4th month

In my fourth month already! I can't believe it! But as you can read in my blog, I have a weekly routine now so not only for me but also for you, it's not that fun to write and read something about my life here every day. That's why I decided to update my blog only once a week with a short summary. I hope everyone agrees with this and that you still like to read my blog:)

This week (December 9-15) I bought all my Christmas presents and some other things for Christmas. On Friday night I watched the movie Home Alone with the girls and Paige, which was really fun! On Saturday I bought the Christmas presents for my hostparents together with Lara. It was great and we had so much fun! Later that day I went to Prenisha to have an 'early Christmas dinner' together with Hendry, Karolina, Bereket en Angelika. It was sooo great! Everyone brought some self-made food and it was really good. We put on some Christmas songs and were wearing Christmas heads. After this we played some games and drank together and then we relaxed a bit. After that we went to Blue Cross Riverink because we rented a Wintercabin again. (This is a cute wooden launge home which is cozy and really warm. We played games and I gave the photo frames with the photo collage to all of my friends adn they really loved it. Then we went back to Prenisha and they were all hungry, but I decided to go home because it was 1:00 am and I was awake since 5:30 am so almost a whole day! We had so much fun! I love these crazy people! Unfortunately, they are all already here for their second year and some will have to leave in February and March:( Don't want to think about that!

Christmasfeelings with these crazy people!

This week (December 16 - 22) the girls were almost the whole week at Arjan's place, so I had much more free time! On Thursday after school the girls went to gymnastics and then they went back to Paige. On Friday Paige's family came over because it was her mother's 70th birthday! We set up a big party and I made fancy cupcakes with the girls. I also added Dutch stroopwafels in the cupcakes. Those are like caramel waffles. Paige's mother really loved everything! I made a Dutch apple pie for her and I made a birthday card which she also loved! On Friday evening the family went out for having dinner and I had to watch the girls and Lara came over. We talked about our trip to Orlando and booked our hotel and we decided we want to go to Universal Studios and Disneyworld! So excited for this! 

This weekend I went to New York again to meet a friend from the Netherlands that I haven't seen since 5 years! Her name is Francisca. We were sooo happy to see each other again! But because we hadn't seen each other for so long, that we didn't even know each other's voice and it was so funny! We have so many things in common like we both love to travel, wake up early, explore the world, meet new people etc. It was so great! Esmay and Robin (other Dutch Au Pairs) also came and we went to Hudsons Yards, we had lunch together and we went to Central Park to and it was sooo funny! I shared a pizza with Francisca. but it was a 'little bit' larger then we expected.... But it was really yummy! At Central Park was a big Christmas Market and it was cute to walk there all together! After this we made a lot of pictures and then Esmay and Robin went to Union Square and Francisca and I went to Rockefeller Center. We stayed at a Airbnb in New York and On Sunday we woke up at 6:00 am to go to the Brooklyn Bridge and we wanted to take beautiful pictures with the sunrise. It was sooo great! and then I went back to Philadelphia and she went back to Massachusetts.

What a great weekend with those girls!

This week (December 23-29) was finally the most wonderful time of the year! CHRISTMAS! I was looking forward to see Paige's family again and I was so excited for giving the girls my presents! On Monday I only had to work from 10 am until 3 pm and on Tuesday I went to the gym at 6:00 am!!! Soooo early, but I made it! After that I helped the girls with getting dressed and when Paige got back from the gym we waited for Arjan to go to Harpers Ferry (Paige's parents) again. Every house we passed while driving there was decorated lovely for Christmas. The girls were sooo excited because today was the day Santa would bring all the presents. In the evening we went to the Church in Harpers Ferry and we had dinner all togetherOn Wednesday we had breakfast all together and then we opened all the presents. I got some presents too! I got a lovely warm scarf from Paige's sister, some earrings from Paige's parents, Candles, a powerbank and some other small things from Arjan, and last but definitely not least: $100 from Paige and Arjan together! How sweet! I really appreciate it! Everyboday was so happy! Later in the afternoon on Christmasday, we had an early dinner all together and then we watched a movie. We also went out for a walk.

Christmas in Harpers Ferry with the whole Family Fleming!

On Thursday I woke up at 5:45 am because I as going to Washington DC! I was soo excited! I wanted to see too many things in just one day, but I made it! I went to The Capital building, Washington monument, World War II memorial. Botanic Gardens, Holocaust Museum, Smithsonian Air and Space museum and African Art Museum. So definitely a bit too much but it was sooo great! I asked many people to take pictures of me at all those different places and they were amazing! I literally walked 26 km this day! I was happy when I finally got back home! My legs hurt so much! And it didn't help to sit in a bus for 3 hours... But it was definitely worth it! It is easy to see everything in DC in one day even though not everything is close to each other. All the museums are free! How great is that!?! On Friday I had to work until 7 and after that I went to Lara to discuss where we want to go in Orlando and what we need to arrange for New Year's Eve with the other girls.

Washington DC! The Capital of this huge amazing country!

This week ( December 30th - January 5th) it was New Year's Eve. I was very excited for this! I reserved a wintercabine at Blue Cross Riverink for my friends and I. I didn't know all the people who were coming with us, but at least I knew 4 of the 10 people! I also reserved a table at a Chinese restaurant which would have a buffet and I bought so New Years decorations to make pictures with in the evening. The day before New Year's Eve totally ruined my New Year... I found out that I by accident reserved a wintercabine for 10:00 am instead of 10:00 pm... And of course the other times weren't available anymore. All the money was gone... I could only change the date and go another day with my friends. How can I be so stupid?! Luckily the other people weren't mad on me and they said we could go there on Saturday night and just go to the river park after dinner on New Year's eve. I made a bananabread for everyone and this was yummie. We brought games and snacks and we had so much fun! So even though I messed it up, we had a great night! 
On Thursday the girls had to go to school again and they had gymnastics. On Friday night I went out with Lara and Gian-Luca, (both German Au Pairs. I met Gian-Luca with New Year's Eve and he is one of Lara's friends. On Saturday I met with some friends and on Sunday I went to the center city with Lara and I bought a new phone because I really needed a new one. I bought the iPhone 11! It is so much cheaper here then in The Netherlands but of course it was still expensive and it hurted a lot to spend so much money but now I am very happy I did it!

HAPPY 2020 everyone!!