Skiing and a Packers Game…

Skiing is amazing and something that I’m not half bad at. So I have tried to get a bunch of girls together for a while now to make a trip out to Crystal Ridge so we can test our balance ability on the ski hills. Finally we made it happen, so I was super excited! The packers were playing that day so all our guy friends bailed on us…but whatever girls are more fun anyway!

Let's do this thing!

I can’t describe the exhilarating and scary feeling you have as you get to the top of the ski lift, knowing you are about to whiz down the hill, balanced on two slats of wood (or wait is it fiberglass?) with nothing stopping gravity from ‘owning’ you except your balance and hopefully will to survive. Okay, so maybe that’s a little dramatic but as a pretty new skier, I do still wonder every time whether or not I’ll make it down the hill or whether my family will have to hear about my demise through CNN world news. I guess that thought just makes the adrenaline junkie in me a little excited. You they say everything good in life is either illegal, immoral, dangerous or fattening.

Beautiful isn't it?

And while skiing down a hill is definitely not fattening, the food we gorged ourselves on afterwards certainly was. We of course justified it with, ‘well we did a lot of exercise today’ (so it’s okay to have a burger, fries…and maybe something sweet…) We did become honorary Americans when we sat in the ski lodge watching the football game, we became even more American or should I say Wisconsin when we rooted for the Packers (over the Chicago Bears) while wearing Packers gear…this is what they call integrating! The Packers won, so it was a big celebration for all. The funny thing was out of all the people in the ski lodge we were definitely shouting the loudest. Of course we had no idea what was ging on so we were shouting things like “Get the ball for the other dude” and “Score a thing behind the line” and “Run to the line thing and do what you are supposed to do” but generally we stuck with “Go Pack Go!”

Go Pack Go!!!

Yes officer…

The day started with an Au Pair meeting (which we have monthly, each time we do something different) at Red Arrow Ice Skating park. I love ice skating so I was happy to attend this. Some of the other girls had never skated before so it’s always fun to try and teach a new person how to essentially balance on two blades while going around in circles on a slab of frozen water.  Sounds like a great idea, right? The best thing about skating at Red Arrow is the Starbucks right next to it, which has a little fire place, it’s really cute!

At Starbucks...

Later we all headed to Mayfair Mall (in Wauwatosa.) They are pretty strict and have a lot of rules and regulations about who can enter the mall at what time, so when Julia and I walked in they asked us for our ID’s…apparently we look under 18. Once we showed him we were in fact over the legal age they gave us wrist bands so we weren’t get ID-ed again. Not sure if I should feel complimented or insulted?

Julia and I

Packers Party…

The Packers (Green Bay Packers) have made to divisional play offs and were playing against the Atlanta Falcons, this was not only a chance to be remaindered of how little I know about Football, how  much I miss rugby and a general excuse to have a house party. There were about 8 of us that attended the little party at Tyler and Kevin's place. Julia and I were adorned with Packers tees and green and yellow fancy nail art. I’m not sure what happened in the game…but I do know we won which means we now go to the NFC (National Football Confederation) so this is pretty exciting (last year the Packers never did very well…)

Julia and I representing Green Bay!

Wheeeee….or not…just smile!

After starting a new year with my family I was ready to tackle 2011…starting with…

Fun with the girls at Currie Park, WI

I have made some amazing friends during my au pair experience and I have tried some amazing things. Like sledding for instance, I have tried it a few things since I got here, but it’s always a new adventure and tons of fun. A bunch of us girls headed up to Currie Park, which is a golf course used as an open sledding spot come winter. In the beginning we were actually sledding…after a while once we had all gone “wheeee” down the hill and huffed and puffed to get to the top of the hill, we started taking pictures…yes, imagine that foreigners taking pictures! The pics I’m adding to this post of my favourite as we were trying a self-timed group portrait, and with every pic we added another au pair, but it wasn’t even planned!  

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Then there were five...

Concerts and ball games...

That night I went to a TSO (Trans-Siberian Orchestra) with Tyler. TSO is described as ‘a progressive rock band’. To explain a little a little better I got this excerpt from Wikipedia “the band’s musical style incorporates classical, orchestral, symphonic and progressive elements into hard rock and heavy metal. The orchestra is most famous for their Christmas themed series of rock operas” I had a great time at the concert! Lots of special effects and pyro show bits.

TSO concert

I attended a Bucks game, in Milwaukee. (The Milwaukee Bucks are our local NBA team) unfortunately they lost the game, but when friends are together that doesn’t really matter anyway cos we still had a good time!

Bucks vs Hawks

We wish you a Merry Christmas…

Christmas this year, was celebrated with some of Amanda’s family (her dad, mom, brother and sister-in-law) which was really fun. On Christmas eve I went over to Amy’s (a fellow South African au pairs) house during the day and we just hang out and later went our into the cold to play around with my new camera (a NIKON…dad don’t be a hater ;) the pictures are on facebook for those of you that haven’t seen them.

Fun in the snow

That night she came over and we had a lovely Christmas Eve dinner with my host family and their family. It was great to all be together. Later on my friend Julia joined us, which was awesome…us three had a great time talking about  our Christmas traditions from home and since we usually have Christmas in Summer, while we were now getting ready to celebrate Christmas in Winter.

Me and "my" boys on Christmas Eve

Christmas day was so much fun, we woke up early (Dave and Amanda convinced Annabel that 8am was early enough) opened all our presents sitting around the Christmas tree together. The rest of the day was a pretty chilled; later on I went and visited a few friends of mine. A lot of American kids get together after Christmas festivities with their families and just hang out, which was really awesome, because it gave my host family time to be a family and I got to spend time with friends.

Aj, Zach, Bucktail, Erica, Nonna, FInn, Braden, Me, Dave and Amanda
My wonderful extended host family

One of my Christmas presents was a ticket to go the Nutcracker (on Boxing Day) with Amanda, her mom, sister-in-law and Annabel. I watched the Nutcracker last year, but it was nice to see it again, and of course it made me think of my little sister. Riley, you would have loved it!

Christmas morning surprises

Music scene in Milwaukee…

December has been a fun month for me, it started with the Kissmas Bash concert where we got to see Shontelle, New Boys and Taio Cruz (who by the way is amazing!) Bruno Mars was meant to be there but rescheduled for a later date. Julia, Tyler and I had a great time rocking out to *Dynamite* and an array of popular songs.

Julia and I at Kissmas Bash