2010 - 2011 AuPair Search

It's that time of year again where I have to start the search for a new AuPair. We try to have the arrival of the new Aupair coincide with the school year so that the kids don't have to make adjustments midyear. It is always stressfull because you never know really what you are going to get until that person arrives. I have however, gotten pretty good at weeding out the ones that would not work with our family dynamics. Our agency has a new program this year where we can watch a video clip of the applicant, which is quite helpful in some ways. Still it takes time to review the applicants, conduct the interviews, and make a final decision. Our current AuPair, Ilona, would like to stay for a second year and we would love for her to stay too, but she says her family wants her to come home and start college, so I think she's feeling a little sad about that. It would be so great if she could stay one more year, but I still need to assume she is going home in September and plan accordingly.

We had a lovely visit with Karin our former AuPair from Sweden. She stayed with us for two weeks and it was hard for the kids to say goodbye this past Monday. Nathan told her that he didn't want to say goodbye because he would miss her too much. So sweet. Gillian didn't want to hug her because she knew she was going home too. The nice part is that Karin will visit again. She's stayed in touch with our family on a regular basis since she left, so she fits right in to our life of craziness.

My friend at work told me about a sign she saw over the weekend that said , "I'm still hot, it just comes in flashes now." She said she thought of me when she read it....ha haa haaa...I love it cause it is sooooooooo true!

Frances is away for the next three weeks working at the Alameda County Fair. She is the Barn Tour crew chief this year. We're planning on taking the kids to the fair over the weekend, hopefully we will NOT come home with any barnyard animals again like we did last year. The neighbor didn't appreciate the two baby ducks in our back yard last year. She said they were keeping her awake with all the quacking...really lady? Ducks don't quack at night, THEY SLEEP! And you wanna know how I know, cause their sleeping crate was right outside my window! She is a nut job. Anyway, we found the duck a new home on a farm in the country last summer, so the neighbor could get off her rant wagon. I've a good mind to just bring home a whole gaggle of ducks and put them close to fence just to annoy her again, or better yet, maybe a sheep or goat just to see what she does. Just plain annoys me, but what can you do, there is always one crazy in every neighborhood. Funny thing is that she thinks it's us and we think it's her. It's probably a little bit of both, but I don't care, at least not today anyway.