Busy days!!

Yesterday was a bit hectic! I was near to have my first mental breakdown and it involves a car =)....let me start from the beginning. Yesterday was Filip's and Sofia's first day at school and both were pretty excited about it. We all went together because Lotta and Jonas wanted to be there the first day in school and also because I didn't know the way =)
It takes about 10 minutes to get to the school and me and Lotta went to leave Sofia at her new class, and I think it's a great class with a very good teacher. Jonas left Filip at his class. One thing, that's different from Sweden is that the students have to bring all their materials by themselves. Like paper, pencils, notebooks etc. and unfortunately we had missed Filip's stuff so I had to go shopping on my own for my first time....excited!! I was dropped off by the store "Bartell Drugs" (Really a suspicious name but it was a great store. Something like coop in Sweden, they have about everything) And I got everything on Filip's list and dropped it off at school. He was really happy about that.
When I got home, me and Olle went to a mall because he had to bye a sweater for his wife. And I drove for the first time!!! It wasn't that bad that I first thought but it was different.
I bought a magazine and became a member at a bookstore. Don't ask me how but now I have 10% off every time I shop there...will be useful hmm.
At 3:30 it was time to pick up the kids to immediately go to the dentist who has her office in Woodinville that is outside Kirkland. I didn't know where but I got the GPS so it wouldn't be any problem. Oh, my dear GPS stopped working after a while and I didn't know where we were or how to fix it. I felt the stress rise in me and if being lost wasn't enough my sweet kids had decided that not let us have a quite nice ride to the dentist =)...but as Judith said in New York: take a deep breath and say to you self: "I can do this, I can do this" Thank you Judith!
I took a turn in to a gas station, called Lotta who said it was just to log in on the GPS again, turned the car around and went to the dentist. Maybe we got there a little late, but so what? We made it, and the children got their teeth examined.
But the stress wasn't over. When we were done we had to hurry to get to Filip's soccer practice back in Kirkland. This time it went much better even though we were little late to soccer, but the children were nice and I didn't felt so bad either. Over all, an OK first drive with the children =)
The soccer practise was held in a park and I've been signed to help the coach, apparently I know something about soccer =). It's being held every Tuesdays and Thursdays and it's for boys in Filip's age (8) I'm looking forward to help but it's gonna be exhausting I think. I mean 10-12 eight year olds? They have a lot of energy =)
One more thing happened yesterday, Lotta and Jonas were in a car accident. But no one was seriously hurt, just the car. It's on reparations for this week so now we only got one car, the SAAB.
Today, Sofia was free from school because they split the class and took one half yesterday and the other half today. So after we went with Filip to school, it was just her and me. First we were in the house, colouring and waited for Olle to get home. Today was his last day here and we wanted to say goodbye before he went.
Then we packed our bag, Sofia took here own and a great eagle got the privilege to come with us ;) We went to the park and there we bought something to eat and drink at Starbucks (where else ;) and sat down on the grass and red a book. We also kicked some ball and Sofia climbed at the playground. Before we went back home we went to QFC ( a grossier store) and bought some milk and butter. Back home we painted some more and just hanged until it was time to pick up Filip who ended at 2 today. They do that every Wednesdays.
I made Noodle soup for them, it's their favourite, and then me and Filip build one of his LEGO models he got for his birthday, and Sofia made my hair pretty. Today I cooked pasta carbonara and manage not to ruin anything =)...maybe I was just lucky...haha
To day Catherine, my area director, was here and we just went through some papers and she wanted to know that everything was alright...so now I have more paper to read!! i don't know when to...I also have to apply for school but I find it a bit hard. Maybe I'll go to the collage tomorrow and see if they can help me.
Well I guess this was it for now.

I miss you all.
Love Sandra

First day alone!

Today was my first day alone with the kids. I was pretty nervous and before I went to bed last night I kept going in my head everything that Lotta and Jonas told me. This they like for breakfast, they can do this, not do that. I almost went crazy but I think I manage it well, except from burning the ribs =)...but let's say it was the oven..

First we had breakfast and then we watched Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets, Filip got it for his birthday. After that we had lunch, special maid Noddle soup with your own ingredients. Filip had broccoli, Sofia corn and i had them both =)

Then it was time for the outdoor playtime, we packed a bag and went to a park. It was a lovely park with a playground, a basketball field, a skateboard park and off course a lot of green spaces were you could run and kick some ball. Filip brought his stamp rocket (I think) and it was fun. You send up small rockets in the air with a foot pump and we tried to catch it, which was harder than it sounds. We also played some ball and climbed at the playground.

Today was also very hot so after maybe an hour we went to the pools. It was really good going in to the refreshing water. There we played for a while and we looked like raisins when

we got up =)

Before we left I had put in the ribs, that we should have for dinner, in the oven because they were supposed to be there for four hours but I guess I'm not very good at making ribs because they were very black when we took them out. I didn't forgot the time but I wasn't able to see that they were black and then think that maybe they don't have to be in for four hours?!...well Jonas was nice and said that we probably had read the recipe wrong...

I also had a walk of my own this evening. I went down to the water and tried to have a walk among the waterfront but it was hard so I had to be settled with some small peeks between the houses. ;) But it was still amazing. It's so beautiful here and the atmosphere is so relaxing. On one bench there were two guys playing the guitar, on one other a love couple sat and watched the sun set. You get really motioned and I like it a lot. Tomorrow I think I will jog around the neighbourhood to see if I can get to know the place even better. I'm also going to drive the car for the first time...ohh I'm a bit nervous but it's a Saab and not one of those big SUVs so I think it will be good. It's also automatic so it will be easier than I'm use to. Maybe I'll look for the clutch pedal a few times but that's OK =)...

Miss you all!

Love Sandra

Birthday at the zoo!!

Today was Filip's birthday and it started as every other birthday with a musical wake-up. I'm not sure it was a pleasant wake-up, but hey it's the taught that counts. Then we had a nice breakfast with bread and cup cakes. Those were really good and cheep to, I heard =) In the morning Filip got presents from the family and me. He got a video game, a DVD, a game and from me a Swedish soccer t-shirt. He was really happy for the gifts but there were more to come...

He had to go on a treasure hunt to get to his present from his parents. He went up on the roof, out in the garden and back inside. It was really an effort to find it but finally he found it: a new bike! A BMX so now he can go and jump on rails and stuff like that. He was really glad and went up and down the street.

I went with Lotta and Sofia to a huge market called Costco. It's amazing how much you can by in there. Everything from milk to a new cellphone. And most come in giant pack. it was really cool and I can't wait until I come back and just can walk around for hours =)

At about one o'clock we went to the zoo. Oh, first we had to look for Filip because he was playing Hide and seek without anyone knowing. But after about 15 minutes we were on our way.

The zoo was a great place for a birthday party and we had our own guide who took us through the park and told us about the animal. Filip had actually 21 friends invited so there were a lots of kids, and adults to. That's maybe why I'm a bit tired right now ;) But it was really fun to meet many of the friends to the family and talked to them. Many were actually Swedish but some were Americans.
Filip was allowed to do some pretty cool stuff. He could go really close to the animals together with the guide.

After the tour we had Swedish "Smorgastsarta" and it was really good. For dessert it was chocolate cake. And the children preferred that one =)

Today has also been really hot, and I'm not use to that after this Swedish summer =) but I think I will adapt to that really good. But one thing I have to do soon is to go SHOPPING!!! I can't wait and I hope me and Katharina will go someday next week. I've also heard about a AuPair meeting that is hold every Tuesday at Starbucks in Seattle. Maybe I'll go there next week.

Miss you all!

Love Sandra

Vilken harlig dag!

Min andra, hela dag, i Kirkland blev lika overvaldigad som min forsta. Jag har sagt det forut men jag sager det igen, jag kan inte fatta det att jag ar har. Hjarnan har tydligen svart att stalla om men det loser sig nog!

Idag vaknade jag halv atta och da gick jag ner och tittade pa Ben 10 tillsammans med barnen och Olle, deras morbror. Frukosten blev minimal med en yoghurt och ett glas juice. Detta for att vi skulle vara hungriga igen vid 11 da vi hade ett bord pa House of Hong dar vi hade en dimsun. Nu sitter ni nog som fragetecken allihop, men det ar en kinesisk frukost bestaende av diverse rakor i olika former. Lite dyrare, lite battre alltsa =)

Vi at tillsammans med en annan familj, som ar nara vanner till familjen.

Efter frukosten gick vi lite inne i Seattle men sen var det dags att antligen fa se Fredrik Ljungberg och hans Seattle Sounders i en match mot Torronto. Tyvarr inte en sarskild rolig match, 0-0, men det var anda maktigt att vara dar och se hur galna amerikanerna ar i sport =) Det var orkestrar, banderoller, konfetti, natinalsanger, rubbet. Det var grymt. 32 000 var det i publiken och det marktes.

Nu ar forberedelserna infor Filips kalas i gang i form av smorgostarta bak. Ska bli jattespannande att fa ta del och vara med och fira hans fodelsedag. Hoppas bara han gillar min present ;)...berattar vad det var imorrn...

Fick ga over till grannen igar ocksa, for vi lekte med en boll och den rakade komma over staketet =)...sa nu vet de vem jag ar.

Hoppas alla har det bra hemma, for har ar det toppen!

Saknar er!

Hello America!!!

Vilken start! Kan knappt fatta att jag ar har. Vet inte ens vart jag ska borja, men jag forsoker. I mandags startade min resa som jag har forberett mig for ett tag. Kan inte saga att jag hade sa stora problem med resan, visst var det jobbigt att saga hej da till mor och far pa flygplatsen men sjalva resan gick hur bra som helst. I Tyskland motte jag upp Katharina, min raddning, som jag pratat med en hel del nu innan och vi bor inte langt ifran varandra, vilket kanns kanon.

Efter 9 harliga timmar i luften landade vi i otroliga New York. Hotellet var kanon och det basta var att jag och Katharina fick bo i samma rum och vi hade en underbar utsikt over the Hudson river.

Det var ju alltsa pa Sheraton hotel i NewJersey som min aupair akademi hade sin utbildning och dar var jag i tre dagar och fick lara mig hur man ska hantera barn. Sa nu ar jag alltsa en expert! Eller kanske inte, expert kan man nog aldrig bli. Men jag har fatt ganska mycket hjalp och ideer. Vi var ungefar 130 aupairer och det var 26 nationer representerade och det var ganska haftigt.

Instruktorerna var jattebra. Judith (den basta!) var hur galen som helst. Hon hade hur mycket energi som helst och var bara asbra.

Andra dagen vi pa en sightseen i The Big Apple. Hur grym ar inte den staden? Den ar galen!! Vi var vid Times Square och det var en otrolig upplevelse. Allt folk, alla bilar, alla affarer. Allt var enormt. Vi var inne i en M'n M affar och dar fanns allt du kan tanka dig, och lite till =)

Igar kom jag till familjen, efter 6 timmar i luften igen. Kanner av jetlagen lite men det gar battre an jag trodde. Jag kom ganska sent sa barnen lag och sov nar jag kom.

Rummet, och huset, ar jattefint och jag tror inte det kommer bli nagra problem att trivas har! Det basta i rummet ar min garderob som jag kan ga in i! Har alltid velat ha en san!

Idag akte vi till Gasworks park och lekte dar ett tag. Vi klattrade, spelade fotboll, kastade fresbee och bara hangde. Det ar ju galet fint har och det ar vatten overallt vilket ar toppen. Vi kopte hamburgare och satte oss vid vattnet och kakade, hur later inte det?

Imorgon ska vi se Fredrik Ljungbergs Sounders spela och det kommer bli jattekul!!

Detta var en liten kort resume av min borjan och jag lovar att ni kommer hora mer av mig for jag tanker inte lamna det har stallet i forsta taget!!

Till alla mina alsklingar hemma i det avlanga landet: Jag alskar er alla och saknar er!!

Dop och packning

Imorn smäller det! Herregud jag kan knappt tro att det är sant...känns overkligt. Men imorrn åker jag!!

Idag var det dop för min söta lilla kusin. Tur att det var idag så jag hann vara med innan jag åker. Jag hade nämligen äran att få vara fadder åt Leon Micael Love. Han var hur snäll som helst i kyrkan. Jag var lite nervös att han skulle skrika, men inte då...

Snitsade till det lite genom att läsa en dikt som passade väldigt bra och jag tro de var nöjda med mig...Det var en tjej från Töreboda som sjöng, och jag säger då det. Hon kunde sjunga. Galet fint var det. Hon hade även en kille som kompade med gitarr. Också grym. Var tur att jag inte hade erbjudit mig att sjunga för det hade nog blivit lite platt efter hennes framförande....=)..

Efter kyrkan var det smörgåstårta och fika. Mums! Kul att få träffa släkten på mammas sida en sista gång innan jag åker. Lite synd att man inte träffas oftare men det är svårt när alla bor på olika ställen.

Nu är det alltså sista kvällen hemma på ett tag....vet inte riktigt hur det känns. Jag känner inte så mycket faktiskt. Är mer som en robot som ordnar med det sista nu...men det kommer nog imorrn...

Nej, det blir väl till att gå och väga in sina väskor en sista gång för att vara säker på vikten. Man vill ju inte få betala för övervikt.

Längtar så tills imorrn för då får jag träffa Katharina, från Tyskland, som ska bo på samma ställe som jag. Verkar vara en jätte härlig tjej och det känns som vi kommit väldigt nära varandra bara genom mail. Det känns väldigt bra att känna nån, så man inte är helt själv på planet =)...

Ha det bäst och nästa inlägg kommer från USA!!! (kan dröja lite för vet ej om jag kommer ha tillgång till någon dator den första tiden)

Sista matchen!

Idag var det dags för min allra sista match, för den här säsongen, med mitt grön/vita lag. Gud vad hemskt det känns att säga att man gör så mycket för sista gången på länge....

Egentligen vill jag väl inte skriva vad resultatet blev, men det flesta vet nog det ändå...tyvärr blev det förlust med 4-5 och det känns förjävligt asså...

Till alla underbara i laget:

Jag vill tacka alla för att ni är världens bästa lagkamrater. Ni är som en andra familj för mig och jag hatar att behöva lämna er mitt i säsongen...vilken kapten jag är..

Men jag tror att ni kommer göra succe även utan mig för jag vet vad ni går för och vilken nivå ni kan hålla om ni bara intalar er det själva. Gör nu en kanonhöst och gå och vinn hela skiten nu för min skull!! Martina: Du komme göra ett kanonjobb som ny kapten och jag lämnar lugnt över kaptensbindeln i dina händer för jag vet att du är en spelare att lita på!

Nu börjar det närma sig. Jag har inte fattat att jag ska åka på måndag! Är lite skraj för hur det kommer gå på flygplatsen när jag ska säga hejdå till familjen....men det är ju bara ett år ;)