July 12, 2009

I've just finished a delicious Sunday dinner of ham steak, sweet potatoes and two small bowls of cherry garcia froyo. The kids are in bed and there' s a little time for me to write an update.

The big news for us this week is that our second au pair is leaving. "What?" you say. She just arrived and before you could say "Jackie Robinson" and she has turned on her heels and is out the door. At this point, you're probably thinking to yourself...."What are Dan and Kyly doing to those au pairs that they're turning tail and leaving so soon? Is Kyly's cooking really that bad!? Maybe underneath that easy going veneer she is unyieldingly strict...Or maybe Aidan and Ella are holy terrors cleverly disguised as sweetness and light. "

We'lll, it is hard to explain but perhaps the short answer is Zoraima wanted more affordable English classes. It's a long story - we found a good class at the community college for Zoraima but she is not willing to pay more than $100 above the $500 stipend we, as the host family, are required to provide. Zoraima considered the class too expensive, wouldn't accept some of the alternative opportunities that were offered and requested a transfer. Like us, maybe you're thinking to yourself - "Yikes, this sucks!" This has definitely opened our eyes and frankly been a bit stressful. The good news through it all is that the twins seem unconcerned about the change in care providers.

Sooooew, we Were back on the market again this week looking for a new experienced au pair. We may have gotten lucky and found a new au pair who is already in the state -which could make the transition time shorter. She seems to be a lovely girl and we'll tell you more about her when she gets here. In the meantime, please wish us all Good Luck!!

Love Ella's expression in this pic.