TRIP OVERVIEW

here is my top 3 and bottom 3 of all three trips...
so much happened while Cass was here and i only had the genious idea to keep a journal of it starting in Paris... so that is to come but as for everything else you get pictures and the best and the worst :)

ENGLAND
top three:
- on the sunday we went to all major tourist attractions and for lunch we stopped at a cute pub along the thames... we had lunch and just relaxed
- camden on the saturday... it was a beautiful weather the entire time she was here... and it was so chill
- taking her to the george on the saturday night, we had cocktail pitchers and relaxed on the patio

bottom three:
- having to work, and take livy out with us: it as fun and all but it limited us for the 2 days we had her
- the tuesday Cassie went on a day trip and I was alone with the girls... i was lonely
- the shopping day... it was fun but it was our last day and i was soo tired and had no money so i just carried cassie bags and got jealous!

hilarious highlight:
- when cassie got shit on by a piegon in the park
- when cassie and all my friend got together for dinner and drinks wednesday night... the convo got hilarious



VENICE
top three:
- finding the most peaceful spot on our last day and just relaxing in the sun by the water
- our gondola ride
- visiting the island of murano and burano

bottom three:
- having to pay 5 euros for a coke because the price wasnt on the menu
- the rediculous line for the basillica (we didnt even wait in it)
- not getting a hot guy to drive our gondola

hillarious highlights:
- cassie getting shit on AGAIN by a piegon haha
- cassie buying a illegal D&G bag
- seeing a gondola driver pick his ass while passing by us



PARIS
top three:
- sainte chapel: walking in and getting blown away by the stained glass... i almost said shit in the church
- finding our cute bar/pub in montmarte the first time, it was so cool
- sitting on the steps in montmarte in front of the bacillica listening to the music
(bonus) - watching the effil tower light up at night

bottom three:
- being to tired at points to hold up a conversation
- hurting my back
- finding our cute bar/pub the second time and drinking far to much

hillarious highlights:
- cassie studdering on the word consider for like 5 goes before she actually got it right
(cassie found more things funny in paris, my luck wasn't on my side lol)



I HOPE THAT IS GOOD, ENJOY MY PARIS BLOG - ITS MORE DETAILED!

PARIS JOURNALS

IN PARIS I KEPT A JOURNAL OF EVENTS SO I COULD KEEP IT AND POST IT IN MY SCRAPBOOK AND BLOG THEM... SO HERE IS WHAT WE DID!
(IVE ADDED AUTHERS NOTES IN CAPS. AFTER SOME ENTRYS... A REVIEW)

April 11th, 2009

Its monday morning and our first DAY in Paris starts now... but getting here was a journey in itself! Our flight from Venice got us in at 11:00pm! Of course we weren't in the airport till 11:45, we ran across the airport only to hop on the last train that night. Then after being total tourist we got off at a random stop with our fingers crossed and asked these 2 employees, who were no older than 20. They were the frist nice frenchies we met. They tired their very best English and helped us out. Only to send us on a rat race because all the trains were on there last run. AND Paris has 14 metros, 4 trains and 5 rail lines! Also all gates are protected by a glass door and a metal bar you need to open with a ticket... which we didnt have and thats where nice frenchie #2 comes in. This nice woman saw us without our tickets and scanned her card in the exit door... opening the glass so we could hop the metal gate. Now why didnt we get a ticket? Its not our fault the office was closed, it was 1:00am by this point. Now we knew we were 5 mins away from our room byt were sooo lost we asked a couple on there way home for help... they proceeded to walk with us to our hostel, along the way giving us tips and advice on Paris. NICEST WOMAN EVER! Only to get to our hostel who usually close its dest at 12:00... to be shutting its gate, we knock knock knocked... bag bag bagged and were HOME SWEET HOME at 2:00am! We got so much luck, now Cassie is finsihed up getting ready and we'll head into the city!

April 11th, 2009 (evening)

What a first day... WOW! With a great end too! Cassie and I just called Dan and Mom/Dad for 3.90 Euros. The first sight of Paris we saw was the Arc Du Triphume (sp), amazing! It blows all London momuments out of the water. From there we walked through posh town to get to the Effil Tower, which was also crazy but not as nice. After seeing the monuments we decdied to spend the afternoon in Montmarte (home of Moulin Rouge). Along with shops we found this amazing basilica that had at least 200 steps up to it! Once we entred it there was an African man and groupies jamming while at least 200 onlookers listened. They had guitars and bongo etc., we watched for a solid 1.5 hrs BEST EVER! After a little more roming we found this cafe/bar that had happy hour... what a "HAPPY" type... cocktails = 6 EUROS with at least 3 shots. It was so chill, we're gonna go back for a later night Wed, when we left they were evening doing salsa. So that day with that ngiht = BEST FIRST NIGHT EVER!

LITTLE DID WE KNOW AT THIS POINT THAT THOSE SAME FABULOUS COCKTAILS WOULD MAKE US SICK 2 NIGHTS LATER... HAVENT BEEN THAT DRUNK SINCE I WAS LIKE 19!

April 12, 2009

OMG im so exausted, Cassie and I even decided to reschudule a few things (1 thing) because we just weren't up for it. I dont know how anyone can backpack for month(s). I have really started to appricate how i'm doing it; having a central home base in Europe. Its been 5 days and were beat... but we're just gonna get a good/great sleep tonight and start 110% tomorrow. Today was a bit of an annoying dayy because we heard about this 'cool' shopping area The Passages so we were pumped and it was like a glorifed mall. But oh well everyday cant be THE BEST but we did make it to the catacombs, after an hour wait in line, but it was worth it! Its 130 steps in a spiral down to caves wehre the remains of 3 million people lay. Its freaking creepy; but so cool (got some good pics!) I dont know how people are constantly travelling (unless its like an all inclusive vacay), but I'm in Paris... only live once!

I REALLY ENJOYED WRITING ABOUT THE STEPS... MAY SHOW HOW UNFIT I AM!

April 14th, 2009

So I skipped writing on the 13th because we were to bsuy with our heads in the toliet to function. Yesturday we had another great day, with a memorable ending. We went to Notre Dame top, which meant climbing 422 stairs in an upward spiral! OMG Paris is one freaking stair after another. But it was well worth it, in line we ended up meeting Amanda and Katy a mother and daughter from Sydney! They made the line go so much quicker, and we exchanged emails! From that we went to Sainte Chapel, WOW it was breath taking... so overwhelming (a new personal fav) it cant even be described. Beside it was the jail where Mary Antoinette (sp) was kept in for 76 or 86 days before she was sentence to death! We ended our site seeing at The Lourve. Then came to our demise... happy hour round two, so mcuh fun but got a LITTLE out of control and consquently made us have a very low key day today. We only went out from 12 - 5 shopping, which was enjoyable, but it took all our energy. We had to coem home for a nap till 8 then we just went out for dinner and now are in bed again. Tomorrow is our last full day here, were gonna take full advanage of all our hours!

April 16th, 2009

And so its come to an end... our baga re packed and we are catching a plane back to England tomorrow, and were ready to go. Travelling vactaions are draining, but so amazing. To end our trip we went and watched the Effil Tower light up. Those are the best moments; free just enjoying your surrounding feeling completely free and relaxed. it even so happened that for the frist apx. 10 mins it twinkled. We were busy in our last day we went back to Montmartre and found a spot wehre artist sell and creat there work...and before that we went shopping by St. Denis basilica and I got sweet sweet heels!

IT WAS A QUICK END BECAUSE I WAS SO TIRED AND DIDNT WANT TO WRITE LOL!

(cassies add on...)
*sign* Where has the time gone?!?! I waited for what seemed like ever for this trip to arrive and tonight is the end of an unforgetable trip! I got to expereince SO many amazing things. This expereince has brougth me closer to Jenn unbelieable - unfortgetable!!! Great times - great buys - great sights - great all around! We ende with the Effil Tower light show and a crepe! My only hope is to have another sister/friend trip in the future... maybe Sydney Australia to visit Katy and Amanda!

IT WAS A GREAT TIME... AND IM MISSING IT ALREADY!
XX

MISSED YOU ALL, HOPE THIS SHOWS YOU HOW MY PARIS WEEK WAS A LITTLE!

my first visitor

CASSIE IS HERE TOMORROW!

First and for most, Im sorry that this is delayed, i've been starting to get hate mail (cough dina cough) so Im giving my fans what they want... one more blog before Cassie comes. Now I may be able to squeeze one more in before Venice and Paris but dont hold me to it... you'll just have to wait in anticiapation until our return on the 18th!

Since my last post Sara and David have gone back to work and life with the girls has gone back to normal... well as normal as a day in my life is here. Its such a drastic change between having the parents here and not having them, its rediculous. We are still having problems with Olivia stealing... which came up again yesturday so thats in the middle of being sorted out and Bell is doing fine. I ended up taking her to nursary today when I got home from lunch duty because she was crying and David didn't want to deal with it, so he "asked" me to take her. Im no longer good at hiding my thoughts on the matter I think, but I think he takes my hostility as not wanted to take her but its more towards my pure shock at his lazifare parenting. Im trying my hardest with Livy, shes hard to get along with A LOT of the time but she need love and friendship so I am working on constantly telling myself shes an unhappy child and I need to do what I can to fix it!

Rita and I had a splended weekend together... since the family was gone we had the house to ourselves all weekend which was romantic. Saturday we found a Borough Market, which is found under London Bridge station and its an all FOOD market and its huge. OMG we were in heaven... we bought our lunch and dessert of course and sat at Southwark Cathedral and ate it. We are still both not eating chocolate for lent so that was killing us again, but its doing very well, and I havent had it in sooo long! Then we found this cute pub the Ale and Pie and it was really nice, Im hoping to take Cassie sunday on our adventures. We also ended up trying out a new bar called Oxygen. We didn't want to go out in Central London but we tried Old Street another 'hip' spot but it was all like trans and electric so we left ... fast. Oxygen played sweet chart hits like we like em but the venue wasn't the best, we won't be going back, and there was a lot of creepers who didn't give up easily!

Welp... thats my life, you all know the most exciting part, and I cant freaking wait for her till tomorrow. Im going out for nanny night tonight just so im not up waiting and waiting... only 3 hrs of work tomorrow until I head out to get her.

It will be the longest 3hrs EVER!

LOVE LOVE LOVE
have a fabulous easter.
<3

Family Protrait

One of the most popular questions I get asked being an au pair is: What is it like to be on the side of someone else world? (paraphrased)

Because I am doing just that, I am a fly on the wall in someone elses life... I am in their family but not, I see all and hear all from an inside perspective but as an outsider. Its quiet strange to see how people act but then to hear how they persieve themselves. This blog has come about because like I had mentioned earlier in the week Sara and David are on holidays which makes my job useless... you would think, or I would at least hope and not even for my own personal sake.

This week granted they are doing a lot of fixing up around the house but they still seem far to busy for the girls. Sara has said on many occasions that she hope the girls grow up to be a well rounded person like I am, which I took as a tremedous complement however sadly I know already even though they are only 3 and 7 that this will not be the case. Certain things that I once took for granted as a child and even as a adult I appricate so much now. For instance other than on a weekend when I am not around I have never seen Sara or David sit and have dinner with the girls. I am responsible for feeding them even if either of there parents are home, which is always the case on a thrusday or friday because they alternate working those days. The second example that baffles me is that occasionally when either of them or BOTH of them are home, I still am asked to put the girls to bed.

Now, Sara and David are both very smart people who have a lot of success in thier careers and they both work very hard to be where they are. I just find it extremely sad that the girls are the ones who suffer... no matter how little Olivia respects me or appricates what I do for her I still end up feeling sorry for her, because she knows nothing different than how it is.

Sometimes in conversation Sara will discuss how she raises the girls and how she punishes them etc., and I just stand there listening in awe because what she discribes and how she acts are two totally different things. I do not believe in how they punish or don't punish the girls behaviour because the girls get away with things they shouldn't and as the au pair when I try to take action its ignored because Olivia and now even Bell have learnt that they can get away with almost anything with numorous warnings. Olivia says to me all the time that she likes when Im away because they she doesnt have to follow my rules... and thats one of the reasons I hate working when the parents are around because my word means nothing because they know that mommy or daddy is in the other room and will save them from punishment.

I know I have not yet written a blog about the parents or my perspective on thier life or parenting tactics and thus Im sure people might think im peachy on the issue and its not the case. I just feel so helpless and sorry for the girls because I can always try to instill honestly, trush and respect in them but with weeks or working on it, it has always been underminded in one moment when their parents do or say something.

It sounds like I dont like Sara and David, and this isn't the case they are both great people and honestly mean good and I honestly think they think they are doing good. They work very hard for the money they have and this is very important to them so they can give their girls the best school (which Livy got into and will start in Sept... costing roughly 10,000 quid a year!), extra curriculars and opportuinties. I just believe that money isn't everything and everyone I know arent 'rich' and we all turned out fine and you can have all the money in the world and still be a bad or unhappy person, and I fear this for the girls.

This week has been hard for me, and whenever I have a hard week I start thinking about my situation and this is how this entry came about.

I feel like not many people really understand the life im living over here, I love it for the place and expereinces but it is very hard and at times (like this week) it takes its toll on me...

I shouldnt have to questions why do I even bother trying?

LOVE LOVE LOVE
have a great weekend
I LOVE MY FAMILY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD <3 I LOVE YOU!

love/hate rollercoaster

Holla!

Before I even get into my weekend events, that will probably not even be written about in this blog because I need a good solid rant right now and you are all lucky enough to be blessed with hearing it!

I HATE MONDAYS, now I know most people hate mondays but I hated today because first off this week im a lucky enough to have both David and Sara on holidays and home all week, thus the girls dont listen to anything I say and I am kept super busy all the time with cleaning up after other peoples messes - its times like this week where I hate my job, I cherish the moments me and the girls are alone in the house because its so much more relaxed and we can have fun and they still respect my words. When they parents are here our routine gets all out of sort and the things the girls need to do dont get done.

But now on to why I hate today... I found out that Livy had been stealing gum from my room, first just pieces then packages. Now I know its just gum and it may sound stupid but Olivia knows better than to go into my room, and second she has had problems with stealing things from students and school and it has been "dealt" with and to find out she has been going into my room and taking my stuff really hurt. So we dealt with that more today than the last stealing episode was dealt with... she is not aloud having sweets all week, and she said sorry to me after a while. THEN with Bella today she decided to tear her room apart by threwing paper all over the floor and empting 4 of her drawers onto their bunk beds and since she was being looked after by her parents she wasnt told to clean up her mess and I was the luck one who found it and had to deal with it when she was at nursary.

Can you tell everything is starting to get to me... this job has probably been one of my most challenging jobs because althought im just an au pair when the children are challenging the job is obviously challenging but its also because my heart is in it... its not just a job its my life and sadly I let things get to me and take things everyone involved does personally (well not Bell shes to young to blame lol)

But, there was light at the end of my day... Livy finally got over her punishment by dinner time and was cheerful again so I let it go and we had a nice time. After bath she asked if we could hang out and so we created a new song because we are all a part of a band called J.I.P (Jenn, Izzy, Pops) which we created last spring term, and we re-wrote the words to Miss Mary Mac.

Olivia and JENN x3
With the help of BELL x3
Created a BAND x3
That the called JIP x3
They were so COOL x3
They preformed at SCHOOL x3
For all the KIDS x3
They danced a LOT x3
They said come BACK x3
And waved good BYE x3
(wave goodbye) lol

THE END... and we lived happily ever after (until tuesday begins)

FREE HUGS and St. Patricks Festival

Hello All,
Before I start out on my weekend events I will start off wishing you all a festival Patties Day, Im sure when most of you read this it will either be the 17th or later so HAPPYS PATTIES DAY ALL, hope you all enjoy yourselves drinking green beer, and celebrating with the best of the IRISH! Matilda, Kylie and I celebrated on Sunday after we had a very humbling afternoon in the sun. Sunday was the highlight of my weekend, althought Saturday night Rita, Amanda and I had a great night at Zoo Bar celebrating Amanda (Rita's roomie from University) welcome to London. It was tons of fun but it was an early night considering they were flying out to Madrid at 6am Sunday morning.

Sunday we had the best weather to date I think, it was gorgous and Matilda and I met up early to head to the St. Patricks day parade and festival but got side tracked by the weather and headed for a nice relaxing morning in Hyde Park, we planned on catching the festival later since it was on till 6!

BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY WEATHER

We started off just sitting in the park and decide that we needed some wine, and since London is glorious you can just go to your local TESCO and bring alcohol into public places... like the PARK! So Matilda and I just sat enjoying eachother company until we saw... Stuwart the FREE HUGS original! We went a got our free hugs and then started a conversation with him and he ended up letting me see how it feels to give free hugs... and my conclusion = it feels GREAT. Two hours later Matilda, Stuwart, Bill (the guy below) and I had to part ways because we were an hour and a half late for meeting with Kylie at the festival in Trafalger Square. But back to the hugs, at first I was nervous at the type of characters you get hugs from but the amount of creepy people definately size up to nothing when compared to all the people whos days you make just by giving them something as simple as a hug. Only really odd guy I got was like my 3rd or 4th hug and he asked if I was giving FREE SEX as well, and I said no just hugs, and he trumped me by saying so you charge for SEX are you a prostitute then... then we got into a philisocial conversation about sex and how society doesnt associate sex with love anymore and therefore he didn't believe my rational to not giving him free sex, buts thats just where my great wit comes in, haha! I hugged all sorts of people from homeless people, to the elderly, to children and then just anyone who wants an extra hug. We were lucky enough to have people share their stories with us or who/where they are from. One woman told us about St. Amma who is the Saint of Hugs and people line up in thousands to hug her and she said the experiences is heavenly. To another woman who was on vaction from Germany and she said she was taking my heart back with her, to a teenage boy who wanted to stay in London because of Speakers Corner (the location in Hyde Park where we were giving Hugs, its also the same place I wrote about a while back where people stand on stools talking about anything). At the end of our afternoon, we said our goodbyes and gave our last hugs and told Stuwart and Bill we'd be back next Sunday to join them... maybe even bring our own signs.

TRY GIVING FREE HUGS
it was honestly one the greatest experiences

Finally after being over an hour late and the WORST FRIENDS EVER, Matilda and I met up with Kylie for the festival. Once again me loving the drinking rules in the city, for the festival you were aloud bringing your OWN alcohol in, they just gave you the plastic glasses for it! We spent about an hour there listening to the live music and then head out to find Nancy's, a pub with a sign that said "Gorgous People this Way" hahaha and we just thought it was calling our names! We ended up spending upwards of 4 hours here talking to James and Nancy the owners, and James was teaching us all these different things about alcohol, and was letting us try different kinds, and gave us drinks for cheaper. It was a very cool locals pub, well locals and cool immigrants (thats us!) However, I didn't get home until like 11, and I am sorry to all those people I was suppose to have online dates with but I was pretty inebriated by the end of it all!

HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY ALL!

KING OF POP

IM GOING TO SEE MICHEAL JACKSON
LIVE AT THE 02
THRUSDAY JULY 16TH

YOU CAN START BEING JEALOUS... NOW.
that is all,
have a great day, nothing can bring me down.
xoxo