying to be romantic |
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| Girly night! |
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| Cheers to new friends! |
Saturday
Saturday morning was a bit annoying. The Quick's were getting their house sprayed for spiders - a preventative measure they take twice a year to ensure their house is spider free! I was feeling better but I had slept terribly again so I was SO tired. We had to be out of the house from 8:30am-1:30pm. So we ran errands around town, took Blake to tennis, then spent the last couple hours at Jodie's office. I love my host family. I feel so lucky to have found them. But sometimes, just like anyone else, I need some alone time and so when we were able to go back to the house, I was happy to hide away in my room and watch movies all afternoon. I rented the movie Gone Girl, which I had seen before but I was feeling like a dark movie for the afternoon.
When I woke up from my 3 hour nap, Bek had texted me that we were going to meet girls again at The Sporting Globe. I quickly got ready and headed over to her house (via Uber). We didn't realize the Australian Soccer game was on, so this place was packed! It was fun to watch with a bunch of people. Australia ended up winning too! We hung out there for a couple hours and ended up making friends with some guys that were there. Sporting Globe was closing at 1am and we went onto our next place. As we were walking on the street to the next bar, we noticed in a restaurant there was a huge party going on. A big group of greeks were having a birthday party! We went to the window of the restaurant they were in and they immediately invited us in. It was hilarious. They were dancing traditional greek dances and eating desserts and yelling OPAAAAAA!!! I asked a couple of the women if we could break some plates and they said no haha! We thanked the greeks for allowing us to crash their family birthday party and continued on to the next bar. I just loved that part of the night. I will probably never see any of them again and I don't know any of their names but it was so unexpected and fun. We went onto another place called Swan Hotel. It was fun but I was getting sleepy so I left soon after. These Aussies party SO late here.
Australian Soccer wins!
Crashing Greek Parties
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| Just another new friend |
Sunday
I woke up fairly early but laid in my bed until lunch. I went to a DELICIOUS brunch place called Lumberjack's with Bek and Tori. I ordered poached eggs on toast. It was heaven. After brunch, I came home and hid in my room to watch movies again. It may sound like I am a bum but I think everyone should be entitled to a "crash day." Sunday evening Jodie cooked tacos! It was ground beef and hard taco shells and all the fixings. Back at home we probably eat Mexican food 3-4 times a week, so it was familiar and nice!
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| Mexican food! Yum! |
We will be busy this week - but I am looking forward to being in a routine with the kids at school! It'll be nice just having Zoe at home! :)
Happy 21st Birthday Harry! Love you and see you soon in Australia!
