Yes I have been avoiding my blog. I will admit it. But its very stressfull the past few days and so sitting down and reflecting on what has been going on is the last thing I want to do, why? Because I have been dealing with the french administration - there is no way to describe what they have put me through except for the small seed inside the nut inside the nutshell inside a box inside a bigger box.. etc word STRESSFULL/COMPLICATED. Does that make sence? But those words dont even describe it.
I dont want to talk about it anyway. I will write a book some day or maybe after its all done with I can reflect on it and tell you if its a happy ending or a shitty one.
But lets see. The past few days when I wasnt dealing with my paper work to stay in this country I was mostly with my Alexis or with the children. Camille discovered the joy with me of popping black heads and zits! I was in the mirroring destroying my face and she asked what I was doing so I let her climb up on my back and watch the fascination and sheer excitment of finding these little land mines! She, than, exclaimed how badly she wants some.
Charlotte has cried to me the past two nights when I have put her to bed that she doesn't want me to leave which breaks my heart in tiny pieces every time.
Honestly I do love them very much. Thibault's tiny voice and ever since I pretended to cook him the other week every time I see him he asks me to cook him, "tu peux me cuissiner"? something like that. Ines the happiest baby in the world. When Charlotte and Camille get in violent fights (which is once every hour pretty much) I have to make up stories of Pirtates that I meet on Le Siene and play card games with and win gold but loose it all. It works really well while we would walk home from school rather than them screaming and me getting dirty looks from old women when the kids run into them. But excuse me granny there are three of them and I can't catch them all!
Sarah and Jean Phillippe really bug me and I just avoid them really. Well its easy with JP because hes never here but when he is its really akward... but it was always akward anyway.
So I move my stuff out tomorrow and into the new place on monday. Alexis is allowing me his place to store my crap till then. But he and I are looking forward to a relaxing weekend after this week of us running around in circles and him basically doing all the work for me. Really, I would not have gotten this far without him. I say "merci" every 5 seconds to him while staring deeply into his eyes.
Monday is my first day with the new family. THEY ARE BRINGING ME TO THE NUT CRACKER!!!!! IN FRENCH!!!!!!!! wow I was excited when she told me this. Every time I have gone over there I have loved them a million times more.

Thibault

conqueredthe ability to dress himself all by himself!

Alexis makes the best crepes. First he made these one day and he spent an hour just on the batter. I spent like 5 minutes when I made them - I just threw it all in a bowl et voila! So these were crepes because CREPE is specificaly for sweet ones; nutella, sugar, butter, jam... etc. Gallette is for salty ones - more for lunch. He made me the most amazing gallette in like 5 seconds. He put Rocerfert... I totally dont know how to spell it and I'm not even sure if that was the name but it was really stinky and moldy, but it melted real nice and he also put ham cheese and an egg on top. The egg surprised me but apprently its typical for a gallete. It was a few days ago I had this and I still can't get over it.

CRAZY KIWI at nicole's.

So has my spelling always been bad? Ever since I got this I notice I can't spell anything. I blame the computers. Also I blame them for my bad handwriting.
Ok I will post again soon with pictures of the new place.


GROS BISOUS

nutshell?

So I have been running around everyday getting stuff done for my appointment for my carte sejour. Also being at the house is boring when I could visit my lads and ladies at my pub - my pool skills have improved immensley! Alexis and I went to a Bossanova show last night in Paris. After I got off we drove through the redicoulos trafic and around a billion blocks to find parking and then shivered the 5 blocks in the deathly cold to the venue where the group we wanted to see - Zuco 103 check them out live on youtube.com , when I die I want to be rencarnated into this woman. However they only had 5 more songs left to play. But we were very happy to see those 5 songs. Very much worth it.
My new family is amazing. They are the family I was hoping to have. They are crazy and load and helpful and interesting. I am going to get along with them so much better. The nine year old boy and I are going to be best friends. Only 11 more days till I move in than I go to Croatia WHOOOOOOO.
watch these;
this is called "a crime not perfect at all"


"tourtue an egg"


"a giraff with a necklace"


"sheep organizing a pic nic" - counting sheep when you sleep


ok I am going to a surprise birthday party for Alexis' friend
gros bisous!

ne me quite pas

I am very sorry that I have not posted anything for a while. Don't worry babies, I have a GOOD explanation. But since I have to go pick up the children right now I just wanted to make a quick post so you know that I haven't forgotton you.
I read my auntie Anne's christmas letter last night and feel I should make one as well. So this will take some time to sit and reflect over these past few months and the entire year that has held so many changes and exciting things.

Love you all

annie

Giggity giggity

POWER CORD AND BATTERY RECIEVED! New post with pictures coming sooooooooooon.

411

Does anyone know if there is a technical term for being addicted to the computer? I shall create one... annedicte-elctro-stimuli! Since I am creating this new syndromme my name gets to be in it. So I am having withdrawls. I am sitting at the library having to type tres slow because the key board is different so apologies for odd typos.
Well gosh gee so many changes!
Big change number 1; I am changing families. Two days after I decided this my friend Victoria gave my number to a lady who called me and voila! I work 25 hours a week - starting at 4 ending at 7 monday tuesday thuresday friday, wednesdays and saturdays I start at 2 till 7. So you know what this means? I can sleep in every morning! Except for when I have class... but that is only three days a week.
I thought Sarah and JP had money... OH NO... wait till I post pictures of this house... My bedroom is two times bigger and my bed is three times bigger (yay I will actually fit in it! my bed now is the bed Cammille gets next year...) my bathroom has two full length mirrors that slide and give me TONS of storage space for all of my new clothes. a bathtub/shower as well. I get paid 120 euros a week plus my metro/bus paid for. I get all of the holidays off which are two weeks long every six weeks.
There are 5 children total - BUT WAIT - 3 are around my age so I only have to care for the two youngest who are 3 and 9. MAGNIFICANT! And these people have two other nannys that do all the cooking and cleaning. The mother doesnt speak good english so we have been speaking in french.

So yes VONDERFUL!
There is the other complicated situation of getting my carte sejour which allows me to stay here for a year. One they gave me the appointment for december 24... french bastards.. (pardon my french...) I spent a many stressfull days trying to change the date as this messes with my holiday in Croatia but I can only get a later date which isnt till march or april and I wouldnt be able to leave the country at all because my orignal visa already expired. I was told I could try but it would be taking the chance that at the gate they wouldnt allow me in the country and send me back to the US without my stuff which people here would have to mail to me... but now that I am changing families - which is best to do before I apply for the carte sejour - I have to figure out how to change the Offical Legal document Accord de Placement bla bla bla which was stamped in San Fran and in France before I came to this new families name. This irritating situation has made it very difficult for me to sleep at night and today I have to talk to the lady at my agency as to how to change it but she scares the shit out of me but I have to suck it up and hope she wont kill me with her eyes. she is nicer to the families than the au pairs - i am not the only one that has felt her rath so I know its not just me.
So this is a nutshell of what is going on. Soon I will have my computer back and can load all of my new pictures as I have been taking a lot.
On a bright note I love my life here to say the least. I am filled with so much happiness here and love all of the poeple I have meet. All of this is stressing me out because I dont want to leave this place. As of now if all of this carte sejour works out I will extend my trip till august.. or more. Nicoles friend has a house in Greece which we plan to go to for some time. It has been snowing quiet a bit during the night but I have been keeping warm with G Fathers hat.
Well now I am off to meet la mechant femme and figure all this out. I will post again with the new changes.
gros bisous

a