Finally an Update. . .
Hey guys!!!Hope you are still with me... ;-)
Although I was so unproductive the last days when it comes to writing entries and e-mails... But this is just because I didn't find the right time to do that, I am always thinking about writing something, and sometimes even start, but have to stop since my lunch brake is usually quite risky (it's possible to hear Brady crying every minute) and in the evening I most often come home late/ meet Michaela/ watch a movie/ just fall asleep/... I've not even had the chance to read a book since I've been here, although I always feel like doing so...
But today is perfect for writing....
Actually I wanted to go to the mall and the grocery store with Michi (this time ME driving in Kathleen's car - as I've already tried it in the neighborhood, will tell you more about this later on), but then Kath + Ryan + Ashley surprisingly (it was in fact a surprise for the kids, and Kath didn't have the chance to tell me about it as they came home only at about 7 for dinner) went out to meet some friends with kids to have ice cream together in Tinton Falls! (Don't ask me why I wasn't invited - since Brad stayed at home with Brady anyway - maybe they thought I'm too old for having an ice cream party with little kids??? No way!!! Would have loved it! lol...but that way, I decided to steal their Twix ice cream from the freezer, to make up for the trip I missed :-P )
So we decided to do that tomorrow and I'm just staying home tonight... I've got do a lot anyway!
Maybe I should tell you something about what happened here the last few days (haven't informed you since the NYC trip on July 10!)
TUESDAY, JULY 11
In the morning, we stayed at home and I played Play-Doh with Ryan and Ashley (again, right ;-) ) After their after-lunch-naps , Kristin, Kathleen's sister came over and we went to Point Pleasant all together - which was really great fun! It's a park with rides for little kids, really perfect for Ryan and Ashley, they loved it!!! I also enjoyed the evening very much, as it was nice to have dinner (very good pizza!) at the beach (the park is in fact at the boardwalk right at the beach) where there are even palm trees, which I haven't seen anywhere else around here?!
Kristin is a very nice and easy going person and so we had a lot of fun watching the kids' sometimes strange or surprised but mostly happy faces when on one of the rides! I even went on one together with Ryan and Ash (and an "adoptive child" a worried mother condigned to me!) which was quite funny!
WEDNESDAY, JULY 12
Spent the day at home again - in the afternoon, Michaela and Finn stopped by and the kids played together in the family room until they all got tired. I think they really liked being together, as Finn didn't want to leave anymore, and Ryan strictly refused to take a nap cause he wanted to stay up and play... When he woke up again in the afternoon, he even asked a bit sad: "Where are Michaela and Finn? They should come over again!" and Michi told me Finn also asked to go to the O'Connor's again.... :-)
We should meet soon again Michi - with Riley, Finn, Ryan and Ashley....and have them play nicely together, so that the poor nannies can have a little "Tratscherl" (we'll decide about which language...) together!!
The evening was mainly dedicated to the internet communication - blog, e-mails, ICQ.... even got a longer e-mail from Matthias (finally!) and learned about him leaving the next day for a "2-4 week" mountain trip (or however to call it) in Chamonix, France.... They will probably hop from summit to summit and stay in the mountains all the time...I even got a very reassuring picture from him:
I hope they know what they're doing!!!
THURSDAY, JULY 13
Rainy day...
The "pool guys" came to fix the pool (they redid the repainted the inside or sth.like that) and we had great fun wawtching them the whole morning. (Thank god all the windows and doors are of this kind where you can't see in from the outside - can be so ufesul ;-) ) First, we were quite surprised, cause 7 (!) Mexican looking guys turned up, just to do this one (not very big) pool....well, soon we had found out that most of them were just there to realx and sunbathe or at times wander around our backyard, as only 2 of them were really working (looking like their backs would brake soon, poor guys). One of them was clearly the boss of the whole funny gang - an elderly looking grey-haired man with a huge beer belly. He was just sitting on one of the deck chairs with strectched legs and commanded the others - how typical!
While me and Kathleen watched our live reality show, the kids were watching Dumbo (supposedly for the 100th time, but still amazed).
Eve program: Michi and I went to Redbank (* which made the CRAZIEST Convetible story ever > see next entry!) in order to see a Jazz concert there near the port. (Kathleen's mother pointed out to that when I met her the first time; when we went to Point Pleasant, Kristin gave me an envelop from her that said "Elisabeth" on the back, with a short note and a page of a newspaper informing about concerts in Tinton Falls + the surrounding areas -- sooo nice of her!!!!!)
Well, in fact the concert per se wasn't that great, as there were mainly families sitting in the greass, listening to relatively boring music performed by a school band or something like that. We ended up strolling around the town, looking for pubs/discos where they would let us in - but without success! At one Irish pub, we tried to persuade the bouncer to let us in, since we're already 20, bla bla (we really just wanted to eat sth., I swear! lol) - and what was his answer?!?!?! (very serious:) "You could go in with your parents, if you want to!" - what an offer - thanks very much, we will get back to that! ;-)
However, all in all it was a funny evening, as we got to know some young people, got invited to a party, and ended up in an all-too typical American Diner, where we had a little late night snack (we shared one appetizer - chicken fingers - which was so big that we even left something!!).
FRIDAY, JULY 14
2nd week as a nanny accomplished!! can't believe it!
Kathleen went to the beach with Kristin all morning, so I stayed at home with all three kids - playing playing playing :-)...
SATURDAY, JULY 15
BEACH DAY!!!!
Kath + Ryan + Ashley + me + Highschool friends of Kath (5 people, one child) went to Bemlar Beach together - was a really nice day! THe kids loved it, wouldn't want to go home anymore at all!
I dug a big hole with the three kids right by the water (they immediately called it "swimming pool" ) and they commanded me to fill it with a bucket of water about all 30 seconds... lol... later onl I went into the wtaer with Ryan and we jumped into the waves! (Or - I jumped, and he held on to me ;-))
I got to talk to Kath's friends, were very nice, and heard a lot of very very funny highschool stories... you can't imagine what young Americans do in their freetime! ;-)
In the evening, we were invited at one of her friends' (Mary's) house which is in fact on Main Street, Belmar - which means a 5 min walk form the beach. Very nice! Had a little snack and got to know Mary's new boyfriend (had hear so much about him in the afternoon that it was even interesting! lol) and went home again...
Dinner: for the first time since I've been here( and the first time in a while for the kids!) we had something from Mc Donald's!
---- unfortunately, the batteries of my camera were dead -----
SUNDAY, JULY 16
JET-SKI DAY IN BRICK!!!
Just like exactly two weeks ago, we (Michi, Kevin, Conor, I) went to this river that looks just like the beach (it is in fact salt water and a sandy beach) in Brick (30 mins drive) to go Jet-skiing on uncle Chris' (Kevin's brother) two wave runners!
Was really great fun again, I love it by now! :-) And the water was better than the last time, it's nicer when there aren't so many waves!
Of course we also met Chris' family again there (wife Mary, kids Chris, Mathew and Meggan) and invited Meggan (18) for a beach day together with us on Tuesday. This turned into something quite complicated as her mother suggested she would already bring her to Tinton Falls the night before, as Meggan doesn't ahve a driver's licence yet although she's 18) but in the end, everything worked out anyway!
So, it was an enjoyable day again in Brick, but sooooo very hot - as a HEAT WAVE started this day! The degrees were in the 90s (Fahrenheit - which means about 34 to 38 degrees Celsius)
MONDAY, JULY 17
One of the usual stay-at-home-days:
breakfast at 9, playing in the family room, on the swing-set, melting in the heat (almost unbearable, especially if you have to run around and play with kids!!) watching a movie inside (thank god I could attract the kids to go into the house again!) having lunch, taking naps, playing again, having dinner, internet, TV....
TUESDAY, JULY 18
BRADLEY BEACH with Michi, Meggan and Caitlin (Chris' (> nephew of Michi's family) girlfriend)!
So, Meggan didn't have to come Monday night, but Caitlin went there with her and we met at the O'Shaughnessy's beach house which is only about 5 mins from the beach. We didn't have the chance talk that much to them as they already left at about 3 but it was a very nice day with them! We were jumping in the waves (really big ones, was great fun! wanna do that again!) and again m-e-l-t-i-n-g in the heat-wave-sun! It's never ever been sooooooooooooooooo hot before, you can't imagine!
I really love the heat, but this was almost the limit! Maybe it was about 37 degrees (C), but as the humidity is very very high in this area, you feel like you can't do anything but lying on your towel....lol
TODAY - WEDNESDAY, JULY 19
After breakfast, Kath + Ryan + Ashley wen to the playgroup (usually every week, but the first one since I've been here this summer) some houses down the street, where there were about 4 mothers with 7 kids, and the played in the pool there.
I stayed at home and watched Brady and had a very exhausting day without any break! I mean, I could go donstairs for about 20 mins to exercise (first time! yeah! worked out at the treadmill to burn some calories!), when Brady had his first nap, but unfortunately his schedule was so displaced today (because he slept so long in the morning, until almost 9.30) that he woke up when Ryan and Ashley went down for their naps after lunch.... so I had to watch him again until they woke up and he had a nap again!!!! MY DEAR!! lol....but in fact, it was a nice day, since Brady did his first crawling today! it is sooo amazing to see how he's struggling, and trying to do it! he almost crawled through the whole family room!
This is sucha big step for a baby, the first time it can really move at all, finally! lol....so I guess from now on my days will be even more exhausting, since there are three huma beings who can decide on their own where to go/ crawl.....lol
Well, in the afternoon, Kristin stopped by, and we all watched Toy Story with the kids for some time (they can't really concentrate for the duration of a whole movie yet!) and after dinner, Kath + Ryan + Ash met with friends to have ice cream, as I already mentioned. And now I'm sitting here with my right hand hurting from the typing!! whew...
Okay, now I will upload the corresponding pics, there are really nice ones!
I hope you're all doing good and see you soon (I'm "already" back in Austria in 46 days, see left! lol)
Bye bye,
yours Elis
posted by elis in wanderlust @ 3:19 AM
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