Tessa, Sabrina, Nina and I at Lake Calhoun
The gymnastics meet at the University of Minnesota
The church of St Paul at St Paul City
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Some spring photos
Tessa, Sabrina, Nina and I at Lake Calhoun The gymnastics meet at the University of 
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
And the wall came tumbling down...
So the wall outside our house that seperates our street and the freeway came tumbling down! They are doing extensions to the freeway (motorway) so they took it down and its going to be down for a year or so!!! We weren't really looking foward to it but suprisingly it hasn't made much difference to things, there hasn't been a lot of noise because of it thankfully.
Well it has been a busy past week and a bit. A week ago on Sunday I had my monthly aupair gathering with the rest of the aupairs in my area. That was quite nice, we ate out at a vey american place 'Famous Dave's' where the 'ribs' are quite famous so of course I checked them out and I give my thumbs up to.
The next day,;Monday night I went to the movies with Tessa, Emma and Henna (a neighbouring aupair from Finland). We went to some movies at a town called Hopkins (about 15min away) and believe it or not our movie tickets were only $2.50!! It was great! Hehe we saw 27 dresses which is a predictable chick flick but cute all the same.
On the Wednesday I went to a Bible study group called 'young life' at the neighbouring city called St Paul (though it and Minneapolis are basically joined together - they're known as the 'Twin Cities') I went along with Annalise, (who knows Meredith from the skating ring where Gracie has her skating lessons) who goes to the University of Minnesota (known as 'the U'). I really enjoyed it, there were I would guess around 40 people, mostly college (university) students aged round 18-25.
The past weekend has been my busyiest yet socially! On the friday night I went along to the 'Wizard of Oz' play at the 'U' with Annalise and a few of her friends. It was a really good play, very talented acting and singing! There were many local (american and university) connatations throughout the play that I laughed along with the crowd pretending I knew what the joke was!
Before it started I had my first experience in a dorm cafeteria! (at the uni) There was soo much food selection, not gross looking food like in the movies either! I was pretty excited to be there! Had a really good night.
After working Saturday morning, I went with Keith and Merdith to their newphews middle school play. It was about the Beatles - a cute school play.
That night I went along with Tessa and her host family to a univeristy woman's gymnastics meet. That was amazing to see live!!! Something I have always wanted to do! The university of Minnesota is in the top 10 universities in the country for gymnastics, so it was top quality gymnastics performances.
Just a few facts - there are 53,000 students at the University of Minnesota.
- the first open heart surgery ever was performed here
- One of the largest universities in the USA
After that, Tessa and I caught up with a few aupair friends and went downtown.
On Sunday, Henna, Tessa and I tried out the bus system. We first went to uptown (a concept in cites throughout the states) where I found a shop I just love called urban outfitters then we headed downtown. The buses were pretty easy, not to confuisng or too scary (As someone had heard they were). You pay $1.5o and you can make as many transfers as you want for the next 2 and a half hours.
Oh yea, a few exciting things to note! Tessa and I are going to New York for the weekend in early May! It is all booked and we are rearing to go!
Also I had been on a waiting list for a half marathon (that Meredith is doing) and was emailed the other day to say a few spots had come up, so I am now registered for my first half marathon, on May the 4th.
Yip so as you can see its been a pretty busy week...Take care!
Well it has been a busy past week and a bit. A week ago on Sunday I had my monthly aupair gathering with the rest of the aupairs in my area. That was quite nice, we ate out at a vey american place 'Famous Dave's' where the 'ribs' are quite famous so of course I checked them out and I give my thumbs up to.
The next day,;Monday night I went to the movies with Tessa, Emma and Henna (a neighbouring aupair from Finland). We went to some movies at a town called Hopkins (about 15min away) and believe it or not our movie tickets were only $2.50!! It was great! Hehe we saw 27 dresses which is a predictable chick flick but cute all the same.
On the Wednesday I went to a Bible study group called 'young life' at the neighbouring city called St Paul (though it and Minneapolis are basically joined together - they're known as the 'Twin Cities') I went along with Annalise, (who knows Meredith from the skating ring where Gracie has her skating lessons) who goes to the University of Minnesota (known as 'the U'). I really enjoyed it, there were I would guess around 40 people, mostly college (university) students aged round 18-25.
The past weekend has been my busyiest yet socially! On the friday night I went along to the 'Wizard of Oz' play at the 'U' with Annalise and a few of her friends. It was a really good play, very talented acting and singing! There were many local (american and university) connatations throughout the play that I laughed along with the crowd pretending I knew what the joke was!
Before it started I had my first experience in a dorm cafeteria! (at the uni) There was soo much food selection, not gross looking food like in the movies either! I was pretty excited to be there! Had a really good night.
After working Saturday morning, I went with Keith and Merdith to their newphews middle school play. It was about the Beatles - a cute school play.
That night I went along with Tessa and her host family to a univeristy woman's gymnastics meet. That was amazing to see live!!! Something I have always wanted to do! The university of Minnesota is in the top 10 universities in the country for gymnastics, so it was top quality gymnastics performances.
Just a few facts - there are 53,000 students at the University of Minnesota.
- the first open heart surgery ever was performed here
- One of the largest universities in the USA
After that, Tessa and I caught up with a few aupair friends and went downtown.
On Sunday, Henna, Tessa and I tried out the bus system. We first went to uptown (a concept in cites throughout the states) where I found a shop I just love called urban outfitters then we headed downtown. The buses were pretty easy, not to confuisng or too scary (As someone had heard they were). You pay $1.5o and you can make as many transfers as you want for the next 2 and a half hours.
Oh yea, a few exciting things to note! Tessa and I are going to New York for the weekend in early May! It is all booked and we are rearing to go!
Also I had been on a waiting list for a half marathon (that Meredith is doing) and was emailed the other day to say a few spots had come up, so I am now registered for my first half marathon, on May the 4th.
Yip so as you can see its been a pretty busy week...Take care!
Friday, April 4, 2008
Random things
All the time I am constantly thinking, "Yea, I've got to put that on my blog'. But when I come to writing it I forget!!!
Just a few things that I find funny/interesting:
-There is a gas (petrol) station called 'Super America', another one is called 'Holiday'
-They drive on the other side of the road :P
-Amerians like to use the word super
-Meredith and Keith think its funny that I use the word "flash' to describe things (though Tarn and I thought maybe its just because we are from Putaruru!)
-Most people I meet when they find out from NZ say "Oh I've heard its a beautiful place', or 'I've always wanted to go to NZ' or 'I've heard (from friends that have visited NZ) that NZ's are the nicest people!' - So there you go!
-I think I'm going to set up a seperate column for this that I can keep on adding to this as its a daily thing I hear or see funny things.
Most of the snow had disappeared by last Sunday then on Monday it snowed all day (the most snow I had seen falling), it was almost a blizzard!! (well to me anyway). But today the temp was in the late 50s (round 14 degress celsius) so most of the snow has once again gone. Though the locals say winter is not usually this long - though snow can come as late as late April. Sounds like the same sort of thing is happening in NZ with the long Summer?!
This week was Gracie's schools spring break (the schools don't always have it on the same week) so on Wednesday evening we went and stayed overnight at a water park. We arrive there round 7 so had a few hours that night for swimming and going on the 'mean' cool slides. They were seriously awesome slides - the best I've been on.
It was a fun overnighter -the kids really enjoyed it (it was like a vacation). And so thursday morning we hung out at the pool and slides for a few more hours. Gracies a little dare devil!! We went on a tube down a slide together (its dark and scaryish) backwards and she wasn't even scared!! That was a heap of fun.
Went to a zoo this morning in St Pauls (neighbouring city, though its basically joined to Minneapolis - they're called the 'Twin Cities'). That was really nice - we meet up with some friends of the Johnsons there. It was a really cute zoo and it was free :) There was also a conservatory there so we had a look in there and there was a 'Fern' room. I said to Meredith when we walked in 'This looks like NZ bush' (I kinda thought ferns as a whole were native to NZ but no they're not). But anyway lots of the ferns were NZ ones!!! I was so proud, and there was also the Silver Fern :)
Signing off for now...
Just a few things that I find funny/interesting:
-There is a gas (petrol) station called 'Super America', another one is called 'Holiday'
-They drive on the other side of the road :P
-Amerians like to use the word super
-Meredith and Keith think its funny that I use the word "flash' to describe things (though Tarn and I thought maybe its just because we are from Putaruru!)
-Most people I meet when they find out from NZ say "Oh I've heard its a beautiful place', or 'I've always wanted to go to NZ' or 'I've heard (from friends that have visited NZ) that NZ's are the nicest people!' - So there you go!
-I think I'm going to set up a seperate column for this that I can keep on adding to this as its a daily thing I hear or see funny things.
Most of the snow had disappeared by last Sunday then on Monday it snowed all day (the most snow I had seen falling), it was almost a blizzard!! (well to me anyway). But today the temp was in the late 50s (round 14 degress celsius) so most of the snow has once again gone. Though the locals say winter is not usually this long - though snow can come as late as late April. Sounds like the same sort of thing is happening in NZ with the long Summer?!
This week was Gracie's schools spring break (the schools don't always have it on the same week) so on Wednesday evening we went and stayed overnight at a water park. We arrive there round 7 so had a few hours that night for swimming and going on the 'mean' cool slides. They were seriously awesome slides - the best I've been on.
It was a fun overnighter -the kids really enjoyed it (it was like a vacation). And so thursday morning we hung out at the pool and slides for a few more hours. Gracies a little dare devil!! We went on a tube down a slide together (its dark and scaryish) backwards and she wasn't even scared!! That was a heap of fun.
Went to a zoo this morning in St Pauls (neighbouring city, though its basically joined to Minneapolis - they're called the 'Twin Cities'). That was really nice - we meet up with some friends of the Johnsons there. It was a really cute zoo and it was free :) There was also a conservatory there so we had a look in there and there was a 'Fern' room. I said to Meredith when we walked in 'This looks like NZ bush' (I kinda thought ferns as a whole were native to NZ but no they're not). But anyway lots of the ferns were NZ ones!!! I was so proud, and there was also the Silver Fern :)
Signing off for now...
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